The Bottom Line: Initially an adventurous album, thën an erratic set of novelties, bouncing back with contextualized relevance, Risk becomes a process of changing boundaries, of preconceived attrition of prejudices, of threshold angst.
MEGADETH's 1999 record Risk falls under heavy criticism from fans and, hum, critics. It's easy to see why. MEGADETH is regarded as the quintessential Speed Metal band. Risk is the slowest record in their oeuvre. Large portions of its sonority are devoted to genres other than Heavy Metal. The insecure, recalcitrant lyrics are not exactly what one expects from Heavy Metal much less Speed Metal (one of its harshest subgenres).
Still, Risk is an interesting record in several ways. Notwithstanding MEGADETH's adherence to Speed Metal the band has for years been loosening their sonority incorporating AOR (Cryptic Writings), writing ballads as early as 1988's So Far, So Good, So What and slowing down the proceedings accordingly.
Other interesting dimension of Risk is MEGADETH's shoulder-to-shoulder battle with rivals and former bandmates METALLICA. One needs to look no further than MEGADETH's official homepage whose timeline begins in 1982 quoting that "Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield form METALLICA". Dave Mustaine kept MEGADETH walking (in his opinion, improving) on METALLICA's shoes after his traumatic split in 1983. Cut to the 1990s. Ulrich, Hetfield etc. sold millions with their "Black Album". Mustaine unleashed Countdown to Extinction (a Grammy winner with a respectable Billboard #2 placing). METALLICA "sold out" with Load/RELoad. MEGADETH got closer to selling out from 1994's Youthanasia (still a Speed Metal record) towards 1997's Cryptic Writings (much less prominent a Heavy Metal album, closer to a late 1980s Hard Rock release). Both band issued collections of B-sides, rarities and covers in between.
So, time for sellout. Risk is molded after Ulrich's remark that Mustaine's band was not particularly fond of taking risks. MEGADETH was ready to burst through the borders of Heavy Metal to the "other side", mainstream. Dan Huff, associated with Country artists and BON JOVI, shared production duties with Mustaine himself.
Another interesting feature of Risk is inner band dynamics. For ages a Mustaine solo project, MEGADETH soldiered on with the arrival of a virtuoso guitarist naturally fit for Mustaine pyrotechnics - Marty Friedman. In eclectic and exaggerated duo CACOPHONY Friedman and his virtuoso pal Jason Becker took the 1980s shredding to ludicrous levels of intensity and fun. Joining MEGADETH in early 1990, Friedman increased his share of songwriting from this years` masterpiece Rust In Peace onwards, culminating with his Risk prominence. Risk is, thus, a record filled with eccentricities, odd angularities, unusual timbres, frantic lead breaks, eclectic songwriting which favors technical skill not the lyrical message.
Whereas Friedman was having the upper hand for the first time - and last, since Risk's reception contributed for his departure from MEGADETH - Mustaine's luxurious sidekick David Ellefson was losing ground for his bass-lead compositions. There's a sole Mustaine-Ellefson composition (Seven) to, ironically, seven Mustaine-Friedman collaborations. Also noticeable is the unprecedented presence of MEGADETH's manager Bud Prager in MEGADETH's songwriting.
More than completing the lineup for Risk, Jimmy DeGrasso (a former SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and OZZY OSBOURNE alumni) meant a leap beyond MEGADETH's traditional Speed Metal drumming courtesy of Nick Menza. DeGrasso's roots in Hardcore Punk meant a looser approach to Heavy Metal, which would bear fruit in 2000's The World Needs a Hero (with Nu-Metal and alternative incursions). But the leap is filled with gurgles during Risk. Drum Machines put DeGrasso aside sometimes (the hit single Crush ‘Em, which he detests until today), other times he is pushing rhythm whereas his bandmates are lingering on morose melodies. Otherwise his impressive pounding is a reliable dimension of the record.
MEGADETH lineup was not the most constant of Heavy Metal, or even Rock bands. They had many second guitarists and drummers. They even recorded songs (like "No More Mr. Nice Guy" for a soundtrack) as a 3-piece unit. This band's core was the Mustaine-Ellefson relationship to the revolving door of collaborators. Friedman soldiered on as the most reliable collaborator for an entire decade, the 1990s. As Ellefson lost ground and Friedman gained one-shot prominence the inner balance was no longer. When drugs, insecurity, founding members receding and newcomers loud and proud meet, we know bands are on the verge of breaking up - or finding a new way of getting things done.
