Master Control

This album is U.S. power metal at its best. I truly do love this album. This album has more speed metal influences than the European variety. This album is definitely on the heavier side of power metal. This album embraces its speed metal roots and has a lot of speed metal influence in it.

My favorite tracks are Master Control and Eye of the Storm. Eye of the Storm is a heavier song for power metal as is this whole album. Master Control is also really speed metal influenced. Master Control is a great album and it is sad that U.S. power metal is overshadowed by European power metal. I still really enjoy European power metal, but this album just proves that U.S. power metal is better. Power metal like this with a lot of speed metal influence can really appeal to a really wide audience, even those who don't like metal. That is what is so special about this album is that most metalheads can listen to this album and really enjoy it.

The vocals on this album are really good and are unique. He can hit high notes on the songs. The guitars are very fast and are distorted but not like thrash or death metal. The bass is very good as well. The drumming is also fantastic. Everything is played very fast. This album is fast all the way through, not really slowing down that much. I think this album can be enjoyed by non metalheads. There are better options for a beginner album, but this an okay start into the world of metal. Nothing is bad about this album. I think this is an example of a perfect album. Every song on this album is great, and the sheer speed of this album is a huge influence on power metal and especially power metal from the U.S.

This album is a must listen for power metal fans and a must listen for fans of metal in general. This album is everything power metal should be and is one of the greatest albums in my opinion. I give this album a 10/10 and is great.

I wanted to take a brief moment to step back and look at an album that was crucial in developing and solidifying my tastes. This past week represented the 30th anniversary of Liege Lord’s monumental Master Control, their third and final (so far!) album. Liege Lord are a staple of the United States power metal scene for a reason – all three of their albums; Freedom’s Rise, Burn to my Touch, and Master Control, are undoubtedly classics of the genre. You can ask a number of USPM fanatics and they’ll all give you different answers on what their favorite Liege Lord album is. The band’s consistency and quality was incredible and certainly commendable. However, for me, the answer has always been clear. Master Control is one of the best US power albums around full-stop.

I discovered Liege Lord at a very important juncture in my metal journey. I was in my early teens and I had just found the existence of US power metal. Master Control, along with Jag Panzer’s genre-defining Ample Destruction, was one of the very first albums I listened to in the style. It was demonstrably power metal, but this was nothing like the European style that I was used to at that point in time. There was a lot of bite to the riffs, the drum and bass thundered along, and there was a distinct absence of cheesy vocal melodies and choruses. Liege Lord left a strong impression on me back then and it has carried through to now, well over ten years later.

Liege Lord play a style of music that is deeply rooted in the aggressive side of US power. There’s a healthy amount of speed metal and thrash metal influence that sneak their way into the band’s sound and that’s most apparent here on Master Control. The band had flirted with speed metal elements on their previous two efforts, but it comes out in full force on this album. The resulting sound slots them comfortably with USPM peers such as Vicious Rumors, Jag Panzer, and Helstar. There’s also a clear NWOBHM influence in Master Control that pops up in the melodies, riffs, and vocal deliveries – don’t be surprised if you hear a healthy amount of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest on this one.

Riffs are central to US power and Liege Lord has them in spades. Their riffs have always been uncompromising and memorable, but it’s taken to the next level on Master Control. The album opens up with the spectacular “Fear Itself”, a thrashy number with a prominent amount of bass and catchy as hell choruses. With the tone set, the rest of the album carries through at 100% and doesn’t drop off for one second. Tony Truglio and Paul Nelson write one juicy power metal riff after another.

The songwriting is by far the highlight of the album. Each song has its own distinct sound and personality without sacrificing any quality. The riffs are varied and catchy allowing each song to breathe and have room on its own but still flow as a cohesive album. One of this album’s strengths is that it is not front-loaded at all. Bands have a tendency to put all of their best material on the A-side of an album, causing a disjointed experience that doesn’t compel you to finish the whole thing (I’m looking at you Painkiller...). Master Control is quality through and through, and I’d argue that the B side is actually stronger – the album’s best track is the closing song “Fallout”.

Master Control features a different vocalist than the last two efforts, Joe Comeau replaces Andy Michaud for this one and he delivers everything you could want and more. Comeau has a powerful voice with lots of charisma. He bears an uncanny resemblance to Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden fame – imagine if Bruce decided to don the Halo 3-esque mech suit on the cover of this album, then you’ll get Joe. There’s a cover of Rainbow’s “Kill the King” found on this album. To give you an idea for the quality of Master Control, not only does the band pay justice to the song in their own right, but Joe is able to cover Dio’s vocals without sounding out of place. Dio has such a distinct and iconic voice that this is an accomplishment on its own.

