MEGADETH: Rust In Peace

Label: Capitol Records
Release year: 1990/2004/2023

When talking about thrash and speed metal classics, Megadeth’s fourth album Rust In Peace is up there with the biggest classics of them all. As a whole, I’ve always liked Megadeth the least of all the so-called Big 4, but I don’t think that for example Anthrax have a single album that equals Rust In Peace. This is definitely one for the ages.

This could almost as well have been a From the Vaults post, as Rust In Peace was one of the five first CD’s I ever bought, and one of those albums that inspired me to dig beyond what was the fashion then (this being the mid-90’s). But instead of digging into my remembrances of the album and what have you, I wish instead to discuss the recent faux vinyl lookalike CD re-release.

On the outside, this Japanese edition is a really neat package. Presentationwise, it’d be worth dishing out the extra bucks a Japan import goes for. The cardboard slipcase is nice with sharp artwork, the release comes with a faux vinyl bag with replica print of the original (the CD itself is housed in a plastic bag) and, to top it all off, there are two OBI-strips and a Japanese/English lyrics insert. I mean, this package looks really nice.

But then you start looking at the lyrics booklet. And you spot it: different mastering credits from the vinyl replica sleeve. “This compilation (c) 2004 Capitol Records, Inc.”, and the same bonus tracks as on the infamous 2004 remaster.

Yes, indeed, this is another repackaging of that travesty of a remaster.

The first thing you notice in comparison to the original is the absolutely stuffed sound. Loudness wars and compress-till-you-kill-all-nuances levels of compression? Absolutely – but that’s only the start of it.

What exactly Dave Mustaine, head honcho, singer and guitar player of Megadeth, did to his crown jewel is a bit unclear. Apparently, piecing the story together from different sources, apart from remastering the album, he replaced some or all of the drums with samples, re-recorded the odd guitar bit here and there, and even redid some of the vocals (possibly backing vocals). In other words, this is not the genuine article.

And you can spot it pretty easily. The overall soundscape is lifeless and has a distinct lack of punch. The drums indeed sound fake. Some of the vocals are definitely off. For anyone familiar with the original, this remaster sounds whacked. And the worst thing is, all of the tampering truly do lessen the original significantly. Rust In Peace in this edition is not the mind blowing classic. It’s a lesser replica of it.

To be honest, Mustaine hasn’t managed to destroy the album with his abominable tampering. Opener Holy Wars… The Punishment Due is still a veritable classic of thrash metal, seemingly effortlessly combining high-precision playing, complex songwriting and absolute quality into one. Take No Prisoners is still a crushing yet catchy song. Lucretia is still a welcome mid-tempo excursion into heavy metal territory. And Rust In Peace… Polaris is still the perfect opposite bookend to Holy Wars… The Punishment Due, combining complexity, musical precision and great songwriting into a track that is technical and captivating at the same time. Even in this mutilated form, Rust In Peace is good.

The bonus tracks contain the extremely throwaway My Creation, and three demo tracks. Absurdly, the demo tracks, despite lower production values, actually end up sounding better than the remastered album proper. Especially Holy Wars… The Punishment Due and Take No Prisoners are blistering as demos. Rust In Peace… Polaris sound a bit more embryonic.

In other words, even in its defiled state, Rust In Peace is a whopper. But it’s a lesser version of the original in ways that are notable. And that’s what both saddens and irks me: this is the version Mustaine, Megadeth and Capitol Records wish to present to young generations of metalheads. A mutilated version of a classic.

For shame!

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