Customer Reviews

Master of Disguise

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I had originally written off Lizzy Borden as not being worth my time, largely due to Lizzy's over-the-top image and theatrics. A friend tried to get me interested in the band's early albums a few years back, but it just wasn't working for me. Then one day I ran across a copy of Master of Disguise for $1.99 and figured I'd give it a try. I couldn't believe what I was hearing! This was no poor man's KISS or Twisted Sister reject; this was a serious metal album!

Master of Disguise is traditional metal with a power metal edge and the sophistication of progressive metal. It wasn't quite a concept album, but I kept thinking of Queensryche's Operation: Mindcrime as I listened to it. Not that it sounds like Queensryche, or that it is as influential as Mindcrime; it just had that same aura of maturity and intelligence that was relatively lacking in most other 1989 metal albums.

I could see this album appealing to a variety of metal fans. Fans of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and other traditional metal bands will enjoy the album's classic metal sound. Fans of Queensryche, Fates Warning, and other progressive metal bands will enjoy the intelligent lyrics and symphonic arrangements; though I should point out that Lizzy's band doesn't have the technical prowess that most prog bands have. Power metal fans should enjoy all of the above.

The 2007 reissue of Master of Disguise is a real treat. The main attraction is that the album has been given a much needed digital remastering that brings the sound quality to a level with most of today's releases. You also get a pair of bonus tracks - a spooky slow tune called Vampire's Kiss and a brief orchestral postlude called (appropriately enough) The Orchestra, which serves as a fitting end to this ambitious album. The reissue also includes a "Making of Master of Disguise" DVD with videos, live performances, and tons of behind the scenes footage. Contrary to what a previous reviewer has stated, there are more than enough reasons to buy this reissue, even if you already have the album on CD. The remastering alone made me bump my rating of this album from 4 stars to 5.

On of my first CDs (when metal was finally getting published on CD), this was a shocker to me. I had received a copy of Visual Lies as one of my many selections from the Columbia House Club and liked it. So I asked for this for Christmas.

I must have listened to this CD straight for practically two years. The songs all have great melody and get soft and heavy at the right times. The lyrics are really good.

Lizzy was one underrated artist when this came out. Perhaps people stayed away from him because of his antics & appearance, but they sure missed out. Almost everyone I introduced to his music loved his voice.

Master Of Disguise comes close to a concept CD, but doesn't really have a straight topic. Some of my favorites are: Master Of Disguise, Never Too Young, and We Got The Power.

This is one I put on my 'essential metal' rack.

With this CD, Lizzy shows he can also be a mature songwriter, as many of the lyrics are well written and structured. The music on this CD is dark and moody, which shows this artist can do much more than your typical metal. I loved this cd because it not only was strong lyrically and musically as demonstrated by the songs Phantoms, Master Of Disguise, Love Is A Crime and Never Too Young. It was also a cd you would not mind listening to more often.

So alot of people including myself didn't take LB very seriously but this album is completely stunning! Excellent songwriting and a level of maturity and intelligence that's very addictive. "Sins of The Flesh", "Phantoms", "Never Too Young", and title track are standout. This was supposed to be a solo album I learned later on. If LB is reading this, bravo to you! Do another like this and show the world!

Many people wrote off Lizzy Borden in the mid-80's as another lousy, Hollywood hair metal band stuck on gore and killing. Well "Master of Disguise" puts that baby to rest. "Mature" is the most apt description for this metal wonderment. While more of a solo Lizzy effort than a "Lizzy Borden the band" release, "Master of Disguise" raised the level of metal songwriting to a new high in 1989. Too bad few other bands of that era except Queensryche were capable of this kind of storytelling. From the opening title track to the ending song "We Got the Power", Lizzy takes us for a journey through the underworld of Vampires and Sex addiction. Heavy stuff for a guy who wrote "Give "Em the Ax" just 3 years earlier.

Lizzy paints lush, audio soundscapes ranging from outright power metal to soft and delicate emotionalism. Some songs do segue from one to another with sound effects or background ambience, but to me that just adds to the storytelling. Lizzy's vocals on this are nothing short of spectacular. He is a truly a very underrated singer. Some look at the added horns or orchestration as a bad thing but to me it just showed Lizzy was growing and expanding his musical palette. This isn't a pure metal album. Its progressive in its approach and delivery. I have been playing this album once every few months since 1989, and I never tire of it.

I saw the band live supporting this record back '89 and they did almost the entire album - and it went over well - sampled orchestration and all.

