Reviews (page 2 of 15)
5 Out of 5. One of the best metallica albums ever. Amazing 👏
Battery Master of Puppets Welcome Home (Sanitarium) Disposable Heroes Orion
Maiden on Saturday, Metallica on Sunday! This is such a fantastic album and showed that Metallica was more than a thrash band.
5, incredible energy
Praised as the best Metallica album and one of the greatest metal albums, last before the untimely death of Cliff Burton whose mark is felt all over the album especially on Orion which is perhaps my favourite Metallica song 8 minutes of instrumental heaven. In saying that even though it’s a good album it’s not the pinnacle of perfection that I remembered it being. It starts off a little slow with battery which is ok master of puppets is a masterpiece then it kinda drags again. It’s still a good album but I was just hoping for a bit more
När det i vissa stunder verkligen tillåter sig själv att vara hårt på riktigt kan jag se att det har ett existensberättigande. Plus också för ljudbilden som mestadels lutar åt det primitiva och skitiga. Stark etta
Jag är ändå imponerad av att de är väldigt spelskickliga. Men den här skivan har inte alls det låtmaterial som finns på svarta skivan. Halvvägs in i instrumentala Orion - som inledningsvis är hyfsad gothrock - slår det mig att jag nog skulle gilla skivan mer om den inte alls hade någon sång.
Dålig och totalt ointressant musik. Som tur är, är i alla fall texterna riktigt usla.
Trista riff. Texter ihopsnickrade av en 10-årint med rimlexikon. Kan inte ta slut fort nog. Mycket roligare än tidigare Metallica-album i boken.
I'm not interested in Thrash Metal, but I guess this is fine...
A 5 star album every day of the week. So tight. Packed with teenage rage. Great hooks. Great melody. What’s not to love.
Love how the opening track starts with delicate strings but then shifts into something speedy and reminiscent of King Gizzard. (I recognize that this comparison should be the other way around, but I’m not really into metal, so hey, doing my best here.) The music is more varied than some metal, which sometimes strikes me as just a solid wall of impressive but uninteresting speediness. And the singing style is distinctive: short, declarative statements coming from a deranged leader standing at the mouth of a cave at the top of a mountain beset by lightning bolts and dark, threatening clouds. OK hang on, I’ve taken this imagery a little too far here. I don’t know whether I’d go back to this anytime soon, but I liked a lot of it. It has more going for it for me than a lot of more recent metal, with all the growling screaming vocals.
Good vocalist and pacing
I’m not a metal guy by any means, but I can’t deny this rocks.
It's objectively good, but I wouldn't opt to listen to it
Excellent. I like black album better though.
Amazing riffs. Heavy and melodic at the same time. Great album from start to finish!
Классика на века, не стоит даже распинаться, на сколько звучание особенно этого альбома культовое. При чём эта работа даже вне рамок своего выхода до сих пор цепляет как минимум невероятными инструменталами. Я долго думал, будет ли это первый альбом на сайте, которому я поставлю 5, и да, поставлю, это настоящая классика металла, не только мелодичного, но и свирепого настолько, что хочется ликовать
I've looked back at my metal reviews from this list, including one other Metallica album, '...And Justice for All'. This one doesn't really move the needle of my opinion at all. Some deliciously crunchy riffs, but the whole speed metal thing just feels too frantic, too rushed for me to settle in and enjoy it. The track I enjoyed the most is an instrumental, 'Orion.' I'll bang my head with the best of them, but Metallica, with few exceptions, doesn't make me want to bang on anything.
Just don't get it, sounds overwhelmingly mediocre to me
I could probably just repost my review of Megadeth from a couple days ago. Metal is just not something I've ever gotten into. I will say listening to this one was a far cry better than that pompous double live with full orchestra crap we listened to a while back.
Of the Big Four we have pretty much had all of their best albums. Slayer we had Reign In Blood, hands down their masterpiece! Anthrax we had Among the Living, which I was surprised we had any Anthrax, but clearly their best! Megadeth with Rust In Peace their obvious best. Now with Metallica, most would argue this is their greatest album. But sorry, when you talk about concept, structure, songwriting and straight up production? Justice has always been my favorite ... 4 stars for Master! I still know every note and every word of the first four Metallica albums ... but the first three just sound tired after so many listens. For Master I skipped Welcome Home ... I have heard that song enough ... yawn. Side One is really overplayed ... Side Two is where this album is at anyway!
Increible álbum, la música te abraza. Da la sensación de nunca querer acabar, reproducirlo una y otra vez, no se siente pesado ni muy lento. Todo en justa medida es bueno.
Who am I to argue with Master of Puppets?
Great album of course. Was obsessed with this when i was about 14. I forgot how incredible the back half of the record is with “Disposable Heroes”, “Leper Messiah” and “Damage Inc.” is. Was great to hear again.
Today on "how the hell did I not learn/realize this earlier?" apparently Metallica had an album littered with odd time signatures. They sneak in time signature changes so cleanly it's hard to even tell they happened, like them cutting off a beat every few measures on the title track or the weird shifting around on Disposable Heroes. I've grown to instinctively count out songs as I'm listening to them (damn you King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard) and I'd randomly get displaced on a few of these songs. Anyways, there's more that makes this album great than just odd time signatures. More than anything, this is just a really good selection of Thrash Metal songs. The title track is a classic for a reason and the other big songs like Battery and Welcome Home are great too. That and it was really funny to see all the people bragging about how they know all the words to Orion in the Youtube Music comment section.
Wow holy cow how can I never have seen the giant hands and the threads when I was a kid! Now I totally get the symbolism with Papa Het's substance abuse and who is the master and who is the puppet. Never realized that MOP has a bit of a lack of sound quality, it sounds plastic compared to metal bands of today, but in the 80s it must have sounded huge. And of course it super influential and breathed in fresh air in the thrash metal scene. Best track is of course Orion!
Buono
Rating for innovation rather than anything else.
I really just do not care for metal, it’s not that it’s a bad album but I did not enjoy a single minute of it. I was surprised none of it was familiar to me!!
Not really my thing
#140 orion is soooooo pretty, what a wonderful instrumental track. i loved it! in terms of the album as a whole, it's technically brilliant and there is a reason it's as popular as it is. it's aggressive in a way that helps the story they are telling throughout and is quintessential listening when understanding how metal subgenres developed in the 80s :) it gets a 3 from me (moreso 3.5) as it's not an album i would necessarily go back to listen to in full as it can be hard to distinguish track to track. heavily nostalgic for me though as my mama played a lot of metallica as a kid. ಄ average track rating: 3.1/5 ಄ favourite track(s): orion ಄ least favourite track(s): leper messiah ಄ album rating: ★★★⯪☆ ಄ number of albums left to review: 949 ಄ number of albums i agree with being on the list:60 (+1 Master of Puppets) ಄ albums from the list that i would consider for my list: 27 (+1 Master of Puppets) ಄ albums i would not include on my list: 113
Unreal album, this reminds me of been a kid getting into it all. What a throwback, I needed this album right now. Up there, is it as good as the black album for all purposes. No, but it’s a banger. Theres a full album of tracks on here that could easy take the top spot.
Masterpiece
Iconic, but while I kinda like parts of some songs, I'm not a thrash metal fan at all. A standout was Battery for me.
was okay
Classic one New song I didn’t know before but know now and like it: Orion 3,5/5
The classic big one of the original big 3 albums from Metallica. Ez 10
I didn’t like this one as much as the later, self-titled album. This one is noisier and less melodic
Perfekt. Wunderschönes Metall Album
Stopped counting the number of times I listened to this all time classic. The lyrics of the title track are 40 years old, fitting better by the year: > Taste me, you will see > More is all you need > Dedicated to > How I'm killing you
Good album
Fuck it all and fucking no regrets
I'm not much of a metal guy, at least to listen to at home. Live performances are fun. I've never seen Metallica, but I'm familiar with some of their work. It's obviously successful and impactful. This is an important album in the genre. As a drummer, I often listen to what they're doing. Lars is interesting. I hear him trashed on drumming chats. I think that's quite unfair. He may not be as athletic as some in the metal space, but he serves the songs quite well. Historically speaking, this album probably deserves a five. I'm giving it a four because I was ready for it to be over well before it was.
Rhythm guitar bible that gets dragged down by stilted drumming.
yeah it's pretty good
Beast of a album. Excellent album where every song just rocks your socks off. Picking the best song from this album is really hard, but lets go with Orion. It is just so well crafted instrumental song.
ya no hay con que darle su merienda a los peces
An album I've always liked rather than loved, but one where the highs truly make me appreciate Metallica for the institution that they are. It peaks early for me and doesn't really recapture that same fury of the first two tracks often enough. I like full throttle Metallica, not self-serious mid tempo Metallica at all, and I can take or leave their more groove-laden showpieces, but I do own and infrequently revisit Master of Puppets for that opening assault and where the pace picks up therein. Generally I'm much more likely to reach for Kill 'Em All or Ride the Lightning for something a bit more primal and less rehearsed if I want Metallica, and I prefer the fluidity of Megadeth and savagery of Slayer if I'm looking at the Big 4 picture.
