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"For the first time in a long time, everything that we needed on this record is right in its place," mulls visionary Megadeth leader and musical architect Dave Mustaine of his band's incendiary 16th studio album, The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead! "I can't wait for the public to get hold of this!"
To be released by UMe on September 2, 2022,The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead! further establishes MEGADETH as a band that has both defined and repeatedly redefined heavy metal since formation, and which follows up 2016's Grammy-winning Dystopia, which debuted at #3 on the Billboard Top 200 (MEGADETH's highest chart position since its 1992 classic Countdown to Extinction).
MEGADETH has crafted a record with a visceral energy, heaviness, and sometimes paranormal pace that few would expect from such a seasoned band with so little to prove. The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead! melds the ultra-frenetic riffing, fiercely intricate guitar solos, and adventurous spirit of the quartet's groundbreaking early output with the musicality and melodicism of its '90s songwriting, all laced with signature virtuosity and precision - plus, of course, Mustaine's singular vocal snarl and wry, take-no-shit lyrical vitriol.
Both defying Mustaine's recent battle with throat cancer and celebrating his defeat of the disease, The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead! counterintuitively thrived on delays and cancelled tours resulting from both his illness and the worldwide pandemic.
"The fact that we had so much time to work on it benefitted the songs in the end, because they kept evolving," notes drummer Dirk Verbeuren. "Parts kept being refined; the 'ear candy' and the little details just kept getting better."
After his departure from Metallica, having co-written many songs that would appear on their first two albums, the ultra-hungry 21-year-old Mustaine conceived a new band, MEGADETH, which would harness the cinematic songcraft of the new wave of British heavy metal to radically faster tempos, heightened technical agility, complex arrangements, and punk's primeval aggression.
"The utmost heaviest, ultra-furious band that I could come up with at that time," he recalls. "When we came out, there weren't a lot of bands that were doing what we were doing. There still aren't a lot of bands that are doing what we're doing."
Mustaine's rare gift for guitar (ranked #1 in 2009 book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists), ahead-of-his-time sonic ambitions, and superhuman drive put MEGADETH among the legendary pioneers of thrash metal, known as the "Big Four." Establishing themselves immediately with the release of their legendary debut Killing Is my Business... And Business Is Good, a series of platinum-selling album soon followed, earning them household-name status. To date, MEGADETH has sold over 50 million albums globally, including the double-platinum Countdown to Extinction, and received twelve Grammy nominations. The band's uncompromisingly fierce yet fastidious live shows have become benchmarks for heavy metal performance worldwide.
Yet even amid this lofty legacy and MEGADETH's prodigious catalog, The Sick, The Dying ... and The Dead! stands apart on multiple levels. Mustaine's cancer was detected shortly after pre- production began, but he didn't let that derail the recording. "He's a fighter," recalls guitarist Louriero. "Because besides his chemo day [each week], he was always there!" It's also the first MEGADETH album to feature Kiko Louriero, who debuted on Dystopia, drummer Verbeuren and bassist Steve DiGiorgio (Testament), who temporarily stepped in to record the album-with the kickoff of MEGADETH's recent tour, alumni James LoMenzo rejoined the MEGADETH family and is now the permanent bass player.
Mustaine once again opted to co-produce the album with Chris Rakestraw (Danzig, Parkway Drive) in Nashville, reuniting the winning team behind Dystopia, which has scanned over 440K units and scooped the 2017 Grammy for Best Metal Performance for its title track. "Chris and I have an understanding of what a MEGADETH record is supposed to sound like," he explains. "And his work ethic is a lot like mine: we worked hard; he worked harder."
Featuring some of Mustaine's strongest-ever songwriting, including collabs with bandmates, The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead! brings together everything that's exhilarating and distinctive about MEGADETH. From the blistering throwback fury of "Night Stalkers" (featuring the iconic Ice-T) and first single "We'll Be Back," to the more mid- tempo and melodic "Soldier On!" and the very personal title track, with its enthralling twists and turns.
As always with MEGADETH, every riff is meticulously fashioned to constantly crescendo, with new harmonic elements endlessly manifesting and every detail structured for maximum musical and emotional effect. Yet, through all of the album's moods and movements, MEGADETH never loses the crucial groove that binds the band members to one another and the foursome to its audience.
