Classical Composer Reacts to METALLICA: MASTER OF PUPPETS (Side 1) | The Daily Doug (Episode 793)

🌏 Get Exclusive NordVPN deal here → nordvpn.com/doughelvering. It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! ✌️
#metallica #masterofpuppets
In this edition of #thedailydoug, I'm listening to the first four songs from the classic album Master of Puppets by Metallica. That includes Battery, the Title Track, The Thing That Should Not Be, and Welcome Home (Sanitarium). I heard quite a bit from Metallica and respect the band. But I was floored by how good these four songs are. Come along for a fun ride! Enjoy!
Reference Video: • Master of Puppets
Daily Doug Merch: www.bonfire.com/store/the-dai...
Thanks to our friend TIM WAURICK for providing the vocals on the Daily Doug Intro and extended Outro: / @timwaurickmusic
Catch up on my full album reactions at my Patreon!
JOIN THE NEW EXCLUSIVE DAILY DOUG COMMUNITY!
Patreon: / doughelvering
Instagram: / doug.helvering
Facebook: / helvering
Twitter: / helvering
Vimeo: vimeo.com/user146736659
The Daily Doug Directory: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

[@Doug.Helvering]

Get Exclusive NordVPN deal here → nordvpn.com/doughelvering. It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee!

[@Silence_Duder_Gooder]

As a Metallica fan my entire life, you pointing out the nuance of "Battery" was genius. I did not know about the other two areas of the lyrics of this song that you highlighted. Yes, "Master of Puppets" is about cocaine. "Chop your breakfast on a mirror" tell us this is the case.

[@supremexl8937]

can you do the and justace for all album please i think you would like it

[@shanebilowitz7261]

"Are they in E again?" Yes.

[@paullalremruat14603]

Except for "The Thing That Should Not Be"

[@hockeylvr42]

Hopefully by the end of the album Doug realizes 95% of Metallica songs are in e minor lol

[@roadogsc]

@@paullalremruat14603 Still in "E". The tuning is D standard but it still focuses on E as a home base.

[@paullalremruat14603]

@@roadogsc it focuses on C# originally. But decided to tune up to D

[@roadogsc]

​@@paullalremruat14603 I am not talking about the tuning I am discussing the song's home base. In a lot of live shows they did tune to C# (Db) tuning but that is the tuning. I will say, that there are some parts you could consider in D. The riff that plays as the song fades out is in multiple places through the song and could be considered to be in D. However, a majority of the song stays on E. The verses are over an E, the climbing riff is in E, and the solo is in E. If you want to talk the approach of "not all is in E, so I am right" then you also have to include master of puppets as a good portion of that song is in F#.

[@mikemarino7806]

Fun fact: the National Library of Congress has selected this album to be included for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant for historical preservation". This album is a big deal, and its received the recognition it deserves.

[@Defensive_Wounds]

Additionally, it was the first metal album to be added.

[@matthewgarrison-perkins5377]

And for damn good reason!

[@AndDeathForAll82]

@@Defensive_WoundsI believe it’s still the only Metal album that’s there.

[@AL13NM]

Peace Sells But Who's Buying should be included along side it!

[@bobthebear1246]

And they are, of course, 100% right. Not only is _Master Of Puppets_ STILL THE GREATEST Metallica album ever, it's also one of the VERY greatest albums ever. (Notice I didn't even use "Metal" there; it's seriously one of the greatest albums ever...in ANY genre.) To use a gaming term: _Master Of Puppets_ is God-Tier. 🙌🏻 I mean, this album is up there with _Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band_ AND _Abbey Road,_ by The Beatles, Pink Floyd's legendary albums of 1973 - 1979, the first 4 Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath AND Deep Purple albums, _Goodbye Yellow Brick Road_ by Elton John, _Born To Run_ by Bruce Springsteen, _The Stranger_ by Billy Joel AND The Who's _Who's Next._ I mean, this album is LEGENDARY. 🙌🏻 God-Tier.

[@machupikachu1085]

Fun Fact: The snare drum on Master of Puppets is the same snare from Pyromania. Literally the exact same snare drum. Lars liked the sound so much that he asked Rick Allen to borrow it for the recording of this album. And since Rick couldn't play drums at the time (due to his famous accident) he lent it to Lars. So that snare is on TWO albums that sold a combined 1 jillion copies.

[@DaveEales72]

I never knew that! Thanks!

[@band77one]

thats a lotta dang copies

[@codybischoff1010]

Great info!

