Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Megadeth sells a classic...I'm buying!, October 3, 2005
Many music fans consider this to be one of thrash/speed metal's best records. "Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?" is doubtlessly Dave Mustaine's first masterpiece. It is a classic, standard-setting album which is one of the best and most powerful and contagious releases of the 1980's (right up there with Metallica's "Master of Puppets" and Slayer's "Reign In Blood"). The famous album opener, "Wake Up Dead," has a pair of guitar solos, as well as a couple tempo changes, and "The Conjuring" is a catchy song, with fast, propulsive riffs. Next, the title track has more catchy, chugging guitars, several small solos, and an infectious sing-along near the end. "Devil's Island" and "Good Mourning/Black Friday" both have tasty solos (and "Good Mourning" also has a very catchy chorus and almost buzzsaw riffs). From front to back, this C.D. is very memorable and nearly perfect. It's a must own for every thrash and metal collection. The bottom line is, if you like heavy metal, why wouldn't you buy "Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?"? Plus, I strongly recommend getting the remastered version of this C.D. The four remixes at the end aren't anything especially interesting, but, overall, the album's sound quality is MUCH improved.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Is there a better thrash album?, April 3, 2005
A lot of people give Slayer's Reign in Blood more credibility than it deserves. Of course I'm not forgetting the impact that record had on the metal scene, and it was definitely one of the most influential albums of all time, no doubt, but when compared to this gem, it seems like just a generic thrash record, to me anyway.
I should note that while I love thrash, it doesn't come anywhere close to being my favorite genre. I do enjoy the brutal whiplash of Slayer and Sepultura, as well as the melodic thrash/speed combo of Nevermore, and also the 90's neo-thrash of Pantera and Machine Head - but I don't think any of those bands could top this (except for maybe Nevermore who truly are an amazing band). While those bands were writing songs about Hell and Satan (well, Slayer anyways), Megadeth tackled the more realistic issues of drugs, sex and politics (putting emphasis on that last one). Peace Sells... was their 2nd full-length record (first on Capitol) and the one that propelled Megadeth into metal stardom. It was here that they released one of their biggest hits, "Peace Sells", my favorite Megadeth song by far. Sure, there were great songs like "Hangar 18" and "Symphony of Destruction" in later years - but none of which had such energy and honesty as this thrasher. Offering such memorable lyrics as "when there's a new way/I'll be the first in line/but it better work this time" this was probably the catchiest offering of the album. Of course, who could forget the other single, "Wake Up Dead" - a song which offered a decadent solo halfway through that lasted about a minute. And of course we have the faster-paced "Devil's Island" and "My Last Words" - two of the best Megadeth songs in my opinion.
In reality, there's not much to complain about here. The remastered version includes the original mixes of all the songs before they were re-recorded for the Capitol version in 1986 - displaying a few differences from those of the final version. This extends the album length, which was a bit short, and also provides a better sound. It isn't worth buying if you have the original, obviously, but it's nice to have. All in all, I think Dave and the guys really had something special with this gem. A metal milestone that raised the bar for quality thrash.
10/10
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15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not Perfect But Perfectly Metal: Peace Is A Part Of The Thrash/Speed Bible., March 26, 2006
In 1986, when Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? came out, most of the world was either listening to the new wave techno MTV bands or they were partying with hair-metal bands like Motley Crue and Ratt and Poison and the likes. Underground metal was starting to make some noise and die-hards were spotted at school wearing t-shirts from bands like Slayer and Exodus and Anthrax and Megadeth and Metallica and such.
Born of the vengeance of Dave Mustaine and his willingness to to anything necessary to show up his former bandmates in Metallica, Megadeth was born. The fastest, thrashiest, most obnoxious speed metal band that ever lived was what Mustaine was going for. But he wanted to have talent around him, too. Not only was Megadeth thrashing it up, they were techinically good musicians. Chris Poland on guitar and Gar Samuelson on drums round out Dave Mustaine and Dave Ellefson and Megadeth head into their second album.
"Wake Up Dead" a Megadeth staple tune and a certified rocker. The lyrics are a little juvenille now that we can look back, but otherwise a very cool tune. "The Conjuring" musically stunning, lyrically trying to be evil in the Mercyful Fate Satan-is-good kind of sense, except he's asking us to cojure Dave Mustaine instead of Lucifer. Kinda freaky cool. "Peace Sells" one of the greatest metal tunes ever written and of course Megadeth's most recognized tune. The bass line was the music for MTV news forever. Great song! Very anti-establishment! Sit up and notice me! This was Megadeth extreme! "Devils Island" a hard rocking tune based on the classic novel Papillon, showed us Mustaine was literate as well as pissed off. Great. "Good Mourning/Black Friday" another musical stunner with murderous, I-will-cut-you-down lyrics, almost feels like a leftover from Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good! Metal, but kinda regressive. "Bad Omen" starts off like Good Mourning/Black Friday, a little eerie. Truns into a thrash-metal burner. Not really a memorable tune, missing some hooks. "I Ain't Superstitious" probably the most straight-forward rock tune, a cover, of course. "My Last Words" same intro as Good Mourning & Bad Omen? Soundz a little familiar. All out thrash metal.
Overall, Peace Sells... wil always be remembered as one of the pioneering albums of Thrash & Speed Metal. Truly great! A classic. One of the greatest heavy metal albums ever recorded.
Dig it!
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