Megadeth

[nick_z]

I never quite rated it as high as the masses, but it's no doubt a fantastic record.

Without making a list, I'd probably put Peace Sells somewhere around the 6 or 7 spot.

That low, huh? To me, it has all I look for in a thrash metal album...it's technical and full of fantastic riffs, and it manages to be catchy and memorable too. The debut is kinda cool, but the leap (in pretty much every respect) from that to Peace Sells is gigantic.

I see you really like So Far, So good...I've always found it a bit of a mess (In My Darkest Hour is great, obviously). I haven't heard it in a while, I should revisit...

[TAC]

I never quite rated it as high as the masses, but it's no doubt a fantastic record.

Without making a list, I'd probably put Peace Sells somewhere around the 6 or 7 spot.

That low, huh? To me, it has all I look for in a thrash metal album...it's technical and full of fantastic riffs, and it manages to be catchy and memorable too. The debut is kinda cool, but the leap (in pretty much every respect) from that to Peace Sells is gigantic.

I see you really like So Far, So good...I've always found it a bit of a mess (In My Darkest Hour is great, obviously). I haven't heard it in a while, I should revisit...

Off the top of my head, I'd take SFSGSW, RiP, Endgame..I mean, it could move up a couple of spots. I'd have to think about it.

[bobzor]

Oh wow.  All Megadeth albums I have right up to Risk are these versions!

Do yourself a favor and get all the originals from at least Peace Sells up to Cryptic Writings. Normally, I'm not going on about audiophile shit like "remasters suck, originals only", but these Megadeth versions from 2004 are an abomination, save for maybe Youthanasia on which I at least didn't notice any big change.

Take Peace Sells, for instance. The 2004 version just totally lacks punch and the drums sound very plastic and weak, compared with the ballsy sound of the orignial. See this video for a pretty good comparison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoXXZmcWjB0&t=633s

[Grappler]

Oh wow.  All Megadeth albums I have right up to Risk are these versions!

Do yourself a favor and get all the originals from at least Peace Sells up to Cryptic Writings. Normally, I'm not going on about audiophile shit like "remasters suck, originals only", but these Megadeth versions from 2004 are an abomination, save for maybe Youthanasia on which I at least didn't notice any big change.

Take Peace Sells, for instance. The 2004 version just totally lacks punch and the drums sound very plastic and weak, compared with the ballsy sound of the orignial. See this video for a pretty good comparison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoXXZmcWjB0&t=633s

The drum sound on Youthanasia is different on the 2004 remix.  As for my preferences on which versions of the album I listen to:

KIMB - 2002 remix/remaster or the 2018 Final Kill version.  I never listen to the original anymore.
Peace Sells - 2012 25th Anniversary remaster (remastered from the original tapes)
SFSGSW - I like the 2004 remix, despite adding horns into the first song.
RIP - Original version (2004 remix has some alternate vocal takes or 2004 new vocals)
Countdown - original version or 20th anniversary edition.  They sound the same to my ears.  2004 remaster sucks.
Youthanasia - original version
Cryptic - I like the 2004 remix.  I tend to listen to that version more than the original.
Risk - The 2004 remix is so much better.

[wolfking]

Hmmm...maybe I'll look into all this.  I too never really care much about different sounds on remasters but I'll try and look into these.  I think I may actually have a couple of the originals stored away.

[Zantera]

Time for an update and let's talk about So Far, So Good, So What? (1988)

From what I can tell at least based on their earlier albums this one seems to be a bit divisive - some people seem very lukewarm on it, others feel it's an underrated gem. I've done about 5 listens now, 3 of them was the Spotify remaster and I did 2 of the original on Youtube. The original definitely has a better sound to it and it makes you question how someone can do a remaster and mess it up. Initially I also felt this album leaned more into a heavy metal sound than thrash metal (like their first two albums) but that's not to say those elements are entirely gone, it just felt like this album was maybe an attempt at expanding their sound or doing something different.

If I start with my positives I would say there's a couple of great tracks on here. In My Darkest Hour, Set the World Afire and Hook in Mouth are all pretty solid tracks and songs I can see myself revisit probably more often than their debut album - which wasn't a bad album at all, just felt a bit like a band finding their way. By comparison this feels more 'fleshed out' and like a band more comfortable in their roles.

