The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead!

Even years after the classics Megadeth released in the 80’s and early 90’s, Dave Mustaine still finds a way to deliver refreshing music to the ears for not just the old school fans but a new generation of metal-heads like myself. I’ve been a fan of metal for quite a few years but only in the last few have I become enveloped into it the way so many hardcore fans are. Diving into new discographies constantly, playing out the same favorites time and time again, always fearing that the charm will wear off eventually, I always have a legitimate reason to play some music. And in this time, I’ve listened to Megadeth more than probably any other band. And that’s because Mustaine isn’t just a great musician and songwriter, it’s because he always finds a way to craft music in a way that makes it unique, but one can still tell it’s a Mustaine product. Yeah, maybe the voice is a giveaway but his style and knack for technically sound compositions make for a unique and intriguing experience on (almost) every Megadeth album.

The Sick, the Dying, and the Dead pretty much does everything I could have hoped for in a modern Megadeth album. I expected it to be a bit overproduced; after all, this came out in 2022 and moving forward into 2023 I don’t expect too many 80’s production values in newer releases. But from a songwriting aspect, this is some of Dave’s best work since the early records. Take the opening title track for example: it doesn’t necessarily have the pace or structure of a classic thrash metal song. It’s broken up by a lot of mini solos from lead guitarist Kiko Loureiro and little transitions which lead into new riffs and new arrangements. Speaking of Kiko, he is incredible on this record. Yeah, Dave supplies the riffs but man, Kiko’s style is so identifiable and full of flair, he is in my opinion one of the best musicians on the planet right now.

While the title track is a little more unconventional sounding to me, there’s no shortage of legitimate thrash songs. Life in Hell is speed all the way, driven by an awesome riff and with Mustaine’s signature snarl, dude is so good at sounding pissed off and passionate in his recording sessions. Célebutante is another example of old school Megadeth, that riff gives me more speed metal vibes than thrash (yes, there is a difference between speed and thrash metal) but the energetic pace makes this one of the record’s most enjoyable moments. Nightstalkers is awesome too, even that out of left field cameo from ICE-T can’t ruin what is a bonafide barn burner of a track with a juggernaut riff, and enough dynamics to keep it from getting stale despite its long runtime. Dogs of Chernobyl makes good use of a long runtime too; it’s slow and methodical for the first two thirds, a more grim, foreboding vibe from this one as the band travel towards an incredible climax that turns into an all out race to the finish in some of the most frenzied playing on the entire album. Then of course there’s the juxtaposition of the final two tracks, Mission to Mars and We’ll Be Back. The former is pretty much a pop metal song with its ear worm chorus and lighthearted lyrical content while the latter is a vicious display of Megadeth aggression and musicianship.

While mostly consistent, Sick Dying Dead does tend to lull a little bit in the middle. The songs at the beginning and end of the record are definitely more memorable but even tracks like Junkie and Killing Time at least have catchy moments despite taking a backseat in the brain’s memory after the album has finished. At nearly an hour long, it’s expected that the quality wouldn’t completely keep up all the way throughout. But I can’t say there’s any songs I’d want to cut, pretty much everything here leaves some sort of imprint and there’s no tracks that feel like lesser versions of others. Everything here is very varied.

I mentioned the incredible playing from Kiko, but I’d be ashamed if I didn’t say something about Dirk Verbeuren’s drumming on this. Chris Adler from Lamb of God did the drumming on Dystopia and he’s a great drummer. But Dirk seems to have great chemistry with the band, there seems to be a lot more variation in his drum patterns and a competent drummer always seems to make music seem even faster and more intense. On bass, Steve DiGorgio doesn’t necessarily stand out a whole lot, but then again he’s just re-recording whatever Dave Ellefson decided to do in studio before his abrupt exit from the band, so I wasn’t expecting a whole lot other than a competent performance that complimented Mustaine’s playing. And Mustaine himself is amazing here, his voice is clearly aged but he makes the best of it and his playing hasn’t been affected one bit. All these years later, he’s still pumping out incredible riffs just like he was back in the 80’s.

After Dystopia, I had high hopes for this album, it seems like on these last couple records Dave has been writing with the fire he had as a kid. He sounds angry, his playing sounds frantic, and his style of writing has always opened the door for hooks that stay in your head but don’t compromise the aggression that comes with metal music. He’s always been really good at playing hard and heavy and not sacrificing that for accessibility. He’s 61 now, so you’d think maybe he’d a slow down a bit. I’m sure there’s not going to be a ton of Megadeth albums after this one. But that final track We’ll Be Back seems like a message to all, I think the next record is going to be more of the same and I can’t wait for it.