COUNTDOWN TO PERFECTION: EVERY MEGADETH ALBUM RANKED FROM WORST TO BEST

For those of you who’ve read my review of The Sick, the Dying…And the Dead!, maybe, just maybe you figured out that I fucking love Megadeth.

Over the past year or so, I’ve absolutely fallen head over heels for this band, leading me to create my most ambitious project yet; fully reviewing every album they’ve ever released on a countdown from their worst to the best. This has been a massive undertaking, but in the end, it was worth all the blood, sweat, and overanalyzing.

I’ll be updating this list for the next few weeks, revealing an album each day or two. So to any readers who got here early, you’ll be kept in suspense until we reach #1.

Oh, and one more thing. There are going to be some highly unpopular takes on this list. The chances that you’ll agree with every single one are pretty much nonexistent, so don’t get your head in a rattle if one of your highest ranking albums was placed low, or vice versa.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s start this countdown to perfection.

#16 — Risk (1999)

Best songs: “Prince of Darkness”, “The Doctor is Calling”, “Time: The End”

Despite the fact that you’re all in for some unconventional placements later on in the list, this one shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

That being said, let’s make one thing clear: Risk, in and of itself, is a pretty solid album…for the most part, at least. With the exception of “Insomnia’s” god-awful guitar tone, Risk is a lot better than people make it out to be. It’s very well-written, has a varied selection of songs, and the production is great, too.

However, it does suffer from one enormous flaw: the word “Megadeth” is on the cover.

Dave Mustaine was desperate to keep up with Metallica’s sales after the Black Album came out. Combine that with added pressure from the rest of the band and record label to make something less heavy, and Megadeth ended up releasing what is essentially a half-hard rock/half-pop rock record. Thing is, as radio-friendly as the Black Album is, it’s still unmistakably metal. The same just can’t be said for Risk. Apart from maybe “Prince of Darkness”, there’s zero trace of Megadeth’s identity here. Even Dave’s vocal performance sounds off.

I get that it’s called “Risk” because Megadeth were taking one with this album, but it just doesn’t work if the band lost sight of what made them great in the first place. If Dave released Risk as part of a separate solo project, I’d be cool with it. But since that’s not the case, Risk is stuck dead last on my countdown, and probably everyone else’s, too.

#15 — Cryptic Writings (1997)

Best songs: “The Disintegrators”, “Have Cool, Will Travel”, “FFF”

Cryptic Writings’ case is similar to Risk’s, but not quite as bad. Because while about a third of the album is classic Megadeth thrashy goodness, the other two thirds are like a strange hybrid of the heavy Youthanasia and what would later become Risk. In other words, 25% pop.

The main problem with Risk was that in it, Megadeth possessed a false identity. However, in Cryptic Writings, there’s…no identity.

While the record is very well-crafted and full of great songs, because it lacks a general theme and keeps going back and forth between pop-tinged metal to full-on thrash, it sounds less like a studio album and more like a compilation album.

This is further exemplified by the album’s title, which doesn’t quite fit, either. Nearly every other Megadeth record has some kind of running theme or concept throughout it. The name “Cryptic Writings” implies a mystery or occult theme going on, but it doesn’t have that or any theme at all, really. There’s no general concept tying everything together here.

And I’m not saying it’s impossible for a good studio album to have multiple styles. Look at Sepultura’s Quadra, for example. Stylistically, it chronicles the band’s journey up until the album’s release with four different phases, so all the songs are bound by the same concept. But Cryptic Writings doesn’t have anything like that. Even if the songs are all good, it’s an aimless release that has no idea what it wants to be.

As a result, I just can’t bring myself to place Cryptic Writings any higher on the list, despite featuring one of the best lineups in Megadeth’s career.

#14 — Super Collider (2013)

Best songs: “Burn!”, “Dance in the Rain”, “The Blackest Crow”

Super Collider is undeniably one of Megadeth’s lesser albums, but it’s still got a lot of great songs that sadly go unnoticed.

Besides the poppy title track and “Kingmaker”, which is a complete rip-off of “Children of the Grave” by Black Sabbath, Super Collider retains Megadeth’s identity way more than Risk and Cryptic Writings. It’s not thrashy to any degree, but its heaviness combined with the distinct riffing style makes it an immediately recognizable Megadeth album.

Don’t get me wrong, there are definitely some stinkers here, namely “Built for War” and “Off the Edge”. The rest, however, is actually pretty good. “Dance in the Rain” is an amazing song, and I’d argue that “The Blackest Crow” is one of the best in Megadeth’s entire discography. While those two stand out to me the most, there are a handful of other gems as well, like “Burn!”, “Beginning of Sorrow”, and “Don’t Turn Your Back…”.

Even so, Super Collider wouldn’t be near the very bottom of the list if its only drawbacks were a couple of not-so-good songs. No, there’s a much greater flaw here that I’ve barely seen anyone mention. I think the record’s biggest glaring issue isn’t the selection of songs, but rather, the overly compressed production. I’ve heard plenty of worse offenders (like Alter Bridge’s latest album, which is atrocious enough to literally make me wanna puke), but it still hinders the experience and gives a mild headache if you listen to it for long enough without taking a break. I just hope Megadeth never release another album that’s produced like this…

Thankfully, now we’re done with Megadeth’s so-so albums, moving onto the ones I can be a bit more positive about. Though, the next placement will be the first surprise on this countdown for many, I’m sure.

