Megadeth

I've had this album in one form or another since it came out in the 80's, so I've had plenty of time to listen to it, and I've come to this conclusion:

This is one of Megadeth's angriest and fastest albums, if Pantera defines heavy metal agression, Megadeth defines the heavy metal tantrum. The riffs are complex, the beats are fast, and the songs are hard and angry. Make no mistake though - this is a very technical group of songs played well by virtuoso musicians.

The writing isn't quite up to par with later work on "Rust in Peace" and "Symphony of Destruction" - there are no single songs that blow me away. All of the songs follow a similar pattern of building up from a slow intro more often then not into a thrash metal grind-fest. For that reason and others, many of the songs sound the same - which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Megadeth found something that worked and they went with it. However, on later albums, Mustaine and his band branch out a bit more creating a more interesting result.

What you'll hear a lot more of on this album than others are thrash anthems, lots of grinding guitars, fast and nimble drumming, and a very angry Dave Mustaine. The intensity of the songs are almost overwhelming. This is the lineup of songs that would be the most likely of any in this groups catalog to whip mosh pits into a frenzy.

Right away, you can tell what the remastering is doing for this album. Not to take away anything from Menza/Friedman on later albums, but I'm convinced Gar Samuelson and Chris Poland are the most definitive lineup Megadeth has had, if not the most talented - so it's kind of a shame they had to break with those guys. (Chris Poland does play on "The System has Failed" released almost 20 years later and shows he still has his chops).

Below is a track by track rating for people who are interested in that sort of thing.
My scale - not approved by anyone....
1 = So offensively awful, my cd player practically vomits it
2 = Bad enough to skip over
3 = Good filler - works in the right mix
4 = I'll put the CD in to listen to this track
5 = I'll pull the record out of it's sleeve and bust out the cleaning solution to listen to this track

Title/BPM/Key

1) Wake up Dead(4)/162/E - Mostly instrumental, a grinding testament to the musicianship in the lineup used on this recording. The remaster gives the drums and the bass an emphasis that was sadly missing from the original, and the results rock!

2) The Conjuring(4)/??/E - Has a nice grinding jam in the break

3) Peace Sells(4)/138/E - Starts with the famous bassline that MTV still uses in it's ads today. Angry anti-establishment anthem. Ends with one of the more memorable chants - "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying....". Use to get pumped up for whatever....

4) Devils Island(3)/180/ - A little dated and hampered by Mustaine's pre-recovery vocals (ie. basically shouting and roughly in tune in places). Still has the grinding thrash guitars and some excellent drum-work.

5) Good Mourning/Black Friday(3)/186/E - Sort of a prog anthem. Starts with a slow dirge and slowly gains intensity until it reaches a climax of rapid fire drum hits to chants of "Black Friday"

6) Bad Omen(3)/240/E - Contains possibly the most technically challenging opening on the album with Ellefson and Poland playing fast scales in unison. The whole thing culminates in a super-fast grind in E with Poland basically running rough-shod over everything with his expert fretwork.

7) I Aint Superstitious(3)/156/F# - A 3/4 swing riff with the obligatory thrash break.

8) My Last Words(4)/270/D - I remember hearing this the year it came out on college radio (the only place you had a prayer of hearing this kind of music back in those days), so for me, it's probably the most memorable song on the album, the remaster really gets rid of the muddiness in the guitar that hampered the original mix, and what a huge difference it makes! Like other songs on the album, it starts with a slow guitar/bass duet, then morphs into a driving thrash beat that culminates into a call/response grind.

==============================
The following bonus remixes were also included. Each one is worthwhile to listen to a slightly different version of the song, but overall doesn't really add much to the record. But - I'm never going to complain about getting more for my dollar, so with that said......

Seems like the approach taken on this remix songs was to maintain the gating etc on the drums, but beef up the low and high ends a bit. I prefer the original remasters, but these are also ok.
==============================
Wake up Dead
The Conjuring
Peace Sells
Good Mourning/Black Friday

Megadeth at their raw, drugged out, punky and pissed off best. "Killing Is My Business..." is rawer, but a little too raw... the songs are there, just not as fleshed out and polished up as they needed to be for repeat listening. "So Far..." has some of the single best 'deth songs, but the duds kill it as an album. And the mighty "Rust" is a little too robotic and polished...

On "Peace", Dave was still drugged out and pissed off... the music may be metal, but the attitude is almost pure punk fury. The song "Peace Sells" almost serves as a single song definition of metal in the mid-'80s... who DOESN'T get an evil little smirk just hearing the opening bass line?

Worst feature... Chris Poland's guitar tone on leads. Yeah, it's a fat, screaming, liquid overdrive, but it's TOO much... coupled with his shaky (read: out of tune and off key at times) vibrato.... a Fender Twin overdriven THAT much should only be used by a pro that can HIT the note, HOLD the note, and VIBRATO that note between the proper pitches.... am I the only one who thinks some of his solo lines occasionally sound like the proverbial dying cat???

I'm reviewing the remastering of this album. Megadeth certainly isn't one of my favorite bands, nor is Metallica. I listen to them every now and then, but that's really it. Why should you care? Well, you shouldn't. haha but seriously, Megadeth never got the critical acclaim Metallica did. Also the musicianship of Metallica is far superior to Megadeth. Metallica have a tightness about the way they play together. Now I think that Kirk Hammett is overated, but even so Metallica is a much better band.

What sets Megadeth apart is their sound. Metallica always sounded very polished, but Megadeth had a very crass sounding. The guitars were always overily distorted and angry, the drums sound flat but absolutely shred and Dave's voice is in the background where it should be. There's nobody that would argue that Dave is a good singer, but his voice is Megadeth. His voice is creepy, like an Alice Cooper type voice that just adds to the creepiness of their albums. A Megadeth album is like a slasher movie.

