Trollheart

For those unaware, from 2013 - 2015 I devoted a full month of posting in my main journal to the subject of Heavy Metal. These events went under the umbrella term of Metal Month, and though the first one was basically a collection of reviews of metal albums, the next year I diversified more and also looked beyond the genres I knew.

As this is now the tenth anniversary of the first Metal Month, my intention is to reproduce extracts from all three here, at random, for those who may not have been here at the time, or to remind those who were of how much fun we used to have back then.

So then, here's the first random extract. It comes from the very first Metal Month.

Originally part of Metal Month, Posted October 19 2013

Super Collider --- Megadeth --- 2013 (Tradecraft)

So what would Metal Month be without something from Metallica? Well, that's coming later, but right now I want to look at the new album from their "sister band", which some might consider the evil or ugly sister, Dave Mustaine's Megadeth, who released their latest album a few months ago. It's the first one to be self-released on his own label after he had problems with longtime label Roadrunner, and Megadeth's first return to the studio since 2011.

"Kingmaker" opens the album with an ominous little bassline and the sound of helicopter blades before the guitar and drums crash in, pulling the song along in a nice uptempo but not breakneck speed. I've always liked Mustaine's voice, and prefer it in fact to that of James Hetfield. He has a growly tone to his voice which makes it menacing without descending into the sort of snarls that so often make metal vocalists indecipherable. The guitar work is great too, both from Mustaine and Chris Broderick. I hear little snatches of the melody from Motorhead's "Ace of Spades" in here, and it's a great opener, smashing into the title track which rides along nicely on a thick guitar line, and it's guitar that opens "Burn!" which rocks along with a sense of a harder, heavier ZZ Top meeting Deep Purple.

"Prepare for War" is the fastest and heaviest on the album yet, but it's not for me. Bit too simple in its construction and well, just doesn't do anything for me. Even the addition of the Shannon Irish Rovers Pipe Band can't rescue it: hey, I hate bagpipes! Bagpipes? On a metal album? Better believe it! Much better is the almost melancholic "Off the Edge", even given Mustaine's frankly annoying rhyming verses. There's cello and violin (yeah) in "Dance in the Rain", with a guest vocal from Disturbed's David Draiman. I haven't heard Disturbed before, but I'm not mad about the semi-rap vocal, although it gets a little better as the song picks up.

Great guitar solo and it really kicks in for the last minute, notching up the speed seriously. Great drumwork from Shawn Drover, really driving (sorry) the rhythm, then a thick dark bass opens "Beginning of Sorrow", which actually sounds quite symphonic/gothic. It features some backing vocals from Mustaine's own daughter, Electra, one of two songs she provides backing vox on. Things get weirder with banjo in "The Blackest Crow", also fiddle, the song providing a dark, dramatic sort of sound. Quite a commercial sound, if that can be said of Megadeth, to "Forget to Remember": could be a single maybe? The second track on which Electra sings backing vocals, it's one of the better tracks with a really cool hook that remains with you after the album is over.

Speaking of the end of the album, we're nearly there, with just two tracks to go. A deceptively gentle opening to "Don't Turn Your Back", slide guitar from Mustaine in a very bluesy feel, then it pumps up to full speed, Drover hammering the beat like a man possessed. Great anger in the song, and we close on a cover of Lizzy's "Cold Sweat". It's a good version, but nobody's ever gonna beat John Sykes on that solo. Plus given that it was inadvertently part of Phil Lynott's swansong, it just feels, well, wrong to hear anyone else sing it. Great track though.

TRACK LISTING

1. Kingmaker
2. Super Collider
3. Burn!
4. Prepare for War
5. Off the Edge
6. Dance in the Rain
7. Beginning of Sorrow
8. The Blackest Crow
9. Forget to Remember
10. Don't Turn Your Back
11. Cold Sweat

So it's another fine album from the people who brought you Peace Sells, Rust in Peace and The World Needs a Hero. Nice to see Megadeth experimenting with some instruments usually considered outside the sphere of heavy metal --- unless you're playing progressive metal --- like violins, cellos and banjos. Perhaps not so much of the bagpipes next time though, eh guys? All in all though a good album; perhaps not a great album but certainly not a disappointment. Very solid, with some very decent tracks and some quite excellent ones. Proof that Megadeth can still hold their heads up as one of the major metal bands of the last quarter-century, and go toe to toe with any newcomer who cares to try his luck.

Read more here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megadeth


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYaTiVL0bgA

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

The Batlord

Jesus Christ I've been on here too long.

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Trollheart

Now you know how I feel!

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

RobinAnthony

Thanks for posting! I enjoyed reading your thoughts on each track and how the album as a whole stood up to Megadeth's past releases.
I have to agree with you that "Forget to Remember" is one of the standout tracks on the album, with a memorable hook and cool instrumentation

Trollheart

Hey, thanks for the comment and welcome to MB! As I say, this all took place originally ten years ago now, and I remember working feverishly on the album reviews and other sections, so it's nice to get a reaction, and a positive one, after all this time. I'll be getting back to this soon, so watch for more reviews and also special features.

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018