Heh this will be the second review I've done in the past hour but I bought this album recently and have been listening to it to and from my hockey games. This is the first Megadeth album I've listened to and I haven't quite gotten used to Dave Mustaine's vocals so Megadeth fans if you don't like what you hear, please be gentle or post a review of your own.
Pros: - Awesome guitar solos by both Dave Mustaine and Marty Friedman
- The bass is louder than usual (This should keep the bassists on MX Happy)
- Clever use of sound clips on tracks, they really add to the songs
Cons: -Dave Mustaine's voice, I hate the way he makes his voice go all growly because it sounds so unnatural and doesn't suit his voice at all. I also really dislike the manner in which he constantly rolls his r's and sounds like a frenchman (nothing against the french)
-Because this was a more commercial Megadeth album the fact that the songs have been shortened for radio airplay is quite apparent.
-Alot of the solos were too short
Track by Track:
Skin O' My Teeth: This song I'm liking more and more, the chorus is kind of weak but the verses are pretty cool, overall though, still an average song. 2.5/5
Symphony of Destruction: This is is one of the best songs on the album, it has great lyrics, good singing (although it takes some getting used to) and some pretty good musicianship. It's only weak point are the manner in which Dave Mustaine speaks the verses in this really unnatural growly voice.
4.5/5
Architecture of Aggression: This song is so kick ***, it's my favorite on the album it boasts excellent lyrics and someone manages to fit that awkward title into the chorus. I love the way that Dave Mustaine sings, "Great nations built from bones of the dead / With mud and straw, blood and sweat," and then says sarcastically, "You know your worth when your enemies praise your architecture of agression."
5/5
Foreclosure of a Dream: This is an average song that has a dreamlike quality to it.
3/5
Sweating Bullets: This song has Dave Mustaine talking not singing in that annoying growly way during the verses. It's only saving grace is it's solo and chorus (which is okay if mediocre) otherwise I'd award it 0/5.
2/5
This Was My Life: I was going to give this song 2/5 but after re-listening to it it's actually pretty good. Despite Dave Mustaine's annoyingly nasal singing this song features some pretty good musicianship.
3.5/5
Countdown to Extinction: This song rocks, it's one of my favourites. I particularly love the bass line and am thankful that Megadeth unlike some bands turns the bass up because this has a really good bass part. Off the topic of the bass though, this album has some awesome lyrics and instrumentals. This song is about animals become extinct and I particulary like the part where Mustaine says, "Killed a few from their cages / Point blank you're so courageous," as I can just picturing this really macho guy who thinks he's great because he has a rifle walking up to this cages animal and thinking he's so great after killing it.
5/5
High Speed Dirt: This is a good song. It has awesome instrumentals (don't all Megadeth songs) and has a kind of bluesy riff at one point that actually fits quite into the song. It's only flaw is when Mustaine and co. annoyingly chant "High Speed Dirt."
4/5
Psychotron: This is another one of my favourite songs on the album, featuring a pretty heavy verse riff great solos and a catchy sing along chorus that you just can't get out of your head.
4.5/5
Captive Honour: Starts of as a mellow ballad-like song then starts to really rock after a little musical interlude which also featured various band members roleplaying courtroom dialogue. It also has arguably the best lyrics on the album featuring great lines like "And when you kill a man you're a murderer / Kill many and you're a conqueror / Kill them all and you're a god." Another cool sing along chorus is found in this song.
4.5/5
Ashes In Your Mind: This isn't a very good song and is pretty drawn out. It's solos are it's only saving grace. Even with solos and cool musical interludes it still isn't that great a song.
2/5
Summary: Overall, instrumentally this is a good album, lyrically it is a good album, but vocally it is somewhat lacking although I've heard that Mustaine's vocals are an aquired taste and the more I listen the more I like them although I will never be the one to say that Dave Mustain is an awesome vocalist. This album warrants about a 4/5.
