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Rating: Talking about bands like Megadeth, Metallica, or Iron Maiden is never easy: we're dealing with music history, and there is a risk of either excessive compliments on their present based solely on their past or, on the opposite side, disrespectful accusations for works no longer up to their golden times.
Dave Mustaine's Megadeth, the hot-headed former Metallica member, released "United Abominations" in 2007: a work I judge positively, in their splendid old style, but certainly not on par with masterpieces like "Killing Is My Business," "Peace Sells," "So Far, So Good... So What," "Rust In Peace." These remain authentic thrash masterpieces. Subsequently, the 'deth had followed the path of the highly competitive Metallica, moving to a more classic and melodic heavy ("Countdown To Extinction," "Youthanasia") before producing some shock albums closer to commercial than anything else: "Cryptic Writings," "Risk." Fortunately, in recent years they have recovered their old thrash sounds ("World Needs a Hero," "The System Has Failed"), a path also followed by this latest "United Abominations," although not managing to create a real gem capable of marking history: ideas are now few.
"United Abominations" has a great sound, beautiful thrash vibes, but I find Mustaine's singing in most of the songs to be predictable, repetitive, and not very engaging. "Sleepwalker" starts slow and proceeds with hammering riffs, echoing the golden times even in the vocal parts. Guitar solos and bursts make the track worth a solid 6.5. "Washington Is Next" has a nice introductory riff, quite melodic. The singing is dark but becomes deeper in the catchy chorus. The guitars alternate melodic fragments with more aggressive ones, the drums beat well: 6.5. "Never Walk Alone... A Call To Arms" is equally in the old style, but the chorus is somewhat banal, score 6. After a calm start, "United Abominations" accelerates and sharpens; the chorus is nice, rating 6.5. "Gears Of War" opens with a solemn riff, and the singing is dark. The track is not very engaging, a bit better in the chorus. Rating 5.5. "Blessed Are The Dead" is quite engaging, has a good sound that merits a good 6. "Play For Blood" begins promisingly with frequent solos and robust riffs. The sung parts are not very pleasant, especially initially. 6. "A Tout le Monde (Set Me Free)" is a plagiarism of the great 1994 Megadeth track, distorted by the backing vocals with Italian Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil) in a mere commercial operation that is worth no more than 5. "Amerikhastan" is introduced by strong solos. The singing is decent, but always inferior to the musicality. Score 6. Drums and fierce jolts open "You’re Dead," but once again the vocal composition is not up to par and doesn't grab you. Rating 6. "Burnt Ice" is a bit better in this context, always in step with good thrash musicality: 6+.
In short, the album sounds good but is somewhat dry and monotonous (with few exceptions) in the parts allotted to the excellent singer, the great Mustaine. Dave has made history and remains a legend, but I don't feel I can judge the latest work for more than it is really worth. Megadeth has written history in bold, and they did so magnificently up to 10-15 years ago: it's no use asking them for other wonders of that magnitude; if you really want to enjoy Mustaine's group, I recommend you listen to the first five superb albums instead!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Sleepwalker (05:53)
I should be calling collect from jail
For the things I commit each night in my head
Like last night in my sleep I got to snuff you
But then I woke up again, safe in my little bed
No one is safe when I close my eyes; I come to take your life
I get to force your untimely disappearance
Each night in my dreams, when I'm fast asleep
I close my eyes and you just vanish soon as I
Lay down my head when I'm dead to the whole wide world
No one is safe when I close my eyes; I come to take your life
And then I wake up again and it was all just a dream
And everything is the same
Sleepwalker - Did I give you concrete shoes?
And throw you off of a bridge
Sleepwalker - When I lay down to sleep
Pray your soul's mine to keep, I feel you near me
Go to sleep, Sleepwalker
Just taking a stroll; don't go to sleep! Here's some toothpicks for your eyes!
