The Sick, the Dying...and the Dead!
| Megadeth
The Sick, the Dying...and the Dead!
The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead! is the sixteenth studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on September 2, 2022, on frontman Dave Mustaine's Tradecraft label via Universal. It is the first Megadeth album to feature drummer Dirk Verbeuren, the second Megadeth album to feature guitarist Kiko Loureiro, and their first studio album in six years since Dystopia (2016), marking the longest gap between two studio albums in the band's career. In production for more than two years, the album was produced by Mustaine and Chris Rakestraw. During the album's recording, founding bassist David Ellefson was dismissed from the band due to a sex scandal. His bass parts were removed from the album and were re-recorded by Testament bassist Steve Di Giorgio. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Metal Injection
Plenty varied and still full of trademark fire and swagger, The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! marks another solid addition to the Megadeth selection. It takes cues from the classics but doesn't depend on repeating the past; there is a maturity here that plays well with the fast-paced nature of the thrashier elements plucked from the back catalogue. The weak theming and occasional strange song selections tug it down a bit, but ultimately Megadeth once again prove they can keep rising above whatever in life tries to pull them down.
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Kerrang!
Sixteen albums in, all this is almost unexpected, not least because it was hard to see a band burning with such phosphorescent intensity lasting so long. If this turns out to be the ’Deth's final hurrah, it's one that does them proud. And whether you choose to see him as the last angry man, or an old crank (and there is much on which he is disagreeable or just plain wrong), Dave Mustaine is, still, one of the world's most unavoidably pissed off men. When he harnesses it right, it makes Megadeth as scalpel-sharp and deadly to the touch as they've ever been.
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Louder Sound
The Sick… showcases a depth and a compositional brilliance that’s rooted in this line-up’s uncanny ability to reimagine Megadeth’s iconic sound in a fresh and compelling way. All the elements that people love about the band – the scorching riffs, the striking technicality and the brawling, speed metal tempos – are here in spades.
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Metal Planet Music
This is Megadeth, let them pummel you; let them rattle your head! This is a monumental addition to their studio album arsenal! At this stage in his career, 16 albums in, it’s testament to the talent of Dave Mustaine to come up with mouth-watering riffs to the high standards contained here.
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Blabbermouth
The excellence continues to the bitter end, too. "Soldier On!" is an irresistible anthem with a chorus so big you could stick a flag in it and declare independence; "Sacrifice" is a richly textured, gothic thrash gut-punch; "Mission To Mars" pitches Mustaine as a wannabe space-traveler, over a powerhouse, four-to-the-floor attack, before a bewildering, syncopated tangential shift injects yet more adrenalin into the whole metal-as-fuck enterprise. And for those of us that never tire of hearing Dave Mustaine's undiluted disdain dripping from our speakers, the fiery "Célebutante" is an absolutely top-tier treat with a heart of purest old-school speed metal.
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AllMusic
Mustaine has sounded angry and irritated on almost every song he's ever recorded, but the bile is a little thicker on The Sick. It's a tense and impatient record, even by Megadeth's standards, and re-affirms the band's status as completely essential metal deities who are still operating on a level of excellence most of their peers fell from decades ago.
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Sputnik Music
MegaDave and his trusty war buddy, Vic Rattlehead, are back with a mixed bag that gathers the good, the average, and the bad. A melange of familiar echoes which, while not a symphony of destruction, still do enough damage to keep the brand alive and kicking. And that, my fellow metalheads, is reason enough for all of us to rejoice.
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Rock N Load
“Killing Time” slows the pace slightly but keeps the heavy with grinding riffs and thick bass, Mustaine is at his snarling best here as he spits out the lyrics with venom. “Célebutante” for me is the surprise package on here; its really fast with a blistering drum beat and just a hint of Mechanix in the riffs, it drops to serious old school midway through with grinding riffs and thumping drums before they bring it back around and Kiko lets rip with a monster solo that brings the track to a close, this is a serious contender for track of the album. “We’ll Be back” closes out the album and how, this is like a mash-up of some of the best tracks from their back catalogue, an all-out thrashfest that kicks ass, takes names and will leave you drooling for more.