The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead! is a relentlessly caffeinated, riff-fueled romp of a record in its technical prowess, ambitious arrangements, staggering guitar solos, and nihilistic yet eloquent lyricism. Acoustic intros and interludes, a sense of progressive adventure, and Mustaine's trademark socio-political commentary round-out the record.
"This record could easily sit between Countdown and [1990's] Rust in Peace," says Mustaine. "The musicality that we started to add to MEGADETH songs around Countdown to Extinction is pretty prevalent with this record, while it still has a lot of the aggression that Rust in Peace had."
Since those landmark albums, MEGADETH has experimented with myriad sounds, songwriting styles, and riff arrangements, forever pushing the envelope of what we know as heavy metal. But with its newer members providing almost a fan's perspective of what's made the band so enduring, The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead! encapsulates the restless musical hydra that is MEGADETH on one record like never before.
The album captures all the tribal, bonding magic of being alongside thousands of fellow fans at MEGADETH concert, even when listened to at home alone or on earbuds. It's a motivating soundtrack to our greatest achievements and the solace through our all-time lows - or simply that invigorating album you stick on during your dour commute to escape to another place altogether.
"People don't make records the way they used to; they don't make a whole piece of art," Mustaine explains. "But I think the metal community wants to honor itself and have something that's unique to ourselves - that sets us apart and rewards the people in this community for their hard work and their perseverance and their loyalty to one another."
Released on the heels of MEGADETH's rapturously received Metal Tour of the Year alongside Lamb of God, plus numerous high-profile European festival appearances, and an upcoming North American tour with Five Finger Death Punch, The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead! cements the latest electrifying chapter in a career that has constantly challenged and surprised.
"I don't think we're nearing the end, not even remotely," Mustaine concludes. "I feel more energized now that I have in decades."
Appropriately, the album closes with "We'll Be Back" ...
I have never been to a HEAVY METAL concert before. I got the presale card from TIcket Master and asked my 17 year old son if he would like to go with me. He just laughed at me and said "are you sure you can handle it old man"? Well, that show blew my ears off! It was an awesome show and I would take my son again!
well, was the most AWESOME thing I've seen , since I saw OZZY on Mexico City
i enjoyed every minute, except for suicide silence, machine head was really good, actually i found they had the best sound, don't know why it sounded not so good with slayer, obviously all classic songs from slayer were awesome. Megadeth was good as well.
The rest of the openers kind of sucked, but when the time came around for Slayer to hit the stage... let's just say it's shocking that the roof of GM Place stayed on as long as it did. Time for the maintenance staff to tighten all the nuts and bolts!!!
GM Place is not well known for causing sound distortion unless the distortion was deliberate. I don't know what happened here. It could have been the seats. I was to the left of the stage about three sections down. At times I could not tell what songs Slayer were playing. More recognizable tunes were easy but some of the lessor know works were harder. I have every Slayer album on Itunes and listen to them alot. so I can say that I should have recognized more songs. Also disappointing was the stage. In a previous show at GM Place Slayer had a stage where the crosses turned upside down. This show the stage was very basic with tapestries hung behind the drummer. Somehow I don't think as much tech was put into this tour as the last tour that came to town.
The Canadian Carnage Tour was good however Slayer and Megadeth needed more time ... The bands played great but Slayer and Megadeth only had about an hour each. If they have tours like this in the future maybe keep it to 3 bands so we can have some longer sets from the headliners. Slayer was the best and it was nice to see Machine Head live.
I have been to more "heavy metal" show's than I can count. Never have I been so sore for as long as I was after the Canadian Carnage Tour 2009. Yet it was sooooooooooo worth it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That line up was best descibed as "EPIC!!!". To be able to see one of the "Big Four" (meaning Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax being the biggest thrash metal bands EVER and were the bands that brought thrash to what it became) is a massively huge live show. To see TWO in one show is almost unheard of and hasn't been done for a loooong time. Probabaly not since the early 80's. All 3 bands blew me away in there own way of blowing people away. I literally felt like I had just been to three different show's when Megadeth bowed and left the stage. The bands were amazing. What else do you expect from a lineup like that. I don't think I will ever be as satisfied after a live show as much as I was after seeing two bands I have been listening to since before I can remember and have been all about them to this day. Machine head was brilliant as well. Shed a new light on them for me. I'm ten times the fan that I was before which is pretty big considering I had all there music already. Amazing show, Metal RULEZ and the only thing that could top that would be having all four of the "Big Four" tour together which I'm not going to sit around and wait for, but ya never know, anything's possible.
