Review Summary: All in all this album is above average, and should only be bought as a collectors item. It has flashes of brilliance, but a dismal ending. I suggest you buy it if you see it on sale, aswell.
Megadeth's greatest hits album sucked me into thrash metal. I had heard a few Megadeth songs in the past, such as "99 Ways To Die" and "Crush 'Em". I was not impressed at all by either of these two songs. Then a friend of mine convinced be that I needed to listen to Megadeth's old music, so he gave me his copy of 'Back To The Start'. Little did I know, this band is killer!
Aside from 'The System Has Failed', Megadeth's most recent album, every album from 'Killing is my Business' to 'The World Need's A Hero' is included in this compilation. This album includes incredibly fast, thrashy songs, full of insane riffs and snarly vocals, but also shows Megadeth's more melodic side. And quite honestly, entails from flat out boring songs.
List of some songs and description:
Holy Wars/ The Punishment Due
This song is the best song on the entire album. The track is about religious warefare, and according to Dave Mustaine the IRA in Northern Ireland. It starts out with insanely fast guitar work, solid bass, and speedy/crisp drumming. 2:15 into the song Mart Friedman plays a small, but brilliant arab sounding guitar part, followed by pounding vocals by Mustaine. The next minuite and a half is the most enjoyable part of the song to listen to. In Megadeth fashion, they end the song with brilliant soloing and thrashy riffs. 5/5
Hangar 18
A song about aliens and a secret fortress, Hangar 18 has the best guitar solo battle of all time. Mustain and Friedman are flawless in their guitar work throughout the song. Ellefson is as solid a bassist as ever, and Nick Menza's drumming, is speedy,well executed, and includes many different drum beats. Vocals are limited in this song, but the instrumentals are perfect.
Mechanix
Much better version of "The Four Horsmen" (Which Dave Wrote). Mechanix has unique, and fun lyrics, paired with rock and stone instrumentals. This track has a great chorus to it, and simply thrashes like crazy. Good head banging music! Good solo work at the end, aswell.
Upsides: "Holy Wars", 'In My Darkest Hour", 'Hangar 18", "Mechanix", "Peace Sells"
Downsides: "Dread and the Fugative Mind", "She-Wolf"
Some of Megadeth's best songs, "Tornado Of Souls", "Lucretia", "Return To Hangar", "Rust In Peace", and "Ashes In Your Mouth" should have been included rather than "Train Of Consequences", "Sweating Bullets", "She-Wolf", and a few others like "Prince Of Darkness", and "Dread".
