Super Collider

Over the last few years, the trajectory of the career of Dave Mustaine (Megadeth’s frontman, lead guitarist and principal songwriter) has been turbulent, to say the least.

Megadeth’s “comeback” album – 2004’s The System Has Failed – and its follow-up – United Abominations (2007) – didn’t quite set the metal world afire in the same way as classics such as Rust In Peace, though they did prove that there was life in the metaphorical old dog yet. Standout tracks from both albums raised the band’s hitherto-diminishing profile once more, and 2009’s Endgame went one step further, providing a collection of melodic metal songs which (in the eyes of this reviewer, at least) competed with the band’s previous career highlights.

2011’s Thirteen (the first album to feature original bassist Dave Ellefson in almost a decade) was fairly weak and loaded with filler, though the fact that many of its tracks were re-recorded B-sides indicates that the album was little more than a necessity to satisfy a record label contract. Nevertheless, even in light of this recent disappointment, Super Collider, the first Megadeth opus to be released on Mustaine’s new label – Tradecraft – has generated quite a buzz. Unfortunately however, it defies all expectations by – simply put – not being very good.

It starts off decently enough. ‘Kingmaker’ is possibly the strongest original track on Super Collider, packing a heavy, pacey riff and a catchy chorus, although its verses do sound uncomfortably similar to Black Sabbath’s ‘Children of the Grave’. The trouble is that the strength of ‘Kingmaker’ doesn’t last the entirety of its parent album. The title track sounds akin to Bon Jovi forgetting how to sing (as well as how to write), whereas ‘Burn!’, ‘Built for War’, ‘Beginning of Sorrow’ and ‘Off the Edge’ are entirely forgettable slabs of hard-rock-gone-midlife-crisis.

Super Collider is a disappointment, though for the hardcore fans, there are enough decent tracks bookending the piece to make it worth a purchase

‘Dance in the Rain’, while perfectly listenable, is just a bit messy, veering as it does between heavy and subdued atmospheres with no real purpose. ‘The Blackest Crow’ suffers from the same problem to a greater degree (complete with an acoustic guitar laid awkwardly underneath the rest of the instrumentation). Thankfully, the album ends decently, with ‘Forget to Remember’ supplying some great guitar work, and ‘Don’t Turn Your Back’ balancing pop sensibilities with metal aggression as well. ‘Cold Sweat’ closes Super Collider very strongly, with more energy and lyrical merit than anything else on the album. Impressive, until you realise that it’s not a ‘Deth original, but rather a Thin Lizzy cover. Shame, that.

Overall, then, the outfit’s fourteenth effort comes as something of a disappointment, though for the hardcore fans, there are enough decent tracks bookending the piece to make it worth a purchase. For casual fans, however, this isn’t essential material by any means, and for those uninitiated to Megadeth’s discography, you are warned not to begin here.

Similar To: Metallica, Anthrax

MP3: ‘Kingmaker’