BUT.... When you listen to the remastered album everything becomes to perfect. The guitars have lost their edge, the vocals no longer blend in but stand out and there is more bass. It's just not Megadeth. Megadeth is loud and in your face and not polished. It's supposed to be abrasive. But Dave has remixed the albums and taken the shine away from them. Instead of being a politically fueled punch in the face, it's just another metal album. The CD's sound better they way the first came out. They'd probably even sound better on a record because of all the extra noise. It's those little things that make it a Megadeth album.

Dave will always be trying to one up Metallica. It's just the way it is. Like their later stuff, the remix is a yawn. Dave once said about Youthanasia "Try and find a mistake in the album. You won't" It's that in your face, I don't care attitude the album has lost and that's what makes it cool.

Peace Sells might be recognized in history as Megadeth's coming-out party. The band's debut album did well for an independent label, but upon graduating to Capitol Records, Megadeth had become a force to be reckoned with in the thrash metal genre. Peace Sells is the first album of that saga.

In 2004, Peace Sells got a well-deserved makeover. Some welcome additions are the fattening of Gar Samuelson's drums and David Ellefson's bass. Together, the rhythm section as a whole sounds beefier, thicker. Nuances of Samuelson's tasteful, jazz-inspired playing are heard just as they were recorded in the studio. Ellefson's bass lines are also given a boost in the lower frequencies, but perhaps are unnecessarily loud in the intro to "My Last Words". Luckily, about a minute and a half into the song, the bass makes more room for the other instruments as the volumes are changed.

Dave Mustaine was the grandmaster behind the album, and his vocals are for the most part well-preserved. They never seem to overtake the mix, and never seem to be drowned out by the busy instruments in the background. If prompted, I could name an instance or two where I noticed some differences, but nothing changed the music experience for me, which is a good thing. The guitars are at times too loud, at times too soft. For instance, the beginning of "Black Friday" is crowded with many different melodies and pattern, and volume levels become a bit of an issue here.

Anyone who is Megadeth fan shouldn't need to ask about the songwriting. Peace Sells was one of Megadeth's more nihilistic experiments; certain songs may make Dave Mustaine feel uncomfortable nowadays. "Black Friday" is about an serial killer, and there are a lot of evil, Satanic themes in this song. "Wake Up Dead" is a song that is distinctly Megadeth and features a chunky and progressive rhythm guitar style that is uniquely Dave Mustaine. "Bad Omen" and "The Conjuring" are inspired by witchcraft and, again, Satanic themes. The former includes some of Ellefson's trademark nimble, impressive bass playing; the latter is a rocking tune with a pace that picks up towards the end of the song. The album's title track "Peace Sells" is a tongue-in-cheek (but, at the same time, sneering) response to the mainstream world's perception of the band. As if the name of the band weren't a dead (pun intended) giveaway, a major theme of this album is death; the music and lyrics (Dave Mustaine, ladies and gentlemen) are dark and heavy to reflect that theme, yet is contrasted by the jazz-inspired licks of Chris Poland (lead guitar). Poland's guitars sing when they need to; this remastered version doesn't seem to fail, in that regard.

It's a great album for a fan of the band. For all newcomers, Peace Sells is a great way to start your Megadeth collection. It was a truly pivotal point in the band's career. The album contains three mixes, the "Randy Burns mixes," of songs on Peace Sells that never saw the light of day. This is mostly filler material, but it's an added incentive to buy the album if you're an obsessive Megadeth fan like myself, but the remastered music was the main draw for me as I already own the original version.

Interesting to note: Peace Sells was the first Megadeth tagged with the "Parental Advisory" notice. On the original, this notice was written in red, across the back of the album. This inspired the song "Hook in Mouth," a song about the P.M.R.C. and censorship, which appeared on the next Megadeth LP.

(the 1986 original)

Jeez, I don't know who sounds worse, Mark Slaughter or Dave Mustaine. Both of 'em sound like they've either had their vocal chords cut, or been huffing on the helium too much. In fact, Slaughter sounds like a girl while Mustaine sounds like Donald Duck.

Quack Quack Quack... Quack Quack Quack... Quack Quack Quack...

I'll give it two stars for the riffs, but decent riffs can't save a turkey like Megadeath. At least Dave's vocals have improved over the years. Not on this Disney cartoon.

Almost 20 years since this release and it's gone down in history as one of the worst metal records ever. Megadeth didn't even make a great cd until 'Risk'. Rust In Peace demonstrates how lack of guitar skill and pointless lyrics can make you millions. Songs like 'holy wars' and 'hangar 18' have solos that will make great guitarists like Limp Bizkit's and Nickelback's yawn.

Dave Mustaine and his anti-war statements are completely disgusting. Anyone who opposes the Bush administration is a terrorist and should be kicked out of this country!

For good 'Deth listen to 'Risk' or their 2 latest albums...

I agree with those who love the original and feel the remaster is not as good but how can you go wrong? This album is amazing!! Each song is great, this is an album you can't be without if you are a fan of metal or Megadeth.
Just dont expect it to arrive on time if you order it or anything else from this site.

I really think it's time to stop whining about this album. Rust In peace is an unbelievable classic. This remaster, on the whole, sounds better than the original (as you'd expect with a remaster), and the new vocals couldn't be helped. Vocal track tapes went missing for certain songs, and so alternate takes from 1990 were used for the songs Five Magics and Lucretia, and Take No Prisoners had to be resung. Considering the 14 year gap between the original recording of RIP and the resung vocals on TNP, Dave Mustaine's 2004 vocals on the track stand up very well. Whether you like these alternate vocals or not is down to the individual, but surely it's time to stop moaning about something that just couldn't be helped. The remastering and remixing of these albums was a great job, and the remasters are the ones i listen to more often than not. But, if you don't like the remasters - don't listen to them! Listen to the originals. Either way, this is a classic album.

