Megadeth is an American
heavy metalHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band from
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
,
CaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist
Dave MustaineDavid Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist
Greg HandevidtGreg Handevidt was born in 1965 in Concord, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. His family later moved to Jackson, Minnesota where he met David Ellefson when they were 10 years old. Shortly after graduating from high school, the two moved to Hollywood, CA in order to pursue careers in music....
, following Mustaine's expulsion from
MetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
. The band has since released 13
studio albumA studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
s, three
live albumA live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
s, two
EPsAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, 26
singlesIn music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, 32
music videoA music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s, four
compilationsA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, and one box set. A pioneer of the American
thrash metalThrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
movement, Megadeth rose to international fame in the 1980s and was ranked as one of the "Big Four of Thrash" along with
MetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
,
SlayerSlayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
and
AnthraxAnthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
, who were responsible for creating, developing and popularizing the thrash metal sub-genre.
Megadeth's lineup has been changed numerous times, due partly to the band's notorious
substance abuseA substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
problems. Mustaine and Ellefson are the only original members present in the current lineup , and Mustaine is the only member who has been present throughout. After finding sobriety and securing a stable line-up, Megadeth went on to release a string of platinum and gold albums, including the platinum-selling landmark
Rust in PeaceRust in Peace is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. Released on September 24, 1990, it was the third Megadeth album distributed through Capitol Records. The album was the band's only collaboration with record producer Mike Clink who was the first producer to...
in 1990, and the
GrammyA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nominated, multi-platinum
Countdown to ExtinctionCountdown to Extinction is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was released on July 14, 1992 through Capitol Records. Countdown to Extinction is Megadeth's best-selling album, eventually achieving double platinum status...
in 1992.
Megadeth disbanded in 2002 after Mustaine suffered a severe nerve injury to his left arm. After two years of extensive
physical therapyPhysical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
, Mustaine reformed the band in 2004 and released
The System Has Failed-Songs:* "Blackmail the Universe" has numerous quotes from the movie Thirteen Days, which was about the Cuban Missile Crisis.* "Die Dead Enough" was released as a single, and was originally set to be featured in the movie Saw, but it was not used for undisclosed reasons.* "The Scorpion" was...
and, in 2007,
United AbominationsUnited Abominations is the eleventh studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Released on May 8, 2007, United Abominations is the first Megadeth release distributed through Roadrunner Records, and was recorded with an all new lineup excluding the band's singer, guitarist, songwriter,...
. The System Has Failed and United Abominations debuted on the
Billboard Top 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart at #18 and #8, respectively. On September 15, 2009, Megadeth, with new lead guitarist
Chris BroderickChristopher Broderick is the virtuoso guitarist of the American thrash metal band Megadeth. He currently resides in Sherman Oaks, California...
, released Endgame, their twelfth studio album. Endgame debuted at #9 on the
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, making it their fifth top 10 album. Megadeth released their thirteenth studio effort, entitled
ThirteenThirteen is the thirteenth studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. The album was released on November 1, 2011 in North America, making it the second Megadeth album that was released on that date. The album was released on October 26, 2011 in Japan...
, on November 1, 2011.
Over the band's 28 active years, over 20 different people have officially performed as part of the group, with Mustaine being the only constant member. Megadeth is known for its distinctive, technical instrumental style that often features dense, intricate passages and trade-off
guitar soloIn popular music, a guitar solo is a melodic passage, section, or entire piece of music written for an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. Guitar solos, which often contain varying degrees of improvisation, are used in many styles of popular music such as blues, jazz, rock and metal styles such...
s. Megadeth is also known for recurring lyrical themes including politics, war, addiction, personal relationships, and religion. Megadeth has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and has been nominated nine times for the
Grammy Award for Best Metal PerformanceThe Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for works containing quality performances in the heavy metal music genre...
.
Early days (1983–1984)
Dave Mustaine was originally a member of
MetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
upon their formation in 1981, but was fired from the band due to
drinkingAlcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
, drug use, violent behavior and personality conflicts with
James HetfieldJames Alan Hetfield is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler,...
