Review of Politics of Ecstasy by Nevermore

Conclusion

Soaring vocals, snarling guitar riffs and incredibly inventive playing. Plus it is a concept album, so I'm sold.

Review

Jeff Loomis plays guitar for Nevermore. You really should need no further convincing, but Pat O'Brien exchanges riffs of Hades with Loomis on this album. It rarely gets better than this.

It took me quite a while to get used to Van Williams' metronome-like drumming. At first, I didn't really get into it because I am accustomed to flashy drummers like Richard Christy, who employ loads of cymbals. After a while, the incredible precision took its toll and I can't really picture any other drummer in Nevermore.

Van Williams employs more drums, making his playing more brutal. That's the ultimate strength of this band - every player is a merited working part of the machine. This reminds me of what Legalism had in mind for government.

Legalism as personified by Nevermore

Legalism is one of the four prominent schools of Chinese philosophy during their Spring and Autumn period, the others being Taoism, Confucianism and Mohism.

Taoism deals with the true nature of matters, which is why Megadeth and Slayer personify Taoism in my books. Confucianism taught an unconditional hierarchy of specialised filial relationships while Mohism taught equality of all people, and these are not really applicable to Nevermore (or anywhere else, really).

Legalism on the other hand focuses on trying to establish a meritocracy.

Han Fei's proposals for leadership under legalism

1. Fa: Law or principle. It is obvious that metal is the law for Nevermore. Legalism considers all people equal before the law, but holds that the law must punish those who break the law and reward those who abide by it. This is why Trivium is punished with bottles of piss and Necrophagist is rewarded with awesome Ibanez guitar endorsements.


2. Shu: Secret tactics. These are used by the ruler to maintain the law. Nobody should be able to fathom the tactics of rule to the extent that they would want to establish rule by themselves. The idea is that subjects would see no other alternative to getting ahead other than following the law.
   
   When they follow the law, they think they are acting towards their own benefit. In principle, they are acting towards their own benefit within the meritocracy but they are also acting towards maintaining harmony. Nevermore's secret tactics include hiring jaw-dropping session musicians like Chris Broderick.


3. Shi: Legitimacy. The position of the ruler must hold power in itself by virtue of the law. The ruler is merely the catalyst for the law. Jeff Loomis is definitely a legitimate guitar god any way you look at it - legally or illegally.

Metal became known for death vocals lately, but some exponents still stick to the standards of Dio, Halford and Dickinson. Nevermore is one such band. While the vocals does get rough at points, it never goes into death growls. This means you can actually hear what Warrel Dane is singing about. Unlike Metallica, it's not a case of you'd rather not hear the tripe he is singing.


Jeff Loomis. Guitar god by day, merchant of menace by night.

The album title is from the book by Dr Timothy Leary of the same name, however Dane has stated that the album is more about control issues and spirituality than better living through chemistry. Thus, the album has more in common with politics than ecstasy. You really need not concern yourself with any of these concepts. The ultimate proof of a successful concept album is that the music speaks for itself, and it does on all Nevermore albums.

Track listing

1. The Seven Tongues of God


2. This Sacrament


3. Next in Line


4. Passenger


5. The Politics of Ecstasy


6. Lost


7. The Tiananmen


8. Precognition


9. 42147


10. The Learning


11. Love Bites (Bonus track)

Personell

• Warrel Dane: vocals.


• Jim Sheppard: bass.


• Jeff Loomis: guitar and rapture.


• Pat O'Brien: guitar.


• Van Williams: drums.

Rating

Month of Megadeth: Countdown to Extinction

Conclusion

After the success of Rust in Peace, Megadeth aims for the number one spot. A calculated balance between radio friendly song structures and a scorching line-up ready for immolation makes Countdown to Extinction one of the few heavy metal records with pop sensibilities that won't make you hurl.



PETA protesting against the use of fur. Even though I support seal clubbing, I must admit I prefer women without fur. I prefer them naked too.