Nope!
No skips, absolute banger
It’s this album that served as a foundation for Metallica’s world dominance and it serves as the world’s worst case of “stop with the reinventing and go back to the old stuff”.
Completely different to the music I enjoy so not really my cup of tea. Nonetheless am I happy I got to listend to this iconic band.
10/10 This is one of those records that’s kind of hard to separate from the long history I have with it, despite the fact that it took me a while to fully gel with Metallica. In part, that’s probably down to the slide in quality that, for me, began after The Black Album, but was happening during my formative years. Once I started digging backwards into their catalogue, though, I was hooked. This record takes the raw, thrash sound of Ride The Lightning and refines it, while introducing more significant progressive rock elements in both structural and instrumental composition. What that results in is an eight track album, clocking in at 55 minutes that never drags and never feels repetitive. They lead the album of brilliantly with its thrashiest song to get the juices flowing, before slowing the pace a touch and delivering the sprawling epic that is the title track. Somehow they manage to spin an eight and a half minute thrash metal song that leans into structural techniques more akin to prog rock, into a song so hooky and captivating that it has arguably become a fairly well regarded and ever-present mainstream hit. And the album just rolls along from there. Lars will always have his detractors, but I personally think that his compositional flair and approach to rhythm is actually pretty decent, even if he borders on being a touch loose now and again. This album is one of his best performances though, and the band’s propensity to switch tempo and groove at the drop of a hat, combined with their understanding and manipulation of dynamic range within their songs, goes a long way to giving this record the depth and range of quality that it has. Cliff Burton’s bass pins down the power, and is the throbbing heart to the record, an element that is accentuated brilliantly during his work on Orion. Kirk Hammett may not be the most innovative guitarist in metal, but he doesn’t really put much of a foot wrong here, and his work essentially does the perfect job of delivering riffs and solos to back up the main thrust of each song. But James Hetfield is really the main man when it comes to Metallica. For a man who didn’t want to be a vocalist, his distinctive vocal tone and delivery that provides intensity with a touch of sardonic swagger really is the thing that ties it all together. And that’s the thing with Metallica. As a band they have their flaws, but when they get things right, as they did for quite a few albums in a row, they are far more than the sum of their parts and are able to smash out records like this. It’s a superb balance of power and intensity with deft touches of production and harmonic nuance, combined with an ear for hook and melody that helps to balance the more challenging and in-your-face aspects of their music into a more coherent and musically interesting package. It’s a brilliant piece of work, and I’m sure I’ll be listening to it until the end of my days. Battery - It’s a really lovely start with the building layers of clean guitar ramping the tension before the distortion and drums kick in to build it even further. Then they burst into the pacy and powerful main thrust of the song. There are some nice tempo switches in this and some excellent riffs and instrumental moments. I think the way this album bursts into life with its most balls-to-the-wall thrash number before starting to introduce more prog edged developments leads it perfectly on from Ride The Lightning. This is aggressive, intense and driven in all the best ways. Master Of Puppets - James Hetfield tosses out two exceptional riffs inside the first thirty seconds of this track and it doesn’t let up from there. There’s so much development, range and instrumental quality to this track and, as with a couple of moments in Battery, they switch up rhythmic pacing and emphasis with gleeful abandon. It’s also absolutely stacked with hooks and attitude, making it pretty undeniable. It would be a brilliant song if it stopped at 3:30ish, but they lean into the idea and pull it further and further into different directions including some wonderful melodic guitar soloing work. The dynamic range is wonderful, but it never lacks energy and a cinematic undercurrent of brooding tension, even when they pull back from the main thrust. The “Master, Master” central hook works so well as a rhythmic pacing device to gather up the threads of what they’ve done and weave them together again. It’s, quite frankly, an absolute masterpiece, not just of metal, but of music in general. The Thing That Should Not Be - And now they prove that they can take that brooding menace that we’ve glimpsed in the first couple of tracks and place it centre stage. The riffs and beats give this an edge of groove that Metallica aren’t often credited with. There’s a depth to the production here that allows the weight and power to exist alongside some more psychedelic and creepy elements, giving a fantastic textural layer to go along with that heavy base. It’s more subtle than Master of Puppets, but they again bring some superb pieces of rhythmic punctuation that bring the song into moments of complete unification, before spreading out again. Welcome Home (Sanitarium) - I adore the structural choice to build this around four bars of 4, two of 3 and one of 2, giving it an unconventional feel that still actually resolves to the equivalent of five bars of 4. That choice gives the track an unsettling and slightly off-kilter edge that works brilliantly with the subject matter. Again, it’s cinematic in scope and production value and has exceptional dynamic range, yet they never forget the need to deliver moments of power, anger and aggression. The instrumental work is completely on point and, while I’ve yet to mention it, Hetfield’s vocal is the perfect balance of tone and attitude to go with the band’s sound. This is such a proggy track too, with a fluid approach to musical development across the six and a half minutes. They’ve yet to miss for a single moment and this continues the theme. Exceptional. Disposable Heroes - The broiling, pulsing intro to this is great, and again, the quick changes in intensity and pace are super cool. The vocal has so much bite, emphasised well by the occasional moments of backing vocal. The production has cool weight and presence too. There are some fun instrumental solo parts, and the general vibe and rhythmic flow of this is another hit. I don’t think it quite captures as many high quality riffs and hooks, but in terms of fire and intensity, it still ticks all of the boxes. Leper Messiah - Back to a track stuffed with quality riffs, cool bass lines from Cliff and a slightly slower pace that holds a great, driven groove. The chorus is absolutely banging, both vocally and riff-wise, and while it’s not as hooky as some of the other tracks, I feel like the energy and intensity of this track brings it right up there in terms of overall quality. There’s so much punch in places, rolling, broiling rhythms in others and an overall great vibe. Orion - Cliff Burton’s most significant writing contribution to the album and probably its most prog effort, this is a fantastic journey through dynamic, tempo and melodic progression. We’ve had hints of Cliff’s bass. playing prowess elsewhere on the album, but here is where he shines. The roaming riffs and melodies drag the emotional core of the track around in a range of directions, but it never feels like it’s lost or meandering in any way, which is quite the achievement for an 8 and a half minute instrumental. There’s great sound design and quality composition throughout. Excellent. Damage, Inc. - After an atmospheric piece of sound design to tee us up, the album comes full circle and delivers us back to the pacy, thrash intensity we last sawn reach this level on Battery. Again, the rhythmic breaks and dynamic pauses allow the speed and power to have even more impact and there are more solid riffs and grooves throughout. The production on Hetfield’s vocal and the guitar solo give an extra bit of air and atmosphere to the top end, which is a perhaps under appreciated part of Metallica’s sound. It’s an top notch closer for what is quite the journey of a record.
Probably the album I would play for someone who's never heard metal. A perfect, legendary album.
This is the record that showed us thrash metal can actually be music too, rather than just noise. Metallica was one of the few bands that went beyond just the quest for noise for noise's sake. Does that mean they deserve FOUR albums on any list of 1001 albums I must hear before I die. I don't think so. Two actually seems like a more reasonable number, in my opinion (especially on a list that needs room for at LEAST one album from a completely shut out Warren Zevon!). But THIS particular album would certainly be one of them.
Listened while running. First half had a relly good vibe for it.
I hate Metallica. But Orion is beautiful. That is all.
Really liked parts of the album, but some tracks that I didn't find as interesting ran too long for my liking
Another day on the 1,001 albums challenge. I can’t rate it too lowly because it contains some really sick guitar solos that even if this isn’t really my favorite genre I have to admit it’s very good. Overall, not a bad album and kept me locked in throughout my listening experience.
#251 Heard Before? Yes, but not in twenty years. Notes: - i moved on in life to far more interesting and wide ranging metal, so this was both better and worse than I remembered. - I've known far too much weedly-weedlie in my time, but these solos earn their laurels through complexity and forethought. and they aren't endless. - some of the songs (like the title track) are marvelously written formalist gems. and some (like "The Thing That Should Not Be") are painful filler. - i would listen to "Orion" again. it does everything Metallica ever did well in the best way. - drumming is perfunctory, as is the chugga-chugga rhythm guitar. - production is typical of the era. too clear, perhaps? or at least waaaaay too much vocal. and those guitar and bass tones can just up and die already. blargh. - i get enough self-righteous barking from my Dad, Mr. Hetfield. you missed your calling as a gym teacher. - but the worst part of it all for me is the complete lack of self-awareness, the ludicrous seriousness that weighs down every song. no wonder they are beloved of emotionally stunted males the world over. Verdict: Metal is the silliest genre. Metallica ignores this at their peril - and yours. Listen Again? That's enough, thank you.