In terms of negatives I would say this suffers a bit from the same problem I had with the debut where the sequencing feels a bit off and Anarchy in the UK might be my biggest issue here. Was never a huge fan of that song to begin with, but it's role on this album in a 'key slot' of the tracklisting just makes this a bit weird. Like you start the album with an instrumental (which is fine), you have Set the World Afire but then you get a cover song which isn't that great, but it's also a cover and you're almost halfway through this album before it 'gets going'.

All in all this is a mostly positive album that I still have some mixed thoughts on. Maybe the fact it's sandwiched between Peace Sells and Rust For Peace is a reason people have been overly harsh on it but for me this felt like a step back from Peace Sells. If the order of releases had been Killing is My Business > So Far So Good > Peace Sells, then maybe I had felt a bit more positive about it. It's not bad but it almost feels like a half-n-half combination of 'songs we wrote for a new album' mixed with covers and b-sides.

But yeah got Rust in Peace coming up next and that should be good.

[twosuitsluke]

Gotta say I agree with most of what you say here dude.
I think side two is WAY stronger than the first. I suppose I'd never really considered the song order.

I too am no great fan of Anarchy in the UK (Megadeth's version, or the original) and it probably would've been better at the end of the album, much like Police Truck on the latest.

Mary Jane is also a bit on the weak side but I've gotta say I like every other track. 502, Liar and Hook in Mouth may not be some of their greatest songs but I really fucking love them. I'm gonna say that I personally think So Far, So Good pisses all over every 90s Megadeth album, bar Rust obviously.

I'm actually going to stick this on now and have a more concentrated listen 

[DTA]

I find Mary Jane to be one of their most overlooked and interesting songs. The second half of the song with that harmonized guitar part is so melodic and interesting.

[TAC]

I find Mary Jane to be one of their most overlooked and interesting songs. The second half of the song with that harmonized guitar part is so melodic and interesting.

I agree. Top 10 Megadeth tune for me I think.

[TAC]

Is it me, or does this kid kick ass?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3Kd8jRfUK0

[cfmoran13]

Is it me, or does this kid kick ass?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3Kd8jRfUK0

I quite enjoyed his playing.  He does a really good "Bark At The Moon", too.   

[TAC]

Oh cool. I'll check it out.

[TAC]

New video to Life In Hell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW_Xyj1sIBQ

It is...interesting..



I love this song. Has a wicked Flotsam feel to it.

[wolfking]

I think the video needs more killing.

[Zantera]

Time for the classic one - Rust in Peace (1990)

I'm always a bit wary and nervous when heading into an album that's considered a milestone - and it's even worse when it's not just considered the band's best album but one of the pillars of foundation for the genre as a whole. This is an album with huge legacy that I've seen on numerous 'best of' lists and it's also one of those albums that seem to break through where even people who aren't necessarily big Megadeth fans will go "Yeah that album is great". I use RYM quite a lot and while you can debate about the validity of ratings and how realistic the consensus is over there, this is an album with a 4.02 average rating for a band who's second highest rating is 3.84, so even among this crowd there seems to be a bit of a gap there. Either way, big expectations and some apprehension about not trying to get carried away. (Usually too high expectations can really kill a good album sadly)

But right off the bat with those barbed wire chugging guitars at the intro of Holy Wars... the Punishment Due (a title I recognize as one of their more known songs) I feel like I'm in safe hands. Knowing the direction that other thrash bands went in the 90s, it feels reassuring like a warm hug to hear this 1990 album coming out after the big thrash metal wave but still living up to that level. Hangar 18 is another title I recognize and it keeps the energy level up and delivers a memorable intro with some great riffs and a really cool second half especially. I think the next couple of tracks offer some nice variety that keeps this album from being one note and just around the time in an album where you run the risk of losing the listener's attention we land somewhere with Tornado of Souls which just sucks you right back into it. Overall this album offers enough variety and quality to deliver 40 minutes of fantastic music and I definitely understand why this is considered their peak lineup. It's not just the guitars but the drums have almost a jazzy element to it which elevates it above just normal metal drumming in this case.

For me this is possibly a 5/5 or at the very least a very strong 4.5/5. No real complaints at all. I think back to Mustaine seeming to broken in the Some Kind of Monster documentary and bitter about his exit from Metallica and saying his career turned out a joke because this is an album that he basically made that you could say holds up with the best Metallica albums. I don't think if he had stayed in Metallica that you could have said the same because that was very much the James and Lars show. Sure, Metallica is a bigger band and make more money, but in terms of legacy I think he should be proud of this one because instead of being one of the passengers on great albums, he basically drove the bus by himself here. 

