So Far, So Good...So What! [Bonus Tracks] [PA] [Remaster] (CD - 1988)

A largely uninspired effort recorded with a new guitarist and drummer, So Far, So Good...So What! lacks the conceptual unity and musical bite of Peace Sells, which helps push much of its lyrical material into the realm of self-parody, as Mustaine rants about the PMRC, the apocalypse, ex-girlfriends, and other people he is angry with, while hinting at the depth of his substance abuse problem with "502," a paean to driving drunk. The album wants to sound threatening but mostly comes off as forced and somewhat juvenile; typical is the embarrassing cover of "Anarchy in the U.K.," which is played in Megadeth's tightly controlled riffing style and without the looseness of the original, making it sound stilted and stiff -- and Mustaine doesn't even get the lyrics right. This one is for diehards only. ~ Steve Huey

Although it featured a new drummer and guitarist, So Far, So Good...So What! was a disappointment after the violent precision of Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? While there are some fine tracks, like "In My Darkest Hour," the album lacks focus and is marred by such ill-conceived songs as "Hook In Mouth" and a boneheaded cover of "Anarchy in the U.K." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Following the release of 1986's heavy metal classic PEACE SELLS BUT WHO'S BUYING?, half of Megadeth's original line-up abruptly split. Guitarist Chris Poland and drummer Gar Samuelson parted, leaving the band in the hands of guitarist/singer Dave Mustaine and bassist Dave Ellefson. Despite the fact that the two remaining Megadeth members had become addicted to hard drugs, they wasted little time in finding replacements in drummer Chuck Behler and guitarist Jeff Young. This second lineup lasted just long enough to issue a third Megadeth album, 1988's SO FAR, SO GOOD, SO WHAT!

While very short (barely over 30 minutes) and not on par with its exceptional predecessor, SO FAR helped to solidify Megadeth's standing as one of speed metal's leading acts. "Anarchy in the U.S.A.," a reworking of the Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the U.K.," proved popular among MTV's metal set but doesn't come close to matching the original's spiteful power. "502" (the L.A.P.D. code for driving intoxicated), the venomous "Liar," a tribute to Metallica's late bassist Cliff Burton ("In My Darkest Hour"), the anti-censorship "Hook In Mouth," and the lethal one-two punch of "Into the Lungs of Hell" and "Set the World Afire" fare much better. minimize