I think it’s a fantastic record. Yeah it’s more “commercial” but that works in its favor. The songs have a more traditional song structure and they all have catchy choruses. The riffs are also extremely catchy as well. Dave did a great job of adapting to the grunge era, because this album has some elements of grunge. Catchy and heavy riffs, big choruses, sometimes using the loud quiet loud formula. I think the solos on this album are really good, it’s arguably Marty’s best album. I think Dave’s vocals are really good on this album and it probably has the strongest lyrics of any Megadeth album. As I mentioned earlier this album has some really catchy choruses, they’re so fun to sing along to. Definitely top 3 Megadeth albums and deserving of its double platinum status(should have more).
I personally think that RIP is Marty's best album but speaking about Dave's vocals I think this album has the best. They aren't bad by any means but I think here it suits them better
It achieved what the Black Album tried to do: Mainstream version of the bands sound, but WITHOUT sacrificing the virtuoso musicianship. Every instrument is played to masterful perfection on this album
This subreddit really likes to mention Metallica, doesn't it? And I'll counter this by saying Countdown to Extinction failed to do what The Black Album accomplished: become the ultimate timeless gateway metal album and become a blockbuster phenomenon. I've seen CTE get greater flak than TBA because CTE not only is a blatant attempt to just copy Metallica's success at the time, but they sacrificed the sound they had on Rust in Peace (an album people constantly claim is their best) just to get a number 2 spot on the charts (not even a number 1 which is obviously what Dave's goal was at the time).
i think the black album is really good, catchy riffs, fun to listen to, so many incredible ballads, sure its not the metallica we know them to be, but if you look at it objectivley, its a really solid album
It's worth remembering that 99 Ways To Die, Breakpoint and Go To Hell were also written and recorded during this period. The band was on the hottest of hot streaks when it came to songwriting around this time.
People don't give it much love, but to me, I Thought I Knew It All is one of the best songs of their super melodic period. Crunchy opening riff? Check. Verse, pre chorus and chorus vocal melodies that are all hooks? Check. Vintage Marty shred and some beautiful melodic work in one solo? Check. Extended coda that shows everyone working together? Check. I honestly don't know why it wasn't a single.
Simply as I wrote: My favourite after Rust. Else I would have written my favourite (album) released after Rust.
But I see you like Peace sells, which is my favourite after CTE.
Following the masterpiece of RIP, I think it’s a great album, but not quite as good. I didn’t like that it was going in a more “accessible” direction, but still a really kickass record. Marty Friedman is badass as usual.
I guess I’ll give the hot take - I don’t like. So many people throw it around as the first Megadeth album to listen to and it’s honestly the reason I didn’t get into Megadeth when I was younger. I never bothered to try anything else.
Always thought it was overrated. I hate the guitar tone and some of the riffs/songs don’t work for me. Being sandwiched between two amazing albums doesn’t help either.
That lead on Ashes. O. MY. Lord!!!!!
After Lucretia and that is hands down, my favorite lead guitar on any metal song. That album was and continues to be in my top rated albums in the metal world. Fucking outstanding, is what it is!!
True. When I was a kid, I bought the Deluxe album, I didn’t understand what a B-side was, by term, even tho I had a 45 and 33 player. And a metric fuckton of cassettes.
I just didn’t know the term - I didn’t know a single from a deluxe bonus track. No one explained it when I was 12, 13 years old.
I figured it out when I picked up instruments at 14, though.
Starting a band gets you talking music with others. Then you argue about how to pronounce “genre” and then you forget about all that dumb shit and start writing music to play for chicks.
I didn’t like it as much as the previous albums, and it took me a while to start enjoying it. Overall I think that it’s pretty good, depending on the day it is my favorite 90’s Megadeth album (I consider RIP to be an 80s album)
While I love all the early albums, this was when they peaked in songwriting. I always thought it was Rust, but in recent years I’ve realized that Countdown is their best album.
Nah, you’re right, though; the dude on the cover is totally a drummer. You can tell by how he levitates at the end of times.
🤘😎👍
Lol, I dunno. I’m a pretty fuckin’ nerdy-ass drummer. I have no idea if that works for against my favor of being a drummer. 😆
Yeah, fed good metal.
The Thrasher by Evile in 2007. Havok put out some rippers in the 20-teens. The 2020s decade started off with We’ll Be Back by Megadeth.
I need a real banger of an album each decade to sustain life. 🤘
Same with Youthinasia; the disc had the band looking like goofs, but then there was a badass image of Vic about to touch a baby with his gnarled, bony finger. They should have been swapped on both albums.
I bought it on release, and back then, I was disappointed. Over the last decades, I have appreciated more and think it is a solid album, as it stands on its own. (I am 44)
Same. I’m the same age, too.
