Megadeth - Risk review

Reviewer:
3.0

963 users:
5.48

Band:	Megadeth
Album:	Risk
Style:	Hard rock
Release date:	August 1999

01. Insomnia
02. Prince Of Darkness
03. Enter The Arena
04. Crush 'Em
05. Breadline
06. The Doctor Is Calling
07. I'll Be There
08. Wanderlust
09. Ecstasy
10. Seven
11. Time: The Beginning
12. Time: The End
13. Duke Nukem Theme [Japanese bonus]

Risk is crap. Here it is, I won't have to say it again. Dave Mustaine's jealousy of Metallica's succe$$ has blinded him. He has completely gone astray in his quest for radio broadcasting.
We all knew that the times of Megadeth playing speed-thrash were over since Countdown to Extinction, but hell, Youthanasia was a very good heavy metal album and Cryptic Writings contained great moments. Megadeth used to belong to the Big Four of Thrash, they don't have the right to release such a soup. You can expect that kind of album from a glam-rock band, but not from guys that have dominated metal genres all over the 90's.

Risk does not only suck, it is also soft and lifeless. Where are the fast riffs, the great guitar solos, the filthy voice we were used to? No aggressivity here, just flat songs and honeyed ballads. Yet it did not start too bad: "Insomnia" has a charming taste of India, "Prince of Darkness" owns a disturbing melody and "Crush'em" is heavy and (for once) aggressive. These songs are good ones but not really in the Megadeth spirit. But after that, everything collapses... "Breadline", "The Doctor Is Calling", "Wanderlust"... some songs you will never see played live, as they are not even worth being listened to. The award of the bad taste goes to "I'll Be There": a Bon Jovi-like ballad that sounds like the music of Friends (you know "I'll be theeeere foooor youuuuu"...). It makes me want to puke.

So my friends, hear my words of wisdom. The three commandments are:
1 Thou shalt stay away from Risk
2 Thou shalt never listen to Risk
3 Thou shalt not even look at Risk (you never know...)
If you alredy own this cd, maybe you should start wondering why all your friends have forsaken you. Give it to your worst enemy (I say give it, nobody is cruel enough to sell that, even to one's worst enemy)
The biggest failure of the century?

Highlights: Insomnia, Prince Of Darkness, Crush'Em

Written by Deadsoulman | 22.09.2003

Guest review by
omne metallum

Rating:
5.1

In the liner notes of Risk, Mustaine claims that had this album been released with some other band's name on it, it would have been a success; yeah, that's not really the case. The same album by another name would be just as bad.

While not the worst thing Megadeth would put out, it isn't that far away from being so. While the change of direction isn't great, what gives this album its reputation is that most songs are just boring. If you want one song to sum up what's wrong with this record, then give "The Doctor Is Calling" a spin, a plodding meandering track that goes nowhere slow. This is a recurring theme for most of the album; "Prince of Darkness" mis-steps while trying to be atmospheric and comes off as cheesy and boring, before eventually picking up the pace. "Wanderlust" does have a good chorus and ends on a high note, but it feels like a chore to hang in there to get to that point.

