Customer Reviews

Peace Sells But Who's Buying

5 star:		(107)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Just a personal thought, but I always thought Megadeth beat Metallica in every way (even vocally >:-)! If you don't think so fine, that's why we live in this place we live) Perhaps you've heard that bassline at the end of MTV news? That's from this album. Peace Sells is second favorite Megadeth after only Rust In Peace. The songs have a supreme musicianship to them, for Dave and the boys can faster and more technical then most other metal bands I ever heard ever. This talent can observed epspecially on "Black Friday", while it has steretypical heavy metal Satan-ish lyrics, the complex drumwork of Gar, strong rhythm section of David and Dave, and the supreme lead playing by Chris Poland are so incredible, I [do not care]what Dave sings about, (although his lyrics can also be semi-political at times.) If you are a metalhead and you don't like Megadeth, I'm not exactly sure what's wrong with you.

The only thing you might be able to appreciate is the singing. Dave Mustaine has one of the most distinct voices in music period. I'll admit that learning to appreciate it was like coffee, an acquired taste. But also like coffee, once you teach yourself to appreciate Dave's singing, you'll love it for the rest of your life (I've liked them since I was 12!). Dave's singing on this CD is better than on most, (especially So Far, So Good . . . So What?, in which while I love Dave's voice, was his worst performance). Other complicated highlights Bad Omen, Devil's Island, and of course the classic Wake Up Dead. If you are looking for a speedmetal band that truly be seperated from most, Megadeth out-excels the rest of the big four - (Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax).

On "Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?," Megadeth lit it up in a way few bands can or could. It's tough choosing between this one, "Youthanasia," and "Rust in Peace" as the band's top album, but I can say this one stands on its own greatness. Upping the ante from the band's debut, Dave Mustaine displayed his trademark vitriolic outlook, accompanied by Megadeth's precise musicianship and complex song structures.
The highlight of this album is, in my humble opinion, "Peace Sells," a catchy and hilariously sly polemic rendered in Dave's classic sneer. Pretty much every song on here is excellent though. Tracks like "Devil's Island," "The Conjuring," and "Black Friday" take off at breakneck speed, with crunching and tight riffs and long instrumental passages to prevent monotony. Dave Mustaine and Chris Poland were, needless to say, an excellent guitar duo, but I must say that I find the rhythm section's work to be "Peace Sells'" chief selling point. Gar Samuelson's timekeeping and fills on the drum kit were astonishingly nimble and fluid, and David Ellefson's basslines were inventive and insinuating. 1986 was of course a big year for the thrash metal genre, and "Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?" holds its own with any of metal's greats. It's too bad Megadeth is now no more, but at least Dave had a lot of great albums under his belt.

After leaving Metallica, Dave Mustaine disappointed me with "Killing Is My Business". So imagine how shocked I was when I heard this album and found it to be even more tuneful and agressive than Metallica's "Ride the Lightning".

"Wake Up Dead" is one of the heaviest metal tunes ever. Period. The title track is one of the most politically insightful songs I've ever heard. "Peace Sells" also features one of the most incredible and memorable bass riffs in recent memory. Add other stand outs like "Black Friday", "Devil's Island" and the stunning "My Last Words", and you've got one of metal's finest hours.

Megadeth has yet to make an album with even half the intensity of "Peace Sells .. But Who's Buying?", and fans who started listening to Megadeth after seeing their videos on MTV may not like the incredibly forceful and propulsive sound, but anyone with a passing interest in great metal (Black Sabbath, older Metallica, Motorhead, Death Angel) should have this recording. It's that good.

It's funny how the things you don't like at first usually go on to be your favorite. The first time I heard this cd, I thought to myself "eh, it's decent". Wow, my opinion changed so much after a few more listens. After about a week of owning this, it went on to become not only my favorite Megadeth cd, but one of my favorite albums of the entire genre! The only thrash cds I find better than this are Ride The Lightning and Master Of Puppets. Yes, it's THAT good! This is vintage thrash metal. The music is ultra-fast and doesn't let up until the very end and the vocals, while they may be annoying to some people, fit the music perfectly.

This classic album kicks off with the classic track "Wake Up Dead". This song is a chock-full of riffs and solos to drool over. Next up, the very underrated "The Conjuring". I love this song, one of my favorites. Then, we have the title track. What a fun song this is. And the opening bass line [is so great] that MTV has been using it for as long as I can remember after every MTV News segment "MTV News...You hear it....first". Then comes one of the fastest songs on the album, "Devil's Island". This reminds me of Metallica's "Whiplash". It's tied for my favorite song on the album with the following track - "Good Mourning/Black Friday", wow, what a song. The 2 minute intro is so damn cool and then it whips into a thrash metal fury for the remaining 4 minutes! "Bad Omen" is the next track, and it's probably my least favorite. Although, it does contain a very cool solo. Track 7 is the cover song that everyone seems to hate, "I Ain't Superstitous". You know what? I enjoy listening to it a lot. Sure, it's a bit out of place on this album, but it's just a fun song to listen to. The last song, "My Last Words", also seems to be vastly underrated. It's a great song with very interesting lyrics.

