

The songs were more intricate, the hardcore-paced tracks were more visceral, and the instrumental, “Orion,” was executed with more fervor. The record adhered to a similar structure as Ride the Lightning, combining speedy thrash cuts with slower, more anthemic fare, and including a cinematic instrumental.īut Master of Puppets took all of its predecessors strengths and made them even better.

But the album most fans and critics rank as the band's greatest is Master of Puppets, which Metallica released in 1986. Metallica’s second album, 1984’s Ride the Lightning served as a groundbreaking achievement for the band, and considerably upped the ante on their 1983 debut, Kill ‘Em All.