To date, this is Megadeth's most musically advanced and progressive album. It is definitely up for consideration as one of the heavy metal classics in their catalog, and for good reason. Unlike other Megadeth albums, the non-remastered "Rust In Peace" sounds quite clear and punchy, dispensing with the drum-gating and massive use of effects that (thankfully) were starting to disappear around this time. Clearly, the Mustaine/Ellefson/Friedman/Menza lineup is the most technically refined Megadeth lineup to this point.

Forget the AOR antics Megadeth would later fall prey to - this album is meant to be played from beginning to end. Musically, it contains some of Megadeth's best moments, particularly on the relentless Holy Wars, which right away goes into a fast shred-fest with Menza's rifle-like drumming holding everything together perfectly. The album from there takes you on a roller-coaster varying between an assault of impossibly fast and precise guitar playing and pure aggression to grinding power-metal anthems like few other heavy metal records successfully manage to do. It seems like on this record, Megadeth get that combination just right.

This period marks sort of the beginning of a turning point for Megadeth between that of a pure thrash metal outfit to a more sophisticated and intricate sound. It is reported that it was around this period that Mustaine kicked his drug habit. Hearing the result, it's easy to believe. While Mustaine still sounds angry and raw, he is also much more refined and sounds like he can approximate singing when he wishes to. Lyrically, you won't find any of the adolescent antics that were all over So Far... So Good... So What in songs like "502" and "Liar!". Megadeth has come of age.

If you have to have just one Megadeth album, in my opinion, this one is it.

Some people like to see track-by-track breakdowns. For them, here you are:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The self-important rating system -
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5 = Good enough to remove the record from the sleeve and onto the turntable
4 = Good enough to place the needle on this track if the record happens to be on the turntable already
3 = Respectable Filler
2 = Will lift the needle to the next track to skip this one.
1 = Time for a lively game of frisbee.

(rating)/bpm/key

1) Holy Wars(4)/174/E - A fast, pounding prog-thrash overture that immediately displays the incredible virtuoso musicianship of the Mustaine/Ellefson/Friedman/Menza lineup.

2) Hangar 18(5)/156/D - Immediately starts off with a straightforward metal beat. Frontman Mustaine rarely has so perfectly straddled the line between the old angry Mustaine and the new singing Mustaine to create the needed edge to the song. The 2nd half goes into a shred-fest with Friedman and Mustaine trading guitar solos.

3) Take No Prisoners(4)/288/G - Relentless call and response thrash - "Take no Prisoners.... Cremate them..." You can see the mosh-pit going out of control. Unlike most thrash metal around this period, however, this band redefines precision. The drums are recorded completely dry, and they sound like rifles in perfect unison with Ellefson's bass work.

4) Five Magics(4)/138/E - Starts off with a relatively slow dissonant riff that slowly builds momentum as the guitars kick in gradually. Culminates in an evil sounding Mustaine with voice tripled chanting "Five Magics...."

5) Poison was the Cure(4)/138/A# - One of few songs that could have fit with the set on Peace Sells - fast and short at 2:55 - under scaling guitars and Mustaine's droning vocals.

6) Lucretia(4)/96/G - Slows it down to a Zeppelin style beat with guitars/bass scaling up and down.

7) Tornado of Souls(5)/192/ - Most straightforward track on the record - contains one of the more memorable Megadeth riffs and has a hook.

8) Dawn Patrol(3)/78/E - The only throwaway track on the album, sort of a plodding bass/drum track with Mustaine talking some incomprehensible rubbish over the top. Really more of an interlude at 1:46.

9) Rust In Piece...Polaris(4)/162/F# - Starts out with a 3/4 grind and ends with a nimble and fast jam that shows off Menza's drumming prowess.

Rust in Peace is considered by most Megadeth fans to be one of their best albums of all time, and considered to be one of the best metal albums of all time. It might take a couple of listens, but you'll find yourself loving this album if you're a Megadeth fan. It should be noted that Mustaine has an... odd voice. Some like it, some hate it, that can't be helped. But the instruments are amazing.

Holy Wars... The Punishment Due: It's two songs, sort of. The first part is Holy Wars which, well, is about holy wars while The Punishment Due is about the comic book The Punisher. The song is a a fast hard-hitting intro the this album. The acoustic bridge sounds great for some reason, probably because lead guitarist Marty Friedman incorporates many Arabic and Eastern scales into his music. 10/10

Hangar 18: This song might as well be instrumental, but it's a damn good one. The lyrics (however few they may be) are about a supposed military hangar, Hangar 18, where the Air Force supposedly stored a crashed UFO and its extraterrestrial pilots. Tin foil hat or not, the song is notable for its myriad of solos that are technical and sexy. All sorts of great riffs and solos throughout this song. 10/10

Take no Prisoners: It's about prisoners of war and war in general. I don't particularly like it too much, but it's got good main riffs. Not much to say, I've always seen it as the odd one out. 7/10

Five Magics: Fast at first, then suddenly a cool bass interlude leading into some medium-pace guitar. Then Mustaine starts singing, with various little solos between the verses. The song is fast and technical, the solos are blaring, the drums are heavy. Sort of reminds of me Holy Wars for some reason. 9/10

Poison Was the Cure: Starting off with a slow but catchy bass line, the guitar then comes in. After a quick drum breakdown, the fast guitar work gets going. A short but sweet song. 10/10

Lucretia: A somewhat jazzy main riff to this in all honesty. That's a good thing, the whole song sounds good. The solos are nice, although not quite as fast as the next song's. 9/10

