Cryptic Writings is the seventh studio album by the American thrash/heavy metal band, Megadeth. The album lasts a duration of 46:44. It was released on June 17, 1997, under the record label known as Capitol Records.
Lineup:
Dave Mustaine – lead and rhythm guitars, lead vocals, sitar on "A Secret Place", co-producer
David Ellefson – bass guitar, backing vocals
Marty Friedman – lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals
Nick Menza – drums
Production:
Dann Huff – producer
Jeff Balding – recording, mixing
Mark Hagen – recording assistant, mixing assistant
Bob Ludwig – mastering
Hugh Syme – artwork
Dimo Safari – photography
Bud Prager – A & R direction, E.S.P. management
Mike Renault – E.S.P. management
Background:
Megadeth continued their progression toward a more hard rock oriented sound with Cryptic Writings. Songs like "She-Wolf" and "The Disintegrators" still maintain Megadeth's more speedy and thrash oriented sound, but definitely this record is mostly a mix of hard rock and heavy metal.
Cryptic Writings is definitely a polarizing album among fans of the band due to its near abandonment of the thrash that made Megadeth fans fall in love with the band. I admire Megadeth's experimentation with a hard rock sound and they execute it very well. This tends to be an underappreciated record in the band's discography due to the simple fact that it is not a thrash metal record.
Cryptic Writings reached number 10 on the Billboard 200. The album has since gone Platinum in the United States. Each track will be rated as follows: Awful, Very Poor, Poor, Below Average, Average, Above Average, Good, Great, and Superb. Here are my thoughts on each track:
Track Listing:
1. "Trust" 5:11
What a way to kick off an album. The booming drums really start this track perfectly. Lyrically, this song is one of the best from the album due to its catchy chorus and lyrical meaning. The guitar riffs have a nice crunch and bite to them as well. The chorus is definitely one of the best the band has ever done. The guitar solo is perfectly executed as well. This is definitely a top 10 track from Megadeth for me.
Grade: Superb
2. "Almost Honest" 4:02
The guitar riff is definitely a strong point for this song. I really like the chorus because of how unique it is in comparison to Megadeth's previous work. Marty Friedman performs another great solo as usual. It may not be as heavy as early Megadeth, but it works.
Grade: Good
3. "Use the Man" 4:35
This song has a unique use of acoustic guitar that is definitely new for the band. The chorus is powerful and memorable like so many on this album. I really like Mustaine's vocal delivery as well. Lyrically, this song is definitely one of the strongest from the album. The sudden faster tempo change at the end of the song that contains quick riffs and a guitar solo is an excellent touch.
Grade: Great
4. "Mastermind" 3:48
The bass line that begins this track is epic. The main guitar riff is absolutely fantastic and is probably the best part of the song. The chorus is definitely odd, but it is definitely really catchy. Marty and Dave play great solos and continue to show off their guitar prowess on this record.
Grade: Good
5. "The Disintegrators" 2:50
This definitely brings back the old school Megadeth thrash sound from their early material. While, it is nice to see Megadeth change up the tempo and the riffs employed during the song are impressive, but the track does not feel as well thought out as the others before it. Still, the guitar solos are really good and the song is catchy as well. The guitar soloing is also very good.
Grade: Above Average
6. "I'll Get Even" 4:23
This is another different sounding track for the band. I love intro to the song and the mood it sets. The chorus is very catchy and memorable. Dave's eerie voice sounds really good and is very fitting for the type of song this is. The pacing is a bit slow, but it does not make this song any less enjoyable.
Grade: Good
7. "Sin" 3:06
I really enjoy the hard rocking nature of this song. The riffs are simple, but they really have a nice bite to them. The guitar solos are awesome as Marty and Dave both use some really awesome effects to add emphasis. It's a simple, but effective song.
Grade: Above Average
8. "A Secret Place" 5:29
Now comes one of the finest tracks from the album. The use of a sitar was a unique touch that definitely makes this song that much better. I love the beat of the song and the catchy guitar riff. The chorus is really catchy as well. Dave's vocals are really well delivered throughout each of the parts of the song. The guitar soloing is top notch as usual for this band.
Grade: Great
9. "Have Cool, Will Travel" 3:28
I love the guitar riff and drum beat of this track. The guitar soloing is fantastic and this song employs some of the best from the entire record. The chorus is very catchy as well. The song is definitely an enjoyable track that grows on me with each listen.
Grade: Good
10. "She-Wolf" 3:36
Now comes the fast and aggressive "She-Wolf." The guitar riffs are fast and catchy and Dave's eerie singing about an evil temptress is definitely well fitting. The chorus is so catchy and easy to sing along to. I like Marty's various guitar licks during the verses, as they add some needed flare. The dual guitar soloing is excellent as well.
Grade: Great
11. "Vortex" 3:38
I love the guitar riffs and the beat employed in this song. Mustaine employs a pretty creepy vocal delivery. The chorus is very catchy and memorable. The verses remind me more of that Mustaine personality like on earlier tracks such as "Sweating Bullets." The first guitar solo is really high quality due to its speed and mix of different techniques.
Grade: Good
12. "FFF" 2:38
Now comes the closer. It is another more thrash oriented track that reminds me of early Megadeth. The speed of the track is definitely a nice change of pace to add some more variation to this record. The guitar solo is very strong again on this basically flawless record when it comes to guitar solos. The song is not that memorable though. It is a fun and upbeat tune though.
Grade: Above Average
My Verdict:
Cryptic Writings is definitely a different style than Megadeth's previous work. The album has a slowed tempo with more of a traditional hard rock and heavy metal feel to it. I commend Megadeth for continuing to experiment with their sound, even if it is a more "mainstream" one. It does not always work on this release, but for the most part I really enjoy this record. I definitely recommend this album to any fans of hard rock and metal.