Liege Lord’s Master Control is one of the best albums that USPM has to offer. It exemplifies the best features of the genre; aggression, speed, catchy vocals, varied riffs, pounding drum and bass, blistering solos, and a strong production to tie it all together. The album manages to maintain a level of quality that is difficult to find elsewhere while being very accessible. Master Control is a time-weathered classic of USPM that serves as both one of the best entry points to the genre and a shining example of what makes it so great.

Album Rating: 97/100

Favorite Track: Fallout

Originally written for: https://RideIntoGlory.com/

Breaking news! A metal archaeologist (in all modesty, me) has found out that the album title is not complete. It has lost its middle part. The whole name is "MASTERpiece where the band loses CONTROL". Okay, Liege Lord did not totally lose its self-control while recording their third and unfortunately last full-length. But nobody can ignore the fact that "Master Control" (to use its short title) has more currishness, a higher degree of combative stance and a more powerful production than its predecessors. Liege Lord invite the listener to enjoy mostly voluminous guitars. Especially the thin sound of "Burn to My Touch" cannot hold a candle to the robustness of the here reviewed work.

Anyway, the music of "Master Control" is of more importance. Liege Lord showcase a mix of power, speed and thrash metal and they kick off the album in a perfect manner. The brilliant opener (strict verses, liberating chorus), the ominous, atmospheric and vigorous "Eye of the Storm" and the furious title track with its outstanding pre chorus ("Tell me, children!") form a trident of enormous power. Due to the fantastic flow of these pieces, it's hardly possible to play this kind of metal in a better way and the voice of Joseph Comeau is the cherry on the cake. His vocal performance sounds natural, voluminous and charismatic, he does not only scream while striking the right note during the entire album. Strange enough, he even sounds more original than the original singer (the brave Andy Michaud) himself! Whenever I think of Liege Lord, I hear his voice, not Andy's. However, put briefly, these tracks form a wonderful start for the album. Too bad that Liege Lord are not able to maintain this amazing level of magnificence.

The Rainbow cover is a real flop and the last track of the A side remains faceless, perhaps inter alia because of its short duration. Fortunately, the second half of the vinyl is free from throwaway tracks. The five songs cannot beat the triple strike at the beginning, but the chorus of "Feel the Blade" is remarkable and the closer holds various tempo changes and degrees of harshness. A great tune with some majestic leads which completes a very solid B side. Admittedly, the comparatively mild "Suspicion" with its sometimes pretty light guitar tones does not reach the highest tier of glory, but this small weakness should not be overestimated. All in all, this is definitely a vigorous, pure sound experience. Heavy metal grows where strong hearts are beating.

The band was blessed with three songwriters and, as a side note, Tony Truglio penned the best tunes on this farewell album. I really appreciate bands who do not want to be dependent on the creativity of only one musician. This does not mean that the leitmotif is missing on "Master Control". The different composers had the same understanding of good music. Consequently, the third strike of the US Americans scores with homogeneity and evenness, if one does not take into consideration the more or less disturbing cover version. With that said, Liege Lord, a likable formation that embodied metallic integrity, died much too early. Archaeologists, it's your turn.

Connecticut USPM act Liege Lord certainly offers their tightest, most polished, and riffiest effort with 1988's Master Control, replacing the clumsy, if endearing, vocals of Andy Michaud with newcomer Joe Comeau, who certainly fits better with the lightning-quick, razor-sharp speed metal presented here, which, while built up towards with some of the speedier numbers in the 1987 predecessor Burn to my Touch, is only fully embraced here on Master Control. Comeau's utterly masculine, tough-as-nails, and absolutely razor-smooth voice is certainly a strong point of the album, although he doesn't quite have the character and likability of Michaud. He sounds something like an American Bruce Dickinson if Dickinson were to take copious amount of steroids and make a habit of eating glass and nails for breakfast. This album is certainly one of the ballsiest USPM/speed metal albums out there, combining Comeau's gonads of steel with a production that somehow manages to be thick as a brick and razor-sharp simultaneously, and is quite possibly the best production I've ever heard on a speed metal album - not just from the 80s, but ever. It's nearly impossible to beat Master Control in respect to the sheer weight and meatiness of the guitar tone, which somehow never quite manages to push Comeau out of the spotlight - he's not buried in the mix, certainly, but much of his ability to maintain the center of attention is a tribute to his take command, "master control" (heh) attitude. The album's title is certainly quite indicative of the sort of music found within, and the badass killer robot on the cover could easily personify Comeau here.

