Megadeth – Endgame
Released by Roadrunner Records – 2009
Review Added September 13, 2009
. Produced: Andy “Undie” Sneap
· Running Time: 44:47
· Release Date: September 15, 2009
· Musical Style: Thrash Metal
· Links: http://www.megadeth.com/
Tracklisting
1. Dialectic Chaos
2. This Day We Fight!**
3. 44 Minutes**
4. 1,320**
5. Bite The Hand That Feeds
6. Bodies Left Behind**
7. Endgame
8. The Hardest Part Of Letting Go… Sealed With A Kiss**
9. Headcrusher**
10. How the Story Ends
11. The Right To Go Insane
**Hot Tracks
* Dave Mustaine – lead vocals, guitar
* Chris Broderick – guitar, backing vocals
* James Lomenzo – bass guitar, backing vocals
* Shawn Drover – drums, percussion
Ever since I could remember the name of Megadeth, has been a constant staple when it came to the Thrash metal genre. Dave Mustaine with his dead to rights attitude and political undertones has made this along with the aggressiveness of the riffs the biggest and most recognizable band since the late 80’s since the band first came into fruition. I was really pumped about the fact that this is the bands 12th studio album and after the not so great and mediocre “United Abominations” record came out, I wanted to see what Dave and Co had left to offer to the world of metal. If you recall a while back Mustaine suffered a possible carrer threatening injury to his hand which at the time left his future and Megadeth in the dust. Thankfullly the main man recovered and stated that the band would go on and continue to record music. Well funny how things change and here we are and my expectations while curious, we’re not hight at all, and boy was I wrong. It has already received critical acclaimed by the media, and fans have noticed that it sounded heavier then anything they have done in the last 10 years. I would tend to concur, I haven’t heard Megadeth sound so intense and engergized since albums like “Countdown To Extinction and Rust In Peace“.
Galloping through the first opening track intro is “Dialectic Chaos” Broderick and Mustaine soloing and they make a killing here, reminiscent of some classic metal action aka Iron Maiden circa 87, just some nice brutal chops and threatening rhythm section busts your ears wide open. “This Day We Fight” is the first vocal track to play that smash mouth thrash chords that Megadeth is so known for, instantly you are taken by the sheer power of the guitars and drums, could we be listening to something special along the lines of some of their most prided work? I couldn’t believe my ears at first, Megadeth hasn’t sounded this good well in a good long time. With a nice melodic intro with a nice vocal spoken part in the background is the track “44 minutes” which starts pounding away and Dave’s sings about a heist gone wrong and reminds you of some classic thrash joint from the Peace Sell album, the guitars are killing in this one, just some nice dual soloing in between the breaks. Not be taken lightly comes “1,320” which plows with some insane maniacal shredding from Broderick and has Mustaine spitting some firestorm lyrics like a mad banshee, knock it back all the way back this album just gets better. With a chorus similar to that classic one in “In My Darkest Hour“, the track “Bodies Left Behind” slowly sucks you in but with another mellower and more driving solo midway through, a nice memorable track which later picks up towards to ends to close this roller coaster ride.
Perhaps the most political of all the tracks can be found in the message of “Endgame” which has Mustaine using his freedom of speech quite well “The Leader of the New World Order, the President of the United States” states Dave on the opening of the track. We all come to expect these type of tracks from Deth, is just another in the line of their stand against political injustice, this track reflects the overall message of the album better the any of the rest in terms of lyrics anyway. With an odd change of pace “The Hardest Part Of Letting Go… Sealed With A Kiss” Mustaine slows down the full throttle rampage with an interesting power ballad, I love the pick up guitar riff right after the intro vocal line, not a bad attempt at all keeps the album churning along quite nicely. The first single of “Endgame” is the song “Headcrusher”and when Megadeth posted this track on their site as a preview of the album a while back, it really got me excited, it just sounded a lot heavier and more intense then any of the notable tracks of the “United Abominations” record. The album closes on a high note and channels it’s intensity throughout with a fist of fury and with a rampage in style that can make any metal head proud.
While is not so hard to believe that this could be an open invitation for Megadeth to regain back it’s true hardcore fans, I tend to be of the opinion that they never left. I think any metal head out there has been influence by Megadeth in some way, shape or form, and this fellow reviewer is in no way an exception. I welcome them back again and after the below average “United Abominations” came out, which at the time most fans we’re just happy to have them back, I think “Endgame” will eventually receive a great following, not only because I think the fans appreciate the passion of Mustaine but let’s face it, they have always been about the fans and the music since the beginning. I like the addition of Broderick former (Jag Panzer) and Mustaine and Co haven’t sounded this intense and passionate in a long while. Ohh you wanted “thrash”, careful what you wish you for, you just might get it. Highly recommended to anyone that considers themselves a metal fan.
Written by Denys
Ratings Denys 8/10
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