Seeing Machine Head was the highlight for me as I've seen Megadeth & Slayer multiple times in the past. Slayer & Megadeth provided their usual strong performances while Machine Head hit hard with unrelenting power. Missed the opening band.
Why did they have 2 starter bands? SLAYER played for about an hour and Megadeth played a couple good songs. SLAYER should be the headliner band and they should have played more songs... Disapointing
It was so classic and such a good opportunity to see these metal thrash legends in their later years. I've never seen Slayer, but I know some people who've seen them in concert multiple times, but never with Megadeth. Now, I can rest assured that I've seen Slayer. They're still thrashing, but seriously? They're all getting old. This is now the second time Megadeth has debuted a song in Vancouver. I think we should feel kinda special. I don't mean to give Machinehead no notice, I actually think they deserved more respect and a longer set. They were amazing too. If Suicide Silence wasn't thrown in there, they could've had a longer set and I think it would've been a perfect night. I didn't even have to see them. They're like previews for a wicked movie; no one cares. The whole thing was a load of fun, I just wish we could've seen more Machinehead!
MACHINE HEAD AND SLAYER BOTH RUULED!! I HAD MY TONSILS OUT 2 DAYS PRIOR BUT DID NOT MISS THIS SICK ASS SHOW!! I COULDN'T TALK, NEVERMIND SCREAM, BUT MANAGED TO THROW MY ARMS N SELF AROUND AS MUCH AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE!! I DID NOT STAY FOR MEGADETH, NOT AS HUGE FAN N WAS A LITTLE UNDA THA WEATHA.
A great idea having two of the biggest metal groups perform together on the same tour. Being an avid fan of both megadeth and slayer, I thought it was an awesome experience to be able to see both of them rock out on many of their hit songs. I recommend this event to anyone who likes either group as it's a surreal experience to be able to absorb the atmosphere within the stadium with other fans. The only disappointment for me was a lack of special effects like flame pods, flashing lights, and a stage set-up that wasn't overly elaborate, but overall a great event for any metalhead.
My buddy was running late so we missed suicidal silence, so I was not happy. Machine head was good, but I was totally there to see slayer and Megadeth. I though for sure that Slayer would have closed the show but they were after machine head. Slayer was awesome, they put on a great show. Megadeth was great aswell, but they could have played a bit longer. Slayer played a longer set and they were not even closing the show. All in all it was a great show!
Even though I went to the event mainly to see Megadeth (whose performance was last), Slayer stole the show. The first band (can't even remember their names) was pretty poor. Second was Machine Head that it was a good band, but with a better singer I'm sure they can get better. Slayer was third and man, those guys are really showmen. It was an amazing ride bottom up. Last was Megadeth, they couldn't rise Slayer bar. Medageth was good, buy a pretty regular ride with their songs. All in all, I recommend this show for heavy metal lovers.
This show was great! The opening band, Suicide Silence did their thing to a small audience but by the time Machinehead took the stage the venue was filling up. They absolutely killed it! Slayer was next and they did what they always do. ROCK! I have seen Slayer several times and there wasn't much different about this performance. Just good old metal. After listening to Machinehead rule the world Megadeth just didn't do a thing for me. In fact, after 35 minutes of Megadeth our crew called it a night. Machinehead FTW!!!
Slayer should have been the headliner, Dave looked tired in his nice new blue jeans, at least he did comb his hair
Both bands didn't play long enough. Megadeth was great but i wanted to hear alot more songs from there earlier days.
I did not like Suicide Silences vocals , there music was good . Machinehead was good . Megadeth put on a better show but I like Slayers music better so its all good .
Concert was good, Slayer rocked as always and Megadeth was tight. my only real complaint was that it needed to be louder. maybe its me, but I always prefer live concerts to be louder than i listen in my car. Overall i was impressed, but LOUDER next time please. Rock on !
I went mainly to see Slayer and Megadeth. I didn't watch the first two bands although I did hear Machine Head while drinking a few beers. They sounded pretty good. Slayer were up next and they didn't disappoint. This was my third time seeing them and they were awesome. Megadeth closed out the show and they also didn't disappoint. Slayer were a hard act to follow, but Megadeth did a pretty decent job considering they only played for an hour. Overall it was a very good show.