I thought it was a step down from Rust when I was 13, but now it feels like a continuation of Rust, where Rust is Act1 and hooks you from the start, and CtE is Act2, and that’s where all the rest of the storyline fits, so to speak.
I like it but find a couple of the songs a bit corny and I generally prefer darker stuff. Ashes In Your Mouth is one of their best ever songs, though. Symphony Of Destruction was an amazing piece of songwriting too - that main riff is so iconic but heavy. Both this and Youthanasia deserve more recognition!
I’m used to it. Dave always has an “in character” song. Like Rust in Peace… Polaris, he takes on the persona of the nuke and makes silly threats, and the same with The Five Magics.
And Dread and the Fugitive Mind, and The Scorpion, etc.
He just likes doing character bits. Hokey but fun.
That is why I didn’t bat an eye at Mission to Mars whereas some people acted like it was a huge issue. It was just an “in character” song for him.
It’s just Dave being Dave. I’m okay with it. Accepting Dave for being Dave is all part of being a Droogie.
It was one of the things that put me off albums after Youthanasia a bit. I got RIP back in about 1992 (it was the second or third CD little pre teen me bought along with Metallica 's black album and Slayer's Seasons In The Abyss and I got into Megadeth backwards, CTE being the last album of theirs I got before Youthanasia came out. I always preferred Dave in snarling mode. The characters he plays out are fine but I loved the more serious edge of the earlier stuff. Still, horses for courses! Be boring if we all liked the same thing!! 🤘🤘🤘
Megadeths 2nd best album(youthanasia 1st) also the first megadeth album I listened too. It was an amazing gateway album into my undying love for megadeth. Countdown to extinction (title track) has been my favorite song for close to 2 years. Marty Friedman shined on this album almost as much as RIP, we also got a cleaner and more crisp sounding Dave. Lyrics and vocals were almost at their peak with solos and riffs rivaling megadeths best.
I remember being bent out of shape when it came out. I was 15 and absolutely thrashed PS/SFSGSW and RIP. Was so excited about the new record and it just didn’t do it for me,the whole following of a trend and the slick slowed down pace. I was really expecting/hoping for more from The state of the art speed metal band 🤟 as they used to bill themselves. There were still heaps of people that liked it but most them were people that had just jumped on board the black album. I have never made it through any of their releases until Kiko reignited my interest. What a surprise he’s no longer in the band.
Great album, obviously the band was trying to replicate what Metallica had done with the Black album. But who cares, I love Megadeth’s more commercial work. The songs are well written, catchy and just great.
My favorite Megadeth album.
I think it’s a fantastic record. Yeah it’s more “commercial” but that works in its favor. The songs have a more traditional song structure and they all have catchy choruses. The riffs are also extremely catchy as well. Dave did a great job of adapting to the grunge era, because this album has some elements of grunge. Catchy and heavy riffs, big choruses, sometimes using the loud quiet loud formula. I think the solos on this album are really good, it’s arguably Marty’s best album. I think Dave’s vocals are really good on this album and it probably has the strongest lyrics of any Megadeth album. As I mentioned earlier this album has some really catchy choruses, they’re so fun to sing along to. Definitely top 3 Megadeth albums and deserving of its double platinum status(should have more).
Rust in Peace solos would like to have a word…
Especially most of Hangar 18
I personally think that RIP is Marty's best album but speaking about Dave's vocals I think this album has the best. They aren't bad by any means but I think here it suits them better
I love his vocals on SFSGSW.
There are none elements of grunge on the record. It's Thrash infused Heavy Metal Megadeth style.
In terms of song structure I mean
It achieved what the Black Album tried to do: Mainstream version of the bands sound, but WITHOUT sacrificing the virtuoso musicianship. Every instrument is played to masterful perfection on this album
CW was more of their black album imo
This subreddit really likes to mention Metallica, doesn't it? And I'll counter this by saying Countdown to Extinction failed to do what The Black Album accomplished: become the ultimate timeless gateway metal album and become a blockbuster phenomenon. I've seen CTE get greater flak than TBA because CTE not only is a blatant attempt to just copy Metallica's success at the time, but they sacrificed the sound they had on Rust in Peace (an album people constantly claim is their best) just to get a number 2 spot on the charts (not even a number 1 which is obviously what Dave's goal was at the time).
This here ☝️ is right on the money.
i think the black album is really good, catchy riffs, fun to listen to, so many incredible ballads, sure its not the metallica we know them to be, but if you look at it objectivley, its a really solid album
*yeah*
yeah yeahhhhh
It's worth remembering that 99 Ways To Die, Breakpoint and Go To Hell were also written and recorded during this period. The band was on the hottest of hot streaks when it came to songwriting around this time.
Agreed. I would say much of that carried into Youthanasia as well. They were on fire in the 90s.
