Megadeth - 'Endgame'

New members in Megadeth are no surprise. There have been a lot of lineup changes over the years, and the most recent is the addition of guitarist Chris Broderick (Jag Panzer), who replaced Glen Drover. There haven’t been many Megadeth axemen over the years that have had chops equal to Dave Mustaine, but Broderick is an extremely skilled guitarist.

Megadeth’s career arc has been on the rise the past few years, and Endgame cements the legendary thrash band’s current relevancy. Mustaine never seems to run out of riffs or anger, and this CD is packed with both. “Dialectic Chaos” kicks off the album, a shredding instrumental setting the stage for what’s to come.

What follows are guitar heavy thrash tunes that are unmistakably Megadeth. Songs like “44 Minutes” and “This Day We Fight” are intense, groovy, catchy with multiple guitar solos. Along with the lyrics, the CD booklet even lists who does which solo, so you can keep up with Mustaine and Broderick’s dual guitar wizardry.

Mustaine’s singing voice is effective, but he’s not a powerhouse vocalist. “The Hardest Part Of Letting Go” is a ballad, and his gruff crooning is a bit jarring, but it works. His lyrics on Endgame are a combination of political and personal, and there’s never any question of where he stands on any given issue. “How The Story Ends” is one of my favorite songs on the album, with a very memorable chorus and excellent musicianship.

More than a quarter century after their formation, Megadeth is still at the top of their game. Endgame has some old-school moments, but also modern ones. 2007’s United Abominations garnered a lot of critical praise and was on many year-end best of lists that year (including number 7 on this site). Endgame is even better.

(released September 15, 2009 on Roadrunner Records)