Artist: MEGADETH
Album: YOUTHANASIA REMASTERED (CD)

Release date: 1994/ 2004
EAN/UPS: 00724359862323
Media type: CD

Despite now enjoying heady success, during 1993 Dave Mustaine was, by his own later admission, still teetering on the edge. MEGADETH performed a less than secretive gig billed as VIC AND THE RATTLEHEADS at Nottingham's Rock City venue on 3rd June. This show preceded the newsworthy spectacle of the band billed as special guests to METALLICA's festival gig at the Milton Keynes Bowl two days later, sharing the billing with DIAMOND HEAD and THE ALMIGHTY. A 1993 support tour of North America to AEROSMITH was curtailed when, in Houston, Texas, MEGADETH were forced out, Mustaine apparently simply unable to perform. AEROSMITH themselves were also none too pleased at remarks Mustaine made about their age. The vocalist entered into a de-tox programme and in the lull Ellefson busied himself with production for Texan metal act HELSTAR for their 'Multiples Of Black' album.

With the pressure now off, MEGADETH reunited for two interim projects that were to give an indication as to future material, namely the 'Angry Again' track for the 'Last Action Hero' movie soundtrack and '99 Ways To Die' submitted for the Beavis & Butthead compilation album on Geffen. MARTY FRIEDMAN also found the time for a solo album.

MEGADETH relocated to Phoenix, Arizona to record the Max Norman produced 'Youthanasia' album, released in November 1994, even constructing a brand new studio titled Fat Planet in which to lay down tracks. The album was to break into the American top five and go double platinum as MEGADETH embarked on an almost year long world tour. Interestingly, the 'Youthanasia' album artwork was banned in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore for depicting an old woman hanging babies out on a clothes line. The babies depicted in the video for the album track 'Train Of Consequences' were also censored by MTV world-wide.

With Mustaine's continual battle against addiction a harsh regime of no alcohol was put into force for all MEGADETH shows. The close of 1994 saw MEGADETH touring South America with support from British rockers THE ALMIGHTY. 1995 North American dates saw FEAR FACTORY as openers. One obscure gig saw the band playing a one off show in Tel Aviv, Israel. MEGADETH took a further foray into South America in September 1995 as part of the 'Monsters Of Rock' bill alongside OZZY OSBOURNE, ALICE COOPER, FAITH NO MORE and PARADISE LOST, to round off a gruelling eleven months on the road. With the close of the tour Mustaine busied himself with the MD45 project, a punk industrial project in collaboration with FEAR's Lee Ving.

TRACKLIST:

1. Reckoning Day
2. Train Of Consequences
3. Addicted To Chaos
4. A Tout Le Monde
5. Elysian Fields
6. The Killing Road
7. Blood Of Heroes
8. Family Tree
9. Youthanasia
10. I Thought I Knew It All
11. Black Curtains
12. Victory

Bonus tracks:

13. Millennium Of The End - previously unreleased
14. New World Order (Demo) - previously unreleased
15. Absolution (Instrumental) - previously unreleased
16. A Tout Le Monde - previously unreleased

LINE-UP:

Dave Mustaine (vocals/ guitar)
Marty Friedman (guitar)
Dave Ellefson (bass)
Nick Menza (drums)