Capitol Punishment: The Megadeth Years [Import]

Megadeth | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 24, 2000)
• Original Release Date: 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Emd Int'l
• ASIN: B00004ZAYO
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,251 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Kill The King

2. Dread & The Fugitive Mind

3. Crush 'Em

4. Use The Man

5. Almost Honest

6. Trust

7. A Tout Le Monde

8. Train Of Consequences

9. Sweating Bullets

10. Symphony Of Destruction

11. Hangar 18

12. Holy Wars...The Punishment Due

13. In My Darkest Hour

14. Peace Sells

Editorial Reviews

Audio CD

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Megadeth Collection But..., May 10, 2001

By 

Terrence E. Martau "Terry Martau" (Lakewood, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Capitol Punishment: The Megadeth Years (Audio CD)

Megadeth's greatest hits collection "Capital Punishment" is a nice sampling of Dave Mustaine & Company's Capital Records years, with some solid selections and a few outright classics, but serious Megadeth fans must agree that a few tunes are missing from this disc.

The new tunes, "Kill the King" and "Dread and the Fugitive Mind" find them back to their roots after the Risk LP (from which only "Crush 'Em" makes the collections cut), but the main focus is Dave Mustaine and David Ellefson's glory-day rockers. Two tunes, "Trust" and "Almost Honest" from the Cryptic Writings LP, are perhaps Megadeth's finest, songs perfectly constructed from start to finish. "Use the Man", also from Cryptic Writings, is also a superb selection. The only song missing from that excellent album I wish they'd included is "Vortex".

Other worthy tracks include "Train of Consequences" off Youthanasia, "Sweating Bullets" and "Symphony of Destruction" from Countdown to Extinction, "In My Darkest Hour" off the So Far, So Good...So What LP, and of course the classic "Peace Sells (But Who's Buying)" from the LP of the same name.

Overall, an excellent review of Megadeth from the late '80s into today. The only reason I've knocked my rating down a star is for the two or three tunes I wish could have been included, like "Angry Again" or "99 Ways to Die" from Hidden Treasures, or perhaps Megadeth's version of "Anarchy in the UK" off So Far. And if I'd have chosen any song off of Risk, it'd probably be "Insomnia".

Can't slam Dave Mustaine and the various lineups, however. Most everything they've done is light years better than the pap on radio. Megadeth continues to rock in a era in which most "popular" music has more to do with a Broadway Show than real rock 'n roll. Long live Megadeth, the band that has yet to slow down or play with a symphony orchestra! [Grab] the new album as soon as it comes out (May, 2001).

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic collection with one major flaw, July 3, 2001

By 

Jon Reed "SAP market analyst" (Northampton, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Capitol Punishment: The Megadeth Years (Audio CD)

Metallica and Megadeth have a lot in common: both have moved in a more "mainstream" direction after starting out as thrash metal purists, and both have to suffer under the weight of loyal but often intolerant fans who just won't allow their heroes any changes in artistic style. This Greatest Hits collection is perfect for those who want to hear a range of Megadeth songs throughout their career, but it will certainly not please the hardcore thrash fans who want Dave Mustaine to recreate the sound of his early releases over and over again. But if you can stay open-minded about the band's creative evolution, there's some great stuff on here. Now, back to my tirade against Megadeth's more intolerant fans: On Cryptic Writings, Dave Mustaine wrote a couple of great, bitter love songs, "Trust" and "Almost Honest," both of which are included on this CD, that sound a lot different than the thrash metal of "Holy Wars" and "Hangar 18" (also on this compilation) Never mind that these songs are two of the most honest and original relationship songs ever written by a male metal performer, Megadeth must have "sold out." Friends, Dave Mustaine has recorded some bad songs in recent years, but he has NEVER SOLD OUT! He certainly cheezed out on "Crush 'Em," which was a song that probably should have been thrown on the studio scrap heap (unfortunately it's found its way onto this compilation), but accusing Dave Mustaine of selling out is a pretty cheap shot at someone who stuck to his guns throughout the grunge era, when there was very little unapologetic metal and long hair to be had. "Use the Man," another gem from Cryptic Writings that is also included here, proves that up until quite recently Dave was able to write a passionate song with really smart, original lyrics. The problem is one of context: if a band with no thrash roots and no real integrity, such as, say, Stone Temple Pilots, had released Cryptic Writings instead, people would be talking about how ballsy they were and how great "Trust" and "Use the Man" were.

