Mark Tremonti has had a hugely successful career as the guitarist in Alter Bridge and the recently reunited Creed. But as he admits: “Honestly, I wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for Metallica and Master Of Puppets!” He now explains how his life was changed after hearing that classic album, and why down-picking has become one of his greatest strengths…
What do you remember about your first time hearing Metallica?
One of the most important Metallica tracks for me is Welcome Home (Sanitarium). When I heard my older brother playing that in the bedroom above me, I just couldn’t fall asleep. So I went up there asking, ‘What’s this song about a sanitarium?!’ He gave me Master Of Puppets and I did not sleep that night. I was just blown away by what I was hearing. Before that, I was listening to the Beastie Boys, Agent Orange… nothing metal. Hearing that album made me go out and carry on searching for the heaviest music I could find. What I loved most was the dynamics. That’s something I really credit Metallica for. A lot of heavy
