Welcome to the rock history class you actually want to take!

In this installment, Mike and Michael journey from the technical, precision-engineered depths of the global underground to the revolutionary chugging riffs of 1980s thrash and the neon-soaked, soulful pop of the early 90s.

We kick things off with The Art of Discovery, our mission to find your next musical obsession. Here’s what we have for you this time:

• inner:i (Greece)
• Spillflower feat. Failed Star (Germany)
• panicwaves (Germany)

Next, we dive into our main topic: Metallica’s 1986 masterpiece, Master of Puppets. We explore what is widely considered Cliff Burton’s magnum opus—an album where technical brilliance meets raw thrash intensity. We break down the “Prog-tallica” evolution of the instrumental epic “Orion,” featuring its three-layer bass harmonies and spacey, bluesy middle section. From the high-speed assault of “Battery” to the unsettling, Bach-inspired reversed intro of “Damage, Inc.,” we trace how Metallica refined their sound to create a legendary blueprint for heavy metal.

Finally, we head into Michael’s Journey to discuss the 1990 pop-rock classic, “King of Wishful Thinking” by Go West. We uncover the emotional contrast within this Pretty Woman soundtrack anthem:how Peter Cox uses his incredible vocal range to paint a picture of heartbreak and fake it till you make it resilience. We look at the sophisticated arrangements, from the church choir backing vocals to the bright, nostalgic brass section, and why this track remains a perfect encapsulation of early 90s optimism.

Press play to join the journey from the complex, gut-punching riffs of modern prog-metal to the infectious, soulful heights of 90s pop-rock!

(00:00:00) – Intro/What Have You Been Listening to this Week?

(00:15:16) – The Art of Discovery

(00:15:42) – inner:i “Yellow Days”

(00:21:56) – Spillflower (ft. Failed Star) “Hollow Shell”

(00:26:16) – panicwaves “Scarce”

(00:30:42) – Main Topic:Breaking Down Metallica’s 1986 release, “Master of Puppets”

(01:05:57) – Question for the Audience

(01:06:08) – Can’t Wait

(01:08:29) – Michael’s Journey:Discussing Go West’s “King of Wishful Thinking”

(01:13:20) – On the Next Episode

(01:14:08) – Contact Info/Outro

THE ART OF DISCOVERY:

·inner:i – “Yellow Days” (From the album “Lavender”)

·Spillflower (ft. Failed Star) – “Hollow Shell”

·panicwaves – “Scarce”

OTHER BAND MENTIONS:

·Black Veil Brides

·In 2 Again

·Periphery

·A Static Lullaby

·Our Lady Peace

·Black Sabbath

·Dance Gavin Dance

·Devin Townsend

·I Built The Sky

·Elder

·Shinedown

·If These Trees Could Talk

·Anthrax

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Recorded on 05/16/2026

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