Review

There's nowhere you can really go after a record like Rust in Peace. Of course, if Megadeth became louder and heavier, nobody would have complained. But Countdown to Extinction is a very good record, despite being lighter than its predecessor.

The 2004 remixed and remastered version features demos for the tracks "Countdown to Exctinction", "Symphony of Destruction" and "Psychotron". In the liner notes, Mustaine claims he felt a certain energy in the studio after about a week of recording. This energy told him that this record is the big one. The demos reveal just how perfectionist they were at this stage. Friedman and Mustaine tracked their guitars through tuners to ensure everything is perfect for the final recording.

Listening to the album, one can't help to notice this clinical perfectionism seeping through each track. Instead of sterilising the record, it helped to highlight the nuances in Megadeth's often complex tracks.

I used to listen to this album on cassette deck. My dad had a cassette of bird calls which was quickly transformed into a second generation copy of Countdown to Extinction. It made our mandatory game drives much more enjoyable for me, despite the fact that I got a hiding and gave my dad a headache.

The CD – now ripped to Megadeth mp3 for convenience – is in a state of pure digital perfection. Listening to it is truly awesome. Like Divine Intervention by Slayer, I can't really be objective about this record because I grew up with it. If you get a hiding for it, or if you get taken to the principal's office for a record, it automatically scores five skulls.

Useless information

• "Crown of Worms" features lyrics written by Sean Harris of Diamond Head. Mustaine tried to write music in a classic Motorhead style to fit the lyrics. I am grateful that they included this hard to find track on the remixed and remastered version.


• "Countdown to Extinction" is a song about canned hunting. The track won accolades from PETA and other pussies. Canned hunting is obviously much different than frolicking around in an animal's natural habitat with a hand weapon, so in this case I support PETA's views.


• "Ashes in Your Mouth" has some of my favourite guitar solos of all time.


• "Psychotron" is one of several Megadeth tracks about comic book characters. In this case, the topic is Deathlok, the demolisher.

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. Skin o' My Teeth


2. Symphony of Destruction


3. Architecture of Aggression


4. Foreclosure of a Dream


5. Sweating Bullets


6. This Was My Life


7. Countdown to Extinction


8. High Speed Dirt


9. Psychotron


10. Captive Honour


11. Ashes in Your Mouth


12. Crown of Worms


13. Countdown to Extinction (Demo)


14. Symphony of Destruction (Demo)


15. Psychotron (Demo)

Personell

• David Ellefson: bass.
• Marty Friedman: guitar.
• Nick Menza: drums.
• Dave Mustaine: guitars, vocals, rehab.

Rating

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

Month of Megadeth: Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?

Conclusion

This album rattles the bones in the catacombs of France from start to finish. Megadeth's second album and one of the pillars of thrash metal. The remixed and remastered edition also includes some of the original Randy Burns mixes for 4 tracks. Bitchin'!

Review

This album spews forth a quirky, histrionic bass line followed by a snarling guitar riff and some trademark 'James Hetfield's mother sells socks that smell' leads. This basically sets the premise for the rest of the album. Some glory from the days when each band tried to be faster, louder and meaner than the next while ironically still being friendly enough for MTV.


James Hetfield of Metallica. Megadeth is still a metal band while Metallica prefers making Dr Phil mockumentaries.

Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? was recorded before frontman David Mustaine became a Christian. The lyrics on this album are blissfully hedonistic, ranging form sex, drugs and Satan to mild political satire and social commentary. Now let that be a lesson to you. For supreme heavy metal, you need

• sex


• drugs


• Satan

On the cover, you will find Megadeth mascot Vic Rattlehead, who sits to the right hand of Iron Maiden's Eddie. Many of my pre-teen doodles featured Vic disembowelling various bastions of the establishment. The building in the background is the United Nations headquarters, portrayed after a nuclear holocaust.

The concept of the album is based on an article that alleged peace is easily achieved, but nobody really wants it. The article was written from the viewpoint that if peace were a product on sale, nobody would buy it. Sounds about right.

