MEGADETH
"Killing is my business. . ."
Loud Records
4/5
MEGADETH fans have had their wallets hit hard for the last few years with a "Greatest Hits," a "Behind the Music," a "Live" a new studio disc and now this, the first of what will be a full catalog re-issue campaign. After all is said and done was all the overtime worked to pay for this stuff worth it? Of course and this re-issue is almost the perfect example as to why.
Dave Mustaine went back into the studio to rework the sound on this one himself and while he was at it he decided to go with different cover art as well. As for the updated sound, it blesses the music with clarity not available to the technology of the time it was originally recorded but leaves the overall feel unchanged. Each track cuts like a sledgehammer, that is to say, imprecise and bludgeoning but that is what a true Metal-head is looking for anyway. Play all the notes you want but please kick my ass Dave, and Dave does. The cover, well I like the original better because it was completely raw and Metal cheesy for the times but the new one isn't bad and in all honesty I don't think anybody is buying this for the cover anyway.
Beyond what was already mentioned there are some other additions that incite purchase, most notably the bonus tracks. These three bonus tracks represent the earliest MEGADETH recordings and are each the first demos of the first three tracks to the record. They have an extreme garage quality to them that allows you to feel the true intentions of that pissed off guy who was just booted from METALLICA for being an asshole. Pure gold as far as rare and unreleased MEGADETH goes and one can only hope that the rest of the re-issues follow suit although that is doubtful as Dave Mustaine isn't assisting in their re-issue or so it has been reported but who knows, maybe there are a few more gems out there.
For those who really get into the nitty-gritty of why and how things occurred each track is commented on by Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson. In addition there are a few further paragraphs by the MEGA-duo as well as long time friend and early supporter Scott Ian of ANTHRAX. Not exactly script material for a moivie of the week but damn fine Metal reading for sure.
The only bitch about the whole thing comes with "These Boots" which is included here replete with an endlessly annoying sensor bleep. Apparently the words written by Mustaine to differentiate this version from the original were not to the liking of the songs composer so it was either bleep or be cut from the record totally. If MEGADETH couldn't secure right to the song as it should be heard they should have just left the damned thing off. The full story of the beeping is explained in the liner notes so no reason to go on about it here. In short, the re-issue of "Killing" has a single flaw, "Boots," but that seems to have been beyond their control so subtract a review point, skip the track and get on with the bangin'!
"Killing is my business. . ."
Loud Records
4/5
MEGADETH fans have had their wallets hit hard for the last few years with a "Greatest Hits," a "Behind the Music," a "Live" a new studio disc and now this, the first of what will be a full catalog re-issue campaign. After all is said and done was all the overtime worked to pay for this stuff worth it? Of course and this re-issue is almost the perfect example as to why.
Dave Mustaine went back into the studio to rework the sound on this one himself and while he was at it he decided to go with different cover art as well. As for the updated sound, it blesses the music with clarity not available to the technology of the time it was originally recorded but leaves the overall feel unchanged. Each track cuts like a sledgehammer, that is to say, imprecise and bludgeoning but that is what a true Metal-head is looking for anyway. Play all the notes you want but please kick my ass Dave, and Dave does. The cover, well I like the original better because it was completely raw and Metal cheesy for the times but the new one isn't bad and in all honesty I don't think anybody is buying this for the cover anyway.
Beyond what was already mentioned there are some other additions that incite purchase, most notably the bonus tracks. These three bonus tracks represent the earliest MEGADETH recordings and are each the first demos of the first three tracks to the record. They have an extreme garage quality to them that allows you to feel the true intentions of that pissed off guy who was just booted from METALLICA for being an asshole. Pure gold as far as rare and unreleased MEGADETH goes and one can only hope that the rest of the re-issues follow suit although that is doubtful as Dave Mustaine isn't assisting in their re-issue or so it has been reported but who knows, maybe there are a few more gems out there.
For those who really get into the nitty-gritty of why and how things occurred each track is commented on by Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson. In addition there are a few further paragraphs by the MEGA-duo as well as long time friend and early supporter Scott Ian of ANTHRAX. Not exactly script material for a moivie of the week but damn fine Metal reading for sure.
The only bitch about the whole thing comes with "These Boots" which is included here replete with an endlessly annoying sensor bleep. Apparently the words written by Mustaine to differentiate this version from the original were not to the liking of the songs composer so it was either bleep or be cut from the record totally. If MEGADETH couldn't secure right to the song as it should be heard they should have just left the damned thing off. The full story of the beeping is explained in the liner notes so no reason to go on about it here. In short, the re-issue of "Killing" has a single flaw, "Boots," but that seems to have been beyond their control so subtract a review point, skip the track and get on with the bangin'!