[DTA]

RIP is just awesome. Holy Wars, Tornado, and Hangar get all the attention but it’s the more wacky stuff like Five Magics, Lucretia and the title track that make me so into this band. There’s not a bad moment on this album and even though it’s not my favorite of theirs, I understand its importance in their catalog and why it’s considered their peak.

[Zoom E]

RIP really is head and shoulders above all other Megadeth albums for me. That’s not saying that there aren’t also some other great Megadeth albums, just that RIP is a watershed moment in the Megadeth catalogue.

[twosuitsluke]

I was just thinking about this the other day. Imagine being Dave, releasing an album like Rust in Peace, which is arguably the pinnacle of thrash metal and all it had been heading towards in the 80s. So you release this near perfect album, a thrash album that some would say trumps all of Metallica's thrash albums (yes, it always had to come back to Metallica  ), only for Metallica to release The Black Album the following year!

Dave always felt he had something to prove and wanted to stick it to Metallica. If he had been kicked out of any other band, or released an album of this calibre earlier in Megadeth's career, it really would have stuck it to Metallica. The Black Album was like no other though, it transcended the genre and rightfully made Metallica the largest band on the planet. I would say it is easily the most successful metal album of all time.

Poor Dave, just imagine releasing RIP and then just realising "fuck, what do I need to do to top these guys?!"

I don't know how he didn't throw in the towel then. Although it probably fueled him to keep going. I'm glad he did as I would take Megadeth's post 2000 output over Metallica's any day.

[TAC]

RIP is just awesome. Holy Wars, Tornado, and Hangar get all the attention but it’s the more wacky stuff like Five Magics, Lucretia and the title track that make me so into this band. There’s not a bad moment on this album and even though it’s not my favorite of theirs, I understand its importance in their catalog and why it’s considered their peak.

Five Magics is my favorite song on the album.

RIP really is head and shoulders above all other Megadeth albums for me. That’s not saying that there aren’t also some other great Megadeth albums, just that RIP is a watershed moment in the Megadeth catalogue.

I do recognize RiP as their signature album for sure, but SFSGSW is still my favorite.

[Grappler]

Knowing the direction that other thrash bands went in the 90s, it feels reassuring like a warm hug to hear this 1990 album coming out after the big thrash metal wave but still living up to that level.

Oh don't worry, you're about to explore Megadeth's output in the 1990's as well.   

I'm glad you love Rust in Peace.  That album is just amazing from start to finish - seeing the band play that in 2010 was one of my concert-going highlights. 

[Zoom E]

RIP is just awesome. Holy Wars, Tornado, and Hangar get all the attention but it’s the more wacky stuff like Five Magics, Lucretia and the title track that make me so into this band. There’s not a bad moment on this album and even though it’s not my favorite of theirs, I understand its importance in their catalog and why it’s considered their peak.

Five Magics is my favorite song on the album.

RIP really is head and shoulders above all other Megadeth albums for me. That’s not saying that there aren’t also some other great Megadeth albums, just that RIP is a watershed moment in the Megadeth catalogue.

I do recognize RiP as their signature album for sure, but SFSGSW is still my favorite.

Five Magics  is possibly my favourite tune on RIP as well.

I agree that SFSGSW is a great album. I would probably rank it as my third favourite Megadeth album.

[Zantera]

Knowing the direction that other thrash bands went in the 90s, it feels reassuring like a warm hug to hear this 1990 album coming out after the big thrash metal wave but still living up to that level.

Oh don't worry, you're about to explore Megadeth's output in the 1990's as well.   

I'm glad you love Rust in Peace.  That album is just amazing from start to finish - seeing the band play that in 2010 was one of my concert-going highlights.

Haha yeah I am aware that they go in a bit more mainstream metal way with the next few (I think Countdown but I know Youthanasia has more of a heavy metal reputation I think?) and I'm well aware Risk is considered their Black Album. I feel like a trend I'm noticing among the big 4 of thrash is almost an identity crisis hitting these bands around the same time. It's too early to speak on Megadeth since I haven't dipped my toe yet but Metallica obviously had Black Album-Load-Reload which whether you like them or dislike them changed their sound and they left a lot of the thrash metal behind them to branch out. Anthrax kinda left their thrash metal behind and went into a bit of a groove/alternative metal direction when they changed singer. Slayer felt like the one band who tried to stay true to who they were, they just kept having diminishing returns after Abyss. I think they even ventured into nu-metal territory on an album or two before they kinda went back on track.

