Editing Countdown to Extinction (section)

==Production and musical style==
''Countdown to Extinction'' is Megadeth's fifth studio album, and the second to feature the line-up of [[Dave Mustaine]], [[Marty Friedman]], [[David Ellefson]] and [[Nick Menza]].<ref name="About"/> In an interview for ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' at the time, Mustaine admitted that he fired past members [[Chuck Behler]] and [[Jeff Young]] because they resisted his pleas to seek rehabilitative counseling.<ref name=Billboard>{{cite magazine|last=Morris|first=Chris|title=Megadeth Comes Alive Again|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=25 July 1992|page=11|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hxAEAAAAMBAJ&q=megadeth+countdown+to+extinction+metal&pg=PA11|access-date=October 1, 2013}}</ref> He added that it was a "major accomplishment" that all four members of Megadeth contributed material to the album, unlike their earlier releases which were "nearly all Mustaine".<ref>{{cite web|last=Summers|first=Jodi|title=Deth Metal!|work=[[Metal Hammer]]|publisher=Rockmetal.art.pl|url=http://megadeth.rockmetal.art.pl/articles_metalhammer1992.html|date=March 1992|access-date=October 9, 2013|archive-date=February 25, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225115839/http://megadeth.rockmetal.art.pl/articles_metalhammer1992.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Mustaine also revealed that producer [[Max Norman]] had significant input to the album by making "a lot of suggestions and a lot of great artistic ideas".<ref name="Goldmine">{{cite web|last=Prince|first=Patrick|title=Megadeth fully embraces "Countdown" anniversary|work=[[Goldmine (magazine)|Goldmine]]|url=http://www.goldminemag.com/article/megadeth-fully-embraces-countdown-anniversary|date=November 19, 2012|access-date=November 1, 2013|archive-date=March 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170304040016/http://www.goldminemag.com/article/megadeth-fully-embraces-countdown-anniversary|url-status=live}}</ref> However, Norman later accused Mustaine of attempting to steal some credit from him.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/megadeth_producer_says_full_of_shit_dave_mustaine_backstabbed_him__wanted_to_steal_production_credits_recalls_frontmans_reaction_after_he_confronted_him.html |title=Megadeth Producer Says 'Full of Shit' Dave Mustaine 'Backstabbed' Him & Wanted to Steal Production Credits, Recalls Frontman's Reaction After He Confronted Him {{!}} Music News @ ...<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2021-06-10 |archive-date=2021-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610175150/https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/megadeth_producer_says_full_of_shit_dave_mustaine_backstabbed_him__wanted_to_steal_production_credits_recalls_frontmans_reaction_after_he_confronted_him.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Guitarist Marty Friedman said that unlike ''[[Rust in Peace]]'', the creation of this record was "completely different". He further stated that the band had changed the songs "a million times" before recording them on demo and entering the studio.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rosen|first=Steven|title=Rock Chronicles. 1990s: Marty Friedman|work=[[Ultimate-Guitar]]|url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/interviews/rock_chronicles/rock_chronicles_1990s_marty_friedman.html|date=April 14, 2010|access-date=November 2, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103205420/http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/interviews/rock_chronicles/rock_chronicles_1990s_marty_friedman.html|archive-date=November 3, 2013}}</ref>

The music for ''Countdown to Extinction'' was written in two different sessions. The first session was done following the conclusion of [[Clash of the Titans (tour)|Clash of the Titans]] tour, while the second session took place after a one-month break, in the fall of 1991.<ref name="WordPress">{{cite web|url=http://warrmageddoninc.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/archive-interview-with-dave-ellefson-of-megadeth/|title=Archive: Interview with Dave Ellefson of Megadeth|first=Johnny|last=Ringo|date=March 27, 2013|work=Hails & Horns|publisher=[[Word Press]]|access-date=October 19, 2013|archive-date=October 24, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131024052548/http://warrmageddoninc.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/archive-interview-with-dave-ellefson-of-megadeth/|url-status=live}}</ref> The album was recorded in the first half of 1992, when the [[Rodney King Riots]] took place. These events negatively affected the recording process, as the band was forced to leave the studio every night at six o'clock because of the enacted curfew. Dave Mustaine shared his experience: "There’s nothing worse than getting a creative moment and you have to leave. It was like a school bell ringing."