Megadeth...better with age?

Ok so this week and next week is my two weeks of Megadeth. Now a little back story on Megadeth. Their first 4-5 albums were really solid thrash metal albums. They were never as epic as Metallica's, but better than most. I was never a big fan of Peace Sells (like most), but I did love KIMB, SFSGSW, and of course R.I.P. In 1992, they released Countdown to Extinction, which ended up being their Black Album. Factoid: the album debuted at #2 on the Billboard, it was beaten out by Billy Ray Cyrus' Achy Breaky Heart...yep that fad song.

Anyway, for me, after CtE it kinda went downhill. Youthanasia was too mid tempo paced, which we found out later was on purpose because their producer said that a certain tempo/time was needed for the album to sell. So we had songs that were slowed down and others that were sped up. Cryptic Writings was a pretty good album. It was better than Youthanasia because it wasn't a one speed album. Dave Mustaine said that this album encompassed their whole career. Classic thrash songs were their (She-Wolf, The Disintegrators, FFF, and Vortex), Youthanasia style songs (Trust, Almost Honest, A Secrect Place), and some new rock style (I'll Get Even, Sin, Have Cool Will Travel). It worked for me.

Unfortunately, Trust and Almost Honest were big radio hits, so they tried to re-create the sound for Risk. Risk is a good rock album, not a Megadeth album. It has it's moments...mainly Insomnia, Prince of Darkness, and Time. Other than that...horrible.

I should mention here that Megadeth has never had a stable line up. Through the period of R.I.P. to CW it was the same band. Risk introduced a new drummer. So after Risk there were rumors that Dave was going to pull the plug on Megadeth and start a solo career. They made an album, sent it to Capitol Records, then he changed his mind...thank God.

The World Needs a Hero was released in 2001. It was hyped as "the return of thrash" for Megadeth. It wasn't the return everyone was expecting so people knocked it. But let me say that the album is full (read full) of guitar solos. I am talking 2 minutes worth on some songs. Listen to Return to Hangar (sequel to Hangar 18 from R.I.P.), When, Dread and the Fugitive Mind, Recipe for Hate...Warhorse just to name a few. Megadeth was able to balance thrash songs with a rock under-tone. Something that would continue on the next two releases.

Next up, Dave injures his arm, disbands Megadeth, then...