Following remastered reissues and special deluxe editions of their first two albums on their own Blackened Recordings in 2016, Metallica honors their promise to give that same love to their entire catalog starting with their landmark third album Master of Puppets. Newly remastered for the most advanced sound quality, it will be available in multiple formats including this 180g vinyl pressing with accompanying download. The album was remastered by Howie Weinberg at Howie Weinberg Mastering in Los Angeles CA with the vinyl lacquer cutting courtesy of Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Los Angeles, CA.
From its turbulent pace and thematically unified lyrics, to its complex arrangements and expertly controlled aggression, to its technical proficiency and uncompromising intensity, Master of Puppets looms large as one of the most quintessential metal statements. Frightening and fearless, the 1986 masterpiece is the sound of Metallicacoming into its own. Themed around the abuse of power, the songs are sonically superior and and heavy as hell - all played at maximum speed. From explosive opener "Battery" through to epic closer "Damage Inc," Master of Muppets is an onslaught of metal mastery. It would also serve as Metallica's last with founding bassist Cliff Burton, who died in a bus accident in Sweden while touring in support of the album.
Master of Puppets became the first Metallica album to be certified Platinum by the RIAA. The album has subsequently been certified 6x Platinum in the United States alone and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide. In 2016, the album became the first metal album to be added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress, an honor granted to works deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."