I know that like 2 weeks ago I said that The Black Album was probably my favorite Metallica album, but I think maybe it had just been too long since I heard this. I was really surprised going back at how strong this is, there's really not a bad song on it. It doesn't really feel as intense as something like Kill 'Em All or ...And Justice For All, but it's still plenty thrilling and there's a lot of interesting social commentary on here. It's really them at their most focused and at their most potent. Favorites: Battery, Welcome Home (Sanitarium), Disposable Heroes
Probably the best of its type. Outstanding Musicianship and virtuoso playing. Perhaps better listened to in sections as hearing it in one sitting does get a bit relentlessly samey over the course of an hour. And, now that you mention it, an hour does seem to test its welcome. And it is let down a little by the lyrics, which are of the Satanic-Cthulu-Insane-Overwrought-Melodrama style. However, it could probably be bottled as a testosterone booster.
Was good for a power walk maybe not so good for chilling
Not for me
I’ve never listened to Metallica because they seem like dicks. Unfortunately this is a killer record and completely deserves its reputation as one of the best heavy metal albums of all time. It’s consistent and stays interesting. I had a great time and I will definitely return.
This is obviously the pinnacle of metal as an art form. Even though i generally dislike metal, and can’t see missing this album on a desert island, it earns a 4.
måste vara bästa metallica albumet
I don’t even think Master of Puppets is that good. Yet the whole album is similar to it
Anthony, what else can you say? Is this not standard to metal? Is this not one of the greatest? They're commanding as memorable songs. Love to see it in concert
The instrumentation paired with the themes and lyrics that I assume were once considered "metal" and edgy just land to my ears as kinda boring, repetitive, and commercially clean to a comical point. I have trouble taking this album seriously.
One song is an obvious classic and to be honest the rest of them not that far behind. I fell it's a band and not a group if that makes sense? There's place to just enjoy the musicians' talent.
A collection of fun thrashy anthems. I think as I get older, I find James Hetfeld's voice and the "house" sound of Metallica more grating than I did when I was younger. The most interesting stuff comes when they deviate from it. Orion is the easy highlight of the album and it has a Megadeth quality to it. Master of Puppets is a classic for a reason but I really find the second half of the song is what makes is stand out. I only listened through the album once so I'm happy to revisit once I give it a few more listens on the bigger sound system.
This is the second Metallica album I’ve gotten on this journey, and considering this came out two years before ...And Justice for All, I was surprised by how much better it sounded to me. I liked the melodies more, the instruments had more punch, and everything just felt a little easier to latch onto. It still has plenty of those typical headbanging, thrashing stretches, and there isn’t exactly a huge amount of variety from song to song, but I liked the moments when the album changed things up and slowed down a bit. Even the lyrics came through a little more clearly for me this time around. A few tracks also genuinely surprised me. Sanitarium brought in a moodier, slower side that I really liked, while Orion stood out as this long instrumental that gave the album a completely different feel for a while. Those moments helped break up some of the nonstop heaviness, which did start to wear on me a little by the second half. Still, the album never completely lost my interest. The politically charged lyrics also give the whole thing this great “headbang while sticking it to the man” energy. And it’s pretty easy to understand why Master of Puppets became such a landmark album, especially coming out right as thrash metal was really exploding. I definitely appreciated this more than the last Metallica album I heard. Will I listen to it again? Eh, maybe not anytime soon. But I can absolutely respect what’s here. 3.5/5
Why do metal bands make their songs so flippin' long? Nothing here under five and a half minutes, FFS. Give me an album of three minute pop songs tomorrow, generator! Please! No more horrible noises! No more excessive guitar-wankery! Make tomorrow a happy day!
ai, nao curti.
While this isn’t a genre of music that I enjoy, I can appreciate the talent and musicianship on this album. (4)
I genuinely dont get it... it's dull and formulaic!
One of the best Metallica albums, but a bit samey all the same
Yep 👍
Went into it thinking it was just gonna be screaming (ig it kinda is) but realised that the focus of it was more on the band as a whole rather than just the vocalist. I think that goes for a lot of rock/metal in general to be honest. So while it did require a perspective shift it grew on me quite fast. Fav song: Battery / Master of Puppets
Some of the beginning guitar riffs start to feel unoriginal since you hear the best in the first two songs, but each song does develop its own flavour eventually and are each great
4.4 4x great album maybe should be added to more frequent rotation
RATING: 8.5/10 HIGHLIGHT: Orion LOWLIGHT: Leper Messiah
I can see why these guys got so damn popular Very fun to listen to is the best way I can describe it. Battery and the title track are my favorites, though every song on here is pretty good. Metallica just nails that high octane metal energy that everyone wants to have; vocals are intense but not unlistenable and the guitars are shredding but it still sounds like music. Theming is pretty cool in this one too Main complaint I have with this one and really metal as a genre is that everything’s very one note; every song is going to be super high energy, high tempo, and there’s not a huge variety in what actually gets covered It might not be the absolute deepest or most profound music out there, but it’s fun and I absolutely respect that. I’ll definitely listen to this one again
Despite how cringe it is to be caught listening to a metallica album, this is pretty good. I think the main thing that holds it back is the album variety. An individual track has a lot going on, but as a whole, they blend together and become a bit tiring. Orion becomes the stand-out track purely because it has an actual melodic part in it (although what on earth is with that fade-out ending? like genuinely you couldnt think of anyhting???) Very technical, battery is really fun. but the lack of dynamic range was really hurting by the end
Spotify, I don't want to listen to the 10-hour remastered deluxe box set. Anyway I think I listened to the entirety of this album. Embarrassingly for me because I call myself a music nerd, Metallica has been a bit of a blind spot. I know the titular Master of Puppets and enjoy it for what it is. Older metal historically has never been my favorite but I'm working on appreciating and understanding it for what it is. The experience of listening to this album was about what I expected. Really heavy and shreddy guitar and signature Metallica vocals throughout. It's very chopped and unc and just not my favorite thing. I'm not sure why. I understand that this record is massively influential and is so similar to the modern punk and rock I listen to in many ways but DANG it just feels like it drones on and it all sounds the same to me. Maybe they would differentiate themselves after a handful of listens, but not on initial listen. I feel uncultured not loving this album, but I just don't. The over the top 80's corny lyrics and sounds didn't age well for me as someone who didn't grow up with or around Metallica in my life. Overall, appreciate this record and Metallica for what it is but it doesn't really do it for me. I wish I liked it more because I know that most of my favorite music wouldn't be what it is without Master of Puppets and Metallica as a whole. I wouldn't go out of my way to turn it off, but I wouldn't go out of my way to turn it on either.
Non sono una grand ascoltatrice del genere, però devo dire che è un album incredibilmente carico. Orion e master of Puppets sono fenomenali, anzi master of Puppets è iconica. Pur non ascoltando con grandissimo entusiasmo, mi ha fatto piacere allontanarmi dal mio solito genere proprio con questo album
A lot of the songs are kinda long and sandy and that’s coming from someone who enjoys long and samey songs
Master of Puppets isn't the best Metallica album. But at least it's not Stanger.
voi vittu
Ohhhhhh yeah I know this son of a bitch. 5 stars all day folks.
Metallica’s best.
Not something I’d listen to often, but I can appreciate the musicianship.
Surprisingly higher degree of musicianship than I expected
No, not great music. One star…
Metallica and I have had a patchy history. But this? I can get behind this. It has the same problems as its successors in that most of the songs wield very similar textures, but the band mostly makes up for that in pure energy, diverse riffs and melodies, lengthy, proggy song structures, and more. Battery is instantly likeable, moving from soft electric to earth-shaking electric in a heartbeat. I like Hetfield's delivery of "bat-ta-ray", the multiple consecutive guitar solos just past the halfway mark, the relentless drumming, and the basswork that's mixed down a bit much but is still seriously impressive. In case you felt severely deprived of riffs for some reason, the title track has you absolutely covered. I could listen to that riffs for hours (and judging by how familiar it sounds, presumably I already have). The little time signature jumps, the agitated drums, the moments where the instruments all drop away and you're left out in the cold for a beat or two. The extended instrumental section in the middle is incredibly strong, easily topping the vocal-based sections (no offense, James). The Thing That Should Not Be is a little more hesitant, more broken up, then fills out partway through, peaking with a Queen-esque self-harmonised guitar line. Then all three songs thus far get heavily juxtaposed with the softer, mesmerising, almost psychedelic atmosphere of Welcome Home (Sanitarium). Nice evidence that Metallica really thought about the whole album experience. Also, easily the most "listenable" singing thus far, even if it's less technically impressive. Kind of anticipates grunge and alt. I like Disposable Heroes, though after the 8-minute juggernaut title track, following with with another 8-minute piece might raise some eyebrows. Leper Messiah makes do with a slightly less rambunctious texture than seen previously, to pretty great effect. I think I like the (slightly) quieter side of Metallica, rare though it may be. Again, the different song sections create some nice contrast and transitional moments. Orion (Instrumental) is a pretty good standout for a similar reason. I almost had the complaint that it wasn't particularly progressive for an eight-and-a-half-minute epic – but that switch-up at 4 minutes is legendary. A strange, mysterious side of Metallica I've never heard before. Hard to describe – gloomy, maybe? Or at least introspective. The guitar and bass lines each tell a story. Finally, we get Damage Inc., a song that begins unassumingly (almost balladesque, actually) but breaks at some point into an aggressive, punky rehashing of earlier tracks. The outro solo is pretty sweet, though. 4/5 Key tracks: Master Of Puppets, Welcome Home (Sanitarium), Orion (Instrumental)
Orion is a great song!! Just wish more songs were near that sound. I like the heavy metal which was a very different album from the last one we had.
