Ace Audio: "Symphony of Destruction" - Megadeth

As I said before, it's harder to talk about a song that everybody knows and loves without tying it to a specific theme. I honestly think it's easier for me to talk about songs I hate than songs I like, especially when those songs are loved by lots of other people I know. Sure I could tie this song to the theme of political power especially with the political climate in the U.S. right now (note: I support neither, but then again I don't live there), but I won't because I want to talk about the song, something I have not done properly since I reviewed "The Show Must Go On".

Megadeth is another band that doesn't really need an introduction, they are one of the big four of thrash metal and proof that older is often better. They have been going strong since 1986 and have been going steady since. To me, they hit a similar level of quality with most of their songs, some are better and some are not, but they aren't really like System of a Down or dare I say Metallica, where the songs aren't always of similar quality on the album. I'll admit, I am not too fond of "Bounce" by System of a Down. Even though some songs are better than others, Megadeth never really had that much of a dud, with the exception of "Crush 'Em" and while some may say that makes them a better band, I think that it also works the same backwards as they don't really have many "Amazing" songs, excluding this one maybe.

"Symphony of Destruction" is my favourite Megadeth song, from the opening instrumentals to the ending line it is just a magnificent song. Seriously, the opening guitar is awesome, it's rough, it's rhythmic and it's oh so stylish. Mustaine's opening vocals are gruff and mean business, which is perfect for this kind of song.

The lyrics have a strong opening talking about taking an average person and giving them power, the stanza's are not very long and lead to a few repeats of words and sounds, which is my only problem with the song, well one of two anyway, but thankfully it does serve as a decent bridge to an awesome chorus.

The chorus talks about how the masses are being lead to destruction by the political leaders Pied Piper style, and the simile of comparing the Pied Piper to political leaders is a good simile to have. I also like the line "We dance like Marionettes/Swaying to the symphony of destruction" as it describes the scenario in perfect metaphor, and leaves a nice mental image as well, reminds me a little of the Metallica song, although that was about a different subject matter.

Unfortunately the second stanza is my other minor issue with the song as it has a few kind of strange word choices, but it leads to another chorus line which gets a repeat, and gives us an awesome guitar solo. I find most guitar solos leave me at a loss for words, but this guitar solo kind of shows why Megadeth is a superior band to Metallica.

The song ends after one last verse and chorus, capping off at four minutes and seven seconds. I think if the song was longer it would've over stayed it's welcome a bit. Lyrically the song is basic, but the lyrics are really powerful and are drenched in metaphor and imagery, two things I love in writing.

The song was also a huge hit for Megadeth as well as it was played on the radio and on MTV plenty of times, giving mainstream success to the band, even peaking at number 29 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks. Megadeth released the following album Youthanasia in '94 two years after Countdown to Extinction and it did just as well reached number 4 on the Billboard 200. Megadeth would do a lot in the following years, and their newest album Dystopia sounds pretty good.

I'm the Entity of Darkness, and next time I'll go a bit out of my comfort zone.

Auditory Abominations: "Crush 'Em" - Megadeth

Like I said, this review will be a Megadeth song, not just because I want to discuss this song, but also the comparison to Metallica they get. Honestly, I don't think either band is really better, because although Metallica doesn't hit the highs of Megadeth's "Symphony of Destruction", Megadeth doesn't really hit the lows of Metallica's "St. Anger", although I would think this song comes close.

The problem with "St. Anger" was mostly Lars Ulrich's drumming and the lyrics that made very little sense, if any at all. However, I can say this about "St. Anger"; even though it was a terrible song, it still sounded like Metallica. That is the first problem with "Crush 'Em", it doesn't sound like a Megadeth song.

The opening sounds pretty close to something like a song The Police would do, and when the song does pick up, it doesn't really have a whole lot of energy to it. I mean, compare this song to a Megadeth song like "Peace Sells" or "Tornado of Souls" which have awesome guitar solos and sound way better than this, because they don't sound restrained, giving them a natural sense of energy.

Thankfully the Lyrics aren't a big problem, they're just kind of generic anthem lyrics, right down to the most basic of choruses. Seriously, was "Roll the dice, Don't think twice/and we crush, crush 'em" really the best chorus you could write? From the band that gave us "Just like the Pied Piper lead rats through the streets" and "if there's a new way, I'll be first in line/but it better work this time" comes "And we Crush, Crush 'Em".

When people talk about the worst of the big four, they usually only talk about "St. Anger" and I can see why as I do think it is a worse song, but I still think that this is one of the worst Heavy Metal songs of all time, mostly because it sounds so watered down and dull.

I will say that the instrumentals did not annoy me like "St. Anger" did, but they didn't add a whole lot to the song, again from the group that gave us "Tornado of Souls" and "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" we got this generic, boring schlock.

This was intended to be a sporting anthem, but honestly there are so many better songs that can be and are used as sports anthems that this kind of falls into the background. I get the idea and even the audience, but it has to be good for other people as well, which by the way is often why religious music doesn't work either, because it only really works for people of that religion.

I can't say that this was one of the worst songs I have ever heard, I can honestly say that it is not in my personal top 10, but I still think that this is the worst Megadeth has to offer, but hey, we still got "Peace Sells" right?

I'm the Entity of Darkness and speaking of religious music and heavy metal, oh yeah, I looking at them again.