Genre: Heavy Metal / Thrash

Label: Roadrunner Records

IS Rating: 9

Comments: Dave Mustaine has proven ALL of us wrong.

Release Date: September 15, 2009

Disgruntled fans used to blame everything from Dave’s sobriety and/or his new found Christian faith for the string of lackluster albums that defined the metal institution he founded after 1994’s “Youthanasia.” As a result, since recovering from a paralyzed hand several years ago, the embittered ex-Metallica member has been making amends by reaching back to the style of his early 90’s material. With “Endgame” Dave Mustaine and his newest lineup, who manage to execute the ‘classic’ Megadeth sound with nary any embellishment thanks to their boss’ total control of the band, have come full circle. Take the best parts from every Megdaeth album except for “Risk” and inject them with the technical guitar play that made Megadeth legendary, the result is their best work this decade.

Kicking ass right away, a glorious all-guns-blazing instrumental cranks open “Endgame,” whose epic cover art ranks among the band’s worst next to “The World Needs A Hero,” before the aggressive speed metal of “This Day We Fight!” rolls in. It’s on this first song that Dave and his slaves, er, fellow musicians—Chris Broderick, Shawn Drover, and James Lomenzo—capture the spirit of the classic lineup from the “Rust In Peace”/”Countdown to Extinction” era. From start to finish “This Day We Fight!” smokes. Its followed by a mid tempo tune that recalls a bloody shootout in the streets of LA titled “44 Minutes.” Despite its rather awkward lyrical delivery, the song succeeds as a powerful piece of music.

From last year’s Wall Street meltdown to former President Bush’s draconian security measures and the ravages of war, Mustaine proves he’s still among the best songwriters in heavy metal. This guy simply knows what works on every second of music heard inside “Endgame.” Megadeth also turn a new leaf on some tunes here, notably the love lorn I’m-so-obsessed-with-you-so-I-have-to-kill-you quasi-ballad “The Hardest Part of Letting Go..Sealed With A Kiss.” Exercising his knack for storytelling, “Headcrusher” tells of a torture device, “1,320” takes the listener inside the world of racing, while album closer “The Right To Go Insane” drips with menace and nihilism. A well balanced album crackling with flawless musicianship, “Endgame” is the surprise masterpiece (well, almost) everyone will be talking about this year.

Miquel Blardony