Megadeth

"Rude Awakening"
(Sanctuary Records) 

From "Rude Awakening" to Rest in Peace… can it get more surreal? Few could've imagined that Megadeth's very first live album in their seventeen-year existence would signify their end, and yet, ironically, that's what it does. For the band that have known their ups and downs, exceeded expectations and under whelmed all in the same breath, this should've been their rebirth. A rebound for the once revered Thrash pioneers having fed off the live energy, regenerated and reaching back to their roots, the "stage" should've been set. But we'll cry not for Megadeth, they've created some truly memorable moments in their talented but troublesome career yet overall, as this twenty four track double-disc indicates, they leave with nothing to hang their banging heads about. Spanning their nine previous studio records, touching upon everything from "Killing Is My Business," to their "World Needs A Hero" comeback, the double-Dave led "Hero" line up reconjures all time classics as "Mechanix," "Wake Up Dead," "Devil's Island," and "Peace Sells," with the later arena-Rock luster of "Almost Honest," "1,000 Times Goodbye," and "Trust," while hitting on all points between with a few tales of the unexpected, "Angry Again," "She Wolf," Tornado Of Souls." The biggest draw here, however, is the track selection, which, considering their line up changes and progressive metamorphosis, allows otherwise opposing parallels like "Wake Up Dead," and "A Tout Le Monde," to co-exist comfortably next to each other… or "Sweating Bullets" and "Trust," recreated with a sense of urgency previously unavailable prior to 1990. "Symphony Of Destruction," and "Peace Sells," then "Holy Wars," close out by storming the broadside and ripping a gaping hole in the audience before they're through… yes, somehow the pieces seem to fit here where they wouldn't have before-all things being equal, which they are. So we'll give Megadeth their due and applaud them for not representing the "Risk" album on here, yet I have to question still half-hearted throw-in's like "Kill The King," or "Almost Honest" while "Killing Is My Business," "Skin O' My Teeth," or even "Crush 'Em" weren't found room. If this is in fact the last we'll ever hear of Megadeth, who announced their disbanding shortly after "Rude Awakening's" release, then surely there are worse ways to go than having just completed a successful world tour and impressive live debut. And before the ashes turn to dust, their complementary "Rude Awakening" DVD will be released, following up on an already stellar "Behind The Music" documentary. Megadeth was a band that earned their stripes by taking it to extremes and backing up their words with their music. Recent indications were that they were becoming tired and misdirected that could've benefited from a "Rude Awakening," to find themselves… or conversely an unexpected break by a band that reached their peak long ago. We may never know but one thing's for sure, "Rude Awakening's" a cover closing necessity whose stock just went up.

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