[DTA]

I feel like Countdown is more considered their "Black album" while Risk is like a pre-emptive St. Anger (though Risk is way better than it gets credit for) if we're comparing the two. Youthanasia and Cryptic Writings are definitely more straight ahead hard-rock (with some metal flourishes) but both excellent albums with some of their best songwriting imo.

[ZKX-2099]

Cryptic Writings might be my favorite "metal band goes rock" album.

[Grappler]

I feel like Countdown is more considered their "Black album" while Risk is like a pre-emptive St. Anger (though Risk is way better than it gets credit for) if we're comparing the two. Youthanasia and Cryptic Writings are definitely more straight ahead hard-rock (with some metal flourishes) but both excellent albums with some of their best songwriting imo.

Youthanasia is still a pretty heavy album, though it's all mid-tempo with no faster songs.  Cryptic Writings re-introduced some burners, like The Disintregators, She-Wolf, Vortex and FFF. 

[WilliamMunny]

I feel like Countdown is more considered their "Black album" while Risk is like a pre-emptive St. Anger (though Risk is way better than it gets credit for) if we're comparing the two. Youthanasia and Cryptic Writings are definitely more straight ahead hard-rock (with some metal flourishes) but both excellent albums with some of their best songwriting imo.

Youthanasia is still a pretty heavy album, though it's all mid-tempo with no faster songs.  Cryptic Writings re-introduced some burners, like The Disintregators, She-Wolf, Vortex and FFF.

Youthanasia has a couple of faster moments ("Victory" comes to mind), but it is similar to The Black Album in that it features a great combination of metal-tinged rock with some seriously ear-pleasing production. Probably Dave's best vocal album and Marty's playing is simply the best.

If I had to pick 'any' thrash band's '90s output, Megadeth's Countdown thru Cryptic Writings just might be my choice—hell, even Risk has a handful of keepers!

[Samsara]

So after living with this new record for a bit, has anyone sort of felt Dystopia was a better record? I'm just not having a lot of desire to revisit this new one as often as I did Dystopia...

Count me in as a fan of Youthanasia. Although I really enjoy when they up to tempo on those songs Grapp mentioned on Cryptic. 

[Grappler]

So after living with this new record for a bit, has anyone sort of felt Dystopia was a better record? I'm just not having a lot of desire to revisit this new one as often as I did Dystopia...

Count me in as a fan of Youthanasia. Although I really enjoy when they up to tempo on those songs Grapp mentioned on Cryptic. 

I haven't listened to the new album very much in the last month.  I've spent more time with Maiden / Priest / Queensryche to prepare for the shows I've seen/am seeing soon.

I think the new Megadeth is better than Dystopia, which always loses me after the first 3-4 songs.  I am incredibly fond of Youthanasia, which triggers a lot of nostalgia for me and I can remember the day that I got the album.  I was 14, a freshman in high school and my parents took us to Best Buy on a Friday night.  They had a HUGE end cap display with Father Vic, displaying the then-new Megadeth album.  I bought it that night and immersed myself in the album.

This was back when I was just getting into metal and cd collecting.  At the time, I had a goofy CD rack where you put the cases into this contraption with a wire inserted into the clear cover.  When you pulled out the tray, the cover would automatically open.  The fun part was that the rack had a 24-disc capacity and I only had it half-filled.  Nearly 30 years later, I have bins full of CD's in the basement and thousands of albums.  Some of those old CD's of mine still have scratches in the clear covers from those wires that were inserted into them. 

[Kwyjibo]

Youthanasia is my favorite Megadeth record. The combination of heavyness and melodies was never done better by Mustaine. And Friedman is killer on that record.

And because the new one hasn't clicked with me (yet?), I think Dystopia is better.

[Mladen]

I like the new one much more than Dystopia. The riffs, the melodies, the attitude, the voice - everything is fresh and more fleshed out. It's a consistently enjoyable record.

[billboy73]

I feel like Countdown is more considered their "Black album" while Risk is like a pre-emptive St. Anger (though Risk is way better than it gets credit for) if we're comparing the two. Youthanasia and Cryptic Writings are definitely more straight ahead hard-rock (with some metal flourishes) but both excellent albums with some of their best songwriting imo.

Youthanasia is still a pretty heavy album, though it's all mid-tempo with no faster songs.  Cryptic Writings re-introduced some burners, like The Disintregators, She-Wolf, Vortex and FFF.

