I enjoyed Risk actually. Most avoid it but I love that album.
I still know it was a failure, it was a flop but it has some pretty cool tunes.
Megadeth thrash album also goes to The System Has Failed and Endgame.
Count me in as one of those who don't like Risk. It's not that the music is bad, because you're right, it is good in its own right as it has a lot of Marty's technical work involved, but it's like the uncle nobody talks about during family gatherings for a lot of Megadeth fans. Dave was smart and rebounded with The World Needs a Hero, which was like turning back to Youthanasia/Cryptic Writings/Countdown and kept along that road, and actually got better with The System Has Failed, United Abominations (the most aggressive sound post-Risk, and probably the most politically-charged album ever), and Endgame.
Th1rt3en, for me, wasn't all that great, really. I was expecting more, I suppose. It's nice; it has some 90's 'Deth elements (Dave's solo in Public Enemy #1, for instance), some TWNAH and TSHF elements (Never Dead) that I liked, but overall it was a ho-hum effort. New World Order is great, but it's a rewrite from the RIP/Countdown era (and sounds like it).
I really wish Megadeth had stuck with Degrasso...And a problem I have with his [Drover] drumming on Thirteen is I hear a very dominating kick drum sound, the drumming on the album leaves a lot to be desired.
I agree there. Degrasso is a very good drummer and reminded me of Menza with a bit more heavy foot and a smart double bass. Drover just seems to overdrive a lot of songs on here, which begs the question; are the songs just too weak for his drumming or is he too strong/heavy of a drummer to tone it down?
At this moment, I'd have to rank Megadeth's albums as such:
- United Abominations
- Countdown to Extinction
- Rust In Peace
- Endgame
- The System Has Failed
- Youthanasia
- The World Needs A Hero
- Peace Sells
- Th1rt3en
- Cryptic Writings
- Killing Is My Business
- So Far So Good....So What
- Risk