I liked the black album better
This didn't quite click with me like the black album did. All the good things were still good. But it had less songs that I just got really into, already knew, or felt like I was excited for them to keep going. I had not heard Orion before, and there was excellent guitar work in there, but I think I was expecting more somehow. Maybe it's a result of getting my expectations unreasonably high. Still great, but not quite the same oomf.
This!!
They beat the HELL out of those drums.
I'm taking the one star I was forced to give to Bob and using it here to give this 6 stars. Absolutely incredible album (aside from The Thing That Should Not Be). It has the best album bookends in all music with Battery and Damage, Inc. And throw in an incredible instrumental track on top of everything else.
It’s Metallica
One of a couple of good Metallica albums, but not quite thrashy enough for my taste.
archetypal metal album
Pretty fun, although when I saw eight tracks in 54 minutes, my heart sunk a little. You can definitely see why they were so influential at the time. Favourite track: Master of Puppets
I'm not usually much of a metal listener, but couldn't help getting into this. The guitar, the drums, the vocals all hit hard but are clean and clear and constantly compelling.
So many riffs. Only gripe is that they songs are all pretty long, and seem repetitive at times.
The genre is pretentious and easy to parody, but this album remains earnest & powerful, even 40(!?!) Years later. It's polished but not as clean as Black, and the timing of the riffs and tonal shifts are perfect.
Just ordinary, in my opinion.
Genuinely fantasties. Hulle ouer goed is incredible
Previously unknown. Musically I don't necessarily mind it, but the vocals make it all feel the same.
I did not care for Master of Puppets. It insists upon itself.
I don't like metal :(
10/10 no notes. Metallica at their peak
This was only okay for me. I see why it's influential, I guess, but I don't personally connect with it
Gran disco
1) Disposable Heroes 2) Master Of Puppets 3) Battery Least Favourite: Leper Messiah
The best Metal album of all time, easy 5.
This album does nothing for me. Listening to it felt empty and repetitive from the start. I honestly see Metallica as one of the biggest letdowns in metal, and this record only confirms that feeling. There is no real spark in the instrumentals, the vocals do nothing special, and the rhythms just grind along without any interesting ideas. The lyrics never stand out either. It all starts to sound the same after a while. Song after song follows the same pattern without any real variation or personality. What some people call tight playing just feels stiff and lifeless to me. There is no atmosphere, no excitement, and nothing that makes me want to come back to it. The production is clean and loud for its time, but that only makes the lack of creativity more obvious. Everything is well recorded and properly mixed, yet the result still feels flat and uninspired. Master of Puppets is a complete miss for me. Repeatable, empty, and nowhere near as good as its reputation suggests.
3/5
I've said it before. I just don't like heavy metal. It's just painful noise to me.
Say one more bad thing about Metallica and I'll kick your ass!
I Metallica-n't listen to this kind of stuff.
Ponderous.
Before any of you nerds get your Pokémon cards in a twist, I'm sure this is a taste thing rather than a rubbish album thing. It just ain't for me. I've tried, I have really tried
Not really a fan but respect it for excellent execution.
There are definitely far too many Metallica albums in this collection, but it would have been a shame not to have this one that not only launched them into the arenosphere, but also was the catalyst for transforming the (American?) metalscape into the unholy four horsemen of the apocalypse (Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax and Megadeath). I've never really found a way to embrace Metallica the way I know I should--although I *will* say that "Fade to black" from "Ride the Lightning" is one of my favorite songs of all time--and I think it's in large part because they always sounded too precise and antiseptic and dispassionate, especially starting with this album. Despite that, they produced a number of classic (and somewhat interchangeable) songs with this album, especially "Battery", the title track, "Welcome home (sanitarium)" and "Damage, Inc.". I enjoyed reading a few odd tidbits on the Wikipedia entry: (1) they really wanted to get Geddy Lee (from Rush) to produce the album, but the timing didn't work out; (2) apparently Cliff Burton (RIP) and Kirk Hammett were/are big Bowie fans, and even managed to pull a riff from Bowie's "Andy Warhol" into the title track; and (3) Stranger Things season 4 created a new legion of Spotify fans for "Master of puppets", placing them just behind Kate Bush and "Running up the hill" (also featured in Season 4). I never really expected to see Metallica and Kate Bush in the same sentence, I must admit, but kind of satisfying that they couldn't quite place *ahead* of her....
It's Metallica doing their thing.
The shiniest metal ever made.
16/08/2026 Easy 5 stars here for me. It doesn't even need explaining. Spotify listeners: 32.5 million
I've never been able to get into this album the way other folks have. I dig the second side way more than the first, but I'd still rather listen to Lightning. Is this more influential than their other thrash-era stuff? Couldn't say, but it's definitely more popular.
Not great; Dated.
long
It is a bit too coherent to truly be great in my eyes, like not enough things dared, but at the same time it is mu inderstanding that it is genre defining. Some songs run a bit long, and they are not all great, on a 8 track album it can be a bit much. Overall, I was interested
In the days before Metallica finally put out a video for One in like 1989, a kid like me couldn't hear Metallica as they were not on the radio or MTV and of course no youtube, spotify, etc. So I only knew them from the reputation of the dirtbags who wore Metallica shirts on the daily, and I assumed it was not my thing. This is definitely my thing. The greatest metal album ever and the title track is the greatest metal song ever. All of Side 1 is glorious. The dirtbags were right.
There's no discussion. This is five stars.
My only regret is that I didn't appreciate this album until deep into my 20s.
Some classic songs, but not a classic album
This is probably my favourite Metallica album. In the 90s, I enjoyed a good mix of US alternative rock and British indie music. Never had time for Metallica, but slowly got in them via Load and Reload as they were the latest albums at the time. Got banned from Napster by Metallica but not before I leached their entire back catalogue. Honestly, great memories. I love how trashy and melodic this is. This is what I listen to when I'm under pressure at work to get shit done.
Great album with great songs. Loved the energy. 4/5
Master of Puppets is the best metal album of all time. It's not my favorite Metallica album, but it's objectively a perfect album. For the time that this came out, nothing on the planet was anything like it. This album is one of if not the most important progressive metal precursors. Master of Puppets exemplified that metal could be more than just fast guitar solos and heavy riffs- that the songwriting could be brought up to a new level with complex structures and layers of orchestrations played through guitars. Not only is this album absolutely groundbreaking, but it fucking rips. James Hetfield on Master of Puppets at the time was something the world had never seen. The anger that shrieks through these vocal performances should absolutely be more recognized. Every lyric you can feel and visualize so vividly- it's just awing. His rhythm playing is ruthless, with some of Metallica’s fastest and definitely heaviest riffs being composed on this project. This is also Cliff Burton's last studio performance before his tragic death in a fatal bus accident. Master of Puppets is Cliff's magnum opus, with his passion for classical music shining through the song orchestrations and his Lovecraftian lyrics. What his contributions to bass playing did is immeasurable. The complexity this album has in terms of songwriting is pure fucking genius and it cannot be understated what he added to the band. Kirk Hammett is definitely at his peak on this album in terms of soloing. Every song features some of the best metal leads of all time, with not a single miss. You can really hear every member shining on this record at their fullest, and it’s just so infectious. Hell, even Lars was a demon on this thing. His thrash drumming was perfect, and his double kick on the faster tunes absolutely rip. It starts small and sinister with Battery's acoustic chords and suspenseful stacking harmonies. Then it just explodes like a volcano, introducing us into the madness that this album is about to unveil. I could make an argument and say that Battery is the greatest metal opening track of all time, if not one of the greatest openers of all time in general. It perfectly encapsulates the sheer amount of rage, complexity, and heaviness that this album is going to offer. Kirk's solo absolutely rips too. The title track is probably one of the most influential songs on the planet. The amount of people that started playing guitar because of this song (me included) is definitely not a small number. This exact song showed that thrash metal could be expanded into something much larger. The middle section is one of the greatest bridges in existence. Hetfield's solo under that hypnotizing progression makes you wish it was an eternity. The harmonies organized as well that sandwich the solo are, in my opinion, the best harmonies in their catalog, which is saying a lot. The sheer amount of ruthless technique in this song's main riffs are insane too. Living in the universe at the same time as this song is a privilege. The Thing That Should Not Be is another credit to Master of Puppets immeasurable influence on the metal genre. This dark D standard tune is one of the nastiest sludge/doom metal precursors. Kirk's solo sounds like a demonic dolphin in the creepiest way possible. The main riff is also one of Metallica's most underrated parts. The lyrics however, are some of my favorites in Metallica's catalog. The ominous, terrifying, and unimaginable depiction of a Lovecraft inspired monster is just so fucking cool. Sanitarium at most points was my favorite Metallica song, just absolutely perfect from start to finish. The best thing about this track by a mile are the 4 solos. These 2 melodic and 2 shredfest leads are some of the greatest recorded metal performances of all time. Welcome Home is a beast that gradually builds and builds from a haunting ballad to a thrash chainsaw as the intensity of the riffs and solos rise. The clean riff is also one of the most hauntingly beautiful things I've ever heard. The lyrics are also killer. Disposable Heroes by Metallica has the greatest lyrics of all time. The vivid description of a soldier’s traumatizing role in society is shrieked perfectly by Hetfield. The motif ingeniously screams "BACK TO THE FRONT" by a sergeant to a soldier, playing on words and symbolizing the intensity of how all soldiers are crafted the same, led into battle to die. The riffs on this thing are incredibly intense too. Kirk’s choice of modes on his solo show that he’s getting very involved on this record. At this point in the band’s history, every member was at their peak, and this song exemplifies that for sure. Leper Messiah is an underrated gem. This is one of the nastiest songs in Metallica’s catalog, sinisterly depicting the corruption of finance in religion. Throughout the whole album, each song reinforces the themes of evil corrupting the oblivious, which just makes the entire listen very cohesive. The progressive aspects of this song are super sick, specifically the bridge section where the track transforms into this thrashfest. Orion. God this song is a progressive metal masterpiece. It begins with these bass drones along with crescendoing drums pulsing as the track begins to build to the break in the main theme. This song is Cliff’s masterpiece, as you can see 3 bass solos throughout it as well as the incredible orchestrated nature of the harmonies. The middle section transcends you, immersing the sound in the sonics of the galaxy. Every solo taken, every riff chug, and every bend strung in this song is just written for the gods. Lastly, the album closes with Damage Inc. This is the last song that features Cliff Burton in the studio, and what he begins the track with could not be more perfectly fitting. The bass swells sound like a horn’s call, or like a full orchestra performing together, even though it’s just a bass. Because Cliff could do those things. Metallica were on a completely different level of songwriting while constructing this project, and the mixing, performances, lyrics, and riffs just prove this. Master of Puppets start to finish is perfect. Not a single second is wasted, and the effort and genius in the songwriting blows my mind. Not another album in history is anything like this. I hope Cliff knows how much the world loves his masterpiece.
