Search - Megadeth :: Risk

Pretty awful.

rocky49152 | Lyndhurst, OH USA | 07/23/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I realize I need to update the reviews for one of my favorite bands of all time, Megadeth. So I decided to start with the worst.



I just don't know where to start with this one. This is when Megadeth were in the nadir of the bands career. They were writing stuff that was the equivalent of throwing slop against the wall to see if they could get something to stick and get some airplay. Megadeth was never a radio-band, so I guess one could make a case for this being the all-out attempt to sell out. I give them respect for at least being musically up-front about it I guess. They had clearly traded anything about them that made them great back in their heyday. It's amazing that this is the same lineup that recorded "Rust in Peace".



You know, I believe in change. Change is good. However, one does not buy a Ferrari for the fuel economy and use it as an every day car. One does not use COBOL to write 3rd person shooter games for the home computer market. One does not clean fine wooden surfaces using Comet. So please spare me the "I'm intolerant of change" horse****. This is Megadeth, and there are certain things I've come to expect from this band.



I'm writing this review as I listen to the album for the 1st time in about 3 years. I didn't listen to it much then, so it's like the first time for me. I'm so excited!



By Track/(1 worst to 5 best)/BPM/Starting key



1 = Indescribably bad - an embarrassment

2 = Bad enough to skip the song while driving

3 = Ok as background music or in the right mix to support it

4 = Will skip tracks to play this song

5 = Will put the CD in to play this song



1) Insomnia(3)/144/A - Has violin? In a Megadeth Song? Lots of zaps and computer sounds - guitar is purely power-chords and is sometimes sampled. Did I pick up the wrong album? Hey... sorry to the change is good crowd. Change is one thing. Trading in your strong points to acquiesce to the sound of the day is another.....



2) Prince of Darkness(3)/132/D - This sounds like something off of Metallica 'Load'. Has an overlong intro with some b.s. about being the Prince of Darkness. Then we get treated to a 30 second interlude with some wierd sound effects and a violin playing - doesn't fit. Mustaine's voice is at least as good as Hetfields'.



3/4) Crush Em(1)/120/F - Starts with a fabricated live shout and clap-along, good energy builder. Ahhh but then..... the drum machine with a disco bass-line and a dance beat - Oh the humanity:(! And what's that? A hollow body rhythm guitar playing a little ditty over the beat? Is Nile Rogers now the guitarist for megadeth??? At 4:50, it's exactly 4:29 too long.



5) Breadline(4)/126/E - Now this is more what we've learned to come to expect from the 90's era Megadeth - a good mid-paced pop number with clean vocals and some harmonies and keyboards and orchestral touches. Dim memories of Vic Rattlehead are being blocked...... Actually not a bad song though. Well constructed - kind of Megadeth meets AOR. Strongest song so far, which isn't saying much.



6) The Doctor is Calling(3)/102/F# - So we have AOR Megadeth, NIN Megadeth, Bryan Adams Megadeth. Now this is Alice In Chains Megadeth. Has a straightforward arena-friendly drum beat. Not much more to say about it....



7) I'll Be There(1)/126/D - Has a disco-drum beat and a poppy verse/chorus song structure. You could almost see a video with Dave Mustaine in a jump-suit jogging in place smiling and singing the chorus with a bunch of clouds in the background.... scary.



8) Wanderlust(2)/84/D - Another generic arena-friendly rocker. Goes half the song at 84, then goes double speed for the last minute. It shocks me frankly.... this is probably the most musically talented lineup Megadeth has ever had, yet they feel comfortable pumping out this tripe.



9) Ecstacy(2)/132/D - The title gave it some hope, but alas..... Begins with sort of Hawaiian guitar strumming combined with some light water-guitar comping (or is that an electric piano? I can never tell....). More verse-chorus fluff-stuff.



10) Seven(2)/162/E - Hey this one rocks! Well.. sort of. Has the guitar going through what sounds like a talk-box set on low. And there's a very competently performed set of soloes. But what's this? A swing beat - with organs?



11) Time (The Beginning)(2)/66/E - And now the circle is complete - Prog-rock! It even has the same drums as "Imagine" by John Lennon. The track is appropriately named. Time...... minute after minute........



12) Time (The End)(3)/84/E - Starts with an arena riff that's reminiscent of Queensryche. Good guitar work. I guess they wanted to give us a little reward for making it to the end."