Anthology: Set the World AFire

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Editorial Reviews:

Album Description
Megadeth was formed in 1983, shortly after California native Mustaine parted ways with Metallica. "When I first started the group, I wanted to form a band because I was very bitter about being fired (from Metallica) and my fuel was revenge," said the bracingly candid musician. With something to prove, Mustaine initially set out to create the heaviest metal band ever. Beginning with the band's 1985 debut album, Killing Is My Business.And Business Is Good!, and evolving through a shifting series of lineups, Megadeth crafted a dynamic, intelligent style that combined the aggressiveness of thrash metal, the improvisational nature of jazz, and cynical, articulate, politically-charged lyrics into an innovative mix that built a rabid worldwide following. Several early albums, including 1986's classic Peace Sells.But Who's Buying? and the masterful 1990 release, Rust In Peace, solidified the band's underground metal fanbase. In 1992, Megadeth burst into the mainstream with their fifth album, Countdown To Extinction, which debuted at #2 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart and went on to sell more than two million copies in the U.S. alone. 1994's Youthanasia followed with a #4 debut, while 1997's Cryptic Writings yielded four Top 20 hits at rock radio, including "Trust" and "Almost Honest." By the time of 1999's Risk, however, which featured a pop slant unheard on previous Megadeth recordings, Mustaine himself began to grow disillusioned with the band's direction and the music industry. 2001 saw a return to the band's heavier roots on The World Needs A Hero, but a year later, a compressed nerve in Mustaine's arm forced the singer and guitarist to put his career and Megadeth on hiatus, while reassessing both. Part of that reassessment involved Megadeth's Capitol Records catalog, which began with the band's second album, Peace Sells.But Who's Buying? "I always had the desire to make So Far, So Good.So What! (1988) sound good ever since it came out, because I wasn't really happy with it," says Mustaine. "I just wanted all of them to sound good." Mustaine spent months remixing, remastering, restoring - and in some cases, reconstructing - the band's Capitol catalog to bring it as close to his original vision as possible. Each reissue was packed with unreleased tracks, demos and alternate mixes, as well as new liner notes by the iconoclastic Mustaine. Megadeth's tenth studio album, 2004's The System Has Failed, debuted at #18 on Billboard's Top 200, and the band's sold-out "Blackmail The Universe" tour followed, supporting the new album and Capitol's extensive catalog campaign. Dave Mustaine's "GIGANTOUR," inspired in name by the classic 1960s cartoon "Gigantor," took Megadeth and a host of other bands selected by Mustaine across North America in 2005 and 2006. The prophecy continued with the band's most recent critically acclaimed album, United Abominations. For the majority of three decades, Megadeth has yanked heavy metal into the future - and been rewarded with seven Grammy nominations and five platinum and multi-platinum albums.

Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

It may be the third, but is also the best. October 5, 2008
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

This compilation covers the First album all the way to the first compilation (Capital Punishment: The Megadeth Years Dread and Fugitive Mind also made it to the ninth album) This compilation is heavy on the first five capitol records albums plus hidden treasures on top of 2 tracks from the first, sixth, and seventh albums including some b-sides(demos, live tracks, and rarities). I recommend this album for first time megadeth buyers that don't want to buy all the albums first or doesn't want to buy the warchest.

P.S. Every track that was on the second compilation (Back To The Start: Greatest Hits) is on here except the studio version of Symphony of Destruction.

4 out of 5 stars

Great Megadeth compilation apart from some questionable omissions September 30, 2008
7 out of 12 found this review helpful

Being kicked out of Metallica was the best thing that ever happened to Dave Mustaine. It wasn't long before he had his own band up and running - and the red-haired guitarist proved he could thrash with the best of `em. From 1983-2002, the band gave audiences two decades of the finest heavy metal on the face of the planet. Needless to say, they're a group that has no shortage of hits compilations.

Set The World Afire is, to my knowledge, the third Megadeth hits compilation (the others were Capitol Punishment and Back to the Start.) This compilation covers material ranging from 1985-2000.

So how does Set The World Afire hold up in comparison to the earlier Megadeth compilations? Considerably better considering it's two discs. The compilation unites a ton of key album cuts with plenty of non-album ones (soundtrack songs, for example.) There are a few gaping omissions that drag it down, though, and keep it from getting a perfect score.

Killing is My Business... And Business is Good! (1985)
Tracks Featured: Rattlehead, Mechanix
Comments: I'm pleased to see this compilation didn't give the band's first album the shaft. We get two great tracks from this classic thrash debut, though The Skull Beneath The Skin and Last Rites/Loved To Death are disappointingly omitted. Still, I'm grateful anything from this album got included at all.

Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? (1986)
Tracks Featured: Wake Up Dead, Peace Sells, Devil's Island
Comments: Great sophomore album, three great tracks. Very pleased to see the underrated gem Devil's Island make the cut. My only complaint is the omission of Good Mourning/Black Friday.