[@WilliamClark-uj1uo]

Black Beauty is the snare drum Lars borrowed from Rick Allen

[@leddygee1896]

Pristine original examples of Black Beauty snare drums trade in the 5 figure territory...

[@royhernandez9386]

Still blows my mind they wrote all these classics in their early 20s. Cliff Burton, RIP. You are still missed.

[@devolve42]

"They" didn't write anything. It was all Cliff and James.

[@psychosis9343]

@@devolve42the whole bands contribution made this album what it is not just cliff and James

[@pavelmedek3968]

Metallica ended twice. With Cliff. With Jason.

[@cosminblaga5117]

@@devolve42for example,master of puppets riff was written by Kirk

[@m.ariong]

@@devolve42no. the structure and adjustment of riffs is by james and lars. riffs by james, kirk and cliff. few by lars

[@rockmuschel]

Master of Puppets is one of the few albums where I actually love every single song.

[@MBP208]

The first 4 albums are all 🔥

[@nonameslb]

Justice too

[@russelltoothman3168]

There are certain albums in history that are considered perfect albums.ones which all songs are great and worthy.bostons debut,dark side of the moon,apetite.....etc.

[@sethkaicer319]

Doug will occupy! Doug will help you die! Doug will run through you! Now Doug rules you too!!!😮

[@chidorykun721]

lmaooo

[@glenseivers8318]

Fantastic 😂

[@sethkaicer319]

@@glenseivers8318 it's a gift thank you my brother

[@sethkaicer319]

@@chidorykun721 😎😁🍺👍🥸

[@drosander000]

Can confirm

[@Dashoost]

end of Sanitarium *stop, pop, flip cassette, press play*

[@anthonysince1969]

Ages at the time. James-23, Kirk-24, Lars-23, Cliff-24 third release. Let that sink in on how incredibly hard they have worked up to this point to prove themselves.

[@fredriksvanberg8141]

To be fair, they wrote the majority of this record in the summer/fall of 1985 and it was released in March '86. So when they started writing it they were even younger. And the improvement in songwriting, instrumentation and arrangements from Kill Em All to Lightning a year later is one of the greatest in music history, I think.

[@metaltim]

this came out in march, so you are a year strong on james/lars/kirk since they are aug-dec bdays. Plus it was written/recorded in sept-dec of 84, so lars was 21. LET ME REPEAT THAT.. LARS WAS 21.

[@stuarthepburn6508]

Firs albums were great, all went wrong at Justice but then again this happens to most bands

[@Ishai1]

It's not that unusual. Some of the greatest albums were recorded by bands/musicians when they were young. I think it's more rare for that to happen for people later on in life... A musical genius doesn't have to figure it out for 30 years, that's why they're musical geniuses...

[@scottinokc]

Master of Puppets is Cliff's parting gift to the world. I would love to live in a reality where that bus never crashed just to see where he could have taken the band.

[@GrayNeko]

What floors me every time is a quote from James from the 'S&M' video, where James said that the musicians were coming to praise the music to him, he was forced to say, "If you say so! And this in this time signature, and this is that..I don't know?!" These guys found this music through instinct. They willed this into being. That's art.

[@tjitsekoster9379]

I do believe Cliff had some classical training iirc, or at the very least a good understanding of song structures.

[@Fish-nt5wb]

Master of Puppets was the first metal album ever added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress.

[@steved1135]

It's so joyous to see someone classically trained and educated willing to experience music like this. For most of us who grew up liking and listening to such 'hard rock', we were generally looked at with disdain by the classicists. But we knew there was a reason why we liked what we did; we just lacked the training and language to explain it. Thanks Doug.

[@MattIon]

Doug and Elizabeth "The Charismatic Voice" are my two favourite reactors for this reason - Elizabeth is an opera singer who has expanded into all different kinds of music, including all types of metal and hard rock, and absolutely loves them all.

[@cferguson37]

86 was such a good year for metal albums.....Reign in Blood....Peace Sells...Somewhere in Time...and of course...Master of Puppets....

[@alejandrov.g.2417]

Queensryche's rage for order, king diamond's fatal portrait, accept's russian roulette, judas priest's turbo, etc....

[@cferguson37]

@@alejandrov.g.2417yeh, Rage is where I found QR..have to says its one of my top 5 fav bands...Operation Mind Crime is a staple of listening for me

[@betman6774]

@@alejandrov.g.2417 "Turbo" has no business being mentioned here. That was a terrible let down of an album.

