With great music, to paraphrase, comes great responsibility. As one of the leading exponents of thrash Megadeth (and in particular their fiery leader Dave Mustaine), come under the microscope every time they release an album. That Megadeth have, over the years, made mistakes is beyond dispute, but, when you have a back catalogue as extensive as their, mistakes seem almost inevitable. Recent years, however, have seen Megadeth on rare form. Risk may have seen the ship wobble, but the albums that followed saw the band edging back towards their ferocious peak, and it is arguable that recent albums Endgame and 13 were not far off the quality of classic Megadeth albums such as Peace Sells…
Just as everything seemed to rosy, however, Megadeth released the counter-intuitive Super Collider. With its slower pace and radio-friendly cuts such as Burn! the album clearly aggravated those who wanted the band’s thrash streak to continue forever and the result was that the album was panned (perhaps a little too harshly), by critics and fans alike. In hindsight, Super Collider is really not as bad as some make out but it remains a perplexing entry considering the albums that preceded it. As such, it will come as a relief to many that Dystopia sees Megadeth back to their razor-sharp best, tearing into thrash riffs with a gleeful abandon that frequently equals Endgame.
The album opens as it means to go on – a moment of deceptive calm giving way to the furious riff of The Threat Is Real. Straight away that adrenalin rush is there and, as Dave’s growl emerges from the speakers, it is clear that the Megadeth of 2016 is the streamlined, politically-informed killing machine that Endgame promised. With Dave and Kiko (Loureiro) trading blistering solos, the rhythm section (comprising long-time member Dave Ellefson and LoG sticksman Chris Adler) tear up the road in front of them making it clear that we’re in classic ‘Deth territory. It’s a hell of an opener and it leads neatly to the slick melodic riffing of the title track, a chrome plated monster that could easily come off Countdown To Extinction with its clean lines, blazing leads, and awe-inspiring conclusion.
Things get darker as the chugging riffs of Fatal Illusion loom into view, Dave Ellefson’s ominous bass underpinning riffs of real weight before giving way to a sweet bass solo that simply kicks ass. This is the Megadeth that causes even hardened fans to eulogise over the band’s power and there’s a strong argument to be made that, record for record, Megadeth have become mightiest of the so-called big four regardless of what sales figures may tell you. Death From Within slowly emerges from a haze, a deceptively muffled intro giving way to an all-out assault that hits home with the force of a sledgehammer, Dave snarling about the fires of war, his thousand-yard stare telling you that he’s not unfamiliar with the dark side. Then there’s Bullet For The Brain which, for all that it tackles dark subject matter, is an arena-killing anthem complete with a chorus to die for and the sort of furious, technically dazzling riff that Dave has made his stock in trade over the years. Things take an even darker turn for the doom-ladenPost American World, which benefits from Chris’ adventurous manoeuvrings around the kit. The song has a sinister quality, the chugging riff and Dave’s calmly threatening voice intoning “if you don’t like where we’re going, you won’t like what’s coming next!”
Taking a moment, Poisonous Shadows builds out of a deceptively beautiful acoustic guitar refrain, neatly transforming into a mid-tempo metallic monster that has ‘epic’ written all over it. From the exquisite solos to the sound of a tolling bell, it is dark-hearted, story-telling metal at its best and a perfect example of the power that Megadeth wields in 2016. Conquer Or Die opens in Spaghetti Western mode, with another acoustic guitar refrain building to an instrumental that is jaw dropping in its display of virtuoso musicianship.
Treating the previous track almost as an extended intro, Lying In State storms from the gates with a raw power that comes close to replicating the power of those early days. This is Dave daring thrash newcomers to come for his crown and defending it with unexpected ferocity. As such, it’s slightly surprising that it’s followed by a track with a more radio-friendly vibe than anything else on the record. In many ways The Emperor recalls the likes of (whisper it) Crush ‘Em with its chugging riff and strong melodic hook, and yet, with the blistering solos that epitomise the rest of the album still firmly in place, it’s radio-friendly metal with a venomous edge, while lyrics such as “you even suck the life out of dying!” make it clear that Dave’s mordent sense of humour is still firmly intact. The album concludes, having rushed past at relentless pace, with Foreign Policy. One last blast of toxic punk-metal, it harks back to Dave’s earliest compositions providing the album with the razor-sharp conclusion it needed. It leaves the listener both exhausted and elated that Megadeth managed to hit it out of the park with such force.
Megadeth have had their ups and downs over the years and Dave Mustaine has not always helped his cause with his ridiculously plain speaking approach and revolving door policy on band members. And yet Dave’s flaws are arguably also his greatest strength. Unlike so many rock stars he remains resolutely human and grounded and his assertion that “it’s still we, the people, right?” remarkably rings true no matter how many million records he sells. Where other bands seem to become increasingly distanced from their audience, Megadeth remain a band with whom fans can maintain a genuine connection and albums such as Dystopia do much to reward the loyal.
At their best, Megadeth have always been a politically charged killing machine, and Dystopia holds up a cracked and dirty mirror to modern society with frequently dazzling effect. Chris Adler brings considerable weight to the performance but the stars of the show are Dave and Kiko who trade whip-smart solos across the album like duellists crossing swords. Their dextrous, inventive work sits at the heart of what makes the album so powerful whilst Dave Mustaine has stepped up his game lyrically to craft an album that brutally characterises the fractured world in which we live. In short, Dystopia is a Megadeth album to cherish and a stark reminder of just how potent Dave Mustaine remains – do not miss this album!
