Killing Is My Business...
Loud/Sony (Re-issue)
This has got to be the best reissue of the year! What makes this release so damn special is the fact that it wasn't only re-mastered but actually re-mixed as well. I had the pleasure of sitting in Enterprise studios in Burbank with Dave and engineer Bill Kennedy while they were re-mixing this classic record. It was amazing to witness first-hand history in the re-making! For those who own the original vinyl (released in '85) can recall the thin, tinny production. I, for one, was terribly disappointed with the weak production of the original vinyl, considering how brilliant and groundbreaking the music was. I always thought to myself, if there ever was a classic metal record that deserved a proper remix, it was Killing Is My Bussiness...! And, nearly 20 years later, my dream had come true!
After spinning this disc for the first time, I almost forgot how mind-blowing and groundbreaking this album truly was! This was the first "intricate" thrash-metal album ever recorded, melding jazz/fusion with hard-core thrash. And till this very day, there is no other album quite like Killing Is My Business...!
Songs such as the opener; "Last Rites/Loved To Deth," the title track, "The Skull Beneath The Skin," "Mechanix" (a song Metallica reworked as "The Four Hoursemen") and the classic cover of the Nancy Sinatra hit "These Boots" are true thrash-metal classics! Unfortunately, due to publishing conflict, many of the words in "These Boots" had to be censored with an annoying "beep." I remember having a conversation with Mustaine in the studio, he was unsure about including "These Boots" on this CD. He hated the idea of censorship yet he knew if he was to include his original version of the song (as it appeared on the vinyl with the " altered" lyrics)he would more than likely be sued by the publisher. I told Dave that his rendition of "These Boots" was the best cover song ever recorded and he should do whatever it takes to include it on the new CD. He agreed. Even though certain lyrics had to be censored, it still gives the public...those perhaps unfamiliar with early Megadeth...a taste of Mustaine's true musical genius. This is one CD that is an absolute must for any rock fan! BN
Shockwaves CD REVIEWS ISSUE 8 Page 11