I guess this is how the story ends, to quote a song title from Endgame, the 12th album from thrash metal legends Megadeth? If true, and the forthcoming album and tour is to be Dave Mustaine’s last (under that moniker, at least), it’s good to see him not only leaving on his own terms, but with a body of work that — while it may include a few stinkers — contains more than enough killer albums to justify calling the “legend” tag and anchor their standing in the Big 4 of Thrash forever. And in Consuming the Tangible fashion, rather than mark the occasion with a bona-fide classic, I wanted to put the spotlight in Endgame, which doesn’t get nearly the praise it deserves as a top-tier Megadeth release.

If you’re coming out of the gate with your third lead guitarist in as many albums, you better make sure you announce it with some fire, and opening with the instrumental “Dialectic Chaos” immediately followed by the punishing “This Day We Fight!” not only is the prefect way to showcase Chris Broderick’s sinewy lead work, but might be the best 1-2 track sequence since Rust In Peace. “This Day We Fight!” in particular has that signature Mustaine riff I absolutely love. Backed by James Lomenzo on bass and Shawn Drover on drums it’s super tight and ferocious – you can tell a Megadeth riff in a heartbeat, and this one doesn’t disappoint.

That level of ferocity is all over Endgame; no weak remakes of “À Tout le Monde” to be found here, and the pop chances taken on Risk are buried deep in the earth (though they’ll resurface shortly). “44 Minutes” does that fake out where we get some harmonized melodies but the double kick and chugging comes fast after, grounded by a catchy chorus that brings back good Countdown to Extinction memories. It makes me laugh to see two songs in a row with numbers in their title, but fortunately “1,320′” is another burner of a track, with Mustaine killing it with his single note riffs and solos tradeoffs at the song’s conclusion.

It does raise a question though, as Endgame steamrolls through “Bite The Hand”, “Bodies”, and the title track. Written as a response to the Bush presidency and Mustaine’s own conspiracy-addled mind, I can’t help but give a slight eye roll to the cringe of lines like “I woke up in a black FEMA box / Darkness was all around me”. I don’t think Megadeth have ever been accused of great lyrical content, and I enjoy when he has fun, like on “3,120′” with its racing theme, but the consistent militaristic emphasis gets a little thick here.

Fortunately, past the title track we get what I think is a way more successful blending on commercial and heavy, with “The Hardest Part of Letting Go…Sealed With a Kiss” being a compact love letter to his wife that still whips. Not as much as the utterly crushing…uh, “Head Crusher” which predicts the more arena-themed rockers Mustaine would emphasize on follow-up Th1rt3en. And both “How The Story Ends” and closer “The Right to Go Insane” have that mid-paced stomp that the band has down cold since the early 90s.

Super solid, it’s been years since I re-visited Endgame and if the news of Megadeth’s forthcoming end has done anything it’s caused me to go and give the catalog another listen. Maybe I’ll learn to appreciate Youthanasia, an album I’ve long ignored. We’ll see, I guess.