MEGADETH - Megadeth

Artist:  Megadeth

Album:  Megadeth

Year:  2026

Genre:  Thrash Metal 

Well, here we are.  The fact I typed the year 2026 and it is associated with a new Megadeth record is an accomplishment to be added to the mountain-sized stack of well-deserved accolades the band has earned.  This is especially true since they never took a reprieve from their career in music.  Of course, when I use the all-encompassing “they,” we all know I’m truly focusing on founding member and metal legend Dave Mustaine.  Regardless of whether this final album is good and whatever debates exist about the band’s catalog of releases, you cannot deny Megadeth’s legacy and achievements.  I’m going to review this in a way I’ve never done before.  We are going to roll with a PASS/FAIL system with a cumulative opinion at the end.  

Tipping Point – PASS 

It’s never good to start with the best song on the record.  If a band does that, the rest is usually a letdown if the quality doesn’t stay at the same level.  I had no clue “Tipping Point” would be the preeminent song on the record until I got through the whole thing.  Yeah, you can see where this is going already. It’s a strong song that should’ve introduced a formidable album.  It has fire, cohesive parts and the best vocal performance on the record.  With that said, some producer should’ve told Dave the “push me I’ll push you back” line is silly and unnecessary. 

I Don’t Care – FAIL

Oh boy.  Dave is making his best effort to channel the spirit of 80s Lee Ving.  Lyrically this reaches a level of embarrassment where someone so established shouldn’t stoop.  It’s such a strange attempt at a unifying, antiauthority battle cry.  Nobody is going to regard this as a new youth anthem and hold their fist or middle finger in the air while this is blasting through the speakers.  The intensity and music is nowhere near the opener.  What do the kids say?  Cringe?  Yeah, big cringe.

Hey God – FAIL

I’m sure Dave doesn’t realize he kind of ripped off a Détente riff which is the only positive thing to say about this dumpster fire.  This song goes nowhere.  I’m sure the song was written so the vocals could be the focal point, but the lyrics and vocal delivery are the equivalent to nails on a chalkboard.

Let There Be Shred – PASS

Typical, color-by-numbers thrash.  More horrendous lyrics.  “On the day I was born a guitar in my hand.”  Ok.  Next, you’ll be a cowboy riding a steel horse.  What I will give this song credit for are the guitar solos and overall energy.  This doesn’t mean it’s a great song, but certainly not a complete bottom feeder.

Puppet Parade – FAIL

Intensely bad.  This makes me think Dave is trying to do what he successfully achieved on “In My Darkest Hour.”  The problem is there is no emotion behind it and it comes off hollow and plods along like a overweight cow in a pasture.  That means it’s fucking boring.  What is that chorus?  It’s trying to be melodic but he forgot to put melody in it.  So weak and the worst song on this record.

Another Bad Day – FAIL

I was wrong.  This is the worst song.  This song and structure harken back to the time I started to dislike Megadeth’s trajectory.  This song sounds like it should have been shelved during the Countdown To Extinction era..  The guitar solo is the only bright spot on a dark pit of a song.

Made To Kill – PASS

Dammit if this song doesn’t start off pretty good.  The vocals aren’t anything to write home about, but the opening music is strong.  Then it happens…more garden variety thrash riffs.  Why do I have such a problem with these?  Because any band can pull this off.  The guitar parts don’t have that unique Megadeth style imprinted on them at all.  Yet, not a bad song.  For this album that isn’t saying much so far.  This would be a filler track on any stronger recording.

Obey The Call – FAIL

Heavy main riff that reminds me of something between slowed down Anthrax or Exodus, but then the chorus comes in and sends a decent idea straight to the trash can.  The speedy ending makes no sense.  This is where I have a huge issue with the song writing.  Megadeth were masters of building songs by creating tension and then giving the listener the payoff.  This song is three ideas stapled together without the use of transition or creativity.

I Am War – FAIL

I tried as much as I could to stay away from this critique because it could apply to every song so far, but Dave just sounds old and tired on this song.  The goddamn song is called “I Am War” and it’s so weak and mundane.  Zero fire or intensity.  Glam metal bands in the 80s used to have heavier riffs.

The Last Note – FAIL

And the extinguishing flame continues for the last ever Megadeth original.  This album goes out with a whimper.  An acoustic solo?  Really?  It doesn’t give it dynamics; it just sounds fragile.  What is supposed to come off as emotionally charged end up as pretentious drivel.  

Ride The Lightning – FAIL

This should never have been a concept in the first place.  Dave calls this a tribute to his past with Metallica, but it was all ego that initiated this shit-fest of a cover song.  Did he really think “Ride The Lightning” was how he could prove how much better Metallica songs would have been if he were still in the band?  I don’t care what he wrote with them.  Good god.  This song is iconic and no one should cover it.  He would have been so much better off choosing something from Kill ‘Em All to play with an unbridled fury.  This is just a horrible idea and what happens when your unattended jealousy gets the best of you.  Maybe Dave should’ve competed with one of his own better albums instead of the band whose shadow engulfed him since 1983.  This is making all their other bad cover song choices look pretty great now.

This was not an easy review on two different fronts.  The first problem is the album is not good and listening to it was a rough experience.  The bigger problem, though, is the internal argument it sparked between my 15-year-old self and my cynical, yet trying my best to be reasonable, 55-year-old self.  The 15-year-old year old is screaming out about how bad this album is and that if it were released in 1986 he still would’ve hated it.  It happened at various times with other albums that people give high praise such as And Justice For All, Practice What You Preach, Pleasures Of The Flesh and Frolic Through The Park.  Meanwhile, the 55-year-old is trying to present some logic with that bratty teenager, urging him to be more open-minded and respectful of a record made by a founding father of thrash metal; a musician with a 40-plus-year career who clearly put time, talent, and effort into creating something for his massive fanbase.  In the end, the 15-year-old won because this album mostly sucks rocks.  There are 3 decent songs on this record and 8 underwhelming compositions I never need to subject my ears to ever again.  I didn’t even review the extra songs that are floating around out there because they’re no better than anything that made the final cut of the record.  

Yet a couple of silver linings do exist on this lousy album.  Dirk Verbeuren is a phenomenal drummer that turns in a rock solid performance.  Don’t let the fact that the drums sound like they are covered with a wet blanket deter you from appreciating his effort.  The absolute highlight of the album is guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari.  Unfortunately, his astounding playing cannot save this record.  His solos deserve the spotlight they got in each song as he strikes a perfect balance of melody and technical ability.  I’m sure the bass player did a wonderful job, but I can’t tell.

The final struggle I had with reviewing this is similar to dealing with loss, in that a band that electrified me in the most sensational musical time in my life is going to be extinct.  When I look at it from that perspective, it doesn’t give me pleasure to degrade their final output.  Don’t get me wrong, this album is awful, but this is also the band that gave me Peace Sells and Killing Is My Business, which is something I have been and will continue to be grateful for because those albums continue to be a huge part of my life.  I, like the hundreds of thousands of Megadeth fans, owe the band and Dave Mustaine sincere gratitude for giving us their gift of music.  With that said, I’m going to hit up the first 4 Megadeth records and enjoy the memories.

Listen to "Tipping Point" here.