Of Mice and Men (song)
| The System Has Failed | ||||
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| Studio album by Megadeth | ||||
| Released | September 14, 2004 | |||
| Recorded | Oceanway and Emerald Entertainment in Nashville, Tennessee; additional recording at Phase Four Studios in Tempe, Arizona | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 48:24 | |||
| Label | Sanctuary | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Megadeth chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The System Has Failed | ||||
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| Alternative cover | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Blistering | 8/10 |
| Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles | 9/10 |
| Drowned in Sound | 4/10 |
| KNAC | |
| Metal Forces | 8/10 |
| Revolver | |
| Rock Hard | 8.5/10 |
The System Has Failed is the tenth studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth. Released on September 14, 2004, it was the band's second and final studio album distributed by Sanctuary Records. The System Has Failed was the first album released after Mustaine recovered from his arm injury sustained in 2002 which prevented him from playing guitar. It is also the first of three Megadeth records not to include original bassist and co-founder David Ellefson. Instead, the album features session players, including former Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland on lead guitar. However, Poland only provided lead guitar parts and solos on a contractual basis and did not rejoin the band. To date, it is the only Megadeth album where the only certified member of the band was the sole Mustaine.
The System Has Failed received positive reception from critics and managed to debut at number 18 on the Billboard 200. The album was generally thought of as being a return to form for the band, after the release of more commercially accessible albums through the 1990s. "Die Dead Enough" and "Of Mice and Men" were released as singles. The track "Back in the Day" was featured in the Duck Dodgers episode "In Space, No One Can Hear You Rock" in 2005, which featured an animated version of the band performing the song.
In 2002, frontman Dave Mustaine announced that he was disbanding Megadeth due to an arm injury that rendered him unable to play guitar. In a statement published on April 3, 2002, he stated that doctors expected that it would take about a year before he would recover from the injury. However, it was uncertain as to how complete of a recovery it would be. Mustaine stated his hopes to regain the ability to play guitar. He subsequently recovered following months of physical therapy.
The album was recorded at Oceanway and Emerald Entertainment in Nashville, Tennessee and at Phase Four Studios in Tempe, Arizona. In a promotional statement from Megadeth's then-label Sanctuary Records, Mustaine clarified that recording the album had been "liberating", due to having more control over the record than he had had since the first two Megadeth records. Mustaine also noted that he initially took a casual approach to the album, starting out working three hours a night, four days a week.
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