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MEGADETH
The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!

UMe (2022)
Rating: 8/10

I guess I’m getting old because the last time I got excited about a Megadeth album was in 1990 when the brilliant Rust In Peace was released. Since then my interest, just like Dave Mustaine’s thrash, has waned and I’ve been on and off for decades, flitting in and out but occasionally finding some releases (Dystopia, 2016) to be more than reasonable efforts.

However, just like Metallica, Megadeth still spark debates as to whether they are thrash or not. I merely point people in the direction of damp squibs such as Super Collider (2013) to quash any rumours that Megadeth is still thrash. But on the rare occasion Mustaine, and whatever merry bunch of musicians that tags along with him, will venture into those sharper tactical nuances as showcased on Dystopia – but that was six years ago. Admittedly, my soft spot for Dave Mustaine and his recognisable sneer remains, and I’d much prefer to journey into his psyche than that of Metallica, the U2 of the heavy metal world.

And so we come to the next Megadeth chapter, and one which to an extent excites the metalhead in me, mainly because Steve DiGiorgio (Death, Testament, Sadus et al) plays bass, although it has since been announced that the new full-time bassist is journeyman James LoMenzo who previously featured for Megadeth from 2006-2010. Propping up Megadeth circa 2022 on percussion is Dirk Verbeuren, alongside axeman Kiko Loureiro, who have both been with Mustaine for around six years now.

The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!, Megadeth’s 16th full-length release, boasts 12 tracks, although certain editions feature two interesting but unnecessary extra tracks, both being cover versions which are ‘Police Truck’ (Dead Kennedy’s) and ‘This Planet’s On Fire’ (Sammy Hagar), with the latter feauring guest vocals from Hagar.

The album will certainly please those who seek something punchy and clinical. The batch of tracks issued with videos pre-album release certainly suggested the band were harkening back to the classic years, but then again bands of this ilk often do that; draw you in then leave you feeling underwhelmed. Even so, the snarling speed metal energy of ‘We’ll Be Back’ is riddled with head-to-head Mustaine / Loureiro shredding as those whiffs of 1988’s So Far, So Good… So What! fill the nostrils and war-torn images flash before the eyes to a soundtrack of hammering percussion and Megadeth’s usual clinical scything.

‘Life In Hell’ is equal in its intensity as is the aggressive ‘Célebutante’ and ‘Sacrifice’ which will please the thrashers, while the mid-tempo fires of ‘Soldier On’, ‘The Dogs Of Chernobyl’ and ‘Killing Time’ hit like juggernauts, bolstered by the swirling bass lines and that typical seething technicality.

I’m certainly of the opinion that since his cancer scare that Mustaine has found a renewed vigour within his soul, and even Ice-T’s rather cheesy appearance on ‘Night Stalkers’ can be forgiven because musically it’s so belligerence and cutting. Don’t get me wrong, I love Ice-T but hearing him boom “Game’s over bitches!” transports me back to metal’s hazy heyday when every band and its dog were trying to be hip-hop. Thankfully, Mustaine’s snarl and those dazzling slices of axe work just take this opus to new realms as the riff machines roll, twist and cavort but remain clear, concise and complex.

What I really like about this record is the theatrical elements and numerous storylines ranging from the plague to tales of American black-ops and to Chernobyl’s abandoned dogs, but there’s also a sense of classic rock dynamics too when one hears the title track or the cosmically designed ‘Mission To Mars’. And one also must refer to some of the infectious choruses on offer as with ‘Junkie’, even if there are moments laced with cheesiness.

Of course, there will still be those “fans” expecting Rust In Peace part two, but all I can say to that is just move on and be thankful we still have Mr. Mustaine around to rip our ears with what is a revitalised Megadeth and one which continues to provide outstanding virtuoso performances but also showcase the power of the unit too, whoever that may include. For me, the inclusion of DiGiorgio is a blessing, albeit a short-lived one, but The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead! remains a potent and polished offering, even if its cover art resembles a console game.

Neil Arnold

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