Customer Reviews

The Arsenal of Megadeth

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Dave Mustaine unleashes his band's arsenal but doesn't empty the barrels on this 2 disc set. The DVD is basically the Chronology of Megadeth, through various TV clips as well as music videos and commercial spots. It's a very interesting DVD because even though it clocks in at close to 3 hours for both discs total, it doesn't at all seem like you spent 3 hours watching it. The presentation is A plus, even though a few videos weren't included. One thing I would've liked was if Mustaine actually explained the departure and addition of members, not to sling mud, but maybe to shed light on why he chose who he chose, as he does have a history of picking un-metal players and making total metal shredders out of them. Bonus features are, well their really are none. Also thereis this constant gapping or "Bleeping", as it seems Mustaine has chosen to edit his language based on his new beliefs. The mix of music videos and Live footage is great, a lot of videos that went by I had no idea they made. I was really happy with this release, I'm definetly not the biggest Megadeth fan in the world, but this DVD was a great reminder to me and you as well of how great this band really is. I'm giving this a 4.

In terms of content, I have basically no complaint. A couple videos are missing, but most are there. (Not counting the non-Capitol videos, that's a rights issue.) However, there are some major issues with this release:

1. Video quality. This can only be described as grainy at best. I'm talking about the official music videos. I'd rate most of the first discs videos on par with an old VHS tape. The newer material looks better, but still lacks. Bootleg footage and old interviews are going to look crappy and I'm not counting those.

2. Sound Quality. The sound quality may be even worse than the video quality. The proof that most of these videos were just carted over from VHS is when a sound mistake that appears on the Rusted Pieces VHS at the end of Hangar 18 appears in the exact same spot on the DVD. Also, there is a lot of cracking, and volume varies from one track to the next.

3. Censorship. Just about any word that could be slightly considered offensive is blanked out. (This also blanks out any music that may be playing too.) I was almost surprised that the word Hell wasn't censored from the song "Go to Hell." The phrase, "This about how many times I tried to kill myself, but just couldn't get the f#@$%ng job done..." Is cut out from the beginning of "Skin of My Teeth." Also, the song "Holy Wars" has had any of it's "controversial" war footage removed and replaced with bland nonsense.

I'm only hard on this because I've waited for this since DVDs became popular, and this effort was not worth the money.

This is a good, solid collection. I was eagerly anticipating this 2 DVD release, you could say I was chomping at the bit, and sharpening my axe for it. Many reviewers here are correct, this does not contain all Capitol era Megadeth videos. This collection, plays more like a gathering of the Megadeth video collection VHS tapes that were released while they were labeled at Capitol (Rust in Pieces, Exposure of a Dream and Evolver VHS releases). Yes there are some cool features that merit this a 3 star release such as the unreleased live footage from Clash of the Titans and Giganatour, plus all the archival interviews, TV appearances, promo clips, etc is all cool stuff and I'm glad its included. The censors are annoying but just deal with it it's not a big deal. The video qaulity is OK but thats because as I mentioned earlier, most of the videos here are transferred straight from the video collections.The sound mix is good, and what's really important is the the videos that are included have the original mix, these videos do not contain that recently remastered and remixed sound that Mustaine did to his entire Megadeth capitol catalog last year. And that's important because I though some of those remastered albums sounded horrible. But here is why I do not give this DVD release 5 stars because of the absence of these music videos:

Breakpoint
Angry Again
99 Ways To Die
Crush Em
Breadline

But all in all a solid 3 star collection. Hopefully the missing videos will appear on the second volume of Arsenal as Mustaine and Co. do have about 4 to 5 videos made from the World needs a Hero, System Has Failed albums.

A new DVD from megadeth that compiles the best of the old available videos is a great idea, spanning it over 2 discs to try and complete, great, but ultimately there is always stuff left out. The Angry again video did not make this disc, and neither did 99 ways to die video, both great tracks from the capital years. Also, since this is capital, you miss out on the great sanctuary years and the past 2 studio albums.
I also agree with the previous reviewers, the sound could have been better (not mastered in 5.1 surround, still 2.0 stereo), and the video quality is only slightly better than the vhs. Additionally, a few liner notes are appreciated, with full track lists, not just a brief overview. finally, censorship, why?.
overall, a needed addition to the megadeth collection, but this could have been the be all, end all of videos. There is hopefully something else cooking in the future for the Arsenal archives that will make this feel more complete.

