Megadeth
Rust In Peace (1990)

In 1990, after yet another line-up change, Megadeth found a unique stability and synergy with the addition of two absolute aces: Marty Friedman (who had just dissolved Cacophony with friend Jason Becker and debuted solo in 1988 with the magnificent instrumental album "Dragon's Kiss") on lead/rhythm guitar and Nick Menza on drums. Two invaluable musicians who would significantly strengthen the compositional framework of the group's songs; songs in which, in a moment of astonishing and unrepeatable grace (and probably helped by the use of some chemical substance, but I absolutely do not want to undermine the artist's value with this statement...), Dave Mustaine is the leading mind and author.
Both Friedman and Menza are essential for understanding the technical level achieved with "Rust In Peace", one of the definitive Thrash (and Metal in general) albums.

But let's move on to the analysis of the individual compositions of this magnificent platter. The dance opens with "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due" and already the intro declares intent and strongly demonstrates the technical caliber of execution by the four musicians; the song fascinates with every riff proposed for its entire duration and is essentially the perfect opening track for an album of this value, immediately becoming an eternal classic of the band, evoking strong emotions at every live performance.
"Hangar 18" is another literally dreamlike song with that endless series of solos at the end that immediately show you how to play excellent Thrash. A unique lesson in style and compositional class. The intro of "Take No Prisoners" is so perfect that it is impossible to ask for more from a band (and indeed, no one would dare ask for more since we are talking about musically perfect songs); the entire song maintains absolute excellence in its quality standards. "Five Magics" and "Poison Was The Cure" are stunning as well and lead us to the other masterpieces of the album, such as "Lucretia" and "Tornado Of Souls": classics among the classics capable of thrilling with every listen.
The bass break in "Dawn Patrol" comes at just the right time and is a great transitional track that carries us to the final apotheosis of "Rust In Peace... Polaris", one of Megadeth's emblematic songs and of Metal in general, a true initiation anthem for fans worldwide.
A special mention is also due to the lyrics that address important themes, such as war (and the rightful criticisms and accusations against it), with an excellent narrative structure, and therefore, besides the music, one can appreciate lyrics of strong significance and high qualitative value; with this album, Dave Mustaine confirms himself as a good lyricist as well as, obviously, a distinguished guitarist. Take a look at the album booklet, and you'll see.

In conclusion, this album is of absolute beauty, and for those who want to listen to excellent Thrash and, more generally, high-quality Metal, it remains an essential and fundamental stop. Fifteen years after its release, its freshness remains perfectly unchanged, and so does its charm.
Techno-Thrash (Editor's note: with this seemingly strange term, not coined by me but by specialized "metal" critics, it refers, in case anyone didn't know, to the stylistic branch of the most technical, complex, and intricate Thrash) reaches its peak of development and compositional mastery here. It's impossible not to be captivated and attracted by it.
Lastly, I point out the Remastered and Remixed edition of "Rust In Peace" from 2004, curated by Dave Mustaine himself, with the addition of 4 bonus tracks ("My Creation" and the demo versions of "Rust In Peace... Polaris", "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due", and "Take No Prisoners") to be associated with the original 1990 edition.
A beautiful diptych that will greatly enrich your collection.