,
Lars UlrichLars Ulrich is a Danish drummer, and one of the founding members of the American thrash metal band Metallica. He was born in Gentofte, Denmark to an upper-middle class family. A tennis player in his youth, Ulrich moved to Los Angeles, California at age sixteen to pursue his training; though rather...
, and former bassist
Cliff BurtonClifford Lee "Cliff" Burton was an American musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the American heavy metal band Metallica....
. Two months after being fired, Mustaine and bassist Dave Ellefson formed Megadeth in
Los AngelesLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. Mustaine later said, "After getting fired from Metallica, all I remember is that I wanted blood. Theirs. I wanted to be faster and heavier than them."
According to Mustaine, the name Megadeth represents the annihilation of power while in itself is a corruption of the term
megadeathMegadeath is a term for one million deaths by nuclear explosion. It was coined in 1953 by RAND military strategist Herman Kahn and popularized in his 1960 book On Thermonuclear War...
In order to upstage his former band, Dave Mustaine wrote more aggressive compositions, increasing tempos and altered aspects of songs such as "Mechanix", which Metallica's new line-up adapted into the slower-paced "The Four Horsemen". After unsuccessfully searching for a vocalist for nearly six months, Mustaine was convinced by bassist David Ellefson to handle lead vocal duties himself, while also serving as the band's primary lyricist, songwriter, and co-lead and rhythm guitarists.
In 1984, Megadeth recorded a three song demo tape, referred to as the 1984 Demo, featuring Mustaine, Ellefson and drummer Lee Rausch. The demo contained early versions of "Last Rites/Loved to Death" , "Skull Beneath the Skin", and "Mechanix". The band did a few live performances in 1984, before replacing Lee Rausch with
fusionA fusion genre is music that combines two or more styles. For example, rock and roll originally developed as a fusion of blues, gospel and country music. The main characteristics of fusion genres are variations in tempo, rhythm, i a sometimes the use of long musical "journeys" that can be divided...
drummer
Gar SamuelsonGary C. "Gar" Samuelson was a drummer for thrash metal band Megadeth, working in it from 1984–1987.-Biography:Little is known about Samuelson before he joined Megadeth...
.
SlayerSlayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
guitarist
Kerry KingKerry King is an American lead and rhythm guitarist. He is best known as the lead guitarist and cofounder of American thrash metal band Slayer. He co-founded the band with Jeff Hanneman in 1981 and has been a member ever since...
covered a handful of live dates while the band sought a permanent replacement. Megadeth signed with the New York based independent label
Combat RecordsCombat Records was an independent record label from New York City. The label was home to predominantly metal and punk rock acts including Megadeth, Circle Jerks, Nuclear Assault, Death, Dead Brain Cells, Possessed, Crumbsuckers, Agnostic Front, Agent Steel, Dark Angel, Heathen, Zoetrope and...
, who had been impressed by the band's demo tape. In December of that year, they added
Chris PolandChris Poland is an American guitarist, best known for being a former member of heavy metal band Megadeth.-Early career:...
as a second guitarist.
Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (1985–1986)
In 1985, the band was given $8,000 by Combat Records to record and produce their debut album. After spending half of the album's budget on drugs, alcohol, and food, the band was forced to fire their original producer and produce the album themselves. Despite poor production,
Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! is the debut album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth, released in June 1985 through Combat and Relativity Records. During the beginning of 1985, the band was given $8,000 by Combat Records to record and produce their debut album, but this...
was released in May that year. The album was a well-received effort that blended elements of
thrashThrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
and
speed metalSpeed metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from NWOBHM and hardcore punk roots. It is described by Allmusic as "extremely fast, abrasive, and technically demanding" music....
.
The album features a
speed metalSpeed metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from NWOBHM and hardcore punk roots. It is described by Allmusic as "extremely fast, abrasive, and technically demanding" music....
version of
Nancy SinatraNancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
's classic "
These Boots Are Made for Walkin'Jessica Simpson recorded her own version of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" for the soundtrack to the film The Dukes of Hazzard . Simpson's cover was co-produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and was released as the soundtrack's first single in 2005)...