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HALOOOOOOOO Account deleted	Permalink 27.03.2009 - 18:36 HALOOOOOOOO Account deleted I don't like this album. Maybe two songs, hence my score of 2. Otherwise like the review said, Risk is crap. Loading...
Slayer666 Posts: 2466 From: Serbia	Permalink 28.04.2009 - 14:30 Slayer666 Posts: 2466 From: Serbia So my friends, hear my words of wisdom. The three commandments are: 1 Thou shalt stay away from Risk 2 Thou shalt never listen to Risk 3 Thou shalt not even look at Risk (you never know...) If you alredy own this cd, maybe you should start wondering why all your friends have forsaken you. Give it to your worst enemy (I say give it, nobody is cruel enough to sell that, even to one's worst enemy) Hahaha! Good one! Loading...
Nightmare_Heaven Posts: 8 From: USA	Permalink 26.07.2009 - 19:43 Rating: 9 Nightmare_Heaven Posts: 8 From: USA Closed minded BS. If you don't like it, I don't give a damn, everyone is entitled to their personal opinions. With that it mind though, this is probably the most close minded metalhead bashfest I've ever seen. I can think of a lot of bands that have taken a nosedive into softer material. In these efforts, some were great, some were not. Some bands I can think of that have experimented to create great albeit different softer sounds - Paradise Lost, Tiamat, Katatonia and Arcturus. As I said before, everyone can have their own view and that is fine with me. Its more interesting that way. However I think I've seen more objectivity at a conservative Republican convention than on this page. Remember kids, anything not pure metal is "crap"! Loading...
Skøllgrim Northern Posts: 389	Permalink +1 31.07.2009 - 17:43 Rating: 5 Skøllgrim Northern Posts: 389 I remember thinking, "it can't be that bad".... I was wrong Loading...
Deadsoulman Posts: 8004 From: France	Permalink 31.07.2009 - 19:12 Deadsoulman Posts: 8004 From: France Written by Nightmare_Heaven on 26.07.2009 at 19:43 Remember kids, anything not pure metal is "crap"! Funny comment. How do you get that from this review? Loading...
Nightmare_Heaven Posts: 8 From: USA	Permalink 31.07.2009 - 19:59 Rating: 9 Nightmare_Heaven Posts: 8 From: USA That bit, not from the review but from the comments that follow. Loading...
King_Nothing Posts: 4 From: Bulgaria	Permalink 07.08.2009 - 13:33 King_Nothing Posts: 4 From: Bulgaria It's not their best but c'mon it's still Megadeth;) Loading...
TerminatorDrums Account deleted	Permalink 09.08.2009 - 03:10 TerminatorDrums Account deleted This review is unfair. This was an experiment for Dave and whether you dig it or not, it doesn't sound so bad as you describe. My opinion. Go Megadeth! Loading...
BloodFireDeath Posts: 182 From: USA	Permalink 06.10.2009 - 05:54 BloodFireDeath Posts: 182 From: USA I agree. You have reviewed this album like a retard metal fan, not a fan of music and yes I just pulled the pretentious card. ---- Goodspeed on the Devils Thunder Loading...
Slayer666 Posts: 2466 From: Serbia	Permalink 07.10.2009 - 15:02 Slayer666 Posts: 2466 From: Serbia You know, I never really liked Megadeth, not even the early stuff. But I could listen to it. It was well written, and awesomely preformed, fast and brutal... But this? To say it's crap means to insult crap itself. Everything that Collin said checks out. Soft, cheesy, lifeless, completely uninspired. In fact, this is an even bigger letdown than Cradle of Filth's Thornography, and I honestly thought that was impossible. Loading...
Warman Erotic Stains Posts: 7695 From: Sweden	Permalink 07.10.2009 - 15:57 Rating: 3 Warman Erotic Stains Posts: 7695 From: Sweden I love this review, Risk is really bad! ---- Loading...
DP_Megachiva Account deleted	Permalink 21.01.2010 - 07:33 DP_Megachiva Account deleted This album is painfully bad... I can't understand how some people liked it, I feel even embarrased for having bought it (like Grimskallen, I thought it couldn't be that bad). This is not even close to what Megadeth is suposed to sound... the songs lack both quality and intensity... a really big mistake by Mustaine, the good thing is that he returned to the right path in the next album. Loading...
thewall30 Posts: 338 From: USA	Permalink 21.01.2010 - 17:24 Rating: 8 thewall30 Posts: 338 From: USA Written by Guest on 17.06.2008 at 04:03 The only reason Dave Mustaine wrote/created Risk was too prove he could make risks with his music. Sure it's not his most powerful cd but it's still pretty good. Crush 'Em is a good song, so is Inomnia, Prince of Darkness, and I'll be There makes me cry. I love this album. (And I dont like Bon Jovi nor do I like anything but metal) I'm a huge Megadeth fan and Dave's voice is amazing and even though its not speed metal or powerful, it shows a softer side to the heavy, war written band. Long live Megadeth. Haha, I totally agree with you... ---- Loading...
