United Abominations

Megadeth | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 15, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Roadrunner Records
• ASIN: B000OCXFCO
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (227 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,196 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #39 in Music > Hard Rock & Metal > Thrash & Speed Metal

Track Listings

1. Sleepwalker

2. Washington Is Next!

3. Never Walk Alone...A Call To Arms

4. United Abominations

5. Gears Of War

6. Blessed Are The Dead

7. Play For Blood

8. A Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free)

9. Amerikhastan

10. You're Dead

11. Burnt Ice

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Nearly 25 years after its formation, Megadeth is making its most brilliant work, a feat that some acts find unthinkable––maybe impossible––after half that time. When Mustaine sings about politics it's never in the abstract, faraway sense; his lyrics are riddled with references to the here and now––the boundaries and bombs that make the threat of war––or the threat of doom–– real. So it's no real surprise that this release features lyrics liberally peppered with references to Afghanistan, 9/11, NATO and the like.
Of course, no one buys a record or a ticket to a show specifically to hear five-minute polemics and that's where Mustaine's real talent––a talent for creating ear-perking riffs and solid, carefully constructed songs––comes in. The album may require that you read the newspaper on a regular basis but it also allows you to let loose with abandon and excitement. "Never Alone... a Call to Arms," "Gears of War" and "Play for Blood" are remarkable because they recall the classic metal of Judas Priest, Diamond Head, and the like and prove that there's nothing quite like an overdriven boogie-based riff to excite the most primitive impulses in the listener. Mustaine makes a bid for commercial radio by revisiting Youthanasia's "A Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free)" with Lacuna Coil's Cristina Scabbia. It's his most emotionally honest vocal performance to date and one that will no doubt finally earn him wider critical recognition. ––Jedd Beaudoin

Product Description

After over 20 million albums sold worldwide, metals legends Megadeth return with their latest album United Abominations. It's an album that throws back to the sound and energy of classic albums like Rust In Peace and Peace Sells But Who's Buying?; but it's also an album that sounds as fresh and contemporary as anything out there today. In true Megadeth fashion, it doesn't shy away from controversy or political commentary; it embraces it. With songs like Washington Is Next! and Amerikhastan it is a commentary on today's tumultuous world and the United Nations. Beyond the political commentary lies an album full of classic Megadeth music from the sinister Sleepwalker to the infectious Gears Of War. It is lead by the first single Set Me Free (A Tout Le Monde), which originally appeared on Megadeth's 1994 album Youthanasia, but has now been fully realized the way Mustaine has always wanted it. Joining him on the single is Lacuna Coil's Cristina Scabbia whose vocals help create a haunting track.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 35 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Thrash Megadeth is back May 15, 2007

By Eric Johnson

Format:Audio CD

This album is awesome. I haven't been listening to Meagdeth for too long, but I have all of their albums from Killing Is My Business through Youthanasia, and The System Has Failed. For me though, I gravitate more toward 80's Magdeth, the real thrash sound, basically their first 4 albums. I was somewhat disappointed with Countdown to Extinction and Youthanasia, because they weren't really thrash, but they grew on me. The System Has Failed was a relief to me because they sort of went back to their thrash roots. But, this album blows it away. Thrash Megadeth is back! I've always loved how Megadeth has multiple solos throughout their songs. This album is a total solo-fest. Solos everywhere. This album is heavy, loud, and fast. It's a very political album, obviously, but Dave tells it like it is. If you like Megadeth you will love this album. If you like metal in general, you'll love it. It does not disappoint. Highlights for me are Washington Is Next!, United Abominations, Gears of War, A Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free), Play For Blood, and Burnt Ice. Burnt Ice has blazing solos. The whole second half of the song is basically a solo. I was rattling my goddamn head so much I got dizzy. Hell yeah. Nowadays, Metallica only wishes they can make an album like this, considering their last effort had no solos whatsoever. Megadeth's bringing the thrash back. Rock on!

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Now THIS is the Megadeth that I fell in love with 20 years ago March 4, 2008

By Thomas Lee

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

It's a statement from Dave Mustaine to Metallica and the rest of the metal world saying "This is how it's done kids."