The first half of the album storms out of the gate with guns blazing, shooting us with the utterly excellent "Fear Itself" and "Eye of the Storm," followed by the practically perfect stone cold killer of an anthem, the titular Master Control, in which both Comeau and the guitarists, Tony Truglio and Paul Nelson, are in complete command of their respective instruments, demonstrating a masterful control that perfectly encapsulates the album, compelling the listener to be at full attention every moment of the song. Both chorus and prechorus are magnificent enough to send chills down one's spine, with Comeau's fantastic delivery as follows:

Tell me children, It's I who lead your lives
Tell me children, I am supreme device
Tell me children, I will outlive your cries
Tell me children, I'm whose voice never dies!

The backing vocals which join in the chorus as it ends with MASTER CONTROL! Oh, infinity! add to the experience, making the song simply impossible to match. Of course, even an album so cohesive, massive, and aggressive as Master Control can have its issues, and in this case it involves some of the choruses, particularly in the second half of the album. Comeau is absolutely not to blame - he belts out every line with the force of a mountain and the smoothness of a diamond, but the vocal lines in some of the choruses are just...crap. Following the utterly intense cover of "Kill the King," which nearly has enough inertia to outclass the original, we have the excellent and concise "Soldier's Fortune," and then "Feel the Blade," which begins a cycle of less-then-stellar choruses. "Feel the Blade" has a pretty sweet opening riff and an awesome verse leading up, followed by...the chorus, which is just completely mediocre. The buildup falls flat, and while the following verses and solo are still fun while they're there, it can't make up for the significantly worse chorus which just causes the song to fall flat. This ultimately reduces the song from "great" to "okay," so, while not completely losing its charm, the album begins to take a bit of a dive. This trend is given pause by "Broken Wasteland," which has an amazing opening riff over which Comeau barks "Rip it up, tear it down, rip it up!" and has no major problems to speak of, including a chorus which is pretty good, if not as good as the sublime "Rip it up..." bit.

"Rapture" is okay, but also has a chorus which is subpar, and at no point really reaches the "excellent" status of most of the album. "Suspicion" sort of falls into the opposite problem, having a decent chorus but pretty banal verses, ultimately not reaching the benchmark, either. It feels a bit too light and bouncy compared to the atmosphere of the rest of the album, too, lacking the sinister "I'm going to control your mind" vibe which is present elsewhere. Finally, album closer "Fallout" opens with an ambitious, majestic riff which melts your fucking face off, then goes into the fucking stupidest vocal line on the album, where Comeau doesn't even sound cool at all, sounding as if they've suddenly turned into a band which writes second-rate Iron Maiden filler. The riff which follows is better, but the vocal line is still pretty underwhelming, and the song develops slowly and disjointedly, ultimately feeling like it never really gets going and easily being the worst song on the album, despite the great lyrics. The chorus, too, is Comeau practically rapping, and just comes off horribly. Ambitious, but a bit too ambitious for Liege Lord, it seems, as it falls flat on its face and ends the album with a bad taste in one's mouth, dulling its total impact to an unfortunate extent. While Master Control might be Liege Lord's best album (Freedom's Rise is close, although it works in a very different way), it slows down at the end, and should just get rid of "Fallout" completely, maybe keeping the opening riff as an album outro or something. Otherwise though, it works very well, with a killer vocalist, killer production, and killer riffs and leads, for the most part. This is truly a full-band effort, one which comes together quite effectively, and a jewel of USPM/speed metal that has certainly stood the test of time. If you're into the genre at all, this is a must-have.

Don't let the silly, generic (if admitting, cool in lame kind of way) cover art fool you, Master Control is one of the finest American power metal albums ever recorded. It's a great combination of early power metal and thrash, coming together to create an album too epic and melodic to be thrash, but a bit too punk to be real power metal. It's an album that wanders the proverbial middle ground between the two genres, walking the tightrope so to speak, and it does so wonderfully. Liege Lord build upon the potential their previous two records showed and exceed what quality those two albums foreshadowed.

