MEGADETH's new album, Th1rt3en, was released last week by Roadrunner but due to "technical issues" we were forced to delay our review of the album until now, as BraveWords.com continues to spotlight key metal releases. "Metal" Tim Henderson rates the album 7/10 on the BW&BK; scale. Check out his review below:

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Album number two from a Big 4 band since they united forces in the name of '80s thrash! It's still a surreal phenomenon to me, the devoted fan that bought all of these bands as new releases when they were far from a household name. But don't you think there's a competition going on now? Inside, sure. The new ANTHRAX rules and could be top album of the year. While METALLICA made the bizarre (asinine?) move to unite with LOU REED, you can't technically count that in the mix. SLAYER? We're still waiting for the follow-up to World Painted Blood. These bands are fighting for their lives cuz any chink in their armour could result in a change in the Big 4 pecking order! Next in line is Th1rt3en, the current chapter in Dave Mustaine's steam-train that has been back on the rails since the late '90s. Yes indeed, Megadeth are firing on all cylinders with renewed vigour and a line-up that's more solid than anytime in their career, helped along at this juncture by the returned Dave Jr. (Ellefson). But most importantly tho, is it worthy musically?

Although lead-off track 'Sudden Death' (please Dave give us another crushing opener like 'Into the Lungs Of Hell' or 'Holy Wars...') and the punched up 'Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)' are standard fare, 'Public Enemy No. 1' contains that patented Mustaine harmonic snarl wrapped around a killer chorus. Good stuff and wise choice for first video (see below). 'We The People' is reminiscent of the classic 'Captive Honour' with sample drum-roll/spoken-word intro, and Mustaine politicking about America's woes. The social commentary ensues with 'Guns, Drugs, & Money', the band obviously flagging a major US problem, an issue with serious repercussions to Canada as well. 'Never Dead' (an earlier released track from the Konami video game of the same name), 'Fast Lane' and 'Wrecker' add a bit of excitement to the mix with a hearty dose of speed metal and plenty o' Mustaine/Broderick noodling. The tracks reinforce drummer Shawn Drover's poignant presence in the mix as he currently sits as the band's longest employed skinsman. 'Black Swan', 'New World Order' and 'Deadly Nightshade' (ALICE IN CHAINS influence on the lead?) may be a brooding bruisers, but the formula is becoming a little tiring and in need of a booster cable. The lead intro to 'Millennium Of The Blind' could have been yanked off a MAIDEN album, but emerges as a mellow affair with more valid social commentary. Of course Mustaine still doesn't have much faith in society and tirelessly reiterates: 'blind follow, blind lead'. The title track 'Th1rt3en' closes off the album with an acoustic flair, more self-reflection, deeper melancholy - "thirteen times and it's been lucky for me." But man, this should be a stormer, not a downer. That's why your name is Megadeth.

Roadrunner conducted an exclusive (really? More like lacklustre...) interview (here) with Mustaine upon release of Th1rt3en and he commented on the way the biz has changed: "I remember when I first got my first record contract, being able to pick which four songs were going to be on which side of the record. And then the last time we went to the studio, we had a conversation where somebody had said that they wanted to have almost twice that many songs on the record, and I just laughed at how much things have changed, where a man can put almost his entire life's work into a record."

Things don't have to change Dave. Deliver us four songs a side and trim the fluff. You may be injured, but you don't have to bang your head physically, do it emotionally. But Megadeth aren't selling to me anymore, rather the kids who weren't born during the '80s heyday of the Big 4. But for credibility sake it still matters. "I am invincible," Mustaine growls on 'Public Enemy No. 1', but I'm not sure if it's true these days.

A passable effort, but Megadeth are falling into the trap again. Anthrax broke their mould. We need more bite, a bit more danger. Th1rt3en is too safe. Gimme blood, sweat and fear! Two down, two to go. Let's see what Slayer and Metallica have up their sleeves.