#13 — Killing is My Business…And Business is Good! (1985)

Best songs: “Killing is My Business…And Business is Good!”, “The Skull Beneath the Skin”, “These Boots”

Alright, time for my cancellation downfall to begin. Read my reasoning first, shoot me later.

But before I explain why such a highly acclaimed album received such a low ranking, let’s go over the positives.

Arguably the first ever tech-thrash album, Killing is My Business flung the doors wide open for other giants within the subgenre, like Watchtower, Annihilator, and Toxik.

Second, people often criticize the album’s raw production, but personally, I love it. The original mix is rough and muddy, yet you can still hear every instrument, and nothing sticks out more than it should.

And most importantly, it’s got great songs that are angry, bursting with fast-paced, kickass riffs, and an intensity that served as the blueprint for some of Megadeth’s best albums. Hell, it even has a cover of “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” by Nancy Sinatra…if it were thrashy, snarky, and provocative. Throw in a Monty Python reference for good measure (“Chosen Ones”), and Killing is My Business adds up to an 80’s thrash metal classic.

So if Killing is My Business is such a good album, why is it so low?

Well, this isn’t something you’d notice if you were to listen to each song separately, but listening to the whole record in one sitting, I realized just how monotonous it is.

At least half of the songs on Killing is My Business have structures that are way too similar to each other and riffs that take a while to transition from one to the next, meaning the album lacks diversity when compared to pretty much every other Megadeth release. As a result, Killing is My Business sounds very repetitive if you try to listen it from start to finish in one sitting, which is why I prefer listening to each song individually. So despite being downright revolutionary, I find Killing is My Business to be the most one-dimensional album in Megadeth’s discography.

And look, I get it. Being the very first Megadeth album, Dave had a point to make; create music that’s faster, angrier and more technical than Metallica. However, he lost sight of creating a well-rounded first album in the process.

Much like Metallica’s debut, Kill ’Em All, Killing is My Business was an amazing, ground-breaking album when it came out, but frankly, neither record aged gracefully. If someone presents the argument that you had to be there back when they came out to fully appreciate them…there you have it; they didn’t stand the test of time.

Despite all my criticisms, I still enjoy Killing is My Business. It may not seem that way because of its lower placement, but it ended up really growing on me as time went on. It’s just that there are a lot of other Megadeth albums I enjoy more.

Considering the fact that Metallica released Ride the Lightning just one year prior, Killing is My Business didn’t quite achieve Dave’s goal of surpassing his former band. It wasn’t until Megadeth’s second release when Dave proved to the world what he was truly capable of. But we’ll get to that one much later…

#12 — The World Needs a Hero (2001)

Best songs: “Promises”, “Dread and the Fugitive Mind”, “Return to Hangar”

After barely surviving the disaster that was Risk, it seemed like the logical thing for Dave Mustaine and co. to do would be to return to their 80’s/early 90’s roots. So when the highly experimental The World Needs a Hero was released a couple of years later, it understandably left a bad impression on fans who just wanted Megadeth to go back to doing what they’re best at.

And ya know what? If I were a Megadeth fan when The World Needs a Hero came out, I probably would have been livid, too. However, being introduced to their music only a few years ago and looking back at it now, I realize just how fucking interesting this album is.

On one hand, The World Needs a Hero is a pretty heavy, progressive album that fits perfectly in Megadeth’s discography. It’s plain to see that it’s them being them and not some pop group. But on the other hand, it’s also very melodic, harmonious, and apart from “Return to Hangar”, each song has only a few drops of thrash mixed in.

The weirdness factor extends to the production, as well. The album has a crusty sound quality I’m quite fond of, and the guitar tone straight up sounds like the overdriven guitar from EarthBound. But frankly, I’m too much of a sucker for EarthBound to even see that as an issue.

Most of the songs on The World Needs a Hero utilize this katamari of seemingly unmixable factors really well. The melody choices fit nicely, and the same goes for Dave’s vocal harmonies, resulting in most of the songs being very memorable. And “Promises” is such a beautiful ballad I never expected to hear on this album, but again, somehow it also fits right in.

Unfortunately, there are a few tracks where it didn’t quite work out. The title track and “Moto Psycho” are failed attempts at combining the album’s experimentation with Megadeth’s classic sound. They’re not terrible, just not very good. However, there’s a much bigger violator here; the final track, “When”. Good god, this song is just awful.

“When” is basically 9 minutes of nothing trying to be something, and it ends up sounding more like 9 hours, instead. It’s by far the worst Megadeth song ever written, and left a really bad taste in my mouth the first time I listened to The World Needs a Hero all the way through. It’s such a shame, too, because the penultimate track, “Return to Hangar”, would have served as a much better closing song, since it’s a thrash-fest and throwback to one of the band’s most iconic songs, “Hangar 18”. That way, the record could have ended on a more promising note for the future.

With all that in mind, The World Needs a Hero is still a very underrated album. There’s so much to appreciate here, and I think that if the title track, “Moto Psycho” and especially “When” were left out, it would have been a couple of spots higher on the list.

#11 — The System Has Failed (2004)

Best songs: “Blackmail the Universe”, “Kick the Chair”, “The Scorpion”

Proceeding with Megadeth’s more overlooked albums, The System Has Failed is another unconventional gem that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. It continued the experimental style of The World Needs a Hero and combined it with a moderately thrashier direction.

Dave originally meant for The System Has Failed to be part of his own solo project, but because record labels are record labels, he was pressured into releasing it under the Megadeth name. Oddly enough, I think this ended up being very fitting, seeing how it’s a step closer to the band’s classic sound.

