I have Capitol Punishment just to add to the collection.

The World Needs A Hero is a great album IMO, Al Pitrelli at least IMO fit in well and it worked. It does sound a little weak but I can't pinpoint why. I remember when this came out it grabbed me right away only 2 Megadeth albums haven't grabbed me right away, Youthanasia & Endgame.

Capital Punishment was just a contract fullfillment and not much more.

TWNAH was certainly a step in a better direction and while it's a good album it does suffer production-wise and there just doesn't seem to be all that much chemistry going on here between these guys.

With that said, Dread and the Fugitive Mind is one of my favorite 'Deth tracks.

Captiol Punishment, as far as "Best of" things go, is great. Kill The King is one of the best Deth tunes ever, and I kinda like the little medley at the end.

The World Needs A Hero...well, it's good. That's really all I can say about it. I know it's supposed to be the big 'return to form', but I didn't really want a return to form. I wanted some more experiments, some more 'risks'. Instead, TWNAH just sounds a bit forced to me, and to quote Spec, extreme for the sake of being extreme. I'm fine with bombastically heavy, but there's gotta be some songwriting to back it up, and I don't think this one fully delivered in that department. That being said, I still like this album, and there's plenty of great songs. Moto Psycho, Dread And The Fugitive Mind, and the total Diamond Head ripoff "When" are all really good.

Way behind here.

Cryptic Writings - decent enough release. A few good tunes on it.

Risk - I only ever heard Crush 'Em and was not impressed.I've read/head nothing but bad things about it so I never tried getting it. I suppose some day but it's not high priority.

Capitol Punishment - don't have it.

The World Needs A Hero - I really like it. There's some cool tunes on it especially the title track,When and Losing My Senses.

CAPITOL PUNISHMENT - decent enough compilation I guess. I got a copy for free from my reporter friend who'd received two promos, so for that price I'm not gonna complain. I rarely listen to it nowadays though.

THE WORLD NEEDS A HERO ... I can't put my finger on exactly why, but this album never grabbed me by the nards. I was just as happy as everyone else to see them leave the 90s commercial sound behind, but to me WORLD NEEDS A HERO just seems like it hadn't spent enough time in the oven, i.e. it's a little half baked. It's almost like Mustaine, stung by the RISK debacle, thought to himself "So they want a heavy record again huh? I'll show 'em heavy!" but he'd spent so long tripping thru the radio rock wilderness that he'd sort of forgotten how to be truly heavy.

There are a few tracks that I like. It starts off pretty strong with "Disconnect," "Dread and the Fugitive Mind," and "Motopsycho" but there's a noticeable dip in quality for the rest of the album, aside from the excellent late-inning "Return to Hangar" the rest of the songs are either mediocre or blah. The chorus of the title track is just irritating as hell, the ballad "Promises" is one of the worst pieces of crap Mustaine has ever put to tape (ditto for the godawful break up song, "1000 Times Goodbye," with the silly-as-hell spoken dialogue between Dave and a girl...ugh!) and "Losing My Senses" was just... Zzzzzzzzzzz. Oh yeah, and Dave should be ashamed of himself for ripping off Diamond Head wholesale on the song "When."

So for me TWNAH was about 50% cool and 50% sub-par. I suppose I was disappointed because of all the advance hype about how it was going to be this big return-to-form album but it didn't quite deliver.

By the way, the cover art is pretty dumb too. It's even dumber on the censored version sold @ Wal-Mart, which has a big surgical screen/bandage thingie covering up the bloody, gaping wound on Mustaine's chest.

Rude Awakening (March, 19th 2002)

1.Dread And The Fugitive Mind
2.Kill The King
3.Wake Up Dead
4.In My Darkest Hour
5.Angry Again
6. She Wolf
7.Reckoning Day
8.Devil's Island
9.Train Of Consequences
10.A Tout Le Monde
11.Burning Bridges
12.Hangar 18
13.Return To Hangar
14.Hook In Mouth

Disc 2:
1.Almost Honest
2.1000 Times Goodbye
3.Mechanix
4.Tornado Of Souls
5.Ashes In Your Mouth
6.Sweating Bullets
7.Trust
8.Symphony Of Destruction
9.Peace Sells
10.Holy Wars

Originally going out on tour for The World Needs A Hero in the summer of 2001, Rude Awakening was to have been shot for video and audio in Argentina and be released as the band's first offical live release. Due to the events of September 11th, the band was forced to cancel the rest of the tour, so the band would eventually play two nights in Arizona that would make up the live album and DVD.

