Megadeth Live Review

This was one of the first metal recordings I was really exposed to. My older brother was kind of a mainstream metalhead and picked up the Countdown to Extinction album and this promo live EP was attached to it. I started listening to Megadeth soon thereafter and he basically just let me have this EP. I was much more interested in the EP than the album because I liked the songs better.

This EP features six songs, including songs from their earlier albums. I was never as much of a fan of the Countdown era of Megadeth, which is why this EP appealed to me.

The songs on the album are played even faster than on the recordings, which is the most interesting aspect of the EP. It is especially noticeable on "Symphony of Destruction". This is my favorite version of this song because the increased speed makes it an incredible roller-coaster of a song. "Peace Sells" is also sped up to a degree and Mustaine's voice sounds desperate and manic.

The band is a cohesive unit on this limited edition EP. The songs are crisp, the sound quality is clear, and every instrument can be heard. Mustaine's vocals are just as exasperated as on the albums. He is truly a one-of-a-kind vocalist. The riffs and solos are all played at blazing fast speeds, with the exception of "In My Darkest Hour" which should be played slower.

My only complaint about this EP is the presence of "Anarchy in the UK". I have always felt that Megadeth's songs are good enough without the band having to resort to covers. Especially since most of their covers are of the ironic pop song variety. This one is not, but still sounds out of place with the thrashing of the other tracks.

As one of my first exposures to Megadeth, and metal in general, this EP is a personal favorite of mine.