I wish this was harder and faster. No weepy stuff in the beginning or middle, less cinematicness. But some good thrashing on here nonetheless.
Instant classic. This is one of the greatest metal albums in history.
Most iconic metal album ever for a reason, this shit rips. While I do prefer Ride the Lightning, this album doesn't waste a moment. The performances are heavy, the pace is so fast straight from the opening to the very end. Every riff feels purposeful. The pumping tempos on Battery make my blood fizzle and that's a good thing. Then the title track is one of the most anthemic metal songs ever, like it's made for a packed arena. The Thing That Should Not Be breaks up the pace a bit, probably the weakest song here but still by no means bad. The record picks up speed right after with some of its biggest bangers. Welcome Home starts off slow with these beautiful guitar arpeggios before leading into an amazing buildup. The song does that multiple times, it's so beautifully structures and on top of that contains one of James' most emotional vocal performances. Then Disposable Heroes is a lot more straightforward, just blasting riffs that sound amazing at high volume, fast tempos and unforgiving vocals. Then there is the amazing Leper Messiah. Love the super odd tempos and time signatures of the song, gives it this wild, uncontrollable feel. I like Orion too but I feel like it could have gotten a stronger back half. Thankfully Damaged Inc makes for a thrilling finnish to an iconic and incredible album. It's wild and heavy but also catchy and accessible which is why it's a great starting point for metal and probably why it's so popular.
I don't dislike it, but it's not my jam. Metallica are great, undeniably, but it's not the music I listen to so I can't judge it right. Good, but not for me.
Not good, sorry to all the Metallica fans
Pretty momentous album to dish out 3 stars to, but that’s just because I got a little bored. Should probably pick this up again one day
An enjoyable if slightly schmaltzy country album, with some instrumental and melodic strands that anticipate the likes of Johnny Cash and Gram Parsons.
Solid. A bit repetitive in sections due to the track length. Not my style, but I can appreciate how high level the musicality is. Marking it harshly comparitave to the set of albums it sits amongst, not becasue its a bad album.
amazing
Tämä thrash-metallin klassikko on löytynyt jo vuodesta -87 omasta levyhyllystä. Ei yhtään huonoa biisiä. 6/5 levy.
I get it. THey are great, but it is TOO MUCH!
Honestly couldn't be assed.
The Black Album allowed me to tap in to the heavier side of Metallica. I like this album good heavy metal sound to it. Love the riffs and stop start it is tight and you can have a raaa moment to it but you have eto be in a raaa mood.
I liked it, but didn't love it. Definitely worth listening to.
its doesnt my style, but i recongnize the impact of this album
This isnt my bag. but Metallica are very good. They do the heavy and growly and angry, but they also include some real tunes, excellent songwriting, variation and top dtaw musicianship.
I’ve never been a big Metallica fan.
Honestly kinda boring. Didn't click with it. Also they're a bunch of jackasses (that has nothing to do with the score, just had to say it).
Hard to dispute the technical mastery of some of this music. I’m not a huge fan of the genre but their talent shines through on this album
Onhan tää yks kovimmista metallilevyistä mitä on tehty
Tulihan se paraskin Metallican lätty sieltä. Eipä se trash-metalli tästä paremmaks enää muutu. Tätä on kuunneltu yläasteajoista asti ja vieläkin toimii. Sitä oon miettiny että miks ton kansikuvan keskirivin risteissä vain ensimmäinen on oikea risti, loput on T-kirjaimia.
Ollaan hevanderi-meiningin ytimessä. Levyn starttikaksikko potkasee sen verran, että kyl siin ummettavallakin kaverilla lentää tappi persiistä. Ehkä vähän ois voinut lyhentää osaa biiseistä, mutta vaikee tässä on sanoo, että hevijormalle ei ois sitä mitä tilataan. On raju.
Emmää jaksa näitä. Omaan korvaan vaan ihan paskaa, vaikka nämä arvostettuja levyjä onkin. Nimibiisi on kahden tähden veisu, kaikki muut yhden tähden kamaa. Keskiarvoksi tulee yksi tähti.
Alright, my second go round with Metallica! What did I think? I really enjoyed this album. Going in as someone who has heard this album before and had a metal phase a while ago, I still think this album holds up very well. I prefer Ride The Lightning, but this album is definitely close in being a great showcase of Metallica at the height of their power. The album has a great ebb and flow, with the incredibly hard hitting tracks being inter-spliced with slower, more melodic moments. This is all packed into only 8 songs, and each one is a hit, being a very concise album that doesn’t contain much filler. The band members are just firing on all cylinders this album, with each one of them contributing to why the album sounds the way it does. Firstly, starting at the bottom, the late great Cliff Burton is the foundation of this whole album. His thunderous bass playing and classical sensibilities really give this album the heaviness it has. The main song that demonstrates his melodic ability is Orion, my first standout track, which contains incredible, spacey bass playing in the bridge. Second, Lars(Insert your Napster Jokes Here) Urich’s drumming rounds out the rhythm section, hammering out powerful fills, especially on the hard hitting Battery, another standout track. Third, Kirk Hammet’s epic guitar solos, they’re a staple of Metallica, and they shine through on every song, giving each song it’s own sort of flare, and really matching the lyrical content of each song. One great example of this is The Thing That Should Not Be, my third standout, where Hammet’s solo sounds like an eldritch horror clawing its way out of the depths. Finally, James Hetfield’s singing pulls the whole thing together, as he can shout at the top of his lungs for songs like the title track, or sing softer for songs like Welcome Home(Sanitarium), my final standout. Overall, I think that this is an incredible metal album, and an incredible album in general, that I would highly recommend. Now, I’m gonna smash through the boundary and listen to my 100th album…
Not for me
世界最大のメタルバンドというだけあって、ジャカジャカギター鳴らしたりドラムエグかったりで、かっこよかったです。 メタル!って感じ、静かなところと激しいとこの対比も良かったですが、system of a downの方が個人的には好き
One of the classic albums in metal, and not without reason. The album contains many highlights, like the title track (and the magnificent middle part of it), the ballad 'Sanitarium' and Cliff Burton's instrumental masterpiece 'Orion'. And then there is the fantastic intro of 'Damage Inc'. If there is one weakness, it would probably be the a little bit monotone heavy thrash metal riffs, but the clean embellishments around it are really the thing that enhance this album.
Thrash; a great one word description. Speed metal also nails it. “The Thing that should not be”: apt description applicable to each track. Repeated simplistic chord sequences, hardly progressions, to accompany simplistic angry lyrics. Blah. Lyric rhythms that repeat over and over, there’s just no metric variation. THIO: thank god it’s over.
