Megadeth
Dystopia
Universal Music Enterprises
2016
Megadeth delivered probably one of their weakest albums with their previous effort, the abominable “Super Collider”. It not only sold poorly but also signaled the end for a line-up that not only had proven relatively “steady” but also managed to get the band out and back from its previous “crisis” around the millennium that threatened its very existence. Following the exit of Drover and Broderick, the band secured the services of ex-Angra axe man, Kiko Loureiro and Chris Adler, the drummer of Lamb Of God, who didn’t however depart his band to move forward.
This infusion of “new” blood has revitalized the band somewhat, which returns with its fifteenth band being more “in tune” with what it’s expected of them.
“The Threat is Real” is a decent enough and spirited opener, which might have been great if it wasn’t full of “GOP” wacky craziness…
“Dystopia” is a bit more melodic but manages to sound meaner and almost in line with the bands “golden” 90s output. It obviously doesn’t come that close, but it feels in the same “mood”... obviously it’s full with more of the same political “nonsense” that the born again ex-junkie has filled his head with… in order to “survive.
“Fatal Illusion” was the first leak, the band put on the internet and its typical Megadeth fare, but not a reason to get too excited. I must however say that I like Kiko’s guitar work a bit better and the riffing is a little better than it has been in years... overall...
“Death from Within” is a decent, muscular, mid-tempo number that packs quite the punch, but doesn’t excel. Mustaine manages to still “sell” a couple of one liners…
“Bullet to the Brain” begins with a quite atmospheric acoustic intro, then a nice set of riff that go into a dynamic but fragile balance that swings wildly, in a way that again “eyes” the 90s and before eras mannerisms. Interesting, at the least. Nice solos and everything, but a proper “release” is missing, the chorus feels more like a bridge to an awesome chorus that unfortunately never arrives.
“Post American World” is full of more “conspiracy” drivel from a Mustaine that seems to have a persecution mania… while it’s not bad, on principle it’s at best derivative and too “spoken” for my liking.
“Poisonous Shadows” begins with some seriously nice guitars and a heavy foreboding atmosphere and proceeds to soften to the point that after some solos and soft choruses it concludes with some piano?! Not bad and one of the more interesting and better tunes, but it’s a little leftfield, I guess...
“Conquer or Die!” spends a whole minute in a nice albeit a little sad acoustic mood, only to reveal a riffy middle with some fantastic leads that almost run the rest of its duration... before some lowly mixed apothegm is heard, which stops us from categorizing it as an instrumental.
“Lying in State” is a union of melody and aggression and feels like it would not have felt alien to some of the “good” 90s albums...
“The Emperor” is a bit quirky with an almost “punk” riff in there that’s not exactly “foreign”, but feels a little weird… just like the song. Not bad, but a little meh, not sure, if I like it or not. I did quite like the solos though.
The deluxe edition features an additional cut, the “Last Dying Wish”, a mid-tempo nice little “ditto” with a fetching enough chorus and engaging guitar that starts to work its way after a while but does work…
Lastly, in the normal edition, there’s a cover on Fear’s “Foreign Policy”, which is done pretty faithfully to the punk original, just a little more “metal” and a bit through the prism of “M”.
Overall?! Not bad, a welcome return from the second brink of destruction but not exactly the “Endgame” because of a “so and so” middle trilogy, but probably a second best… it could also have benefited from a big phat “single” like Mustaine used to write when his albums charted on no1.
This infusion of “new” blood has revitalized the band somewhat, which returns with its fifteenth band being more “in tune” with what it’s expected of them.
“The Threat is Real” is a decent enough and spirited opener, which might have been great if it wasn’t full of “GOP” wacky craziness…
“Dystopia” is a bit more melodic but manages to sound meaner and almost in line with the bands “golden” 90s output. It obviously doesn’t come that close, but it feels in the same “mood”... obviously it’s full with more of the same political “nonsense” that the born again ex-junkie has filled his head with… in order to “survive.
“Fatal Illusion” was the first leak, the band put on the internet and its typical Megadeth fare, but not a reason to get too excited. I must however say that I like Kiko’s guitar work a bit better and the riffing is a little better than it has been in years... overall...
“Death from Within” is a decent, muscular, mid-tempo number that packs quite the punch, but doesn’t excel. Mustaine manages to still “sell” a couple of one liners…
“Bullet to the Brain” begins with a quite atmospheric acoustic intro, then a nice set of riff that go into a dynamic but fragile balance that swings wildly, in a way that again “eyes” the 90s and before eras mannerisms. Interesting, at the least. Nice solos and everything, but a proper “release” is missing, the chorus feels more like a bridge to an awesome chorus that unfortunately never arrives.
“Post American World” is full of more “conspiracy” drivel from a Mustaine that seems to have a persecution mania… while it’s not bad, on principle it’s at best derivative and too “spoken” for my liking.
“Poisonous Shadows” begins with some seriously nice guitars and a heavy foreboding atmosphere and proceeds to soften to the point that after some solos and soft choruses it concludes with some piano?! Not bad and one of the more interesting and better tunes, but it’s a little leftfield, I guess...
“Conquer or Die!” spends a whole minute in a nice albeit a little sad acoustic mood, only to reveal a riffy middle with some fantastic leads that almost run the rest of its duration... before some lowly mixed apothegm is heard, which stops us from categorizing it as an instrumental.
“Lying in State” is a union of melody and aggression and feels like it would not have felt alien to some of the “good” 90s albums...
“The Emperor” is a bit quirky with an almost “punk” riff in there that’s not exactly “foreign”, but feels a little weird… just like the song. Not bad, but a little meh, not sure, if I like it or not. I did quite like the solos though.
The deluxe edition features an additional cut, the “Last Dying Wish”, a mid-tempo nice little “ditto” with a fetching enough chorus and engaging guitar that starts to work its way after a while but does work…
Lastly, in the normal edition, there’s a cover on Fear’s “Foreign Policy”, which is done pretty faithfully to the punk original, just a little more “metal” and a bit through the prism of “M”.
Overall?! Not bad, a welcome return from the second brink of destruction but not exactly the “Endgame” because of a “so and so” middle trilogy, but probably a second best… it could also have benefited from a big phat “single” like Mustaine used to write when his albums charted on no1.