The songs here are all well written, each with riffs that are unique enough to stand out, yet similar enough to create a cohesive album. Unlike many power metal albums, it feels like there are ten different songs here, rather than 10 takes on the same generic riff. Additionally, they didn't make the mistake of "front-loading" the album. Every song here is good, but in my opinion, it ends off much stronger than it begins. Again, that's not to say that the first couple of songs are bad, just that it gets better from that point. While the riffs are great, a few songs have fairly weak choruses. They aren't awful by any stretch of the imagination, but after such great riffs, it's hard not to feel a bit let down. Fortunately, this is an issue that only effects a few of the songs. Most songs have choruses that will get your head-banging just as much as the riffs.

The biggest strength for Liege Lord are their vocals. Joe Comeau does a FAR better job than previous vocalist Andy Michaud. Michaud had a tendency to sound like King Diamond if Kind Diamond sucked. Comeau's vocals compliment the music nearly perfectly, matching their power metal overtones with subtle thrash in the back ground. He sounds like Bruce Dickinson hyped up on drugs, vocals that are both epic and rough.

The lyrics here are pretty much what you'd expect from a late 80's power metal band. This was before fantasy took over the genre, but the lyrics still match the antithetic feel of the music. They almost all have to do with war or violence of some kind, not that that's a bad thing, just that it's what is to be expected. Nothing here is BAD, just nothing that breaks the mold or really stands out. If you want great lyrics, this isn't the place to find them, but if lyrics aren't a major concern, this'll be fine. Not bad, not good, just average.

Musicianship is all over the place. As stated earlier, the vocals are amazing here, and the guitarist(s?) does a great job too. However, the drumming is painfully boring, doing little other than provide momentum for the rest of the music. Yes, that's a drummers job, but it's done so generically here it hurts. The basswork could be amazing for all I know, but no one will ever know because it's inaudible. This is either a mixing issue, or the bass follows the guitar so closely that the two are indistinguishable. Regardless of reason, the bass NEVER stands out, not for a moment. While those two elements do detract from the overall experience, they do little to offset the greatness of the vocals and guitar, who are both good enough to make most listeners forget how garbage the drumming is and keep them from wondering where the bass went.

The production on Master Control SEEMS to be fine. The guitar and vocals are great, both are given the volume they need and a nice layer of grime is added on top to give them a bit of extra bite that really helps give the music a bit of needed aggression. The drumming is turned down pretty far in the mix, which is good, as it keeps the listener from thinking about how generic the drums are. The only real downside is that the production could be the reason the bass is basically nonexistent. If it's the musician's fault, then the production is nearly perfect, however if the production is to blame, that would serve as a pretty major knock against the production job. What is there is good though, so it does alright either way in my book.

Overall, Master Control SHOULD have been big. It's too heavy to be a mainstream success, but I'm a little surprised that it didn't get big within the heavy metal subculture. It hits all the right notes in my book to at least deserved being remembered, it's also better in my mind then a lot of so called classics from this time. It's an album that's worth your time, and likely your money. I can't say it's worth tracking down or spending a lot of money on, but if you find it in a record store for $15 it's worth it.

Recommended Tracks:
-Broken Wasteland
-Fallout
-Fear Itself

If I were to be short, I’d say this is a forgotten masterpiece, made by one of the best bands on the US power metal scene during the eighties. But that would be just an observation, not a real review, so I’ll continue.

If you’ve already heard their previous material and then you decide to give this album a listen, you’ll immediately notice at least two differences. The first difference is that there is a different vocalist; the other difference regards style. Now, let me elaborate on the differences a bit. The vocalist on their previous two albums, Andy Michaud, sounded more or less like inexperienced King Diamond. On the other hand, the vocalist on this album, Joe Comeau, sounds very similar to Bruce Dickinson. Another difference regarding the vocals is that Andy’s voice feels more held back and doesn't seem to be used to its full potential, while Joe’s voice sounds more powerful (no pun intended) and is used more skillfully. In short, if Andy were to sing here, it just wouldn’t be it. As for stylistic differences, this album is mostly speed metal with some thrash metal influence here and there, while the previous albums featured a more straightforward USPM (US power metal, for those who may not know) style. A little note: USPM is different from power metal typical of the later European power metal scene, mostly in the way that USPM has more similarity to speed metal than its later, European counterpart that often features keyboards. You will hear no keyboards here.

