In a guitar-playing sense, this is like Beyoncé stepping out from Destiny’s Child to really cut loose and show the world what she can do. It’s not like Megadeth has Kiko Loureiro playing three chords and eight bars of pentatonic box work per song – but this is next-level, stop-the-bus guitar playing. 

There’s such flamboyance to Loureiro’s writing. He probably takes a sparkler and umbrella in his morning orange juice. Even those who have become jaded and suspicious of the rock-guitar instrumental will take notice. 

It really is uncanny how, after all these years, Dave Mustaine retains his ability to attract the guitar world’s brightest talents to one of its most challenging gigs. Has he ever had better than Loureiro? Is there anyone who can play contemporary metal better? Maybe, who can say. But they’re not in Megadeth. They’re not making music like this. And they’re not inviting Mary Friedman onto the jam, splitting the atom and blowing minds. 

Jonathan Horsley by Guitar World Magazine