COUTDOWN TO EXTENCTION REVIEW ALBUM

 

Megadave for the Masses 

By lonerider, January 23rd, 2020

Written based on this version: 2004, CD, Capitol Records (Remixed, Remastered)

It’s almost funny how some albums are typical products of their time. Megadeth’s Countdown to Extinction, released in 1992, is one such album. We all know the story: the alternative/grunge wave swept metal back into the underground and everything that was supposed to be rebellious and cool in the eighties was suddenly considered outdated, clichéd and lame. (Also, most metal musicians decided to scrap spandex pants altogether, so at least there’s that.) In the following years, metal acts with a certain status and name recognition largely fell into one of three categories: some changed their image by incorporating alternative elements into their music, some didn’t go alternative but watered down their sound to become more mellow and mass-appealing, and some stubbornly stayed true to their trademark sound or got even heavier than before.

Megadeth fall under category number two and Countdown to Extinction was the album that started the band’s gradual decline, which went on throughout the nineties and was only truly reversed sometime around the mid 2000s. Countdown to Extinction was, if I’m not mistaken, also the band’s most commercially successful album, and that commercial success was basically well-deserved because it stands as one of those (rare) instances where a metal band watered down their sound and aimed for mainstream recognition without completely wimping out in the process.

Of course Megadeth will always be compared to Metallica, and much like the latter’s notorious self-titled album, which conspicuously came out just the year before, Countdown to Extinction can hardly be called proper thrash metal any more. The difference between this and the band’s previous effort, the brilliant Rust in Piece, is indeed striking. Mostly gone are the cascades of distinct riffs, the brilliant high-speed shredding, the intricate soloing and unconventional song structures, all making way for generally shorter, simpler tracks focusing more on melodic hooks and memorable choruses than a barrage of crushing thrash riffs. A widely known track like “Symphony of Destruction” is still a riff monster in its own right, but it’s a rather concise, stripped-down, accessible one. Even so, this is prime “Beavis and Butthead” headbanging material and striking proof of Dave Mustaine’s uncanny penchant for writing guitar riffs that are both devastating and insanely memorable. In addition, the lyrics are a thoughtful reflection on the corrupting properties of political power and the dangers of millions of people subserviently falling in line to follow an ideology gone mainstream.

“Countdown to Extinction”, the overtly melodic title track, is a perfect example for Megadeth’s new streamlined approach, as are other deceptively catchy tunes such as “This Was My Life” or “Psychotron”. These songs are still heavy enough, mind you, but they almost certainly aren’t thrash. Neither is the semi-ballad “Foreclosure of a Dream” or the weird “normal Dave meets mental Dave” schizophrenic soliloquy called “Sweating Bullets”. The thrashiest and most complex track of the bunch is probably “Ashes in Your Mouth”, whereas “Skin o' My Teeth” and “High Speed Dirt” are more like rollicking thrash-‘n’-roll tunes—energetic, catchy stuff that’s fun to scream along with but would hardly have been among the highlights of Megadeth’s previous oeuvre.

Countdown to Extinction’s popular appeal is further underlined by the glossiest, most polished production Megadeth ever had up to this point, which, at least in this particular case, is not a bad thing at all. Everything sounds crystal-clear, the guitars have enough crunch and David Ellefson’s bass makes a very audible and valuable contribution. When you’re aiming for a wider audience and increased mainstream recognition, you might as well pull out all the stops and go all in. Megadeth did just that and that they managed to do it without significantly compromising the, if you will, metalness of Countdown to Extinction is a testament to the soundness of Dave Mustaine’s artistic vision.

In the end, Countdown to Extinction is catchy enough to appeal to a non-thrash audience yet also still heavy enough to avoid the dreaded sellout label. It was a largely successful balancing act at the time, one that, quite frankly, Megadeth failed to repeat with similar prowess on subsequent albums, which got increasingly bland and toothless until Megadave finally managed to right his errant ship. Whether Countdown to Extinction turned out better than Metallica’s black album, or in fact the other way around, is the topic of another discussion. I will say it definitely turned out more focused and consistent and that if it weren’t for Mustaine’s idiosyncratic, croaking singing style, he may have had better luck trying to catch up with his long-time arch rivals. Then again, Megadeth wouldn’t be Megadeth without Dave’s vocals, so it’s really a moot point.

Choicest cuts: Symphony of Destruction, This Was My Life, Psychotron, High Speed Dirt, Ashes in Your Mouth

Track List  :

1. Skin o' My Teeth

2. Symphony of Destruction

3. Architecture of Aggression

4. Foreclosure of a Dream

5. Sweating Bullets

6. This Was My Life

7. Countdown to Extinction

8. High Speed Dirt

9. Psychotron

10. Captive Honour

11. Ashes in Your Mouth

***Disclaimer*** 

I do not own any copyright for any of this material!

Copyright belongs to Megadeth and Capitol Recordings! 

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MEGADETH - COUNTDOWN TO EXTENCTION FULL ALBUM

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