The riffs and solos that are to be found on this album range from very good to brilliant. Just take Broken Wasteland as an example of a brilliant opening riff. And the track itself just becomes even better and loses no momentum whatsoever. One interesting thing: the opening for Fallout reminded me of something by Yngwie Malmsteen. No kidding, just listen to it and hear for yourselves. But don’t worry, after twenty and so seconds, it morphs into USPM you can hear on the rest of the album. Still, that section gives this track some charm. The instrumental part is made even better by the fact that this album has the best production of all three Liege Lord albums, with a clear tone and all instruments being possible to hear, even the bass.

Lyrically, the tracks on this album mostly deal with apocalypse and totalitarianism in one way or another, Master Control being a pretty good example of it. Kill the King (Rainbow cover, by the way) strays a bit from the main theme, but still fits well. Also, it is a rare example of a cover that can actually compete with the original. Broken Wasteland may lead you to think that it deals with a post-apocalyptic world, but no, it actually deals with the situation in the last few decades and it’s still current; basically, it tells that the world may be heading for an apocalypse. See some of the lyrics:

Oh, sit here, and watch our cities
Grow more polluted every day
It's a problem we all must face
C'mon, it's time to break the waste

Here’s some more from the same track:

Oh, hold on tight, and face the future
We've left all of the crap behind
If we don't stop starting the game
We'll have no one but ourselves to blame

Sometimes, I wonder how it's some other albums by some other bands that made it, while this album became more or less forgotten, since every single track on this album is excellent, with Master Control and Broken Wasteland arguably being the best tracks here, albeit by a margin. All in all, if you haven’t heard this album, it’s never too late to correct that mistake. Highly recommended! I would also like to say that the cover is great and fits the album like a glove.

The third time is the proverbial charm. So, Liege Lord hires Bruce Dickinson, throw a mecha battlesuit on the cover of their 3rd album and it could only be a win win situation for everyone, right? Well, more or less. Bruce Dickinson wasn't available, so they hired Joe Comeau, who sounded a lot like Bruce Dickinson if he were to pop some amphetamines and front a faster American band (rather than that little known English group he stuck it out with.) You may know Comeau better from his later vocal work in Annihilator, or his stint playing guitar for Overkill, but he excelled here in Liege Lord. Coincidentally, you'll also hear a little of Bobby Blitz' early snear and snap in Joe's intonation. And sure, while his vocals were...not entirely original, they were far more precise, reined in and powerful than the wild musings of Andy Michaud.

As for the robot on the cover...well, one can dream, but it doesn't have a lot to do with the album aside from the lyrics to the titular track itself. It was still pretty damned cool in 1988 to see this cover art, and the band had finally settled on a half-decent logo. Master Control is, in fact, superior in all ways to both of its predecessors, offering a half dozen classic US speed metal tracks which more than compensate for any shortcomings. It's the heaviest and most consistent offering, with big, meaty rhythms that Comeau complemented rather than drowned (as was so often the case with Michaud). It's not perfect, and was sadly overlooked due to the presence of Operation: Mindcrime, No Exit and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, but in retrospect there is enough ass kicking contained within the 42 minutes that it deserves some sort of attention, even after two decades.

Liege Lord have once again decided to come out swinging, and they do so with some stark chords and early leads to introduce "Fear Itself", before the thrusting bombardment of its verse and furious verbal artillery. Highway. What highway? We left that in the dust, we have just entered orbit, and Joe Comeau is your pilot, ladies and gentlemen. "Eyes of the Storm" is simply a call to arms for any fan of melodic power metal, perhaps the greatest Liege Lord song of them all, with a chorus very much worthy of Maiden or anything Dio has ever done. "Master Control" returns to the speed of the opener, with a momentum not unlike Overkill, initial leads that sizzle through the rhythm guitars of the verse. Speaking of Dio, we next have a great cover of Rainbow's "Kill the King" (one of RJD's best songs, from one of few good albums). Comeau and crew do this track a lot of justice, and it's vastly superior to other cover versions I've heard. "Soldiers' Fortune" is just awesome, with another of the band's more memorable hooks. Note the little lead swirl that follows behind the charge of the chorus:

'I'll burn the evil and the crown it wears
A fire bright to cleanse the fear it bears
And in return the only price I ask is clear
A eulogy for all the battles I will bear'

The hit machine does not end there. "Feel the Blade" is not one of the best tracks on the album, but at the least it rocks hard. "Broken Wasteland" is pure mid-paced power metal, performed at a total Priest/Sabbath pace with a killer, winding dual melodic hook that breaks into the glorious verse. You have to hear this one to believe it. Excellent. "Rapture" has a forceful stride, with chords that slam and shine across the throbbing undercurrent, and total headbanging rhythms. "Suspicion" has vintage Vinci bass, and some great NWOBHM rhythm to it, very much a Maiden tribute all doped up. "Fallout" is a melodic power ballad, but unlike "Speed of Sound" (which closed out Burn To My Touch), this one is actually good...and before long it erupts into a totally kickass nuclear war anthem.