Most of the songs on here are fantastic. You’ve got good, old-fashioned tech-thrash bangers like “Blackmail the Universe” and “Kick the Chair”, as well as songs where Dave stepped outside his comfort zone like “Die Dead Enough” and “Of Mice and Men”. And despite being slow-paced, “The Scorpion” is such a haunting opus with a triple meaning which made the most out of Dave’s harmonized vocals. It’s my favorite song on the album.

There are plenty of other killer tracks on here, but sadly, The System Has Failed is another textbook case of “take out a couple of shitty songs and you’d have a total banger of a record”. “Something That I’m Not” and the closing song, “My Kingdom”, are both incredibly dull and feel more like filler. And I find that really funny because Dave wrote the latter about wanting a return to form. Thankfully, “My Kingdom” isn’t nearly as bad a closer as “When”, though, that’s a very low bar to jump over.

Granted, The System Has Failed is a great album and I do love it, but like The World Needs a Hero, it could have been so much better if it weren’t for a few songs.

#10 — Th1rt3en (2011)

Best songs: “Sudden Death”, “Whose Life (Is it Anyways?)”, “New World Order”

Th1rt3en is a complicated case as well, but for different reasons.

Dave underwent neck surgery before Th1rt3en, so his voice definitely suffered a hit, meaning he couldn’t take a more refined approach towards singing like in the previous album, Endgame. So how did the band combat this? By giving Th1rt3en a very rough-around-the-edges, rock n’ roll vibe, akin to groups like Aerosmith and Motörhead, but thrashier. This proved to be a stroke of genius, as I think it fits the album extraordinarily well.

Th1rt3en is for the most part, an excellent record, full of top-notch songs. “Sudden Death” is an epic opener, and tracks like “Public Enemy No. 1”, “Wrecker”, and “Black Swan” tread on that “thrash n’ roll” line perfectly, among a handful of others. “We the People” is awesome riff after awesome riff after awesome riff, and “Whose Life (Is it Anyway?)”, while not being one of Megadeth’s techiest songs, is one of my favorites on the album because it’s Dave’s love letter to all the hardcore bands that inspired him.

The only clunker on the album (yes, that’s a word, look it up) is “Guns, Drugs, and Money”. I don’t get it; the whole song is pretty much just one riff played over and over and over again for 4 minutes straight. In a Megadeth album, of all places. Why?

“Guns, Drugs, and Money” isn’t the only thing holding Th1rt3en back enough to be lower on the list, though. There are a couple of ballads in the record’s final stretch, “Millennium of the Blind” and “13”, that are great both instrumentally and lyrically, however, they just don’t fit with the rest of the album. Don’t get me wrong, Megadeth made plenty of amazing ballads both before and after Th1rt3en, but the reason why they’re so out of place here goes back to Dave not having much control over his voice due to the previously mentioned neck surgery. The muddy, rock n’ roll vocal style he adopted at the time just didn’t align well with ballads at all.

And it seems like such an odd choice to even include the ballads, since the album is already pretty long, so taking out only two songs would still leave a fairly lengthy record. Well, apparently, Dave has an obsession with the number 13, so being Megadeth’s 13th studio album, he wanted the number to be the album’s concept, and the band needed 13 songs to go along with it. To achieve this feat, they re-recorded a lot of songs that were originally meant for previous albums but didn’t make the cut, as well as songs written for film/game soundtracks. For the heavier songs, this tactic worked great, but for the two ballads, not so much.

So basically, Dave’s plan to give Th1rt3en its own identity and concept ended up backfiring. Let’s say that the 13 concept, two ballads, and “Guns, Drugs, and Money” were left out of the picture. The result would still be an awesome thrash metal album with 10 rock n’ roll-tinged songs.

But ya know what? Even with its flaws, Th1rt3en is a ton of fun. It may not be perfect, but god damn, there’s still way more good than bad to say about it.

#9 — United Abominations (2007)

Best songs: “Sleepwalker”, “Washington is Next!”, “You’re Dead”

Hell. Fucking. Yes.

I like to think of this as the part of the list where we get to the truly incredible albums. The ones I could listen to any day of the week and have no major flaws. The ones that define Megadeth as the greatest thrash metal band of all time.

As far as I’m concerned, United Abominations marked Megadeth’s full return to form since their decline began with Cryptic Writings. Just about everything you could ask for in a good Megadeth album is here; solid pacing? Check. An epic opener and closer? Check. Felicitous production? Check. Insane lyrics? Check. Variety? Check. Well-written, complex songs with riffs and solos that rip you apart? Super check!

The only song on United Abominations that doesn’t do much for me is “Blessed Are the Dead”. While not bad, per se, it’s just not on the same level as the rest of the songs on the record. Fortunately, this doesn’t take much away from the overall experience and is around the middle of the album, so United Abominations goes out on a high note, as any good release should.

“Play for Blood” is one of the only Megadeth songs to feature the cowbell, and I gotta say, somehow it fits so well, it’s the prescription for mah fevah (sorry, I had to).

There’s even a re-recording of “À Tout le Monde” thrown in, featuring Cristina Scabbia from Lacuna Coil on backing vocals. Is the original version better? Yep. Nevertheless, it’s still a fantastic remake, and besides, hearing Cristina sing duets with Dave Mustaine is something I didn’t know I needed in my life.

But I think it’s about time we address the elephant in the room, and the most common complaint I find with United Abominations; the political themes being too in-your-face, even by Megadeth standards.

