page_title: Endgame (Megadeth album)
section_title: Writing and recording
hierarchical_section_title: Endgame (Megadeth album) / Writing and recording
caption_attribution_description: English: Andy Sneap onstage at black winters day 3 festival - December 2007
context_page_description: Endgame is the twelfth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was produced by Dave Mustaine and Andy Sneap and released through Roadrunner Records on September 15, 2009. Endgame was the first album to feature guitarist Chris Broderick, following Glen Drover's departure in 2008, and was the band's last studio album with bassist James LoMenzo; original bassist David Ellefson rejoined the band several months after the album's release.
  There are eleven tracks on the album, with lyrics inspired by subjects ranging from The Lord of the Rings and the financial crisis of 2007–08, to insanity, torture and crime. Two singles were released from the album: "Head Crusher" and "The Right to Go Insane"; the former was nominated for "Best Metal Performance" at the 2010 Grammy Awards. Endgame entered the Billboard 200 at number nine, and reached number one on the U.S. Top Hard Rock Albums chart. As of April 2011 it has sold about 150,000 copies in the U.S. The album received positive reviews from music critics, and was thought to continue the success of the band's previous album, United Abominations.
context_section_description: On May 27, 2009, Megadeth frontman and guitarist Dave Mustaine confirmed twelve songs were complete and the group was currently mixing and mastering the record. The first preview from Endgame was a six-minute video featuring Sneap describing the process of mixing "Head Crusher" at his studio in Derbyshire, England. In the video, he called the upcoming album "old-school". Endgame was recorded at the band's studio, "Vic's Garage", in San Marcos, California. The track listing was initially revealed on July 2, 2009, although several track titles were later shortened for the final release. The album was produced by Andy Sneap, who also produced Megadeth's previous album, United Abominations.
  Mustaine said of the album: "It is fast, it is heavy, there is singing, yelling, speaking, and guest voices (maybe not singing – more like in "Captive Honour"), the soloing is insane." He described it as a riff-oriented album, less melodic than the band's mid-to-late 90s material. Mustaine had saved a number of old rehearsal tapes, which were used as the album's starting point. The band members had online chats with fans on their website while recording, which according to Mustaine, helped lift the band's enthusiasm.
caption: Andy Sneap produced Endgame and Megadeth's previous studio effort, United Abominations.
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