Megadeth - Countdown to Extinction
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Category: Music CD
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CD Details
Artist: MegadethEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1992-07-14
Music Label: Capitol
Soundtracks:
- Skin O' My Teeth
- Symphony of Destruction
- Architecture of Aggression
- Foreclosure of a Dream
- Sweating Bullets
- This Was My Life
- Countdown to Extinction
- High Speed Dirt
- Psychotron
- Captive Honour
- Ashes in Your Mouth
Music reviews of Countdown to Extinction
Music Review: Megadeth's Best Has Just Gotten Even Better!
Rating: 4 Stars
I remember when I first heard this album I was simply blown away all those years ago. I didn't know until then just how intelligent and musically complex the Metal genre could be until I had heard this album and later the works of Metallica and Iron Maiden. I had heard of course the brilliant "Enter Sandman" by then but I never got the complete Metallica album until much later. In hindsight I'd say that it's a dead heat with regards which is the better album as they are both great in their own ways. Although a couple of tracks for me are forgettable on Metallica's Black album I just find every track on Countdown to be simply brilliant and certainly not a single filler track to be seen. Mustaine and Friedman are both brilliant kicking each other up the butt trying to upstage each other in solos (e.g. "High Speed Dirt") and pleasantly reminded me of how Duane and Dickey used to do the same way back when in the Allman Brothers Band to the delight of guitarists and fans alike.
This mlps (mini-lp replica sleeve) version though is a mixed bag. First the great news: this album has been very well remastered for an excellent sound and this is not surprising given Mustaine's personal involvement in the project. We get a very nice write-up my Mustaine himself in an insert which in addition to having all the lyrics in both English and Japanese has the essay by Dave called "Love And Bruises" where he talks about the remastered recording and his memories of the making of the album which he says: "Yeah, I knew that this was going to be the biggest record that I had ever made. And it has been a matter of trying to beat COUNTDOWN ever since. This remix may be the only way that I can beat this masterpiece; that is, by going in and making it sound a little bit better and including some of the history and outtakes from that period."
Dave needn't worry because this album sounds a whole lot better than the first cd I got all those years ago and it was like listening to a new modern day recording, what sound! The inner sleeve design is also nice faithfully replicating the original lp. The only beef I have with this and is why I only gave it 4 stars is the actual assembly of the mlps itself which is so disappointingly poor given the brilliance of the rest of the package. The cardboard is of thin poor quality and looks as if it will fall apart once the glue gets old and in fact mine's already starting to come apart. For examples of very well assembled mlps designs go see the ones done for the entire Hall & Oates reissue as well as those done for Queen and The Band which are simply works of art which showed those concerned had great pride in their work. Of course Mustaine cannot be blamed for this as he did his part in selecting great bonus tracks and remastering the content so well but whoever did the mlps design and assembly should be kicked in the nuts. The bonus tracks by the way are: "Crown of Worms" (an excellent track that should have been included in the original album to begin with), "Countdown To Extinction (Demo)", "Symphony of Destruction (Demo)" and "Psychotron (Demo)" all excellent tracks by the way.
I know many "fans" will hate any Metal that even remotely sounds melodious or commercial but if you are able to judge good music for what it is irrespective of the genre, you'll agree that this is excellent music and for me among the top 5 ever Metal albums ever made and is certainly overall given great songwriting, musicianship etc is Megadeth's best album. Listening to it again while writing this I still can't get over the excellent sound quality and remastering they did on this baby. Coldplay and today's "Metal" bands aren't worthy to tie Mustaine's shoes when you hear just how much better this album alone is to what's currently out there. Has anyone even come close to anything Megadeth, Metallica and Iron Maiden have ever done? I mean seriously!
In conclusion, this mlps version of an excellent album is a mixed bag because it costs a great deal and yet the cardboard sleeve is poorly designed and assembled but the great liner notes by Dave and the excellent sound quality somewhat makes up for this. You decide if this is still a value proposition enough for you to part with the serious mullah this retails at.
Peace!
Description of Countdown to Extinction
Limited Edition Japanese pressing of this album comes housed in a miniature LP sleeve and includes four bonus tracks. EMI. 2008.Megadeth is one of the few metal bands to have successfully handled the transition to the '90s, and Countdown to Extinction is proof positive; although considerably more streamlined and commercially oriented than their previous efforts, it's still a fine album, and arguably one of their best. Lead singer and guitarist Dave Mustaine's lyric-writing has improved, and the results can be heard on "Countdown to Extinction," "Symphony of Destruction," "Architecture of Aggression" (it's a rare songwriter who can make a line like that fit in a chorus), and "Foreclosure of a Dream". This is arena metal at its best; Countdown to Extinction (a reference not to genocide, as one might assume, but to endangered species) manages the difficult trick of being commercially appealing and musically sound at the same time. -- Genevieve Williams
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