Mustaine and company return with Megadeth’s 15th studio album: Dystopia.
https://vimeo.com/152370683
Text Review:
When one of the big four releases a new album it instantly gets the attention of everyone in the metal community. And when your band reaches back to 1983, you have quite the reputation to live up to. Even with a legacy of over a dozen studio albums ranking from legendary to confusing, you’d have to be in a coma as a metal fan to not get interested about a new Megadeth album.
Dystopia marks the 15th album from Mustaine and Ellefson, bringing in new members Loueiro and Adler. After 20+ years you might wonder how a person or group of people can stay focused on something they think is worth the effort AND something to be proud of. And while the band’s previous release Super Collider left a warzone of mixed reviews, Dystopia looks to be a completely different beast.
And when it comes to thrash and speed there are few topics that can fit better than that of a destroyed and fruitless future. When asked about the direct theme of the new album, Mustaine said to Team Rock online: “People have manners and morals – but lately there’s been a decline in how people treat one another. That’s where Dystopia comes in. If people start loving each other and helping those in need – then when that becomes more important than power, fame or money then I think we’re going to be okay.”
And several months ago we were given the title track to this post-apocalyptic soundtrack. While everyone was wondering with concern on what the new Megadeth album style would be, fear was cast completely aside with a both a sigh of relief and a jolt of excitement when we heard Mustaine and company shred an epic of an album introduction.
The title track is the deep based high riffed staple of a song that most people crave from Megadeth. When you hear this song for the first time it becomes the refreshing moment of realization that Megadeth still has a fire under them. Even with the bridge into a side track a little over half way into the track, Dystopia truly has the identity of Megadeth at their best.
Lyrically, this song is instantly memorable after hearing just a few lines. It’s reminiscent of T.S. Elliot’s The Wasteland. You can take separate lines out of the song and get a grim image of what Dystopia represents and Megadeth just amplifies it in this song. Dystopia kicks down the door, drags you by the throat and drops your head right next to the speaker and you are unable to move.
Throughout the album you will notice a change in speed. Dystopia the album starts out with the pedal to the floorboard and after half way though the tracks slow down slightly. But it’s in those moments of lower sound do you realize just how deep and brutal Megadeth still are, even in 2016.
Songs like the Title Track, The Emperor, Fatal lllusion and The Threat Is Real are the ones that stand out the most on Dystopia. They show what Megadeth are best at in frantic fretwork and fast paced grumbling bass with Mustaine giving his signature grunge like voice in a metalfest.
While the album does slowdown in the center a bit and the ending track leaves on a bit of a cliffhanger instead of a burning moment, Dystopia more than makes up for it on a majority of the songs you will hear. This album will demand your attention when you hear it from the very first listen and it will leave an imprint on you making you want to replay many of these songs as soon as they are over.
When Mustaine sings and shreds throughout an album filled with dour and grim topics, it should put you in a bad mood. But in reality, Dystopia leaves you feeling alive after listening to it, not least of reasons being that Megadeth still knows how to deliver something strong 23 years after their beginning.
Overall, Megadeth has proven that Dystopia is a future worth living in. While it may not be perfect, the songs that stand out will make owning this album worth every cent you pay. Forget about the past misfires of Super Collider and Risk, and embrace this Dystopian future. It’s the album from Megadeth that many of us can get behind.
