The inclusion of a cover of Megadeth's "Hangar 18" in Guitar Hero II is sure to create new interest in the original version, found on the 1990 album Rust in Peace.

Alas, the true "Hangar 18" can no longer be found in stores.

Dave Mustaine, Megadeth founding member, rhythm guitarist and vocalist, apparently in an attempt to make his old music sound as awful as his new music, in 2004 remixed and remastered all Megadeth studio albums released by Capitol Records (Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?; So Far, So Good... So What!; Rust in Peace; Countdown to Extinction; Youthanasia; Cryptic Writings; Risk) and his MD.45 side project album (The Craving).

The original (read: good) versions of these albums disappeared shortly after the remixed and remastered (read: ruined) were released.

Okay, So Far, So Good... So What! and Risk sounded awful in their original releases, but the point is that now all Megadeth studio albums sound awful.

Remixing and remastering old music is usually a good thing. You get the same music you've loved for years, now cleaner and without imperfections.

Dave Mustaine went beyond that. He added previously unused portions of songs to the new versions, removed some previously used parts, and even re-recorded segments of some songs. The changes made once great songs sound corny.

The remixed and remastered "Hangar 18" fared better than most other Megadeth songs, but the original is still superior. Nothing was added, removed or replaced, and the new version sounds more clean, but the instruments are too "separated" from each other and the volume of Dave Mustaine's rhythm guitar overpowers Marty Friedman's lead guitar--which especially hurts a song with 11 guitar solos.

It's too bad. The original Rust in Peace album is considered one of the best thrash metal albums ever, often compared to Metallica's Master of Puppets and Slayer's Reign in Blood, but there have always been complaints about its low fidelity, even by 1990 standards. If the remixed and remastered release had been a cleaner version of the original, there would be no reason for this blog entry.

Not all hope is lost for anyone who has never heard the original recording of "Hangar 18." It's long gone from most stores, but you can still hear it for free, legally at Rhapsody. (Link requires registration and will not work outside the United States.)