Useless information

• Guitarist Chris Poland and drummer Gar Sameulson were dismissed from Megadeth after The Red Haired One Dave Mustaine noticed lots of Megadeth gear going missing for crack money.


• Chris and Gar eventually found peace together in jazz/fusion outfit called the New Yorkers.


• Dave Mustaine was dismissed from Metallica after pouring beer into one of their bass guitars.

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. Wake Up Dead


2. The Conjuring


3. Peace Sells


4. Devil's Island


5. Good Mourning/Black Friday


6. Bad Omen


7. I Ain't Superstitious (Willie Dixon)


8. My Last Words


9. Wake Up Dead (Randy Burns Mix)


10. The Conjuring (Randy Burns Mix)


11. Peace Sells (Randy Burns Mix)


12. Good Mourning/Black Friday (Randy Burns Mix)

Personell

• David Ellefson: background vocals; bass guitar.


• Dave Mustaine: lead vocals; guitar.


• Chris Poland: guitar.


• Ed Repka: cover artwork.


• Gar Samuelson: drums.

Rating

Review of Divine Intervention by Slayer

Conclusion

The first real metal album I ever heard, and still probably the best. This is a completely biased review, because I love this album more than I love blonde lesbians making out with me.

I love this album almost as much as I love blonde bisexual girls making out with me. Every metal album I have heard since has been measured by Divine Intervention. The album, not the cow probing or the Elvis Presley U.F.O sightings.



Blonde bisexual girls making out with each other. Just kidding, this is 213 performed live by Slayer. Hell yeah!

Review

This album came out in 1994, the year grunge king Kurt Cobain committed suicide. Grunge was all the rage. Slayer hasn't delivered an album since 1990's Seasons In The Abyss. Since then, they lost a key member – drummer Dave Lombardo. Will Slayer bow down to the slacker grunge mediocrity of Pearl Jam and Nirvana? Nay nay.

Slayer gets new drummer Paul Bostaph to introduce this album with some wild drum rolls. After that, you get some awesome riffs with enough tempo changes to make Yes or King Crimson envious.

The seminal Thrash band is no stranger to controversy. Since the days of Angel of Death, Slayer has endorsed morbid imagery – enough so to cause some critics to accuse them of Satanic and Neo-Nazi views. Slayer adds fuel to the fire with Divine Intervention, firstly with the sleeve. The cover has a skeleton on a pentagram formed by swords – the band's emblem of sorts.

On the disk, you will find the image of a fan with the word 'Slayer' slashed into each wrist. I can just imagine how this lead to much misguided dabbling in Satanism and self-harm.

Various newspaper clippings are portrayed on the inside of the sleeve, with selected words blacked out. In typical anti-censorship, anti-government and anti-religious control stance. Albums like these are like alchemy. They turn you into metal.


Jane Austen, in all her pride and prejudice. Don't let her Victorian dress or her hessian underthings fool you. This lady had a bitter satirical bite. Apparently, she was no Slayer fan either.

Lyrically, this is no Jane Austen novel either.

• SS-3 refers to the license plate number of the car Reinhard Heydrich travelled in when he was shot.


• 213 is based on the dealings of Jeffrey Dahmer. 213 refers to his apartment number.

Reynhard Heydrich. Don't let the fancy suit fool you. This is a wicked, wicked man. Apparently, he's no Jane Austen fan either.

213 also features some of the sickest metal lyrics ever.

Death, love's final embrace
Your cool tenderness
Memories, keep love alive
Memories, will never die

Doesn't look like much, but once you know what the song is about it gets a bit more chilly.

Definitely still one of my favourite metal albums.

Track listing

1. Killing Fields


2. Sex. Murder. Art.


3. Fictional Reality


4. Dittohead


5. Divine Intervention


6. Circle of Beliefs


7. SS-3


8. Serenity in Murder


9. 213


10. Mind Control

Personell

• Tom Araya: bass; vocals.


• Jeff Hannemann: guitar.


• Kerry King: guitar.


• Paul Bostaph: drums.

Rating