Political commentary has been a staple in Megadeth’s music since Peace Sells, and for better or for worse, it’s never been more prominent than on United Abominations. This album approaches its political statements with the subtlety of Senator Armstrong, but half the time, it’s not quite as clever as he is. However, this decision payed off in a way nobody expected…

Ya see, we all know Dave loves being provocative. And guess what? This album actually managed to piss off the UN. No joke. They published a lengthy post on their blog trying to refute the points brought up by the title track, and funnily enough, admitted to many of the accusations in the process! That kind of accomplishment gives United Abominations some extra points, too.

And to think Megadeth released 8 albums that are somehow even better…

#8 — Youthanasia (1994)

Best songs: “À Tout le Monde”, “Youthanasia”, “Victory”

As I mentioned earlier, Megadeth spent most of the 90’s gravitating away from their thrash metal roots to try to keep up with the ever-changing musical landscape and surpass the success of Metallica’s Black Album. Knowing this going into Youthanasia, which is stylistically Megadeth’s equivalent to the Black Album, my expectations for the band’s first radio-friendly record weren’t very high. That’s not to say I dislike the Black Album by any means. There are a few songs on it that are pretty good. I’m just not as gung-ho about it as most people are. So when I listened to Youthanasia for the first time, I was shocked I loved it as much as I did, and still do.

With some of the songs on the Black Album, Metallica lost a lot of their integrity, but that’s not the case with Youthanasia. While it may not be as thrashy as the albums that came before it, Youthanasia remains faithful to what makes Megadeth so awesome; the songs are heavy and elaborate, Dave’s vocals sound great, the cover art is sick, the riffs and solos are amazing, and production-wise, Youthanasia’s original mix is among the best in Megadeth’s entire backlog.

Conceptually, the album touches upon the many different ways society euthanizes its younger generations, and as someone who suffered an especially awful youthhood, I can confirm that Youthanasia tackles these themes with startling accuracy.

For instance, “Family Tree’s” chorus is almost poppy with its level of catchiness, but once you realize what the song is about, you’ll find yourself feeling uneasy every time it comes up. And of course, there’s the magnificent title track, which is a Megadeth-y tribute to Black Sabbath’s Master of Reality, yet unlike “Kingmaker” from Super Collider, it doesn’t feel like a shameless rip-off.

Furthermore, Youthanasia was the first Megadeth album to include a pure ballad, “À Tout le Monde”. It’s a beautiful song about the things left unsaid.

The one thing that holds Youthanasia back a bit for me is the lame penultimate track, “Black Curtains”. It’s basically just a less interesting version of the Black Album’s “Sad But True”. However, it’s followed up by a truly spectacular closer, “Victory”, which ends the album on a very optimistic, empowering note. Not only that, but “Victory” is one of the only Megadeth tracks to lack a main riff, and while this sounds like a horrible idea on paper, it makes up for it by instead focusing on one of Dave’s greatest vocal performances to carry the song.

But beyond just being a fantastic album, I think the most impressive thing about Youthanasia is that Dave and co. managed to make a radio-friendly record without losing their classic Megadeth edge at all. Youthanasia had no thrash, and that was just fine.

#7 — Countdown to Extinction (1992)

Best songs: “Sweating Bullets”, “Countdown to Extinction”, “Ashes in Your Mouth”

The absolute missing link between Rust in Peace’s prog-infused thrash and Youthanasia’s radio-friendly sound, Countdown to Extinction is one of the best Megadeth albums for a newcomer to start with.

However, the album’s worth goes far beyond iconic value and me ripping off its name for this post’s title. I mean, sure, it’s easy to look at Megadeth’s best-selling release and assume the reason why it became so popular was the band selling out, but that isn’t actually the case at all. The truth is, even 30 years later, Countdown to Extinction still holds up. Plus, assuming makes an ass out of u and me.

Almost every song on Countdown to Extinction is a banger, and regardless of where you land on the rock/metal spectrum, there’s something in this album for everyone.

For those of you who love the techy, progressive style comprised of chunky riffs and strange song structures, Countdown to Extinction has songs that embody it perfectly, such as “Architecture of Aggression” and “Ashes in Your Mouth”. If you have a fast-paced, thrashy itch that needs to be scratched, boom; “Skin o’ My Teeth” and “High Speed Dirt” have your back. Want something catchy with a less heavy sound? “Foreclosure of a Dream”, “This Was My Life”, “Captive Honour”, and the title track are perfect for that. And then there’s the quirky “Psychotron”, meant for those who want to get weird with it.

What makes this feat even more remarkable is that unlike Cryptic Writings, Countdown to Extinction stays true to its own identity all the way through.

Though, to me, the most powerful aspect of Countdown to Extinction is its ongoing theme of feeling trapped. There are many songs on the album that encapsulate this concept wonderfully, but by far my favorite is “Sweating Bullets”. It’s a funny, yet brutally honest depiction of what it’s like to live with severe anxiety. That, and it’s also pretty much a blues song cleverly disguised as a heavy metal song. I approve.

Sadly, there is one track on here that’s way weaker than the rest, and it needs to be said…it’s “Symphony of Destruction”. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s iconic and well-loved, but despite its popularity, the song has some massive glaring issues that people are too scared to acknowledge because of its iconic value. “Symphony of Destruction” has a great chorus, a great solo, great lyrics, but for fuck’s sake, the verses and pre-chorus are just SO bland. And they don’t have any other kind of interesting instrumentation or vocal trick to carry them, instead. Apologies for the sudden rant, and to be fair, this is a very minor complaint when looking at the album collectively. “Symphony of Destruction” still has some good things about it. I’m just baffled I haven’t seen anyone else mention this before, that’s all.