[@funkssn]

Fun Fact! During the live performances, James would actually say “Pancakes!” Instead of “Fix me!” during Master of Puppets when played live. During the Damage, Inc tour when they played with Anthrax in ‘86; the Anthrax drummer (Charlie Benante) asking what James screamed towards Cliff, he replied jokingly “Pancakes.” & James has started saying it ever since as a joke. This was to remember Cliff! Cool easter egg if you ask me.

[@bradshagrin8352]

Actually, he says "Pancakes Now!"

[@spookyghost7515]

@@bradshagrin8352I thought he said Pancakes Go! lol

[@funkssn]

@@bradshagrin8352 He's says like 3 different ones. He always says "Pancakes", but he says "Pancakes go!", or even "Pancakes now!" Somewhat during the tour too, he'd be drunk or just be really cray & say "Fuck me!"

[@user-si3hi4wt1f]

You can chart their musical maturity on the first 3 albums so much. The first one was groundbreaking, the second one took it to the next level, and this one just blew the roof off, in both their playing and songwriting.

[@sidneyvandykeii3169]

Yep. They definitely peaked with Master of Puppets.

[@tehlion7430]

yea agree, AJFA got a bit superflous with its songwriting. master of puppets was the best balance between progressive and pure thrashy metallica

[@claptree3217]

I agree, but I still prefer RtL, from a purely emotional aspect.

[@tommilburn1938]

💯

[@Rusu-j]

…Justice… for me

[@SylviusTheMad]

What amazes me most about this album is that The Thing That Should Not Be isn't the best known song, because that's one of the best metal songs of all time.

[@SlitherWhisp]

Agreed!

[@Ich_halt_Hiiiii]

For me it was one on the "weakest" songs on the album. Until I saw it live...!!! So much power.

[@Kraakesolv]

Always thought this was the best song on the album! Love it so much. My aunt gave me the cassette as a gift sometime in the eighties, it just yeets me back instantly. So many memories.

[@Valggasu]

Foi a única música que eu amei logo na primeira vez que escutei. As outras eu tive que escutar duas ou 3 vezes para assimilar pois eu não estava acostumado com thrash metal

[@Rondo2ooo]

It's the typical hidden album gem that only album listeners know and appreciate. I always loved the atmosphere this song brings.

[@ina.aaahhh]

Battery 6:03 Master Of Puppets 13:39 The Thing That Should Not Be 24:51 Welcome Home (Sanitarium) 34:39

[@nim4464]

best songs on the album imo

[@DefinitelyNotBender]

For the Goldfish Brained

[@MikeMalatino]

There’s a reason this album is in the national archives for its cultural significance. Hundreds of years from now people will still be listening to this masterpiece! 🤘😎

[@mthawk07]

I still remember the first time I listened to this album. I was in 8th grade (1998), and during the Battery intro, I turned the stereo way up since it was so quiet. When the full band came in, everyone in the house screamed TURN IT DOWN!!! Been hooked on Metallica ever since. 🤘

[@SpiderGang56]

I never thought I would see Doug headbang to Battery but here we are😂

[@bakkdavidlaszlo]

I think it is accurate to say, that Master of Puppets is Metallica’s Bohemian Rhapsody. It is one of their most complex compositions, yet it is so well written, that it can reach a wide audience.

[@scottdiamond74]

It's their Sgt. Pepper

[@tomwisniewski8988]

Each member at the absolute peak of their ability. This is an absolutely timeless metal masterpiece.

[@CMill78]

This is better album but Justice was when James and Lars were at the peak of their abilities.

[@ryanjones9976]

Lars was definitely at his peak on justice not this album

[@funkssn]

@@CMill78Lars was at peak due to his cocaine intake most definitely! His kit looked hard to play, but he definitely changed from his daily snare 😂

[@julesbrunton1728]

​​@@CMill78the drum parts on justice were literally patched together with scissors and sticky tape. His playing was so bad they had to physically cut the reels and patch them together to get a decent track from them. That's a low peak 😂

[@thecentralscrutinizer5730]

The album that made me a metal head!!! 🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽

[@MrAlemontenegro]

a whole generation❤

[@TheBlackenedOne]

For me It was Justice

[@danieloconnor1005]

I was 11 in the summer of 86 at Boy Scout Camp when one of the councilors was playing this album. I was into led zep, cream and the stones and then I heard this. When you can remember almost 40 years later exactly where you were when you first heard an album, it's a keeper. Desert Island for sure.