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Wall of Sound
For those who are curious, this is a great introduction to Megadeth as it presents the band firing on all cylinders with some interesting song structures but without the sort of experimentation that has led to disappointment in the past. As far as later day Megadeth records go it is worth filing alongside their better offerings and is a great follow up to Dystopia. Hopefully we won’t have to wait 6 more years for another one.
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Boolin Tunes
Astoundingly, this man is 60 years old. I see no charm in writing these kinds of lyrics at his age. Unfortunately, the band leaves the listener with only pain and confusion.
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Ultimate Classic Rock
It's a half-successful update. There's no shortage of lightning-fast riffs and chest-heaving thrash on The Sick, the Dying ... and the Dead! The album's bookends of the title song and "We'll Be Back" are among the most vicious tracks Megadeth has released in years, but the nearly hourlong length and occasional sameness in the music can be wearying at times. Plus, the political vagueness of the lyrics is frustrating for anyone searching for something deeper.
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The Headbanging Moose
In a nutshell, The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! couldn’t have sounded more Megadeth than this, staying loyal to the band’s original Speed Metal infused with Thrash Metal, while at the same time containing elements from all phases of their undisputed career, putting a huge smile on the faces of their old school fans and of newcomers to their metal realm. It’s an album for all of us, for all diehard metalheads out there, inspiring us to raise our horns to the sick, the dying… and the Megadeth!
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Roppongi Rocks
Megadeth serves up a smashing new riff-happy thrash metal album. It’s nothing short of a modern thrash metal masterpiece!
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Nine Circles
So where does The Sick, The Dying…and the Dead! fit in the Megadeth discography. Well, technically at the end, since it’s their most recent album. But if I were to rank it on the Chris Scale of Megadeth Greatness, I would definitely put it as maybe their best thing since Countdown to Extinction? I fully realize that’s based on one initial listen, but the vibes are strong with this one, there not a weak track to be had, and the production is razor sharp and full and accentuates all the right things.
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Ghost Cult Magazine
Although there’s no question that The Sick, The Dying… and The Dead! often packs a serious punch, it’s also quite an uneven record. While some songs attack with refreshing savagery, others are delivered with seemingly little conviction. The melodies are strong, the riffs are satisfyingly solid and the solos are enough to strip the enamel from your teeth but the lyrics often fall painfully short and while Mustaine’s trademark sneer is still present, it’s delivered with little of his usually dependable bitter sarcasm.
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gbhbl
The Sick, The Dying… And the Dead! is a kick-ass release. One of the better modern Megadeth releases and proof that you can’t count this band out at any stage.
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All About the Rock
This is a decent album. It isn’t great, but it’s good. MegaDave knows what he’s doing and he can always write a quality riff. Long may he continue.
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Distorted Sound Magazine
It wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t all cookie cutter clichés and lyrics that lack panache. With lines like “He gets high on dying and then he’s dead anyway” and “it’s killing time, another lesson in violence” throttling at full speed, the world-conquering, eye-opening insights of Holy Wars (The Punishment Due) and witty social commentary of Sweating Bullets are long gone, lost to the past. If The Sick, The Dying…And The Dead! is the pizza you’ve ordered, you won’t be left hungry; but you’ll be disappointed to know it’s not as good as it was before.
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New Noise Magazine
By showcasing frantic tremolo riffs, a catchy hook, and a Mega-beatdown at its end, this rager rams the album’s point home that Megadeth will forever be a force to be reckoned with.
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Drew's Reviews
But The Sick, The Dying…and the Dead! far exceeded expectations and Megadeth enters their fifth decade mega alive.
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The Razors Edge
Whilst never quite hitting the highs of the first six Megadeth albums, ‘The Sick, The Dying… and the Dead’ does have its highlights. There is no doubting this is a Megadeth album, so distinctive is its sound and there’s enough high paced, thrash driven songs that will translate perfectly to the live arena when Megadeth hit that Bloodstock stage next August!
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The Needle Drop
Megadeth's latest has a few highlights, but repulses in greater measure.
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Tinnitist
Dave Mustaine & co. are alive & kicking on their first studio album in six long years.