Bekend
1. Battery – Cool acoustic intro, almost flamenco-like. Awesome introduction of the electric guitars. This sounds pretty fun to learn on guitar. So far sounds like a standard Metallica song – high school weight room jamz. It’s clear how obviously they influenced so many bands that came after them musically. No clue what the lead singer is saying other than ‘Battery.’ Spotify Ad Break Thoughts: Damn, this probably hurts your wrists a lot. This style of guitar seems super taxing. Would also love to learn some of these solos to gain a little speed. An hour of this seems absolutely exhausting to play. 2. Master of Puppets – Awwwww helllll yeah. Sick intro riffs. Is this the song from Stranger Things? I think it’s the song from Stranger Things. Sick chuggy vibes and riffs, then opens up into a completely different vibe with either dueling guitars or octaver pedal. There are so many cool riffs in this song. NOTE: COME BACK AND LEARN THE THEORY ON THIS SONG. There are so many distinct parts of this song, it reminds me of Bohemian Rhapsody or Paranoid Android kind of. 3. The Thing That Should Not Be – What kind of name is this haha. Riff feels pretty standard Metallica. The lyrics sound like a campfire story. This song feels like the cliché of a Metallica song, formulaic. This one kind of bored me. 4. Welcome Home (Sanitarium) – Opens up with a nice guitar solo, feels a bit slower and more dramatic than the last 3 songs. The cadence of ‘Sanitarium’ in the chorus is like exactly like how they use ‘Battery’ and ‘Obey your Master’ haha. The guitar parts are kind of neat, I like the reverby-tremolo/chorus arpeggio thing that carries the verses. I like this song! 5. Disposable Heroes – Yes, this is Metallica. Lyrics are a commentary against the war machine. A heavy metal Born in the USA. This one goes on a bit long. Some parts feel like an angrier Flight of the Bumblebee. Spotify Ad Break Thoughts: I don’t think all of these songs need to be 6+ minutes, and follow pretty similar formulas. Some of the guitar solos and lead parts are really neat. The lyrics don’t do much for me, and there’s a ton of guitar chugging. Good album so far, for what it is. 6. Leper Messiah – This feels kind of like the same song as Disposable Heroes except regarding the corrupting influence of religion rather than a warhawk-ish government. These two songs feel like filler. Still probably super fun to play on guitar. 7. Orion – Long, awesome instrumental intro. Is this whole thing instrumental? The dueling guitar part (or just octave pedal?) halfway through when it slows down is really interesting and fun. This might be my favorite on the album so far. 8. Damage Inc. – Cool reverse delay at the beginning. Back to marchy-chugging. Pretty standard Metallica track here. Album Highs: Orion Master of Puppets Welcome Home (Sanitarium) Album Lows: Disposable Heroes Leper Messiah Final Thoughts: This album is tough to rank because it’s only the second one of the challenge and comes after Cat Stevens…kind of the polar opposite. Some of the instrumentals are amazing, but there’s also very little musical diversity. The songs all kind of sound similar and follow a similar formula, which, if you want nothing but metal, you got it! I’m less of a metal guy, so this probably ranks below Cat Stevens for the sole reason that there would be fewer times I’d throw this on, but it’s kind of a similar record to me in that there are a few notable highs, notable lows, and some boring stuff in the middle. I think the highs of Tea for the Tillerman, for me, are higher. That all being said, there’s some rad stuff on this record and I get why it’s highly ranked by a lot of people, especially guitar players. I’d love to learn some of these riffs.
Awful. Was really hard to get through this. Why do people like this band? Orion is the only song that doesn’t drive me insane
Too many guitar solos, lame lyrics - Dan
There a lot of wow moments. Definitely a five. Not my favourite genre but I really like it. Instruments are layered so well. Vocals are processed in a very good way too. If I had to “picks holes in it” and say something I don’t quite like, it’d just be the nature of this genre - a bit too overwhelming and too high in energy to keep focused on for a long time. And I can get tired and emotionally drained after a few songs. But this album has done its best. For example in the middle of master of puppets, we’re given opportunities to have a break and slow down a bit before they hit us with a second wave. Also intentionally or not, they didn’t make it super loud. When guitar solo is on, you hear guitar solo clearly. When lead vocals are taking over, you hear his voice clearly. Nice job.
honestly, a pretty good thrash album. not super heavy into thrash metal, but this being our second or third Metallica album, i can really start to see more of what makes them so great. Battery, the opening track, is by far their hardest rocking song on the album. after that, we flow between some really beautiful melodies. master of puppets is a fantastic album.
Not a genre I typically seek out, if ever, but this is one of the classic albums when it comes to metal and it’s easy to see why it’s so popular. There are parts that I personally find corny, but there’s a purpose behind the lyrics so I won’t let that detract too much. Probably would give this a four but the fame will get the rating rounded up.
There were more variation of song styles than I would have thought for a Metallica album. My first time listening all the way through, and it's obvious why this is an iconic album from an iconic band. No notes. Obviously needs to be on this list
I hate Metallica, though some people love them, hahaha
I have always said that Thrash metal is an overrated subgenre of metal, but I can at least agree that Master of Puppets is one of the greatest albums of that type. Although I still prefer Kill em All, Ride the Lightning and Seasons in the Abyss, there are some damn good songs on MoP that have managed to elevate metallica into legendary status in the metal community, maybe even managing to find its place in the music industry as a whole. The songwriting and complex song structures and loose concept about control and oppression do show off an element of progressive rock that most likely was a rare thing to see on heavy metal, although iron maiden at the time had explored these elements in albums like Piece of mind and powerslave. With that said I will still give this album five stars for raising the standards in heavy metal songwriting.
seemed a little bit overrated to me and not my kind of music I guess, but it just seemed a little too drawn out and repetitive not going to lie. Would be better with more variety and less drawn out intros/outros, but I guess that might be the style, still dont like this album much as a teenager who prefers rnb hiphop
Surprisingly good for a heavy metal album. I wasn't expecting to like it so much
Need to listen fully
Just good, solid thrash metal with sound lyrics and high-octane rage. I needed this one after pushing through the saccharine repetitiveness of Queen.
Favorite track(s): Battery, Master of Puppets, The Thing That Should Not Be, Welcome Home (Sanitarium), Disposable Heroes, Orion Kicks ass. 'Nough said. Heard before Previous rating: 9/10
Sounded better in high school
I love this album, it's banging from start to finish. Love the grooves.
I appreciate this album for what it is which is classic heavy metal, but it sounds too much of the same to my non-metal ears
Debates will rage until the end of time about who the best thrash metal band is. This album being the most iconic is not up for debate. Also, if anyone doubts Lars Ulrich’s drumming, listen to this. Loudly.
el inicio de battery 10/10 inesperado. mmm no es que no me haya gustado, pero no es mi tipo de música creo o al menos en este momento no lo es, a pesar de las intros o solos de instrumentos que tienen algunas canciones son 🔝
favs: master of puppets welcome home (sanitarium) orion rating 1.8/5
The soundtrack to the life of 14 year old me.
Not my thing
enjoyed more than i expected. the songs drag a bit (i don't like guitar solos) but there are some right stompy riffs
Perfectly listenable just not my cup of tea at all.
The eponymous track is definitely the strongest on the album. It really dragged after that. Not every song needs to be over eight minutes long.
Loved this, but I did already. The first metal band I was ever introduced to, I remember listening to this and playing Doom in like 1994 - a formative experience
classic metal, so you know it's good. Master of puppets is a masterpiece
The last really great Metallica album. After this they really just got in their own way. Apparently, Cliff Burton was the anchor and aesthete of the group. And Justice… could have been good if they hadn’t restrained their new bass player. They got haircuts and started writing ballads which confused their fans into thinking they were still good, but after that it’s been very hit or miss (mostly miss). Hunting sleepy bears, mocking the suicide of infinitely more talented and relevant musician and making documentaries exposing themselves as dumb babies were not great choices… however, this album and the two previous are classic metal records that everyone should own. RIP Cliff Burton. 4.7
Much better than the black album. Only a couple of these songs need to be over 5 minutes.
So tough and angry! I so scayowd of the big powerful men. Adolescent and limited
The first half of this album is WICKED! The second half is very hit or miss.
Den den deeeen (lightning)
Quintessential metal, gold standard, blah blah
Peak Metallica....title track, "Battery", "Orion" are all at the top of their catalog, and there is a reason this is the album that launched them into superstardom. The last one with Cliff Burton, RIP.... toss-up between this and "Ride the Lightning" for my personal favorite, but I think it's gotta be a 4.5 with a round up, just for the epic title track alone.
I have listen to all the songs, not my type of music. Only song I semi like is welcome home. Overall rating - 2/5
Very much not for me with the thrashing and the metaling. I actually don’t mind a handful of their songs I suppose, but only a few of these got close to being there for me.
Enjoyed it after a couple of listens. It's never been my type of music. Could imagine I would listen to it again at another time.
Entirely solid.
1. "Master of Puppets" 2. "Orion" 3. "Battery"
Not worth the effort of recording. Not worth the tape it was recorded on. Metallica sucks
A fantastic album, one of the greats. So glad to see some good old Metallica come up here.
