First, a bit of personal history. When my friend first introduced me to Megadeth in 2007, I wasn't sure what to expect. I started with a compilation and was unsure of what to think of my friend's new favorite band after listening through "Greatest Hits: Back to the Start". It took a few listens, but eventually "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" grew on me tremendously, becoming one of my favorite songs. A bit later, my friend convinced me to do away with my habit of starting with compilations while first trying bands, and instead get their best albums. On his recommendation, I got "Rust in Peace." My mid-teen self didn't realize yet that this album would grow on me to the extreme of my being able to see this album as not only the greatest thrash metal album of all time, but the greatest METAL album of all time.
Overall, I can't say enough about "Rust in Peace". If I could give only one album an 11/10, this would unquestionably be it. If you don't feel like reading the track-by-track below, are a fan of classic thrash metal, and for some reason don't have this album in your library yet: do not hesitate to buy this album.
TRACK BY TRACK FOLLOWS
The album begins with Megadeth classic "Holy Wars", which quickly displays the technical and song-writing level Dave Mustaine and the band are at with this album with one of their most memorable and attention-demanding intros, followed by a fast yet very memorable riff. The song builds on itself, transitioning with an interesting and fluid acoustic solo by Marty Friedman into what is apparently titled "The Punishment Due" until it climaxes with Dave Mustaine's furious solo a bit less than five minutes in. As Dave's solo ends, the song goes back to the aforementioned fast riff heard after the intro. I'll note that, in this part, "next thing you know..." over a lead line sometimes brings me tears these days from just how perfectly executed this song is, for what it is. Over the course of "Rust in Peace", it can be seen that they have a thing for ending songs perfectly, and "Holy Wars" is no exception. 11/10
You aren't given a breather when "Hangar 18" follows "Holy Wars". Famously containing no less than eight guitar solos (as I counted, three by Dave and five by Marty) which make up more than half of the song, "Hangar 18", like "Wake Up Dead" off "Peace Sells", to me, is an example of everything Megadeth are about: technically executed, yet memorable leads galore, and relentless riffing. I'll note that this song has actually made its way to the very top of my Last.fm played songs, out-playing my 2nd highest song by over 100 plays. Like "Holy Wars", it would have been very hard if not impossible to end this song better. Chills every listen at the end, at least for me. Sometimes I even need to pause the album after this song to catch my breath. 11/10
Following "Hangar 18" is "Take No Prisoners", which houses many quickly-played, technical riffs and an outro that compels you to shout along: "Take no shit!" This may be one of Megadeth's thrashiest songs overall. I will admit that this was the last "real" (see Dawn Patrol) song that I got to "loving" on Last.fm; I think nowadays that this was because the awesomeness of the songs before and after it, all of which I personally prefer to "Take No Prisoners", but this is by no means the (in reality, non-existent) weak link on the album. 9/10
After "Take No Prisoners" is the fast and heavy opening of "Five Magics", which became one of my favorites on this album shortly after the first listen. After this quick intro, the song slows down a bit before erupting about two minutes in. It's then that this track goes pretty "lead-crazy", in an awesome, only-Megadeth-ish way. The track closes with a very memorable lead, and, like "Holy Wars" and "Hangar 18" before it, it ends perfectly for what it is. 10/10
The opening of "Poison was the Cure" gives you a little breather, but not before the song explodes into one of Megadeth's most technical and fast riffs. After this, the song doesn't really hold back in any way. It's the shortest "real" song on the album, but it's about the right length for a song of its nature. Think similar reasons-for-shortness as "Necrophobic" off Slayer's classic "Reign in Blood", although not to that extreme of less than two minutes. 10/10
By the time "Lucretia" comes on, I think that Megadeth could have really picked any "real" song from "Rust in Peace" to be a single. Even the little breaks in this song can have one head-banging, and while "Lucretia" never really explodes into a thrash-fest, the leads alone could hold this up to any other thrash classic. At this point needless to note, the song ends on a perfect note for what it is. 10/10
After "Lucretia" is another Megadeth classic, "Tornado of Souls". The song is very memorable right from the opening, but it also famously holds one of Marty Friedman's most acclaimed, climactic, and, really, "epic" solos. While I personally slightly prefer Marty's leads on "Hangar 18", this solo is by no means overrated, and is melodic and technical as one would expect from Marty Friedman at this point from the preceding tracks as well as his work in Cacophony. Many regard Marty as the greatest second guitarist Megadeth has ever had; while Chris Broderick may have a slight edge on him technically, I would probably agree that none in Megadeth, aside from Dave himself, had as memorable leads as Marty. 10/10
I have been referencing most songs on "Rust in Peace" as "real" songs. "Dawn Patrol" is interestingly why I have been doing such. Although this track is almost two minutes, it has very little guitar work, and prominently features very odd spoken vocals and a bass line from David Ellefson, besides the drums. I'm not sure about the community at large, but my friends and I regard "Dawn Patrol" as not much of a "real song," and thus not really representative of "Rust in Peace" as a whole. However, when listening through "Rust in Peace" from start to finish, it serves as a break of sorts, and is not at all unpleasant to listen to; again, it's just more of a break than a fully-featured Megadeth song. Rating pretty much N/A
Closing the album is the (mostly) title track, "Rust in Peace... Polaris". This is a great closer to this album, and, while like "Take No Prisoners" it took longer to grow on me, it stands by the rest of these classic Megadeth songs in terms of quality and memorability. 9.5/10
END TRACK BY TRACK
While I've given nothing but praise to every song on this album, I feel that, if only just for this album, it's justified. This isn't a non-stop thrash fest like Slayer's "Reign in Blood", as it does have slower parts and never approaches the BPM on many of Slayer's tracks, and not every song demands head-banging, but the technicality, quality of songwriting, and memorability of the songs never relents throughout "Rust in Peace", and every song deserves appreciation and attention, which can't be said for every album. Years after getting this album, it remains in regular listening rotation, and it has yet to get at all stale.
Thanks for reading any of this.
TL;DR:
Rating: 11/10
Highlights: Really everything, but Holy Wars and Hangar 18 stand as two of the greatest
Recommend: Buy
