If anything, “Master Of Puppets” (or one of their other songs from their first four, though I am certain it was “MOP”) I believe was my introduction to thrash metal, let alone possibly my introduction to metal in general. Just like many metalheads here today that never had the luck to grow up in the public conscious once this record was released I was, at the very least, lucky enough to hear its contents when I was young, either hanging around my brother and father as they turned on the radio or when they inserted in an original cassette of the record. “Master Of Puppets” is an album I've had a plethora of interesting discussions about regarding its musicianship, quality, and status over the years. For how much the band would derail on future releases, and however evident the signs may have been that the direction they were heading in was not favorable, Master of Puppets remains a classic release and a testament to how grand and ambitious thrash metal can become, without crossing over into self-indulgence. Cliff Burton on bass also showcases some of his bass lines and performances, specifically on the epic instrumental "Orion." Even one of the less-beloved cuts "Leper Messiah" has its own charm, in witty lyricism and a rampant pace pickup towards the back end. There is more of a sinister approach to the lyrics, and Lars sounds like a much more competent drummer. But in its own way, this album feels very distinct from RTL. The best song on the album, the title track, coming in as the second. Acoustic intro to begin the opening track, followed by very fast riffing.
This album is structured very similar to Ride the Lightning. He's no longer simply shrieking, he actually pulls off some pretty good harmonies and melody on this track, and on the album as a whole. Kirk and James's chemistry on guitar works similarly well on the gloomy "Welcome Home," a track about the abuse of mental institutions that sees James making major strides in his singing. James sounds scary on the hook, and the chunky, chugging guitar riff is perfect for the mood the band is going for. "The Thing That Should Not Be" is a poor man's "Bell Tolls," but it still kicks ass. Everything about this song is spectacular, and even though it comes before one of the lesser songs in the track list, it still generates enough excitement for the album as a whole to be exciting. James Hatfield sounds mournful as he sings about the curse of addiction and the finality of death, topics that are far more meaningful than the lyrics about "we're Metallica!" that percolated their first album. The band never lets the pace get too out of control, but it does feel fast, even if the rhythm isn't actually moving much faster than mid-tempo. From the steps forward the band takes in terms of songwriting and lyrical composition, to Kirk's godlike performances on both the angelic bridge and the wickedly fast solo, this is one of the most complete metal songs ever recorded. This album's opus, and the best song of the band's career, comes in the form of the title track. James's riffing sounds as precise and as intricate as ever, even if his more technical performance on this album comes at the expense of the untapped rage the band harnessed earlier in their career. This is also the first album without a Dave Mustaine writing credit, though his influence on the band never really went away. Songs like "Battery," "Disposable Heroes," and "Damage Inc." have the sheer intensity and energy that made their first album so great, while expanding the song structures to include more bridges and more wild guitar solos from Kirk. Because the music itself is just as strong as that of its two predecessors. This is perhaps what saves this record from a perfect score. The production on this album is very clean, arguably sterile, and dampens the sounds of the instrumentation ever so slightly. Finally, Master of Puppets pushes the boundaries of thrash to the very border of pretentiousness, stopping just short of what would become their downfall on almost every release after. Ride the Lightning incorporated influences from Rush and Rainbow to create a more theatrical and ambitious presentation. Kill 'Em All, their first, practically invented thrash metal as a fusion of hardcore punk and speed metal. Master of Puppets is the third installment in a trilogy of albums that built the thrash metal genre.
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