Album Club - Week 126: 31/12/2013: Metallica - Master of Puppets (1986)

[Album Club]

We're kicking off the new Album Club in top gear with John's choice!
Don't forget to listen to the album in full before you vote and if you want to vote you should make some contributory comments too please.

Metallica - Master of Puppets (1986)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51-GM3ERMzL.jpg

spotify:album:41bTjcSaiEe4G40RVVHbux

Album Wiki-page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_Puppets)
Metallica Wiki-page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metallica)

Here's my next choice: beware it's not easy listening and a bit of shake up to the usual music that been chosen lately. I chose this album as wanted to share something a bit more heavier than what usually goes on album club.

Metallica started off as a garage band I remember Lars when he used to follow Diamond Head back in 1980 and the bands early influences was very much part of the NWOBHM. As the band started to develop their sound, the music became more complex and I was very tempted to put Justice For All as my choice.

This is not audiophile listening and I am sure most people will hate this choice I certainly expect a lot of 1s on this. For me the Thrash scene was a big F U to all the commercially bland music being produced at the time.

Looking back its music of my youth I would have been head banging and moshing in the pit back then Its music meant for the young.

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[RichB]

I don't need to dig out my battered old vinyl copy to give this an enormous 10 from me. Their finest work, a testament to Cliff Burton who remains one of my bass player heroes and gave me the courage to abandon my pick when I saw his technique.

I'll give this another listen tomorrow through my much older ears but given that the mere mention of it fills my head with memories of times, places and friends then I can't imagine this score changing.

In fact it would still get a 10 for 'Orion' alone.

[John]

Yes Orion a great track

[Bazil]

I like many thousands of other non-metal fans bought the fifth album (and I still play it often) but that is it as far metal is concerned.
A friend at work who was into this genre told me to get Master of Puppets but I didn't and have to this day never heard it, heres my chance.

[RichB]

Ok so I listened to it again this morning...yes still love it!

[John]

For me Master of Puppets is Metallica best album it combines a technical approach that on the next album they probably over did; it has a energy that for me they never really repeated. At the time they were really pushing the boundaries of this style of music, its not going to be to most people taste but for was the perfect antidote to 80s pop and AOR, at the time it got me back into my metal roots and was my first taste to enjoying metal bands that had a high degree of technical ability. lyrically the music is dark, and often about alienation and oppression.

[DanJennings]

9/10 from me, almost a masterpiece. My second favourite Metallica record behind '...And Justice For All'

I've got it on the 180g louder! faster! heavier! edition, I'll give it a spin later

[twickers]

A 9/10 from me. Metallica's best album IMO and arguably one of the most influential metal albums ever. Great choice !!

[kenworthy100]

An album I haven't listened to for a while, thoroughly enjoyed, particular favorites "The thing that should not be" and "Disposable heroes" 9/10

[sparrow]

Its their best and its follow up Justce was also great but after that they lost it and IMO have never regained their mojo. I like the Black album but its a bit too pollished for me ..Master of Puppets was the first LP I bought by them and although I hardly play it these days I enjoy it now and again..8/10 from me.

[Audioman]

Not entirely my type of listening to put it mildly. However it has rather more subtlety than I would have imagined and the musicianship is of a high standard. Will give it 5/10. Sitting on the fence a bit here as most will either give it 9 or 1.

[MartinT]

It isn't for me, either. It doesn't have nearly the creativity of, say, Black Sabbath and I found myself getting bored. 3/10

[Bazil]

I can handle this in small doses, probably would have played it a lot 30 years ago but too crash bang wollop for me now.
But its good metal and I'll give 7/10.

[synsei]

Not my favourite 'tallica album, that would be the utterly brilliant S&M, but I would never evict it for non-payment of fun... 7/10

[Pete The Cat]

I took a punt on "Ride The Lightning" following a review by Steffan Chirazi in Sounds. The fact that I remember this 30 years later shows the imprint that it left - a real game changer. Its predecessor "Kill 'Em All" was quickly consumed too. I bought MoP in its week of release but somehow it was much less "fun" than those two, lyrically it switched to angry quasi-social and political topics and I slightly preferred the Flemming Rasmussen production on the earlier LPs (I think MoP was remixed before release ?) I think the shock of the new must have been starting to wear off for me since I'd been on a diet of thrash for 3 or 4 years and went off to explore other things. Returning to it it is still a fine album nonetheless, just slightly tiring to listen to in one sitting so I take it in chunks. A worthy 6/10. Nowadays I prefer "Load" and "Reload", which tend to get you strange looks from your local Metallica fan club.

Pete

[John]

Yes MoP was remixed
I actually like that Metallica started to take a stronger social view I do not always agree with their thoughts, its very much angry young men!

[pjdowns]

Not my favourite album from Metallica, the black album and S&M being those but it's quite a good album so 7/10 from me :)

[loo]

Have to agree John Metallica's best album and my favourite metal album ,7/10 from me
Paul

[high.spirits]

You were right when you said " beware it's not easy listening and a bit of shake up to the usual music that been chosen lately. I chose this album as wanted to share something a bit more heavier than what usually goes on album club."

I really could not enjoy this music and just shows how diverse music can be to suit all tastes. 2/10.

[losenotaminute]

4/10 for me. I listen to the black album every now and then but I didn't find enough tracks on this one that would make me come back to it.

Lawrence

[sparrow]

Had a listen last week. It is a very good well produced album. I loved it back on release. But I still think for the band its too polished. Another thing all albums after were never as good as this and the ones before. Puppets is still my fave .