The death metal group Master was formed in Chicago in 1983. Led by bassist, vocalist and sole constant member Paul Speckmann, it became a recognizable name in the American metal underground of the 1980s before debuting with a self-titled album in 1990; Speckmann has since recruited a rotating cast of collaborators for future Master releases, including 15 studio albums. The group has been based in Czechia since 1998.