Sixteen albums. Wow. That’s what The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead! marks for Dave Mustaine and his current Mega-Crew. There have been ups, downs, and a couple of absolutely essential albums in amongst those releases with the band really getting back into the groove with Dystopia which was, amazingly, six years ago. Time flies when you have a pandemic and write off 18 months or so. There’s also been Mega-Dave’s own battle with throat cancer, which will undoubtedly have affected the usual 3-4 year release cycle.
Listening closely, there does seem a slight change in the timbre of his voice on this new release, but the trademark sneary growl is still very much pleasingly present. His permanently pissed off vocal style is now very much at odds with the dopey grandad personality we’re seeing a lot of on social media (which I freaking love), but I guess it’s a bit late to change something that recognisable after nigh on 40 years of being a frontman. It’d be a bit like Jim Hetfield actually learning to sing at long last. Shots fired!
While the album is very much a latter-day Megadeth effort, it manages to hark back through the band’s entire history in terms of its overall sound. Hell, title track has a brief sequence that wouldn’t be out of place on an Alice Cooper song. There are some wonderfully simple riffs dotted around, with the twin guitars working as well as they ever have. LoMenzo’s bass is nicely balanced just in the background and carries things along while Verbeuren continues to be a more than capable sticksman.
If you like what we do, consider joining us on Patreon for as little as £1 per month!
“Life In Hell” shows that Megadeth are still happy to ramp up the speed, but the Ice-T guesting “Night Stalkers” really rattles along at breakneck pace with guitar flurries and 15 second solos aplenty. Another highlight track with has a bit of an old-school feel is “Junkie”. One wonders if this is a bit reflective on Mustaine’s part, given his openness about past addiction issues.
If I had to pick a track that really nails the album, though, it’s “Soldier On!”. A positive message from a dystopian viewpoint, a non-stop driving beat, multi-layered sounds, headbanging rhythm, great chorus… It’s quintessential modern-day Megadeth laden with references to their classic sound. On the other end of the scale is “Mission to Mars” which is probably the quirkiest thing I’ve heard from the band since “Dawn Patrol”. The fact that the Seven Sister of Pleiades respond to Dave’s offhand “Hello, ladies” in the song is… odd! It doesn’t stop the song being good, but you get the feeling that Dave and co had a little more fun with this track than the others. It’s a bit of a playground. And that “Rust In Peace” reference is as subtle as Vic Rattlehead knocking on your front door with a Saturn V rocket.
If you want real old school, though, then head straight for the closing track “We’ll Be Back”. I’m taking this as a hint that they’ve already written album seventeen and it’s just sat waiting for cover art. Fans will recognise “Black Friday”‘s vocal riff being given a dusting off and paired with some new-fangled blistering guitars.
As a big fan of Megadeth, I’ll be the first to admit that they had a bit of a nadir some years ago with a handful of fairly forgettable released. Super Collider was better than many people reckoned, but was still not quite there. Dystopia was a huge step forward, getting back to where the band had been back in the day. The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead! brings them back into the now. The guitars in particular absolutely shine on this release, and I’d definitely say it’s the best album they’ve released this century. And we get to see them headline Bloodstock next year as well. Be still my thrashing heart.
Don’t fancy Patreon? Buy us a one-off beverage!
The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead! is out on September 2nd
Check out all the bands we review in 2022 on our Spotify and YouTube playlists!
Megadeth: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify | youtube
