When I first heard about Megadeth redoing this record I thought they were
going back into the studio and re-recording it. Then I remembered Gar
Samuelson (Megadeth's drummer at that time) had died in 1999. So my next
logical assumption was Mustaine's going to drag his current line-up into the
studio to recut the album, and that doesn't always work. Sometimes
re-recordings do more harm than good. Its kind of like a band putting out a
classic greatest hits collection and then ruining the entire legacy by
throwing some new tunes on the end of side B. I respect Megadeth for deciding
to revamp and work with what was there instead of just redoing it. I think it
makes for a more genuine product.
So instead of recutting the record, Megadeth simply juiced it up and took
full advantage of studio technologies that simply did not exist 18 years ago.
The new version sounds great with the biggest improvement being in the
drum/percussion department. They must have run the old drums through some
triggers, something that didn't exist in 1984. The final product sounds great
and its definitely worth checking out.
This is Megadeth revamped for the times and it sounds great. This version of
"Killing…"can easily stand up to the current Pro Tools polished nu-metal out
there.
It reminds me a lot of Testaments "First Strike Still Deadly" CD (although
that was a blatant re-recording). You can also hear why so many hail Megadeth
as the founders of this style of thrash metal. Listening to the choruses' of
songs like "Mechanix" you can totally hear where most of the Swedes got their
stuff from.
The liner notes alone are worth the price admission. Mustaine, co-founding
bassist David Ellefson and Scott Ian (Anthrax, SOD) all contribute entries,
introductions, as well as notes on each of the songs. Mustaine finally admits
he basically started Megadeth out of spite and to take on Metallica. Mutaine
reluctantly admits they may have won the battle to be the baddest and fastest
but Metallica took the cake for the biggest and I guess that's all that
matters in his game. I've always been a bigger fan of Megadeth over Metallica
but its amazing that Mustaine has held such a grudge, even to this day,
almost 20 years later. Geez. Count your money and let it go my man.
Theres a handful of demo tracks on the end of the disc which are just
classic. Total garage metal, sounds like it was recorded in a garage too.
Makes me want to put on a pair of ball hugging, acid washed Jordache jeans
and stuff them with a pair of tube socks.
Very few records in this genre have been called "pioneering", but this is one
of them. "Rust In Peace" is still my all time favorite, but the new "Killing…
" is a worthwhile piece of remixed history.