I love both Youthanasia and Cryptic.  Love the darker, melodic vibe on Youthanasia, and I don't think Dave ever sounded better vocally than here.  Outside of I'll Get Even, which is a terrible song, Cryptic Writings is really good.  The fast stuff is great, and the more hard rock stuff like A Secret Place and Almost Honest is solid too.  Love the riffs in Vortex and Mastermind.

[Zantera]

I'll start off by saying in my last post for some reason I wrote Risk was their Black Album but I meant to say I've heard it's their Load, and since I'm here to talk about Countdown to Extinction (1992) I feel like this album in many ways is their Black Album. We slow it down a bit, less thrash metal and it feels like more of a heavy metal album. Definitely feels like some focus has shifted towards writing some 'hits' even if the music itself still has that heavy edge to it. The early 90's really seemed to push these bands in this direction whether it was all intentional or if others saw the success Metallica had with Black Album and felt they had to adapt or die. I mean Slayer kinda stood by their sound and their 90s definitely had a decline to it. I should mention Anthrax briefly because Persistence of Time is an album I like so much that it kinda rivals Among the Living as their best IMO and that's where they went a bit more heavy metal as well. I've actually noticed whether it's intentional or not with these bands but I feel like Alice in Chains and their first two albums (maybe Facelift more because of dropping in 1990) played a part in this transformation of the sound as well. Whether it's Metallica, Anthrax or Megadeth here, I feel like the rise of grunge (and especially the AiC sound) had some impact into the direction these bands went for a while. Just an observation and for all I know maybe there's none of that influence at all. 

Countdown to Extinction doesn't entirely abandon the sound Megadeth had already established but I feel like right off the bat with Skin 'O My Teeth and especially Symphony of Destruction (one of their more recognizable hits?) I get strong Black Album vibes where you get a slightly more commercialized take on the band's sound and something that's meant to really click with the listener right away. I definitely respect the band for not digging down and doing the same thing and this album does offer some nice variety in between the songs and it's not as 'one dimensional' as some of their other ones. It's a band that's growing and while this album doesn't quite reach Rust in Peace / Peace Sells for me, it feels like a band that has still matured overall and are now very settled into who they are and what they do.

If I'm gonna find anything negative to say to justify only placing this as #3 so far - I would say for starters I just vibe with Rust in Peace and Peace Sells slightly more for the pure thrash metal aesthetic of those albums. But also, and this might be controversial, Mustaine on this album as a vocalist is starting to be a bit all over the place for me. I think his voice sounds good in the mix and possibly it's the best out of these first five, but as a side effect of the band now doing more different styles of songs with some slower tempo ones and some faster ones, this feels like a bit of an experiment where he's trying out to sing differently depending on the song. There's a few tracks like Captive Honour for example where I feel like he's maybe trying to reach too far and it doesn't quite get all the way there. His vocals on Rust in Peace and Peace Sells might be more limited but it suits the style of those albums. I can definitely respect him (and the band) stepping out and trying to cover more ground here and it mostly works, just a few moments for me where I think "Oh really, that's the vocals he went with there?".

As of right now, first listen through of the discography (4-5 spins of each album) I would put this as a very strong #3 behind RiP and PS...BWB? but still a comfortable little gap above SFSGSW and KIMB...ABIG. I do like this album a fair bit. I should also mentioned I listened to it with the bonus tracks (Breakpoint and Go to Hell) and I don't really have any complaints about either but it does make the album run time maybe 8 minutes longer and it just gives you guys some context for which version I listened to.

Youthanasia up next and I vaguely remember a few of the songs like A Tout le Monde which I think is one of their big hits and they also re-recorded later in their career with Cristina from Lacuna Coil (I remember this because Lacuna Coil is a band I like a lot). I think I've also heard Youthanasia is a bit controversial as it kinda takes them even further from their roots and more into MTV metal territory, but I guess we will find out!

[soupytwist]

I think you'll be surprised by Youth.  It's probably my fav Megadeth album - the band were on fire with that line-up Rust, Countdown and Youth is a fantastic run of album and with a real natural organic way each album changed the sound slightly.  I'd throw a bone to Cryptic too, although that album always feels like a collection of B-Sides from the previous three albums than the natural next step.

[TAC]

I agree with the comments about Countdown. I struggled with it quite a bit when it came out. It's too clean. Too crisp. Too sterile.

I did consider it their Black Album at the time. I thought it was a huge step down. I have zero recollection of them touring on this album. I certainly didn't see this tour.

[jammindude]

I didn’t care for Countdown when it came out. But oddly enough, I rather enjoyed Trent Reznor’s remix of Symphony.