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Megadeth - Th1rt3en review



Reviewer:
8.3

882 users:
7.15
Band: Megadeth
Album: Th1rt3en
Style: Heavy metal, Thrash metal
Release date: November 01, 2011
Guest review by: AndMetalForAll


01. Sudden Death
02. Public Enemy No. 1
03. Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)
04. We The People
05. Guns, Drugs & Money
06. Never Dead
07. New World Order
08. Fast Lane
09. Black Swan
10. Wrecker
11. Millennium Of The Blind
12. Deadly Nightshade
13. 13

2011 set big expectations for Megadeth for that year and for 2012. After huge "Big 4" shows, the return of Dave Ellefson and "the kiss and make up" between Dave Mustaine, Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield, finally two of the pioneers of thrash metal, Megadeth and Metallica are together. Certainly Th1rt3en is a great way to show the good vibes they are transmitting since 2010.

Th1rt3en is in my humble opinion the best work of the decade for Megadeth; the more you listen more you love it. Dave doesn't need to show to anyone how great he is and it's obvious. There are no ghosts anymore, the friendship between Dave, James and Lars make this album a pure and simple thrash metal collection. The previous one, Endgame, was a good album but it was made with a purpose to be better than the then successful Death Magnetic of Metallica. Endgame was way exaggerated both in concept and content, a real effort just to be better than Metallica.

With all this considered, Th1rt3en starts amazingly with "Sudden Death", exquisite and powerful chorus. Really well structured song from the beginning to the end with awesome solos. One of the great things is the effort to make it a really good album. A lot of diversity is presented with amazing song contenders for live shows, like "Sudden Death", "Public Enemy No.1", "13", "Never Dead", "Fast Lane" or even "Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)". Only two maybe three songs are filler songs. Really powerful and strong lyrics and real emotional songs like "13" and "Millenium Of The Blind". Mustaine's criticism is as harsh as ever, attacking political and social issues, that has only been sharpened by the experience of adulthood, family life and spiritual faith. The mix between Dave Mustaine and Chris Broderick is confirmed in this album as a really good combination with strong riffs and fast solos. Even the songs I didn't like in the beginning I learned to love them, songs like "Black Swan" or "Guns, Drugs & Money" make an afternoon well spent. The bad thing about this album that is worse than the previous is the production area. When listening to the CD it seems that it is way too loud, remembering Death Magnetic for example. Dave steps up to the plate and makes you forget about all this (production) with a great ending with "Millenium of the Blind" and "13" closing with more cruel and raw perspective of life in many senses.

Th1rt3en is a great acquisition for everyone that admires or is a big fan of Megadeth. Although opinions change a lot when talking about this album I really think it starts a new era and solidifies their position in the metal history. It's in my opinion the best since 2001 for Megadeth.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 8
Production: 8

Written by AndMetalForAll | 05.02.2012




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.


Comments

Comments: 17   Visited by: 233 users
05.02.2012 - 00:40
Rating: 8
thehondo
I dont believe Dave is as concerned with Metallica as some would suggest.
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No time like the present
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05.02.2012 - 10:34
Rating: 6
doyle777
I lol'd hard when I saw rating, I am a HUGE fan of MegadetH, and if Th1rt3en is 8.3, then Rust In Peace is 13.0.
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05.02.2012 - 14:07
Rating: 4
Athropos
Burning inside
I couldn't get into this album, and I'm not stuck in the past as I really liked TSHF, UA, and Endgame. But this one, I don't know, there's something I don't like about it...
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05.02.2012 - 15:30
Angelic Storm
Melodious
Written by thehondo on 05.02.2012 at 00:40

I dont believe Dave is as concerned with Metallica as some would suggest.

Right now, that is perhaps true. But for most of his (and Megadeth's) career, he certainly was concerned with what they were doing. Far more than was healthy, in actual fact.

As for this album... it's one of those albums I struggle to have definitive feelings about. It's certainly not a bad album, but it's far from being something special either. I do think it's slightly better than "Endgame", though quite far off the quality of "The System Has Failed", which is still their best post-RIP album in my opinion. Only a couple of songs are actually bad, though there isn't a great deal of truly great songs on here either. It's a good album, but that's all it is.
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05.02.2012 - 18:11
rodion-z
Well, if Endgame was his attempt (successful) to be better than Metallica, then with Th1rt3en he's made one just as shitty as they have.
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05.02.2012 - 22:40
NLthrasher
Written by Angelic Storm on 05.02.2012 at 15:30

Written by thehondo on 05.02.2012 at 00:40

I dont believe Dave is as concerned with Metallica as some would suggest.

