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Rating: Courage and determination are certainly not lacking in Dave Mustaine, this must be admitted. After the well-known wrist issues, which seemed to have ended his ability to play, leading to the band's breakup in 2002, and with the added lawsuit from his loyal (former) bassist Ellefson, it truly took a lot of strength to move forward and rebuild what remained of his historic (and somewhat dimmed) band.
If the successful "The System Has Failed" had brought the band back to the spotlight, after too many years of albums of modest value and fierce criticism from the music press and fans, this "United Abominations" was supposed to return the 'Deth to their former glory, being described as "the most shocking thrash metal experience of the third millennium" (words from MegaDave himself...).
Question: "how to return in great style?" Answer: "by retrieving the peculiar characteristics of Megadeth, that is to say: powerful riffs, scorching solos, and a raging, almost malevolent voice...".
Of course, a healthy dose of protest against everything and everyone by good old MegaDave couldn't be missing, and this time he decided to take aim at the UN ("United Abominations" is a rather direct critique...) considered an association with the sole "merit" of enriching itself at the expense of America, showing total indifference to world horrors. But even America isn't spared, amidst threats of wars ("Washington is Next!") and not-so-subtle criticisms of recent politics ("Amerikhastan"); just to not miss out on any of the good old days, let's also add some self-celebration (the terrible reworking of "A Tout Le Monde" with Cristina Scabbia...).
Moving on to the actual album, it cannot be said that it's a total return to the thrash of the early days, but what you have in your hands is the perfect synthesis of Megadeth's career: the power and speed typical of the "thrash" '80s era, combined with the melody and technique of the "heavy" '90s era.
The opener "Sleepwalker" starts with an acoustic arpeggio to which strings are added in a crescendo that explodes into a fast, powerful, and direct track: truly an excellent start, well continued with the follow-up "Washington is Next!" another direct bullet into the listener's ears. One thing that's immediately apparent about this album, marking a truly welcomed return to the origins, is the presence of continual duels by guitarists Mustaine-Drover: listen to the closing "Burnt Ice" to understand, a track not outstanding at least until the final solo section; sure, the rapport and technique of the Mustaine-Friedman duo in their heyday was another thing, but the final result (despite some imperfections and flaws) is still very good.
Other tracks of notable interest include the title track (also opened by a mood-setting arpeggio) which, though presenting quite banal and catchy melodies, turns out to be very enjoyable; "Gears of War", the "heaviest" in its stride (soundtrack of the game of the same name for Xbox 360, for those interested...), and "Play for Blood", perhaps the track that most closely recalls the times of "Rust in Peace": continual riff changes, accelerations and stops that lead to excellent solos, hoarse and furious voice. Also good are tracks like "Blessed are the Dead" and "Amerikhastan", where Dave also brings back the spoken word he cherishes: in both, solos abound and, in the latter, an appropriate, very catchy chorus, never hurts.
Thumbs down, however, for tracks like "Never Walk Alone...a Call to Arms" and "You're Dead", relatively weak tracks without particular points of interest and offering no solutions not already expressed elsewhere, even within this same album; decidedly thumbs down for the reinterpretation of "A Tout le Monde" (complete with a brand new subtitle: "Set me Free"): not so much for Scabbia's participation which adds nor detracts anything from the song, but for the rendition itself: apart from being out of context in an album with sounds like this, it's performed (poorly) faster both in the vocal parts and (especially) in the solo which used to be Friedman's, so much so that it's distorted and doesn't retain a bit of the atmosphere of the wonderful version present in "Youthanasia".
Despite these weaknesses, the CD turns out to be excellent: indeed a summary of what Megadeth has accomplished over so many years; let's hope that with this lineup they gain the stability needed to continue producing music of this level, definitively marking the return of Dave and his "infernal machine," also considering the splendid cover artwork.
Definitely one of the best releases of the year and of the band itself, in my opinion worthy of being compared alongside "Rust in Peace" and "Countdown to Extinction," of which it represents a highly successful mix.
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 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.
By rg88metal
Megadeth has written history in bold, and they did so magnificently up to 10-15 years ago.
The album sounds good but is somewhat dry and monotonous in the parts allotted to the excellent singer, the great Mustaine.