For the MEGAfan, this DVD is a must. You want videoclips? you got'em, 20 of them.. from every single album.
Want to see Marty's audition footage, yep! it's here.
The alternate edit for Symphony of Destruction's Gristle Mix.. you got it!
Some Rock the Vote clips form the early 90s... check!
Live appearances on MTV's most wanted, AND Headbangers Ball, check!
Footage from the infamous Clash of Titans tour with Slayer, Anthrax & Alice in Chains. check!
Heck, there's even an appearance by Mustaine on "The Drew Carey Show"
New live cuts form Gigantour? Check!
Arsenal of Megadeth contains previously unreleased concert footage from the tour, including a live "Peace Sells."

The never-before-seen (at least in the last 19 years) intro to the Peace Sells clip is hilarious!
Also, some interviews with every former member of the band which gives a great glimpse into the different periods of 'Deth.

Of course, everything could not fit into one DVD,s o this is a double DVD collection, and here's the full track list.

Arsenal of Megadeth (DVD)
DISC 1

1. "Peace sells..." Film excerpt from Talk Radio
2. Peace Sells Broadcast music video
3. interview, 1986* Compiled interview excerpts
4. Wake Up Dead Broadcast music video
5. Penelope Spheeris intro* Cutting Edge Happy Hour interview
6. In My Darkest Hour Broadcast music video
7. SO FAR, SO GOOD... Compiled interview excerpts w/ video rushes
8. Anarchy In The U.K. Music video - version without sound effects
9. No More Mr. Nice Guy* Broadcast music video w/ film footage
10.Marty Friedman audition* [hidden track] Unreleased audition footage
11. RUST IN PEACE* TV spot for album
12. On the Clash Of The Titans tour, 1990* Compiled tour footage excerpts
13. Holy Wars...The Punishment Due* Broadcast music video - MTV edit
14. MISSION MEGADETH: HEADBANGER'S BALL, 1991* Compiled excerpts from 5/18/91 broadcast show
15. Hangar 18 Music video - longform unedited version
16. Go To Hell Broadcast music video - guitar version
17. COUNTDOWN TO EXTINCTION* TV Spot for Album
18. Rock The Vote 3 Compiled Promo Clips
19. Symphony Of Destruction Broadcast music video
20. Symphony Of Destruction (Edited Gristle Mix)Music video
21. Skin O' My Teeth* Broadcast music video; new edit
22. High Speed Dirt Broadcast music video
23. Foreclosure Of A Dream Broadcast music video
24. A DAY IN THE LIFE OF HOLLYWOOD , 1992* Broadcast Piece
25. Sweating Bullets* Broadcast music video
DISC 2
26. EVOLVER [excerpt] Excerpts from EVOLVER home video
27. Train Of Consequences Broadcast music video
28. Raw footage from Train video shoot* [hidden track]''Making-of' footage shot on set
29. YOUTHANASIA * TV Spot for album
30. Interview, 1994* Interview excerpt (Nick on album cover)
31. NIGHT OF THE LIVING MEGADETH, Halloween 1994* Broadcast interview excerpts & live performance
32. MTV MOST WANTED, 1995* Broadcast performance on 3/28/95 show
33. interview, 1994* Interview excerpt (Dave on A Tout Le Monde)
34. A Tout Le Monde* Broadcast music video
35. Interview, 1994 contd.* Interview excerpt (Dave/Nick on shows & touring)
36. Reckoning Day* Broadcast music video
37. CRYPTIC WRITINGS* TV Spot for Album
38. Trust Broadcast music video
39. Trust music video rushes* [hidden track] Rushes from video shoot
40. CRYPTIC TV* EPK for Cryptic Writing Album
41. Almost Honest* Broadcast music video
42. A Secret Place * Broadcast music video (no bouncing balls version)
43. Argentina , 1998* Backstage/interview/distant live shots from arena
44. THE DREW CAREY SHOW, 1998* Broadcast show - Mustaine appearance
45. RISK teaser film * Promotional 'teaser film'
46. Insomnia* Broadcast music video
47. Sweating Bullets (live at GIGANTOUR, 2005)* Live Concert Footage
48. Peace Sells (live at GIGANTOUR, 2005)* Live Concert Footage
49. YOUTHANASIA album cover shoot* Raw footage of babies from album cover shoot