[@captiosus9753]

I have a very similar story. I had just bridged over into my BSA troop in January and went to my first ever summer camp that August. My parents had kinda controlled what I listened to up until that point and that week one of the older scouts in the Troop was playing this and Ride the Lightning. That’s how I ended up getting into Metallica. First copy of MoP I had was a dub he made for me off his record player because my parents wouldn’t let me buy it.

[@jeffreysmith2232]

This is THE metal album that all other metal albums wish they were. 🤘

[@ImYourOverlord]

Certainly took Thrash Metal to a new level 🤘

[@jabedoben]

An interesting musical note for you, Doug, in case you haven't heard this before. James writes the melody to his vocals before he writes the lyrics. He will pluck out the melody on a piano or keyboard, find a subject for the song, and write words to fit the cadence of the vocal melody. You can hear this on a lot of demos of their music.

[@jacklambert1521]

This album is always in the conversation when talking about greatest metal album of all time, and for good reason. Absolutely sublime stuff. God I miss 80s Metallica.

[@Arrow2theACL]

Metallica Master of Puppets (album) is my gateway to Progressive music softer transitions to songs tat lead back to heavier sections, then odd time signatures and even some orchestrated music from a thrash metal band like Orion. Oh and also add unusual length in songs. One of the greatest Heavy Metal tracks of all time and over 8 and a half minutes is just insane. I heard that transition into the softer section of Master of Puppets and went on a journey to find music that is extended beyond the 5 minute mark that takes you on a journey within the same track.

[@skrillah6259]

Black sabbath are masters at this if you havent explored deeper than their most popular tracks. Into the void and hand of doom are two great tracks that take you on a journey

[@Hellyeahray21]

You'll love King Crimson

[@Arrow2theACL]

@@Hellyeahray21 I do love me some King Crimson. I also like Black Sabbath, but I've gone the route of more modern Progressive Metal with Dream Theater, Haken, Opeth, The Dear Hunter, Riverside, Leprous.

[@guytalbot9427]

Don't forget RUSH, YES,GENESIS

[@glenseivers8318]

You're gonna love this big guy.

[@Robhoyle1]

Master of Puppets, the song is about drugs, no doubts there, the part a lot of people miss is the middle section, the pause before the slower section is they get their hit, and for a short while life is beautiful. Gradually though the cravings return until they return to the desperation of their addiction and the Master takes control again

[@davidcamfield8946]

Specifically, heroin.

[@insertnamehere4419]

@@davidcamfield8946 specifically coke, not heroin. What on earth made you think its heroin?

[@jamiemccarthy7937]

​@@insertnamehere4419 Despite the "chop your breakfast on a mirror" line, the song is about crippling addiction, not any one drug in particular. Nobody takes coke seriously enough to that much effort into a song about it. Lol

[@insertnamehere4419]

@@jamiemccarthy7937 haha you're very naive. Crack, and IV coke will absolutely ruin you. It is very clearly about coke specifically.All you want is more, and it will run you into the ground. Sounds like all you've heard is snorting a line at a party. Shut up if you're clueless on subjects.

[@insertnamehere4419]

@@jamiemccarthy7937 KZbin is overzealous with deleting comments it seems. If you think c oke is not to be taken seriously, you have no idea what you're talking about. Sounds like all you know is snortin a line a a party. I V and crack will ruin you. He aint talking about heroin.

[@bobby666666]

I had seen many things written about the band in Kerrang, but hadn't paid any attention. When I was at Donnington, there was a large number of the crowd sporting Metallica patches. Back home I purchased this album and was blown away. One of the most distinct and finest metal albums ever.

[@machidaman]

An album with 2 perfect sides. For me, best thrash and possibly best metal album yet recorded.

[@e-train765]

The Thing That Should Not Be is tuned a full step down from E standard. D-G-C-F-A-D

[@JOHNNYRIFFS]

Yes but all the ”long notes” you here in the verses for example (25:48) is on the second fret, so its a E chord.

[@sidneyvandykeii3169]

Yawn.

[@ugdarg]

just dropped D

[@isfet5149]

​@@JOHNNYRIFFS no it's a d chord

[@mjb1475]

@@isfet5149You're clearly not smart enough to be making comments in public. Were your parents brother and sister? Just curious.

[@itsshadow1870]

Watching Eddie play master of puppets in stranger things is what made me fall in love with guitar and music in general. I heard that and then said I bet if I sat down with my guitar I could play that. That summer I sat at that charge next to my dusty amp for literally about 3 hours a day. And only 3 or 4 months latter could play the entire song and increased my guitar skills at least 10x what they used to be. And now going into my senior year of high school I hope to have a career in music, and it is all thanks to Metallica.

