Metallica: Back to the Front: A Fully Authorized Visual History of the Master of Puppets Album and Tour Hardcover – September 13, 2016

This book is very well laid out and edited. They pay homage to Cliff in the most respective and honest way. I appreciate the way the book first focuses on the countdown to the tragedy and then takes you through the bands beginning post KEA, to creation of RTL and MOP. So many great pictures that will for anyone who was a teenager in the 1980’s, and was into metal, will relate to. I was one of those guys in the leather jacket and denim jeans. I had one of those “fan made bootleg” tapes that just blew you away and got you excited to see these guys, who looked like us, come to our town and play live. Loads of first-hand accounts of life on and off the tour from the band members, personal friends, professional associates and fans. Great forward by James and a heartfelt closing account from Lars. Also, an uplifting message from Cliff’s father that’s really great. You may know the band and its history pretty well but I guarantee you will discover something new and will take you back to those exciting days hanging out with friends in the school parking lot, trading tapes and going to concerts.

Excellent visual history of the best metal album!Metallica in their best creative moments, youth and passion.Best book for Metallica fans

I haven't listened to Metallica in ages, but during this book's timeframe, I listened to them all day, every day, so I've been waiting with bated breath for this, & it DOES NOT disappoint! Lots of commentary & photos from actual fans included, that perfectly describe the whole mania surrounding this band, as they came into their own. Enjoyed all the insight on our beloved Cliff Burton as well. Plan to check out the book's creator's JAWS book soon too, if this is any indication of his attention to detail, and I thank all involved for these priceless photos of our memories, (I was scared to take my camera on front row at the May 3/Aug 3, '86 shows)! Going to get a new MOP now..still only had it on vinyl!? Rekindling my interest...!?

Wow! I thought I owned "everything Metallica" in terms of books from the "good old days", but this one takes the cake. The photos brought back so many memories of the "METAL SCENE" back in the day - and I was thrilled to see so many photos I'd never seen before! Teleported me back in time to the first time I saw Metallica: Scotia, NY in January 1985 in a dinky little club/bowling alley called the Skyway, about 3 miles from my High School - imagine, future Metal Royalty gracing my home town! (I was in college at SUNY Albany at the time, #1 thrash metal fan-girl on campus for sure!) Still have my original tour shirt from that show which is one of my most valuable and cherished possessions. I'm 51 now (yikes!) but those great memories never leave you if you are a true fan - thank God they were captured on film for all to enjoy now. Go buy it now!

This sets the standard for how books like this should be written. Extensive deep-dive interviews with all the participants.

This book is a must have for any Metallica fan who grew up with them during the mid 80's. I casually liked Kill Em All, liked Ride the Lightning a little more, but when I popped the Master of Puppets cassette into my Walkman, heard the intro for Battery, followed by the actual song, I was rocked! For me, it is their master piece. Of course I like most of what they've done, but this was special. A quartet of guys who dressed like the rest of us in the metal scene at the time, and just a few years older, created an unbelievable masterpiece and it was clear they arrived with the release of Master of Puppets. I saw them on April 21st 1986 at New Jersey's Brendan Byrne Arena in support of Ozzy. At the time, I was a huge ozzy fan primarily because of the Blizzard and Diary albums. I often tell the story that when Metallica came on, the place went ballistic, it was loud, raw, insane, we were blown away. Even when Ozzy came on, the place was still buzzing about what just took place. This book covers the time frame of the writing, recording, and subsequent tour for Master of Puppets. The pictures alone brought me back to that time and brought Cliff back if only for a little while, Metallica was whole again. I was lucky to see the original lineup live and in furious fashion, perform what I think is their best album in front of a bunch of rabid teenagers. Definitely buy this book if you want to be transported back to 1986.

This book features tons of fan photos and remembrances, quotes from the tour crew, management, friends and girlfriends, and — of course — the band. It’s a really well-done time capsule with a lot of previously unseen stuff. I was particularly interested since this tour was the first time I saw any band play anywhere, and they talk about that show.There’s almost no mention of Mustaine, strangely, even in the chapter condensing the band’s entire career. I understand this in the rest of the book, as it’s specifically about the Master album and tour, but that oversight in the career synopsis was a bump.Excellent design and production.

Totally blown away at the density of this book in both pictures and writing. It will take a while to get through, and I say that as a generally fast reader.This album was in many ways life changing for me (that feels just a tad strong, but its close) when I was in 8th grade. Due to undeserved luck with my brothers working security at Market Square Arena (Indianapolis) I was front row of festival seating. I was there to see Ozzy. I had read some hype of Metallica in the metal mags of the time but was not prepared for that I saw. Ozzy was irrelevant to my world before he even got on stage. Nothing would match Metallica at that time. This book has so many pics from that tour it is great to read