You always make an excellent cadaver
I roll your body up in a carpet to make music in the
Trunk of my limousine, wrapped up in a rug
A fitting end, is that I send you up the river like a punk
No one is safe when I close my eyes; I come to take your life
The angel of death is pissed off at me again
Just because I got to put you out of my misery
It doesn't matter, I am without fear
Now you're dead, I won't shed another bloody tear for you
No one is safe when I close my eyes; I come to take your life
I'm calling down the thunder, then you'll sleep with the fishes
The answer to all of my wishes
Sleepwalker - Did I tell you I was in movies?
Then dump you garroted, lying naked in a ditch
Sleepwalker - Everyday, another way, I know you can hear me
I think you'd look nice in a Colombian necktie
Should stop your tongue from wagging the dog
No more stupidity from you, as I pull your tongue through
For a smile from ear to ear, now there's nothing to hear
No one is safe when I close my eyes; I come to take your life
And then I wake up and it was all just a dream
And everything is still the same
Sleepwalker - Did I give you concrete shoes?
And throw your body off of a bridge
Sleepwalker - When I lay down to sleep
Pray your soul is mine to keep, I feel you near me
Sleepwalker - Or did I tell you I was in movies?
Then dump you garroted, lying naked in a ditch
Sleepwalker - Everyday, another way, I know you can hear me
Sleepwalker - Did I buy you the farm?
Put a horse head in your bed
Sleepwalker - When I lay down to sleep
Pray your soul is mine to keep, I feel you near me
Sleepwalker - Everyday
Everyday another way
Sleepwalker - When I lay down to sleep
Pray your soul is mine to keep, I know you can hear me
02 Washington Is Next! (05:19)
The quiet war has begun with silent weapons
And the newest slavery is to keep the people
Poor and stupid, "Novus Ordo Seclorum"
How can there be any logic in biological war?
We all know this is wrong, but the New World Order's
Beating down the door, oh something needs to be done
There was a king, an evil king
Who dreamt the wickedest of dreams
An ancient mystery, no prophet could interpret
Of seven years of famine, the wolf is at my door
As predicted years ago, that that was, that is, that is no more
The word predicts the future and tells the truth about the past
Of how the world leaders will hail the new Pharaoh
The eighth false king to the throne; Washington is next!
Disengage their minds, sabotage their health
Promote sex and war, and violence in the kindergartens
Blame the parents and teachers; it's their fault, "Annuit Coeptis"
Attack the church dynamic, attack the family
Keep the public undisciplined till nothing left is sacred and
The "have-nots" get hooked and have to go to the "haves" just to cop a fix
I am the king, an evil king
Who dreams the wickedest of dreams
An ancient mystery, nobody could interpret
Of seven empires falling, the wolf is at my door
As predicted years ago, that that was, that is, that is no more
The word predicts the future and tells the truth about my past
Of how the world leaders are waiting to usher in
The eighth world power of modern Rome; Washington is next!
There was a king, an evil king
Who dreamt the wickedest of dreams
An ancient mystery, no prophet could interpret
Of seven empires fallen, the wolf is at my door
As predicted years ago, that that was, that is, that is no more
I am a king and I dream the wildest dreams
And nobody could interpret
Seven empires falling, the wolf is at my door
Ooh, that that was, that is, that is no more
There's something at my dooor, some anciet mystery
The future tells the truth about the past
And I'm the eighth false king to the throne
I've got you in my crosshairs, now, ain't that a bitch?
Washington, you're next!
04 United Abominations (05:35)
United Abominations
Music and Lyrics Dave Mustaine
Within striking distance from Ground Zero sits a smoldering international cauldron, the United “Abominations” as it were. Born to prevent wars, as if war was in the face of disaster, and stood silent while terrorization took hostage the world.
In a mire of hypocrisy, ignores sex crimes by its blue helmets, and enables terrorism, so in the end, it has failed. And the UN is where our so-called friends get to stab us in the back, and we pay 22% of their tab to host our enemies here at home.
Ambassadors from countries otherwise known as "The Catastrophe" enjoy Diplomatic immunity, living in Manhattan, while their children are turned into prostitutes. It’s a complete and utter disgrace! A blot on the face of humanity! And they get away with it!?!