*Previously Unreleased

If your dissapointed by this dvd then I guess your not a true Megadeth fan, but I understand if some fans were slightly upset because of a few missing music videos but still you can't complain when you have two dvd's worth of material that runs for 2 and a half hours. The arsenal of Megadeth is one of the best music dvds I've seen so far but the only problem is the fact that they have choosen to censor all the bad language which I don't understand why they did this, they should have just put an advisory explicit lyrics sticker instead. Still this dvd is fantastic it has all 20 music videos from Peace sells to Insomnia, over 20 minutes of unreleased live footage from tours like Clash of the titans, MTV live 95 and Gigantour 2005 you also get archival interviews throughout the years from 1986 untill 1998 and a couple of tv appearances, promotions, behind the scenes footage ect. Overall this highly anticipated dvd is definetely worth it. Buy this dvd now, IT ROCKS!!!

Peace sells...But who's buying.

Megadeth is one of the best metal bands in the world and they have made brilliant videos. The videos are sometimes even strange, like "Train of Consequences" (babys hanging) and "Sweating Bullets" (Dave Mustaine copies). This could have been perfect if there would have been all the Megadeth videos. I think I have seen "Angry Again" and surely I have seen "Breadline", "Crush 'em", and "Moto Psycho". Well, it's not so bad because those videos aren't their best ones...still it makes this collection incomplete. There's also interviews and other stuff but I like to watch them only once...they could have been bonus material.

1. Peace Sells
2. Wake Up Dead
3. In My Darkest Hour
4. Anarchy In The U.K.
5. No More Mr. Nice Guy
6. Holy Wars...The Punishment Due
7. Hangar 18
8. Go To Hell
9. Symphony Of Destruction
10. Skin O' My Teeth
11. High Speed Dirt
12. Foreclosure Of A Dream
13. Sweating Bullets
14. Train Of Consequences
15. A Tout Le Monde
16. Reckoning Day
17. Trust
18. Almost Honest
19. A Secret Place
20. Insomnia

I had been waiting for a long time for this to come out. I consider myself the biggest Megadeth fan and they are by far my favorite band. This DVD has a lot of neat stuff I had never seen like the interviews and a few music videos. I really liked the clip with Mustaine on the Drew Carey show, funny stuff. I was really disapointed in the censorship,everyword that could possibly be offensive was censored, Why?! That really made me mad. It also was missing a few music videos like crush em' and 99 ways to die to name a few. But as of now it is the best Megadeth DVD out and I do recomend it. It has a lot of great stuff and Megadeth RULES!!!

A must have for any Megadeth fan, but it is a bit disappointing.

Pros:

- Extensive amount of videos and clips from 1986 to 2005, minus the Sanctuary Records material
- A lot of excellent material from the RIP lineup including the (Hidden) Marty Friedman audition of Wake Up Dead
- A few cool hidden "extras"
- You get to see the 2005 lineup tear through two Deth classics

Cons:

- 2 discs, could have easily been put on 1
- 2.0 audio is poor
- Annoying curse censoring. I have Night of the Living Megadeth recorded on VHS and MTV can not be blamed for this
- Video quality is poor
- Missing several videos from Capitol era
- No bonus features - interviews concerning lineup changes over the years and updates on ex-members would have been AWESOME!

Recommended for Deth fans

I may be considered one of Megadeth's most fanatic followers ever, since I've been following Mustaine's path since 1985 never leaving the "Deth cause" - so you can imagine how anxious I was to watch this video. I must say that for a Deth beginner or a metal fan this DVD is great, but if you're really into Deth & Mustaine carreer I must say we deserved a little more !
Some great videos are missing (ok, they are not from Capitol, but maybe a license agreement would do?), I was expecting more rare live performances, interviews with the old members, rehearsal sections... ok, I was expecting a lot since I already had almost everything Deth had ever released or even unreleased rare, pirate stuff, but anyway - BUY IT !

Let's keep the "Deth Cause" alive !