Yes, Master Control was pretty damn good. But it was 1988...and being pretty damn good was simply not enough to shine in the eye of the roiling metal masses. Looking back, it's hard to understand why this one wasn't larger...except maybe that it wasn't a thrash record, and that style was the darling of the day (Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax all had very successful albums out in '88, not to mention the genius works and career highlights of many lesser known acts). Also, it would have been almost impossible to compete with the flawless, endless beauty of Operation: Mindcrime, from a band who likely shared most of the same fanbase as Fates Warning or Liege Lord. Speculation aside, this is still a strong sounding effort decades after the fact, and well worth your time to track down if you appreciate 80s speed and power metal classics. Here is a band who would end on a high note.

Highlights: Eyes of the Storm, Master Control, Soldiers' Fortune, Broken Wasteland

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

Liege Lord is unfortunately one of the more overlooked 80s power metal bands, often overshadowed by bands such as Jag Panzer. Make no mistake, though - Liege Lord is up there with the best of them when it comes to fast, hard-hitting *power* metal.

Liege Lord's music is fast, energetic, heavy, and catchy as hell - all the qualities of a top-notch power metal band. Their previous two albums are both very good 80s USPM, but they lacked the sheer perfection found in Master Control. If you've heard the first two albums, the first thing that you will immediately notice from the opening chord of Fear Itself is the production - It's good. It's not only good, it's fucking great; this is an album from 1988, but the production is several years ahead of its time. The previous two albums suffered from very lacking production, which always detracted from the enjoyment of the music, but fortunately this is not the case on Master Control. The guitars are crunchy and heavy, the drums are hard-hitting, and the vocals are clearly audible but not overpowering. The bass perhaps could have been slightly louder, but that's nitpicking - the production is damn near flawless.

However, the production isn't the only improvement from Liege Lord's previous works. Master Control features Joe Comeau on vocals in place of Andy Michaud, and while Michaud's vocals are certainly good, Comeau's vocals are simply perfect. While some may know the name from his rather mediocre work with Annihilator, Comeau hits you with an all out assault of aggression and melody on Master Control. His vocals generally are mid range, but he flawlessly hits the highs when necessary. The raw power behind the vocals is incredible, and it perfectly fits the musical style.

The musicianship is excellent, with the two guitarists Tony Truglio and Paul Nelson pounding out both stunningly fast riffs and blazing leads that will leave you gaping - the best example of this probably being the absolutely incredible dueling/harmony leads during the album's title track. The drumming is great; it's not particularly complex or technical, but it doesn't really need to be. As I mentioned earlier, the bass could be louder in the mix, but there are still some great fills scattered throughout the album.

Now onto the songs themselves. The songwriting is nothing short of brilliant; there are no bad songs on this album. At all. Of course, there are a few that just stand out - Fear Itself, the title track, Broken Wasteland, and Suspicion *really* shine, but the rest are all great. The album also includes a fast, energetic cover of Rainbow's Kill the King, which is possibly better than the original. And while power metal is much more about the music than the lyrics, the lyrics here deserve mention. From the sci-fi inspired title track to the cry for an end to pollution in Broken Wasteland to the damning warning of the dangers of Nuclear War in Fallout, the lyrics are all well-written and delivered perfectly by Comeau.

While Liege Lord died with the 80s (as did most decent USPM, sadly), this album is a shining example of the best the genre has to offer. From start to finish, Master Control never once disappoints. This is an absolutely essential album for any fan of speed or power metal. In fact, even if you're not a power metal fan, give this a listen - if you enjoy good music, you won't be disappointed.