There’s one other issue I haven’t seen people bring up much, either, and it has to do with the production. As much as I hate to admit it, the album’s original mix is deeply flawed because the high cymbals are way too loud and overpower every other instrument. This would place Countdown to Extinction lower on the list, but thankfully, it was given an essential remaster in 2004 which completely fixed the issue, so all is forgiven and the album can comfortably enjoy a higher-up spot. Don’t ya just wish more bands made remasters that were actually worth something?

Overall, Countdown to Extinction is an excellent album in nearly every way, and it’s great to see it still being well-respected all these decades later.

#6 — Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? (1986)

Best songs: “Wake Up Dead”, “Bad Omen”, “My Last Words”

“Wait. The legendary Peace Sells isn’t in the top 3, or even the top 5? Are you saying it’s overrated?? Do you have something against it?!” …I hear you cry.

The answers are no, no, no, and no. Peace Sells is fucking amazing and rightfully earned its reputation as a timeless classic. I love it for all the same reasons everyone else does. However, there are 5 Megadeth albums which I think are better, that’s all.

But before we even get to repeating what’s been said about this record a billion times before, we need to address its overwhelming impact on the thrash metal genre.

There’s no denying that Killing is My Business pushed the boundaries of what thrash metal could be, but Peace Sells absolutely demolished them.

See, even though Killing is My Business was revolutionary, it could still be easily identified as a thrash metal album at the time, only techier and more intricate. With Peace Sells, Megadeth decided to jump several miles further in that direction by adding influence not only from prog, but also jazz fusion, funk, and even blues. Most of this influence comes from drummer Gar Samuelson (R.I.P) and guitarist Chris Poland. They weren’t just metalheads, they were also trained jazz fusion musicians, and that combination shines in Peace Sells. It’s an extremely unique album, even by Megadeth standards!

The prominent jazz fusion elements proved to be highly influential amongst other tech-thrash bands. Just listen to albums like Toxik’s Think This, Watchtower’s Control and Resistance, or Annihilator’s For the Demented; none of those records would sound the way they do if it weren’t for Peace Sells.

Can you imagine being a metalhead when Peace Sells came out? I don’t think my mind would be able to process hearing funky basslines the moment I hit play. “Wake Up Dead” is the perfect opener, immediately showing us just how unconventional this album is, possessing a full-on jazz fusion structure that defied everything everyone knew about thrash metal. But even so, just like the rest of the album, it keeps the speed and aggression thrash is known for.

On the bluesy side, “My Last Words” sounds like a thrashy tribute to “Room to Move” by John Mayall. Listen to the two songs one after another and you’ll see exactly what I mean. There’s also a snarky, metal cover of Willie Dixon’s “I Ain’t Superstitious” which speaks for itself.

“Bad Omen” is one of my favorites off the record simply because it sounds like what would happen if King Crimson went thrash, which is a huge compliment.

And then, of course, there’s the title track, which marked the first time Megadeth went political, all in a catchy, memorable song that I’m pretty sure needs no further analysis. All I can say is that I’ll bet if you were to play the title track to any room full of veteran metalheads, they’d all start singing along. I mean, how could you not?

“Devil’s Island” does feel a bit flat when compared to the rest of the album, but it’s not a bad song, either, so fortunately, the record lacks any stinkers. The rest of the songs on Peace Sells are awesome, and I genuinely can’t gush over this album more without sounding like every other person to ever praise it.

To be honest, I find it kind of baffling that Peace Sells didn’t make it to the top 5. In spite of that, after thoroughly dissecting every Megadeth album, I’ve come to the conclusion that the band’s sophomore release belongs here. But hey, that just goes to show how phenomenal the countdown’s top 5 albums are.

#5 — Endgame (2009)

Best songs: “Bodies”, “Endgame”, “The Hardest Part of Letting Go…Sealed with a Kiss”

“When I get in, if there’s one thing I love, it’s a FAT— *’Head Crusher’ intro*”

~ Michael Rosen in Willy’s video describing Megadeth albums.

Memes aside, Endgame is easily one of Megadeth’s best albums. It’s a slick, ferocious release that showed the band weren’t content with returning to form in United Abominations. No, they wanted to step everything up a notch or seven, and undoubtedly succeeded. Endgame has some of the best guitar work in Megadeth’s entire discography and a varied selection of killer songs, to boot.

The record’s openers, “Dialectic Chaos” and “This Day We Fight!” are an epic throwback to the beginning of So Far, So Good…So What?!, and that intensity echoes throughout the album. The title track, “1,320”, “Bite the Hand”, and especially “Head Crusher” are all assaults on the senses which also build upon the ferocity of Megadeth’s early days, reborn with cutting-edge production. However, unlike Killing is My Business, Endgame has many standout songs that offer something unique to keep things interesting. For example, “How the Story Ends” and “The Right to Go Insane” have some solid groove to them, which complements the faster, hard-hitting songs very nicely.

“44 Minutes” may not have the most insane riffs, however, it has one of the best choruses of any Megadeth song, and hands down the sickest solo of the whole album.

