Customer Reviews

Capitol Punishment: The Megadeth Years

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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).

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.

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).

Megadeth did a great job of making a greatest hits album that didn't suck! From the classics to the new stuff, everything on this album is worth listening to. If you are a Megadeth fan, then you should buy this album. The whole song lineup is great. This album includes one of the best metal songs of all time, "In My Darkest Hour," and also some other greats such as; "Trust," "A Tout Le Monde," and the incredible guitar songs "Hangar 18" and "Holy Wars...The Punishment is Due." This record does a great job of capturing their sound.So buy it and crank up the volume!!!

I almost forgot just how good Megadeth was until I saw their Behind the Music. I consider Megadeth to be the premier metal band with its ripping guitar sounds and thunderous bass provided by Dave Mustaine and Dave Ellesfson, the backbone of Megadeth. I'll admit I'm fairly new to the band's music. My first Megadeth album was "Rust In Peace". Now I own "Capitol Punishment". Nevertheless I have always had a ton of respect for Megadeth. The music is heavy and loud as thrash should be yet the songs are catchy enough to satisfy me. I love "Hangar 18" and "Holy Wars..." (from "Rust In Peace"). "In My Darkest Hour" and "Peace Sells" are classic faves of mine. I think the only flaw I see in this compilation is that there should have been a few more tracks from the band's earlier albums but I have enjoyed the loud, abrasive tracks such as "Symphony of Destruction", "Crush 'EM", and "Almost Honest". All the songs are excellent. For someone who really doesn't listen to much metal, I can honestly say that Megadeth is one of the best metal bands around and this is what metal should sound like.

Released October 24th, 2000, Capitol Punishment-The Megadeth Years, is the first compilation released for Megadeth.

Arguably, along with Metallica, Megadeth were the purveyors of some of the hardest, fastest, and all-out thrash-fests that have given them quite a legacy over the years. Although not nearly as popular as Metallica, they are still extremely popular, and one example is that their CD, Countdown To Extinction, reached #2 on the Billboard Charts, but was knocked off by The Black Album. Although not widely or hardly played on the radio, Megadeth gets some radio airplay in primarily Metal stations, but other than that, most casual listeners who don't want to buy any Megadeth albums are left out in the cold. So Megadeth pieced together a compilation that covered all the albums from Piece Sells... But Who's Buying? to their last album, The World Needs A Hero. Plus, as an added bonus, the song "Kill The King" can be found nowhere but on this compilation, and that is a necessity for Die-Hards, as this is probably one of my favorite Megadeth songs. So how does Capitol Punishment stack up? Read on to find out!

PROS-
-THE TWO UNRELEASED TRACKS ARE CLASSIC- Megadeth outdid themselves in this case, as the two new tracks, Kill The King and Dread & The Fugitive Mind, are some of the best tracks on this album, and some of Megadeth's best. Note- You can find Dread & The Fugitive Mind on the album The World Needs A Hero.
-YOU GET SOME OF MEGADETH'S MOST POPULAR AND BEST SONGS- In Capitol Punishment, you get such classics such as "Symphony of Destruction", "Sweating Bullets", "Kill The King", "Almost Honest", and plus all their amazing material from Rust And Peace down that won't fail to please!
-CHEAP!- For some reason, most CD stores, including Best Buy and Circuit City, have clearanced this CD, so you can get it for a meager 9.99$, a steal if there ever was one! Also readily available and easy to find anywhere!
-ONLY ONE TRACK FROM RISK, AND IT ROCKS!- Without a doubt, Risk was Megadeth's lowest hour, and I'm glad to see the only good track from that album, "Crush 'Em", here so you don't have to buy the album!
-GOES IN REVERSE CHRONILOGICAL ORDER- Usually this would be a bad thing, but it shows just how much better Megadeth's 80's stuff was compared to the 90's.
-ALMOST FILLS UP THE 80 MINUTE TIME SLOT- Although I wanted this compilation to be MUCH longer, it does a nice job of nearly filling up the 80 minutes, which is more than you can say than for most compilations.
-LYRICS!- This is the only compilation I own where the lyrics are included, and that's a definite plus!

CONS-

-DAVE MUSTAINE'S VOCALS- This is just a warning to all potential buyers, Mustaine's vocals, on many tracks, AREN'T GOOD AT ALL, so you have been warned! An example would be the song "Sweating Bullets"!
-TO MANY SINGLES MISSING- Where are the 2 other singles from Countdown To Extinction, "Skin O' My Teeth" and "Foreclosure of a Dream"? These are some of their biggest hits. Also, where are some of their biggest hits from Hidden Treasures such as "Go to Hell," "99 Ways to Die," and "Angry Again" ? These are some of their biggest hits!
-ALMOST NO REPRESENTATION FROM '80'S MATERIAL!- Along with Rust In Peace, some of Megadeths' best stuff is from the 80's, and we only get 2 SONGS FROM THAT ERA! WTF! Megadeth is at heart a thrash band, and their beginnings couldn't have been more scattershot!
-NOTHING AT ALL FROM MEGADETH'S FIRST TWO ALBUMS!- Nothing at all his here to represent Megadeth's first album, Killing Is My Business....And Business Is Good!, and that's a shame, as it's a good album!

