Cryptic Writings
Term
- 49:22 (Album)
- 61:13 ( re-release )
Occupation
- Vocals, Guitar: Dave Mustaine
- Guitar: Marty Friedman
- Bass, backing vocals: David Ellefson
- Drums: Nick Menza
Studios
- The Tracking Room, Nashville, Tennessee ( USA)
- The Castle, Franklin, Tennessee ( USA)
Cryptic Writings (English for lit.: " Cryptic works" ) is the seventh studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was released in June 1997 on Capitol Records. Stylistically, the price of Countdown to Extinction and Youthanasia continues to thrash and speed songs will be omitted. Mid-tempo metal and rock songs mixed with some more experimental pieces. The album reached platinum status than before the last of the band in the U.S..
As singles were Trust ( previously on May 8, 1997), Almost Honest ( September 1997), coupled Use the Man and A Secret Place (both 1998). Up to Use the Man there were all singles music videos.
Formation
The album Cryptic Writings was preceded by a meeting of Dave Mustaine and former Giant guitarist Dann Huff in Los Angeles. After a jam session Huff was hired as a producer for the album. Since Huff in Nashville, Tennessee, lived, the plate was there also included.
"We were extremely well prepared and have a lot of material recorded in about three months. We first times all bring their own, of which we thought we might need it and were completely dumbfounded when then then all his equipment still on it grabbed. We thought we were at a music store ... Incredible treasures and rarities of the man. "
Song content and musical style
The lyrics are less political, included as personal considerations. Mustaine said he will no longer write about the "teenage revolution " and have it replaced by a " brutal honesty ." So the song is Use the Man, which is initiated with a sample of Needles and Pins of the Searchers, drug problems, according to a statement Mustaine of a friend of his. Almost Honest is about phrases and everyday lies. The album title means " secret writing " and refers to the phrase " paint the devil on the wall ." Partial synthesizer may be used. Unlike other Thrash bands at that time ( about Metallica Load) put Mustaine but a clear commitment to the Metal from:
"Maybe it's more dangerous now to stand up for his beliefs, as heavy metal musicians to stand by his image, not to say that we were actually never really Heavy Metal, we have always been an alternative ... "
Cover design
The first edition of the album was released with a silver cover artwork, all of the following with a black. According to Dave Mustaine this was done deliberately in order to create a " collector's item ".
Title list
The pieces marked with * are bonus tracks the re-release of 2004. Means FFF Fight for Freedom.
Reception
Cryptic Writings was average to good reviews. Jon Wiederhorn in Rolling Stone called the record a " fast paced, high energy album that should inspire Metallica fans who got excited about Load. " He rated it 3.5 stars out of five points. On Stephen Thomas Erlewine allmusic.com wrote, Megadeth sounded better if they played thrash, the band acted under the Cryptic Writings fatigued. For this purpose, has also contributed the smooth production. He forgave two and a half stars out of five. Wolfgang Schäfer, employee of Rock Hard, awarded eight out of ten. He saw in the " dry and sterile -sounding" production documents a " penchant for perfectionism ." The band do in any case " in any case no prisoners " and play "classic ' Deth metal, such as wanting him to hear the fans. "