[@Dimchek970]

I started by playing Guitar Hero games on the little plastic guitar controller before I could afford a real one, though in the end it all comes back to Metallica :D

[@lsu1992]

Flemming Rasmussen deserves as much credit as anyone. This album was the Holy Grail of production at the time.

[@dg6729]

Some people say "Metallica really weren't that good." I think they were "that good', and I think Doug has listened to enough metal by now to really appreciate this band/album.

[@xxJOKeR75xx]

That's just because they became mainstream. Some people just can't stand that a lot of people like what they like. Metallica is great.

[@A1J1P1]

"So the slow song develops into double time." (Welcome Home Sanitarium) .... as we all sip tea and air drum to the song for the last 40 years :)

[@alucard0712]

I was starting playing music when I was 15, now I'm 38 and every beginner guitarist STILL playing Master of Puppets riff!! Amazing!!

[@kjetilmedhus7363]

Best album in metal history. Means the world to me

[@nikeforo2612]

One of the few albums in metal history where no one song is weak. Eight masterpieces in a row. ❤️ Thanks for your review(s).

[@MrRSCHECK]

Still the first and only metal album selected for the Library of Congress for preservation... and for very good reason.

[@kyfhofire4113]

Can not imagine not hearing this until 2024 RIP Cliff

[@ZIG4ZAG20]

Fun Fact: Geddy Lee was approached to produce this album but due to his commitments to Rush, was not able to accept. There’s a thank you to Geddy, Alex and Neil in the liner notes, assumingely for inspiration and influence I’m sure.🤘🖖✌️🥁🎸🎤🎸

[@pharol]

I saw them live at Gentofte in Denmark 1991. I was 20 years old, went with a friend from school and we shared a rack of beer wih some random guys from Sweden. It was a great day.

[@zxxXMETALLICAXxxz]

I’ve heard each song 3000 + times, no joke. Still gets me emotional

[@drewbacca1981]

Master of Puppets is a Perfect Album. Every song is a masterpiece. Truly one of the best albums ever recorded period.

[@MegitsuneSwe]

Cliff is an interesting case. He taught the members how to write music properly, he was extremely talented and had a clear passion for music, and yet sadly passed away at such a young age. He was the sole reason why we would eventually get songs like One or the entire black album, he gave people like James and Lars the knowledge to write to that degree. Thus it becomes an interesting question of what Metallica would've looked like had the accident never occurred. Sure, Blackened would never have happened, but that's a small price to pay for all the amazing things that could've been written instead.

[@OrgaNik_Music]

There's no point in thinking about things that did not and cannot ever happen.

[@AndDeathForAll82]

They wrote plenty of great stuff after this. Also, Lars said perfectly, and he based this quote on who Cliff really was and how broad his influences were. He loved REM for fuck’s sake! “If Cliff had lived, ‘Load’ would’ve come out in 1993” I’d say they knew Cliff better than the know-it-all fan base.

[@mehmd1913]

You forgot about Dave Mustaine. He also knew how to write music and taught James how to play guitar. He was also very close to Cliff and was devastated when he died...

[@AndDeathForAll82]

@@mehmd1913 Dave taught James some things, but he already played in bands before they even met.

[@Yupppi]

When he sings "Battery is here to stay" I look at my phone whose battery is about to die. "They're in E" Doug announced for all the thrash metal in the 80's. I think what really nailed it for Metallica after they found Hammett was that Hammett had been a student of Joe Satriani. Satriani really forced his students to find their voice and think of the song and changes, following the harmony of the song in the leads. Not that many metal guitarists did that with backing tracks that had quite lively chord progressions. Some of it comes naturally but Satriani really challenged them and I think it shows in how nice Hammett's leads are (outside the thrash shredding). Of course Chris Poland and Marty Friedman were also fantastic in that for Megadeth so their biggest competitor had its own guns too. But Metallica had slower paced songs and the compositions fit the orchestra as well, the leads you can insert in them become very strong if you get them right. And Hammett didn't go too crazy about them either, which easily happened for metal guitarists. Kept it simple and moody.

[@claptree3217]

Early Metallica is just the best metal. Period.

[@zenden1706]

Hi Doug! The pre-solo section in Welcome Home (38:55) as far as I know it's inspired by one of the sections of Rush - Tom Sawyer. In fact, they appear (Rush) as part of the thanks in the Master of Puppets cover booklet credits. Hope my english is not so broken. As always a pleasure to watch your reactions and your music knowledge! Cheers from Chile!

