Originally published by L.S. Media. November 1st 2011.
L.S. Media Review *****
The number itself may unlucky for some but for Megadeth its proof, if any were needed, that they remain the best and most consistent Thrash Metal act of all time. Th1rt3en continues the excellent work by the band that in recent years has seen them deliver notable and in some cases exceptional pieces of work that to compare them to the so called appointed other Big three of Metallica, Anthrax and Slayer is to belittle the achievements of Dave Mustaine, David Ellefson, Shawn Drover and Chris Broderick.
Th1rt3en sits in the Megadeth canon perfectly – loud, relentless, ear battering, senses being thrilled by the sound the band produce but with the sly surreal grin that both Mustaine and their album cover star “Vic Rattlehead” share and that is constantly ever present in the lyrics and never ending, ever consuming, always superb guitar riffs and thumping, well placed drums on each track.
Just like the shows the band deliver to live audiences, their albums have a seamless quality. There is no time for mucking about with a misplaced chord here, a word out of place there, the band know what they are doing. The only thing you can do is sit back and enjoy the quality of the music and Dave Mustaine’s gravely textured voice as they play songs such as Public Enemy No 1, the destructive, annihilation feeling of New World Order and the track 13 which again has the intensity of Dave Mustaine in a sombre, self-reflective mood but with the passion of a man who will live crazily forever.
It always seems as there is a rivalry, a ruthless competiveness, possibly even of erstwhile guitarist Dave Mustaine’s own making, to out-do his two former Metallica band mates James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich at every available opportunity. Competition is healthy and so is the Megadeth name. To go against Metallica isn’t what the band need to do, as they prove on this record and as they have since the release of Rust In Peace over 20 years ago, there has always been only one name at the top of the American big four Thrash Metal bands and that is Megadeth.
If there is a title for Thrash Metal album of the year then Th1rt3en deserves the accolade, for Best Metal band there is no other name.
Ian D. Hall