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Megadeth: Going back to old-school sound |
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Written by Glenn BurnSilver
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Thursday, 26 April 2007 |
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Megadeth should not be called a dinosaur. You just might get stepped on.
One of the few remaining fast and furious speed metal bands from the golden age of metal, Megadeth’s future is in the past on their latest blitzkrieg of an album, “United Abominations.”
Already halfway through production on the album, the band scrapped the tapes in favor of recreating that old school sound, eschewing the over-blown studio production and soaring anthems of recent efforts for straight ahead thrash and bash. The inspiration, bassist James LoMenzo explained during a phone interview from Beverley Hills, came after watching some of today’s metal monsters thrash it up.
“We were doing the Gigantour and it occurred to us as we were watching a lot of the younger bands that they were the epitome of what they do,” LoMenzo said. “It shook us up and got us looking back at what Megadeth did classically. It seemed that as one of the forerunners of this type of music, that if there should be a shakeup, we should be leading the charge and making that noise.”
One popular misconception about Megadeth, may be in part because of their metal-typical doom and gloom violent album covers, is that they sing about the devil.
In fact, that is a problem with modern metal — many of the bands propagate that stereotype.
“(The metal credo) used to be ‘Let’s go party with the devil.’ But what does that get you? Within metal a lot of people thought the pentagram was about as cool as it was going to get and got on board without thinking of all the implications. It goes hand in hand,” he said. “But when we’re talking about people, the world’s survival and where we’re going as a spiritual people, it does seem, and I don’t think anyone would argue it, that we’re all heading to hell in a handcart.”
It is the latter aspect that band founder and principal songwriter Dave Mustaine focuses on as he preaches about societal woes, while leaving little doubt of the world’s ultimate destruction. Mustaine’s provocative lyrics often insight anger, but, as is hoped, also provoke conversation.
“Dave has always had something timely and interesting to say and our music kind of indicates that feeling through aggression. It makes a lot of sense for Megadeth to pump it out that way,” LoMenzo said. “This is stuff that’s written everywhere. It’s written in scriptures and commentary on TV; the president is talking about it. This isn’t a unique idea at all. It’s something that’s on people’s minds.”
But will people really listen to what a metal band has to say as opposed to hearing what a TV anchorman has to say every night?
“CNN has this kind of militaristic marching music that plays before Wolf Blitzer comes on and tells you how bad the war is going,” LoMenzo offered. “So, I don’t know.”
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TO GO TO THE SHOW
Megadeth
Sunday, April 29
Broomfield Event Center
11450 Broomfield Lane, Broomfield
303.410.8497
Doors 5:30 p.m., show 7 p.m.
$39 reserved, $49 general admission
Opening for Heaven and Hell (Black Sabbath featuring Ronnie James Dio)
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THE KING'S DAUGHTER
As bizarre as it seems, Lisa Marie Presley was actually short-listed to sing on the new album. She never got the call, however. Instead, Cristina Scabbia from Lacuna Coil sings a haunting duet with front man Dave Mustaine on a remake of the Megadeth classic “A Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free).”
“Lisa Marie, that would have been very interesting,” LoMenzo said. “I don’t know if people would have taken it seriously even though I know she can sing great. At the last minute Cristina’s name came up and she was really right for what we were doing.”
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SHOOT TO THRILL
Go to the Megadeth Web site and click on any of the band members. A one-sheet of personal insight like you’d find on a Miss USA contestant appears. Favorite book, favorite movie, etc. For bassist James LoMenzo, his interesting response of “photojournalist” came from the question, “Occupation if not a musician.”
“Throughout high school and college it was a medium of expression. I got very caught up in the art of photography,” he said. “My real passion is playing music, but I’d be interested in running all over the world taking pictures and bringing them to people in an emotional way.”
Glenn BurnSilver
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