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I'm very surprised with this effort from Dave Mustaine! It's surely their best album since 10 à 15 years!! And the solo's are just nuts! Welcome back

I've heard four songs on Megadeth's Myspace page just yestarday. And while I definitely dig them, I kind of prefer The System Has Failed. For the record (pun not intended), this album really sounds more like The World Needs A Hero to me than TSHF with its slightly murkier production and Mustaine's "spoken word vocals." Now I like World Needs A Hero, but TSHF is a much better record. I can see this one probably falling in the middle of the two upon release.

I enjoyed what I heard of this, looks like it's Megadave's best release in years

How is it that "Washington Is Next!" is never mentioned in the review but Metallica is, not just in the first paragraph, but in the very first sentence? Isn't that horse dead ten times over already? A Toute le Monde one of the best songs on here? I can understand liking it or it being a favorite even, but...

Okay, I admit that I thought the review wasn't the best, but I do agree on some points. First, I really think this is one of the better, if not the best, efforts Dave has made in a long time. Despite some issues (that I'll get to in a minute) this is a solid album. The leads and solos are nice too, and I really overlooked those the first couple times I listened to it. Also, I like the drumming, not because it's anything special but because it's just what it needs to be with just the right amount of "flair" for a record like this.

On the flip side, the lyrics are generally pretty dismal. I don't know, I guess I don't have as much a complaint with the vocals themselves, but the lyrics and some of the song titles... Egads! The spoken word passages and voice overs are particularly weak too. I would have thought he'd have dropped those after TWNAH, but it seems they're here to stay.

At any rate, the lyrics, and the string of weak songs through much of the middle of the album lowers the score a lot for me. I know the score is pretty much a moot point on this site (and it doesn't help that another reviewer scored TWNAH a 95 either ), but I still don't really agree with it. Too high.

A solid record though, and one that I think anyone who ever liked Megadeth ought to at least consider checking out even if they didn't like TSHF (which I didn't either).

-Tyrion

How can you compare a passage involving Metallica and a song on the album? Musically, I don't compare Metallica to this record, not really sure what you were getting at with this. Also, you say you can understand me liking A Toute le Monde, but then you have a "but..." at the end? Confused reviewer here.

Thanks for the input though.

I'm going against the grain here. This seems to be System part II- ie, a few good songs at the beginning (Sleepwalkers and Washington's next here, which can't beat the three great songs on System- Blackmail, Kick the Chair and Back in the Day) and then a bunch of crap. Dave's vocals are still annoying. A dissapointment- I give it around the 40 score.

I wasn't comparing the song with Metallica, I was just pointing out that I thought that song was far more worthy of mention in the review than anything involving Metallica. And it's especially glaring, to me, when I can't even get past the first sentence of the review without seeing Metallica mentioned.

About "A Toute le Monde", I just don't make the connection "of one of my favorite songs" to "one of the best songs". As I said, I can understand a person liking it (or any song for that matter) and expressing that, but claiming it as one of the best songs here is beyond reaching, I think. Additionally, unless a remake is really, REALLY good, it's a little alarming to mention it as being one of the best songs on the album, especially when you don't say a whole lot (or in many cases, nothing) about most of the other songs.

Anyway, sorry if I wasn't being very clear in my post above. I just wished the review would have discussed the actual music and songs (style, strengths, weaknesses, etc.) a little more, and really given me some things to consider and more of an urge to go listen to it. Especially if I hadn't yet heard it and this review was the first thing I'd seen on it.

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I agree that the songs at the beginning are strong and then it goes downhill fairly significantly for awhile. However, I think it ends on a brighter note and that much of the lackluster material in between is still more satisfying than most of TSHF - for me anyway.

And I still can't believe no one has mentioned the striking similarity between the early parts of "Vortex" (CW) and "Never Walk Alone... A Call To Arms". "A Toute le Monde' wasn't the only thing that was recycled for this album...

-Tyrion

I do find this one better than the last two because I like that it is a bit thrashier. I miss that Dave doesn't try to sing as high, like on an album such as "Countdown To Extinction". And the new rendition of "A Toute le Monde " is very good, though I don't know if it should have been on the album as a Megadeth album with female vocals seems somewhat untraditional.

