CD Review: Megadeth - United Abominations

Megadeth made their return to the studio and released their new album titled United Abominations. United Abominations was released May 15, 2007. This was their first new album since 2004 when they released System has Failed. United Abominations was also the first release off Roadrunner Records.

With this latest CD, the only original member of the Megadeth line-up is Dave Mustaine. Mustaine is lead vocals, lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars. Glen Drover provides lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars and background vocals. James Lomenzoe is on bass guitar and background vocals. Shawn Drover is on drums, percussion, and background vocals.

With some many band member changes, I was not sure what to expect out of Megadeth. Mustaine is one my favorite musicians and I had to give this CD a chance.

United Abominations has a total of eleven tracks. The total play time of the CD is forty-eight minutes and one second. The track titles and lengths are:

Sleepwalker - 5:53

Washington Is Next! - 5:19

Never Walk Alone ... A Call to Arm - 3:54

United Abominations - 5:35

Gears of War - 4:25

Blessed Are the Dead - 4:02

Play for Blood - 3:49

A Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free) - 4:11

Amerikhastan - 3:43

You're Dead - 3:18

Burnt Ice - 3:47United Abominations is the best Megadeth CD since the release of Countdown to Extinction. Mustaine shows with this release that he still one of the best at playing guitar. He had severe nerve damage done to his arm in 2002, and doctors were not sure if he would play guitar again. System has Failed was the first release after the accident.

Mustaine has solos in every song except for "A Tout Le Monde." Glen Drover has guitar solos on every track, too. I have been very impressed with Drover's playing on the entire CD. All three of the new members do extremely well.

"A Tout Le Monde" was original released on Youthanasia. This version of the song also features Cristina Scabbia from the band Lacuna Coil. The track "United Abominations" is directed at the United Nations. Part of the lyric is "The UN is right you can't be anymore "un" than you are right now the UN is undone."

The first single off the new CD is "A Tout Le Monde." Megadeth had a video for the original version but MTV would not play it. The song is a reference to suicide. In "Sleepwalker," people die when he goes to sleep. A part of the lyric goes "no one is safe when I close my eyes, I come to take your life, and then I wake up and it was all just a dream."

My other favorite songs on this CD are "Sleepwalker," "Amerikhastan," and "Gears of War." All Megadeth fans will want to pick this CD up. If you were disappointed with their last couple of albums you will not be disappointed with United Abominations. Dave Mustaine and Megadeth are back and sounding awesome.