Review of the Album "United Abominations" by Megadeth (2007)

United Abominations is the 2007 album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. With this album, there are two new members once again. They are brothers Shawn and Glen Drover. Former White Lion bassist James Lomenzo plays the bass guitar in this album. It is part of Dave Mustaine’s “revolving door” policy where members come in and they are either fired or they leave on their own volition. This 2007 album is obviously better than the band’s last three albums made in the 1990’s. The album lyrically expresses the anger, outrage, and fury of the American political system. No, Megadeth certainly isn’t finished as a band and it is because of Mustaine’s decision to return to playing music that Megadeth is still active.

Sleepwalker begins with some guitar and synth style keyboards before the song gets gradually heavier. The song is about a monster that comes in the middle of the night to snuff people’s lives out. Mustaine uses some creativity in the start of this song with acoustic guitar. Lyrically, the song is similar to the Judas Priest song Nightcrawler. If this was the theme of a film or a cartoon, people would have to watch out what is coming. Then the song speeds up similar to the song Rust in Peace… Polaris. Where was this kind of creativity in 1999? Dave Mustaine redeemed himself and saved the band after 2001 and I’m sure metal fans are really grateful for that. Sleepwalker can also be thought of a song about sleepwalking through life where everything feels like it is always the same.

The song Washington is Next is a great song about how it is the US government’s goal to keep the population poor and stupid. They go after the church and of course, American family values have really declined opening up the door for MANY social problems. The promotion of various vices such as sex, violence, and war creates a society where even children are brainwashed and they suffer as adults. The starting riff leading into the early parts of the song sounds like Iron Maiden’s song Wasted Years. There is no logic in biological warfare. The song speaks of the enormous political dysfunction that exists in the nation’s capital.

United Abominations is a song that addresses the threat and possibility of nuclear warfare. The song criticizes the United Nations for being in favor of getting as much money for oil and meanwhile many people around the world are starving to death. Megadeth lyrically has been very similar to System of a Down bringing awareness to what is wrong or falling apart in the world. These problems need to be addressed otherwise we could see the increase in violence, social chaos and disorder. The next song called Gears of War is about the effects of ethnic cleansing as the world continues to create more sophisticated weaponry while some of these crimes go on ignored.

This album also has a re-made version of the song A Tout Le Monde from the Youthanasia album except it sounds more modern and Lacuna Coil’s Cristina Scabbia provides some backing vocals. The singing is faster by Dave Mustaine. Next to the song title are the words “set me free.”

The song Amerikhastan is a song about what happened to lead to the US war in Afghanistan. It is moves like this that open up the environment for religious extremism. The song also describes what happens during a guerilla war and that’s a style that US troops are not used to. The US has been in a state of perpetual war since 2001.

Overall, United Abominations is a good album but it is not as good as The World Needs a Hero or The System Has Failed. Having had Chris Poland for that album really made a difference. The best songs on this album are Sleepwalker and Washington is Next!