Risk oscillates between those poles in a transitional spectrum, making justice to its title. There are lukewarm sketches of MEGADETH attempting a Nashville crossover as well as interesting experiments sorely ignored amidst their Speed Metal catalogue. Mustaine sings with an interiorly voice, reflecting on the misjudgment of others, on his health problems (alcoholism, drugs) and in a larger scale, he depicts a century folding in turbulence.
A slight hint of depression fills Risk's agenda. After all those years of growing acceptance for "rootsy" Heavy Metal MEGADETH turned its back on the genre for the majority of an official album. Mustaine arm injury and the departure of Friedman (and later on, Ellefson) meant the bold step beyond would never be. MEGADETH would quietly return to its Speed Metal roots in the 3rd millennium.
Kind of a Big Beat-Metal in the making, Insomnia presents an outburst of digital effects, processed guitars, random percussion, a paranoid litany by Mustaine and a call-to-arms chorus (with wacky backing vocals) - before Friedman arrives with a tortuously brief solo. It's a mess. But it twists MEGADETH in interesting, unpredictable ways. Rock (not) to sleep!
Prince of Darkness lurks back to familiar territory - even though spooky sound effects and processed guitars remain. The former providing context, the latter creepily pumping across drug depression distilled by a regretful Mustaine. Roaming in concentric circles, Friedman spirals in paranoia and his cohort boss gives away his unpolished, yet mature bile. The cinematic atmosphere and storytelling style (Sweating Bullets bettered and expanded) bring to mind latter-day FAITH NO MORE but what shackles this 6-plus minute song close to MEGADETH classic status are the freefall dual rifferama that arrives in the middle and the latter soloing; DeGrasso's steady pulse; Ellefson's reliable rhythm; and above all, a vicious chorus adorned by a deranged Friedman melody.
Enter the Arena - MEGADETH's Arena Rock entrance in bizarre fashion - is just an intro. Penned by Mustaine and manager Prager. 10 years ago I was told NHL had requested this kind of thing. It makes sense. More a sound clipping than anything noticeable, it is Mustaine's answer to GARY GLITTER and QUEEN. Oddly, it is not a good intro, anticlimactically diluting Crush ‘Em in the course of a minute.
A streamlined song seemed the ideal choice for a single. Crush ‘Em was a huge single indeed. Even though it buried DeGrasso and Ellefson under a kitchen-sink of limpid beats, MEGADETH stroke a chord with many people. Sellout cries are inevitable before the second minute, at around which we had seen Mustaine's Pro Tooled voice and Friedman gurgling in the background, before a ludicrously sampled chorus. Lyrics bring a little bit of MOTORHEAD deranged gambling to the calculated proceedings. But sellout is halted as the track flies over market mediocrity during the second half. Lumbering sound effects are brought to the forefront, turning the stadium samplers into paranoid, quasi-apocalyptical calls from the fringes of Tartarus. Mustaine gets more muscular and vehement in the process. Friedman's nice riff is enhanced, digital and physical beats cringing in unison. Crush ‘Em becomes a decent MEGADETH single, even though it seems an odd choice for NHL, apart from the chorus.
In My Darkest Hour, A Tout Le Monde and even Trust - MEGADETH have had ballads, or something tangentially related, before. But Breadline was stuff from a different source. Dark, haunting Heavy Metal ballads were tolerated. Breadline, an ironic ballad on rags to riches, was something beyond appreciation for most of Thrash-Speed Metallers. It is an explicit nod to FOREIGNER, JOURNEY, STYX etc, with accessible melodies, mid-pace drumbeats, a straightforward chorus and a cheesy guitar after-chorus riff (with only a Goosebumps sound effect, before chorus, to shake things a bit). Mustaine sings like his life didn't depend on it. But he's sometimes endearing. And Friedman nowadays plays Japanese Pop. Speed Metal?
The Doctor Is Calling is a humorous attempt on Heavy Metal with enhanced production values - say, like what BLACK SABBATH did with Tony Martin and what OZZY OSBOURNE did much better on his worst recordings. Crawling pace, creepy synths and a near-rap (!) convey lyrics prescient of, hum, METALLICA's Some Kind of Monster era. Mustaine mocks himself through this odd diatribe and ends up with surprisingly deep, larger-than-life atmospheric choruses running away from the doctor's call...What matches his rhyming of "trips" with "lips". Mustaine's keenness for drama does not quite gel with the cheap horror ambience. But it bears more attitude than Breadline and makes more sense, as a cleanup manifest. It could have been an Ozzmosis B-Side.
