Live Review: Megadeth

Megadeth are blazing a new trail since the departure of drummer Shawn Drover and guitarist Chris Broderick. The popularly rumoured Chris Adler of Lamb Of God has now taken the throne and contributed some ideas to the upcoming Megadeth album Dystopia. Guitarist Kiko Loureiro was a young prodigy who studied under the famous Brazilian musicians Pedro Bueno and Aldo D'lsep. It appears that Dave Mustaine and Dave Ellefson have crafted their most ingenious line-up possible. Megadeth are a band that have gone to tumultuous heights and sold incredible amounts of records. It shows the core members will continue to press on and make music because they love to perform.

Megadeth deliver a formidable setlist on their current tour. Multimedia is used heavily in the set, and there are animations across wide LED screens. Megadeth blast straight into Hangar 18. This is one of the money songs, and what follows is an onslaught of thrash riffing and high intensity laser lights. During the 18-song set there were quite a few standout songs. She-Wolf is played fast, the heavy bass lines of Ellefson providing a brilliant platform for the head-to-head guitar solos of Mustaine and Loureiro. Adler plays the back catalogue of Megadeth with ease. It is easy to tell the audience response to Adler is welcoming.

Sweating Bullets is such an unpredictable song, it can be performed in so many ways. At Festival Hall the memorable track from 1992's Countdown To Extinction was played loosely, like a drunken party jam. Mustaine is formidable on the electric guitar. Tornado Of Souls (one of the most technical Megadeth tracks) is played effortlessly with dual traded guitar solos between Mustaine and Loureiro. At two-thirds in Megadeth launch into the heavy grooves of Skin O' My Teeth. Then Symphony Of Destruction proves to be a highlight of the show. The riffing is instantly recognisable — it's a song that shows why Megadeth are up there with the best of them.

Megadeth close the show with a trio of hard-hitting songs. Peace Sells is an anthem that defined the band's image as a group with alternative sentiments. Mustaine then throws in new song Fatal Illusion which is set to appear on the new album Dystopia. Megadeth close the monster set with Holy Wars… The Punishment Due.