Customer Reviews

Youthanasia

5 star:		(80)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

Ever notice how a lot of metal fans tend to judge music solely by how accessable it is rather than how good it is? This is what happened when Megadeth released Youthanasia back in 1994. While the album met with strong reviews and very strong sales overall, some fans were unnecessarely disappointed when they found out how soft and moody it was compared to earlier releases.

But if you listen to Youthanasia side-by-side with Countdown To Extinction, you'll notice Youth really isn't much softer nor more "pop-like." In fact, Youthanasia (in a lot of ways) has a decidely less commercial sound than Countdown. Probably because the guitars on Youth are decidedly heavier (remember how unusually plain they sometimes sounded on Countdown), and the mood quite a bit darker (don't expect all the sarcastic jokes and humor of Countdown here, ladies and gentlemen).

And it isn't as if Megadeth was trying to cash in on what was popular back in late 1994. This album doesn't sound grungey nor alternative. Rather, it seems stuck somewhere between a heavy rock album and a heavy metal album. True, it does have the occasionally pop-like beats of a rock album, but a lot of solos are just as grinding as you would expect from a metal album, riffs just as heavy, and song themes just as disturbing. Disturbing enough that MTV actually refused to play the video for A Tout Le Monde because of what the song was dealing with (suicide). How's that for a sell out?

As for the actual songs, I can't really think of any that I didn't like. Train of Consequences is definitely the album's highlight with its excellent drumming, catchy riff, and great solo. Addicted to Chaos has one of the most beautiful solos Megadeth has ever done, and one of the most powerful choruses they'd ever done. Elysian Fields has a catchy (almost hammer-like) beat, and Family Tree is among the darkest and most disturbing songs Megadeth has ever written (no, it's not a love song as its chorus may suggest, but actually a song about incest).

In brief, Youthanasia is a great album. Especially if you liked the previous Countdown To Extinction. After all, there's really no major difference in accesability between the two albums.

I really don't understand why metal fans keep insisting in the useless paranoia speech of "selling out" every time a metal band releases an album who isn't bloddy 5000 beats per minute loud and noisy as their former ones! Let's face it, Youthanasia is one of the best Megadeth albums ever. Musically and lyrically speaking. The mood is heavier, though the pace is slower than Countdown or Rust. The guitars have been tune down half a step, so it contributes to that.
Musically, it is a killer! Mustaine's both vocals and riffing are amazing, very well produced and Marty does well with some amazing soloing.
Sure, it isn't as "Megadethish" as Peace Sells or Rust, but it sure as hell is a definite highlight in this outstanding band's carrer.
"Addicted to Chaos" is my favorite, but you can name every one of the songs in the album as quite good. Intricate, melodic, defying, dark and metalic. That sums up this masterpiece!

Looking back at Megadeth's history book, clear is their musicianship, talent and above all their constant maturity and improvements.The band hit the top when they recorded Countdown to Extinction and then.....they stormed over the top with Youthanasia. The album features a more mature sound/riffing/solos from the band. The songs are shorter than those in Rust in peace (which is Megadeth favourite album by fans) but each song in Youthanasia is as heavy as those in Rust....The solos are more melodic here and the techniques used in riffing and solos is more complex and melodic(again!). The album opens with the wicked 'Reckoning day' which has a cool 'acoustic-like' solo. then comes the 'Train of consequences & Addicted to chaos'. what comes next is one of Megadeth's finest and most sincere moments....A tout le monde is a classic, with all the meanings that classic holds. the lyrics in this song are beautiful. The intro is one of my favourites and the bridge/chorus are among the best you can ever hear. Also on this album, there's the haunting 'Family tree' with its neat bass riff. The song 'Youthanasia' is also an excellent song advancing from the slow doomy-like riff to the typical Megadeth thrash riff. Then to add a magnificent final touch to the album, 'I thought I knew it all' comes to play. Everything in this song is perfect. The lyrics will haunt you for a long time. The riff will echo in your ears and the solo will complete this classic (too!)...The production on this album (like Countdown to extinction) is crisp and the sound is crystal-clear. All in all this album truley a masterpiece. I am not just writing down an opinion here just so you know that I'm a big fan of Megadeth, but good music should be appreciated anywhere and this album is surely one of music's finest hours, one of metal's greatest offerings and one of Megadeth's best albums...ever. It's an album to enjoy,keep and treasure...and that's a fact. Thank you.