Right now, that is perhaps true. But for most of his (and Megadeth's) career, he certainly was concerned with what they were doing. Far more than was healthy, in actual fact.

As for this album... it's one of those albums I struggle to have definitive feelings about. It's certainly not a bad album, but it's far from being something special either. I do think it's slightly better than "Endgame", though quite far off the quality of "The System Has Failed", which is still their best post-RIP album in my opinion. Only a couple of songs are actually bad, though there isn't a great deal of truly great songs on here either. It's a good album, but that's all it is.

100% agree
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05.02.2012 - 22:50
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
I haven't been too big a fan of Megadeth's post-reunion material, in all honesty. Not because it's not good, but... eh, it just misses the classic hook. But just for the hell of it:

1. Endgame
2. The System Has Failed
3. Thirteen
4. United Abominations
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I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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06.02.2012 - 07:31
Olli
Found this album pretty boring, Dave doesnt even seem to be trying vocally too :/
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When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."
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01.04.2012 - 19:49
Rating: 7
Darth Mitchell
Mitchell
In my opinion a good Megadeth record. Not their best, but it has enough "power" in it for me to enjoy it!
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01.04.2012 - 21:38
Rating: 7
AndMetalForAll
kual21
Written by Darth Mitchell on 01.04.2012 at 19:49

In my opinion a good Megadeth record. Not their best, but it has enough "power" in it for me to enjoy it!

I didn't said it was the best...it's the best of the decade 2001-2011.

Thanks for reading

greets,
AndMetalForAll
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greets,
kual21
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01.04.2012 - 22:10
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by AndMetalForAll on 01.04.2012 at 21:38


I didn't said it was the best...it's the best of the decade 2001-2011.

I would say The System has Failed is by far Megadeth's best of the decade 2001-2011, by a big margin
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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01.04.2012 - 22:43
Angelic Storm
Melodious
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 01.04.2012 at 22:10
I would say The System has Failed is by far Megadeth's best of the decade 2001-2011, by a big margin

I totally agree with that statement. Not that their other 3 albums this decade have been totally awful, but System... is their only latter day album that has come anywhere near touching their 80's classics. It has that similar morbid, scathing spirit which is lacking in their other three 00's albums.
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01.04.2012 - 22:44
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by Angelic Storm on 01.04.2012 at 22:43

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 01.04.2012 at 22:10
I would say The System has Failed is by far Megadeth's best of the decade 2001-2011, by a big margin

I totally agree with that statement. Not that their other 3 albums this decade have been totally awful, but System... is their only latter day album that has come anywhere near touching their 80's classics. It has that similar morbid, scathing spirit which is lacking in their other three 00's albums.

and tbh imo Endgame is even better than this last one.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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01.04.2012 - 22:46
Angelic Storm
Melodious
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 01.04.2012 at 22:44
and tbh imo Endgame is even better than this last one.

Hmm... "13" has more standouts, but "Endgame" is a more solid, and consistent effort. I don't hate any of "Endgame"'s songs, whereas there are some on "13" that are completely abysmal.
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15.05.2012 - 10:00
Rating: 6
Hermann Langke
Brahmastra Corps
Endgame is far better than 13.
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13.09.2012 - 23:35
Darth Revan
I'm surprised no one's mentioned the name yet. Really, naming your album in 1337? That's just... ugh... Guess it doesn't matter long as the music's decent.

And yeah, I get that it's supposed to be the numerical number in the alphabetical letter, but still.
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24.02.2019 - 14:58
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Megadeth after risk, has been bigger as Metalloca ever wrote after black (and garage since its not original) even latest metallica album what was good, cant beat this band nowadays. The won in the battle. Friendship, I wonder has there been money involved? maybe in Axl n Slash case yes (take me down to paradise city where dollar is green, and cash is pretty) here who knows. Money and showbuss is same. My name is Charley cocsucking asshole thats how they call me.
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I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens.

Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"

I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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