Tornado of Souls: By far my favorite song from the album. The main riff, the intro, the bridges, they're all so good. But the best part is the minute-long solo by the great Marty Friedman. It's not necessarily the fastest, but it is by far one of if not the best sounding solo on the album. Every time I hear it I just have to whip out my miniature air guitar... it's amazing. 10/10

Dawn Patrol: The bass line is catchy (like Poison Was The Cure's) but it's a kinda boring song. Yawn Patrol? 6/10

Rust in Peace... Polaris: Underrated. The drum intro sounds tribal, and the song is simply angry. It conveys the idea of a nuclear warhead that knows its destructive power pretty well, because it's just so damn heavy. Then you get Polaris, which is essentially a long solo. Great closer. 9/10

If you're trying to get into Megadeth, I'd probably recommend their Greatest Hits album simply because it gives you a taste of all their years. If you liked that, or if you want to get into "the good stuff" right away, then by all means get this album. It does not relent, it does not give up its thrash metal assault until it's left you on the ground begging for mercy from the great solos.

Your getting an amazing Megadeth package for a pretty good price. It spans from early work such as So far so good all the way up to new great tracks like Washington is next. The box was a little on the down side though. I had read it was going to be a tin box and of course just like slayers box set we get a plastic/paper shell. The booklet is cool giving you a look at everything they've released even the singles, great for people who want to go out and collect. An the video is good quality with plenty of great shots.

Megadeth is one of the classic thrash metal bands, and as such they have a lot of albums, and a lot of experience. This collection has something from every part of their careers, and as such it is a must have for any avid fan.

There are plenty of goodies, from unreleased tracks to never before seen video, plus demo versions of some of their most popular songs.

At any rate, if you're as big a Megadeth fan as I am, this belongs in your collection.

Start by saying this is a great 5 cd/dvd set.
the unreleased stuff is great, the dvd is amazing, the live at hammersmith is fantastic cd. many rare tunes to listen to.
BUT....more than half of this is available on the album releases.//why release a box set of stuff already released, th is I dont understand,...if your gonna release a 4 cd/dvd set,..pack it with stuff never released, japan bonus tracks, ALL demo material( from 82 to date )
studio sessions of songs not on the releases, or that didnt make the final cut to album, stuff that is not or may never be available again, t his set is great but more than half i already own on their releases.
Where is Killing is my business, and Hidden treasures w/ the Japanese bonus tracks. all the singles that have a different sound/producer, Megadeth has so much material, why not just release ALL OF IT for the fans that give Dave his nice home in the southwest, and pay for vacations and nice cars etc etc. There is TONS of material out there by Megadeth,...so we will have to wait longer now for those lost gems.
but t his set is good for fans, I do enjoy it, albeit the shortcomings.

My son loves Megadeth! He really loves the Megadeth Warchest. It made his collection almost totally complete!

first off i'm actually 17, i just don't want to screw up my friends account, the one im using. secondly this is a great box set.

i have no complaints about this product at all. the music is great, the military "warchest" styled box looks cool(the inside graphics as wicked awesome), and the book has over 25 pages of good pictures, a brief history, and discography the band. i have been a fan for about 4-5 years of Megadeth and never owned an album or any music by them until now. on a limb i bought this, and it was a steal. the first three discs are great music, alot of "previously unreleased" song but still great, disc four is a great live cd of their concert in Wembley stadium, London in 1990, and then disc five is a live dvd at Hammersimth, London in 1992, great footage.

to sum it up i would give this a five stars, but the amazon priece is a bit too expensive even for this, so i gave it a four stars. i would recommend buy it from an independent seller for about $[...] or less. i got mine brand new for $[...], a great buy and i love it. good luck in your quest to find a cheap one.

JAWS
Jon A. Waverly

This album is typical, cliche generic trash metal! LOL, I said "trash" instead of "thrash"!!!!! LOL!!!!! Anyway, this album is pathetic. Their best album is obviously "Risk". Skip this junk! All of the songs sound the same and Mustaine's anti-war statements are appalling. War rules!

This was a BIG disappointment. I have the cassette version and I have been trying to locate a CD for a very long time so I can have it for my collection. I was GREATLY disappointed when my favorite song "These Boots" was almost in its entirety "beeped" out. I certainly did NOT receive the CD which is advertised on Amazon's website, "Parental Advisory" and "Explicit Lyrics". And lastly, certainly not the "Original Record Completely Remixed". This is a very misrepresented product and ruined the originality of the music.

I am so ticked (of course I would use other words) I was so excited about once again having this album (since I first purchased it on cassette in the 80s)and was with the remixes and the new art (although I personally preferred the originals) but these where much better mixes than the so far so good so what those where very disappointing compared to the originals....anyway, what really put me over the edge was the badly bleeped out new version of these boots! It's like they could have just muted the vocal track! or remixed it out but no instead an outrageously ridiculous loud beep over all the music ( you cant even hear anything else! over it) and he swears through half the song so...its pointless!!! shouldve been mixed out so we could still enjoy the song or removed all together just %$E(&^$)me off! now I realize that Dave undoubtedly wanted us to know and be bothered....and I realize now (since I looked it up) why...but it was unacceptable and ruined the whole of the purchase! yes it ruined it in my eyes! I was very excited about hearing this cover again and Dave should have thought more of the fans then wanting to prove something or vent his frustration all he did was passed it on to us!

The only reason why i didnt give this remastered cd 5 stars is because
most of the words that dave put into the "these boots remake"
have been bleeped out via the original writer.
I loved megadeth's version of these boots but LEE HAZELWOOD after
years of collecting proceeds from the remake decided it was now
offensive and vile.......JERK!
Any how the cd is great.Dave and the guys have given us some bonus
material which is demo versions of LAST RIGHTS, MECHANIX and THE SKULL
BENEATH THE SKIN.
It is great hearing these song's from the original cd remastered.
The production is great.
I really enjoyed the written story lines that Dave and the boys
included in the sleeve.
If you are a megadeth fan there is a lot of written information
in these story lines that we wouldn't have known otherwise.