In most ways, heavy metal foursome Megadeth is a more intelligent and musically flexible version of Metallica; this is not made surprising (or derivative), as guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine was the former's original lead guitarist, and his writing influence was even felt by Metallica to their second album--all after he had been fired from the band. Relevant comparisons aside, Mustaine, Nick Menza, Marty Friedman, & David Ellefson continue to prove their dominance of heavy metal (and give Metallica a run for their money when it comes to merit) with their 1994 masterpiece, the inventive, yet underappreciated, "Youthanasia."
The tracks contained on this disc are pure heavy metal, and still hold a powerful musical and lyrical element of classical arrangements, as heard in the intro of 'Blood Of Heroes' (which also displays great vocal mixing) and the harrowing 'A Tout Le Monde.' 'Train Of Consequences' sounds like an updated rock version of Alfred Noyes' poem "The Highwayman" while other songs like the title track, 'Family Tree,' and 'Addicted To Chaos' are so genuinely real they are nearly heartwrenching.
"Youthanasia" remains a surreal heavy metal accomplishment, though slightly obscured by some of Megadeth's more often-noted albums. The band attributes its label as "below standards" to producer Max Norman's theory that the tracks had to be 250 beats a minute in order to get on the radio (as they contend in an interview with the magazine "Maximum Guitar"). Nonetheless, "Youthanasia" is solid, and its heavy metal foundation is both blistering and gutwrenching.

Youthanasia is one of the three best Megadeth records ever. The other ones are: Countdown to extinction and Rust in peace. Not one of theese three records sounds like the one before at all and that's great. The sound on this one is not as sharp as on the previous ones and on several tracks the guitars are downtuned. If Countdown.. was a little more commercial than RIP this is a little more commercial than Countdown.. But don't get scared now, this is still a band at the peak of their career thrashing everything that gets in their way. The songs are of different nature and each one has a unike touch. One big differece was that all bandmembers have written much of the material on this one. This helped the record to have a very personal profile. All the songs are unike, the only complain I have is that the first half is better than the second half where some songs sound a little to similar and gory. Still there are no fillers on this album, buy it now!

A track analysis:

Reckoning Day:
Oh man what a blast. Full on riffing with very melodic midle part.

Train Of Consequences:
Heavy as hell, similar to Metallicas sad but true

Addicted to chaos:
What a songtitle, cool heavy song with good vocals.

A Tout Le Monde:
Megadeth records a ballad! Well... Allmost. A true live classic.

Elysian Fields:
Not much to say, good standard song.

Killing Road:
A song about touring with Megadeth, supercool riffs.

Blood Of Heroes:
One Of My Favourites, emotional but still heavy.

Family Tree:
Melodic and good, one of the favourites.

Youthanasia:
Not bad but not supergood. It sounds very dark and slow.

I Thought I Knew It All:
Well.. Good, but...

Black Curtains:
Depressivly downtuned and angry still with a touch of everything that made this album so special.

Victory:
After a serie of less good songs starting with the title track Victory was a killer. Right on with intensity and energy and the lyrics are very cool. Mustaine sings about victory and throws in several titles from erlier Megadeth Albums. This was also the end of the really angry side of Megadeth. From now on they were gonna experimint a lot, starting with the next record: Cryptic Writings, or Hidden treasures actually.

For a long time now, I've been trying to figure out which Megadeth album is the best. This was my first album of theirs, and I loved it. I've since bought all but three of them ("Killing is my Business..", "So Far..", and "Risk"), and now I believe I've come to the conclusion that this is Megadeth's greatest achievement.

It's been said of this album that Megadeth "sold out" here simply because it's more melodic than previous releases. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Megadeth have not sold out, they have branched out. They have managed to maintain their heaviness and technicality, while adding more variety and melody to the repertoire, something their contemporaries, Metallica, never successfully did.

