There's something strange going on with metallic stalwarts Megadeth on the band’s 12th studio album, Endgame. It exudes an unusual sense of nostalgic comfort and finds the band at its most unified in years. While previous efforts have been mired in attempts at being grandiose, Endgame strips away pretense, getting to the heart of the matter: raging songs. No, it's not an outright thrash metal masterpiece, but Endgame is proof that the important aspects of Megadeth's personality remain intact. The majority of tracks could easily be pulled from some of the band's best efforts, reaching back as far as the snotty aggression of Peace Sells... But Who's Buying , yet not forgetting the patient, mid-tempo sneer of Countdown to Extinction. And given the decades of ups-and-downs Megadeth has endured, this sort of musical overseeing is far better and more appreciated than a half-hearted attempt at revisiting one specific era.

Whether or not Megadeth main man Dave Mustaine realizes how close he comes to pilfering his own catalogue, grazing the finer elements of tracks such as “Devil's Island,” “Into the Lungs of Hell,” “Hangar 18,” “Liar” and “Holy Wars... The Punishment Due” is questionable but instantly forgivable. There are worse tracks that could be referenced, after all. In that way, the album succeeds in appealing to all fans, past and present, mostly via the thunderous pace and obliterating guitar solos. Finally, a ballsy record worthy of the Megadeth moniker.