The same dear friend who gave me a listen to Exodus' Force of Habit also played this album for me when it first came out back in the mid- 80's and I thought it was pretty dang good. He really liked it and since he kept playing it I started to feed off his vibe and I knew then that "The Business of Killing" was much better than pretty dang good, it was 'Great'". The only flaw was that Mustaine's vocals were 'too speed' for the music and songs. Over the years he's since got his vocals timing down for his true skull crushing speed metal tunes, yet his supreme axe skills still remain to be much faster than he can sing. Oh well. For me its just the way he punishes the listener with his music when he really wants to, and on "Killing..." he does it with deathly precision! This album is pure speed sugar and with the song "These boots" it gets a well deserved 5 stars. I dare anyone to watch the Nancy Sinatra version of this song not to want to listen to this album. Just you try it and see for yourself!
Angryj

Considered by many as one of the best Megadeth albums, Countdown to Extinction is the band's fifth studio album and their first album to demonstrate an intention to be "radio friendly". Like the "black" album did for Metallica, Countdown to Extinction is also the album that made Megadeth famous to people who weren't already heavy metal fans.

Typically, a "radio friendly" metal album is synonymous with "crap", although, for the most part, Megadeth avoided this pitfall with Countdown to Extinction. Each song is unique and each song has catchy guitar hooks and chorus lines. The production is commendable as well; every instrument is clear and precise - even the bass guitar - a rare thing when it comes to radio friendly metal. Lyrically, this is not the band's best, as Dave's words and voice come off a little flat and emotionless. However, there is a surprising amount of quirky humor in songs such as "Sweating Bullets" and "High Speed Dirt".

Fans familiar with the bands previous albums will note that what is missing are the wild, ripping, complex solos of albums like "Rust in Peace" and "Peace Sells...But Whose Buying". In other words, the music on this album is formulaic and simplistic in comparison to the band's prior work...and they continued down this path with subsequent albums up until "United Abominations". That is not too say the music is bad...it's enjoyable enough...but just doesn't get my blood pumping like some of their other work.

I recommend that Metal fans who have not yet tried Megadeth get ahold of "Rust in Peace" or "United Abomination" before this album. Those who don't normally listen to Metal, but want to give Megadeth a try, will likely be pleased with what "Countdown to Extinction" has to offer.

I bought this album not knowing what "Remastered" actually meant in terms of changes to the original works. I used to own the original a long time ago and wanted to have it again. At first I thought the tracks sounded slightly different, then I started to get real pissed off when I figured out that some of my favorite riffs and solos were completely changed.

This version is weak, and I wish I had paid more attention to what I was buying. If you are looking for the original works, don't buy this version.

First off so called speed metal seems to favor continuous brain dead speedy guitar masturbation over actually creating songs that are in anyway memorable, interesting, or remotely good in any way. I think most listeners would agree that speed metal is generally unbearably boring after about 10 seconds. This album, however, is excellent throughout so it's obviously not speed metal. This album and Rust In Peace are the only two albums that I've heard by Megadeth that are worth a serious listen. I have not heard the remaster/remix versions of these albums, but this album is interesting enough to consider having both versions. One last thing, virtuoso players can not always be expected to subdue their amazing talents in the service of making a great song --- I get that --- but wouldn't be nice if they did it a little more often --- I mean, really, who in their right mind can listen to an entire Yngwie Malmsteen album straight through?

Many Megadeth fans prefer "Rust in Peace" and "Peace Sells But Who's Buying" but this Megadeth is the best-selling album. This is also one of the heaviest Megadeth album, there's only the title track that is quite peaceful. The album has some great moments with "Skin o' My Teeth", "Symphony of Destruction", "Sweating Bullets", "Ashes in Your Mouth", "High Speed Dirt", and "Psychotron"...excellent strange lyrics in every song and also great hard heavy metal riffs. "This Was My Life" is my favourute song in this album. Dave Mustaine's voice is very deep and he can do the song very good. "Foreclose of a Dream" has quite peaceful moments too but this is quite little.
Stars: Sweating Bullets, Symphony of Destruction, Ashes in Your Mouth, Skin 'o My Teeth

I own both the original and the remixed/remastered version. The original is no "Rust in Peace", but it's still a pretty good album. I give the original 4 stars. However, the mix on the first album is perfect and the remix ruins many of the songs. It's hard to put in technical terms, but it just doesn't sound right. One problem is that it sounds like each instrument is playing a different song. Things just don't "fit" anymore. Also, the album also sounds less intense than the original. Usually with remasters (though not always remixes), the newer version sounds heavier. It's not all bad though. I kind of like the new intro to "Sweating Bullets". I prefer the original intro to "Captive Honour", but the new intro is still a somewhat interesting alternative.
The only other "remixed and remastered" version I've heard is "So Far, So Good...So What!". Although people complained about that one too, I actually liked the new version. This, however, is far worse than the original.
If you haven't heard the album before, then hunt down the original. If you have it already and are a serious fan, then you should pick this version up for the "Crown of Worms" bonus track. It's no classic, but it's pretty good and fits in well with the album. The three demo tracks are no good, but "Crown of Worms" makes it a worthwhile purchase if you're a serious fan.

