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First and Famous What is Megadeth?
Megadeth is a thrash metal band band led by singer/guitarist Dave Mustaine, formed after he was fired as the original lead guitarist for Metallica. Mustaine is known for only working with high quality musicians and can be an exacting band leader insisting on extremely high levels of musicianship, professionalism, and songwriting. Mustaine is the only permanent member, but excellent musicians like Guitarist Marty Friedman, Guitarist Chris Poland, Bassist David Ellefson, and drummer Nick Menza, have all been members of the band.
Megadeth aren’t the heaviest or best selling of the “Big 4” thrash metal bands, but they are highly regarded and usually viewed as the most virtuosic musicians of the Big Four with serious, intelligent lyrics. Mustaine is a somewhat controversial figure in metal. His high standards and status as “CEO of Megadeth” can be difficult for musicians used to a less rigorous atmosphere.
Mustaine was fired from the legendary metal band Metallica just before the release of their groundbreaking record “Kill em all”, the only official release of the band with Mustaine on guitar. Supposedly it was for excessive alcohol and drug use and possibly personality clashes with the other band members. Today the two groups seem cordial even reuniting during Big 4 festival shows. Megadeth was however, founded to be better than Metallica, and their was tension between the two groups for decades.
Another area of mild controversy is Dave Mustaine’s religious and connected political beliefs. As a teenager Mustaine dabbled in black magic and Satanism. He has alluded to paying a steep price for this but has never publicly elaborated. In 2003, He became a born again Evangelical Christian and proscribes to Christian-Conservative Republican Party politics. Recent albums while being some of the best of his career, show conservative politics and an accompanying world view. A mild controversy occurred when Mustaine refused to perform in concert a couple older Megadeth songs with occult connotations. A slightly bigger conflict occurred when Megadeth was headlining a tour including the bands Rotting Christ and Dissection. Mustaine was disturbed by their anti-Christian and Satanic beliefs and imagery. Dave insisted that if the two bands were allowed to play, then Megadeth would not be performing . Promoters immediately fired the two groups from the tour. In the metal community some thought this very unreasonable and a big band dominating smaller lesser powerful groups.
Megadeth is maybe not as popular worldwide as Metallica, or treated with the kind of almost awe that Slayer gets for their integrity and consistently dark, uncompromising image. Megadeth is revered however, and loved as a thinking person’s metal band, thrash done in the most musically technical way with absolute integrity. Mustaine can be an intimidating figure but his fans trust his high standards and innate talent.
“Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying”, “Rust In Peace”, and “Countdown To Extinction”, are all landmark albums and considered masterpieces within the genre. Their 2016 album “Dystopia”, was one of the best releases of that year. A hard few years of recovery from a 2002 nerve injury that nearly ended their career and requiring him to relearn the guitar, and conflict with Ellefson over misusing the Megadeth name for profit slowed things down for a bit. Mustaine has recently been diagnosed with throat cancer, but intends to continue working.
WHY ARE MEGADETH THE BEST
Megadeth is considered one of the “Big Four” thrash metal bands, along with Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax, due to their technical proficiency, innovative songwriting, and influential impact on the genre. A few key reasons why Megadeth is often viewed as the best of the “Big Four”:
- Musicianship and technical ability: Led by guitarist and vocalist Dave Mustaine, Megadeth is renowned for their virtuosic guitar work, complex riffs, and demanding solos that showcase the exceptional technical skills of the band members.
- Songwriting and creativity: Megadeth’s songwriting is praised for its complexity, dark lyrical themes, and progressive structures that push the boundaries of thrash metal. Albums like “Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?” and “Rust in Peace” are considered landmarks of the genre.
- Influential impact: Megadeth’s music has been highly influential on subsequent generations of thrash and heavy metal bands. Their innovative approach to the genre and the technical proficiency of their playing have made them a touchstone for many aspiring metal musicians.
- Consistent quality: Unlike some of the other “Big Four” bands, Megadeth has maintained a high level of quality and consistency throughout their career, with a discography of critically acclaimed albums spanning several decades.
- Dave Mustaine’s leadership and vision: As the founder and primary creative force behind Megadeth, Dave Mustaine’s singular artistic vision and uncompromising approach have been central to the band’s success and enduring legacy.
While the “Big Four” are all highly influential and respected thrash metal acts, Megadeth’s combination of technical prowess, songwriting innovation, and consistent output over the years has contributed to their status as potentially the best among this elite group of thrash metal giants.
Other Opinion.
Dave Mustaine is a better musician and song writer than the Metallica camp. Both Metallica and Megadeth have their filler throw away songs. I mean, what bands don’t after 30+ years? But as a whole, Megadeth is better. Yeah, Megadeth had Risk, World Needs a Hero, and Supercollider, ugh. Metallica after the Black album, uh-oh, it’s been a near flatline since then.
Megadeth is more interesting than Metallica because of song arrangement and actual pop-sense. Yup. Pop sense. Megadeth’s anthemic choruses (Peace Sells, Killing is My Business, Black Friday, Wake Up Dead, etc.) are like a wild card coming out at the right time. They push their style to 11.
Metallica has amazing songs no doubt. They are technical, but it feels sometimes that they’re trying to be complex for the sake of being complex. Metallica suffers from too many bloated songs which leave a lot of albums boring.
Some of Metallica’s old songs is where they had cohesion and really kept you into it. The songs were structured with a purpose, and really…Oh wait, those were written by Mustaine? ‘Nuff said.
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