Greatest Hits: Back to the Start

Greatest Hits: Back to the Start
Greatest hits album by Megadeth
Released	June 28, 2005
Recorded	1984–2000
Genre	Heavy metal thrash metal hard rock speed metal
Length	78:04
Label	Capitol EMI
Megadeth chronology
Still, Alive... and Well? (2002) Greatest Hits: Back to the Start (2005) Warchest (2007)

Greatest Hits: Back to the Start is the second greatest hits album by Megadeth. It was released on June 28, 2005, via Capitol Records. ^[1] The title "Back to the Start" is a reference to lyrics in "Rust in Peace... Polaris" from Megadeth's 1990 album Rust in Peace : "The day of final conflict/All pay the price/The third World War rapes peace/Takes life back to the start." The cover art is an edited version of the 1954 Castle Romeo H-bomb test.

Background and release

The selection of tracks for the album was largely determined by fans, who voted on songs in polls on the band's website. ^[2] However, the inclusion of "Kill the King," a track originally released on Capitol Punishment: The Megadeth Years in 2000, was insisted upon by Mustaine. ^[3] To help promote the release, a new video was made for "Kill the King." ^[1]

Commercial performance

Greatest Hits: Back to the Start reached No. 65 on the U.S. Billboard 200, ^[4] selling 17,441 copies according to Nielsen SoundScan. ^[5] By December 16, 2005, the album had sold about 133,000 copies in the U.S. ^[6] The album was also certified gold in Canada on July 15, 2011. ^[7] On July 23, 2011 in Toronto, Canada, the band was presented with gold plaques by EMI in recognition of the achievement. ^[8]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Blender	[9]
AllMusic	[10]

Jason Birchmeier of AllMusic critiqued the album for being more of a sampler and having a more "balanced" approach to the band's Capitol Records material, rather than focusing on Megadeth's first few records. ^[10]

Track listing

No.	Title	Original album	Length
1.	"Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"	1990 - Rust in Peace	6:32
2.	"In My Darkest Hour"	1988 - So Far, So Good... So What!	6:26
3.	"Peace Sells"	1986 - Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?	4:02
4.	"Sweating Bullets"	1992 - Countdown to Extinction	5:26
5.	"Angry Again"	1993 - Last Action Hero (Soundtrack)	3:47
6.	"A Tout le Monde"	1994 - Youthanasia	4:25
7.	"Trust"	1997 - Cryptic Writings	5:12
8.	"Kill the King"	2000 - Capitol Punishment: The Megadeth Years	3:42
9.	"Symphony of Destruction"	1992 - Countdown to Extinction	4:06
10.	"Mechanix"	1985 - Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!	4:21
11.	"Train of Consequences"	1994 - Youthanasia	3:30
12.	"Wake Up Dead"	1986 - Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?	3:38
13.	"Hangar 18"	1990 - Rust in Peace	5:12
14.	"Dread and the Fugitive Mind"	2000 - Capitol Punishment: The Megadeth Years	4:23
15.	"Skin o' My Teeth"	1992 - Countdown to Extinction	3:15
16.	"She-Wolf"	1997 - Cryptic Writings	3:39
17.	"Prince of Darkness"	1999 - Risk	6:28
Total length:			78:04

^[2]

Limited edition DVD

• "Kill the King" music video
• "Live at the Fillmore Auditorium December 27, 1999"
  • "Prince of Darkness"
  • "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"
  • "In My Darkest Hour"
  • "Hangar 18"
  • "Sweating Bullets"
  • "Symphony of Destruction"
  • "Peace Sells"
• Arsenal of Megadeth trailer

^[11]

Personnel

• Dave Mustaine – guitars, lead vocals on all tracks
• Marty Friedman – guitars on tracks 1, 4–7, 9, 11, 13, and 15–17
• Chris Poland – guitars on tracks 3, 10 and 12
• Al Pitrelli – guitars on tracks 8 and 14
• Jeff Young – guitars on "In My Darkest Hour"
• David Ellefson – bass on all tracks
• Nick Menza – drums on tracks 1, 4–7, 9, 11, 13, and 15–16
• Gar Samuelson – drums on tracks 3, 10 and 12
• Jimmy DeGrasso – drums on tracks 8, 14, and 17
• Chuck Behler – drums on "In My Darkest Hour"

^[2]

Charts

Chart (2005)	Peak position
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) [12]	21
UK Albums (OCC) [13]	47
US Billboard 200 [14]	65

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [7]	Gold	50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [15]	Silver	60,000‡
United States	—	133,000 [6]
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "Megadeth: New 'Kill The King' Video Posted Online - June 6, 2005". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
2. Greatest Hits: Back to the Start liner notes. Capitol Records. 2005. pp. 6, 8–9.
3. Begrand, Adrien (July 28, 2005). "Megadeth: Greatest Hits: Back to the Start". Popmatters . Retrieved December 3, 2013.
4. "Greatest Hits: Back to the Start - Megadeth | Awards". AllMusic . Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
5. "Soundscan Report: CKY, Megadeth, Devildriver, Darkest Hour, Throwdown". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. July 6, 2005. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
6. "Megadeth: Album Sales Update". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. December 16, 2005. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
7. "Canadian album certifications – Megadeth". Music Canada.
8. "Megadeth Presented With Canadian Gold Plaques For 'Back To The Start'". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. July 24, 2011. Archived from the original on February 1, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
9. Blender Review Archived May 4, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
10. Birchmeier, Jason. "Greatest Hits: Back to the Start - Megadeth". AllMusic . Retrieved September 28, 2013.
11. Greatest Hits: Back to the Start limited edition back panel. Capitol Records. 2005.
12. "Megadeth: GREATEST HITS - BACK TO THE START" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
13. Zywietz, Tobias. "Chart Log UK: M – My Vitriol". Zobbel. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
14. "Megadeth Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
15. "British album certifications – Megadeth". British Phonographic Industry.