Free Shipping When You Reach $50
Delivery & Return:Free shipping on all orders over $50
Estimated Delivery:7-15 days international
People:6 people viewing this product right now!
Easy Returns:Enjoy hassle-free returns within 30 days!
Payment:Secure checkout
SKU:52473206
Double 180gm vinyl LP pressing in gatefold sleeve. Digitally remastered, remixed and retooled edition of the metal band's 1985 debut album. This is a remix of the entire record by Mark Lewis (Trivium, Devil Driver, Whitechapel) that restores previously unheard parts and performances and restores the album to Dave Mustaine's intended vision. The entire project has been remastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, NYC. The track, "These Boots..." re-added to the record with vocals re-cut by Dave Mustaine. After the initial pressing, the song had to be removed from the record due to it's author, Lee Hazelwood's estate, not approving the original vocal and lyric changes. Includes a remastered version of Megadeth's "Skull Beneath The Skin" 1984 demo, including the song "Mechanix", a song Dave Mustaine penned for Metallica which appears on Metallica's album, Kill 'Em All as "The Four Horsemen". Features a new album cover featuring a fully executed sculpture of the iconic skull that has been lost over the many years since the albums initial release. Packaging includes flyers and band photos pulled from the archive of timeless metal moments from Megadeth's storied 35 year history. Liner Notes from Dave Mustaine delving into the struggles during that time period as well as some of the surprising moments during the remixing sessions.
Usually I'm pretty skeptical of these remixes and remasters... This one I was particularly skeptical of just because the original version was just bad and not recorded well. History has shown that the band ended up self producing their debut after spending the advance on drugs but I won't give away Dave's autobiography... I was pleasantly surprised to hear a rather drastic difference in the mix. Certain parts that sounded muffled or muddy before are up front and sit quite well with the rest of the soundscape. The leads jump out but aren't as overwhelming as before and again sit really well in the mix. I even pulled up the original 1985 version and the last remastered version and this is a completely different beast and definitely a proper release of this... Dare I even say the definitive version? (I really didn't wanna say "the final kill" and be cheesy). Seriously though I think even the hardcore Megadeth purists are gonna be pleased with this and the uninitiated who make this purchase are gonna hear the Megadeth we all know and love the way it should it. As usual I'm not gonna do a song by song review because others do that so much better... I will say the title track is in my top 3 fav Megadave treasures so definitely blast that one. The extras are really cool for some rare live versions in the album sequence even if they vary as far as year of recording and like the last version you get the three Last Rites demos. Probably the highlight of the extras is These Boots with rerecorded vocals of the original lyrics and it's downtuned to accommodate Dave's vocals... Still a legal hassle apparently to get the original cover but this will do... for now. One of Megadeths best musically and in intensity finally redone properly. *****
