# Who played bass on Metallica’s 1986 song ‘Master of Puppets’?

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/who-played-bass-on-metallicas-1986-song-master-of-puppets/
- Published: 2026-10-29T23:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-30T01:04:52+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/who-played-bass-metallica-1986-song-master-of-puppets/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Cliff Burton played bass on “Master of Puppets”.
- His bass adds depth to the track’s middle section.
- It was Burton’s final album with Metallica.

## Summary

Cliff Burton played bass on Metallica’s 1986 title track “Master of Puppets”. His performance helped shape the song’s intricate sound, especially its more melodic, calmer middle section, and the album became a landmark in the band’s career.

The article describes the record as Burton’s final Metallica album and says his playing drew on influences ranging from classical music to blues and heavy metal. Using his SB Black n’ Gold bass, he blended with James Hetfield’s riffs and vocals, adding both a detailed musical foundation and forward drive. The band, including Kirk Hammett, did not anticipate the album’s lasting influence while making it.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.