Hosts: Neil & Chris
Duration: ~124 minutes
Release: Not scheduled
Neil and Chris dive into Metallica’s Master of Puppets, not just as a landmark metal record, but as a moment-in-time document, the “perfect storm” of power, groove, precision, and emotion. Neil argues it’s one of the greatest albums ever made, full stop, placing it alongside canon-level heavyweights, while Chris digs into why it still feels like a band completely locked in with each other.
Along the way, they explore the wider Metallica arc, from the raw thrash roots of Kill ’Em All, through the “peak metal” pairing of Ride the Lightning and Puppets, and into the proggy pivot of …And Justice for All and the later mainstream explosion. It’s also an episode shot through with grief and “what if” questions, especially around Cliff Burton, his musical influence, and how different Metallica might have been if he’d lived.
They spotlight key moments across the record, including “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” as a shared favorite, praising its atmosphere and production, plus deep appreciation for “Orion” as a Cliff-driven instrumental epic. They also touch on “Master of Puppets” and the cultural jolt of its Stranger Things resurgence, proof that a long, heavy 1986 track can still become a modern “hero moment.”
There’s also talk of why the album has zero filler, how each track keeps a distinct identity despite the long runtimes, and why the band’s relentless touring ethic helped build the legend.
Master of Puppets captures Metallica at a rare intersection, youthful hunger, elite musicianship, and a widening musical vocabulary, all recorded with analog constraints that demanded real performances. The episode frames the album as both a pinnacle and a turning point, the last statement before tragedy reshaped the band’s trajectory.
Perfect for: metal fans, music history nerds, vinyl collectors, and anyone curious how a supposedly “long and complex” album became a timeless, mainstream-touching classic.