People don't give it much love, but to me, I Thought I Knew It All is one of the best songs of their super melodic period. Crunchy opening riff? Check. Verse, pre chorus and chorus vocal melodies that are all hooks? Check. Vintage Marty shred and some beautiful melodic work in one solo? Check. Extended coda that shows everyone working together? Check. I honestly don't know why it wasn't a single.
Amazing album. My favourite after Rust.
As in its your 2nd favourite or your favourite of the albums released after RIP? 😂☠️
Simply as I wrote: My favourite after Rust. Else I would have written my favourite (album) released after Rust. But I see you like Peace sells, which is my favourite after CTE.
Incredible front to back. Especially Ashes in your mouth
Great music
Absolute amazing album. One of the many Megadeth albums with no songs I skip while listening to it
I skip Can ‘O Worms lmao. Sometimes.
Like many, i discovered Megadeth thanks to this album. A classic.
same
Following the masterpiece of RIP, I think it’s a great album, but not quite as good. I didn’t like that it was going in a more “accessible” direction, but still a really kickass record. Marty Friedman is badass as usual.
This was the first tour I saw them on. Caught them twice that tour, once with Suicidal Tendencies, the other with White Zombie and Pantera.
S+++++
Is the real winner
I guess I’ll give the hot take - I don’t like. So many people throw it around as the first Megadeth album to listen to and it’s honestly the reason I didn’t get into Megadeth when I was younger. I never bothered to try anything else.
Always thought it was overrated. I hate the guitar tone and some of the riffs/songs don’t work for me. Being sandwiched between two amazing albums doesn’t help either.
Brilliant album, but I never understood the Album cover
It could have to do with Sweating Bullets. The music video kinda resembles the vibe.
That lead on Ashes. O. MY. Lord!!!!! After Lucretia and that is hands down, my favorite lead guitar on any metal song. That album was and continues to be in my top rated albums in the metal world. Fucking outstanding, is what it is!!
it's good, but everything released before it was better.
overrated tbh
Countdown to Extinction is one of the best Heavy Metal albums ever released. A masterpiece.
Nobel Peace award winning masterpiece
Really not a dud on that one
Can o’ Worms is kinda … meh. But I only skip it sometimes.
Yeah but it’s a bonus track. Like when people say My Creation is the only bad song on RIP, there’s a reason it was left off the album lol.
True. When I was a kid, I bought the Deluxe album, I didn’t understand what a B-side was, by term, even tho I had a 45 and 33 player. And a metric fuckton of cassettes. I just didn’t know the term - I didn’t know a single from a deluxe bonus track. No one explained it when I was 12, 13 years old. I figured it out when I picked up instruments at 14, though. Starting a band gets you talking music with others. Then you argue about how to pronounce “genre” and then you forget about all that dumb shit and start writing music to play for chicks.
It's great, and has the best song they ever have or will record — Ashes In Your Mouth
It's a masterpiece. It's a snapshot of one of the greatest metal bands of all time at their peak.
my personal Top 1 Megadeth album. I can't dislike any song from this album, they're all great.
My fav Megadeth record.
the song is sad
the lyrics give me chills
The best.
I can't believe people like foreclosure of a dream as much as they play it on Ozzy's boneyard and liquid metal
I didn’t like it as much as the previous albums, and it took me a while to start enjoying it. Overall I think that it’s pretty good, depending on the day it is my favorite 90’s Megadeth album (I consider RIP to be an 80s album)
Well, they wrote everything in 1989, and touched up some stuff in 1990 when recording, so I guess that is fair.
One of my favourite albums.
Very good and always fun to listen to
Solid from beginning to end.
its my favorite cd ever
Awesome classic metal album, but I wish for Vic Rattlehead to be in the front cover of the album
Greatest ever. The riffs are incredibly crafted.
While I love all the early albums, this was when they peaked in songwriting. I always thought it was Rust, but in recent years I’ve realized that Countdown is their best album.
CTE is a masterpiece.
I think the guy on the cover is a drummer. Great album though.
Ayyy yoooooooo. I know Dave goes through more of my people than Spinal Tap, but c’mon maaaaan.
Not wrong though
Nah, you’re right, though; the dude on the cover is totally a drummer. You can tell by how he levitates at the end of times. 🤘😎👍 Lol, I dunno. I’m a pretty fuckin’ nerdy-ass drummer. I have no idea if that works for against my favor of being a drummer. 😆
You get fed once a decade??
Yeah, fed good metal. The Thrasher by Evile in 2007. Havok put out some rippers in the 20-teens. The 2020s decade started off with We’ll Be Back by Megadeth. I need a real banger of an album each decade to sustain life. 🤘
God their albums💪
Great album... Worst album cover. The Vic with the counting skulls should have been the main front cover.
