Megadeth "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying (2CD, Capitol Records, Japan, 25th Anniversary Edition, Remastered)"

Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released on September 19, 1986, through Capitol Records. The project was originally handled by Combat Records, resulting in the original mix of the album being co-produced by Randy Burns. Capitol Records then bought the rights to the album and hired another producer named Paul Lani to mix it himself. The recording of the album was difficult for the band, because of the ongoing drug issues the members had at the time. Drummer Gar Samuelson and guitarist Chris Poland were fired shortly after the album's promotional tour for drug abuse, making it the last Megadeth album for Samuelson before his death and the last for Poland until he reappeared as a session musician on The System Has Failed. The title track, noted for its politically conscious lyrics, was released as the album's second single, but the band's first music video. The album's cover art, featuring the band's mascot Vic Rattlehead in front of a desolated United Nations Headquarters, was created by Ed Repka.

Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? is often regarded as a thrash metal classic, and as an album that gave prominence to extreme metal. It has been featured in several publications' best album lists, including Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and Martin Popoff's Top 500 Heavy Metal Albums of All Time. The album has been reissued several times over the years. In 2004, the album was remixed and remastered by Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine, with extensive liner notes detailing the album's background. In 2011, the three different versions were reissued as part of the album's 25th anniversary celebration. All of them with the exception of the 2004 mixes feature new remastering.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Dave Mustaine, except "I Ain't Superstitious" by Willie Dixon.

1. "Wake Up Dead" 3:40
2. "The Conjuring" 5:04
3. "Peace Sells" 4:04
4. "Devils Island" 5:05
5. "Good Mourning/Black Friday" 6:41
6. "Bad Omen" 4:05
7. "I Ain't Superstitious" 2:46
8. "My Last Words" 4:57

Total length: 36:12

25th Anniversary 2-CD reissue: Disc two (Live at Phantasy Theater, Cleveland 1987)

1. "Intro" 1:48
2. "Wake Up Dead" 3:38
3. "The Conjuring" 5:21
4. "Bad Omen" 3:49
5. "Rattlehead" 4:11
6. "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good" 3:14
7. "Looking Down the Cross" 4:29
8. "My Last Words" 4:42
9. "Peace Sells" 4:27
10. "These Boots Were Made for Walkin'" (Lee Hazlewood) 4:07
11. "Devil's Island" 5:18
12. "Last Rites/Loved to Deth" 5:19
13. "Mechanix" 4:32

Total length: 54:55

Deluxe edition.

Disc 2 previously unreleased live show.

Recording information:

Recorded at the Music Grinder in Los Angeles, California.

Mixed at Can-Am Recorders in Tarzana, California.

Additional recording at Track Records and Rock Steady Studios in Los Angeles, California and at Maddog Studios in Venice, California from February 15th to March 20th, 1986.

Remastered on April 2011 at Capitol Mastering, Hollywood, California.

Disc 2 recorded live on June 3rd, 1987 at the Phantasy Theatre, Ohio, Cleveland, United States.