After Cryptic (which was very commercial imo and overproduced) which has some good tracks on it, Megadeth has gone downhill. Not as much as Metallica who sold out 18 yrs ago. Megadeth, whom I have always admired just has not lived up to their potential. Their last 4 releases have waned and are avg at best. You get maybe two songs per release that you can stomach and the rest is filler crap.

another bad album from megadeth,the only good song is''sleepwalker''.
since the best lineup left the band: david ellefson-marty friedman-nick menza,they never did a good album again.the best megadeth albums are ''rust in peace and countdown to extintion,the rest are poor attempts to get near metallica,but always failed.
like mustaine said to larz ''everything you do turns to gold and all i do backfire''
besides that mustaine voice is horrible and when he sings live forget it.......
no one stands mustaine he changes the lineup in almost every record,and when he had the guys i talked about it was the best megadeth years,no one stands him and thats why he get kicked of metallica.....
20 million records in 25 years tells how weak megadeth act has been,compare to metallica 120 million,iron maiden 90 million or judas priest 85 million sold.
and it is true when people say metallica sold out.......
yes they sold out every gig...............
if you want to spend your money on a megadeth record try rust in p.-countdown to e.

United Abominations is a bit of a mixed bag. Dave Mustaine has never been one to shy away from politics or expressing his opinions in general, and here we see him boiling over based on the events of the early twenty-first century. However, it is the non-lyrical balance of the CD that is kind of spotty. If you were hoping to finally have a return to Rust In Piece, United Abominations doesn't quite get there.

Lyrically, it is not a reach to say that United Abominations lands on the extreme side. I am usually one to err on the side of artistic expression, but I find Mustaine's commits many of the very things that he sings against. In "Amerikhastan", he makes reference to there being "no more Middle East" and warns "Jihad Joe" that "we're coming to get you!". It may seem subtle to some, but there is a difference between supporting a just war and an unbridled, bloodthirsty call for revenge. Contrasted against this is the much saner calling to account of the UN on "United Abominations". Here Mustaine takes much more of an informing role on the failings of the UN over the last thirty years. Finally, Mustaine can still take an obtuse approach to crafting a song as he does in "Washington Is Next" where he relates Washington as the conquest of the Antichrist, i.e. "The Eighth False King". I have to give him credit for writing thought provoking material. There aren't enough artists for which it can be said that they make you think.

While Mustaine's songwriting is as strong as always, the instrumentation on United Abominations is all over the place. Things start out very promising on "Sleepwalker" with a gradual build up to a crunching rhythm guitar line that really paces the song. On "Washington Is Next", Mustaine gives a solid guitar into that sets the stage for another high energy number. So two songs in I was thinking that we were in for a return to form. "Never Walk Alone...A Call To Arms" makes a bit of a transition. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it doesn't have the same intensity as the openers. The remainder of the songs wanders rather aimlessly into the more watered down sounds of the post Rust In Peace era. They aren't necessarily bad in of themselves, but they just seem flat in the context of Megadeth's earlier recordings. Whether or not you will like these songs depends on what you are looking for. If you are looking for classic Megadeth, you will be disappointed. If you are a new listener or someone who has liked Megadeth's full body of work, you have a better chance of enjoying United Abominations.

All in all, United Abominations is a CD to go into with you eyes open. I would not recommend it for anyone impressionable who would be influenced by the lyrics without giving them much thought. Fans looking for classic Megadeth will find United Abominations a disappointment.

Download this: Washington Is Next

I had written off Megadeth after hearing Risk and decided not to hear anymore new music from them. Then being inspired by the election of a new president that I'm unhappy with I was reminded of Dave's lyrics on some of their songs off CTE. And that got me wondering, what do they sound like now anyway? It seems that no one can put out anything even reasonably fresh or original anymore. Same here. And the less said about Cristiana's pop emo vocals on what was a fairly good song the better. Like the new pres, this one's an obamination.

Four stars? Are you serious? Dave Mustaine is the father of thrash metal. Metallica owes all their success to Dave Mustaine. It's just too bad that he will never recieve the credit he deserves. Let's face it, Metallica hasn't put out a decent album in almost 20 years. Their first three albums are considered their best and guess what, they were all heavily influenced by Dave Mustaine. In fact, Dave wrote a lot of the songs on the first two Metallica albums. United Abominations is old school Megadeth, which basically means it is old school Metallica. I haven't even heard Metallica's new album and I don't intend to. Dave always has something to say, especially in the realm of politics. Metallica just whines about their dismal lives. It must be very difficult being millionaires, especially in today's economy. Poor Metallica; I truly feel for them. What a horrible life they've had.

I have only vague memories of this disc's original mix, but this new mix seems to layer the vocals for richer texture and bring out certain guitar elements a little better. Remixed, the disc remains one to be listened to over and over, playing air guitar and (trying anyway) to growl and wail along with Dave Mustaine's vocals. The first three songs make a compelling set together; if you're listening in your car and reach your destination before these songs finish, you're going to want to sit there, parked, listening until they're done.

The disc's low point is Family Tree. It's a competent song, but it tries a little too hard and falls short of the rest of the disc.

I bought this back when it was originally released, but over the last few years I had forgotten about it. I rediscovered my old audio cassette copy of this recently and I decided to get the CD. I had forgotten what a great release this was. It's an excellent list of songs, and the bonus tracks make it that much better. Songs like "Train of Consequences" and "Victory" showcase what Megadeth has always been about, but "A Tout Le Monde" shows that Megadeth is far from one-dimensional. This CD should be in every Megadeth fan's collection.

Megadeth's "Youthanasia" is a very small step down from "Countdown" - in a way it's much less thrash and more to conventional heavy metal - say it's Megadeth's "Black Album II" but I thought this was a good CD. There are more personal lyrics on this album, simple song structures (like in "Countdown"), fewer technical guitar solos, more melody, and not much of fast paced thrash metal tunes. A plus on this record I think is the sound of Dave Mustaine's vocals improving - it's a little less-whiny if you know what I mean. If you liked Countdown, you'll probably like this too.

I can't say this is the best album Megadeth ever released, but I can say that over the years, I've listened to this more than any other. So what does that say?

