Megadeth
United Abominations
Barbara Fara
Editor-In-Chief
Music Incider Magazine
http://www.megadeth.com/home.php
www.myspace.com/megadeth
Dave Mustaine- Born
Shawn Drover-Born
James Lomenzo- Born
Chris Broderick- Born
Once upon a time, in 1982, there was a little band called Metallica – now one of the biggest rip-off bands of the century. If it was not for Dave Mustaine, there would be no Metallica. Sometime in 1983, after a show, he and Lars get trashed together and Lars did not have the guts to tell him until the next day that they were kicking him out of Metallica. The band gave him 60 bucks and sent him packing back to LA. During this time period in ‘83, before Megadeth was born, Dave with his productive Virgo nature was cooking up ways to start a new band. He comes up with the name Megadeth. Metallica takes it as Dave trying to get revenge. Dave was not trying to get revenge. Like he said on the Metallica dvd, he would have gotten help if someone told him he had a problem. Instead they just sent him packing to deal with it alone. Lars said, “For the past 20 years you have been trying to get back at Metallica.” Dave’s answer was, “Metallica has HARDLY been the only thing on my mind for the past 20 years.” Virgos don’t like to be burned, fucked over or lied to. If they had just been straight with him, maybe he would still be with them and Metallica wouldn’t be the sell out band they are today. Dave decided Megadeth would be a non sell out band and he has stayed true to that. He does switch band members every single year though. Dave is always saying that the band is breaking up or retiring and yet a new album always comes out. Deep down, does he think that Metallica will die from shock that he has managed again to rise from the ashes to come out with yet another brilliant album? Sometime in 2002, he was in a motorcycle accident. There were rumors of severe nerve damage or TIA in his left arm – but that did not stop the great Dave Mustaine. If anything, it made him stronger than he had ever been before. Being kicked out of Metallica was meant to be – it was a call to arms to get his ass cleaned up and start Megadeth, thereby making the world a better place.
Dave is one. political. motherfucker. He does not hold back what he says or feels. He knows a phony when he sees one. This is why I believe he has replaced every member of Megadeth every few years – with this current lineup on the new cd, though, he may have found exactly what he has been searching for. If you are lucky enough to live in or near Atlanta, on 4/20/08, you can catch Megadeth live at the Masquerade.
Since I am done praising my strawberry-blond god of guitar rock, let’s look at Megadeth’s 11th and newest cd, United Abominations.
United Abomination track listing:
Dave knows the difference between the spiritual world and this physical plane. As you are listening to this track, you know that he has a force inside him that makes him feel that his dream state is reality. He is trying to keep this force from entering into his dreams. Are we getting the hint here people? We have terrible nightmares of destruction and then we wake up and we think everything is fine. We should be watching the news and reading newspapers. The world is changing right in front of our eyes and we don’t see it. But Dave does. So kiddies, don’t be afraid of going to sleep at night, cuz you are actually seeing the real world for what it is, and then when you awake in the morning, compare that dream to reality and you will see what Dave means.
Megadeth gives us a history lesson, but they do it smartly. If you read the lyrics to the song and you can’t interpret it, let me give it to you in a nutshell. Everyone has seen what he is saying, for the past 7 years our lives have been in hell and we have an evil king in the office by the name GWB. If these war games don’t stop, things will only get worse. When I listen to this prophetic tinged track, I wonder what Dave sees in that head of his. Is he seeing the 4th Reich, a biological nightmare? Is he seeing our future? Is he trying to prepare us now, when we should have been prepared the day the towers went down? We are losing more and more every day, so many troops. Unless we get the right woman in power, we will not see the Camelot years, aka the
Never Walk Alone – a Call to Arms
This is actually more like a love song than a metal song. The character in the song hurt the one he loved once and now she is broken again. Every time she tries to rely on him again, he screws up. He knows this and is telling her that he understands why she doesn’t trust him. But here he is pleading with her to see the changes in his life since they separated, so that he can protect her from those that are trying to hurt her. He will always have her back and no matter what she will never, ever be alone again.
