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Jul 17, 20234 min read

Lizzy Borden — Master of Disguise

𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐏𝐓𝐒 - 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐔𝐌 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐨𝐟  𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊 & 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋…


I cannot believe that I let this one slip by me on the day of its anniversary, as it's one of my top 10 favorite Metal albums of all-time! The Lizzy Borden album "Master of Diguise" celebrates is 34th anniversary this year. — E.N. Wells



Depending on the source, it was either released on July 14th, 1989 (The Metal Archives, among others) or July 15th, 1989 (Metal Blade Records website).



The bands fourth full-length studio album, it was later released in Japan on August 21st, 1989 via Pony Canyon.


(𝙻𝚒𝚣𝚣𝚢 𝙱𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝙱𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝚂𝚕𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚕, 𝚌𝚒𝚛𝚌𝚊 𝟷𝟿𝟾𝟿)


Considered somewhat of a “solo album” by frontman, Lizzy Borden, the album marked a different direction for the band. While still belonging to the genre of Heavy Metal, it was a concept album also focused on theatrics, slower pieces, and dramatic themes. The album saw only founding members singer Lizzy Borden and drummer Joey Scott Harges return after the departure of long term guitarist Gene Allen.



“Master of Disguise” would prove to be the band's highest moment as it would spend 10 weeks on the US Billboard 200 chart and peaking at No. 133. Many songs from the album would become staples of the songs live sets, including the title track, "Love Is a Crime", and "Sins of the Flesh."



Background:

After long-time guitarist and songwriter Gene Allen quit the band, only founding members vocalist Lizzy Borden and drummer Joey Scott Harges remained.


The album “Visual Lies” of 1987 had been a commercial success, but it was met with mixed critical response. In response to the troubled times, Borden would set out to write a concept album.



In a 2018 interview, Borden mentioned that he wanted to focus on the vocals on the album, recording for the first time, layered vocal harmonies with his voice, a style that he would use for every album afterwards. He said:

"With me, it was just myself, so I really wanted to fight to try and find different personalities within each harmony, and flush that out. That was really my focus on that. I knew this was going to be a very vocal record — it was going to be all about the vocals, all about the song. It wasn't going to be about showcasing musicians or anything like that — it was all going to be about the song and the vocals."

Additionally, the album's production marked a change in direction with a focus on a large stadium sound and the contribution of a full orchestra.

“We toured for four years for that album,” Borden said. “It was rigorous but the demand was there. We toured the entire world and played in many places several times over the course of the multiple tours. I can’t tell you how many times we came to Texas but it was quite a bit and the response was always huge.” — Lizzy Borden on touring for “Master of Disguise” (KNAC interview 2014)

("𝙼𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝙳𝚒𝚜𝚐𝚞𝚒𝚜𝚎" 𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚞𝚙)


A promotional only CD single was released in the US for "We Got the Power" via Enigma/ Metal Blade as well as a Mini 3" CD single in Japan for "We Got the Power" via Metal Blade Records.




Music videos were made for "Love Is A Crime" (directed by Zack Snyder (300, The Watchmen) and "We Got the Power" (directed by Tony Kunewalder), but both videos were banned by MTV.

"After the release of ‘Master Of Disguise’ in 1989, more my project than a band project, I did some touring. The album did well, but the videos for that record, “Love Is A Crime” and “We Got The Power”, were banned from MTV and around that time it was important to get a video on the air." — Lizzy Borden to Dirk Ballerstadt of Sleaze Roxx (2010)

Critical Reception & Album Legacy:

As previously stated, “Master of Disguise” would become Lizzy Borden's highest charting album, reaching No. 133 on the Billboard 200 Chart in 1989.


In a review for AllMusic, Eduardo Rivadavia compared it to Alice Cooper's transition from being the Alice Cooper Band to a solo act. "Much like Alice's triumphant solo debutant ball, “Welcome to My Nightmare”, Lizzy Borden's next dance, “Master of Disguise”, was a highly stylized concept album built on surprisingly solid compositional ground, and did much to eradicate thoughts of recent blunders."



Canadian journalist Martin Popoff remarked how the band was able to mix "epic structures quite curiosly with hair metal", a reminder of golden era Alice Cooper and of "ambitious W.A.S.P.".


Metal album review blog Angry Metal Guy wrote, "A highly entertaining piece of Metal, “Master of Disguise” is far and away Lizzy Borden‘s best work with their most mature writing. It also shows a band willing to take chances, roll the dice and be more than a metal band with their hair metal roots showing. Check this out, but be prepared to sing along and rock out in front of a mirror."



In a review for Exclaim!, reviewer Keith Carman wrote "It straddles a Hair Metal past and a slightly more direct metallic future, and by album's end the soaring vocal delivery, multiple time signatures, samples, soft acoustics and driving Rock'n'Roll beats prove that despite casting himself in with a usual gang of Heavy Metal idiots, at least at one point in time (however short it was), Lizzy Borden realised their own Heavy Metal “The Wall”. Maybe we can grow to appreciate this re-energised version."



Reissues:

The album was re-released in 2007 with a Metal Blade Records 25th Anniversary Deluxe version featuring 2 bonus tracks and a DVD on the making of the album.



Links to Artists, Albums, and Music Videos:


▶ Listen to “Master of Disguise” via Spotify: Master of Disguise https://open.spotify.com/album/4BGNOgFX94OiWvMdh56k9d


▶ Watch the official music video for “Love Is A Crime”: https://youtu.be/GWkPJgyO8sY


▶ Watch the official music video for “We Got the Power”: https://youtu.be/k9Q3A9UJpVY


▶ Click this link to follow Lizzy Borden on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Reallizzyborden



Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells



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