Metallica
Master Of Puppets

THE REVIEW

Let's make one thing clear right away; I literally don't give a damn that this album has already been reviewed multiple times on this site; I really don't give a fuck; and don't come bothering me if this is already the eighth time some jerk has decided to review this damn album; these are not my problems; if it bothers you, don't read it, no one forces you, but, you pieces of shit, don't come and annoy me! I've never understood this thing about how an album cannot be reviewed multiple times; but what the hell does it change for you?

That said, what I'm about to review (not trash, as some of you might have suspected upon reading my name) is considered one of the most important albums in rock history, a milestone of metal and a masterpiece by Metallica.

I partially agree with these statements, but only partially because "Master of Puppets" is not the "perfect album" that is considered by (almost) everyone, Metallica fans and not. "Master of Puppets" is a well-made album, with some great songs but with a flaw, that of being too unoriginal. "Kill 'Em All" invented speed-metal, "Ride the Lightning" (the band's true masterpiece) invented heavy-metal, but "Master of Puppets" invents nothing, absolutely nothing, it merely reiterates what was said in "Ride the Lightning"; at least it does it well.

The work begins with a sweet acoustic guitar, to which two more are added, creating an intro worthy of a milestone like this album, it is the intro of "battery", the first track of the album which, of good, really only has the intro, the rest is an insipid, useless and trivial song (well, trivial maybe is a bit exaggerated) that you would never expect from Metallica, and you would expect it even less as the opening song of an album like this! Let's not misunderstand, it's certainly not bad, it deserves a 6++, but honestly compared to certain masterpieces found in this album the difference stands out. But we must not despair, to lift our spirits comes a great metal piece, indeed, the greatest metal piece of the album, the title track, "Master of Puppets", more than eight minutes of pure power supported by a beautiful interlude and a fantastic solo that makes this piece even more fascinating and irresistible; 9. The third track, "The Thing That Should Not Be", a song based almost entirely on a riff, perhaps it exceeds a bit too much in heaviness, but despite this remains a great song, worthy of the best Metallica. 7.5...

And at this point we are ready for the first masterpiece, "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" (9++), an incredible fusion of sweetness and anger with a very explicit and direct lyric. Ballad of the album; and this is why it’s normal to draw the comparison with "Fade to Black", legendary ballad from "Ride the Lightning". "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" does not hold up to the comparison; this does not mean, however, that it's not a valid piece, far from it! In fact, it remains a brilliant piece, surely among the top 5 best pieces of Metallica's entire production and a rare gem of the album. We pass through "Disposable Heroes" (8.5), a great piece absolutely fundamental for the album for its power, for its captivating rhythm and for its legendary chorus; reaching "Leper Messiah" (8), another song based on an important riff, like "The Thing That Should Not Be" but with the only difference that "Leper Messiah" is better executed. At this point comes the second masterpiece of the album, an instrumental: "Orion"; which, certainly, does not match the record reached by "The Call of Ktulu" in "Ride the Lightning" but gets very, very close. A piece written by the legendary Cliff, who died on November 27, 1986, and also played at his funeral. Quite monotonous anyway, but it's one of the few times in rock history where monotony doesn't tire; and this is exactly the virtue of "Orion". Masterpiece, a full 9.5 really taken by no one.

At this point, the album could have ended like this, indeed, to be honest, it would have been much better; in fact, in the last piece, "Damage Inc." I have never found and still find nothing good; same speech as "Battery" (although perhaps "Damage Inc." is slightly better than the latter); and I know dozens and dozens of criticisms will rain down for this statement of mine because among other things it’s also a much-loved piece. It doesn't deserve more than 6.5. Not to mention that, as the closing of an album, this song really doesn't fit at all! And that's also why I said the album should have ended with "Orion".

Instead, this is how "Master of Puppets" ends, with an incomplete finale (incomplete like the first track, and, if you allow me, the fact that the album starts and ends with two flops affects the rating) that concludes a great album. Great, but not without flaws.