Also providing Megadeth with fresh blood was new bandmember, drummer Jimmy DeGrasso. DeGrasso had previously worked with Alice Cooper and Suicidal Tendencies, and he first worked with Mustaine four years ago, when the two played together in the side project MD45. DeGrasso was raised on sheer, unadulterated rock 'n' roll, providing Megadeth with a granite-solid rhythmic foundation to build upon. "Jimmy is a very professional drummer, and he fits in really well," says Mustaine.

There's an old cliché that goes "nothing ventured, nothing gained." On Risk, Megadeth have ventured to the outermost reaches of the hard rock universe, and returned with their most ambitious record to date. Whether tinkering with drum machines, experimenting with soaring melodies, or grinding away on eerie, minor-key rhythms, Megadeth demonstrates a hunger for progress and a knack for quality songwriting. And as catchy as it is, the album contains many levels both musically and lyrically that will drive the band well beyond the new Millennium. "It's one of those records that you can listen to on the first spin and sort of get it, but you have to listen to it a few times to hear everything," says Mustaine. "That's what has worked so great for us. Risk was one of the records we had the most fun making and I think it comes across - it continues to come alive every time you play it."