Megadeth

Countdown To Extinction

This is not for the fainthearted! AOR fans stay away!

Review Score:

(10/10)
As many people will know Dave Mustaine could have been in Metallica. He was hanging around with the band in the early days and wrote "Ride The Lightning" with them. Now for someone to walk away from that is either very brave or very stupid. Mustaine has proved to be the former. This man has guts! He also writes some of the best kickass rock music you have ever heard. If you like sissy bands like Journey and REO Speedwagon do not buy this album. Highlights on Countdown...? There are many - the intro riff to "Sweating Bullets" will grab you like a giant claw and ensure you listen - or else...The intro to "Foreclosure of a Dream" also is awesome, very spooky and is the sort of thing, if you are a guitarist you will want to play again and again. The best track for me is probably "Symphony of Destruction". Apart from "Architecture of Aggression" it is possibly the heaviest track and has a really simple but gutbusting riff and Mustaine's voice is just right for the music. He can sing but sometimes he kind of narrates the lyrics with his snarl. Very cool. "High Speed Dirt" would make a good bikers' anthem and "This was my life" is also another stonkin rocker. Mustaine and Marty share lead duties and there is no shred here. The solos are very balanced and in context. If you like heavy rock you must have this in your collection. This was the first Megadeth album I bought and I will certainly buy the rest now.

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