Megadeth

Youthanasia

"Youthanasia" is slightly underrated

Review Score:

(10/10)
In 1990 Megadeth's creativity had reached a zenith. It culminated on the album "Rust in Piece", which was a gift as well as a curse, because any work they made subsequently would be unfairly judged in comparision with it's predecessor. Such is the case with "Youthanasia". Released in 1994, I remember being more-than-satisfied upon it's arrival, but some fans bemoaned the album, saying it's not up to par with the afformentioned "Rust in Peace". Needless to say, these folks are hard to please.

The liner notes on "Youthanasia" are pretty thorough, with many thank-yous by the band and full lyrics. Some striking photos and painting's are also included. The boys had long-hair, even though the trend was going out of style. However for that reason the boys deserve credit, for sticking to their guns alone. The production on this album is spectacular.

The opening track rocks steadily with a good chord section towards the end. The drums thumping flow right into "Train of consequences". I remember the hit locomotive video. The lyrics are creative with Train metaphors abound.

"Addicted to chaos" churns in fine fashion. "Elysian fields" boasts a demonic backing voice during the verses and a melody-induced chorus.

"The killing Road" is fueled by a constant riff. The lyrics go "I lost my mind/I lost all my money/I lost my life to the Killing Road."

"Blood of Heroes" encapsulates a haunting main-frame. The opening lick of "Family Tree" will uplift you, but that feeling will be short-lived as a murky bass line kicks in and the lyrics take on a sadder tone. This quick atmospheric shift deserves praise. Dave Mustaine's sings in a catchy way on "I thought I knew it all". Prior to preparing for my review I hadn't listened to this album in 3 years. There's a few songs that stuck with me in that span, and the latter is one of 'em.

"Black curtains" goes from a thumping intro to a head-nodding groove. The lyrics to "Victory" sum up the bands history in a nutshell, naming albums, songs, etc.

"Youthanasia" debuted in the Top 10 on the BillBoard album charts and proved that Heavy Metal could still be a viable entity in the wake of Grunge. It's a must-have album. Order your copy today.

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