United Abominations
It starts with 9/11. Why did we attack Saddam Hussein when he had nothing to do with it? The war crimes that are going on overseas show that we are simply building a military corporation. Turning our children into pawns in the war machine. And they are left to believe the
Gears of War
We are playing with a very different breed of fucking ammunition than we have ever had in the past. We are recruiting these kids after making them promises of college tuition and then we bring them home in caskets. How many more soldiers are going to die, how many more mothers will have to bury their sons and daughters? We have to realize that we are training kids to be killing machines. When are we going to stop this stupidity and bring the troops home. Things have to change or they will end up getting worse. Bush has to end this mess before he leaves office, admit his wrongs or he will pay for it when he when he dies and meets the reaper.
Blessed are the Dead
Ever hear the tale of the four horsemen? Dave is prophesizing the bible. He is letting us know that the four horsemen are coming and as he states, the white horse is the cloud of death, the red horse will bring a war to end all wars, a pale horse with pestilence and a black horse with famine and scales. What are we doing? Are we going to let it happen or stop it? And yet, it’s still a beautiful song, where he is giving thanks for all those that have passed who have tried to save us before and he wants this to be over soon. When and if this war ever ends, as Dave says, he will believe it when he sees his name in stone.
Play for Blood
Dave Mustaine is speaking for the trigger happy soldier, the one that looks at the war like a video game. Every time he shoots at someone he gets that little rush, the high. He will become an expert at what he does, which is killing. And he will probably come home with PTSD and a lust for war that has turned him into a human terminator. Train our troops not just to kill but treat others with compassion and humanity.
A Tout Le Monde (set me free)
This track features Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil singing backup. A young couple marries, the husband joins the service. Right before he gets killed he writes this beautiful letter. Young soldier dies. His body comes home with the letter in his uniform pocket and as she reads it she cries and cries, wondering how she will ever see him again. She realizes that the only way she can see him again is that if she sets herself free in death, and to her, a love like this is worth it.
Amerikhastan
People are being judged by their race, religion, and the color of their skin. There are people out there from middle eastern decent that have been citizens most or all of their lives. These people are being attacked for no reason when they are legitimate citizens; all these hardworking immigrants that are trying to build a life here – then 9/11 happens. We have become Amerikhastan. We have a war right here in the states. Why should someone be coming out of a church, or temple, or school and be attacked when they don’t have anything to do with any terrorist? We are ALL immigrants.
You’re Dead
I love Dave Mustaine. I love how he puts into such succinct words just how he enjoys having his revenge on those who have hurt him. It keeps that revolving scar inside of him alive. Since no other journalist has the balls to say it, this is dedicated to James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich and the rest of Metallica for all the wrongs done to him. He is just waiting for all you fuckers to die so he can have his sweet revenge.
Burnt Ice
This song could be about anybody. And I know I probably repeat myself here from time to time, but everyone is born with some sort of creative psychic ability. If you look at most musicians, actors, etc you will see them using drugs to bring out that creativity. But they don’t need that if they just listen to their inner voice, yet they walk around with their addictions taking them further and further away from the creativity they wanted to bring closer. Dave really seems to be more in tune with himself than ever and he sees that if you let the drugs and addiction get out of control (and it always inevitably does) you will end up with nothing on the streets with a tin can panhandling, anything to make a buck to feed the addiction, feed their creativity left long ago. But if you just return to your inner voice you can get back on track. Throw away your addictions and just get back to work. Don’t you want to see your kids grow up? You have to have faith in your inner feelings that may come from the gut, the heart; but most importantly, whatever you do, put those skeletons back in the closet and get on with your life.
Musicincider’s thoughts on the latest band line-up:
Dave has finally found a band that listens to him and vibes with him – they love Megadeth and want to stay put.
*Photos courtesy of megadeth.com