Just when I thought I had heard everything the 80s had to offer, this little-known, seldom-spoken of album from a band with the curious name Liege Lord is brought to my attention. Expecting little more than standard 80s metal fare, I started to listen to it. To my surprise, it actually sounded pretty good. I’m intrigued, but not overwhelmed. That gradually changes; until I find myself completely fucking awestruck, robbed of my senses and speechless by the awesomeness of it all. Here’s this masterpiece of an album that completely slays 97% of all the music made during the 80s, and nobody has fucking heard of it. You tell me the odds of that happening. They are probably next to none. That makes Master Control all the more worthy of admiration. An album of this quality is something you’d expect to come from bands like Iron Maiden or Iced Earth as their crowning achievement, not from an unknown band from the US called Liege Lord.

The brand of metal they play is 80s US power metal with speed metal moments, a style that was perhaps a bit out of date at the time. It has none of that absurd hair/flower bullshit that was spreading in USA and Europe at the time. No, this is the type of no-bullshit metal that dominated in the states (before hair metal that is) and was played by the likes of Tyrant, Vicious Rumors, Crimson Glory, Helstar etc. To me, it’s the style that most completely embodies metal and what metal is all about: heavy, great riffs, intense/fast drumming, a screaming vocalist (“meeeeetaaaalll!!!”), rebellious attitude (“fuck you!!”) and a fairly straightforward songwriting.

Comparing Master Control to the band’s earlier albums it’s a huge step up. I mean, Freedom’s Rise and Burn to My Touch were both pretty good, but the leap the band took with this release is probably unprecedented in metal. The musicianship is much tighter than before. Rarely, if ever, does anything sound out of place. Everything just fits. The only thing that doesn’t fit on this album is the cover, which has a robot on it and the band name in chrome. The production is also a huge step up from before and excellent for a 80s album, sporting better sound quality as well as better mixing. The improvement is most evident in the vocals though. Newcomer Jack Corneu sounds like Bruce Dickinson on speed and twenty cups of coffee. His performance here is already legendary to me; simple an incredible vocalist whose self-confident and charismatic vocal delivery is responsible for much of this album’s qualities.

The songwriting: holy fuck. All songs are winners so I’m not going to insult the album by pointing some of them out. Just rest assured that you’re going to want to crank that volume up so loud – and bang that head so hard – that a visit to the doctor may soon be imminent. To begin with: each song has its own distinctive sound (and qualities) and provides you with all the variation you could ask for. A highlight is the highly original and personal style of guitarists Tony Truglio and Paul Nelson, who complement each other extremely well. Expect original guitar rhythms, breathtaking harmonies and smoking solos traded off at blazing speeds. These guys seem to reinvent themselves on every song, producing new and distinctive riffs without pause. Master Control is just the perfect blend of everything that makes metal so damn great. It’s a triumphant, high speed listen with all the right elements in place and no low points at all. What I haven’t mentioned is that it gets pretty epic at times, and occasionally some darker tones swim to the surface, begging a comparison to Metal Church or Tyrant. Sometimes it gets downright intriguing, invoking the question: “How the hell did they do that?”

A measurement of how good an album is, is how memorable the songs are and how often it frequents your CD-player. I played Master Control almost every day for several months in a row which is a record for me. Plus, there’s not a riff or melody on this album that I haven’t memorized by now. It’s bit of a phenomenon that such an obscure album grew to become one of my favorite albums of all time. Judging by the other positive feedback I’ve read, the only conclusion I can draw is that Liege Lord’s Master Control is one of metal’s very best kept secrets. If your collection doesn’t have this CD yet, what are you still reading this review for?

All their previous potential built up to this incredible release! Liege Lord's first two releases were nothing short of being great, but at times felt a little held back. Not in a way that they were trying to sound mainstream or anything (far from it), but their music wasn't always executed very well. Some songs, riffs, vocals, and whatnot would all build up nicely, and then would take a sudden turn that'd make you flinch and wonder "That could have been cool if done right". Well, everything on Master Control was done right! This is pure class!

One of their biggest changes from their previous two releases, is the replacement of vocalist Andy Michaud with Joe Comeau, who easily has more history with metal and is just way more fit for this band. Michaud wasn't bad or anything, but this band always seemed like they were trying to be something a little more aggressive and in your face. Comeau, sounding very identical to Bruce Dickinson, easily makes this happen. You'd think he's been with this band for years upon years before this because of how flawless his vocals are here. His vocals are totally top notch, and his performance is full of energy. Very vibrant singing, with a great range and tons of great wails launching left and right. Seriously, this guy probably sounds more like Dickinson than anyone else out there.

