United Abominations

United Abominations is the eleventh album on which Megadeth powerfully binds political irritation and complex, technical guitar work. Dave Mustaine’s voice and riffs mesh sharply, giving the songs an urgent speed and a cold tension. It is a record on which the band, having revived on the previous album, further sharpens its aggression. From the speed of the opener “Sleepwalker” and the aggression of “Washington Is Next!,” a scathing critique of the UN, to the tension of “Gears of War,” used in a game too, every song is sharp. A re-recording of the fine ballad “À Tout le Monde” with a guest vocal, “À Tout le Monde (Set Me Free),” also drew great attention. From the shading of melody-rich songs to fierce dashing songs, the album by no means ends as mere nostalgia. Its significance lies in connecting the precise design of thrash metal to a sharp present-day problem awareness. Proving that, even as veterans, its aggression and technique have not dimmed at all, it is a powerful, fulfilling thrash-metal record.