Dystopia is the fifteenth studio album by the American thrash/heavy metal band, Megadeth. The album lasts a duration of 46:51. It was released on January 22, 2016, through Tradecraft, a Universal label created for frontman Dave Mustaine.
Lineup:
Dave Mustaine – lead vocals, lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars
Kiko Loureiro – lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars and backing vocals, piano on "Poisonous Shadows"
David Ellefson – bass guitar and backing vocals
Chris Adler – drums
Additional Musicians:
Charlie Judge – orchestral arrangements on "Poisonous Shadows"
Farah Siraj – guest vocals on "The Threat Is Real" and "Poisonous Shadows"
Miles Doleac – voiceover in "Conquer or Die!"
Chris Rodriguez – backing vocals
Eric Darken – percussion
Blair Masters – keys & programming
Production:
Produced by Dave Mustaine and Chris Rakestraw
Engineering by Chris Rakestraw
Mixed by Josh Wilbur
Pre-production by Cameron Webb
Additional production by Jeff Balding
Mastering by Ted Jensen
Brent Elliott White – cover artwork
Background:
Dystopia has an energy and heaviness to it that I have not heard from these guys since their 1992 album Countdown to Extinction. The album is fast paced and contains insane guitar solos, fast-paced guitar riffs, and grim lyrics. The album has grim political lyrics that are both thought-provoking and brilliantly assembled together. I think that this album gives Rust in Peace a run for its money for being Megadeth's best album thanks to its brilliant instrumentation and lyrical themes. Dystopia may just be the best metal album that was released in 2016.
Dystopia debuted at number 3 on the US Billboard 200. The album sold 148,000 copies in the United States by December 2016. Each track will be rated as follows: I Hate It, I Dislike It, It's Okay, I Like It, I Love It. Here are my thoughts on each track:
Track Listing:
1. "The Threat Is Real" 4:22
What a way to show that your back! Wow, this track is absolutely an incredible thrash metal hit. Right from the beginning blistering guitar riffs, it's apparent Megadeth is back. I love the lyrics, the chorus, and the heaviness of the entire track. The guitar solos are just icing on the cake. This is without a doubt, a thrash masterpiece.
Grade: I Love It
2. "Dystopia" 5:00
If the last track was not enough to demonstrate that Megadeth is back to the top of their game, this one definitely does. This track won Megadeth its first Grammy award for a very good reason. It has memorable lyrics, great guitar riffs, technical mastery, amazing guitar solos, and Dave's signature vocal delivery. This song is the complete package and is my second favorite by the slimmest of margins from the album.
Grade: I Love It
3. "Fatal Illusion" 4:16
I love the atmosphere that is set up at the beginning of this track thanks to its chugging guitar riff. The bass lines that come after are a fantastic way to jump into the song as well. "Fatal Illusion" has some amazing guitar work and is definitely one of the album's more complex pieces with plenty of variation that will keep any thrash fan entertained. The change of tempos is another great way that this track stands out from the rest. Overall, this is another excellent track.
Grade: I Love It
4. "Death from Within" 4:48
This song has one of the catchiest and best choruses from the entire record. The chugging guitar riffs during the verses are an excellent touch as well. I really love how fun to sing along to this track always is. The guitar solos are great which make this track that much better.
Grade: I Like It
5. "Bullet to the Brain" 4:29
I like the opening, because of its acoustic guitar, but man, when those heavy guitar riffs kick in, the head banging will begin! I love the chorus as well because of how easy it is to sing along to and the excellent guitar riffs. The song definitely gives off an uneasy atmosphere which really adds to its meaning. The guitar solos are a bit more on the melodic side during this track, but still, incorporate shredding and tapping like thrash solos so often do. The guitar solos also happen to be my favorite part of the entire track.
Grade: I Like It
6. "Post American World" 4:25
This is the track that beats out "Dystopia" as the best song on this entire album. I love the lyrics of the entire song and the brooding atmosphere of the entire track. The chorus is fantastic, the verses are memorable, the guitar solos are definitely my favorite on the entire record, and Dave's vocals really could not be any better. This is just another thrash masterpiece from this album.
Grade: I Love It
7. "Poisonous Shadows" 6:02
What makes this song so great is how well it stands out in comparison to the rest of the album. It has a nice intro that builds up atmosphere well, piano to end the track, some awesome guitar licks, riffs, and solos. It is the closest thing to a ballad this album has, but because of its overall heaviness in both its atmosphere and instrumentation, I do not really consider it to be a true ballad. It's one of the album's most unique tracks that also happens to be one of its best.
Grade: I Love It
8. "Conquer or Die!" (Instrumental) 3:33
This instrumental is amazing. The soft opening to this track is a bit surprising and really works well. The guitar riffs in the song remind me of the Metallica instrumental "Call of Ktulu," which was also written by Mustaine. The guitar riffs and solos are incredible on this track.
Grade: I Love It
9. "Lying in State" 3:34
This song begins with some awesome heavy guitar riffs. Lyrically, Megadeth continues its political attack on American politics. The verses are pretty straightforward, but it really helps the listener focus on the lyrics. The guitar solos are really impressive as I have come to expect from this record.
Grade: I Like It
10. "The Emperor" 3:54
This song begins with some pretty sick guitar riffs, but I have to say this is the cheesiest song on the record by far. I still really enjoy the chorus and the instrumentation despite these facts. The song has epic riffs and solos combined with some pretty hilarious lyrics from Dave Mustaine. "The Emperor" is a good all around song with plenty of great things to offer a listener.
Grade: I Like It
11. "Foreign Policy" (Fear cover) 2:28
This really should not have been included on the album. If they really wanted it to be, they should have included it as a bonus track. I just really do not like the original version of this song, so therefore I really do not like the cover any better because of the song's terrible chorus.
Grade: I Dislike It
My Verdict:
Production:
This is Megadeth's finest sounding album they have ever done. The guitars, drums, and bass are all powerful sounding and Dave's vocals do not sound overproduced at all. This may just be the best production job in the metal genre in the year of 2016.
Score: 20 / 20
Album Flow:
Other than the final cover track being a dud, the rest of the album is basically perfect. Every track feels right where it is placed and each track is very strong. There are basically no dull moments until the final cover track.
Score: 19 / 20
Song Writing:
This is probably Megadeth's best songwriting since Rust in Peace. The songs are varied structure wise and each one has excellent riffs, choruses, and lyrical themes. I love the songwriting on this release, because of how unique every song on this album is. The creative juices were really flowing when Megadeth was writing this album.
Score: 56 / 60
Overall Scoring Scale:
0-20: Garbage
21-40: Poor
41-49: Below Average
50-60: Average
61-74: Above Average
75-89: Good
90-100: Must Own
