23. March 2025
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Megadeth – The Sick, The Dying… and The Dead!

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Megadeth - The Sick, The Dying... and The Dead!

Megadeth - The Sick, The Dying... and The Dead!
4.7

Rating

 4.7/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Very versatile and entertaining album
  • Great musical quality

I guess it is hard to argue against when somebody calls Megadeth a legendary heavy metal band. The US-American act is about to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their founding day next year. Before that, fans can enjoy The Sick, The Dying… and The Dead!. The sixteenth Megadeth studio album has been released on 2nd September 2022.

 

Megadeth – About The Artists

The roots of Megadeth are a result of a controversial. Originally, Dave Mustaine was a member of Metallica, but several reasons lead to a split of him and the band. He wanted to form a band which is faster and heavier than his former band mates and founded Megadeth. He is also the only founding member still active (and being active without an intermission, apart from the band’s hiatus between 2002 and 2004). The most prominent Megadeth member apart from Mustaine himself is likely founding member David member David Ellefson. The bassist left the band in 2021. The current band members are bassist James LoMenzo, drummer Dirk Verbeuren and Kiko Loureiro (guitars and piano).

The band had a quite good career from the very beginning. Thereby, Megadeth has always been an international act. The chart placement of the 1985 debut album Killing Is My Business… and Business is Good! has been better in Germany, Japan and Australia than in the USA itself. The Los Angeles-origin metal band especially grew in the late 1980’s and 1990’s. Their last studio album Dystopia, which has been released in 2016, was a Top 5 release in numerous markets. On the singles side, Symphony of Destruction released in 1992 was likely the band’s most successful release.

 

 

Megadeth – The Sick, The Dying… and The Dead! – Track by Track

The fourteen track album lasts 63 minutes.

1. The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!

The US-American allow some one minute for an introduction into their 2022 sound, before the guitars and drums speed up for the title track. However, The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead! especially comes with some really cool dramatic changes, from rocking to very atmospheric and melodic parts. The first five minutes are versatile, demonstrate the skills of the band and tell a great story – that’s what I call a promising opener, indeed.

2. Life In Hell

After the title track has rather been a slow starter, Life In Hell aims for full speed from the very beginning. Again, the manage to create a small story with different stages within a four minute songs. Cool!

3. Night Stalkers (feat. Ice-T)

Dave Mustaine and Ice-T in parallel in one song? I guess that many of you have been quite surprised about this combo when the single Night Stalkers has been released. But both are good musicians, they found a good level of collaboration – and the rap parts are just not too long. Thumbs up.

4. Dogs Of Chernobyl

The fourth track does not only come with the most memorable title of all songs likely, it is also the longest track on the album. The key phrase in here is You left me behind like one of the dogs of Chernobyl, combining the hundreds of stray dogs around the nuclear power plant with a personal message. Great arrangement by the US-Americans – this time, the bridge comes with a high-speed section.

5. Sacrifice

Mustaine turns Sacrifice into a very special listen. The key reason for that are his vocals, which turn this song into a dark, intense listen. Does Mattel need a voice for the next Masters of the Universe movie? This is how I would imagine the singing of Skeletor to sound alike. On the melodic side, the track has a nice old-school rock touch.

6. Junkie

Junkie is a great showcase for the instrumentalists of Megadeth. The band’s new drummer Dirk Verbeulen’s performance definitely attracts you to love the new guy in the groove machine and the guitars show one of their nicest performances as well. Unfortunately, the song is rather short.

7. Psychopathy

I would see these 80 seconds rather as an interlude than as some sort of track. Atmospheric guitar and drums paired with a storytelling part.

8. Killing Time

Psychopathy directly leads into the five minute listen Killing Time. One the one hand, Verbeulen is firing the machine gun on the drums – on the other hand, the song comes with some really nice melodic parts as well. Here and there, there even feels to be a slight touch of blues.

9. Soldier On!

The second single release on this album comes with very present staccato rhythms, before Megedeth add melodic elements and vocals on the massive rhythm. The characteristic drumming is definitely the most catching part of this listen. I got no job, but I got long hair – the track is closing with a marching tune… and I finish listening to it with a smile.

10. Celebutanté

Quick feet at the rear of stage please: This song is definitely metalhead speed-thumping in perfection, amazing that the musical equipment of Megadeth’s new drummer is standing the pressure. Very nice one.

11. Mission To Mars

The album had already introduced the listener to Life In Hell, now Megadeth take us on a Mission To Mars. Strumming electric guitar riffs create a rock spirit in the first minute, the following four and a half ones add good vocals and nice melodic. I wanna be an astronaut – come on, life as a rocker is not too bad as well.

12. We’ll Be Back

We’ll Be Back is another high speed experience. Faster than Metallica? Feels like Megadeth is still aiming for this one, four decades later? Impressive musical performance!

13. Police Truck

The Police Truck is the shortest full song on the album. However, the 2:29 minutes are rather an excellent showcase for the musical and instrumental quality of the band. Great speed and groove.

14. The Planet’s On Fire (Burn In Hell)

Sammy Hagar and his classic close the 2022 Megadeth album. This collaboration just works perfectly, so that it is a real pity that the set of 14 tracks is already over. Cool one!

 

Megadeth – The Sick, The Dying… and The Dead! – Spotify

Here is Megatdeth’s 2022 album on Spotify:

 

Megadeth – The Sick, The Dying… and The Dead! – My View

Megadeth are back – and they show that even a few changes in the line-up cannot change the magic of these legendary metal heads. This versatile album is not only a recommendation for fans of the band – a definite Top Pick!.

 

Media Reviews – US Hard Rock / Heavy Metal

Here are all my hard rock / heavy metal postings in the Media Reviews related to the USA:

 

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