Risk (Megadeth album)

Risk
Studio album by Megadeth
Released August 31, 1999
Recorded January – April 1999 - Nashville, TN[1]
Genre Heavy metal, hard rock
Length 52:34
66:31 (Remaster)
Label Capitol
Producer Dann Huff, Dave Mustaine
Megadeth chronology
Cryptic Writings
(1997)		 Risk
(1999)		 The World Needs a Hero
(2001)
Alternative cover
remastered re-release

Risk is the eighth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth released on August 31, 1999, and is the band's final studio album released by Capitol Records. Risk is the final Megadeth release to feature long time Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman, who announced his departure from the group in March 2000.[2] Risk is also the first of two studio albums the band recorded with drummer Jimmy DeGrasso.

A remixed and remastered version, featuring several bonus tracks, was released in 2004. The cover for the remaster was noticeably different from the original, showing a drawing of Megadeth's mascot Vic Rattlehead on the mousetrap, and features a scene from the music video for "Insomnia".

Contents

Background and reception

The title stems from a comment by Lars Ulrich from Metallica, who suggested to Dave Mustaine that he take more "risks" with his music.[3] This decision resulted in mixed reviews for both the band and the album; a good portion did not favor the new sound and image, while others praised the band for attempting something different and experimenting rather than sticking to their roots.

Dave Mustaine has since expressed that although he believes that Risk is a great record, it "should not have had the name Megadeth on it, because if anybody else's name was on 'Risk,' it would have sold".[4]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [5]
This table needs to be expanded using prose. See the guideline for more information.

Songs

Track listing

No. Title Lyrics Music Length
1. "Insomnia" (4:16 on 2004 reissue) Dave Mustaine Mustaine 4:34
2. "Prince of Darkness"   Mustaine Mustaine, Marty Friedman 6:26
3. "Enter the Arena" (0:44 on 2004 reissue) Mustaine, Bud Prager Mustaine 0:52
4. "Crush 'Em"   Mustaine, Prager Mustaine, Friedman 4:58
5. "Breadline"   Mustaine, Prager Mustaine, Friedman 4:24
6. "The Doctor Is Calling"   Mustaine, Prager Mustaine, Friedman 5:40
7. "I'll Be There" (5:13 on 2004 reissue) Mustaine, Prager Mustaine, Friedman 4:20
8. "Wanderlust" (5:48 on 2004 reissue) Mustaine Mustaine, Friedman 5:22
9. "Ecstasy"   Mustaine Mustaine, Friedman 4:28
10. "Seven" (4:46 on 2004 reissue) Mustaine, Dave Ellefson Mustaine 5:01
11. "Time: The Beginning"   Mustaine Mustaine, Friedman 3:05
12. "Time: The End" (2:41 on 2004 reissue) Mustaine Mustaine 2:26
Total length:
 52:36

Japanese version

No. Title Lyrics Music Length
13. "Duke Nukem Theme"   (instrumental) Lee Jackson 3:54

2004 bonus tracks

No. Title Lyrics Music Length
13. "Insomnia" (Jeff Balding mix) Mustaine Mustaine 4:19
14. "Breadline" (Jack Joseph Puig mix) Mustaine, Prager Mustaine, Friedman 4:28
15. "Crush 'Em" (Jock mix) Mustaine, Prager Mustaine, Friedman 5:10

Limited Edition Bonus Disk/Holland Bonus CD ("No Risk Disk")

No. Title Lyrics Music Length
1. "Peace Sells"   Mustaine Mustaine 4.04
2. "In My Darkest Hour"   Mustaine, Ellefson Mustaine 6:20
3. "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"   Mustaine Mustaine 6:36
4. "Symphony of Destruction"   Mustaine Mustaine 4:06
5. "À Tout le Monde"   Mustaine Mustaine 4:31
6. "Use the Man"   Mustaine Mustaine, Friedman 4:37

Personnel

Megadeth
Production
Remix and Remaster
  • Produced by Dave Mustaine
  • Mixed by Ralph Patlan and Dave Mustaine
  • Engineered by Ralph Patlan with Lance Dean
  • Edited by Lance Dean, Scott "Sarge" Harrison, and Keith Schreiber with Bo Caldwell
  • Mastered by Tom Baker

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position
1999 The Billboard 200 16

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
1999 "Crush 'Em" Mainstream Rock Tracks 6
"Breadline" Mainstream Rock Tracks 6
"Insomnia" Mainstream Rock Tracks 26

Certifications

Country Certification
United States Gold

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Risk Album Notes. Capitol Records. 1999. pp. 13, 15. 
  2. ^ Author unknown. "Megadeth Swaps Guitarists In Mid-Tour". billboard.com. January 10, 2000
  3. ^ "Dave Mustaine - Metal Storm". Metalstorm.ee. http://www.metalstorm.ee/bands/bandmember.php?member_id=444. Retrieved 2011-09-26. 
  4. ^ "Megadeth Aim For New Album In 2011". soundspike.com.com. June 6, 2001. http://www.soundspike.com/news/2/3162-megadeth_news/. Retrieved July 5, 2011. 
  5. ^ Huey, Steve. "Risk (2004 Remix/Remaster) - Megadeth". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1720902/review. Retrieved 17 October 2011. 
Megadeth
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilation albums
Extended plays
Songs

"The Mechanix" · "These Boots" · "Wake Up Dead" · "Peace Sells" · "I Ain't Superstitious" · "Anarchy in the U.K." · "Mary Jane " · "In My Darkest Hour" · "Liar" · "Hook in Mouth" · "No More Mr. Nice Guy" · "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" · "Hangar 18" · "Go to Hell" · "Symphony of Destruction" · "Foreclosure of a Dream" · "Sweating Bullets" · "Skin o' My Teeth" · "Angry Again" · "99 Ways to Die" · "Paranoid" · "New World Order" · "Train of Consequences" · "À Tout le Monde" · "A Secret Place" · "Trust" · "Almost Honest" · "Use the Man" · "Crush 'Em" · "Insomnia" · "Breadline" · "Moto Psycho" · "Dread and the Fugitive Mind" · "Die Dead Enough" · "Of Mice and Men" · "The Scorpion" · "Gears of War" · "À Tout le Monde (Set Me Free)" · "Never Walk Alone... A Call to Arms" · "Dialectic Chaos" · "This Day We Fight!" · "44 Minutes" · "The Hardest Part of Letting Go... Sealed With a Kiss" · "Head Crusher" · "The Right to Go Insane" · "Sudden Death" · "Public Enemy No. 1 " · "Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)" · "Never Dead"
Video albums
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Tours
Related articles
Book:Megadeth  · Category:Megadeth  · Category:Megadeth audio samples  · Portal:Heavy metal  · Commons:Megadeth