There are a ton of great songs on this album, and a handful of all time metal classics ("Symphony," "Peace Sells," etc) are amongst them. Megadeth's biggest problem is there are too many essential songs for one CD. Notable omissions include "99 Ways to Die," "Angry Again," and "Go To Hell." A particularly surprising omission is "Wake Up Dead," not one of my favorites, but the song that first broke Megadeth through to a larger audience belongs on this CD.

I am disturbed by one thing, however, and I must take Megadeth to task on this directly. For Megadeth to release a greatest hits without "Take No Prisoners," which is not only their best song but arguably the greatest metal song every recorded, is unforgivable. I don't know how long it's going to take for people to appreciate this song, with its breakneck pace, devastating, brilliant lyrics, constant tempo changes, and all-time-classic "ask not what you can do for your country" climax, but I guess it won't be anytime soon, since Megadeth won't even play this song in concert anymore from what I can tell. If you like "Peace Sells, "Holy Wars," and "Hangar 18" from this CD, definitely track down "Take No Prisoners" from Rust in Peace- the best Megadeth song that even the band doesn't seem to know about.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good collection, but missing several important Megadeth songs, May 8, 2007

By 

R. Gorham "RCG2" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Capitol Punishment: The Megadeth Years (Audio CD)

THE BAND: Dave Mustaine (lead vocals, guitar) and David Ellefson (bass) appear on all albums. Other band members featured through the years include: Marty Friedman (guitar), Chris Poland (guitar), Al Pitelli (guitar), Jeff Young (guitar), Nick Menza (drums), Jimmy DeGrasso (drums), Chuck Behler (drums), Gar Samuelson (drums).

THE DISC: (2000) 14 tracks clocking in at approximately 71 minutes. Included with the disc is a 10-page booklet containing song titles/credits/times, song lyrics, pictures of all album covers, and thank you's. This compilation follows the band from 1986-2000. Digitally remastered sound. Label - Capitol Records.

ALBUM REPRESENTATION: Peace Sells... But Who's Buying (1 song), So Far So Good... So What? (1), Rust In Peace (1), Countdown To Extinction (2), Youthanasia (2), Cryptic Writings (2), Risk (3), Unreleased (2).

COMMENTS: "Capitol Punishment" is a good mix of Megadeth songs, but it's far from complete. The more recent "Greatest Hits" (2005) has more tracks and minutes, but it too is lacking in the definitive song selection process. Mustaine needs to sell-out to Sony ("Essential" collections), Geffen ("Gold" collections) or Rhino (who is putting compilations together for everyone these days... and their sisters). And, let one of these companies make 2-discs full of their best music. THE GOOD: A lot of good music here including many of the staples (even if it does lean toward the band's newer material) - "Almost Honest", "Trust", "Train Of Consequences", "Sweating Bullets", "Symphony Of Destruction", "Hangar 18", "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due", "Peace Sells", etc. The unreleased songs are good tracks (reminiscent of the "Youthanasia" era), but by no means classic. Songs are in reverse chronological order - a bonus in my book to have these in some kind of order. The remastered sound is crisp. THE NOT SO GOOD: I was never a fan of the danceable "Crush 'Em". The last track features the 4 minute "Peace Sells", followed by a long pause, which then leads into a mix of Megadeth songs "remixed"... comes off sounding like a kid trying to tune his parent's radio from the 1950's - complete with static et all. This to me is a waste of time used on the disc. Include the original version of "Peace Sells", and end it at that - giving you an extra 5 minutes (not to mention the 9+ minutes not used at the end of the disc all ready). I'm sure the label could have added 1/2/3 more tracks. Omissions - songs that needed to be here - "Foreclosure Of A Dream", "Skin O' My Teeth", and "Reckoning Day". Lesser songs that could've been here but didn't make the cut - "Prince Of Darkness", "Breadline", "Elysian Fields", "Into The Lungs Of Hell", "Take No Prisoners", and "Good Mourning / Black Friday". No album representation from "Hidden Treasures" ("Angry Again", "99 Ways To Die" and the Alice Cooper cover "No More Mr. Nice Guy"), or Megadeth's (demo) debut "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good" (1984). Here's hoping that one of the labels steps up to give the fans a 2-disc mix including some of the songs left off this release as well as adding songs from "The World Needs A Hero" (2001), and the very heavy and underrated "The System Has Failed" (2004). "Capitol Punishment" is a good release, but it's just scratching the surface (4 stars).