Upon entering the House of Blues, one couldn't help but wonder if this was going to be the last ever Heavy Metal show to take place at one of, if not the, favorite live music venue for Orlando fans? Recently Disney have suspiciously relocated several concerts to venues off Disney property, with the majority being of the Heavy Metal kind. Perhaps that is not the case, perhaps it's not true, but on the surface, that's what many of us were feeling after reading many of the comments made online by several of the bands that were mysteriously cancelled.

The curious exception on this night would be none other than the man, the myth, the legend that is Dave Mustaine, lead singer and guitarist of his genre-pioneering Heavy Metal band MEGADETH. With a new label (RoadRunner Records) pushing the band, Megadeth are touring in support of the band's latest release "United Abominations".

Lyrically "United Abominations" is similar to its predecessors in that this release is laden with harsh, politically charged commentary calling for change, or at least calling attention to the political hypocrisy that seemingly exists within the United Nations. What sets this release apart from others is the renewed vigor and attacking rhythm style that has been noticeably absent in the past few releases, which in turn has earned top spot in favorite releases of 2007 in this writers opinion.

In case you haven't been paying attention for the past two decades, our hero "MegaDave", is a charismatic and controversial figure, attributes which have followed him throughout his career. From his early days as a founding member of the band METALLICA, through his many years of battling alcohol and drug addiction, to becoming a born-again Christian, Republican, and political commentator for the corporate news networks. Perhaps controversy is what has kept MegaDeth and Dave Mustaine at, or at least, near the top of the metal world for almost 20 years, fueling the passion that fans continue to admire. By the size of the crowd that have filtered into the House of Blues this Thursday night, it's evident that MegaDeth still have a very large following, and are still on top of their game.

To kick things off, "MegaDave" and his troops storm the stage with a blistering rendition of "Sleepwalker", (opening track to the new album). As usual the sound at House of Blues is set to near perfection, the crowd eagerly crushes themselves against the barricade, as the kids in the pit begin to circle with verocity. Megadeth are back! Without hesitation the band crush the crowd with a collage of early fan favorites including "Take No Prisoners" from the 1990 "Rust in Peace" album, as well as my fan favorite "Wake Up Dead" from the 1986 "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?" release.

Covering nearly 20 years and 12 full length albums worth of music is no easy task in a mere hour and half set, especially when trying to work in a few new songs as well. For old school fans there were plenty of hits mixed into the setlist including "My Darkest Hour", "Hanger 18", and "Tornado of Souls", as well as more recent hits such as "The System Has Failed", "Reckoning Day" and "Symphony of Destruction". Touching on "United Abominations" throughout the set the band included "Washington is Next", "Gears of War", and the latest single "A Tout Le Monde (set me free)" before wrapping up the evening with the tried and true hit that made MegaDeth a household name... "Peace Sells"!

A stellar night of shredding guitar licks, frenzied head-banging, and horns being held high this was a show this reporter was truly fortunate to have been a part of. One can only hope that the House of Blues will not abandon Orlando's strongest and most passionate fan base, and in the future more metal shows will be added. Metal is not dead, and seemingly stronger than ever when a band that has existed for as long as MegaDeth has, and still be relevant years after the apparent "height" of their careers. Make sure to check out "United Abominations" and MegaDeth the next time they come around on tour, there you will find this reporter "Waking Up Dead" in heavy metal bliss!