[@MikeKelly2112]

Was juuust coming here to say that! 🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@isaiahneilguitaristofficia549]

That “Tritone” part of “Battery” is probably my favorite Metallica riff ever…

[@johntheisen6791]

I’m thinking he’s gonna really enjoy this I would have to say Metallica and Ozzy/Black Sabbath are my all time favorites. Off we go.

[@MrJoeandJenn]

Sanitarium is a highly underrated song. It's one of my favorites.

[@guytalbot9427]

I agree wholeheartedly ❤. The lyrics are so real it touches on so many levels.

[@TheBlackenedOne]

It's not underrated wdym

[@DefinitelyNotBender]

The word "underrated" has lost all meaning with how overused it has become.

[@TheBlackenedOne]

@@DefinitelyNotBender True

[@gumballthechewy]

One of the best sides ever put to vinyl.

[@drivers99]

29:33 “not dead which eternal lie / stranger aeons death may die”. The same quote (in different words) is on the cover of Iron Maiden’s “Live After Death” album (which also has a version of Rime of the Ancient Mariner that Doug mentioned as another great song like Master of Puppets). It’s by H.P. Lovecraft.

[@sethcohen4119]

I saw this tour on 4/20/86 at the Philadelphia Spectrum. Still one of the best musical experiences of my life. I still wear the t-shirt (but you can see through it much to my wife's chagrin).

[@beatmet2355]

That one riff in MOP just before the last verse is actually taken from a David Bowie album, Hunky Dory. Which song it is, I don’t know.

[@nim4464]

Andy Warhol

[@hansenlavhansenlavanderiae8498]

Album of my life. Simply.

[@jameslars4423]

Master of Puppets is the PERFECTION. And not just within heavy metal standards, but in a pure and authentic artistic expression.

[@johncarpenter3751]

😂 best album of 1986! I was 3 years old when this album dropped and first heard it in 1997.

[@thewildhealer541]

Still one of the best albums of all time

[@alexandremaireno-ni4ec]

Best thrash metal album of all time!!!

[@rykehuss3435]

With Iron Angel - Winds of War and Omen - The Curse, Slayer - Reign in Blood and Sodom - Obsessed by Cruelty.

[@Preacher357]

The best album ever recorded. It changed everything for me back in 86.

[@pizzani11]

Best album ever!! I was 16

[@effectosis742]

they were all 24 years old when they came out with this album... and it took them only one year to create this album after the ground breaking Ride The Lightning . a lot of people start and end they metal journey on these two albums because it is very hard to find anything that sophisticated like these two albums .

[@eykeigh1408]

just have a look at Justice

[@Dimchek970]

​@@eykeigh1408Justice is more intricate, but also more schizophrenic and disbalanced due to all the circustances. I love it for what it is, but Masters songs never get tiring, while ajfa requires a specific mood the older you get.

[@eykeigh1408]

@@Dimchek970 yeah, i agree. i refered just to the word "sophisticated". i terms of this i would say ajfa was the peak in met history. in the sense of art puppets is the most complete and "working" album....

[@Dimchek970]

@@eykeigh1408 ajfa was all i listened to in my hs years, along with peace sells, though as i got older i started appreciating other albums more, to the point that now i find myself putting kill em all a lot more, especially on long drives. The rawness and energy is just unmatched, i find it to be a much bigger factor for me now than structure/intricacy/details etc. But all in all 80s Metallica is never a bad time lol

[@CaptainKreepingDeath]

Fun fact: The "fear of living on" part of Sanitarium is the same chord progression as the chorus from Tom Sawyer by Rush

[@julesbrunton1728]

Similar. E D F C for sanitarium. E D A C for tim sawyer

[@chriswallace17]

Welcome Home (Sanitarium) is my favorite on the album... just amazing!!

[@alisherkazhymukhanov5819]

outro of Sanitarium is greatest outro in metal history

[@MrAndersonmm]

Welcome Home (Sanitarium) is my favorite Metallica song. So glad to see you reacting to a full album here. 7:38 - "They're in E" - yup. Kind of like Tool is gonna be in D, they found a key and just rock the shit out of it.

[@Jimmy_Gustafsson]

Master of puppets is a gate way drug

[@soulcrusher807]

One thing to remember Cliff did study classical music and he brought the song writing maturity to the band that was absent on their first album. Those songs were mostly written by the time he was in the band.

[@GramadinGG]

This is such an incredible album. I remember being blown away by it as a kid.

[@jberkhimer]

Man, I wish you'd react to the whole 1999 S and M performance. It's a legendary concert.

[@themankool]

- human comes in heavy as shit. I love that song.

