Dave Mustaine has been put through the wringer over the years - booted out of heavy music monolith Metallica only to stand in their shadow while forging his own steel with the technically oriented Megadeth. This culminated in his oft-mocked appearance in the Metalli-documentary Some Kind Of Monster, in which Mustaine came off as a sad-sack figure chasing the ghost of lost chances.
Not that he has anything to lament - Megadeth grew into a platinum-selling beast that survived numerous band changes and life-threatening chemical dependencies. Lead guitarist and vocalist Dave Mustaine is like a ginger-haired cockroach, riding the flames of nuclear annihilation while laying waste to guitar strings and fretboards. If there remains any doubt as to the depth of his talents, Endgame will put them to bed.
Megadeth - A State Of Flux Can't Stop Their Hate
Just as Metallica met with controversy and fan animosity following their post-Load "sellout" phase, Megadeth have also flirted with poppier influences. While aggressive metal staples such as Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? and Rust In Peace solidified their status as one of "The Big Four" of thrash, the 90s saw them introducing a slicker, more Rush-esque production. This led to the rock and electronica crossroad breached in 1999's ill-met Risk.
The band (or what's left of them) have delivered a few "return to form" entries, including 2007's United Abominations. While that disc dropped some tasty nuggets (like the snake-fingered Sleepwalker), nothing could have set the stage for the mind-melter that is Endgame. Smartly retaining the co-production skills of metal god Andy Sneap, Mustaine curled up in his San Marcos studio Vic's Garage only to come out swinging and spitting venom.
As expected, the "new" band found on Abominations are essentially missing here - the Drover brothers (also of the Canadian band Eidolon) have been torn asunder, leaving Shawn behind to destroy the drums. Replacing the estranged Glen on guitar is Jag Panzer shredder Chris Broderick, and White Lion / Black Label Society bassist James LoMenzo drops the four string thunder. While Dave Ellefson and a number of vintage 'Deth members have left their mark on the band, they're not missed here.
Andy Sneap Helps Deliver The Goods With Endgame
Beginning with a nearly two-and-a-half minute instrumental entitled Dialectic Chaos, Megadeth let the world know that they are back to kick ass and drop blistering solos. It's an impressive moment that echoes the opening of So Far, So Good... So What? Before long the intricate locomotive riffs of This Day We Fight! kick in, showcasing Mustaine at his vocal peak. This feels like classic 'Deth and a band that isn't interested in taking any prisoners.
It's not all speed metal calisthenics either, though tracks like the funny-car inspired 1,320 work overtime at convincing otherwise. Still, there are slower riffs such as the bludgeoning intro to the bank robbery opus 44 Minutes, and Bite The Hand features some classic Mustaine noodles that would feel comfortable on Kill 'Em All. Bodies will please fans of the Symphony Of Destruction school of writing while those with more of a balladeer's ear will find a treat in the melodic The Hardest Part Of Letting Go... Sealed With A Kiss.
Still, just when there's a sensation that the band is settling into a slower groove, songs like Head Crusher come along to, yes, crush your skull. As technically impressive as the bulk of the axe playing is here, each song is loaded with at least two scoops of face melting solos. Budding guitarists will be inspired to pick up the instrument, only to put it down seconds later upon realizing how complex this stuff is.
Dave Mustaine - Still Snarling After All These Years
In spite of Mustaine's public conversion to Christianity, his lyrics certainly haven't changed much. Angry political numbers such as the title track join hands with literary ditties recalling Aragorn from The Lord Of The Rings marching into battle against Sauron's metal-clad armies. Much like this balance of maturity and adolescent fantasy, the sum total of Endgame represents the yin and yang of Megadeth circling one another in perfect disharmony.
Old and new - both in style and the physical players - collide to staggering effect in what may very well be Megadeth's best album in nearly twenty years. It's snarling, beefy and impossible to remove from the car CD player. Metallica may have captured the Billboard charts with last year's Death Magnetic, but Megadeth are set to annihilate the entire playing field with their Endgame.
Rating: 9 out of 10
- Band: Megadeth
- Album Title: Endgame
- Produced By: Dave Mustaine and Andy Sneap
- Label: Roadrunner Records
- US Release Date: September 15, 2009
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