Megadeth
Rust in Peace
[Columbia]
This album represents Megadeth's technical peak. It is well
respected by fans of metal everywhere because it is an
undeniably strong album.
What is makes it so strong? Most people will tell you that
it is because of the riffs and solos. Indeed, Rust In Peace
is packed with very intricate and busy riffs. However, 80%
of the riffs are not memorable or even powerful on their
own. And solos tend to not stand out as starkly against
technical riffs that soar over a wide pitch range.
It is the way in which everything is blended subtly to carefully construct
the song's impression that makes this album that good. While bands like
Dream Theater or Sadus have riffs or sections that exist just to impress,
the riffs on Rust in Peace, as impressive as they may be, are hacking at
(and circling around) a vision.
Holy Wars, perhaps the most perfect song ever crafted by
Megadeth, is a clear example. The song has several themes
which are constantly bursting past one another, yet it
runs with a solid sense of unity. The riffs contrasting,
mutating, and even mixing into each other are amazing to
behold, but no riff exists just for itself.
That said, I will now talk about those riffs.
The riffs throughout the album move a lot: rhythmically
and melodically. They are not grounded to E or any other
pitch (at least not via repetition, the preferred method
for many bands). In fact, even some riffs that don't
actually fly all over the frets seem to have a sweeping
quality to them. Everything is in key, which compensates
for the lack of blatant hammering on the tonal center.
Quick, intricate rhythms dominate the songs. Even during
the quirky parts everything seems "together," driven by
forceful double bass drums. At the beginning of Take No
Prisoners and a few other places, there is some beatless,
outright chugging, but usually, the underlying feel
beneath the actual rhythms is a complex version that fast
"Megadeth swing" (which is most easily to feel on Set the
World Afire on _So Far So Good So What?_).
The drums sound with a strong and natural tone, the bass
has a vivid yet piano-like quality. In order to articulate
this album well, the guitars are a bit lacking in low end
but have a good, tangible distortion.
All of the songs are strong, but Holy Wars, Tornado of
Souls, and Polaris are the most powerful. Tornado of Souls
manifests itself mostly in outgrowths of a kinetic
melody which spirals into the more somber verse riffs.
Polaris...is Polaris. The vocals and guitars blend very
well, especially at "Winds blow from the bowels of hell,"
but that's not why it's so great, though.
© 1999 abasmagorsulpherion