MegaDeaf's RankViews; Megadeth

Today, we'll be kicking off the new series by tackling the very namesake of this page - Megadeth. Without further adieu, let's roll.

Photo Credit: Loudwire

#15 - Super Collider (2013) (1.7/5)

• Heaviness; 2/5

• Memorability; 1.5/5

• Context; 1/5

• Ambition; 2/5

• Venom; 2/5

"If you're searching for fairly mediocre music to show your non-metal friend, don't even start here. Searching through this will get you nowhere."

#14 - Risk (1999) (1.9/5)

• Heaviness; 1.5/5

• Memorability; 2/5

• Context; 1/5

• Ambition; 2/5

• Venom; 3/5

“Let the yawns ensue, as we’ve come to one of the worst Megadeth album of ‘em all! Good on the band for trying but man is this album a drag.”

#13 - Cryptic Writings (1997) (2.5/5)

• Heaviness; 2/5

• Memorability; 3/5

• Context; 2.5/5

• Ambition; 2/5

• Venom; 3/5

“Mainstream completely embodies late-90’s Megadeth and its age shows on this one. The tracks are catchy and cool to listen to, but it’s very much an album of it’s time bar one or two all-time Megadeth tracks.”

#12 - TH1RT3EN (2011) (2.6/5)

• Heaviness; 3.5/5

• Memorability; 2.5/5

• Context; 2.5/5

• Ambition; 2/5

• Venom; 2.5/5

“Though the band were on a bit of a high after the marvellous Endgame – all good things had to come to an end sadly – as the ensuing TH1RT3EN is just as exciting as you’d expect it to be from Dave and co. 20+ years into their career. Eh.”

#11 - The System Has Failed (2004) (2.6/5)

• Heaviness; 3/5

• Memorability; 2.5/5

• Context; 3/5

• Ambition; 2/5

• Venom; 2/5

“Solo-albums-turned-band-albums are never an amazing idea – and it clearly showed on this often formulaic slab of mainstream metal. Gone is most of the groove in Megadeth’s sound, and it clearly shows on this album. Not recommended, but tolerable.”

#10 - The World Needs A Hero (2001) (2.7/5)

• Heaviness; 3/5

• Memorability; 2/5

• Context; 2.5/5

• Ambition; 2.5/5

• Venom; 3.5/5

“Taking the failed intentions from its predecessor and throwing them out of the window – The World Needs A Hero puts the Mega in Megadeth again – though it gets very repetitive much like its predecessor after a while of listening.”

#9 - Youthanasia (1994) (2.9/5)

• Heaviness; 2.5/5

• Memorability; 3.5/5

• Context; 2.5/5

• Ambition; 2.5/5

• Venom; 3.5/5

“It’s sad to see this one so low as it’s one of my personal favourites – however Youthanasia takes its mainstream ideas from its predecessor and makes them even more mainstream. Out with some heaviness and in with some wickedly catchy melodies – this is just a comfortable album to listen to. Middle of the pack.”

#8 - United Abominations (2007) (3.1/5)

• Heaviness; 3.5/5

• Memorability; 3/5

• Context; 3/5

• Ambition; 2.5/5

• Venom; 3.5/5

“The So Far... So Good... So What! of the new millennium in the fact that it's overlooked – United Abominations is quite often overshadowed by it’s contemporaries Endgame and Dystopia. The album takes some influence from the then-current generation of mid-2000’s metal with it’s mainstream ideologies and whatnot. But make no mistake – Megadeth rarely go soft here!”

#7 - So Far... So Good... So What! (1988) (3.3/5)

• Heaviness; 3.5/5

• Memorability; 3/5

• Context; 3/5

• Ambition; 3.5/5

• Venom; 3.5/5

“Speak of the devil. After losing an all-star line-up, Megadeth quickly entered the studio with two new members and delivered what is easily their most overlooked album. The effort sees a greater emphasis on the punk ethos in Megadeth that was almost completely missing from the first two efforts (those first two are jazzy as hell!)”

#6 - Killing is My Business... And Business is Good! (1985) (3.4/5)

• Heaviness; 3.5/5

• Memorability; 3/5

• Context; 3.5/5

• Ambition; 4/5

• Venom; 3/5

“The raucous debut that started it all. Wanting to be better, faster and heavier than their thrash rivals Metallica – Megadeth went all in for their first effort. Though it suffers from a lack of quality performances (who could blame then judging by their living habits during the time?!)."

#5 - Endgame (2009) (3.5/5)

• Heaviness; 4/5

• Memorability; 3.5/5

• Context; 3/5

• Ambition; 3/5

• Venom; 4/5

“Quite possibly Megadeth’s roughest record of the new millennium – Endgame pulls no punches with its quite frankly brutal cuts found all over the record. It’s not all heavy however, as the band find time to throw in some neo-classical and flamenco ideologies courtesy of new-found talent in Chris Broderick on the lead guitars.”

#4 - Dystopia (2016) (3.5/5)

• Heaviness; 4/5

• Memorability; 3.5/5

• Context; 3/5

• Ambition; 3/5

• Venom; 4/5

“Possibly a controversial choice being so recent – Dystopia sees Megadeth return to the glory days found in Rust in Peace – but is amped up and modernised in a sense.”

#3 - Countdown to Extinction (1992) (3.6/5)

• Heaviness; 3/5

• Memorability; 4.5/5

• Context; 3.5/5

• Ambition; 3/5

• Venom; 4/5

“Though any metal purist may screw their nose up at it’s mainstream ideologies – Countdown to Extinction is actually a damn heavy record. Not the traditional sense of thrash – but it birthed some of Megadeth’s greatest mainstream hits! Must listen!!”

#2 - Peace Sells... But Who's Buyin'? (1986) (3.9/5)

• Heaviness; 4/5

• Memorability; 4/5

• Context; 3.5/5

• Ambition; 4/5

• Venom; 4/5

“For any old school Megadeth fan – this would be the go-to record for them. It has all the hooks that made them, well…. Them. Their first effort saw them leaning more toward their NWOBHM influences (albeit just sped up a ton) – whereas here, they let their musical wings spread. Another must listen”

#1 - Rust In Peace (1990) (4.4/5)

• Heaviness; 4.5/5

• Memorability; 4.5/5

• Context; 4/5

• Ambition; 4.5/5

• Venom; 4.5/5

“It’s easy to see why this made the number one spot – it’s easily Megadeth’s most diverse, most experimental and albeit catchiest (in a sense) of their entire career. It’s them firing on all cylinders. Must listen!”