<ref>{{cite web|first=Chad|last=Bowar|url=http://heavymetal.about.com/od/interviews/a/Megadeth-Interview.htm|title=Megadeth Interview|publisher=[[About.com]]|date=November 18, 2012|access-date=November 1, 2013|archive-date=November 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103075657/http://heavymetal.about.com/od/interviews/a/Megadeth-Interview.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The record was produced by Mustaine and Max Norman at The Enterprise in [[Burbank, California]], while the [[audio mixing (recorded music)|mixing]] was handed by Norman with the help of Fred Kelly.<ref name="booklet"/> Referring to the recording process, Mustaine said that ''Countdown to Extinction'' "was one of those records where everything was firing on all 12 cylinders and you just know it".<ref>{{cite web|last=Chamberlain|first=Rich|title=Dave Mustaine on Super Collider, Endgame, Risk and more|publisher=[[MusicRadar]]|url=http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/dave-mustaine-on-super-collider-endgame-risk-and-more-575401/7/|date=June 3, 2013|access-date=October 8, 2013|archive-date=October 24, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131024044113/http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/dave-mustaine-on-super-collider-endgame-risk-and-more-575401/7/|url-status=live}}</ref> He also said that it didn't take the band a long time to record the album because "records were a lot easier to make back then because the pressure wasn't quite as hard".<ref name="Artistdirect">{{cite web|last=Florino|first=Rick|title=Dave Mustaine of Megadeth Reflects on "Countdown to Extinction", Talks "TH1RT3EN", Tour, and More|publisher=[[Artistdirect]]|url=http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/dave-mustaine-of-megadeth-reflects-on-countdown-to-extinction-talks-th1rt3en-tour-and-more/10297400|date=November 7, 2012|access-date=October 8, 2013|archive-date=October 24, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131024045935/http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/dave-mustaine-of-megadeth-reflects-on-countdown-to-extinction-talks-th1rt3en-tour-and-more/10297400|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{Quote box
 |quote = We'd take a break and go outside with a basketball and shoot some hoops and walk back in, and Dave would pick his guitar up, and out fell the riff to "Sweating Bullets".
 |source = — David Ellefson, on composing the music<ref name="WordPress"/>
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Following [[Metallica]]'s mainstream breakthrough in 1991 with the success of their [[Metallica (album)|eponymous album]] which saw them strip down their sound, Mustaine decided to follow suit, though the music remained as technically perfectionist as their previous releases.<ref>{{cite web|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|title=Megadeth Biography|website=[[AllMusic]]|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/megadeth-mn0000406294/biography|access-date=October 8, 2013|archive-date=August 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801102607/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/megadeth-mn0000406294/biography|url-status=live}}</ref> Drummer Nick Menza explained: "Metallica has definitely opened the doors for other bands to step through. We're obviously the next band to step through that doorway."<ref name=Spin/> Musically, ''Countdown to Extinction'' saw Megadeth beginning to incorporate more melody and mid-tempos into its traditional sound.<ref name="Patch">{{cite web|last=Aberback|first=Brian|title=Megadeth Brings Countdown to Extinction 20th Anniversary Show to Atlantic City and New York|publisher=[[Patch.com]]|url=http://galloway.patch.com/groups/brian-aberbacks-blog/p/bp--megadeth-brings-countdown-to-extinction-20th-anni4f53ecd724|date=November 12, 2012|access-date=October 9, 2013|archive-date=October 21, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021034528/http://galloway.patch.com/groups/brian-aberbacks-blog/p/bp--megadeth-brings-countdown-to-extinction-20th-anni4f53ecd724|url-status=live}}</ref> Bassist David Ellefson noted that the band's goal was to "create music that had more of a groove to it," capitalizing on the melodic playing style employed by Friedman, and further assisted by the input of producer Norman.{{sfn|Ellefson|2013|p=103}} Author Thomas Harrison wrote that with this album, Megadeth's music became "more virtuosic than noisy and took the next step toward widespread acceptance".{{sfn|Harrison|2011|p=60}}