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Sonic Abuse
A surprisingly varied album, The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead sees Dave and his band in fine form, roaming the Megadeth back catalogue in search of influence and coming up with what amounts to a set encapsulating the band’s myriad strengths. Memorable moments abound, although Night Stalkers and Dogs Of Chernobyl arguably stand as the album’s highlights. That said, when the quality is so consistently high, who needs highlights? Just put the album on and be grateful that Dave cared enough to make an album as ferociously pissed off as this. A deeply impressive entry in Megadeth’s canon, Dave can rest assured that it is still “we the people”.
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Given to Rock
As in every review, I even say in this one that the album could have been shortened a bit (12 tracks for around 55 minutes in the standard edition, 2 tracks more for the deluxe) and personally I would have cut Sacrifice, my least favourite on the album, but considering the all the issues the mastermind had in the last years and the fact that he's been writing music for about 40 years, this album is a little miracle, in my opinion.
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Consequence Heavy
Despite it all, The Sick, the Dying… And the Dead! is finally here and doesn’t disappoint, as heard on the groove-filled Ice-T collab “Night Stalkers” and singles “Soldier On!” and “We’ll Be Back.”
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Metal Master Kingdom
Cancer got its ass handed to it, and Mustaine is looking, playing and sounding like nothing had even happened to him. Simply put, The Sick, The Dying...& The Dead is a superb slab of metal from one of the bands that pioneered thrash metal, and one that along with Dystopia, continues Megadeth's furious return to form, and celebrates their victory after a tumultuous half-decade.
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The Dark Melody
"The Sick, The Dying... and the Dead!" It's far from being Megadeth's best album, in fact it didn't make my Top 5, but we can say that it's a solid, varied and consistent album that feels quite on par with “Dystopia” in terms of overall quality. , becoming a highly recommended pair of discs. The band is in great shape and with spectacular chemistry, the songs have that pinch of magic and the seal of the colorado on fire, and we can say that after so many ups and downs, the house is in order.
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The Moshville Times
As a big fan of Megadeth, I’ll be the first to admit that they had a bit of a nadir some years ago with a handful of fairly forgettable released. Super Collider was better than many people reckoned, but was still not quite there. Dystopia was a huge step forward, getting back to where the band had been back in the day. The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead! brings them back into the now. The guitars in particular absolutely shine on this release, and I’d definitely say it’s the best album they’ve released this century. And we get to see them headline Bloodstock next year as well. Be still my thrashing heart.
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Metal Digest
Those looking for a good Megadeth album will find it here, but if you’re looking for ‘Rust in Peace’/’Countdown to Extinction’ part two, then you’ll be disappointed.
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Dark Art Conspiracy
‘The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!’ is exhilarating, dynamic and impressive. It embraces their classic signature sound whilst asserting a new revitalised and determined energy, which is some of their most diverse and playful. It sounds like Mustaine and the new line-up are having a blast, and all are bringing their best to this release, with new drummer Dirk displaying his intense and impressive drumming. The album initially grips you on the first listen but hits harder the more you play it.
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Alt Note Magazine
The album is dynamic, making it a fun record to return to. The album is full of key and tempo changes. This is evidenced by the acoustic breakdown in “Night Stalkers” or the smart pacing throughout “Dogs of Chernobyl.” The album is bristling with guitar solos. They are firing off on all cylinders during the vocal lines, between the vocal lines, and anywhere they could fit. Overall, there’s a healthy mix of machine-gun riffing, mid-tempo, groove, and classic heavy metal tunes. You hear influences from different eras of the band, as well as some surprising middle-eastern influences in “Sacrifice.”
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The River 107.7
Lyrically, it can be eye-rollingly obvious (guess what “Junkie” is about), but new drummer Dirk Verbeuren provides an additional kick to the established musical blitzkrieg. Nobody listens to Megadeth for nuance. Almost 40 years after their formation, they’re not going to change your mind.
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Rewind it Magazine
I may have lost touch with Megadeth in more recent times as previously alluded to, but The Sick…may just be the album that gains the interest of many older fans such as myself again. Check it out for yourself and see if you agree.
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The Rock Fix
The album as a whole is a decent entry into the band’s library. Unfortunately, it is not going to get anywhere near the likes of ‘Rust In Peace’ or ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’ however it is a decent album and will certainly be one that fans can enjoy. Thrash metal is a genre that is having a bit of a resurgence as of late and Megadeth has let the world know they are still here and they are still rocking.
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