“The Hardest Part of Letting Go…Sealed with a Kiss” is a very haunting thrash ballad with prominent classical influences and a pretty funny story behind it; Dave’s wife asked him to write a song for her, and he ended up writing a really dark love song about Diana, instead. Yikes…

“Bodies” is probably my favorite song on the album, since it takes the best components of every other song on Endgame and alchemizes them into a single track. On top of that, it’s also a really uplifting song to listen to when you’re feeling down.

If I had to point out one drawback in Endgame, it’s that it relies too heavily on drawn-out solos to carry a lot of the songs. But even then, I don’t see this as a major flaw because of how fantastic most of these solos are. Dave chooses only the best guitarists, and Chris Broderick’s performance here is living proof of that.

A lot of bands lose their edge after a while, but Dave and co. keep pumping out bangers decades into their career, and Endgame is a prime example of Megadeth’s tenacity.

#4 — So Far, So Good…So What?! (1988)

Best songs: “Set the World Afire”, “Mary Jane”, “In My Darkest Hour”

Despite receiving positive reviews upon its release, for the longest time, So Far, So Good…So What?! was seen by many as one of Megadeth’s weaker records. However, over the past year or two, it’s slowly been regaining a lot of its long, lost respect, and I’m really glad that’s the case, because holy shit, this album is awesome.

In many ways, So Far, So Good…So What?! continues where Killing is My Business left off. Be that as it may, it’s noticeably much more developed. Ya see, with the debut, its insane rawness and aggression made the album feel like the musical equivalent of a bulldozer careening towards you. So Far, So Good…So What?! is much of the same, except it does so in style.

Every song on the album is exploding with emotion, yet they’re all varied and distinct from one another. This makes So Far, So Good…So What?! a great record regardless of whether you binge it in one sitting or listen to each song separately.

So Far, So Good…So What?! opens with “Into the Lungs of Hell”, a song that immediately lets you know you’re in for one killer album, transitioning into “Set the World Afire”, which is expertly-crafted riff porn. “502” and “Hook in Mouth” have a very similar intensity, but again, what makes this different from the debut is that each track possesses its own identity.

“Mary Jane” and “In My Darkest Hour” share some similarities musically, yet they manage to give off completely different vibes. One is written to make your skin crawl and send chills down your spine, the other takes you on a lonely, depressive journey down Abandonment Issues Lane.

Of course, there’s also the cover of “Anarchy in the U.K.” by the Sex Pistols, with Steve Jones making a hilariously off-key cameo.

The only song that’s a bit below the rest for me is “Liar”, but even so, I can’t help but love it just because of how tongue-in-cheek it is. That, and the fact that in the third verse, Dave’s singing like Michael Stipe in “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” by R.E.M.

So Far, So Good…So What?! is definitely one of the most underrated albums in Megadeth’s backlog. No matter how many countdowns I’ve read/watched, no matter how many displeased reviews I’ve come across, I never understood why the hell it was so looked down upon. Thankfully, its reputation has been improving these past couple of years, which is great, because I’d argue it’s an essential Megadeth record and one of the ideal releases for a newcomer to start with.

And to anyone who insists it’s a mediocre, poorly-aged album, all I can say is so far, it’s so good…so what?!

(God, that was a cringey way to end this segment…)

#3 — The Sick, the Dying…And the Dead! (2022)

Best songs: “Night Stalkers”, “Dogs of Chernobyl”, “We’ll Be Back”

I already wrote a lengthy review of The Sick, the Dying…And the Dead! right after it came out, but looking at it a few months later, there’s plenty more to say about this treasure trove of an album I wasn’t able to cover back then.

First off, I mentioned that it’s the spiritual successor to So Far, So Good…So What?!, and didn’t really elaborate much on why, so I’ll explain myself better this time:

A lot of the songs have the punch and riffing style heard in So Far, So Good…So What?!, both have a diss track (“Liar” and “Célebutante”), and most importantly, both have a surge of emotion coursing through every song.

Besides that, I also praised The World Needs a Hero for integrating a lot of melody into its songs. That trait applies to The Sick, the Dying…And the Dead! as well, but combines it with the unhinged speed and aggression heard in, you guessed it, So Far, So Good…So What?!. In fact, “Night Stalkers” and “We’ll Be Back” are probably the two most extreme Megadeth songs of all time.

My favorite song on the album is definitely “Dogs of Chernobyl”. It’s a sequel to “In My Darkest Hour” (from So Far, So Good…So What?!, again), but the riffs are more intricate and it also uses the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster as a metaphor for abandonment issues, which, if you ask me, is creative genius. Not only that, but when you consider the fact that “In My Darkest Hour” was written in response to Cliff Burton’s death, and the Chernobyl disaster happened the exact same year, the pieces fit perfectly.

Even with all the similarities to So Far, So Good…So What?!, The Sick, the Dying…And the Dead! is still a very distinct record. Apart from the polished production and increased melody, much of the album’s identity comes from Kiko Loureiro, whose style adds so much to every song, both musically and thematically. As I said before, Dave Mustaine chooses only the greatest lead guitarists for Megadeth, but Kiko might just be the best one yet. It’s either him or Marty Friedman, and that’s saying a lot.

In my initial review, I said that the riffing in a few of the songs gets repetitive, but looking back at them now, that’s no longer an issue for me because it fits with the vibe of each song very well…except for “Célebutante”. Its first half uses the exact same uninteresting riff for both the verses and chorus, which is honestly pretty lame, but the song’s second half is just as awesome as the rest of the album, which mostly cancels out the drawback. Apart from that one tiny nitpick, I genuinely can’t find any flaws with The Sick, the Dying…And the Dead! at all.

