Metallica: “Master of Puppets”, the quintessential metal song that takes on new life for “Stranger Things”

The fourth season of “stranger things” has concluded leaving us not only with more expectations for the future of the franchise, but also reviving classic themes of yesterday. The latest song to see his profile raised outside of his regular forums is “Master of Puppets” by Metallicaheavy metal classic that accompanies one of the most exciting moments of the last chapter of the fourth season of the series.

WARNING, IN THIS NOTE WE WILL DISCUSS A SCENE FROM THE LAST SEASON OF “STRANGER THINGS”.

The scene in particular involves the character of Eddie Munson (played by Joseph Quinn), who, in order to distract the malevolent forces that have taken control of the town of Hawkins, begins to play the iconic chords of the Metallica song. Later, the full version of the action begins to accompany one of the key scenes of volume 2 of the fourth season of “Stranger Things”.

Initially released on December 31, 1985 and officially released in July 1986, “Master of Puppets” is the title track from Metallica’s third studio album, to which it gives its name. At the time, the heavy metal band had only been in existence for half a decade and was far from having achieved the legendary status it had achieved with 1990’s “The Black Album,” but it had already set the course for its genre. with popular albums like “Kill ‘Em All” – his debut album – and “Ride the Lightning”.

“Master of Puppets” is a particularly special album in the band’s history, since it was the last recorded with bassist Cliff Burton, until then an essential part of the band, who died in September 1986, during a tour of the band for Sweden.

WHAT IS “MASTER OF PUPPETS” ABOUT?

Written by Burton, Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, the theme “Master of Puppets” is in particular a criticism against those people who are controlled by drugs.

“I went to a party in San Francisco and there were a bunch of crazy sick people doing drugs, and it grossed me out.”, Hetfield recalled in a 1986 interview about why they wrote the song. “It is not about any drug in particular, but about people controlled by drugs and not the other way around”.

In general, the entire “Master of Puppets” album is about people who inadvertently lose control of their destiny for reasons beyond themselves.

“The lyrics aren’t written on purpose to fit the music, they’re just written about things that are fascinating to us.”, stated Lars Ulrich in another interview the same year. “One thing that has always fascinated and even scared us is how people, especially in the United States, think they are so free and independent (but they are not). That’s what “Master of Puppets” is about: how people are governed by another person.”

“It can be other human beings, it can be institutions, it can be drugs, it can be alcohol or it can be religion.”, he added. “I mean there are a number of things that they could be directed by, governed by, they just don’t really know. Everything is subconscious.”

Other songs on the album with this theme are “Disposable Heroes”, which talks about how a young soldier has been indoctrinated to die for his country by his parents and educational institutions, as well as “Leper Messiah”, an acid criticism of evangelism whose purpose is generate donations.

On the side of the song “Master of Puppets”, this has remained one of the undoubted classics of Metallica and the genre of ‘heavy metal’, the theme being one of the songs most requested by fans at concerts. Recently, the band closed a concert in Denmark with the popular song, the first time they had done it in 25 years.

However, her profile has definitely risen after appearing on the popular streaming show and He is currently ranked 26th. Spotify Top 50. First, she continues to dominate Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill,” another song that resurfaced in popularity after appearing on “Stranger Things.”