Megadeth - Cryptic Writings (1997)

Riff Raff

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Artist - Megadeth
Album - Cryptic Writings
Released - 1997

Track list
1. Trust
2. Almost Honest
3. Use the Man
4. Mastermind
5. The Disintegrators
6. I'll Get Even
7. Sin
8. A Secret Place
9. Have Cool, Will Travel
10. She-Wolf
11. Vortex
12. FFF

This was to be the last album with the 'classic' Megadeth line-up. What changes happened with this after Youthanasia?

Adopting a bit more of a radio friendly sound, the fanbase would be divided somewhat by this release, not near as much as Risk does but this was an album where for some it spelt 'selling out' for Megadeth according to the purists.

Do I think the same way? No actually. I do agree this album is more radio friendly but that does not automatically make the album bad. I think there are a lot of good songs on this album. We have the classic opener Trust with that awesome drum solo to open, Almost Honest is another song I really enjoy.

Use The Man is a classic example of an acoustic ballad that I also like listening to. Diversity is not always a bad thing. Songs like Mastermind, Have Cool Will Travel and Vortex are ones I personally was not a bigger fan of, they to me were the not bad but average songs. I loved the songs Sin, The Disintegrators, She-Wolf which the latter had been often played live.

This album while it does sound like it is mainstream or radio friendly, it still retains plenty of the core metal sound that you know is Megadeth. Purists need to stop expecting a Rust In Peace in every single album Megadeth does.

Ill give this album about a 7/10. Under rated album to the max. My advice is give this album a shot with an open mind.

My favourite 3 songs below.
Use The Man


The Disintegrators


Sin
 

opera races

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Another excellent writeup, Riff Riff! :tup:

I agree with your comments.

Cryptic Writings was my second Megadeth album after Countdown To Extinction. Then I went back and got the older albums. I'm definitely not a Megadeth purist. I appreciate just about everything by Megadeth from the thrash to the more "mainstream" tracks. Megadeth was still putting out good solid albums in the 90's and beyond while their contemporaries ... were not ...

Another major difference with Cryptic Writings which I'm sure had an effect on the album and its more "mainstream" quality was Dann Huff (Giant) as the producer. Dann Huff was also the producer on Risk.
 

Riff Raff

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Another excellent writeup, Riff Riff! :tup:

I agree with your comments.

Cryptic Writings was my second Megadeth album after Countdown To Extinction. Then I went back and got the older albums. I'm definitely not a Megadeth purist. I appreciate just about everything by Megadeth from the thrash to the more "mainstream" tracks. Megadeth was still putting out good solid albums in the 90's and beyond while their contemporaries ... were not ...

Another major difference with Cryptic Writings which I'm sure had an effect on the album and its more "mainstream" quality was Dann Huff (Giant) as the producer. Dann Huff was also the producer on Risk.
Good to see people appreciate on its merits rather then pointless comparisons to the best of their work. :)

The songs I said I found average I don't dislike, I just find other of the songs a bit better.
 

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