So Far, So Good... So What! (1988)
Tracks Featured: Anarchy in the U.K., In My Darkest Hour, Set The World Afire, Into the Lungs of Hell
Comments: In My Darkest Hour and the band's cover of the Sex Pistols classic Anarchy in the UK are Megadeth classics that belong on any of the band's compilations. The other two entries are not the best from the album, though. Would much rather have seen Mary Jane and Hook in Mouth.

Rust in Peace (1990)
Tracks Featured: Hangar 18, Holy Wars... The Punishment Due, Tornado Of Souls, Take No Prisoners
Comments: Four AWESOME Megadeth songs, you can't have a "best of Megadeth" package without Hanger 18 and Holy Wars! No big complaints here, though I wish the title track had made the cut as well.

Countdown to Extinction (1992)
Tracks Featured: Sweating Bullets, Skin O' My Teeth, Ashes In Your Mouth, Foreclosure of a Dream
Comments: Great album, too many great songs missing. Where are This Was My Life and the title track? Symphony of Destruction, one of the band's biggest hits (if not THE biggest) is missing as well, though it IS represented in the form of an inferior live rendition (more on that later.)

Youthanasia (1994)
Tracks Featured: Train of Consequences, Reckoning Day, A Tout Le Monde, The Killing Road
Comments: Probably the one album where I have no complaints about the tracks selected. These are all Megadeth fan favorites, worthy of their reputation. I won't nitpick the selections here, because this whole album was good, and naturally, we can't put every cut from it on here.

Cryptic Writings (1997)
Tracks Featured: Trust, She-Wolf
Comments: How can you make a Megadeth compilation and not include Almost Honest, I'll Get Even, and Use The Man?

Risk (1999)
Tracks Featured: Insomnia, Prince of Darkness
Comments: A Megadeth compilation without Crush `Em and Breadline? You've got to be kidding. Would also have liked to see Ecstasy, my favorite cut on the album, and the "Time" tracks from its conclusion as well.

The World Needs a Hero (2001)
Tracks Featured: None
Comments: The lack of tracks from this album is probably a legal issue, due to its being released on a different label. A shame, as this album was the perfect coda to a long and excellent career by the band (note that Dread and the Fugitive Mind actually DOES appear here, but I'm not including it in this paragraph since it originated on the Capitol Punishment compilation.

Non-Album Tracks (Various Years)
Tracks Featured: Crown of Worms (Demo), High Speed Dirt (Demo), New World Order (Demo), Symphony of Destruction (Live 1992), Peace Sells (Live 1992), Kill the King (Bonus track on Capitol Punishment compilation), Dread and the Fugitive Mind (Bonus track on Capitol Punishment), Go to Hell (Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey soundtrack), Breakpoint (Super Mario Bros. Movie soundtrack), Angry Again (Last Action Hero soundtrack)
Comments: A nice assortment of non-album tracks, though I don't approve of demos and live versions of tracks being used in lieu of their actual studio album counterparts. As far as the non-album cuts go, some disappointing omissions include the band's cover of Alice Cooper's No More Mr. Nice Guy, the cover of the Sex Pistols' Problems, and the Black Sabbath covers Paranoid and Never Say Die. There are a lot of underrated non-album tracks but I'll keep it short.

Nothing is included from The System Has Failed or United Abominations. As those don't include David Ellefson, they're technically just Dave Mustaine solo albums released under the Megadeth name, and their tracks were rightfully excluded (though I won't deny that there are some great cuts on those releases.)

If you're getting into Megadeth and don't want to lay down the cash for all of their albums, Set The World Afire is the way to go. Despite its problems, the compilation does a good job representing the band. Strongly recommended for any new fan that wants to begin experiencing the musical genius of Dave Mustaine.

3 out of 5 stars

If you're planning on buying this cd... October 7, 2008
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

be aware that the songs on this cd are the remastered songs. these are the "alternate versions" of the songs. they are not the original studio album versions. if you like the new versions of the songs buy it if not then dont waste your money. Sound quality is very distorted/staticky.

The song selection is pretty decent, but where's "Lucretia" ?

1 out of 5 stars

Another Compilation... October 9, 2008
3 out of 7 found this review helpful

Seems Capitol is really into milking Megadeth as of late, and it also appears they are into duping us fans by releasing a "demo" of a track that is only a slowed down/pitch altered version of the regular, album release version of High Speed Dirt.

If you already own the albums (remastered or originals), or another better compilation (Capitol Punishment, Back To The Start, or even the Warchest), then just ignore this pathetic release.

2 out of 5 stars

Darth...., The Box Set Is The Way To Go September 30, 2008
2 out of 9 found this review helpful

You're not a real Megadeth fan Darth if you don't know about the Box Set....
Warchest.

This set includes everything you need by Megadeth up till their last album and a DVD. So all you real Megadeth fans start with Warchest, then go on with your lives. Peace Out.

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