[@gferreira93]

Battery is the type of song that changes life. I remember that I RENTED this record, when I was about 12. I knew quite a few Metallica songs, including Master of Puppets. But the first time that riff kicks, like Doug said perfectly “it’s on like donkey Kong”, that takes me back to my old bedroom. I remember it like it was yesterday.

[@machupikachu1085]

Did you get it from the library? Mine had cool music for a bit.

[@cedarcreeper1859]

Can’t wait to see them in Seattle, Friday and Sunday shows! Different openers too!

[@shallowlord]

I didn't like the album The first times I listened to it, but it grew on me. And now I think it's one of the best albums in music history. And it's fun to play. 🎸

[@JeffreyTheTaylor]

Probably the best thrash side ever recorded.

[@alexandremaireno-ni4ec]

Drop the 'probably', my friend

[@LeoRodriguez-kk5lk]

Fun fact! For the tittle track, they actually recorded it at a slower tempo bc James actually wanted it to be a tight and precise as possible :)

[@christophedupin.artist]

When, as a teenager, I listened to this album for the first time in 1986, I had no idea that almost 40 years later, I would watch and listen to an important classical musician/teacher from the academic world make the exegesis of it in a 47 min video. This matches your astonishment when réalize you never thought saying one day:" I would like to experience one of their show". Music unites people. I'm waiting for part 2 with much interest.

[@zack_420]

40:00 he already knew that world class Lars drum fill was coming 🤣🤣

[@Miwna]

Top 5 album ever made, no question! Thank you doug! Edit: I saw them play the album in its entirety in 2006, on the 20th anniversary, and it was one of the best concerts ever I've been to.

[@timbertime7823]

I didn't realize until seeing Metallica live for like the 3rd time that the guitar solo in middle slower section of Master of Puppets is actually twin guitar solos with James and Kirk both playing incredible complimentary solos.

[@ronbarnabei8226]

There’s a reason why they played Master of Puppets at their Rock n Roll Hall of Fame induction. One of their best works.

[@suprchickn7745]

...and those that say that Lars sucks clearly never heard this album when it came out! Quirky, unique, musical and pummeling!

[@AndDeathForAll82]

Lars is very unique for a Metal drummer. The masses criticize him, while guys like Portnoy and Lombardo praise him. Who do you think has the more informed opinion?

[@franknappi8423]

@@AndDeathForAll82 Lars definitely set the bar pretty high back in the day and had some of the best performances in metal history...his style is certainly different. But some of that criticism I do understand. Watch and listen to how he plays these songs from the 80's now, it is completely different. I am not saying he is a bad drummer, he just doesn't want to play it like he did back then, or he can't...not sure which. But you have other guys like Lombardo, Gene Hoglan, Charlie from Anthrax that are still popping off just as good as they did 35- 40 years ago...maybe even better! I have always thought that guys that can nail a live performance just like the way it was recorded, is super impressive🤘

[@suprchickn7745]

​@@AndDeathForAll82Exactly, and anyone that doesn't realize that Lombardo and Portnoy are two of the best out there don't know metal as well as they think they do.

[@suprchickn7745]

I think the way he bashes drums has taken its toll and he's probably not in as good of a shape as guys like Lombardo and Portnoy and Charlie Benante. He also has had far more exposure to the masses than pretty much any metal drummer in history. But everybody has an opinion, even on things they know nothing of and could never hope to replicate. Lars slammed the door open for thrash metal drumming and he's also sounding a lot better recently as well.

[@samsonjpedroza]

CLASS OF 89 HERE ! GREAT TIME TO BE GROWING UP. I REMEMBER WHEN THIS ALBUM DROPPED IN 86, CLEARLY A METAL MASTERPIECE !!! BIG 5 OF THE GENRE : METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER, ANTHRAX AND TESTAMENT !!! ALL CUTTING EDGE ! THANKS FOR SHARING DOUG, GREAT JOB !

[@stmn346]

Exodus

[@user-of5sv7fu8l]

and Iron Maiden

[@sean3038]

Overkill

[@gandalf8216]

27:26 of The Thing that Should Not Be, and then again at 27:33... That chorus guitar that comes in is so well mixed. It's just so great. This album is such a masterpiece of production and mixing.

[@guytalbot9427]

Battery is also assault and Battery. That's how I thought it was referring to.

[@TheCorpsehatch]

Favorite album from my favorite band.

