Album Review: Megadeth – Super Collider

megadeath super collider album coverFollowing on from 2011’s 13 I was really unsure of the direction Megadeth would take with their next record, given that 13 (I felt) was an album that was more commercial than Endgame, with Endgame being one of Megadeth’s finer moments.

When I first listened to the self-titled single from Super Colider my expectations seemed to go down really quickly; almost like attaching a weight to my leg, and being cast off into the sea. You get the idea.

However, when I heard “Kingmaker”I really liked it. I have always been a Megadeth fan through and through, in the good times and the bad, and as I listened to this for the first time a smelt crept across my face. It’s fair to say that the current line-up continues to produce quality album after quality album, ignoring my initial nitpicking of said single.

I think 13 was always going to be under-the-cosh album seeing as it would be the end of their contract with Roadrunner, and now under their own label Tradecraft with distribution handled by Universal. I would say that this album returns to a more traditional thrash sound, albeit forgiving the normal fast beats typically associated with most thrash metal.

Mentioning that is significant as I think it has allowed Megadeth to flex their more well-known metal roots, instead of trying to fit into Roadrunner’s commercial money-making music. There is a real chunkiness to this album especially in the guitar area, whilst everything else remains solid as always, I think this is Dave Mustaine’s best vocal performance of the past three albums. I still think even on Endgame his vocals were a little dodgy. 

However, given that I’ve already stated that I am a through-and-through Megadeth fan I must say that at times I had to put down my headphones or press pause for a moment to be able to absorb what I was hearing. As much as I was enjoying the album it still felt a little bit too commercial and not daring enough like Endgame was, or even as 13 was in places. Conversely, Super Collider does have its good moments, just not merely enough to make it a memorable album.

I’m not saying this is a bad album, or am I? On the first few listens nothing really stuck out to me, I sat there expecting some big guitar riff or hook, some massive drum rhythm to blow me away. But, after several listens I felt deflated, as if I built myself up and up and up and then made myself fall to the floor in spite.

Overall, where does this leave me as a Megadeth fan? Somewhere in the middle of the road actually, as on one hand I really like the album’s overall sound, but then on another I’m still not convinced by some of the material on here. Half the album is full of solid metal I would expect from Megadeth, but then the other half sounds like radio-friendly metal. I actually cringed during songs like “The Blackest Crow” and “Forget to Remember”, which got me thinking what am I actually listening to?

RATING: 3 / 5

Purchase Super Collider here