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Killing Is My Business - Reissue
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Performer Notes
Megadeth: Dave Mustaine (vocals, guitar, piano); Chris Poland (guitar); David Ellefson (bass, background vocals); Gar Samuelson (drums, timpani).
Producers: Dave Mustaine, Karat Faye.
Recorded at Indigo Ranch Studios, Malibu, California and Crystal Sound Labs, Hollywood, California in December 1984 & January 1985. Includes liner notes by Dave Mustaine, Scott Ian, and David Ellefson.
Digitally remastered by Tom Baker (Precision Mastering).
Personnel: Chris Poland, Dave Mustaine (vocals, guitar, piano); David Ellefson (bass guitar, background vocals); Gar Samuelson (drums, timpani).
Audio Mixer: Bill Kennedy.
Audio Remasterer: Tom Baker .
Liner Note Authors: Dave Mustaine; David Ellefson; Scott Ian.
Recording information: Crystal Sound Lab, Hollywood, CA (12/1984-01/1985); Indigo Ranch Studios (12/1984-01/1985); Malibu Sound Lab, Hollywood, CA (12/1984-01/1985).
Photographer: Megadeth.
After guitarist Dave Mustaine was booted out of Metallica in 1983, he immediately returned home to San Francisco and formed Megadeth. The new outfit was instantly compared to Mustaine's former band, and the comparisons haven't subsided since. Whereas both outfits shared such musical elements as muted guitar riffs and speedy rhythms, Megadeth's first album seemed to be more influenced by punk and hardcore. KILLING IS MY BUSINESS AND BUSINESS IS GOOD also saw Mustaine's debuting his lead-vocal skills.
Mustaine must have had a lot of pent-up anger to express, since KILLING is simply explosive from beginning to end. The brutal title track lyrically deals with a sniper who revels in hunting down his unsuspecting prey. Nancy Sinatra's hit "These Boots are Made For Walking" is redone as a blinding speed metal ditty. Other highlights include the album opening "Last Rites/Loved to Death" and the pro-heavy metal "Rattlehead." The album-closing "Mechanix" had previously surfaced-as "The Four Horsemen," with different lyrics-on Metallica's debut KILL 'EM ALL. While not as exceptional as Megadeth's subsequent albums, KILLING proves that Mustaine is a survivor.
Professional Reviews
Q (5/00, p.130) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Their debut has withstood the ensuing 15 years suprisingly well. Mustaine's vocals and bitter lyrics still sound fresh, and the nimble fretwork could still inspire an outbreak of air guitar..."
