Over look the name and give them a chance!!! (Youthanasia: Remastered & Expanded - Megadeth)

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Product:	Youthanasia: Remastered & Expanded - Megadeth
Date:	25/01/01 (32 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great songs

Disadvantages: only 12 songs!

I was first turned on to Megadeth when I was about 14 years old. The first time I heard Peace Sells... I was hooked. I have every Megadeth album to date and this is the best of them all. They are all excellent albums but Youthanasia stands tall among them.

People who don't like Megadeth have probably never heard them. People are afraid of their name. I applaud them for sticking to their guns and not caving in to the man and changing it. They boycott MTV because MTV will not play their videos due to their name. That is a huge disadvantage for a band that has over 20 videos available for your viewing pleasure.Since most people have never heard of Megadeth or their music I will give you a small introduction. Dave Mustaine is the leader. He does the vocals and lead & rhythm guitar. Dave Ellefson is the bass player and backup vocals. Marty Friedman is the lead guitarist and Nick Menza is the drummer.

Well on to the album. Youthanasia was released in 1994 and was probably Megadeth's least politically charged album. They still maintain their stance and attack several issues that need to be addressed by somebody. The first song on the album is called Reckoning Day. The song is not directed at any particular group that I know of, but it is directed towards anybody who has ever tried to hold them back from being themselves. This is the first song and it will kick you in the face right away. The guitar work is outstanding as usual and the riff is killer. This is one of their best songs ever.

The next song that hits you in the face is Train of Consequences. This is another great guitar driven song with good lyrics. Dave was at the top of his game when he wrote this song. There is a video for this song and I hope it makes it onto the greatest hits album due out next week.

After Train comes Addicted to Chaos. Another great song with good guitar work and some good drumming.

The fourth song on the album is the only ballad. A T
out Le Monde is a song about suicide. Dave sings the chorus in french and it is pretty cool.

The next song is one of the more politically motivated songs. It is called Elysian Fields. These lyrics explain it all: Man still has one belief, One decree that stands alone, The laying down of arms, Is like cancer to the bones. He is basically saying that there is no peace in the world because nobody wants it.Great song with great rhythm.

The next song is called The Killing Road and is about the hardships of touring. Dave sings about how monotonous and busy it is at the same time. This was probably my least favorite song on the album.

Blood of Heroes is next. This song has the best rhythm guitar on the album. It has a thumping beat and the guitar goes right along with it. This song should have been released as a single and could have been a hit for them.

The next song is called Family Tree and covers the topic of incest. It is about the father committing crimes of incest against his son. Very powerful song and has another great guitar riff.

Youthanasia takes a poke at the government with the title song. The song tells how we spend more on drugs and guns than we do on education. I think Dave is personally attacking Reagan and Bush with this song. He has good strong political views and lets them fly here. Great song and good choice to name the album after it.

The last three songs on the album are I Though I Knew It All, Black Curtains, and Victory. I Thought I Knew It All is self explanatory. Black Curtains is about armageddon and the end of mankind. Victory is a song that uses all of their old song titles as the lyrics. Both Black Curtains and Victory are reminiscent of older Megadeth material and are very fast songs. Definitely the speediest guitar work on the album appears here.

Overall Youthanasia is Megadeth's most balanced album and that's why I love it so much. This is Megadeth at their best. If y
ou haven't listened to them because of their name, please give them a chance. Youthanasia is a good Megadeth starter album and will make you want to buy their other albums. They do have Capitol Punishment coming out next week. It is a collection of their greatest hits and should be quite good. Check them out. You won't be disappointed.

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