I just find Metallica boring. I am sorry </3
For the second time on this list, a metal album served as the soundtrack to me cooking a meal for when Lilith got home from work; this time, it was roasted broccoli, dill potatoes, and Dijon chicken. My first impression of this album was not a promising one. The first song immediately started making the usual musical choices which bother me in metal songs, where most of the instrumental parts (specifically the drums) just hammer too fast to feel like I can get a grasp on them. It feels like there's no sense of progression to them, reaching the point of white noise, pretty quickly. I was anticipating another full album of this style, and thus was pleasantly surprised when the title track started to change up the drums and introduce some variety in the tempo. I thought this would be a temporary reprieve from the initial white noise, but the album stayed in that new groove for a fair amount of its remaining runtime. There are definitely still quite a few songs which deal in that style of metal which I find personally uninteresting, but in comparison to other Metallica albums I've heard, Master of Puppets leans way more into the version of metal which I enjoy: heavier, slower, and more intimidating instrumentation. This album also has way more going on thematically and lyrically than the Black album did, serving as an explicitly anti-war album with a lot of depth in its subject matter. It's also fun to see that not even Metallica are immune to the Eldritch horror fandom which grips a lot of metal acts; they're huge Cthulhu nerds just like the rest of them, and I find that incredibly endearing and interesting. I thought I had Metallica clocked, but they managed to surprise me quite a bit with this album, and I'm very glad that they did so. There are still moments I didn't click with, but the highs were so much higher. Highlights: Master of Puppets, The Thing That Should Not Be, Leper Messiah, Orion
Not my thing
Too long, got really draining. Listend to loudly while going on a walk, which made me constantly aware i could be hit by a bike at any moment. It added positivly to the experience.
classic, i’m not a fan of all of them but doesn’t mean i can’t appreciate how well made it is and how it is constructed
A classic for a reason. I like it.
Me gusta el metal, tiene una de las mejores canciones del género pero en si el resto del álbum no me terminan de gustar
Metallica really knows how to make instrumental beauty.
4.5/5 Battery is a rousing opener, memorable Title track is a clear highlight obviously Thing that should not be and welcome home drag a bit. They aren't bad but they lack the punch to justify track length. Back half of welcome home feels like a rehash of master of puppets Disposable heroes is back to thrash at its best. Great antiwar track, great chorus Leper messiah is just standard metallica thrash. Certainly not a bad thing but it's not remarkable Orion is spectacular. It uses the space perfectly. Everything is earned, it does not overstay it's welcome despite its length or lack of vocals. A 10/10 song Damage inc is similar to leper messiah. It's a fine song but on an album so otherwise excellent it feels like a lackluster closer. This is a killer 55 minute album. It could be a perfect 40 minute album. The best songs on here are biblical. The worst are still very good
Metallica had a hurdle to clear what with me not liking metal in general. The music is alright, but all the songs are soooooo long and the singer sings them all exactly the same, ugh. Orion was my favorite as it has no singing, tho that too could cut like 3 minutes.
Listened to this a ton of times in my teens. It’s the same album I remember. The latter half is much weaker than the beginning. I can hear some of the bass in the remastered version. The guitar tone gets a little tinny at times.
When I saw this album on the list I wondered when I'd get it. Apparently just 30 albums in. Ironically it also generated while our gym was playing the song Master of Puppets. This was one of the first albums that introduced me to rock, and really music in general. Master and Orion are my favorites, Disposable Heroes is a solid third, but relistening to it again I'd say all the other tracks are just alright. Thing that Should Not Be is probably my least favorite, but it's okay. 8.5/10, I'd recommend someone's first Metallica album to be this one
I enjoyed this enough to make me wonder why I've never listened to Metallica before, kind of my vibe, I didn't love this particular album, but enjoyed the little rabbit hole it took me down.
5/10
Me hizo acordar al Guitar Hero
Banging
Epic guitar riffs. "Master of Puppets" will never die as a classic banger.
Metallica at their most Metallica…? If you’re a fan of their stuff, this probably ranks highly, if you’re not a fan, this probably won’t win you over. Personally, I have always been a bit indifferent to them, not keen on Hetfield’s growl, sometimes finding their riffing repetitive and overlong, but at the same time, I can respect them as masters of what they do and inspiration for others that came later. Not sure I had listened to this as a whole previously, but I think I had heard all the tracks at various points.
Even a hater of heavier music like me has to admit it rocks.
not a genre I really enjoy and this didn't move the needle for me
Their peak, three albums in. Too bad they’re still going, but eh, so are the Stones. Nothing will ever touch Master’s riffs, rage, speed, chops and collective themes. Fuckin masterofpuppetspiece.
Great album no notes
Outstanding
Just don’t like the genre, master of puppets is good
5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background Just had Justice a few weeks back...that record got me into Metallica. This album sealed my love for thrash metal.
perdon a los amantes de la banda y este tipo de música pero definitivamente no es mi tipo, intente y no lo pude terminar de escuchar, canciones muy largas con mucho ruido auditivo para mi principiante oído en este genero. Lo que si, increible lo que suenan las guitarras acá, lo que daria por saber tocar asi
No
I can’t remove the bias. This is in my top 10 favorite albums of all time.
I don't particularly like thrash metal, but I can appreciate this. That said, it can drag on a bit.
I guess this is a departure from the suuuper 80s reverb-y chorus-pedal-y metal but it still has an unmistakeable 80s-ness that makes it hard to take it totally seriously. Mostly just sounds the same to me. Master of Puppets is obviously awesome and Disposable Heroes really me. It's just all a lot of down notes? There's a funny thing where they're like changing the note by a half step and you barely notice - which is I guess cool? Is it cool to do something I barely notice? It could be. If I notice it.
It’s more of a genre thing for me than anything. I just really don’t like this type of music. I can definitely understand why people love this stuff though. Some family and friends were disappointed in this opinion 😢
Onhan se, kyllähän se on. Hyvä levy. Sisältää hittejä. Vai oisko ne jo ikivihreitä. Orioni on yks lemppareista.
Metallican tuotannon parhaimmistoa ehdottomasti. Joka suuntaan tuttu levy, Metallicaltahan se kuulostaa. Lopetuskappale on vähän niin ja näin, mutta muuten alusta loppuun hyvää tuttua juttua.
it wasn't as bad as I was expecting but not for me
Man Metallica really had it for four albums and just lost it. What a great album.
Quite an epic album. Alluring intros morphing into quality thrash, deep riffs and just an all round spicy time. Great.
Pretty intro, then gets right into the heavy stuff. Intense and good metal front to back. Not my jam but the quality is apparent.
Solid. I think it starts out like a bat out of hell, but it slows a bit at the end. I'm tempted to give it 5 stars because it's not a 300th shitty "classic rock" album, but I think it'll be 4 stars from me.
I’ve heard this before and I own it. I first got it from either Columbia House or BMG music service for a penny along with 7 other tapes and then never paid for the rest of the tapes I was supposed to buy, as all teenagers were wont to do. I’m surprised Metallica didn’t demand to search their records and sue all the kids who did this the way they did with Napster. Anyhow I downloaded it later just on principle alone. I would consider this Metallica‘a best album and one of the best albums ever recorded, but definitely the best thrash album ever. They’re firing on all cylinders on every song and hadn’t suffered from the tragedy of losing Cliff or had fame go to their heads to the point of purposefully writing pop songs meant for alternative rock radio stations called The Buzz or X-Rock or whatever. 100% bangers on this record, and they’re ordered to pummel you into submission in a way that keeps you on your toes. Battery pummels you in a different way than Master Of Puppets and then they flip it around with a heavy plodding beatdown on The Thing That Should Not Be, and so on. A great metal record should leave the listener beaten and defeated but in a way that teaches you a lesson and makes you stronger. This record builds character. Also it fucking rocks brutally hard.
Heavy metal and too loud.
Damn that shit’s good. I’m still more of a Death fan myself, but I get the Metallica love now.
eh, listened to it once before, still not my thing. cool riffs tho, i see why its popular at least
For one of the first metal albums I've ever listened to - it's wonderful. I can see how it became so popular and is so highly rated. Tracks like Orion showcase some real mastery in music. Awesome album
my favourite metal album of all time, top 25 album for me. strong 9/10. first listen tracklist ranking: 1. Master of Puppets 2. Disposable Heroes 3. Battery 4. Orion 5. The Thing That Should Not Be 6. Damage, Inc 7. Welcome Home 8. Leper Messiah
Muy bueno, elementos del trash y buen inicio de Metallica excelente álbum
The kings of metal do not disappoint from the opening track Battery to Damage, Inc.
Heavier sound, not bad, not my style, or the sound I enjoy most from Metallica.
Where Metallica (arguably) peaked in terms of their sound. Solid 5 Stars.
