What is your favorite Metallica album and why?

Metallica is my all time favorite band.  I like it all (except LuLu but that one doesn't count.)

I have seen them live 3 times, have all their albums (and then some), almost all the dvds, and tons of shirts and other paraphernalia.

My favorite album is Master of Puppets.  It's just flawless from start to finish.

MoP for me also though Ride is very close, both are great heavy albums with no weak spots.

Black Rider wrote:MoP for me also though Ride is very close, both are great heavy albums with no weak spots.

Yes Ride is close for me too.

I'm just the opposite, Ride the Lightning just ahead of Master of Puppets.

I've come to appreciate the Load albums but imo, if you combined the best songs from them you'd have one great album.

11razorwire wrote:I'm just the opposite, Ride the Lightning just ahead of Master of Puppets.

Same here. My first Metallica album and it caught me straight away. It is hard to describe the production, but is sounds scratchy and dangerous.

What a huge step up from Kill 'Em All.

From the bit I have listened to

I would actually have to say Kill 'Em All

The sound is just so raw and fast and heavy, I think that album was a real pioneer for thrash

And Justice For All would be my favorite if not for the lack of bass.

Believe it or not, Load and Reload were the first two albums I heard and bought.  Followed by the Black Album and Garage Inc.  It wasn't until the fifth album I bought which was Ride The Lightning until I heard "the old stuff."

My mind was blown.  I was like "this is the same band??!!"

Master of Puppets favorite album cover and my favorite song Welcome Home (Sanitarium)

Master...Master!! Imo, the albums with Cliff are a different band. Master was also my first opportunity to see them live. Unfortunately,  we lost Cliff shortly after. Damage, Inc is still my favorite Metallica tune, even after all these years.

I'd say Ride the Lightning and Black-album. Ride includes my all time favourite song by them, Creeping Death .

Probably Master, but RTL is a close second. You can't get MOP without the transitional and steadily increased quality of song writing in RTL. Kill em All is in a class all its own with them basically defining the distinctive elements of thrash metal with that album.

Ride the Lightning, followed closely by Master of Puppets, but I'm not too big on either of them, or Metallica in general.  I really, really love Creeping Death and Disposable Heroes.  Other than that, though there are some cool moments here and there, nothing grabs me that much.

To be honest though, I'm just not that into thrash.  So my opinion probably doesn't count for much. 

Even though I didn't hear it until 1988, Ride The Lightning will always be favorite Metallica album and favorite album overall.  It's what turned me on to metal.

Don't we have enough Talley threads?

Ride The Lightning for me. M.O.P is good but to much filler amongst the good and it doesn't have Creeping Death or Fire With Fire on it lol.

For me it's either Puppets or Justice, and I can't make up my mind.

Ride The Lightning followed by Master of Puppets and the Black Album.

Master of Puppets was their preeminent musical statement -- it's the perfect balance between the rawness of Kill Them All and the over-polished Ride the Lightning. And it was before the pop metal of the Black Album. AND it featured Cliff Burton at his best.