Overall, this is a VERY basic overview of the 90's, with two choices from the 80's thrown in for good measure. I was very disappointed with this compilation, and I don't feel it truly represents Megadeth. What they should have done would be to make a Killing Is My Business through Rust in Peace compilation, and another one with songs from Countdown to Extinction through the World Needs A Hero.

RECOMMENDED ONLY IF YOU'RE A VERY, I REPEAT CASUAL FAN OF MEGADETH WHO ONLY WANTS TO BUY ONE CD THAT SPANS THEIR WHOLE CAREER. INSTEAD, PICK UP SUCH CLASSICS AS RUST IN PEACE, PEACE SELLS... BUT WHO'S BUYING?, OR COUNTDOWN TO EXTINCTION!

Also Recommended:

Rust In Peace-Megadeth
...And Justice For All- Metallica
Among The Living- Anthrax
Thanks for Reading!

Can't go wrong with an album that has all of your best songs, and that formula works well for Megadeth here. Some stand-outs:

"Tout le Monde", which is ballad-like, but of course Dave and co. would never stoop to simpering power ballads. Great song.

After that great song, "Train of Consequences" rolls up and knocks you upside the head with a sledgehammer. Whoever decided the order of the songs is underpaid. this is a great song.

"Kill the King" is a new track, but is certainly not out of place here. Fast paced and straight forward, no complaints.

"Use the Man" is an underrated track. Obviously Dave is talking a little about himself, and quite possibly people that he knew. I wish that he did introspective songs more often.

It's hard to pick good/bad songs when it's a greatest hits, but those are my favorites. "Peace Sells" is good, "Crush 'Em" is OK, but clearly not the best song off of "Risk".

If you are new to Megadeth, this is a great place to start. All killer, no filler. My only complaint is that I bought it without knowing what songs were on it (The unseen dangers of pre-ordering), so I was a little put off when I found out it was a greatest hits. No matter, it's still a great CD of the best of Megadeth.

What is wrong with you people? It doesn't have this, it doesn't have that... bla bla bla... What no KILLING IS MY... shut up! You probably have the real albums anyway, no? Yeah, so whats your problem? The CD has what it has, get the real friggin albums. Theres no pleasing you as***les I swear to GOD!

Check out the brand new HITS package that just came out, maybe it has what you're looking for.
Me personally, I like this hits package better because it has the few tracks that I don't have on other discs. Like USE THE MAN. I basically only wanted that one but I don't like CRYPTIC WRITINGS so I bought this instead. I didn't sit there and bitch because CRYPTIC WRITINGS doesn't have TRAIN OF CONSEQUENSES on it. Get a purpose, jerks.

By the way, this one is out of print so you have to buy it used.

This is an awesome collection of Megadeth hits. It is perfect for anyone who has heard Deth on the radio or is a fan-come-lately.
I am a fan of the awesome riffs and great guitar solos that Megadeth has put into their music over the years and this collection does not show their muscle. Classic ragers such as "Bad Omen" and "My Last Words" are what Megadeth truly was about, but the absence of "Wake Up Dead" and "The Conjuring" is nearly unforgivable. The are several other tracks from other Deth cd's that should have been included: "Hook In Mouth", "Tornado Of Souls", "Foreclosure Of A Dream", "I'll Get Even"...and on and on. To further my disapproval I bring to your attention the absence of any songs from "Killing Is My Business...". I have managed to except this collection because I own all of Megadeth's cd's, but feel this does not properly represent Megadeth. The fact that it is not called their "Best" also makes this collection acceptable.
Don't get me wrong...I'm a huge Deth fan. I just feel this to be a release to please the masses rather than the long time headbangin' fan.
Combine this cd with "Rude Awakening" and you will be alright if you don't have all their cd's.

The first half of this compilation disc (which consists of the newer Megadeth songs)is quite a bit better than some nay-sayers are giving it credit for, but no, little of it can stand on equal ground with Mustaine and company's best.

The second half is flat out brilliant, especially "Hangar 18" and "In My Darkest Hour", but I was disappointed that such gems as "Diadems", "Wake Up Dead", and "Hook in Mouth" didn't make it on here.

Is this disc worth buying? You bet your little studded leather rock and roll boots it is.