Whatever Dave and Co. were trying to achieve in the 90's, they nailed it on "Youthanasia." It's a lesson in structuring the perfect song order. One just flows after the other seamlessly, and it's a good argument against downloading one or two songs and leaving the rest behind. You can really miss the artist's vision and cheat yourself of a fantastic listening experience.

Speaking of downloading, do yourself a favor and get the CD. They are sonically superior to mp3s/WMAs/AACs, and you can always rip them in 320kbps. This is one of the Megadeth re-masters that is worth the upgrade. The bass is really punched up, the drums are bigger, and the guitars are more jagged-sounding, especially on "Train of Consequences." It sounds awesome.

The bonus songs are among the best in the re-mastered catalog too, especially "New World Order."

I think this is a good album, but try to avoid getting a REMIX - REMASTERED copy it sounds totally different from the original album.
The original sounds better and you can actually tell what he is singing about.
If DAVE would have just remastered the albums that would have been cool, but he remixed them too.
Stick with the original it's always the best!!
I rate this CD a 8 from 1to10!!

Their best imho. Peace Sells.. gets alot of praise, rightfully so because Chris Poland's leads are truly wonderful. But this is a slightly better album, only my opinion. Jeff Young absolutely shines on this one. His solos are melodic, catchy, and terrifyingly beautiful!!! I could do without Anarchy In The U.K., but they more than redeem themselves with Hook In Mouth, Liar, and In My Darkest Hour. Those 3 are the standouts. Dave's singing seems "better" on this one. But again Jeff Youngs solos really make this a must have for any guitar lover or metal fan in general.

I really love the songs on this album. Had heard them 100s of times before too, but couldn't afford to buy the original disc until now. Gotta say I am very proud to own this. It contains my favorite Megadeth track of all time, 'In My Darkest Hour'. The inspiration behind the song being written by Dave was Cliff Burton. Amazing lyrics, riffs and solo. Other songs like 'Set the world afire', 'Anarchy in the UK', 'Mary Jane' are also some great examples of the good ol' thrash that the 80s gave us.

Also, if you are looking for great musicianship in terms of song writing and lyrics, this CD is the way to go. In my opinion, Dave Mustaine is individually the most brilliant song writer. The line up of Megadeth keeps changing so often but I feel the line up for the early albums was certainly the best.

Ok here are the individual ratings for the songs :

Into the lungs of hell : 9/10
Set the world afire : 8/10
Anarchy in the UK : 7.5/10
Mary Jane : 9/10
502 : 7/10
In my darkest hour : 10+/10
Liar : 7.5/10
Hook in mouth : 8/10

Plus there are 4 bonus tracks which are like remixed versions. I don't really dig into those, would prefer the original work any time. But they offer an interesting variation anyway.

Highly recommended.

I orginally gave this album only 3 stars saying it was a bit of a letdown after the Peace Sells album. After many further listens I believe this to be possibly the catchiest album Megadeth has in their entire catalog. Its not as technically well crafted as most of their recordings, but its just punky angst ridden immature fun and very pleasant to listen to. This album is over the top thrash playing that sounds like nuclear bombs going off mixed with simple yet effective punk thrash riffing. Plus it contains some of Megadeth's best songs including, Set the world afire- amazing and sonic, In my Darkest Hour- addictive and well written, and the excellent closer Hook in Mouth- simple yet a mini anthem of sorts. This album also has a certain uniqueness to it not only for Megadeth but for thrash itself. What other thrash album sounds close to this, this album truly separates them from the rest and Metallica most notably. I'd say the material on this album is the polar opposite of anything Metallica has written. It sounds more like a punk meets thrash explosion. Very under-appreciated album in thrash circles, barely comparable to Rust in Peace, because it sounds nothing like it. 4.5 stars. recomended for those with an openmind.

Purely on the basis of nostalgia 'So Far' is one of my favorite Megadeth albums. It was obviously not the best technically or artistically, (Mustaine's interpretation of the 'Anarchy In The UK' lyrics never gets any less cringe-worthy!;o) but just because it reminds me of a really great period in time. So if you sanitize, 're-imagine', clean-up the original record you destroy the main plus point for me, the nostalgia aspect. The end result is a lackluster sterile bloat-rock fiasco. Is it a joke? Why? .. "If i know i'm going crazy, I must not be insane" (ok...) "Woo Hoo Hoo!!!" (What the? where the hell did that come from?)

Please everyone just leave the past alone and consentrate on creating something new instead of defecating over existing recording/films/tv that are perfectly good as they are!!!!

Deep breaths...

Notes on the remastered version -
This album benefits heavily from the remastering. Gone is the muddy sounding guitars and the horrendously loud middle portion of the spectrum. I don't hear many places where the songs were changed and my overall opinion of the album is still 4 stars, but it's definitely worthwhile to get the remaster. I read reviews where people say that the album has lost it's edge with the remastering. Don't fall for it. The remaster provides a superior mix in every way, and if Dave Mustaine had to re-record some of the parts - well - so much the better in my opinion.

(Review of non-remastered edition - will update after I've listened to the remaster)

This album was one of the first introductions I had to Thrash Metal (along with Master of Puppets and the Garage Days EP from Metallica), so I have fond memories of listening to it over, and over, and over. I'm afraid that is going to slant my review upwards.

However, I really feel this is not a bad album, but it is plagued with lousy production that actually wasn't uncommon around the time it was recorded. The drums are in the background and sound like they were triggers as opposed to real drums on some tracks. The guitars are too loud and have way to much echo on them, and the overall sound is that of a big metal room, and for some reason, the man behind knobs really pumped up the middle portion of the spectrum. If you've heard Ozzy Osbourne's no rest for the wicked, you will see what I mean. The whole affair comes off sounding like a worn cassette recorded too loud.

