The 1986 Listening Post - Megadeth - Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?

Megadeth - Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?

#386/2065

September 19 1986

Megadeth

Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying?

Genre: Thrash classic

4.75 out of 5

Highlights:

Wake Up Dead

Peace Sells

I Ain’t Superstitious

My Last Words

Requisite 80s cover:

“I Ain’t Superstitious” which is gloriously Metal and pays perfect homage to the original. 

There are a lot of discoveries for me on this journey. Some of them are obscure unknown entities like The Cleaners from Venus or Green. Others are genre classics that were not part of my lexicon back when they were released and were subsequently eschewed for a variety of reasons. 

This is one of those. 

How best to describe this album? It’s the sound of your life ending. How’s that? Decades of experience coalescing into a maelstrom of controlled chaos that holds you in its grasp, experienced by others but truly felt in your core. 

I’m not keyed in to the modern underground guitar band tropes of today. Are they as politically angry and aware as Mustaine (and Biafra and others) were in 86? 

This must be considered one of the holy Thrash Metal record, yes? 

It’s relentless. Culminating with the climatically explosive “My Last Words”, which is... superb. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/peace-sells-but-whos-buying/1440837699

The 1985 Listening Post - Megadeth - Killing is My Business...And Business is Good

Megadeth - Killing is My Business...And Business is Good

#207

June 10 1985

Megadeth

Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good

Genre: Thrash Metal

4.75 out of 5

Highlights:

Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good

The Skull Beneath the Skin

These Boots

Chosen Ones

I gotta admit, I wasn’t expecting a gentle, classical piano opening. But, from there, it’s an onslaught. 

I don’t know if they are actually “songs” or if they are really just an excuse to shred like a maniac but, fuck me, Mustaine can do that. He notoriously wanted to send a message to Metallica who had fired him that he could do them one better. In doing so I think he just reinvented the genre. There is nothing  wasted here. No fat on this bone. Nothing goes on longer than it needs to. And the cover of “These Boots Are Made For Walking” is the metal version of DKs “Rawhide”. Explosive and in your face and elevating. It’s so obviously influenced by Motorhead, if only Lemmy had done it first. (Maybe he did. I don’t know. He should have, that’s for damned sure)

The album is short. And dynamic. And, although it’s been remastered, it’s hard to believe that it was originally recorded for $12000 and that $4000 of that went to alcohol. 

How can you play like this when you’re fucked up?

https://music.apple.com/us/album/killing-is-my-business-and-business-is-good/268441837