Artist: Megadeth
Album: ENDGAME
Label: Roadrunner Records
Website: http://www.megadeth.com/home.php
Just finished listening to Megadeth’s newest effort, “ENDGAME.” And I will say this, old and new fans alike will be salivating over this record. ENDGAME isn’t RIP2 or another Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? What it is is very solid front to back and delivers on many fronts and fails on just about none. And forget all the rumors you may have heard about it being back to thrash, it’s not. And that’s not a slag, it’s a fact. It’s a new chapter and it’s a new Megadeth. Drums, guitars, vox and bass all have new life in them (maybe because Dave now has bonafied metal players in Meg’s, not jazz fusion or Jap Pop guitar players and his drummer is a psycho metal fan as well???). Dave finally has a shredder on lead that is his equal as he is a rhythm player. Shawn Drover’s drums are harder and more ferocious than anything Megadeth has ever seen and James Lomenzo will make you say “Jr. who?”
I’ll bang this out track by track, which I have only done one other time and that was for the monstrosity known as “Risk.” I think you’ll like this review much better.
Dialetic Chaos: The album’s opener is a blistering instrumental and I could easily see as the opener of a live show. Again, with the internet being a rumor machine, forget it being “Into the Lungs of Hell” Part 2. It’s not. The only thing they have in common is they are both instrumentals. It’s a totally different style, almost Iron Maidenesque with the dueling lead harmonies. What it does is show off Chris Broderick and Dave Mustaine’s prowess as masters of lead guitar.
This Day We Fight: Brings classic, breakneck Megadeth speed. There are leads all over the place and Dave’s snarling vocals curdle everything in sight. I won’t say what album this song would fit on, but let’s just say 5 Magics and Poison Was The Cure have a wicked step sister. Only Dave Mustaine could take a dorky movie (Lord of The Rings) and turn it into a blistering piece of metal.
44 Minutes: This has been my favorite song since I heard the radio leak. “44 Minutes” has a great underlying melody to it, while the guitars rip through the lyrics. James cranks out a thumping bass line in the verse that compliments the crushing guitars. I’d be happy if this was the new Megadeth formula.
1320: Everyone should have heard this song by now, seeing RR has been streaming this song at their site for weeks now. This may end up being the weakest song on the album (maybe it’s the lyrics), but it still shreds. Think the intro to Last Rites/Loved to Deth meets 502. A song about funny car racing, eh, but it still is a burner.
Bite The Hand: I could see this as a leftover from the The System Has Failed sessions. It has that “jumpy” vibe at the beginning that TSHF holds in many a song, but it has a classic Dave rhythm to the verse that saves the song. I’m hot and cold on this one. Lyrically it’s a cool song about Wall Street screwing over you and I.
Bodies: When I first heard it, I wasn’t so hot on it, but it grows and grows and grows on you. Dave delivers a killer grinding verse and bridge riffs. Another song on ENDGAME where Chris Broderick makes every other Meg’s lead player look foolish. The chorus has a very Cryptic Writings melody to it without sounding contrived.
ENDGAME: Fantastic track. I love the choppy, herky jerky verse riff and the down beat that accompanies the chorus. Again, if this was the new Megadeth formula from here on out, I’d be VERY happy. Classic Megadeth political venom. And more solo’s than you know what to do with.
The Hardest Part Of Letting Go…Sealed With A Kiss: I thought this would be the song that made my stomach turn, the clunker if you will. HOWEVER, killer tune. And for those who have compared it to “Promises” off of “The World Needs A Hero” album, you should have your ears removed. “Promises” sucks, this song is fantastic. It’s a classic, non sappy Dave ballad. Very “Loved To Deth” subject matter, but done in a grown up, tongue in cheek way (song is based on an Edgar Allen Poe poem). And the classical guitar string sections of the first and last half are awesome. The build to the heavy, crushing “Sealed with a Kiss” half is a riff fest that sounds nothing like Megadeth has ever done. One of the many high points. Killer guitar work.
Head Crusher: Instantly loved this one when the download became available. Very fast, very heavy and void of melody. Then again when you’re writing a song about a medieval torture device called the “head crusher” I don’t think there’s any room for melody. The end has a very “Wake Up Dead” side that is a head bangers delight.
How the Story Ends: Another song that has this renewed Megadeth sound. Very heavy, very melodic, very awesome (intro has an almost old school Anthrax vibe to it) . And for those who fret that this could be the last album, this song will not help your conspiracy theories (even though the song is about the Sun Tzu Art of War, the lyrics setup like a goodbye meets killing road, you’ll see what I mean). Very crunchy with a massive melodic chorus that rains on your head like lead and a brief classical acoustic lesson that destroys. And if that weren’t enough, massive leads power into a pit inducing bridge. This song has it all.
The Right To Go Insane: This number reminds me a little of Suicidal Tendencies “How Will I Laugh Tomorrow….” Good closer, I may have switched Story with this track, but what do I know. James takes the spot light with a thumping bass intro. Very Suicidal. I could eat this chorus for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Cool tune (lyrically sort of like Motopsycho, but not as cheesy).
Now let’s address the theory of New Album Syndrome. This is the theory that when you hear a new album for the first time and after reading months of propaganda, you instantly blow a load in your shorts and say it’s the greatest album ever. None of that here! It took me months to get into Youthanasia, Crytpic Writings was an instant fav that faded, hated Risk, never could figure out TWNAH, TSHF was a hit or miss from the beginning and United Abominations was a slow burner that I now love. All the others have been instant classics and truth be told I don’t think I know of anyone who has been a bigger critic of what Megadeth has done since “Youthanasia” than myself. So take the “new album syndrome” and throw it out the window! This album is great from the first to the 10th listen. Want a number, I say 9 out of 10. And that’s not a fanboy number either. That’s honest. ENDGAME is packed with solo’s, heavy, crushing riffs, hooky melodies, and a new Megadeth sound. What album does it sound like? None of their past offerings, how’s that? It’s not all out thrash, it’s what Megadeth should be putting out for records these days. It’s a new life and it shows.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Recommended Tracks: “44 Minutes”, “ENDGAME”, “How The Story Ends”
Track Listing:
01. Dialectic Chaos
02. This Day We Fight!
03. 44 Minutes
04. 1,320′
05. Bite The Hand That Feeds
06. Bodies Left Behind
07. Endgame
08. The Hardest Part Of Letting Go… Sealed With A Kiss
09. Headcrusher
10. How the Story Ends
11. Nothing Left To Lose
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