Megadeth’s style of music has long been touted as "thinking man's metal." With their newest disc and first for Roadrunner Records, vocalist/guitarist/chief songwriter Dave Mustaine hasn’t put so much thought into an album musically or lyrically since Rust In Peace or Countdown to Extinction. Case in point: I'd listened to United Abominations three times casually. I was a bit disappointed. But, when I listened closely on my iPod through the headphones while vacuuming and mopping my house, I suddenly realized this is a very complex record. It needs and deserves more than a casual listen.
The title is laughable at first, but it’s Mustaine's view that the United Nations is a joke as a global peacekeeping entity. Time and again, when the U.N. should have stepped in, they didn’t. The artwork of the album is semi-comical yet intense, with our favorite musical mascot Vic Rattlehead becoming a human in order to destroy the U.N. Lyrical highlights include “Never Walk Alone… A Call to Arms,” which features blatantly Christian lyrics due to Dave’s religion. But that will be lost on casual fans. “Amerikhastan” is certain to turn some heads due to its controversial nature, but lyrically it likens the radical religions of the Middle East to the people of the U.S.A. We’re not all that different according to Mustaine; we just live in a different part of the world where our actions and words are construed as dissimilar.
Musically, this is classic Megadeth. No, really. This time it’s for real. The chorus of “Gears Of War” hearkens back to “Peace Sells.” The whole album is the fastest and most technical thing the band has done in a long time. The aforementioned “Amerikhastan” has a slug load of guitar solos reminiscent of “Hangar 18.” Glen Drover (guitar), Shawn Drover (drums), and James Lomenzo (bass) make up one of the best lineups Megadeth has ever had. And vocally Mustaine sounds exactly the same as he did 20 years ago, which is an amazing testament to his fortitude.
The lead single is a remake of the band’s 1994 hit “A Tout Le Monde,” this time featuring current metal diva Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil on vocals alongside Dave. This sort of reeks of a sellout, and word on the street is that Roadrunner asked Mustaine to do this track in order to allow his blatantly Christian and politically charged lyrics on the rest of the album. All that being said, the video for the song is pretty good.
Some have said this is a logical follow-up to Youthanasia. Nope! It's much better. It's a reasonable follow-up to Rust In Peace, which is really saying something. Because that was truly Megadeth’s pinnacle.
As for the vacuuming? Yeah, I may clean my house instead of my wife, but my music is heavier than yours, and it'll kick your collection's ass any day!
Key Tracks: “Washington Is Next!,” “Gears Of War,” and “Amerikhastan.”
Reviewed by Chad Olson |
