After his exit from
Metallica
,
Dave Mustaine
regrouped with his own band on this debut album, accentuating his own chaotic, driving rhythm guitar work and careening, lightning-fast solos. The music here is as raw as
Megadeth
gets, and that can be both good and bad --
's later precise, complex riffing and composition aren't completely developed, but the music is performed with a great deal of energy, while
Mustaine
's vocals (never his strong point) are amateurish at best. Highlights include a retooled version of
Nancy Sinatra
's
"Boots"
and
"Mechanix,"
a
composition written with
, which turned into the latter's
"The Four Horsemen."
~ Steve Huey