Megadeth
Endgame

Heralded by the single "Head Crusher," the new CD by Megadeth, led by the red-maned sovereign Dave Mustaine, is finally available. This "Endgame" CD was much anticipated because, after a disastrous end to the '90s in terms of sales and esteem among metal-heads worldwide, MegaDave's creation has shown reassuring signs of recovery with the new millennium.

The anticipation was further heightened by the fact that with each release post-"Risk," it seemed that the 'Deth were taking continuous steps backward in their musical journey; steps backward meant in a positive sense, like a return to the hard and raw sounds of their early days: thus, after a mediocre "The World Needs a Hero" (which still brought them back to a more properly metal context, abandoning pop-electronic experiments and such), came the good "The System Has Failed," where surreptitious hints of old, pure thrash timidly emerged, and the even better "United Abominations," which wouldn't have been out of place had it been released in the early '90s, in the "Rust in Peace" - "Countdown to Extinction" era, to be clear.

So what to expect then? A new leap back, to the times of "Peace Sells.." and "So Far..."? When the CD starts, it seems it's finally the much-awaited moment: the instrumental intro "Dialectic Chaos," with its relentless Mustaine-Broderick guitar chases and the subsequent "This Day We Fight!" are two piercing and powerful strikes that the 'Deth had not produced for quite some time. Listening to the opening riff of "1,320" cannot help but bring that period even more to mind: although similar to "Liar," it preludes another thrash outburst, accompanied by the indispensable final solo. "Head Crusher," chosen as the launch single for a reason, moves on the same plane: a true assault with a central breakdown that nonetheless gives no respite; all tracks destined to delight fans and stir waves of moshing during upcoming concerts.

Is everything perfect, then? Not quite, because here and there the presence of filler tracks is evident, uninspired: "44 Minutes," "Bodies," and "The Right to Go Insane" are common mid-tempos without any particular excitement, characterized by catchy, easily assimilated choruses, but nothing more... after a few listens, they tend to become tiresome, despite being supported by excellent solo work. In contrast, the title track "Endgame" turns out to be very good; it is the longest and most complex piece of the work, featuring a more measured first part and a central acceleration, all seasoned with Mustaine's acid and disdainful voice spewing his hatred towards Bush-era America.

Mustaine has abandoned any aspiration to reach increasingly unattainable vocal peaks, opting instead for lower tones; as precise and surgical as ever is his riff work. The rhythm section accompanies him well, with Drover on drums delivering powerful performances, even though he performs no miracles, and LoMenzo providing solid accompaniments, with a heavy and metallic bass sound.

The newly arrived Chris Broderick proves to be an excellent addition when he takes up his guitar: a precise instrumentalist in the riffs and especially in the solos, which are abundantly present in this album; his contribution in songwriting is somewhat less appreciated: from his pen (in collaboration with Mustaine) comes "The Hardest Part of Letting Go... Sealed with a Kiss" which, despite the ellipsis in the title recalling tracks like "Holy Wars... the Punishment Due," turns out to be a hybrid between an orchestral ballad like "Promises" and a harder, more rhythmic central section; however, it ends up being unconvincing in both cases.

In short, it is not a "Rust in Peace Pt. 2," nor will it ever be any subsequent work by the band: the glorious past is now behind, what remains is a more than respectable present that presents us with a Megadeth finally reunited, capable of scratching and leaving a mark. So, not a masterpiece, but definitely a good album.