Every now and then, someone asks you what are your favourite albums of all time. Be it on the internet in one of those oh-so popular and oh-so creative “best-est albums of all time” threads, a fellow heavy metal enthusiast making idle chit-chat, or even a bunch of friends mocking you about the fact that, seemingly, every band you listen to talks about killing, destroying, raping and satan (but not necessarily in that order). But I put it to you - do you say RUST IN PEACE? Seldom does it seem that people mention this album as being one of the best of all time. You always have your “stereo-typical” tastes, that being, people you know won’t include this album as one of the greatest. The underground metal sloth will only list albums that are released on labels which can’t get worldwide coverage. The metal newbie will list all forms of new wave of American heavy metal bullshit, which is appealing to them for about 1 year, till they realise there is more to life than Lamb of God, or KSE. Then of course there is the Dave Mustaine hate-club, who despise everything from his “irritably unsual” voice, to his hypocritical now Christian ideals. And finally there is the rest of you, who I am targeting this propagandist piece at – Wet Vaginas? Wet Vaginas? (that’s a D666 joke for those who don’t get it). Listening to Rust in Peace is one of the fastest ways to give your ears an orgasm. This album slays all in its path, with some of the best riffs you will ever hear, perfectly timed solo’s, thunderous drumming and killer lyrics to belt out as you wreck your neck to 35 minutes of metal mania. Often left behind very comparable albums, like Master of Puppets, Taking Over, Reign in Blood, The Legacy, Cowboys From Hell, Still Life (or whatever people consider to be Opeth’s best), Powersalve, Stained Class, all sorts of overrated black metal albums and other well known heavy metal albums. Rust in Peace more than holds its own in the face of such competition. Brother will kill brother, spill blood across the land. Killing for religion, something I don’t understand! *Splat*. Next thing you know, they take my thoughts away! Holy Wars…. The Punishment Due, kicks the album off with a blitzing intro just screams thrash metal. Marty Friedman’s melodic influences and a few riff staccato riffs then dissect the intro to lead into one of Dave’s best-written (lyrically) pieces. Surely only a song of this caliber could accommodate Mustaine’s vocals leading? Six minutes later, we are only at the end of the first song and already you have heard more killer riffs than there are in the entire Slipknot catalogue and faster solos than anything Metallica ever wrote without Mustaine. I’m sure Dave would be one of the first to admit he is not the most talented vocalist on the planet. But this album isn’t an example of Mustaine’s vocals being hard to digest. Rather, it is the beginning of a more palatable style of vocals. More refined (the strange tinny sound from Peace Sells is gone), less screeching and a seemingly less stressed vocal performance is given on Rust in Peace (in comparison to its predecessors like Peace Sells, or So Far, So Good). Hangar 18 is another classic this album possesses. It probably rivals Holy Wars and the song Peace Sells as being Megadeth’s most popular song – and rightly so, as it outright rules. Government alien conspiracies, Marty Friedman and Mustaine playing off in a 2 and a half minute solo-war amidst Nick Menza’s drumming assault and if you have seen the video clip, wicked tight late 80’s pants and bullet belts – how metal can you get? This song is the epitome of thrash-melody fusion that Mustaine and Friedman delivered. The mid song breakdown which lasts around 1 or 2 minutes slows the pace down (not too much for thrash fans though), with some very bluesy influenced “feel” inspired guitaring, eventually warming into the aforementioned solo-war Mustaine and Friedman unleash. Friedman with his tighter, sweeter sound, Mustaine a more buzzing gritty hammered out solo – yet both do it with ease. Ok, so I have covered the two standout songs, every metal fan will recognise (whether they are a Megadeth fan or not). But what most of you should realise is that a good album will have better songs than the ones that may initially make you want to get it. This album is spinning evidences that. Five Magics anyone? It holds nothing back on speed and intensity and conveys a wicked alchemic atmosphere. It was also the source of the biggest disappointment of Megadeth’s last Australian tour in April, a song that for some reason they failed to play. Further to the case are songs like Poison was the Cure (which show cases a killer bass effort by Ellefson gives the song a very NWHOBM / groove feel) and Take No Prisoners (the thrashiest drink-a-long song on the album). Lucretia, Dawn Patrol and Rust in Peace… Polaris are all seeming mixes between So Far, So Good, So What? and (at that stage what was yet to be released) Countdown to Extinction – each song being a very different piece, but all upholding the same aggression-virtuoso values the rest of the album perpetuates. Lastly, there is my personal favourite; Tornado of Souls. This song dominates the album, even more so than Five Magics. It has everything – strong Friedman influences, an authentic Mustaine drug abuse theme and the best solo on the album. Prove the quality of this track to anyone and flick it to 3:10 (which is the start of what I assume is a Marty Friedman solo). Then make sure you have your ears peeled at 3:49 and if I haven’t convinced you the worthiness of this album as being one of the greatest, then you should probably stop listening to heavy metal altogether. It’s not the absolutely best written song on the album, its not the fastest, its not the most technical, its not the most anything really. It just rules – fun thrash metal with an anthem-ish style. So hopefully this review has done its job by now. You are listening to Rust in Peace, and thinking, shit, I have to go buy some tight jeans and a bullet belt!