If you have any interest in thrash metal, buy this cd. Although then again, if you have an interest in thrash, shouldn't you have this cd already? What are you waiting for?! Go get it...NOW!

Overall, Megadeth's sophpmore release was a good effort at making a name for themselves in the heavy metal industry. Possibly one of the greatest albums in this genre. The production is great, the sound is quality, the music is superb and the vocals shine (you either love Dave or loathe him). I'll go through the set list one by one to give you a small insight:

1. Wake Up Dead - A great concert song, however, (from a personal standpoint) the song itself is kind of a fluke. It's very heavy, has some cool soloing, and the story behind it is cool, but I would never put the CD in just to listen to this song. Good song, just not a favorite. I'll give this one an A though.

2. The Conjuring - Now we're talking. This is a great story. The music is orchestrated great and the lyrics are well thought out. The song is great headbanger and is good from beginning to end. A+

3. Peace Sells - A Megadeth classic. Classic riff. Classic chorus. Classic solos. Classic Dave. From the opening bassline to the end solos and chorus, its a monster. Catchy and makes a great statement. Great concert song too. Although it can seem a little too catchy and even a little mainstream, but the music is what counts, and the music to this song is great. A+

4. Devil's Island - One of my favorites on the record. The lyrics are totally great and Dave's voice really shines on this song. The guitars are fast, the vocals are really fast, and the chorus is great. The story in this song is written very well and is one of Megadeth's best songs. A+

5. Good Mourning/Black Friday - Many metalheads love this track, but I find it my least favorite track on the album. The acoustic intro is very cool, but the lyrics I kind of irritate me. Black Friday has good music, but the lyrics are also too stereotypical to death metal. Good music, but my least favorite track. I'll give it a B- just to make it above average, but still not quite up to par.

6. Bad Omen - OK If you like heavy metal to the core, you'll LOVE this song. The lyrics are intense and the solos blow your ears off. The solos seem almost Slayer-like. This is what heavy metal is about. Ill give it an A.

7. I Ain't Superstitious - Here's an oddball. Many ridicule this song, but it isn't that bad. It's a very heavy song actually and has a cool vibe, but the fact that Megadeth did an old blues song and added vulgar language and took the blues feel out is kinda awkward. Nevertheless its a good track, but doesnt fit the vibe the rest of the album gives off. You can tell Megadeth was smoking some major hash. B+

8. My Last Words - This is my other favorite next to Devil's Island. The lyrics are cool, the main riff is awesome, the way Dave's voice sounds is great, the end chorus and solo is classic and the intro sends chills down your spill. A song about Russian Roulette, the song has novel-long lyrics and the finale winds the song and the album up real nicely. Great Megadeth song. A+

This CD is worth every penny. If Megadeth is your style, you cannot go wrong. Thanks.

This album is unbelievible. This in my opinion is the best of all the Megadeth records with Rust In Peace and So Far So Good So What just behind. I don't know why but the songs on this album just soud evil. The whole album has this dark tone to it and it makes it just that much better. The only trak I don't really love is I Ain't Superstitious. The rest of the songs are incredible. I personally think that Good Mourning/Black Friday is the best song Megadeth has made. This is the best album of Metal it blows any other thrash record away. BUY THIS ALBUM OR YOU DO NOT LIKE THRASH METAL.

The mid-80s was a great time for thrash metal. From that period emerged such classics as MASTER OF PUPPETS, REIGN IN BLOOD, and AMONG THE LIVING. PEACE SELLS... belongs in this group as well. This album was a gigantic leap forward from their poorly produced, and at times poorly played, first album. It finally sounded as if the band was technically capable of pulling off what they intended to do. When you listen to KILLING IS MY BUSINESS... before PEACE SELLS..., you may wonder if both albums were made by the same band.

The improvement becomes obvious when you hear the opening heavy chords of "Wake up Dead", a great opening track with its schizophrenic time changes and minimalist lyrics. There are a lot of spectacular time changes and guitar solos throughout the album, but I think the true strength of the album lies with Dave Mustaine's storytelling ability. So many like to comment on Mustaine's arrogance and sarcasm that his talent as a storyteller is largely ignored. His unique songwriting ability is what makes songs like "The Conjuring", "Devils Island" and "My Lasy Words" so special. These aren't just great songs, they are great stories too.

