Month of Megadeth: So Far, So Good... So What?

Conclusion

Obvious drug fuelled dementia and a failed Sex Pistols cover nearly ruin this album. The band was listening to lots of punk while writing and recording this album, which would explain their lack of work ethic. Not bad, but not great. Recommended for Droogies only.

Review

"502" is the first track on the album that actually sounds like Megadeth really wanted to make this record for anything other than drug money.



Carmen Electra, star of Aerobic Striptease. Megadeth is one of the few bands she has not dated yet. Her DVD does not contain music that matches that of Megadeth, but the video footage is much more entertaining.

"In My Darkest Hour" features music Dave Mustaine wrote in tribute to Cliff Burton, Metallica's fallen warrior. It reveals the tender melodic side of Megadeth, much in the same vein as "Good Mourning/Black Friday" and "My Last Words" from Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?. These tracks follow a similar formula

• An extended and heartfelt arpeggio melody


• A sudden entrance of snarling guitars


• A smooth introduction of Mustaine's manic vocals


• Double time rhythm with more bite for your bark.

"In My Darkest Hour", and the album in general, differs from Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? in that it doesn't have the distinct jazz/fusion influences.

The stripped-down approach to writing and recording taken is the album's strongest feature, but also its Achilles heel.

The songs are mostly diamonds in the rough. They merely hint at the potential greatness they contain. The humble roots of Megadeth's most popular albums, Rust In Peace and Countdown To Extinction are evident, but this album never quite reaches that level of professionalism.

Useless information

• "Mary Jane" is not about marijuana. It is about a girl who dabbles in witchcraft, who then asks her father for forgiveness. Her father can't forgive her and she is buried alive as punishment instead.


• Guitarist Jeff Young is a graduate of the prestigious Musician's Institute, home of Paul Gilbert and other guitar pyrotechnicians.


• "Hook in Mouth" is about music censorship in America. It refers to the PMRC and George Orwell's 1984.


• All new Megadeth guitarists since Jeff Young have to go through what Dave Mustaine calls Rock Star 101. This is Mustaine's way of getting them accustomed to wearing ridiculously tight jeans, poodle hair and high-top sneakers.

This is part of the month of Megadeth series on the Necro Files. All the posts of the series are listed below:

• Peace sells, but who's buying?


• So far, so good, so what?


• Rust in peace


• Countdown to extinction

Track listing

1. Into the Lungs of Hell (Instrumental)


2. Set the World Afire


3. Anarchy in the U.K.


4. Mary Jane


5. 502


6. In My Darkest Hour


7. Liar


8. Hook In Mouth


9. Into the Lungs of Hell (Paul Lani Mix)


10. Set the World Afire (Paul Lani Mix)


11. Mary Jane (Paul Lani Mix)


12. In My Darkest Hour (Paul Lani Mix)

Personell

• Chuck Behler: drums.


• David Ellefson: bass; backing vocals.


• Dave Mustaine: guitar; lead vocals.


• Jeff Young: guitar.

Rating