Review Summary: Something of an overlooked gem, 'The System Has Failed' finds a refreshed Dave Mustaine coming out swinging after a potentially career-ending injury. Sabotaged only by a couple of weaker songs, this remains a recommended listen for Megadeth fans
2002 must have been a bleak year for some Megadeth fans, following the news that their beloved artist were to split due to an arm injury that left Dave Mustaine's future as a guitarist uncertain. Within two years, however, the news broke that Dave was writing music again, with the intention of releasing a solo album. Contractual obligations would ultimately render this false, with the album being rebranded a Megadeth release and the other performers listed as "session musicians." The resulting product would be 'The System Has Failed,' released in 2004 to an array of positive reviews, with some publications - such as "Drowned In Sound" - remaining somewhat less enthused.
Stylistically, this album is a mixed bag. Dave's roots as a thrash metal musician are certainly present, with "Blackmail the Universe" opening with a crunchy alternate-picked riff and treading water for eighty seconds before a mid-paced power chord based riff leads into a shredded solo that would have felt completely at home on 'Peace Sells.' Fans of the band's earlier material will be further encouraged by "Kick The Chair," which opens with shifts between the fast and mid-tempo flurry of notes that recalls "Take No Prisoners." One are where this album succeeds, however, is in its variety. "Die Dead Enough" has the same accessible riffing and singalong-friendly chorus that became expected of the band from the 'Youthanasia' era, whilst "Tears In A Vial" finds Dave's galloping riffing reminiscent of Heart's "Barracuda." Defenders of 'Risk' will even be pleasantly surprised by "Of Mice And Men," a slow-paced autobiography with ringing chords shifting into a more kinetic pre-chorus that could have stood as one of the stronger cuts from that particular album. Experimentation can even be noticed in the winding introduction to "The Scorpion" and the spoken word vocals over "Shadow of Deth."
There is, sadly, a catch: whilst 'The System Has Failed' does many things right, it also falls massively short when one examines its consistency. "I Know Jack" opens with a flurry of notes that feels somewhat disjointed, which then continues through its mercifully short duration, making something of a cacophony rather than an actual riff. "Back In The Day" is energetic, feeling somewhat akin to "Victory" from 'Youthanasia' during its verse, and has a fulfilling chorus, yet feels a little too indulgent with its barrage of lead fills. The difference between this song and, for instance, "Hangar 18" - a song that could be accused of the same thing - is that the whole second half of "Hangar 18" is dedicated specifically to lead trade-offs, whilst the first half of "Back In The Day" is interspersed with uninspired fills that detract from the flow of the song. "My Kingdom" is a satisfying conclusion to the album, yet the opening chugging bars are perhaps just a little too drawn out, and Mustaine's vocals are distracting in the verse. It feels as though he is trying to put a lot of emotion and different tones into this song, where the song works best when one blocks out the vocals and focuses on the riffing instead. When the more intricate riffing begins, and a solo rings out atop it, with a stop-start burst of wah-infused notes, this track hits its apex.
'The System Has Failed' is an interesting album for the Megadeth historians amongst us, finding Dave feeling - by his own words - "liberated" from the expectations of writing as a full band, and it shines brighter than the three albums that preceded it as a result. Chris Poland's first Megadeth album since 1986's 'Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?" is a strong showing from him, with his solos frequently embelleshing the songs, whilst Jimmie Lee Sloas steps in to competently replace Dave Ellefson, even if he never hits the same heights. Vinnie Colaiuta gives strong performances on songs such as "Kick The Chair," rounding out a strong lineup for an album that was never meant to be a band project. 'The System Has Failed' is a really strong album, let down by one or two duds, yet ultimately showcasing Dave as a relevant musical force once more despite the uncertainty surrounding his future at the time.