[@qbel4255]

Important to note, guitar solo in slow/clean section in Master of Puppets is one of the few Metallica solos by James Hetfield, not Kirk Hammett

[@1spiralout]

The first and third sections of the solo are both of them, harmonizing

[@stevecanfield8089]

When I heard the mid-section in Master of Puppets I knew they were pulling far ahead of the pack musically. The complexity of their songs took a big step up.

[@ps5392]

I know Kirk has said he tried to make the solo feel like what he thought getting sucked underwater by some tentacles would be like. I think he did a great job.

[@debrastephens2229]

Great reaction, I really enjoyed it. Saw them open for Ozzy in '86, RIP Cliff.

[@josephtattum6365]

One thing I noticed listening to these old Metallica songs again is how BEAUTIFUL they are. They have since abandoned harmonic and otherwise regular minor scales in favor of more pentatonic motions in their recent career, which I think is a shame because there is a lot of truly beautiful moments in the songs the more I listen to master of puppets, I realize how sad this song is. There is a very sad and mournful nature to it

[@tehlion7430]

yeah it sucks, hardwired and 72 seasons really lean into the pentatonic rather than using other modes. i reckon thesedays they just write songs they have FUN playing live, rather than trying to create profound musical statements like master of puppets

[@josephtattum6365]

@@tehlion7430 It is what it is. I think a lot of it had to do with Cliff being the only one in the band who actually understood more advance music theory and harmonies and stuff. Still good music but nothing scratches that itch like the early stuff

[@tehlion7430]

@@josephtattum6365 i guess so, but plenty of stuff from justice and even the black album was harmonically interesting. only after load did they start leaning more towards pentatonic - i think it's purely based on their live experience and what they have most fun playing

[@josephtattum6365]

@@tehlion7430 yeah. To be clear, justice is my favorite album because it had the most interesting musical ideas. But along them still came from cliff. I don’t HATE their newer stuff I just wish they would have been more experimental, but I think they were more focused on being a successful business than being virtuoso musicians

[@tehlion7430]

​@@josephtattum6365 true, at the end of the day they're still touring worldwide and keep getting bigger than ever. i'd rather that than they stop forever

[@injairgun]

I saw Metallica in their glory during the Justice tour in Toronto 1989! No other concert ever compared! Queensryche opened for them and they were incredible as well!

[@ascott615]

This is one of my favorite albums of all time. Start to finish it is a such a great composition.

[@nebulousname3320]

Do Rust in Peace!!!!!!

[@drivers99]

I was JUST searching to see if he had done that one before.

[@machupikachu1085]

@@drivers99 he was pretty underwhelmed with Holy Wars. He was waiting for something musical to happen, but found the whole song centered around Em. Maybe he'll soon understand that almost all thrash albums are about making Em sound different every song.

[@EPICALLL0]

Master of puppets (the song) has something that's hard to notice. In the verses, every fourth bar is in 21/32 time, which is very unusual, even in metal where changing and odd time signatures are very common.

[@user-yk4gd1fl4z]

21/32? Come on dude lol

[@machupikachu1085]

@@user-yk4gd1fl4z yep. It's not quite 15/16 time. It's a little more. Definitely a 'play by feel' part for sure. I'm kinda surprised Doug didn't notice something in the meter was off.

[@j.kallai4348]

Because it's not a change of time signature, Lars is just rushing and is not on beat.

[@machupikachu1085]

@@j.kallai4348 but it is. you clearly have not played the song on an instrument.

[@jakepistolero]

if i remember right, battery is about the intensity and the codependance, and sort of addiction, to the energy between the band and the fans. they fed off of each other

[@emmanuelmartin1238]

I was once at friends house party and master of puppets came on.. around 8 of us spontaneously air drummed the entire song perfectly, only two of the guys were actual drummers. funny and heart warming to know how we all spent our spare time.

[@steveallured7578]

At 14 I was powerlighting. This was my squat song. The intro gave me the time to get focused and ready on the rack. When the song drops I would lift up the weight off the rack.

[@neilbeigie4045]

The main riff of puppets is a great etude. I learned to play guitar to this album. Playing that riff on an acoustic built up my speed and stamina in a hurry, so when I finally got an electric, I flew on it. Impressed my friends, which is all you could want as a 14 year old.

[@fordwheeler]

These first 3 albums will make a you appreciate the influence of Cliff Burton. Cliff studied Classical Music and Music Theory at Chabot College in Hayward, Ca. Which is the same town I grew up in. Needless to say, we shared a lot of the same friends back then.

[@stmn346]

Truly the greatest opening song to a Hard Rock album ever. And a classic album. Rip Cliff