Poverty in their kitchens
Held hostage by oil-for-food
Yet their own plates are full off the fat of their lands
There’s no blood on their hands, right Gojo?
They promised to tell the truth
Without leaving a fingerprint.
They will lose the UN one way or another.
The victim, I fear will be us, sisters and brothers!
The UN is right; you can’t be any more “un”
than you are right now, the UN is undone.
Another mushroom cloud, another smoking gun.
The threat is real, the Locust King has come.
Don’t tell me the truth; I don’t like what they’ve done.
It's payback time, at the United Abominations.
A grave and gathering danger
the decision to attack
based on secret intelligence, it’ll take years
I fear to undo the failings in Iraq.
You may bury the bodies
but you can’t bury the crimes.
Only fools stand up and really lay down their arms
No, not me, not when Death lasts forever
The UN is right; you can’t be any more “un”
Than you are right now, the UN is undone.
Another mushroom cloud, another smoking gun.
The threat is real, the Locust King has come.
Don’t tell me the truth; I don’t like what they’ve done.
It's payback time.
(Foriegn speakers talking)
The UN is right; you can’t be any more “un”
Than you are right now, the UN is undone.
Another mushroom cloud, another smoking gun.
The threat is real, the Locust King has come.
The UN is right; you can’t be any more “un”
Than you are right now, the UN is undone.
Another mushroom cloud, another smoking gun.
The threat is real, the Locust King has come.
Don’t tell me the truth; I don’t like what they’ve done.
It's payback time, at the United Abominations.
NATO invaded Yugoslavia to end ethnic cleansing, there was no UN.
The US invaded Afghanistan after 9/11, there was no UN.
Saddam Hussein violated 17 UN resolutions; The UN was asked to join the war in Iraq. The US invaded, there was no UN.
Libya bombed a discotheque in Berlin killing Americans, there was no UN.
Iran funds a mosque, and attacked the US in the seventies, there was no UN.
Facing war, without end, looking into the future.
There...was...no...more...UN!
09 Amerikhastan (03:43)
Recruiting the ill-fated for "The War"
A legion of uneducated, bankrupt souls
With a lust for revenge, answering the call
From New Yorqatar to Califorabia
Desperation provides fertile ground for religious extremism
This glorious brainwashing where prejudice lies
Like a crouching tiger
Tormenting peasents till they erect an army
Under everyone's nose
In the end propaganda destroys their DNA, god help them
All that they envisioned of what things would come to be
Turned into a pink mist when they blew to smithereens
We are just a war away from Amerikhastan
When God versus god; the undoing of man
Promising a vapor, in the end they become one
No rules of engagement, this enemy hides
Amongst women and children
And to beat violence, you must ignore the focus groups
You must send in the Mossad, turn off the BBC, CNN
and don't look back
Rest assured there'll be no more Middle Eastern crisis, hell!
There'll be no more Middle East!
These are your people Lady Liberty
Pull up your dress today
And tattooed is "Property of the USA
A subsidiary of Halliburton"
Surprise?!
But a roaring lion is about to be unleashed on earth
Hey, Jihad Joe? Guess what? We're coming to get you!
All that you envision of what things will come to be
Turns into a death knell when you look behind the scenes
We are just a war away from Amerkhastan
When God versus god; the undoing of man
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Other reviews
By gemini
The perfect synthesis of Megadeth’s career: the power and speed of thrash combined with melody and technique.
Definitely one of the best releases of the year and of the band itself, worthy of being compared alongside Rust in Peace and Countdown to Extinction.
By d3str0y3r
Mustaine & co.'s band, despite the passing years, always proves worthy of listening, thanks to their commitment to playing with passion, not just for pure commercial gain.
The foundational song, United Abominations, failed in its task, resulting in one of the two black sheep of the album.
By Goodwolf
The album starts off excellently with 'Sleepwalker', 'Washington is next' and 'Never walk alone' which fully adhere to the Megadeth style.
In conclusion, I feel inclined to give a passing grade and nothing more to this album, which presents good tracks and others negligible.
