Megadeth - Killing is My Business... And Business is Good! 1985 USA-California

Bought this album on the same hot Dallas summer day in 1985 with Exodus' Bonded with Blood. Had very high expectations for both, but neither met them. Exodus received more listens, but neither title made it too far into the 90s with moi. And both were gone - long sold off for a fraction of today's going rates. These two groups are forever linked together in my mind, but they are very different, despite both having strong Metallica connections. I've discussed my reunion with Exodus on a couple of posts already, but not Megadeth.

Unlike Exodus, Megadeth has aged much better for me. Also to note, I did go one more album with Exodus real time (Pleasures of the Flesh) before giving up on them. Megadeth did not receive a second chance. It was only 5 years ago I executed a bulk buy on a pile of classic thrash CDs. There were many Megadeth albums in there. And this included the ones that had achieved great commercial success in the 90s. Those I remember hearing from one of the girls I worked with (strange I know..), and wasn't very enamored with (1994 to 1995 time frame). And that remained true here as well. But from this set of CDs, it was albums two through four that had impact with me. I'd heard some of these songs on Headbangers Ball and the like but never pursued the albums, because you know, I already bought the debut and wasn't into them. But the first album was strangely missing from this batch. Perhaps for the better, because it gave me an excuse to buy an original - or close to an original - vinyl record. It's the nostalgia pull thing again. With Bonded in Blood I settled for trade credit for a modern 2010 pressing. But I planned to holdout on Killing, and that day has finally arrived (see Ownership below).

In hearing this album again, I could see where my disappointment came from. It's not very heavy, which was its primary fault. By 1985, I wanted a Metallica styled production. Apparently Megadeth blew their budget on booze and drugs. Well, OK, whatever. Makes for a good story, but plenty of bands with no budget did better than this. What I hear today is something of a guitar fronted jazz fusion band doing thrash metal with screaming James Hetfield (early James Hetfield) styled vocals thrown on top. When you realize that both guitarist Chris Poland and drummer Gar Samuelson (who later formed the brilliant Fatal Opera) were actually playing in a jazz fusion band prior, then it all comes together. Few would argue that Mustaine wasn't adept at playing the guitar, and his riffing style here is fairly advanced for 1985. So that's your story line. It's not a brilliant album by any means, and way too short. Also it was miles behind where Metallica were by then. If Mustaine was a woman scorned, then he still got steamrolled by her former lover. But it does have a place in history, and I'm glad to have it back. 

Ownership: LP: 1986 Music For Nations (UK). Second UK pressing. Single sleeve with inner lyric bag. Recent online acquisition (2022). My original Ride the Lightning LP (also MFN) was purchased real time at HMV in London (a treasure of my collection), so I'm OK with the UK version here. The first copy I owned was the Combat press (same with Exodus) which goes for much more these days. This one will stick around unless JL shows up with a copy (and he might). But he wasn't much for thrash, so I don't have my hopes up.

7//85; 12/7/22 (new entry)