![]() Megadeth were also in need of a new guitarist as well. Down a drummer, the band hired Nick Menza, previous drummer Chuck Behler’s drum tech, to join the band. The band went into the record with a lot of struggles and turmoil. The record was nominated for a Grammy in 1991 for Best Metal Performance at the 33 rd Grammy Awards. In the other corner, we have Megadeth and their 1990 record Rust in Peace. Overall, this is a strong record that cements Metallica's legacy and a milestone in thrash metal. The guitar solo is on point with a unique stop/go mentality during it, trying to shred as fast as possible before riffing again and then back into the solo. To me, this is the heaviest song on the record. Starting off with building hints of guitar and bass before the song kicks the door in with fury and aggression with pounding drums and guitar. The album closer “Damage, Inc.” brings the record to an end like a runaway freight train. Also showing off their more emotional guitar solos with almost dueling guitar solos near the end of the song, which is a nice take on the track. The instrumental “Orion” showcases the late Cliff Burton’s bass playing. The end of the album ends strong, with two strong tracks. Songs like “The Thing That Should Not Be” and “Leper Messiah” showcase more of a sound you might have heard in 80’s heavy metal at the time but with Hetfield’s young and aggressive vocals over it, which unfortunately hinder the impact as some of the other stronger songs on this record like “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)”. Some of the songs on the record have a more traditional heavy metal sound. The solo near the end of the song is legendary as well as a lot of the solos on this album showcase what made Metallica’s sound so impactful. The drums match Hetfield’s intensity during the chorus and add impact to every verse. Next comes the legendary opening riff of “Master of Puppets” and its head bang inducing intro with start/stop drum hits and downstroke-heavy riffing throughout the whole song. The song flies by, even for a 5-minute-long track. ![]() The song flies by fast and furious, with vocalist James Hetfield’s vocal delivery hitting with such ferocity along with the gang vocals on the chorus. Starting off with album opener “Battery”, the record starts mellow with an acoustic guitar intro section before the dual harmonies and powerful drums hits hard after the intro and then we are off to the races. ![]() Let’s take a look at this contender and see what it brings in this matchup. As of 2003, the record was certified six times platinum. The album peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 upon its release and received critical acclaim. This would be the last record featuring bassist Cliff Burton before his tragic passing in a bus accident that same year, 6 months after the release of this record. We have in this corner, Metallica and their 1986 magnum-opus Master of Puppets, which a lot of Metallica fans would claim it to be the band’s best record. This week, we have two titans in the thrash metal genre from two of the most legendary bands in thrash. Also, I will not be including bonus tracks, only the songs that originally appeared on the record will be considered a factor. The only rules are I am looking at the original release of the record, no remasters or re-recordings of the album. In this series, we will take a look at two iconic releases in heavy metal history and see which one was the better album. Welcome to a new recurring article on This Day in Metal called Versus.
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