CHRIS POLAND Fondly Recalls Recording MEGADETH’s The System Has Failed, Seems To Disapprove Of Ensuing Remixes

Chris Poland‘s name carries weight in the annals of metal guitar history. His signature playing style, marked by jazz-inspired flourishes, set him apart during his tenure with Megadeth in the 1980s. Poland‘s approach, bringing a nuanced sensibility to the band’s early thrash sound, gave their records a distinct character. But what happens when a former band member returns not as a full-fledged collaborator, but as a hired session musician?

Poland recounted his second time with Megadeth while reflecting on his work for The System Has Failed, the band’s 2004 album. Although he joined the project in a different capacity, he embraced the experience with enthusiasm.

“Oh God. It was a blast, man. When Dave was there and the producer [Jeff Balding], they were great. Sometimes I could do whatever I wanted, but on some songs, they wanted this specific vibe. And sometimes, they wanted me to simplify stuff, and so I did,” he remembered (via an exclusive interview with Ultimate Guitar).

Looking back, Poland described his time on The System Has Failed as positive and productive. The sessions, particularly with Patlan, left a lasting impression: “But when they weren’t there, and I was there with Ralph Patlan, Ralph was the first engineer, we could do anything we wanted. And it was just awesome, man. And Ralph had a big box of vintage pedals, like a giant four-foot by two-foot box two foot high of vintage pedals like I’ve never even seen before.”

“And he had a Foxx Fuzz Wah Volume pedal. And then I put a Textone Fuzz Nutz in front of it, and that’s how we got the sound for the last song, ‘My Kingdom,’ the guitar solo. When we were doing that, he was just like, ‘I cannot believe that.’ I couldn’t either! I never heard a wah sound like that before. I had so much fun doing that.”

Mustaine‘s reputation as a meticulous band leader might suggest a rigid studio environment, but Poland offered a different perspective: “He never told anybody what to do, really. I mean, sometimes he would say, ‘Can you go in an upper register?’ after I’d maybe try to solo three or four times. And he’s like, ‘Can you go up there?’ But it was never like, ‘Okay, you’re gonna start here and then you’re gonna do this.’ It was never like that.”

“And then with The System Has Failed, it was fun. I’m pretty sure he was sober. It was a good experience. Except, I don’t want to get into what happened, but he was remixing all the records, and we all know the story. But anyway, I had a lot of fun. It was really great working with Ralph Patlan. He’s just a consummate pro, man.”