I’m at a 10. I mean, look, it’s Metallica. This felt inevitable with this album. Admittedly, I wasn’t quite hearing the super duper acclaim through the first 3 tracks (all still great fucking tracks, mind you), but once this album hit “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” and started to tackle issues outside of the usual metal canon, this thing shot into another stratosphere for me. James Hetfield embodies these assholes who have monopolistic grapples on people with a kind of visceral fury that makes you uncomfortable, pissed off, mortified at the cruelty at hand, & deeply impressed all at the same time. There’s not the same grit in his voice as there is on “And Justice for All” or the self-titled album, but he more than makes up for it by just going all in on bringing these monsters to life. His vocals find an intensity that the instrumentals have to match, and they more than meet the challenge – when this album wants to turn up a solo on a whim, everyone goes fucking nutty. Lars Ulrich’s percussion finds a fever pitch that feels like it might go 200 miles an hour (or at the very least, beats per minute), the bass work is impeccable throughout (rest in peace to Cliff Burton), and both Kirk Hammett & James feel like they’re controlling lightning with their guitars. “Disposable Heroes” is probably my favorite here, just because it feels like it’s channeling every frustration I’ve ever had with the military, but you cannot go wrong with any of the 8 tracks here as a potential favorite. “Orion”, in particular, feels so outside of what I’m used to from Metallica, and yet it’s still as vivid in its own way as the other 7 tracks here, solely from the sound design alone. “Leper Messiah” is probably my third favorite, just because those money-grubbing motherfuckers that speak such blasphemy have suckered too many people in the 40 years since this came out, and James put all of that frustration into words I could only ever hope to dream of. It’s just 55 minutes of kickass metal that never slows down & barely lets you breathe, while feeling unstoppable throughout. I haven’t been this in sync with a metal album in quite a while, and it is SO GOOD to feel that feeling again. It is an easy, easy 10, a quintessential album of the 1980s, and possibly the best album from the “big 4” of thrash metal. My jury is still slightly out on if the self-titled is better, but at worst, it’s a tie. What an unbelievably fucking awesome album.
Welcome home (sanitarium), orion, leper messiah.
metal lyrics are so angsty it's kinda funny cohesive album but not my genre +1 star for welcome home (sanitarium), orion
A true piece of art, who has had a revival with the Stranger Things soundtrack, still relevant and still a head-banger ❣️🎸🎶
Entendo o motivo de ser/estar PORÉM foi um parto para ouvir tudo. Terminei com dor de cabeça Não é meu estilo
No disrespect to those who are fans, but this is just noise to me.
LISTEN LISTEN!!!! I reeeeeallyyyyy have high hopes about this one but I haven't listened to it hehh 1. Battery's riffs???? UH HUH 2. MASTER OF PUPPETS AMAZING SPECTACULAR LIFE CHANGING (love it since ST4 okay?) 3. The Thing That Should Not Be: good soup 4. Welcome Home (Sanitarium): i see myself relistening to this one 5. Disposable Heroes: IT MADE ME GRIMACE IN A GOOD WAY (yk what I mean) 6. Lepper Mesiah: eh 7. Orion: okay this one got me from second 1. Verdict: UFF 8. Damage, Inc. THE LAST ONEEE??? solid 4
This all sort of sounded the same to me. It felt kind of generic but it did come out in 1986 so this was probably the blueprint for a lot of things! It just wasn’t for me.
Excellent album. Excellent.
Peak
Why can't more metal bands be like Metallica? Just the absolute right amount of abrasive, the singer can actually sing but still has a fearsome growl, the compositions are ambitious, relatively rythymically varied and Kirk Hammett's shredding has at least some basis in classical theory. Very listenable.
Great metal album, really enjoyed master of puppets, welcome home and damage inc to close out the album. Sound wise it's a little bit repetitive but melodies are really sound and great to listen to Overall: 8/10
Харош. Цілим цей альбом ніколи не слухав. Трек Master of Puppets ніби вже чув багато разів, але тільки зараз помітив які епічні рифи і соло в середині пісні. The Thing That Should Not Be це наступний трек і тут теж дуже жирні плотні рифи. А вже Welcome Home не так заходить, це мєдляк, а мені їхні агресивні треки з важкими рифами більше подобаються. Хоча ні в середині цього трека рифи порядні, а потім ще й соло епічне. Disposable Heroes тут зразу дуже хеві початок. Ще й щось по зрадницьки антивоєнне: « Back to the front You will do what I say, when I say Back to the front You will die when I say, you must die Back to the front You coward You servant You blind man». Orion це інструментал, і мені подобається як він вписується в альбом. Трек традиційно важкий, дуже в стилі, але є й повільні, розтягнуті пасажі, майже як Blood Incantation. Damage, Inc дуже красиво починається.
ta gritando por que?
Bought this on vinyl back in the 80s trying to stay current. Never really got into it at the time, just wasn’t my jam, so it remains in excellent shape as I pulled it out for this exercise. Older me now does appreciate what the lads were trying to do. While still being quite thrash-y, this is very musical and well played. With this album, you can see where they came from, but also where they were going.
I didn't listen in order.. Accidentally left shuffle on 😅 A lot of the songs sounded the same, and they dragged on.. I did have a good time though 😊😊😊 My favorites are Leper Messiah and Disposable Heroes ❤️❤️Yaaaay thanks (ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ)♡ 🤗🤗
Bekend album
It’s a truly master…ful piece of music.
I have the need. The need for speed. It’s not the black album that puts Metallica on EVERYONE’s radar. It’s better. ~Orion 5/5
5/5
Achei que seria mais básico, e que teria mais hits. Não esperava apenas 8 faixas
I did my best to put aside my dislike of the genre as I played this album... The undeniably energetic music is rather undone by the twiddlydiddly guitar. The whole thing sounds a bit repetitive.
Duh duh duh duh DUM DUM DUM duh duh duh duh DUM DUM DUM
Pretty good, not exactly my cup of tea, but I could see why people like it.
Not my vibe. Too much screaming
Tempted to give this a 4 but other than Master of Puppets, which is a certified banger, the rest of the songs fall a bit flat. Solid album overall though.
Somehow throughout all my years of listening to music and being a fan of rock/metal, I had never listened to Master Of Puppets (the album) fully, even though it's been heralded as one of the greatest albums of all time. Now that I have listened to it, I can say that it has 100% lived up to the hype. A thrashing album of pure metal perfection. Fav Songs Master Of Puppets Battery Disposable Heroes Is it Top 1001 Worthy (is it essential)? Absolutely yes. One of the greatest metal albums and albums in general. Even though it's been talked about to death, that doesn't mean it's not warranted. If you somehow haven't heard it (like me prior) stop what you're doing and listen to it now.
Iconic
nah. Probably great but I'm not a fan.
My problem with metallica is that the production is just too clean, too polished. The mixing makes everything sound understated. There’s no real dynamic range, nothing pops or shines, there’s no grit or edge. Can’t help but wonder what they would sound like with someone like steve albini on production.
It's Puppets
Gotta be honest, outside of Master of Puppets, it’s not as strong as I expect from Metallica. Still good, but not great.
Intensely formative for me at 13, not even CLOSE to my favorite Metallica anymore. Title track, however... that's where it all began for me and it still kicks ass. Can we talk about how Ride the Lightning isn't in the book though? What the fuck.
I enjoyed this while it was on, but I wouldn't go out of my way to own this or listen to it
Man, what an opening. Strummed, clean bass into Spanish guitars (acoustic!) into straight bombast. The did a fade in to open Kill 'Em All and classical guitar to open up Ride The Lightning but the Spanish influence really makes the intro to 'Battery'. The title track is long enough and ambitious enough to verge on prog but it works very well. The Hetfield solo (had to look this up -- it's so clean and strat-y that I assumed it was Hammet) in the middle, with a nice lift of reverb and a tasteful amount of overdrive is a lot of ornamentation atop a pretty simple, singable melody -- and then the song drops back into chugging power chords, weird time and even some harmonies. Masters, indeed. The first half contains simplicity and complexity, speed and tension. It's mostly pretty heavy but has some moments of quiet -- and I'll argue to the end that music sounds a lot heavier when there are moments of respite. It's really not as heavy and fast as their first two records but this is still very much a metal record. Metallica's ambitions are very apparent on this album and it works. It's not as hard-hitting as the first two. I also think that some of the softer/delayed intros take a little bit away from the bite that these songs actually possess but it seems important that Metallica had a vision of pushing the thrash formula somewhat further. 'Damage, Inc.' still goes pretty hard. A lot of albums were made this way and/or sounded more like this after they'd put this out there. It was massive -- I was still hearing about it as a teenager at the cusp of the millennium. 5/5, required listening.
Tykkään Metallican melodisista osuuskista aika paljon mitä tällä albumilla ei tainnu olla nii paljoo mut iha hyvä
Definitely not my cup of tea but 1-2 were slightly pleasantly surprising. Overall would not try again
Arguably the greatest metal album of all time. Colossal, epic sound with two world-class guitarists and their greatest ever line-up combines to make something both incredibly fun and mosh pit ready yet sophisticated and intricate. An all-timer.
Got this album off Napster, you the best.