Metal Reviews

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine has revealed that the first single off the group's upcoming "United Abominations" album will be a re-recorded version of the band's "Youthanasia" classic "A Tout Le Monde". The 2007 version is a duet with LACUNA COIL's Cristina Scabbia and is said to be more uptempo than the original 1994 version. It also features an extended solo.

Commented Mustaine: "[The original 'A Tout Le Monde'] video was banned, the single was shelved, and without [the fans'] loving support of a truly beautiful song it would have died. MTV banned it because they said it was a 'song about suicide,' as did many people, but why would the line 'I'd love to stay with you all' be in there? It would need to say something like 'I want to die,' right? And I had a manager at the time that was told, along with me, by MTV not to use director Wayne Isham because we had used him too much; odd request, but I heard them loud and clear. Of course, management didn't listen and tried to slip it into MTV under a pseudonym and MTV flipped. They are/were pissed at me for something I didn't do and I would be OK if it was something I did, but I told the manager, and David Ellefson [ex-MEGADETH bassist] can attest to this, NOT to use Wayne. Their solution was to ban the $300,000-plus video, and radio in America was following MTV very closely at the time — still do to an extent — and did not play the single. The song was left at the altar. I got sent a bill. Then after the [college] shooting in Montreal [in 2006], where someone tried tying this song into that horrific act, I knew it was time to follow something that had been haunting me from the start of that song: I could not allow myself to accept the failure of my music because of someone else. I will take the heat, I am well forged by now, so there is yesterday's news.

"But there was something else: I'd wanted to hear that song as a duet, since it truly was a song of love. But the person had to be perfect; had to be angelic. I decided, and I have sang 'A Tout Le Monde' again with Cristina Scabbia because she is that person. I had Lisa Marie Presley confirmed, as well as two other attempts, but Cristina was the obvious choice for our metal community. The song was sped up a little, like it was supposed to be on 'Youthanasia' before all the tempos were turned down. It has a 50% longer solo of original Glen Drover lead guitar blending into the original [Marty] Friedman solo, and launching off of that at the end of the solo taking it up a little bit more.

"So, now that leaves us with what to do with this song. Well, its intention was only to soothe my wounds, and it was meant to be a 'B-side' for Japan, but that didn’t happen, as you will no doubt read. The song was finished and turned in to the record company and the radio department and everyone, including people that have heard the song before, are saying, 'This is the single for America!' There was excitement and a buzz, and they ALL agreed on this, which is a feat in itself when you have some many creative people in one place at any given time.

"Imagine my surpise, and my sense of being vindicated, and then the shock and concern about you [the fans] not understanding (which apparently you don't), let alone the indifferent public, which is now the primary target, since you have already heard it and it was supposed to be a simple 'B-side,' and the haters who will undoubtedly hate. On one hand it worked, and on the other, I have to explain myself, which I don't like.

But it gets stranger.

"Now 'A Tout Le Monde' has a new life and people are reacting, but there is concern about, as I was told, 'the guy in Arkansas that calls the song 'A Toot Lay Monday.' I said, 'I say the pronounciation in the song,' but it was suggested to me, to help the public to discover this classic you all know and most love (and some don't want tampered with) to add a subtitle.

"I said, 'huh?' The moments after that were inconsequential, and I just found myself agreeing because there were worse things I had to fix at the time, and I had to pick which thing I was going to give my attention to at 'crunch time.'

"So, in an effort to make things easier for the DJs, and remember this is just for radio, there has been a subtitle added to 'ATLM' ala 'A Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free)' for the album and the single has been called 'Set Me Free (A Tout Le Monde)' for radio by Roadrunner.

"You have gotten 'Sleepwalker', we posted 'Gears of War', and everyone seems to have heard 'Washington Is Next!', and I think we are doing pretty good.

"All I can say is, just trust me on this one. Again, it was meant to be a 'B-side' and with all of the professionals over at Roadrunner, I think they really may be right and they may have a real surprise for you.

"We shoot the video for this song on the 8th of this month [March] before I leave for Vancouver, and Cristina shoots her part on the 9th.

"Thank you to the guys in LACUNA COIL for supporting Cristina in doing this, and to you Ms. Scabbia, you were fantastic!"

Why are you surprised that Roadrunner would want to release that as the first single? First, this is Roadrunner we're talking about. Second, with Scabbia in it, the folks at RR no doubt think it's a chance at bringing in a different, bigger audience.

-Tyrion

"Now 'A Tout Le Monde' has a new life and people are reacting, but there is concern about, as I was told, 'the guy in Arkansas that calls the song 'A Toot Lay Monday.' I said, 'I say the pronounciation in the song,' but it was suggested to me, to help the public to discover this classic you all know and most love (and some don't want tampered with) to add a subtitle.

Why are you surprised that Roadrunner would want to release that as the first single? First, this is Roadrunner we're talking about. Second, with Scabbia in it, the folks at RR no doubt think it's a chance at bringing in a different, bigger audience.

-Tyrion

I mean, I don't hate the song like Eyesore, but its just... not that good. Mustaine's voice is not good for ballads, and the guitar work isn't anything special at all. And now re-released as a single? Mustaine, I know you want to one up Metallica, but this isn't your Fade to Black. Hell, its not even your Nothing Else Matters. Goddamn Roadrunner.

Ha ha. Fuck Megadeth. i can't be wasting my time with stupid Dave Mustaine. While I do agree that it must be nice getting a huge fucking pay check every week, this is not the way to go about doing it.

All I do know, is that I just got the Drifter demos in the mail, and that will be taking up most of my time....along with severl cases of criminal law. A Tout le MUSTAINE!!

They probably think one or both of these two things:

1 - That many of the "old school fans" have already given the band up for dead and either won't buy the album at all, or won't buy the album until they've heard most of the tracks on it and heard lots of other "old school fans" give it high praise.

2 - That the rest of the "old school fans" are going to buy the record anyway because they still love 'deth, and continue to hope for a true return to the roots. They'll buy it when it's released no matter what, and even if it isn't a return to old form, they'll probably still find enough they like about it and embrace the music at least a little bit... or just keep hoping for the next time.
...and if that's what they're thinking, it really shouldn't be a surprise that they're going this route. Hell, in terms of sales figures, it might be the right call.

-Tyrion

I stand corrected. Much better than the original.

A TOUT LE MONDE (feat. CRISTINA SCABBIA)

I'm actually amazed at how good they sound singing together!

This is bad. Why the hell did he do this?