Master of Puppets is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on March 3, 1986, by Elektra Records. The album was recorded at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark, with producer Flemming Rasmussen. It was the band's last album to feature bassist Cliff Burton, who died in a bus accident in Sweden during the album's promotional tour.
Master of Puppets is considered one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time. It was ranked number 168 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2003 and number 51 in a revised list in 2020. The album was also included in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2004 for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
The album's artwork, designed by Metallica and Peter Mensch and painted by Don Brautigam, depicts a cemetery field of white crosses tethered to strings, manipulated by a pair of hands in a clouded, blood-red sky, with a fiery orange glow on the horizon. The artwork has been interpreted in many ways, but it is generally seen as a metaphor for addiction and control.
The album's music is characterized by its fast tempos, complex guitar riffs, and James Hetfield's aggressive vocals. The lyrics often deal with dark themes such as addiction, war, and insanity.
Master of Puppets was a commercial success, reaching number 29 on the Billboard 200 chart and selling over six million copies in the United States alone. The album's success helped to establish Metallica as one of the most popular heavy metal bands in the world.
| Original Release: 1986. |
| Catalog No: BLCKND005R-2. |
| Type: Digipack. |