Almost 20 years since this release and it's gone down in history as one of the worst metal records ever. Megadeth didn't even make a great cd until 'Risk'. Rust In Peace demonstrates how lack of guitar skill and pointless lyrics can make you millions. Songs like 'holy wars' and 'hangar 18' have solos that will make great guitarists like Limp Bizkit's and Nickelback's yawn.

Dave Mustaine and his anti-war statements are completely disgusting. Anyone who opposes the Bush administration is a terrorist and should be kicked out of this country!

For good 'Deth listen to 'Risk' or their 2 latest albums...

I agree with those who love the original and feel the remaster is not as good but how can you go wrong? This album is amazing!! Each song is great, this is an album you can't be without if you are a fan of metal or Megadeth.
Just dont expect it to arrive on time if you order it or anything else from this site.

I really think it's time to stop whining about this album. Rust In peace is an unbelievable classic. This remaster, on the whole, sounds better than the original (as you'd expect with a remaster), and the new vocals couldn't be helped. Vocal track tapes went missing for certain songs, and so alternate takes from 1990 were used for the songs Five Magics and Lucretia, and Take No Prisoners had to be resung. Considering the 14 year gap between the original recording of RIP and the resung vocals on TNP, Dave Mustaine's 2004 vocals on the track stand up very well. Whether you like these alternate vocals or not is down to the individual, but surely it's time to stop moaning about something that just couldn't be helped. The remastering and remixing of these albums was a great job, and the remasters are the ones i listen to more often than not. But, if you don't like the remasters - don't listen to them! Listen to the originals. Either way, this is a classic album.

To date, this is Megadeth's most musically advanced and progressive album. It is definitely up for consideration as one of the heavy metal classics in their catalog, and for good reason. Unlike other Megadeth albums, the non-remastered "Rust In Peace" sounds quite clear and punchy, dispensing with the drum-gating and massive use of effects that (thankfully) were starting to disappear around this time. Clearly, the Mustaine/Ellefson/Friedman/Menza lineup is the most technically refined Megadeth lineup to this point.

Forget the AOR antics Megadeth would later fall prey to - this album is meant to be played from beginning to end. Musically, it contains some of Megadeth's best moments, particularly on the relentless Holy Wars, which right away goes into a fast shred-fest with Menza's rifle-like drumming holding everything together perfectly. The album from there takes you on a roller-coaster varying between an assault of impossibly fast and precise guitar playing and pure aggression to grinding power-metal anthems like few other heavy metal records successfully manage to do. It seems like on this record, Megadeth get that combination just right.

This period marks sort of the beginning of a turning point for Megadeth between that of a pure thrash metal outfit to a more sophisticated and intricate sound. It is reported that it was around this period that Mustaine kicked his drug habit. Hearing the result, it's easy to believe. While Mustaine still sounds angry and raw, he is also much more refined and sounds like he can approximate singing when he wishes to. Lyrically, you won't find any of the adolescent antics that were all over So Far... So Good... So What in songs like "502" and "Liar!". Megadeth has come of age.

If you have to have just one Megadeth album, in my opinion, this one is it.

Some people like to see track-by-track breakdowns. For them, here you are:
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The self-important rating system -
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5 = Good enough to remove the record from the sleeve and onto the turntable
4 = Good enough to place the needle on this track if the record happens to be on the turntable already
3 = Respectable Filler
2 = Will lift the needle to the next track to skip this one.
1 = Time for a lively game of frisbee.

(rating)/bpm/key

1) Holy Wars(4)/174/E - A fast, pounding prog-thrash overture that immediately displays the incredible virtuoso musicianship of the Mustaine/Ellefson/Friedman/Menza lineup.

2) Hangar 18(5)/156/D - Immediately starts off with a straightforward metal beat. Frontman Mustaine rarely has so perfectly straddled the line between the old angry Mustaine and the new singing Mustaine to create the needed edge to the song. The 2nd half goes into a shred-fest with Friedman and Mustaine trading guitar solos.