Another thing that drives The Sick, the Dying…And the Dead! to the top 3 is the epic music videos that accompany it. Normally, I wouldn’t recognize music videos as a factor in judging how good an album is, but considering how much they add to the album and how much soul was poured into them, I just have to. Up until now, the band’s mascot, Vic Rattlehead, was given only one song (“The Skull Beneath the Skin”) in the very first album to tell us his origins, but thanks to The Sick, the Dying…And the Dead!’s music videos, now he has a backstory and a purpose. The production for all these videos is fantastic, there’s so much going on, and it’s amazing to me that they’ve crafted a story here.

But above all else, the most remarkable part about The Sick, the Dying…And the Dead! for me is that it sounds as incredible as it does this late into Megadeth’s career. I find it so mind-blowing that even after COVID and recovering from throat cancer, Dave suddenly got re-energized, released possibly his most aggressive album yet, his guitar playing and songwriting muscles haven’t lost a step, and he’s able to give a very solid vocal performance, too. It’s been like, 40 years since his metal crusade began, and he’s still killing it, better and stronger now than nearly every other point in his career.

Well, that’s all I have to say about The Sick, the Dying…And the Dead!, though, before we move onto the top 2, there’s something I should note: I said earlier that from #9 onwards, every album on the list is a banger, and that statement still holds true. But the final 2? They’re chilling in a league of their own…

#2 — Rust in Peace (1990)

Best songs: “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due”, “Hangar 18”, “Tornado of Souls”

Lemme guess: you all thought this was gonna be #1?

I know it’s considered a blasphemous act of treason to not place Rust in Peace at the very top, but as incredible as it is, I think there’s one Megadeth album that just barely outranks it.

That being said, Rust in Peace still deserves all the love it gets. If Peace Sells and So Far, So Good…So What?! established Megadeth as formidable contestants in the thrash metal ring, Rust in Peace was the nuke that obliterated the entire competition, ensuring no other band in the genre would ever be able to surpass them in quality. It took everything that was great about Megadeth up until that point and sharpened them to a diamond-cutting edge.

Remember how I said that So Far, So Good…So What?!’s “Set the World Afire” is expertly-crafted riff porn? That applies to nearly every song on Rust in Peace, except for “Dawn Patrol”, which doesn’t really count because it’s an interlude comprised of David Ellefson’s eerie bassline. On top of that, every solo on the album is top-notch, and unlike Endgame, none of them feel forced in.

The band’s lineup was brand new at the time, with drummer Nick Menza joining only a year prior to the album’s release, and lead guitarist Marty Friedman joining in the midst of its recording. I doubt any of those guys had a clue what kind of masterpiece was about to unfold in the studio. In Rust in Peace, every band member was at the top of their game, and they all complemented each other perfectly. It was as if the stars aligned for Megadeth to create their progressive magnum opus.

The record starts with “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due”, a song few album openers can even begin to compare to, and things never really go south from that point on. Of course, there’s the otherworldly psychedelia of “Hangar 18” and “Tornado of Souls” having possibly the greatest guitar solo in thrash metal history, but everything in between is staggering, as well. Not a moment on Rust in Peace goes to waste.

The pacing is impeccable and there’s so much variety here; “Take No Prisoners” makes you feel like you’re in the middle of a battlefield, “Five Magics” goes through so many twists and turns, “Lucretia” is quirky in its own way, and “Dawn Patrol” is the perfect calm before the storm that is “Rust in Peace…Polaris”. And look, “Poison Was the Cure” is for the most part, comprised of just one riff. I typically hate thrash metal songs that are like this, but the riff used here was just too good and integrated so well to a point where I can’t even criticize it, and chances are, neither can any of you.

When it comes to Rust in Peace’s production, the original pressing is great, and the remaster is somehow just slightly better (except for “Take No Prisoners”. I have no idea what Mustaine did to fuck it up in the remastered version).

Lyrically, Rust in Peace primarily touches upon the many aspects of war, but also personal struggles, fantasy, and supernatural phenomena. In other words, the album possesses a core theme, while still being able to dabble in other topics here and there, and every lyric fits just right.

Rust in Peace is so much more than an album that never ages. Much like King Crimson’s debut record and I Against I by the Bad Brains, it’s one of those extraordinarily rare albums that just get better with time. One of those few albums that could come out today and still sound downright futuristic. More futuristic than practically everything else on the market. It’s the perfect Megadeth record, and I completely understand why it’s widely regarded as the greatest album they ever released.

But even so…

Even so…

#1 — Dystopia (2016)

Best songs: “The Threat is Real”, “Dystopia”, “Poisonous Shadows”

If you’re still reading, chances are it’s because you’re either relieved someone else agrees with you that Dystopia is Megadeth’s greatest album, or you’re sneering at the fact that anyone would be so foolish as to place it above the almighty Rust in Peace. I’m willing to bet the amount of money Dave Mustaine didn’t make by not being in Metallica that you fit in the latter option. But if you choose to keep reading my countdown, you might come out of it with a new appreciation for this massively underrated masterpiece.

See, Rust in Peace displays Megadeth at their most progressive, but Dystopia is the culmination of the band’s greatest achievements up until its release. All the best elements from their previous works are here, bundled into one record. If that wasn’t enough, Dystopia also holds many distinct features of its own while looking towards both the future of Megadeth and the future of the world. Yes, really.

