Music review: Megadeth – 鈥楧ystopia鈥�
During my senior year of college, I picked up a copy of Megadeth鈥檚 鈥淧eace Sells 鈥� But Who鈥檚 Buying?鈥� for my first taste of thrash metal. The 1986 release showcased the group鈥檚 menacing metal at its very best with a killer cut of 鈥淧eace Sells.鈥�
At the time, peace may have been selling but in today鈥檚 Megadeth world, paranoia is the new trend. Opening with the ominous 鈥淭he Threat Is Real,鈥� fear is an accelerant that fuels the searing lyrics with frontman Dave Mustaine warning, 鈥淭he vultures have come home to nest.鈥�
After the lackluster appeal of 2013鈥檚 鈥淪uper Collider,鈥� Megadeth鈥檚 15th studio release is a blistering re-emergence and the band鈥檚 best album since 2004鈥檚 鈥淭he System Has Failed.鈥�
The opposite of utopia, the album鈥檚 name refers to a society characterized by poverty, oppression and human misery. 鈥淭here鈥檚 panic and there鈥檚 chaos rampant in the streets/Where useless thoughts of peace are met with rage,鈥� snarls Mustaine on the haunting title track.
Mustaine鈥檚 apocalyptic and menacing lyrics match the rapid-fire intensity of the music as each arrangement ushers listeners to the brink of exhaustion.
Helping Mustaine deliver his politically charged views is bassist David Ellefson and new guitarist Kiko Loureiro of the band Angra and Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler. With the current lineup, the band masterfully unleashes vintage metal anthems with a renewed zest and sharpened focus.
The sinister 鈥淧oisonous Shadows鈥� is as chilling as a distant death rattle while 鈥淧ost American World鈥� describes the world with the absence of America鈥檚 influence and strength.
Megadeth draws the curtain with muscles flexed and fists clenched during a pulse-pounding cover of Fear鈥檚 鈥淔oreign Policy.鈥�
鈥淒ystopia鈥� leaves little doubt about the band鈥檚 intentions of delivering a thrashing audio assault for many years to come.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at crhodes@heraldstandard.com.