Right, I can understand your point of view. I find reviews that focus too much on specific songs tend to drone on and I find myself becoming bored with them. Keeping originality while providing information can be tough at times with my style. As for A Toute le Monde being one of the best, this to me is the same as saying one of my favorites on the album. Reviews are completely editorial in nature, and since we are reviewing art, classifying differences between "favorite" and "best" is probably next to impossible (to me they represent the same thing when it comes to reviews).

Anyway, again, thanks for the criticism.

The songs 'Never Walk Alone' and 'Gears of War' are awesome. The lyrics are lame at times, the solos are awesome and a few of the songs just aren't good. Best album since Youthanasia. 70/100

I am digging this album a lot! I liked TSHF and this is even better. Like the reviewer said this album has even more of an old school thrash feel. And while it's not RIP II it's the closest they have come heaviness wise since.

'Sleepwalker' and 'Burnt Ice' are just sick as well as the solo's just ripping all over the place! I love it. I am so impressed by Glen's lead playing. While he may not be the player Friedman is he is wasting anything Marty ever did after 'RIP' Well maybe since 'Youth' you get the point. The Drover brother's are the kick in the ass Dave needed I think.

This is the album I was hoping from Megadeth for a long time. I am not one of those fans that expects RIP again cause I know it will never happen. Just wanted Megadeth to play the metal/thrash style of music they are supposed to!

Some other killer tracks are 'United Abominations', 'Gears of War', and 'Blessed are the Dead' though every song on this album is at least good.

92/100

It's better than Megadeth's recent releases but it's not a very long album. Would be nice to read a review that didn't mention Metallica how can he move on when they are always brought up but that wont happen. Anyway they haven't released anything this good in years.

This is a boooooring album.... I don't understand how the hell can you say that this is a great THRASH album. Thrash is all about energy and dynamic music., the dynamics seem a bit hide, and the energy, well, were the fuck is it?!?!? I shure can't find it...
Damn... what thrash bands have you been listening people?!

The new Susperia's album is far better than this one...

50/100

I like it, it's pretty good. I'd say it picks right up where TSHF left off, which is a good thing. The first three songs really rip. I don't care for United Abominations the song though, the song really doesn't go anywhere. A Tout Le Monde sounds even worse now than it did on youthanasia, which I didn't think was possible. I hate that song with every fiber of my being, and Christina doesn't even give much more than a half-assed performance. Amerikhastan is an embarrassing foray into the mind of someone who has been watching way too much FAUX NOOZE. You're Dead gets things back on track with a nice mid-section rip ride. Burnt Ice closes the album out in a fun and fast fashion. Yes, the lyrics on this album are complete and uttter shit though. Not only that, but he's about 4 years too late with this Pro-iraqi War Rally crap. Even the Republicans in Congress have told Bush to eithier fix the mess or they will turn their backs on him. This country has wised up at this point and recognized that the Iraq War is this generation's Vietnam, so Dave needs to get with the program.

Still, a wothry effort, and the backing band is more than capable of making quality music, it's just a shame it's covered up by Dave's douchbaggery. If you liked The System Has Failed, you'll dig this. It doesn't have the awesome solos that Chris Poland laid down for TSHF, but Glen Drover is a good guitarist in his own right. If you're inexplicably still looking for Rust In Peace part 2, you need to just let it go. You can only do an album like that once.

75/100.

I saw the video for 'A Tout...' Is that really all Ms Scabbia does? What's the point of that? Do like the song overall, though.

Despite the lyrical boneheadedness, I really like the track Amerikhastan. Actually, it's kind of funny when you listen to it, plus the chorus is damned catchy.

I'd give this about 75-80. Better than TSHF, probably. There's a few tracks that I always put on vastly more than others (WiN!, that third one, You're Dead, Amerikhastan, and I'm ashamed to say the new ATLM) Which kind of indicates that it's not as consitent as it could be. But who knows, maybe I just haven't paid enough attention to the other ones yet.

For me RIP is dominated by the brilliant title track and the rest is largely forgettable. The best Megadeth album is Peace Sells and for me will ever be so. The most memorable songs and a sense of humour. Chris Poland's work on that album is brilliant.
I mean Holy Wars is perhaps the best thrash song ever recorded but hey. The later half is well what... can anyone name the songs...
I prefer Countdown myself.

I will buy this. I am a Mustaine fan.

Of course! Who doesn't like Tornado of Souls and the title track?

And Take No Prisoners. And Five Magics. And POISON WAS THE CURE. Ya, Rust in Peace is awesome.