Dystopia is a perfect mix of rip-roaring thrash tunes with insane energy like “The Threat is Real”, “Lying in State”, and “The Emperor”, mid-tempo songs like “Bullet to the Brain” and “Post American World”, as well as a couple of tracks where the band strayed from their comfort zone and nailed it with grace, like “Conquer or Die!” and “Poisonous Shadows”. Each song stands out from the rest, yet they all feel like part of the same record, while also paying homage to Megadeth’s past efforts. In other words, Dystopia is the band’s most varied album, and combined with the pacing being flawless, none of it feels forced or out of place…but that’s just the beginning.

Production-wise, Dystopia is one of a kind. I mean, sure, you can clearly hear every instrument, and it’s expertly mixed while still sounding organic, but that applies to some of the band’s other 21st century albums, too. What makes Dystopia a special case is atmosphere.

Atmospheric thrash are two words combined that can’t make sense. When it comes to any form of music rooted in punk, there’s not much room for atmosphere, and yet somehow, Dystopia is the only thrash metal album I know that was able to pull this feat off without excessively overloading it with a fuck ton of synths. There’s a faint ambience throughout every song, which pairs nicely with the album cover, as well as the record’s overall vibe. Not only that, but it still sounds brutal as fuck. How??? A thrash album with this kind of production and sound defies the laws of music itself in the best way possible. It’s the only thrash album I can think of that’s well-suited for a walk in the rain, which is something I typically only associate with black metal and ambient music.

But of course, Dystopia’s greatness doesn’t end there. Thanks to Kiko Loureiro, much of my praise for The Sick, the Dying…And the Dead! is shared with Dystopia, as well. His vibrant, melodic playing style is mesmerizing to the ears, and complements Dave’s solos/rhythm playing like a loner and a seat next to their classroom’s window.

However, because Dystopia stylistically goes through the best moments of Megadeth’s career, the guitar work has more room to shine than in any of the band’s other releases, all while adding classical elements to make the album stand out from the rest. The title track, “Death from Within”, “Bullet to the Brain”, “Post American World”, “Conquer or Die!”, “Lying in State”, and especially “Poisonous Shadows” are all laced with classical influences, which go along with the dark tone of the album very well. And what makes this even more interesting is that a lot of it comes not only from Kiko, but Dave, as well.

“Poisonous Shadows” is by far my favorite song on the album — scratch that, it’s one of my all-time favorite songs from anything ever. However, I’ll share my full thoughts on it in a future post because this one’s absurdly long, already.

The album’s closer is a cover of FEAR’s “Foreign Policy”. Cover songs weren’t a new thing for Megadeth to any degree, however, what differentiates it from the rest is that looking at the original now…it’s kind of underwhelming, and this is coming from someone who really loves hardcore. Maybe it sounded way better when it came out, but now it’s just bland. The original versions of every other song Megadeth covered were great to begin with, but by covering “Foreign Policy”, they saved it by turning it into a modern banger while still holding onto the attitude heard in 80’s hardcore.

“Foreign Policy” also fits with the rest of Dystopia’s themes, which are…well…dystopian (duh). That’s something Megadeth dabbled with many times before, but what makes Dystopia different from say, United Abominations, is that its political aspects don’t feel too overbearing, nor is it primarily focused on just one concept. Not to mention, the album achieves this while making predictions of future scenarios…nearly all of which have come true.

In many ways, Dystopia predicted the future. Think of every insane thing that happened all around the world since the album’s release and compare them to every scenario depicted by Dystopia. In just 7 years, Dystopia got so much better with time. But even as the world burns, Dave and co. stay determined and don’t lose sight of what made them great in the first place, and I think in these trying times, that’s something one should aspire to.

Of course, some of the songs are more introspective in nature, too, namely “Fatal Illusion”, “Bullet to the Brain”, and “Poisonous Shadows”. Even so, they all find some way to tie in with the rest of the album’s themes.

And Dave’s vocals? Here’s a bold statement; I truly believe Dystopia features Dave’s best vocal performance ever. He may have had more range in some of Megadeth’s previous albums, but much like Dystopia’s atmosphere, themes, and musical style, the vocals are stitched together with every other component seamlessly.

In Dystopia, Dave sounds like a cynical prophet, trying and failing to keep the public aware of the world around them going to shit, while also reflecting on his life, the hardships he endured, and all the horrible things he saw with his own eyes. His voice is not only angry, but also raspy, tired, and worn-out. Considering the fact that Dystopia is arguably Megadeth’s darkest album, I can’t think of a better vocal approach for Dave to take on this record. I get goosebumps every time I hear him sing the pre-chorus of “Post American World”. Listen to it yourself and you’ll understand where I’m coming from.

As far as the rest of the band members are concerned, David Ellefson’s performance is fantastic as always, and despite Dystopia being Chris Adler’s only appearance in a Megadeth album, his drumming fits so perfectly with the rest of the band, it sounds as though he was with them since day 1.

This album is downright OP. Like, it shouldn’t even be possible to make an album this good. Everything in Dystopia is beyond perfect. For fuck’s sake, do I even have to keep explaining why Dystopia is more than worthy of being crowned #1?! I could go on for another day or two if I really wanted to, but I don’t. So instead of doing that, I’ll just leave you with this:

It feels as though everything Dave Mustaine and Megadeth have been through up until that point, everything that ever happened within thrash metal, was all leading up to this one record. That, alongside every other argument I made for this list’s final spot is why I consider Dystopia to be not just Megadeth’s best album, but the greatest thrash metal album of all time.

I hope you enjoyed, and for all intents and purposes, stay metal, my friends!