So just how is Megadeth's first offical live offering? Bland, unfortunately. The instruments all sound great and clean in the mix, guitars being note perfect, powerful plodding bass and aggressive drums. The vocals however, whether it be Mustaines or the backing vocals lack alot of power here, and are often off key and breaking here in other parts. Vocals may never have been his strong point, but he used to have a forceful growl, which now just seems to be lost and strained at points. Although, he does still manage to pull off the growls. However, its quite clear that theyve also been tampered with, as they're ULTRA clean and crisp on this release despite Dave's lack of forcefulness, but you can only polish a turd so much.

So what exactly is the problem? It sounds too perfect, despite the lacking vocal performance all the music is executed to a perfect technical T, which as a result makes the extended solos (She Wolf for example) come off as bland redundant, despite sounding good. As a result, its not really a good indicator of Megadeth live. It IS a good indicator thanks to the mix and the enhancements at how adept they are at the instruments and how well the songs are written. Another plus is how well the older and newer tracks flow together whether its "Wake Up Dead" following "Kill The King" or the deliberate tandem of "Hangar 18" and "Return To Hangar". A filling testament to their ability as musicans but just doesn't hold water as a "live" recording. There's much more satisfying live Deth about on bootlegs.

LOVE this one. The extended solos, the weirdo crowd banter from Dave....it's just awesome. If the only complaint you can muster up is "too perfect", then you really can't complain.

I am surprised you did not like at that much DC, I have to agree that sound maybe too perfect but overall I enjoyed the vibe and the show. I thought Mustain sounded great and that the band was firing on all cylinders. Sure this is not the definitive Megadeth line up but I loved it. BTW I am basing my reactions to the DVD since I donot own the CD version of this concert.

Also this (so far) is the last Megadeth album I own so this ends my particapation but I look forward to reading the thread as it continues to work thru the rest of the catalog.

I had the DVD, and concluded that Megadeth were now boring live, so I traded it in.

I like it well enough but I'd rather watch it on DVD, I actually like the intro Train Of Consequences & the live version of Hook In Mouth is better IMO.

I like this one because when I saw Megadeth on that tour, the set-list was pretty much identical to this release (even some of the stage banter is similiar). So while I wasn't actually there, having this recording is almost like having a copy of the Philly show.

Also, the version I have is from Best Buy which included an extra song, the 'Peace Sells Medley' featuring parts of 'Anarchy in the UK' and 'Paranoid'.

I liked this one more before, That One Night, came out. Still a good album and showed Dave could still pull it off live.

Hidden Treasures - Really cool collection of oddities. I wish more bands would do stuff like this.

Cryptic Writings - A lot of filler on this one, in my opinion, so it's a disappointing follow up to the awesome Youthanasia but "A Secret Place" is one of my favorite songs by the band and "Trust", "Almost Honest", "Mastermind" and "I'll Get Even" are great.

Risk - I probably actually like this one more than most people. Favorites: "Insomnia", "Crush'Em", "Breadline", "The Doctor Is Calling", "I'll Be There", "Wanderlust"

Capitol Punishment - My first Megadeth album. It's a great compilation but I also really enjoyed the two new songs.

The World Needs A Hero - I was excited for this one, but it was a bit of a letdown. I just listened to it a few weeks ago, it's good, but not great.

Rude Awakening - Not a fan of live albums in general, not a fan of this one specifically. That One Night easily blows this away.

Don't tell me this thread is done...

We're just having a dramatic pause.

Still, Alive...and Well? (December 2002)

1. Time/Use The Man (Live)
2. The Conjuring (Live)
3. In My Darkest Hour (Live)
4. Sweating Bullets (Live)
5. Symphony Of Destruction (Live)
6. Holy Wars (Live)
7. Moto Psycho
8. Dread And The Fugitive Mind
9. Promises
10. The World Needs A Hero
11. Burning Bridges
12. Return To Hangar


After going through a kidney stone operation, Dave Mustaine went through a relapse caused by his pain medication. To make matters worse, while in the treatment center he developed radial neuropathy in his left arm, which devastatingly left him unable to play. Most unfortunately, the decision was made to permanently disband Megadeth which ultimately made sense. Sanctuary records however, demanded one last album, and another bastard child of a compilation was born!