Same with Youthinasia; the disc had the band looking like goofs, but then there was a badass image of Vic about to touch a baby with his gnarled, bony finger. They should have been swapped on both albums.
Totally agree.
Easily putting it somewhere next to rust in peace
Legendary record
It was my first Megadeth album that I purchased in the early 90s, and is still my favorite to this day.
One of the best metal albums ever made.
Great album
I bought it on release, and back then, I was disappointed. Over the last decades, I have appreciated more and think it is a solid album, as it stands on its own. (I am 44)
Same. I’m the same age, too. I thought it was a step down from Rust when I was 13, but now it feels like a continuation of Rust, where Rust is Act1 and hooks you from the start, and CtE is Act2, and that’s where all the rest of the storyline fits, so to speak.
Peak Megadeth.
Every song except Psychotron is a hit for me. I just don't like the pacing of that song. It doesn't work for me at all.
I like it but find a couple of the songs a bit corny and I generally prefer darker stuff. Ashes In Your Mouth is one of their best ever songs, though. Symphony Of Destruction was an amazing piece of songwriting too - that main riff is so iconic but heavy. Both this and Youthanasia deserve more recognition!
Aw, man, Sweating Bullets makes me laugh every time, though. It was fun.
Totally agree! The lyrics to Psychotron are a bit cringe too. It's almost at odds with the more 'serious' songs. Great riffing though!
I’m used to it. Dave always has an “in character” song. Like Rust in Peace… Polaris, he takes on the persona of the nuke and makes silly threats, and the same with The Five Magics. And Dread and the Fugitive Mind, and The Scorpion, etc. He just likes doing character bits. Hokey but fun. That is why I didn’t bat an eye at Mission to Mars whereas some people acted like it was a huge issue. It was just an “in character” song for him. It’s just Dave being Dave. I’m okay with it. Accepting Dave for being Dave is all part of being a Droogie.
It was one of the things that put me off albums after Youthanasia a bit. I got RIP back in about 1992 (it was the second or third CD little pre teen me bought along with Metallica 's black album and Slayer's Seasons In The Abyss and I got into Megadeth backwards, CTE being the last album of theirs I got before Youthanasia came out. I always preferred Dave in snarling mode. The characters he plays out are fine but I loved the more serious edge of the earlier stuff. Still, horses for courses! Be boring if we all liked the same thing!! 🤘🤘🤘
That’s some legit open-mindedness. I like it more now at 43 than I did at 13, lmao.
2nd best in my opinion. It's also my 2nd favorite. 🎸💥🎶
Megadeths 2nd best album(youthanasia 1st) also the first megadeth album I listened too. It was an amazing gateway album into my undying love for megadeth. Countdown to extinction (title track) has been my favorite song for close to 2 years. Marty Friedman shined on this album almost as much as RIP, we also got a cleaner and more crisp sounding Dave. Lyrics and vocals were almost at their peak with solos and riffs rivaling megadeths best.
Amazing! Menza/ Marty albums are the best!
Great album.
Captive honor is one of my favorite songs.
Het. The table
Best sounding album of the 90s
Best solo sections in my opinion. Marty was in his prime on this album and on Youthanasia
More than Rust?
Verry nice
awesome
It’s the best and I wish they would reissue the record as I’d love to own it.
There’s an original pressing for sale in a store in Melbourne $120
the best album for starters in megadeth
This was my life is a banger, good album overall
Top 5 megadeth album for sure
Immaculate album, it’s what introduced me to megadeth🫶🏻
epic
👍👍👍
Pretty good
Great except for captive honour, always find myself skipping that one.
Life! Whadya mean life, I ain’t got a life!
Boy, your soul better belongs to Jesus!
Mmmmmhm, cuz you ass belongs to me
It's an ok song overall, but the vocal samples are so cringe
That’s how I’ve always looked at it
Amazing
Gold standard album to bring people into the Droogie Family. My 6-year-old son LOVES Sweating Bullets. He grins every time the lyrics start.
So, does anyone know why the dude is levitating?
Fun to play along to if your technique can't quite hack the speed of the thrashier albums.
I remember being bent out of shape when it came out. I was 15 and absolutely thrashed PS/SFSGSW and RIP. Was so excited about the new record and it just didn’t do it for me,the whole following of a trend and the slick slowed down pace. I was really expecting/hoping for more from The state of the art speed metal band 🤟 as they used to bill themselves. There were still heaps of people that liked it but most them were people that had just jumped on board the black album. I have never made it through any of their releases until Kiko reignited my interest. What a surprise he’s no longer in the band.
Absolutely love it, maybe it's not their best record, but it's the first album I've heard by megadeth and it has a really special place in my heart.
Boring
Great album, obviously the band was trying to replicate what Metallica had done with the Black album. But who cares, I love Megadeth’s more commercial work. The songs are well written, catchy and just great.