Carl Berg Carl Berg Posts: 589 From: Luxembourg	Permalink 08.08.2010 - 00:25 Rating: 8 Carl Berg Carl Berg Posts: 589 From: Luxembourg Excuse me for intruding, but it is my understanding that Risk, although controversial, is a pretty good album. "Prince of Darkness", "Crush 'Em", and especially "Ecstasy" are exceptional songs. Marty Friedman proves, with his last album with Megadeth, that him and Dave M are among the great musicians of the century. Loading...
vezzy Stallmanite Posts: 3493 From: Bulgaria	Permalink 08.08.2010 - 12:00 Rating: 3 vezzy Stallmanite Posts: 3493 From: Bulgaria Written by Carl Berg on 08.08.2010 at 00:25 Excuse me for intruding, but it is my understanding that Risk, although controversial, is a pretty good album. "Prince of Darkness", "Crush 'Em", and especially "Ecstasy" are exceptional songs. Marty Friedman proves, with his last album with Megadeth, that him and Dave M are among the great musicians of the century. You wish. ---- Licensed under the GPLv3. Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America. Loading...
thrashmetalbrand Posts: 1 From: USA	Permalink 20.12.2010 - 15:38 thrashmetalbrand Posts: 1 From: USA The only good song on this album is I'll Be There. And, the only reason I think that is because I was turned on to it from That One Night: Live In Buenos Aries.Other than that, the album is extremely cheesy. And, I hate cheesy metal songs. Crush 'Em is a very weak song. And, Enter The Arena makes the album start off even worse. Let's face it. This album is worse than black metal music videos ---- Everybody's doin' the toxic waltz Kick your friend in the head and have a ball Come on and do the toxic waltz And slam your partner against the wall Everybody's doin' the toxic waltz Good friendly violent fun in store for all Get up of Loading...
Dragon13304 Posts: 1 From: Australia	Permalink 04.03.2011 - 12:37 Rating: 9 Dragon13304 Posts: 1 From: Australia I acctually liked this album, wanderlust is the best one! I love the Bon Jovi sound to it . this album wasnt supposed to be thrash as it is called risk, i love the fact that dave acctually had the balls to make a different megadeth! Cryptic Writings would be my fav, Youthanasia would be the worst not this! Loading...
RavenKing Posts: 1941 From: Canada	Permalink 04.03.2011 - 13:31 RavenKing Posts: 1941 From: Canada Written by Nightmare_Heaven on 26.07.2009 at 19:43 Closed minded BS. If you don't like it, I don't give a damn, everyone is entitled to their personal opinions. With that it mind though, this is probably the most close minded metalhead bashfest I've ever seen. Typical of fanboys/fangirls to use the retarded 'close-mindedness' argument in a pathetic attempt to defend shit albums. Truth is they can't find a valid argument to defend the album because it sucks too much ass. When people come and use this bullshit argument, my thought is "the album must really suck donkey balls if even fanboys/fangirls can't find any valid argument to defend it, so they are reduced to use the typical insubstancial argument". ---- They shake your hand and they smile and they buy you a drink They say we'll be your friends we'll stick with you till the end But everybody's only looking out for themselves And you say who can you trust I'll tell you nobody Loading...
Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Posts: 21306 From: Canada	Permalink 04.03.2011 - 18:03 Rating: 4 Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Posts: 21306 From: Canada Written by RavenKing on 04.03.2011 at 13:31 Written by Nightmare_Heaven on 26.07.2009 at 19:43 Closed minded BS. If you don't like it, I don't give a damn, everyone is entitled to their personal opinions. With that it mind though, this is probably the most close minded metalhead bashfest I've ever seen. Typical of fanboys/fangirls to use the retarded 'close-mindedness' argument in a pathetic attempt to defend shit albums. Truth is they can't find a valid argument to defend the album because it sucks too much ass. When people come and use this bullshit argument, my thought is "the album must really suck donkey balls if even fanboys/fangirls can't find any valid argument to defend it, so they are reduced to use the typical insubstancial argument". I think when fans of a band defend a weak album without providing any reason as opposed to me and those who think of the album as garbage, generally the album is deserving of its abuse. And this one is definitely deserving of abuse. ---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something." Loading...