3) Take No Prisoners(4)/288/G - Relentless call and response thrash - "Take no Prisoners.... Cremate them..." You can see the mosh-pit going out of control. Unlike most thrash metal around this period, however, this band redefines precision. The drums are recorded completely dry, and they sound like rifles in perfect unison with Ellefson's bass work.

4) Five Magics(4)/138/E - Starts off with a relatively slow dissonant riff that slowly builds momentum as the guitars kick in gradually. Culminates in an evil sounding Mustaine with voice tripled chanting "Five Magics...."

5) Poison was the Cure(4)/138/A# - One of few songs that could have fit with the set on Peace Sells - fast and short at 2:55 - under scaling guitars and Mustaine's droning vocals.

6) Lucretia(4)/96/G - Slows it down to a Zeppelin style beat with guitars/bass scaling up and down.

7) Tornado of Souls(5)/192/ - Most straightforward track on the record - contains one of the more memorable Megadeth riffs and has a hook.

8) Dawn Patrol(3)/78/E - The only throwaway track on the album, sort of a plodding bass/drum track with Mustaine talking some incomprehensible rubbish over the top. Really more of an interlude at 1:46.

9) Rust In Piece...Polaris(4)/162/F# - Starts out with a 3/4 grind and ends with a nimble and fast jam that shows off Menza's drumming prowess.

Rust in Peace is considered by most Megadeth fans to be one of their best albums of all time, and considered to be one of the best metal albums of all time. It might take a couple of listens, but you'll find yourself loving this album if you're a Megadeth fan. It should be noted that Mustaine has an... odd voice. Some like it, some hate it, that can't be helped. But the instruments are amazing.

Holy Wars... The Punishment Due: It's two songs, sort of. The first part is Holy Wars which, well, is about holy wars while The Punishment Due is about the comic book The Punisher. The song is a a fast hard-hitting intro the this album. The acoustic bridge sounds great for some reason, probably because lead guitarist Marty Friedman incorporates many Arabic and Eastern scales into his music. 10/10

Hangar 18: This song might as well be instrumental, but it's a damn good one. The lyrics (however few they may be) are about a supposed military hangar, Hangar 18, where the Air Force supposedly stored a crashed UFO and its extraterrestrial pilots. Tin foil hat or not, the song is notable for its myriad of solos that are technical and sexy. All sorts of great riffs and solos throughout this song. 10/10

Take no Prisoners: It's about prisoners of war and war in general. I don't particularly like it too much, but it's got good main riffs. Not much to say, I've always seen it as the odd one out. 7/10

Five Magics: Fast at first, then suddenly a cool bass interlude leading into some medium-pace guitar. Then Mustaine starts singing, with various little solos between the verses. The song is fast and technical, the solos are blaring, the drums are heavy. Sort of reminds of me Holy Wars for some reason. 9/10

Poison Was the Cure: Starting off with a slow but catchy bass line, the guitar then comes in. After a quick drum breakdown, the fast guitar work gets going. A short but sweet song. 10/10

Lucretia: A somewhat jazzy main riff to this in all honesty. That's a good thing, the whole song sounds good. The solos are nice, although not quite as fast as the next song's. 9/10

Tornado of Souls: By far my favorite song from the album. The main riff, the intro, the bridges, they're all so good. But the best part is the minute-long solo by the great Marty Friedman. It's not necessarily the fastest, but it is by far one of if not the best sounding solo on the album. Every time I hear it I just have to whip out my miniature air guitar... it's amazing. 10/10

Dawn Patrol: The bass line is catchy (like Poison Was The Cure's) but it's a kinda boring song. Yawn Patrol? 6/10

Rust in Peace... Polaris: Underrated. The drum intro sounds tribal, and the song is simply angry. It conveys the idea of a nuclear warhead that knows its destructive power pretty well, because it's just so damn heavy. Then you get Polaris, which is essentially a long solo. Great closer. 9/10

If you're trying to get into Megadeth, I'd probably recommend their Greatest Hits album simply because it gives you a taste of all their years. If you liked that, or if you want to get into "the good stuff" right away, then by all means get this album. It does not relent, it does not give up its thrash metal assault until it's left you on the ground begging for mercy from the great solos.