The style is like a cross between "Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?", "Rust in Peace", and "Countdown to Extinction" (their 3 best albums from their golden years). The new band spear-headed by the Drover brothers is incredible. Once upon a time, the Abbott brothers (Dimebag and Vinnie Paul) almost joined Megadeth. Circumstances kept that from happening that time, but not this time (too bad Glen Drover has since left the band). Glen Drover is completely awesome and his smooth flowing style complements Mustaine's rough and tough style perfectly. Shawn Drover is the best drummer since the original drummer, the great Gar Samuelson. Come to think of it, they sound a lot like Dimebag and Vinnie.

And it's true what the Amazon reviewer says...the fact that a band, 25 years after its formation, can release an album like this is incredible. Make no mistake, this IS one of Megadeth's BEST albums. It really shows what an absolute genius Mustaine is. The man is just dripping with awesome riffs and solos. He is the best and most prolific metal riff creator of all time. Let's hope this is the start of a new golden era of Megadeth.

60 of 76 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Album of the year May 15, 2007

By N. Durham HALL OF FAMETOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

A number of established bands have taken a more political stance than ever before the past couple years, and Megadeth is no different. Since Dave Mustaine re-formed the band (with a new lineup yet again), he's back on track and looking back to the glory days of 80's thrash metal that he helped pioneer. "United Abominations" is just that, as Megadeth makes their debut on Roadrunner Records with this raw sounding, politically laced treat that may very well be the album of the year. Opening track "Sleepwalker" slams forward with Mustaine's scratchy voice and ripping guitars, while "Washington is Next!", "Never Walk Alone...A Call to Arms", "Play for Blood", and the title track are all excellent metal blasts as well. What longtime fans of the band will notice right off the bat however is a remake of Megadeth's mid-90's hit single, "A Tout Le Monde". Here, we get "A Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free)" which is a faster, more driven version of the song, and it also features Lacuna Coil's Cristina Scabbia on vocals as well. This is Megadeth at their most raw and primitive sounding since "Peace Sells...", which in itself is really saying something. Undoubtedly the best metal album of the year so far, "United Abominations" is a metal masterpiece.

25 of 32 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great name, great songs, this could be also called Countdown to Youthanasia May 15, 2007

By Roberto M. Barros

Format:Audio CD

This album starts right, with a great name, best in whole Deth's career, it's almost worth the 12 bucks alone. But it also continues right, since this is the best Megadeth release since the Countdown/Youthanasia era. And talking about those 2 discs, I find that Abominations fits exactly in their middle in terms of style, despite the press-releases and some reviews here.

What you see in Abominations is a mix of: 1) tons of inteligent, hooky, captivating and sometimes even cheesy vocal lines - probably Mustaine's best ever - that we saw in Countdown (remember Skin o'my teeth, Sweating Bullets, Foreclosure of a Dream, etc.); 2) those nice catching melodies that abounded on Youthanasia and Countdown; 3) lots of fast, melodic but aggressive solos that are placed everywhere, before the chorus, after the chorus, etc. like we had in RIP and Countdown; 4) a few well-positioned, interesting variations that we saw on Cryptic Writings; 5) Aggressive, full of hatred and indignation lyrics about war and politics, like we had from Peace Sells to Rust, and in System.

The band is strong, cohese, and the compositions are prime Deth stuff, like the old times. There's attitude, there's poise. Very few classic bands managed to come back to their signature style without sounding dated, like Mustaine's crew have done here. Abominations is no better than Peace, RIP and Countdown, but it does not let down metal fans. It's like Maiden's Somewhere in Time compared to Powerslave.

About the songs, Washington Is Next, with its very melodic guitars, awesome vocal lines and long chorus, is the best song here, already a classic, and that could well be on Countdown. Sleepwalker starts slow, but its a great opener, also showing lots of melody and catching singing.... United Abominations and Amerikhastan practically have Mustaine speaking the lyrics, like in a protest, the first one is more melodic, the second a little more modern metal but no worries there, both very good. Gears of War is very aggressive, lots of riffing, a whispered chorus, great. The other new songs are also quite good, and any could be played live w/o problems.

And the A Tout Le Monde version with Lacuna Coil's singer (by far the hottest woman in metal's history) is good, but not as the original, which is THE benchmark for metal ballads. Cristina's singing fit quite well, but the song is played faster than before, which takes the emotion and desperation that Mustaine used to put in there with his unique voice. But a very bad version from any Megadeth song here is WAY better than a very good version from any Metallica's Saint Anger song.

The system has not failed and Deth will not rust in peace. Start the countdown to buying it. Read more ›