Outside of that, the music is played competently, but the musicianship isn't as pronounced as on other better Megadeth albums. Mustaine shouts most of his lyrics. The bass guitar is typically great - Dave Ellefson weaves gold from s**t with his bass-playing on a bad day. The drums are typical thrash-style drumming done competently but are nothing special. The guitars are very up-front and are clearly showcased. That said, the guitar playing is nice.

My un-patented rating system for those who care:
1 - So bad, I had to stop the CD
2 - Makes you want to press the skip button
3 - Good filler in the right mix - unnoffensive
4 - Will skip to this song
5 - Will put the CD in to listen to this song

Got it? Got it.

1) Into the Lungs of Hell(3) - a standard 3/4 guitar riffing jam instrumental

2) Set the World Afire(4) - Starts (literally) with an explosion that sets off a chugging guitar riff which morphs into into an angry testament-like riff.

3) Anarcy (in the UK)(2) - Often cited as the symbol of all that was wrong with this album, I didn't think it deserved the embarrassing tag put on it, but it's an unexceptional remake of the popular Sex Pistols song at best.

4) Mary Jane(3) - A three part prog anthem - Starts with a 3/4 sludge, moves onto a mid-tempo jam, then ends on a fast thrash and shred-fest.

5) 502(4) - An adolescent anti-cop song, but one of the better songs on the album, definitely could have benefitted from better production.

6) In My Darkest Hour(4) - Unquestionably one of the better songs on the album, also featured on "Decline of the Western Civilization Pt. II". It starts with a 3/4 anthem that creates a wall of sound under Dave Mustaine's angst filled lyrics, then goes into fast guitar riffing.

7) Liar(5) - 3:19 of adolescent anger and anti-establishment ranting. Beautiful and raw.

8) Hook in Mouth(3) - Around this time, the PMRC and the Reagan era were in full swing, so the song had much more meaning back at the time. I can only imagine how wild the crowds must have been when they played this. As it stands, it's still a pretty good anger-filled chant, but a bit dated.

This album is a good overview of Megadeth's work. I would recommend this album to anyone new to Megadeth, or who doesn't already have their other albums.

It's a great CD jampacked full of Megadeth's most brutal songs. My only complaint is that they didn't put "Sleepwalker" on there.

If you're a Megadeth fan, this CD is a must-have!

~Andy

I just listened to this cd and Holy Wars...The Punishment Due, In My Darkest Hour, and Hangar 18 doesn't sound the same as the original releases. For any Megadeth fans, I would just stick to the Original Releases. I'm buying the Original Releases anyway.

To you die hard Megadeth fans out there, if your looking at this album seek out the 'Limited Edition' it has a bonus DVD which features a concert from the Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, Colorado 12/27/99

Bonus DVD - Live Track List is:

1. Prince of Darkness
2. Holly Wars....The Punishment Due
3. In My Darkest Hour
4. Hanger 18
5. Sweating Bullets
6. Symphony Of Destruction
7. Peace Sells


- also has a trailer for the Arsenal of Megadeth.

P.S. My rating of this album is for the one with the Bonus DVD, NOT the standard issue release.

Metallica kurang aktif dalam pengeluaran album, bayang dalam 10 tahun 3 album saja 90 - 00. sebagai pengantinya dengarlah megadeth yang mengembalikan sound classic metallica!!!

Okay, first thing's first...Don't go into this album with outrageous expectations. This is not Megadeth at their mightiest, but it is still a good collection of songs from a solid lineup.

Even with the black cloud of two past members (Friedman and Menza) hanging over their heads, Pitrelli and DeGrasso are still able to step up and deliver. Pitrelli in particular compliments Mustaine quite nicely, even though he doesn't have that exotic sound Friedman employed so often.

There are a few slightly boring tracks (Losing My Senses, When, Moto Psycho) but there are also some really good tracks that more than make up for it (1000 Times Goodbye, Burning Bridges, Recipe For Hate, Dread and the Fugitive Mind).

So, is The World Needs A Hero as good as Rust In Peace or Peace Sells? No, but its far from bad. Check it out after you get the classics.

Ok this might not be as bad as Risk but it's still pretty bad. The only song I liked on here was Disconnect and thats the first song so the album starts off ok then just gets progressively worse from there. I won't go through a track by track review but the bad songs on here are just painfuly embarasing. 1000 Times Goodbye is a break up song with some girl's voice over the song breaking up with Dave. That's pretty high schoolish to me to put this on a legendary metal bands album. Promises is even worse which is a horrible ballad. I mean come on why does Megadeth have to do ballads anyway. I couldn't sit through this whole album it was just too painful. I read where this was a return to form for Megadeth. A comeback if you will but this is really almost as bad as Risk which was probably all in all a sell out album. Megadeth's first 5 albums were great then they put out a slew of really bad albums. This album is not even worth owning. The newest one, United Abominations, is the real comeback album for me since I thought that album was excellent. The System Has Failed I still have yet to hear but I believe it's way better then this. I really don't see how Dave can get much worse.

Metallica kurang aktif dalam pengeluaran album, bayang dalam 10 tahun 3 album saja 90 - 00. sebagai pegantinya dengarlah megadeth yang mengembalikan sound classic metallica!!!

not a classic like rust in peace or peace sells, but a strong metal album from one of the top metal bands of all time.

This album is far better than the turd Risk. It features a return to thrash for the most part. The playing is alot more technical like in past Deth albums. Return to Hanger goes back to the glory days of R.I.P., and brings us this fine sequel to Hanger 18. This album is the most of all Megadeth albums to be influenced by Diamond Head. If don't know about Diamond Head, they were a British invasion band of new wave heavy metal from the late 70's-early 80's that helped pave the way for thrash metal. The tracks Dissconnect takes parts from Diamond Heads Sucking My Love, When takes riffs from Am I Evil. This is a good solid release from Megadeth!