John Shock Posts: 500 From: Portugal	Permalink 24.03.2011 - 00:46 John Shock Posts: 500 From: Portugal Most of you guys are wrong about the album, this album is great men, believe it or not, but thjis album is one of the few albuns that i can hear on it's entirely, all the way to the botton, song to song, of course one or two songs are boring and sure thats not even in dreams, really megadeth album, but "everybody's changing", and megadeth...well megadeth, changed radically, but only thrash all the time, it bothers a little, a guy has to hear different things, and music is about that, good music and bad music, in my opinion this is mediocre music with a taste of alternative rock, that's all! Loading...
Void_Eater Account deleted	Permalink 24.03.2011 - 07:15 Void_Eater Account deleted Maybe it's my inner Dave Mustaine fanboy, but I find this to be a decent album. No it's, not metal. Hell, it's not even hard rock, aside from Prince of Darkness. It's pure pop/rock, with the occasional electropop influence. Not what what would expect from the band that wrote Rust in Peace 9 years prior, but not bad. It's mindless catchy pop music- Not the kind of album that one would sit down and analyze, but the kind of music for driving, or backround music for a party. Besides, it's got Dave singing- Who doesn't love Dave's voice Loading...
LWR88 Posts: 8 From: USA	Permalink 02.05.2011 - 08:42 Rating: 8 LWR88 Posts: 8 From: USA I listen to all different types of music, and I liked this album but I also had problems with it. I bought this when it first came out and without hearing anything from it. When I buy a Megadeth album, this isn't what I want to hear. If Dave Mustaine wants to get experimental he shouldn't do it using the Megadeth name. These songs should have been recorded by a Dave Mustaine solo band or something. Megadeth had been successful as a thrash metal/metal band and there wasn't any reason to mess with that. I have to admit that at the time I sort of saw this coming though, their albums had been getting more and more commercial up to this point. Thank God they got back to making metal after this. Loading...
Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 8972 From: Canada	Permalink 10.12.2011 - 03:51 Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 8972 From: Canada Typo. ---- 14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse I do your mum *DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS* Loading...
hisham80 Posts: 19 From: Kuwait	Permalink 02.05.2013 - 03:20 Rating: 6 hisham80 Posts: 19 From: Kuwait It is a good album as melody wise but as metal wise sucks indeed ..it could have been a solo album by Mustaine not by Megadeth. Loading...
Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 60943 From: Sweden	Permalink 23.02.2019 - 22:08 Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 60943 From: Sweden Written by Warman on 07.10.2009 at 15:57 I love this review, Risk is really bad! old good times, I miss those old days hehe ---- Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!! Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die'' apos;' [image] I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing Loading...
sgtrobo Posts: 577	Permalink 06.12.2020 - 10:00 Rating: 3 sgtrobo Posts: 577 Written by Nightmare_Heaven on 26.07.2009 at 19:43 Closed minded BS. If you don't like it, I don't give a damn, everyone is entitled to their personal opinions. With that it mind though, this is probably the most close minded metalhead bashfest I've ever seen. I can think of a lot of bands that have taken a nosedive into softer material. In these efforts, some were great, some were not. Some bands I can think of that have experimented to create great albeit different softer sounds - Paradise Lost, Tiamat, Katatonia and Arcturus. As I said before, everyone can have their own view and that is fine with me. Its more interesting that way. However I think I've seen more objectivity at a conservative Republican convention than on this page. Remember kids, anything not pure metal is "crap"! except...this actually is crap. Not as bad as some other crap, but crap, nonetheless, and you don't have to be closed-minded to think this is crap ---- 1-album wonders Sabbath/Maiden/Priest Rankings Big 4 Rankings Loading...