Megadeth: So Far, So Good... So What! (Capitol)

THE PRIMARY reason Megadeth is famous, and probably the only reason they're on a major label, is because Dave Mustaine used to be in Metallica. Also, Megadeth have a neato name (recall the National Lampoon-era John Belushi's proto-Spinal Tap band Megadeath), and Joe-Walsh-worthy album titles with plenty of ellipses in 'em (Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!, Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?). Dave Mustaine is a shrewdly self-promoting image-maker, fond of hokey militarism: e.g., "Your chain is only as strong as your weakest link." Rote NCO Academy jargon — these John Waynes would've made fine 11-B (grunt infantry) E-4-promotables, I'm sure. But their music has even less personality than Anthrax's. And they don't rock.