Over the past decade or so, the once-glorious heavy metal group Metallica has come under fire from not only critics, but also its tremendous fan base that has suffered many casualties over the years.

In the beginning, Metallica was one of the finest metal acts of the '80s. Even though they had the big hair, the extensive entourage and the colossal stage set, they backed it all up with a blistering sound that is unmistakable even to this very day.

Then something happened. One of the most disastrous things that can ever befall any band happened. Bassist Cliff Burton was killed during a bus crash while the band was on tour in Europe. The last album he played on, "Master of Puppets," is the group's third release and possesses the combination of being both the band's best and most widely recognized album to date.

After Burton's death, the group enlisted former Flotsam and Jetsam bassist Jason Newsted, and, from then on, the group's sound would never be the same. Although "And Justice For All" is a widely accepted album by fans, some critics argue that the following self-titled album began the group's downward spiral from grace into the pit of pop culture acceptance.

Either way, "Master of Puppets" contains some of the most commonly requested radio hits and has received platinum status many times over. "Battery," the title track "Master of Puppets," "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)," and "Leper Messiah" are the more notable tracks for their sheer brutality, but only account for half of the songwriting precision.

The phrase "Chop your breakfast on a mirror / Taste me you will see / More is all you need / You're dedicated to / How I'm killing you" from the title track has an incredibly deep impact and is a fairly direct way of getting to the point without sounding like a public service announcement, and maintaining the group's tough guy image.

The powerful lyrics, combined with a dual guitar attack, pulsating bass and a thunderous drum sound, has helped to solidify Metallica as a major force to be reckoned with, but it does them little good to continually associate themselves with icons of pop culture. This summer's Summer Sanitarium tour with Metallica headlining over Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park could stand to be a defining moment for Metallica.

Either it will drive away more and more diehard fans, or the band might bring back some old ones now that Newsted has left the group officially and former Suicidal Tendencies and Ozzy Osbourne bassist Robert Trujillo has joined Metallica. Only time will tell. Regardless of this summer's outcome, "Master of Puppets" will still serve as the guiding light to a time when heavy metal was real.