Thrash legends Megadeth have topped themselves with the release of their new album “Thirteen.” The band manages to stay fresh and relevant so many years after their debut, releasing three great albums in a row over the past five years. Though “Thirteen” does have its flaws, they are minor and easily overlooked.
It should be noted that this is the first album released with former bassist Dave Ellefson since his departure in 2002. Ellefson returned to Megadeth after resolving personal issues with front man Dave Mustaine.
The album opens up with the track “Sudden Death,” one of the few weak moments of the album. The guitar work is boring, sounding more like scales unlike Mustaine and Broderick’s usual intricate playing. Drummer Shawn Drover’s playing almost seems frantic, which is a definite plus.
The second track, “Public Enemy No. 1,” is when the album starts to get interesting. Opening with extremely unique guitar riffs and thunderous drumming, the verses are short and to the point, not too deep and hard to understand.
“Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)” is Megadeth’s attempt to write a song about teen angst, particularly when it concerns a teenager’s parents. The lyrics are cliché and uninspired, but the instrumentals are creative and catchy. The great instrumentals are almost wasted on boring lyrics.
Much of Megadeth’s song lyrics have been politically charged, and “We The People” is no exception. But unlike songs like “Peace Sells,” the lyrics sound like a conspiracy theory, especially when Mustaine sings about the Illuminati. Though the lyrics do not take away from the phenomenal instrumentals, Mustaine’s vocals also shine on this track. It helps keep the track from getting boring.
Along time ago, Rock and Roll focused on girls, money, and booze. Nowadays all you hear in modern rock are songs about heartbreak and angst. With “Guns, Drugs, & Money,” Megadeth brings Rock and Rock back to the golden era. The lyrics paint a picture of action and intrigue making it oddly reminiscent of the films of Robert Rodriguez films.
“Never Dead” has a very strange introduction. The first 50 seconds is Drover beating on his snare drum. After the strange beginning, the song follows up with lightning quick guitars. Mustaine always does a great job at singing vocals and shredding with his guitar in tandem.
The intro to “Black Swan” has an almost symphonic feel to it, more melodic then Megadeth’s past work. Previously released as a bonus track on “United Abominations,” the song has been reworked and rerecorded. The song itself does not sound like the usual Megadeth fare, and that’s what makes it unique.
As its title suggests, the track “Wrecker” is a heavy track. It tells the story of a man’s worst nightmare, a scorned woman. Megadeth’s lyrics are always easy to visualize in one’s head, which makes the band more accessible.
Overall “Thirteen” is a phenomenal album, and is a great addition to Megadeth’s growing discography.