Megadeth – Endgame

After 1990's landmark album Rust in Peace, Megadeth's sound, more or less, began to get less and less heavy with each subsequent album during that decade. 1992's Countdown to Extinction, while still possessing a somewhat thrashy sound at times, was Megadeth's version of Metallica's 1991 Black Album--a very good dose of heavy music, but a clear departure from their previous 80's style thrash metal. 1994's Youthanasia and 1997's Cryptic Writings were safe, solid hard-rock records, but definitely alienated fans of their earlier work. 1999's appropriately titled album Risk, was the nadir of Megadeth's downward trend away from a heavy sound toward radio-friendly pop-oriented rock. By this point, most longtime fans (including myself) felt that the band had devolved too far from their early signature sound, and pretty much gave up on the hope of ever hearing an album like Peace Sells, Rust in Peace, or even Countdown to Extinction ever again. After a failed attempt at returning to a heavier sound with 2001's The World Needs a Hero, Mustaine disbanded Megadeth, apparently calling it a career.

Three years later, seemingly from out of nowhere, Mustaine recruited Peace Sells-era #2 guitarist Chris Poland to help him record a new album. Originally intended to be a solo project, The System Has Failed was released in 2004 as a new Megadeth album due to record label pressure. Unable to reconcile differences with the other 1990s-era band members (including founding member and longtime bassist Dave Ellefson), Mustaine put together a new 2000's Megadeth lineup, including current drummer Shawn Drover, and went on tour. "New Megadeth" had arrived. The System Has Failed, while suffering from questionable production, was a decent attempt at a return to form, and, in my opinion was on par with Cryptic Writings. The follow up, United Abominations (2007), was noticeably heavier than The System Has Failed, and it appeared that Mustaine was truly attempting to make Megadeth relevant in the metal world again. On a heaviness scale, United Abominations was slightly more thrashy than Countdwon to Exctinction (though not quite as GOOD as Coundown, but a very solid album nonetheless). After a few typical tweaks to the band roster (namely the addition of Chris Broderick on guitar), and a heavy touring schedule, the band headed back to the studio the following year. The resulting record is Endgame, which is (in my opinion) the best and heaviest Megadeth album in almost two decades.

While Rust in Peace is pretty much untouchable, Endgame comes pretty damn close. I remember thinking to myself "Megadeth is really back now!" when United Abominations came out, but that 2007 disc now pales in comparison to this one. From the opening instrumental track's virtuoso speed metal guitar storm, into the get-your-adrenaline-pumping energy of This Day We Fight, you know you're in for a treat, the likes of which haven't been heard in the studio from Dave Mustaine in a long, long time. Several mid-album tracks wander back down into United Abominations/Coutdown to Extinction/Cryptic Writings level of heaviness, but the high points on this album absolutely blow the doors off. All four band members, especially Mustaine and Broderick on guitar, are completely on fire throughout the whole album. The album's flow is great. The best part for me is, after two years of repeated listening, it hasn't gotten old yet. This one seems like it will have staying power. If you liked Megadeth in the 80s and early 90s (Killing is my Business through Rust in Peace), but didn't care for their softer stuff, give this album a spin. I doubt you'll be disappointed. Metal album of the year for 2009, and five stars from this listener.

Continuing in the direction set by its two predecessors. Four good/average tracks and rest is either cheesey attempts at glory days of olden or filler mid-tempo metal without good hooks. Arguably less cheesey spoken word parts than in TSHF, but more laughable lyrics about conspiracy theories Mustaine believes in. Also what's with the need of putting a "A b c d ... e f g" title themed track in every album.

HA HA HA HA HA

Thx a lot sindocdiag66665543 for this great story.

:-))))

One of the best post Friedman album, to my mind of course.