Lizzy has ventured more mainstream nowadays with his new band "Starwood" but "Master of Disguise" was his crowning achievement. Pick it up for $6.00 used, slap on some headphones and enjoy the truly lost art of mature metal songwriting. Pick up the album before this "Visual Lies" as its another Lizzy masterpiece.

I have always been a fan of the hair metal, but I admit I poked fun out of Lizzy at first. Then I gave the album a fair chance in the cd player in my car. It has not been taken out for a month! This album has some of the most powerful tracks I have ever heard..particularly "Master of Disguise", anyone who listens will pay homage to Lizzy...Guaranteed.

Master of Disguise is the first album I purchased by Lizzy Borden (the name of both the lead singer and the band) and I am very impressed. They remind me a little of Helloween. They are very theatrical with complicated songs that sound almost like a metal orchestra. The complexity of some of their tracks are a little Iron Maidenesque as well. They are not quite the storytellers Helloween were/are, but their music certainly must have lent itself to impressive Alice Cooper-like live shows. From the axe-kicking title track on, I was really hooked. The vocals are also excellent. I like the blending of vocals on such tracks as "Master of Disguise" and "Phantoms." The ending of the title track is a little overdone. The next number, "One False Move" is a dark, slow beauty. "Love is a Crime" is the track I like least on this album. I do not like the horn section. For the most part, I don't think horns sound good on metal albums and they certainly don't here. "Sins of the Flesh" sound a little like a fast "The Price" by Twisted Sister particularly at the versus and the part "Cry out the unspoken" (which is a good thing). The next two tracks off side one are two of my favorites. "Phantoms" is so catchy it's almost addictive. "Never Too Young" is very pleasant, although it goes on a little longer than it needs to.

The second half of the album is not as solid as the first, but it still offers some excellent material. "One of Us" is a good, straight forward heavy rock track. "Psychodrama" is one of those theatrical tracks that may be a little over-the-top to some. "Waiting in the Wings" is another of my favorites. It has the metal beauty of "Never Too Young." I like how the guitar kicks in at the beginning. It also has just enough orchestration which is nice. There is nothing special about "Roll Over and Play Dead." "Under the Rose" is a slower number. It has an early Black Sabbath darkness to it. "We Got the Power," unfortunately, ends the album on a weak note. It is very good time rock `n roll which doesn't fit the overall sound of the album. The guitar is excellent but the style of the song along with the vocal arrangement is almost Styx-like! It also has those dreaded horns. Overall, Master of Disguise, is a very impressive album and, being the last album of Lizzy Borden's first run (it would be over a decade before the group reformed and released a new record), it encourages me to check out their earlier releases.

This Cd was more of a solo project, This is not a lizzy borden band project. The first four songs i play to death . Love them after that its up and down with a few other good tracks. Definitely a change of style from their previous stuff and later material.But very strong vocals as always! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND "DEAL WITH THE DEVIL" i'll put that up there among my all time favorite CD's and I'm not kidding!

When I first stumbled across Lizzy Borden, my first reaction was hey Bette Midler wants her hair back....but then I listend to Master of Disguise and Visual Lies and was blown away. M of D is a great album, not typical to 80's hair metal. With orchestral intros, horn sections and haunting lyrics this disc reminds me a good deal of "Sad Wings of Destiny" era Judas Priest. These aren't songs made for radio fodder, they all have legs. 15 years later they still sound fresh and original. Master of Disguise opens the disc and really sets the mood with a great hook. One False Move is a quick tune that comes in under 2 minutes but is so damn haunting I keep humming the opening bass line (which to me sounds a lot like the Halloween Movie theme slowed way down). What I like most about this album and Visual Lies is they both seem to revolve around a theme. M of D is not a concept album, but an album where all of the songs revolve around an idea. If you have never heard Lizzy Borden, or just thought Lizzy was another 80's Ratt wannabe, buy this disc, give it a listen. Lizzy has more in common with late mid to late 70's metal than he does with the hair metal scene. You won't be able to get this album or these songs out of your head for a long time.

Master of Disguise is Lizzy Borden's most interesting and experimental album. It's quite different from previous releases. Master of Disguise is straight-ahead hard rock in a more progressive direction. An orchestra is also used on this album--a good idea. Keyboards are utilized, too. Lizzy has a very unique voice; I've never heard anyone else that even resembles him. He's a really cool vocalist--that's one of the main reasons that I like this disc. The album's musicianship, production, and songwriting are also good. My favorite songs are "Master of Disguise," "Phantoms," and "Never Too Young." This is an album that's worth a listen.