Endgame

Megadeth has been a band that seems to be slipping further and further into the abyss over the years. With average albums and Dave Mustaine getting older and older, nobody thought Megadeth could get out of the well before it completely flooded. This is defiantly a step in a positive direction

“Endgame” begins with the instrumental “Dialectic Chaos” which is actually a very good start. “This Day We Fight” is a fast, chaotic song with a nice solo. Similar to the past two opening songs on previous Megadeth albums. Mediocre writing plagues this album, and “44 Minutes” is a good example of that. Many of the lines just seem cheesy and forced. The song itself isn’t too bad if you can’t get passed the writing. Some tracks do get past this problem. “Headcrusher” I must admit kicks some serious ass. Everything about this piece is what Dave promised. It’s the best song on the album.

Dave Mustaine’s vocals have gotten much better over the years. His performance here is quite good and consistent, as well as his guitar playing. Chris Broderick has lived up to the expectations and he does a fantastic job. The solo’s are unique in there own way and he brings back something Megadeth have been missing for a long time. Shawn Dover does his job here on drums, nothing really surprising, and the bass playing is what you’d expect it to be from James LoMenzo.

“Bite the Hand That Feeds,” “Bodies,” “Endgame,” and “The Hardest Part of Letting Go… Sealed With A Kiss,” are all just too boring and mundane to really enjoy. There not entirely dreadful, but just bland. While this album does have some bright spots, the same old problems still remain here. Very spotty writing, the aura of filler, and the same old song repackaged. If you hated “United Abominations” and almost gave up on Megadeth, this will change your mind. It has more speed, which is what the die-hards wanted, and talent. However I was left with the question “That’s it? That’s what I’ve been waiting for?” Give it a shot, you might have a different opinion. Not the best Megadeth album, but a step in the right direction.