The only thing I didn't like about this album was the cover of "I Ain't Superstitious". This is supposed to be a blues song, but it lacks the main ingredient: soul. The end result is a hodepodge of needlessly profane lyrics, goofy riffs, and solos that go nowhere. They could have selected a better song to remake.

Out of all the Megadeth albums, this one ranks in second place behind RUST IN PEACE in my book.

Overall rating: 4.25 stars.

This is probably THE heaviest recording from Dave Mustaine and co. The quality of the music and lyrics is raw and just dripping with aggression, frustration and anger. Indeed an excellent recording to vent your own frustrations out against. Of course it MUST be played extremely loud for full effect! Might I also say that it arguably blows Metallica's Master of Puppets (which was released the same year) out of the water. That metallic version of I Ain't Superstitious is also pretty cool. THIS IS DEFINITIVE MEGADETH! ENJOY!

Back in 1984, former Metallica lead guitarist Dave Mustaine was kicked out of Metallica for his substance abuse. Feeling angry and wanting to seek revenge, Mustaine decided that he would start his own Speed Metal band. A band that that would put Metallica to shame, a band that was faster and more agressive, and unlike Metallica, a band that would prove to stay true to thier fans and their music.

Well, luckily for Mustaine, and for us, Megadeth was born. Sadly, Megadeth is often mistaken as a Metallica rip-off, or a watered-down version of Metallica, and they couldn't be farther from the truth. While Metallica and Megadeth share lots of similarities, such as song-structures often being similar, or even some songs sounding like Metallica's, they still are almost opposite. "WTF, well how?" I'll tell you how. Metallica has awesome solos, and amazing riffs, Megadeth has much, much better and faster solo's, with better riffs, and more focus on instrumentation than progressiveness. Metallica's lyrics were dark and depressing, often talking about death, war, and sometimes, injustice. Megadeth's lyrics were politically charged, and even religiously charged. Metallica's vocals were low and raspy, Megadeth's vocals often had backround yelling (such as in "Devils Island"), and are snarly and high-pitched. There are so much more differences between the two, but my point is, Metallica is not better or worse than Megadeth, and Megadeth is definately NOT a ripoff of Metallica. It all comes down to who you like better.

Since Megadeth has had many lineup changes over the years with the only consistent members being, of course, Dave Mustaine, and Bassist Dave Ellefson, everytime time I review a Megadeth album, I will be rating the musician's talent. Dave Mustaine (Guitars)-Honestly one of the best guitarists I have heard in Metal. He is definately among the greats such as Rhandy Rhoads, Tony Iommi, Zakk Wylde, and Alexi Laiho, and definately 100 times better than Kirk Hammet. Amazing. Dave Ellefson (Bass)-Great bassist with some amazing sounding basslines, especially on "Peace Sells". Chris Poland (Guitars)-He wasn't just some nobody rhythm guitarist, or some backup musician, he was just as big a part to the guitars as Mustaine. He recorded over half the solos on this album, so he's really more of a second lead guitarist. Gar Samualson (Drums)-He has very good double bass tech and some pretty good fills. Overall, he is way above average.

Now for the songs:

1."Wake Up Dead" - Very good fast song with an amazing solo. Great opening track. (9/10)

2."The Conjuring" - Nice intro into the song. Amazing basslines on this song, so I guess thats something to look forward to. Overall, Pretty average. Not a really big stand-out track though. (8.5/10)

3."Peace Sells" - I love the bass intro to this song. Great solos, good lyrics, vocals a bit snarly, but nothing short of perfect. My favorite song on the album and one of my most favorite Megadeth songs. (10/10)

4."Devils Island" - Kind of on the Hair Metal side. Why? Because most hair metal bands have the other musicians in the band scream the name of the song in the backround. Like in this case, during many parts of the song, the other musicians yell, "DEVILS ISlAND", but still an amazing song with scorching riffs and solos. (10/10)

5."Good Mourning/Black Friday" - a semi ballad that starts off slow and depressing but later hits you with incredible amounts of heaviness. Kind of like "Fade To Black" by Metallica, but almost better. (10/10)

6."Bad Omen" - I love this song almost as much as Peace Sells, simply because the riffs are f**king kick ass. This song is one of the most standout tracks of the album. (10/10)

7."I Aint Superstitous" - Above average song, kind of a filler. It is very short but good. (7/10)

8."My Last Words" - Great closing track to end the album. (9/10)

Total: (73.5/80)- A legendary album that will remain one of the best Metal albums of all time. Not a dull track in the album. Highly recommended. Thanks for reading.

I honestly dont care if someone thinks this album is cheesy or the album covers look like they came out of a horror movie the person that wrote that is just mad that megadeth is better than metallica and they need to get over it and stop trying to sell therye stupid thoughts on this cd on the internet this is one of metals greatest albums.