Realistically, unless you're ultra obsessed, this disc is totally worthless. All it consists of is 6 tracks a piece from Megadeth's two albums for Sanctuary. Which granted, the first two were not on Rude Awakening so you do get some sort of "Unreleased material" to satisfy that fetish, but nothing spectacular. The album then being rounded out by studio tracks from The World Needs A Hero, which aren't exactly the best picks either (honestly, did anyone really need to hear that title track again? no way). Aside from the cool title, and the two unreleased tracks, there's nothing even really appealing about this, only for super die hards or someone looking to preview the inital "rebuild" stage.

The System Has Failed (September 14th, 2004)

1. Blackmail The Universe
2. Die Dead Enough
3. Kick The Chair
4. The Scorpion
5. Tears In A Vial
6. I Know Jack
7. Back In The Day
8. Something That I'm Not
9. Truth Be Told
10. Of Mice And Men
11. Shadow Of Deth
12. My Kingdom


After going through nearly a year of physical therapy, recovery and re-learning his instrument Dave Mustaine set out and began recording what was to be his first solo album. Opting to do the new album with session musicans, recording was begun in October 2003 with Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, and Jimmy Sloas on bass. In early 2004, Capitol approached Dave with an oppurtunity to re-master Megadeth's back catalogue for that label, and thinking it was a great idea, put the record on hold to seize the oppurtunity. After destroying the originals with the ultra-dick move of remixing in some places as well, Dave returned to his newest recordings. Apparently due to some outstanding obligation to EMI, Megadeth was ressurected for another go around. Originally setting out to ressurect the most classic line-up of the band for the album, with Nick Menza initally signing on, neither Dave Ellefson or Marty Friedman could reach an agreement to re-join, and Ellefson's absence would become a controversy of its own later on. In a total shock to the system and an awesome surprise, Chris Poland signed on as the final session musician to contribute lead guitar.

Chris Poland and Vinnie Colaiuta on the same album is not only fusion heaven, but would make this album worth getting alone just for the concrete and fluid playing. Now, as a Megadeth album, is it a return to form? You bet your leather clad ass it is! Not only is it a return, but it is without a doubt the strongest, most poignant, ferocious & complex album Dave Mustaine has put out since Countdown To Extinction easily. While it's not a full on thrash throwback, it grabs the vibe from those days and consumates it perfectly with the modern heavy metal style of newer Deth. This is EXACTLY what a modern, evolved Megadeth should sound like, and its about damn time. If that wasn't enough to make this worthwhile for ya, the album is a total shred fest too, Poland pretty much melts you into a puddle with his solos on this record, not to mention him and Mustaine ripping fretboards together (see: Kick The Chair). The rhythm section is flat out amazing as well, Vinnie's drumming is pulverizing and compliments the songs perfectly, with some chunky, driving bass lines thrown in as well. Also infusing the best melodic writing and playing Deth has done in years, with well thought out passionate, and personal lyrics makes this the epitome of what Megadeth at large was, and a near perfect amalgam of the two best eras of the band. It does however hit some of the shortcomings previously showcased, the spoken word parts that go on way too long, and hints of Dave trying too hard to sound like chart burning Megadeth, Die Dead Enough being an overall good example of the latter despite the awesome solos. It might not be their best, but it certainly blew away all the other classic bands at the time, and ranks right alongside Classic 'Deth with a reckless malice long thought forgotten.

Killer tracks: Blackmail The Universe, Kick The Chair, The Scorpion, Back In The Day, Tears In A Vial, Shadow Of Deth

Good overview. I thought that System Has Failed was return to form as well. Blackmail the Universe and Kick the Chair both annihilate!

I was surprised at how much I liked "The system has failed"... Didn't know bout the attempt for the "classic" line up. Don't think it would of sounded the same ?

Was Blackmail the Universe the song they made a video for? I remember seeing a new Megadeth video in 2004 from that album.