This album is nothing short of top-notch melodic metal, and every song is a classic. "A Tout Le Monde" is an awesome ballad, "Family Tree" has a great combination of heavy riffs and Maiden-like melody, and "Black Curtains" and "Train of Consequences" just flat out rock hard. And who could forget "Victory"? Definitely their best song to date. Great guitarwork here, with very nice Maiden harmonics and a solo that will blow you away. Clever lyrics too, incorporating the titles of older songs (although the "Lucretia said" one really just sounds like they were squeezing in one more). Great ending to a great album.

Despite what anyone says about this album, or about "Peace Sells" or "Rust in Peace", I personally feel that Megadeth hit their peak with this album right here. If you like heavy music with plentiful melody, this one is a must. Let's hope Dave one day returns. He had a gift that should not go to waste.

Megadeth's 'Youthanasia' album, released in 1994 showed a drastic departure from the bands earlier masterpieces such as 'Rust in Peace' and 'Peace Sells...But Who's Buying'. The first notable change in the music is that there are no thrash songs on the album whatsoever. This may really turn some people off. Upon my first listen, I was very dissapointed with this CD. But I liked the opening track "Reckoning Day" so I spun it a couple more times. And what did I find out?

This is one of the most catchy, melodic metal CD's I own. Each song has some value to it that makes it interesting. There is no filler whatsoever. Mustaine wrote most of these songs during his cocaine and heroin troubles... so there are some dark, heavy vibes throughout the album. Just look at the cover (which is one of the best I've ever seen). And don't get the wrong idea here, this CD is still METAL, it just isn't a full-on blitz assault that they were in the 80's.

The opener, "Recknoning Day" is just killer. Heavy and with a great chorus, this is sure to be one of your favorites. "Train of Consequences" is obviously the single of the album, and it's fairly well done. Not one of my favorite's, but Friedmann's lead work is worth the listen. "Addicted to Chaos" is another highlight with killer riffs and another great chorus. My favorite song on the album goes to "The Killing Road". This song talks about life on tour and it's very interesting. The lead work is mindblowing as well, reminds me of "Bad Omen" type stuff (from the PS...BWB album). "Victory" is a play on words of all previous Megadeth songs and albums. It seems kind of cheesy at first, but the song is so good you won't really care. Other standout tracks include: "Blood of Heroes", "Black Curtains" and the title track.

Really, the only song I don't care for is "Family Tree". The music is great, but the subject matter of the album is a little uncomfortable. I mean, incest is just gross and I don't want to think about it ever, let alone hear about it on a metal CD. A minor complaint, because the song still is really good musically.

Many people call this Megadeth's sell-out album. I don't see that one bit because this is one of the darkest CD's I own. Not the genre topping work of 'Rust in Peace' and 'Peace Sells...But Who's Buying', but it's a great listen on its own. Definitely get Megadeth's 'Youthanasia', you won't be dissapointed.

Megadeth. A band which never ceases to amaze me. They don't always seem to be a favorite among metal fans. Metal fans is such a loose term it doesn't matter anyway. This album is great. I have owned it for a while, however, this past week have I rediscovered it. This album just has a certain feeling. I can't put my finger on it. It is quite a depressing album, however it makes you feel good at the same time. The atmosphere is definitly there, you can tell the songs were written with some sort of feeling and passion. Although old school Megadeth fans may not like this as much as Rust in Peace or Peace Sells, you should not turn your back on it, because when you experience this album, you will never turn back.

Standout tracks: Addicted to Chaos, A Tout Le Monde, Youthanasia, I Thought I Knew It All.

Youthanasia is noticably different from earlier Megadeth releases. However this does not make the album bad. Most early Megadeth fans say that this is a selout.I disagree.I like early Megadeth and I like this also. I like it when bands change there style.I am glad that every one of Megadeth's albums do not sound exatly the same. I strongly recomend this album to metal fans. It is a masterpiece.

This album is as underrated, as it is misunderstood. Every album that Megadeth has ever done has been different from the other. They always keep it heavy, but are wholly willing to try anything new, so long as it is quality.

I appreciate far more the thrash/speed metal Megadeth we all love, then, say, the "Risk" or "World Needs a Hero" MD, that takes getting used to or just isn't any good. Having said that, this album is high quality, as far as written material goes. True, don't expect "Rust" or "CTE" level decibles, but there is material to treasure here, I don't see how that can be in question.

Most songs on here, while more metal than thrash, are extremely well written. I personally love the majority of the songs on this album.

Check it out.