Ever notice how a lot of metal fans tend to judge music solely by how accessable it is rather than how good it is? This is what happened when Megadeth released Youthanasia back in 1994. While the album met with strong reviews and very strong sales overall, some fans were unnecessarely disappointed when they found out how soft and moody it was compared to earlier releases.

But if you listen to Youthanasia side-by-side with Countdown To Extinction, you'll notice Youth really isn't much softer nor more "pop-like." In fact, Youthanasia (in a lot of ways) has a decidely less commercial sound than Countdown. Probably because the guitars on Youth are decidedly heavier (remember how unusually plain they sometimes sounded on Countdown), and the mood quite a bit darker (don't expect all the sarcastic jokes and humor of Countdown here, ladies and gentlemen).

And it isn't as if Megadeth was trying to cash in on what was popular back in late 1994. This album doesn't sound grungey nor alternative. Rather, it seems stuck somewhere between a heavy rock album and a heavy metal album. True, it does have the occasionally pop-like beats of a rock album, but a lot of solos are just as grinding as you would expect from a metal album, riffs just as heavy, and song themes just as disturbing. Disturbing enough that MTV actually refused to play the video for A Tout Le Monde because of what the song was dealing with (suicide). How's that for a sell out?

As for the actual songs, I can't really think of any that I didn't like. Train of Consequences is definitely the album's highlight with its excellent drumming, catchy riff, and great solo. Addicted to Chaos has one of the most beautiful solos Megadeth has ever done, and one of the most powerful choruses they'd ever done. Elysian Fields has a catchy (almost hammer-like) beat, and Family Tree is among the darkest and most disturbing songs Megadeth has ever written (no, it's not a love song as its chorus may suggest, but actually a song about incest).

In brief, Youthanasia is a great album. Especially if you liked the previous Countdown To Extinction. After all, there's really no major difference in accesability between the two albums.

I really don't understand why metal fans keep insisting in the useless paranoia speech of "selling out" every time a metal band releases an album who isn't bloddy 5000 beats per minute loud and noisy as their former ones! Let's face it, Youthanasia is one of the best Megadeth albums ever. Musically and lyrically speaking. The mood is heavier, though the pace is slower than Countdown or Rust. The guitars have been tune down half a step, so it contributes to that.
Musically, it is a killer! Mustaine's both vocals and riffing are amazing, very well produced and Marty does well with some amazing soloing.
Sure, it isn't as "Megadethish" as Peace Sells or Rust, but it sure as hell is a definite highlight in this outstanding band's carrer.
"Addicted to Chaos" is my favorite, but you can name every one of the songs in the album as quite good. Intricate, melodic, defying, dark and metalic. That sums up this masterpiece!

Looking back at Megadeth's history book, clear is their musicianship, talent and above all their constant maturity and improvements.The band hit the top when they recorded Countdown to Extinction and then.....they stormed over the top with Youthanasia. The album features a more mature sound/riffing/solos from the band. The songs are shorter than those in Rust in peace (which is Megadeth favourite album by fans) but each song in Youthanasia is as heavy as those in Rust....The solos are more melodic here and the techniques used in riffing and solos is more complex and melodic(again!). The album opens with the wicked 'Reckoning day' which has a cool 'acoustic-like' solo. then comes the 'Train of consequences & Addicted to chaos'. what comes next is one of Megadeth's finest and most sincere moments....A tout le monde is a classic, with all the meanings that classic holds. the lyrics in this song are beautiful. The intro is one of my favourites and the bridge/chorus are among the best you can ever hear. Also on this album, there's the haunting 'Family tree' with its neat bass riff. The song 'Youthanasia' is also an excellent song advancing from the slow doomy-like riff to the typical Megadeth thrash riff. Then to add a magnificent final touch to the album, 'I thought I knew it all' comes to play. Everything in this song is perfect. The lyrics will haunt you for a long time. The riff will echo in your ears and the solo will complete this classic (too!)...The production on this album (like Countdown to extinction) is crisp and the sound is crystal-clear. All in all this album truley a masterpiece. I am not just writing down an opinion here just so you know that I'm a big fan of Megadeth, but good music should be appreciated anywhere and this album is surely one of music's finest hours, one of metal's greatest offerings and one of Megadeth's best albums...ever. It's an album to enjoy,keep and treasure...and that's a fact. Thank you.

In most ways, heavy metal foursome Megadeth is a more intelligent and musically flexible version of Metallica; this is not made surprising (or derivative), as guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine was the former's original lead guitarist, and his writing influence was even felt by Metallica to their second album--all after he had been fired from the band. Relevant comparisons aside, Mustaine, Nick Menza, Marty Friedman, & David Ellefson continue to prove their dominance of heavy metal (and give Metallica a run for their money when it comes to merit) with their 1994 masterpiece, the inventive, yet underappreciated, "Youthanasia."
The tracks contained on this disc are pure heavy metal, and still hold a powerful musical and lyrical element of classical arrangements, as heard in the intro of 'Blood Of Heroes' (which also displays great vocal mixing) and the harrowing 'A Tout Le Monde.' 'Train Of Consequences' sounds like an updated rock version of Alfred Noyes' poem "The Highwayman" while other songs like the title track, 'Family Tree,' and 'Addicted To Chaos' are so genuinely real they are nearly heartwrenching.
"Youthanasia" remains a surreal heavy metal accomplishment, though slightly obscured by some of Megadeth's more often-noted albums. The band attributes its label as "below standards" to producer Max Norman's theory that the tracks had to be 250 beats a minute in order to get on the radio (as they contend in an interview with the magazine "Maximum Guitar"). Nonetheless, "Youthanasia" is solid, and its heavy metal foundation is both blistering and gutwrenching.

Youthanasia is one of the three best Megadeth records ever. The other ones are: Countdown to extinction and Rust in peace. Not one of theese three records sounds like the one before at all and that's great. The sound on this one is not as sharp as on the previous ones and on several tracks the guitars are downtuned. If Countdown.. was a little more commercial than RIP this is a little more commercial than Countdown.. But don't get scared now, this is still a band at the peak of their career thrashing everything that gets in their way. The songs are of different nature and each one has a unike touch. One big differece was that all bandmembers have written much of the material on this one. This helped the record to have a very personal profile. All the songs are unike, the only complain I have is that the first half is better than the second half where some songs sound a little to similar and gory. Still there are no fillers on this album, buy it now!

A track analysis:

Reckoning Day:
Oh man what a blast. Full on riffing with very melodic midle part.

Train Of Consequences:
Heavy as hell, similar to Metallicas sad but true

Addicted to chaos:
What a songtitle, cool heavy song with good vocals.

A Tout Le Monde:
Megadeth records a ballad! Well... Allmost. A true live classic.

Elysian Fields:
Not much to say, good standard song.

Killing Road:
A song about touring with Megadeth, supercool riffs.

Blood Of Heroes:
One Of My Favourites, emotional but still heavy.

Family Tree:
Melodic and good, one of the favourites.

Youthanasia:
Not bad but not supergood. It sounds very dark and slow.

I Thought I Knew It All:
Well.. Good, but...

Black Curtains:
Depressivly downtuned and angry still with a touch of everything that made this album so special.

Victory:
After a serie of less good songs starting with the title track Victory was a killer. Right on with intensity and energy and the lyrics are very cool. Mustaine sings about victory and throws in several titles from erlier Megadeth Albums. This was also the end of the really angry side of Megadeth. From now on they were gonna experimint a lot, starting with the next record: Cryptic Writings, or Hidden treasures actually.