Megadeth has been on a roll the past few years, and the recent unlikely reunion with bassist David Ellefson has given the band even more energy. The current lineup, which also includes guitarist Chris Broderick and drummer Shawn Drover, rivals the classic Mustaine/Ellefson/Marty Friedman/Nick Menza 1990 Rust In Peace lineup.
Broderick and Mustaine's guitar interplay is comfortable and very tight, which is evident on Rust In Peace Live. They let the music do the talking, with no in-between songs banter from Mustaine, just an opening statement and some talking at the very end. From “Holy Wars...The Punishment Due” through “Rust In Peace...Polaris,” Megadeth tears through the album with passion and precision.
In addition to the entire Rust In Peace album, Megadeth plays 7 more of their hits, such as “Peace Sells” and “Symphony Of Destruction.” There's also some behind the scenes backstage and rehearsal footage. It's interesting, and I wish there would have been more of it. The audio and video quality on the Blu-Ray are outstanding, and also very good on the regular DVD. The CD option is a good one for those who may only watch a DVD once.
Megadeth has released a bunch of DVDs over the years, some more essential than others. 2006's Arsenal Of Megadeth is a great compilation of the band's history, and they've also released a few other concert DVDs. Rust In Peace Live is going to be essential to Megadeth fans, because of the playing of what many consider their best album in its entirety, with the bonus of Ellefson's return.
(released September 7, 2010 on Shout Factory)
