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MEGADETH “Megadeth”
MEGADETH “Megadeth”
By Colonel Angus
I can’t help but feel a little sad about this release. It was announced that “Megadeth” (the album) will be the last studio album by a band that I followed from the very beginning. I’m sure there will be other MEGADETH releases such as live albums, greatest hits, remasters, and possibly box sets but the band will cease to create new material. For four decades, Dave Mustaine has been part of the soundtrack of my life and seeing that come to an end reminds me of my own mortality. Ultimately, our heroes age along with us so I certainly don’t begrudge him a well-deserved retirement (whatever form that may be).
First off, before I even spin the disk, the title and cover need discussion. Waiting until the very end is an odd way to decide to release a “self-titled” effort which is usually reserved for a band’s first album. I know other bands have released self-titled albums after their first release but I think it might be a first to have the last studio album bear the band moniker. When I move to the cover, it is also a change of the band. MEGADETH’s very own mascot Vic Rattlehead is dissolving like a vampire exposed to the dawn all on a very stark white background. There is a finality to the artwork to drive home the idea that this is it and again, it is a bit sad.
Ultimately, the music is what we want and in this age of streaming, who cares about covers and title?(Both are real important to me!--Dr. M). I enjoyed “The Sick, The Dying…And The Dead” the first time I heard it and I still play it often enough to regard it as one of the better latter day MEGADETH releases. As with that one, I find a lot to like about this new one and I think Mustaine has managed to cap off his MEGADETH catalogue in fine form. Starting the record with "Tipping Point" proves that Mustaine and company still have “it” and can conjure up a thrash classic when they need to. Structured on their signature laser precise guitar riffing, Mustaine snarls out the lyrics like a man on a mission. Following on that thrasher, "I Don't Care" is a hyped up version of “Sweating Bullets” off of “Countdown to Extinction”. It has the same vibe and while it sounds similar, I can’t fault Mustaine from copying himself here and there.
Similar to the previous track, "Hey, God?!" has a few moments that remind me of "Symphony of Destruction" but overall it is a solid metal track that is more heavy metal than thrash. The dense, forceful riffing from Mustaine and Teemu Mäntysaari plays a key role in driving the track beyond filler material. After a bit of “lighter” material, they come back with the aptly titled "Let There Be Shred". This one has an old-school thrash sound and the guitar work is just what you would expect from a title like that. Of the material on MEGADETH, this one captures the early vibe of the band the most and shows that the band can still come up with something new while maintaining the essence of who they are.
Stepping back more into heavy metal territory, "Puppet Parade" starts off with a sinister riff but quickly morphs into a Countdown/Youthanasia sounding tune. While I find myself getting that vibe of older releases, I feel that Mustaine is not copying himself but instead pulling the better pieces of his past and incorporating them into the newer material. I’m sure if I spent four decades writing songs, some of them would have a similar sound/structure/vibe (whatever you want to call it). "Another Bad Day" is another mid-paced metal tune but here, I feel that they could have used a bit more work on the chorus. It is too repetitive for my liking and while the verses are great, the chorus lets the song down. Six songs in and this one is the first chink the armor on this record.
Dirk Verbeuren ushers in "Made to Kill" which has this nice gallop before turning into another thrasher that could have fit nicely one of the early MEGADETH albums. Following on that trip down to the early years, we get another tune, "Obey the Call", that’s rooted in their mid-90s sound but this time, they add in this really cool guitar work at the beginning that is very unique. I love that even this far in their career, Mustaine and his gang can surprise me with something I wasn’t expecting. “I Am War” maintains a slower pace without sacrificing any heavy-ness. I like this one a lot but I can’t put my finger on it as there is nothing I can pinpoint that makes it special; it’s just a good solid track. Stepping it up a bit, "The Last Note" is the official end of the record and speaks of “the final curtain call”. It ends with Mustaine reciting his last original lyrics over some acoustic guitars in a very somber tone. I did get a bit misty eyed on the first run through (I’m not crying, you’re crying).
Before I end this review, I have to speak about the elephant in the room. As a bonus track on the version I purchased is a cover of METALLICA’s "Ride the Lightning". Mustaine does have a writing credit so he has every right to record it and I’m glad it is a bonus tune and not meant as part of the official record. They do a good job with it but honestly, I have spent so many years with METALLICA’s version that this one is more of a novelty than anything else. If you buy the album at Target, you get “Bloodlust” as a bonus song. Not to be confused with the VENOM song of the same name, this is a MEGADETH original and it is actually a cool tune. It would have fit nicely with the other material on the record so I’m surprised they left it off.
As I write this, I still can’t believe I just reviewed the last MEGADETH studio record. It is sad for sure but the band is leaving on a high note. Over the course of forty years, they have consistently produced genre-defining music, with their latest self-titled release serving as a fitting summation of that legacy.
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