Style wise, this is what a lot would refer to as old 80's power metal, when this type of material was more furious, darker, more riff oriented and so forth. Or it could just simply be classified as epic speed metal with a few thrash moments here and there. Imagine Attacker and Iron Maiden fused in one. But heck, it even manages to sound a bit like Overkill's Feel the Fire from time to time. You can call them whatever you want then. The vibe of this music is definitely more on the aggressive thrash-esqe side of things (Fear Itself is a good example). Its downright catchy, and with tons of memorable moments and great chorus's like "Eye of the Storm". Tons of great harmonies with the guitars as well. And compared to their previous albums, its much more well polished and manages to stay strong from the beginning to the end. Along with none of those "What the heck were the thinking" cases to be found. The production is leaps beyond their earlier stuff, and is definitely up to par with the more well produced albums of the late 80's.

This album is just hands down incredible. I was instantly hooked, but reading through other previous reviews it seems as if that wasn't the case for others, it grew on them. So, just definitely give this ablum its fair amount of time before you slam the hammer of judgement down. But shouldn't this be the case for every metal album we dwelve into? Tastes are always there to expand.

Overall, this is yet another one of those albums that's all hit and no filler, with no low points at all. It completely grips you by the neck and just won't let go until its over. Its got the attitude of Ample Destruction but with more speed. Fans of stuff within the realm of Jag Panzer, Omen, Attacker, Agent Steel, early power and speed, and even Iron Maiden should definitely be in the search for this monumental release. I'd still recommend their previous two albums if you really enjoy this one or this style of music like myself, but this one easily conquers them both and stands tall against other classics of its time.

This is an outstanding example of what happens when one melds both power metal and a hint of thrash together. The result is Liege Lord's best album and one of the top ten metal albums of the eighties. This band truly struck gold when they replaced Andy Michaud with the infamous Joe Comeau. Andy was a decent singer, but at times his voice was a little overbearing, where as Joe's voice is nothing short of pure controlled brilliance. The style that he utilizes on this album sounds nothing like the way he chose to sing with Annihilator. His voice is rather reminiscent of Bruce Dickinson meets Halford, with a hint of Dio. The guitars on this album are lightyears ahead of the last album, in terms of both sound and riffs. The solos are complex and interesting with constant changes in styles and patterns. This band was a driving force with this line-up and should've achieved some sort of recognition with this album. This album also marks the introduction of Terry Date as a producer who does a fantastic job as a novice, whose work would only be polished to masterful status on his up coming projects.

No weak songs are found on this recording and one of the biggest highlights is the cover version of Rainbow's Kill the King, which is done to near perfection... I actually like this version better than Heathen's. Why this album was overshadowed by such releases as And Justice For All is beyond me. Musically these guys were far more talented than Metallica and once again the vocals are incredible. This album is not comparable to Liege Lord's previous albums and anyone who was turned off by the bands earlier material should really give this album a try. It is an incredible display of power/thrash done to perfection and deserves to be heard.

Liege Lord's last full-length album, Master Control, was probably their best album. Master Control has become one of my favorite album nonetheless. It has everything you need: good singing, fast songs, awesome riffs, good production, and everything clashes together good.

The singing is very phenomenal; Joe Comeau is exceptionally brilliant on this album. His vocal range hits about medium, but do not underestimate the power behind the vocals. The vocals sound a lot like Fear of the Dark" Dickinson. Note that I said kind of; obviously he isn't a Bruce clone. The guitar riffs are just super amazing. Some of the best riffs in metal are on this album, and most metal fans haven't heard this album. Just to name a few though: the main riff to Eye of the Storm, Soldiers of Fortune, and Rapture are all good. The riffs are very technical and shine out real well on this album. Every song offers a good riff.

What makes this album even better is the way the vocals mix with the guitars, which mixes with the bass guitar and drums. Perfectly done though. If there is an instant rhythm change, all the band members are there to catch it. Sometimes you will see the drummer switch beats and then one member is off, making the band look like fools. That doesn't happen here! Liege Lord have some good musicians that's for sure.

With solid production this album can not ask for anymore. This album is speed metal at it's best. It's like mixing Maiden with Grave Digger. I recommend this to all metal heads. If you don't own it then you are missing out on a lot. Everything from big stuff, like the rhythm patterns, to little things, like the distortion of the guitar solo's, kicks my ass and surely every metal heads ass as well. Some good songs to check out are: Fear Itself, Eye of the Storm, Master Control, Feel the Blade, Broken Wasteland.....ah hell just find, listen, and enjoy this album!