I'll Be There is another puzzling item - the opening bravado of Thrash Metal guitars followed by a lilting, soft harmony, and this time confident vocals. But it makes all the more sense for a born-again Christian (even though Mustaine says it's about the loyalty of fans). It is the aftermath. The band plays as a band, not as Sergeant Mustaine's men in line. The way the song alternates loud-soft sonorities (leading to a triumphant chorus) is the most noticeable thing here - it bears some dynamics and, preachy it may be, it makes sense, much sense, after The Doctor is Calling. Mustaine will be there for you "when flames get higher". The coda is the poppiest thing this band will ever make - successfully. Mustaine's most gorgeous, ebullient vocal piece as well. I wonder why HOOBASTANK didn't think of it before.
The menacing meditation of Wanderlust erases some previous doubts that this may not be exactly MEGADETH. A rusty rumination by this on the road Speed Metallist, culminates with a nearly Bluesy Hard Rock lament, Friedman cringing ghostly harmonies through Mustaine's pitiless travelogue. If this was a matter of roots, than one would genuinely thank MEGADETH for "authenticity". I would rather say this is their delayed response to Grunge, to SCREAMING TREES maybe. Mustaine's own "judgment day" blossoms into a chaotic sprawl, with guitars getting faster and thinner, with vocals vanishing in self-consuming doubt...Only to return with vengeful reiteration. Damnation sometimes pays off, for Mustaine at least.
Initially an adventurous album, then an erratic set of novelties, bouncing back with contextualized relevance, Risk becomes a process of changing boundaries, of preconceived attrition of prejudices, of threshold angst. It is not adequate for any MEGADETH fan or even MEGADETH members or even MEGADETH reviewers. It builds upon previous debasing. What is left from song to song is erased before you could get used to.
For a guy introduced to music through Cat Stevens records, Mustaine sounds unsurprisingly mellow and introspective. Ecstasy (now you know it's not E) is a moody Pop-Rock ballad, rather unsettling voiced by Metal Duck. Friedman and Mustaine make for a good acoustic duet. Removed were all electronic trappings, replaced by user-friendly Auto-Tune - that is, a cut above Breadline. "Trying to silence the suspicions", Mustaine & Co. sound predictable, like POISON in their ballads, and wistful, as WINGER. "We can never let anyone see". I see why. A brief Thrash crescendo, threatening a huge blast...Leaves room for acoustics again.
Seven - the Ellefson song, no wordplay intended - is a rollicking Hard Rock tune, as one would expect from a bassist. That is, apart from RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' Flea. Or Glenn Hughes. OK. It is far too predictable, humongous, straightforward, to belong in this chock full of...Predictable, straightforward songs. Facing so many ballads, I would rather be with all these linear riffing, with a shredding guitar solo by Friedman, with Mustaine trading bluesy licks and screaming his lungs unintelligibly, with DeGrasso working his way out of ballads, specially with Ellefson's insistent steady pulse. In need of some adrenaline? Check it out. A shocking guitar mess and some old school keyboards seal the track. No further explanation necessary.
The last-ever Friedman composition in MEGADETH's canon arrives next, Time - The Beginning. The beginning of a two-song suite. Of course Mustaine has the upper hand, so Time - The End is all by himself. A Progressive Metal suite makes sense for a Progressive Speed Metal band. Does it make for this new MEGADETH?...If you consider Dream Pop akin to QUEENSRYCHE's Silent Lucidity, maybe. Mustaine does his best to convey a blurry ethereal voice (wo/man, he gets pretty close). Psychedelic MEGADETH? Layers of amber licks and silky melodies follow. As if there was no tomorrow...As in the rapture of a dream. This number improves in the stoned intro of In My Darkest Hour, delves deeper in A Tout Le Monde's opening textures, but goes far beyond anybody though MEGADETH would like to. With sitar-like ambience, you are further alienated from Bay Area to Straight-Ashbury.
Of course too much, too soon. Time: The End is a guitar-driven Progressive piece of a song, RUSH plus FEAR FACTORY. Mustaine's shrieking bounces back with despair, Friedman licks become skewed, a helicopter uneasy feel arrives and never departures. A gorgeous solo arrives, guitars interwoven...And listeners are left to ponder what to think of Risk thereafter. See ya.
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