" with altered lyrics, the first of many cover songs performed by Megadeth. The song sparked controversy in later years when the song's original author,
Lee HazlewoodLee Hazlewood , born Barton Lee Hazlewood was an American country and pop singer, songwriter, and record producer, most widely known for his work with guitarist Duane Eddy during the late 1950s and singer Nancy Sinatra in the 1960s.Hazlewood had a distinctive baritone voice that added an ominous...
, deemed Mustaine's changes to be "vile and offensive" and demanded that the song be removed from the album. Under threat of legal action, it was removed from albums released after 1995. In 2002, the album was re-released with a partial version of the same song with the altered lyrics censored. In the Killing Is My Business... deluxe edition liner notes, Mustaine is strongly critical of Hazlewood, noting that he received
royaltiesRoyalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
for almost 10 years before objecting to the altered version. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" was also used in the 1987 movie
Dudes-Plot:Two punks from the big city , traveling across the country in a Volkswagen bug, embrace the western ethos when they must take revenge against a group of rednecks for killing their friend in this lighthearted road movie...
.
In the second quarter of 1985, the group toured the United States and Canada for the first time, supporting Killing Is My Business... with
ExciterExciter is a Canadian speed metal band from Ottawa, Ontario. They are widely considered to be one of the first speed metal bands and a seminal influence of the thrash metal genre. Exciter have sold nearly 2.3 million units in the USA and a total sells at 10 million units worldwide...
. Guitarist
Chris PolandChris Poland is an American guitarist, best known for being a former member of heavy metal band Megadeth.-Early career:...
joined Megadeth as the tour kicked off, but abruptly left the band and was replaced by touring guitarist Mike Albert. Poland later rejoined Megadeth in October 1985, shortly before they began work on their second album with Combat Records.
Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? (1986–1987)
Megadeth's second studio album was produced using a small recording budget provided by Combat Records. Although the album's production was finished in March 1986, the band was unhappy with the final product. Frustrated by the small independent label's financial limitations, Megadeth signed to major label
Capitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, who also bought the rights to the new album. Capitol Records hired producer Paul Lani to remix the recordings and in November 1986, more than a year after recording began, Capitol released
Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?-25th Anniversary 2-CD reissue:-25th Anniversary box set:Disc 5 contains both the original album, and the above listed 1987 show in hi-resolution audio....
. The album marked Megadeth's commercial and critical breakthrough, selling more than a million copies in the US alone.
Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? was considered to be a landmark
thrash metalThrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
album by Allmusic, who called it "one of the most influential metal albums of its decade, and certainly one of the few truly definitive thrash albums." The album's title track, "Peace Sells" , was chosen to be the band's first music video and received regular airplay on
MTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's
Headbangers BallHeadbangers Ball is a music television program consisting of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV2, MTV Australia, MTV Two , MTV Adria , MTV Brand New, MTV Portugal, MTV Finland, MTV Arabia, MTV Norway, MTV Sweden, MTV Denmark, MTV Greece, MTV Türkiye, MTV...
. "Peace Sells" ranked #11 on VH1's 40 Greatest Metal Songs and the opening bass line was used for years as the theme for
MTV NewsMTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
. Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? was the first Megadeth album to feature art by
Ed RepkaEdward J. Repka is an American artist best known for creating album covers for heavy metal music bands as well as shirt designs, including those featuring Megadeth's mascot Vic Rattlehead. Repka's portfolio also includes Dark Angel's logo and model designs for the Hellraiser films...
, who redesigned the band's mascot to the current standard. Ed designed much of the band's artwork in later years.
In February 1987, Megadeth was added as the opening band on
Alice CooperAlice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
's Constrictor tour, followed by a brief tour supporting
Mercyful FateMercyful Fate was a Danish heavy metal band from Copenhagen. Initially active from 1981 to 1985, they reunited in 1992. The band went on hiatus again in 2000, when frontman King Diamond decided to continue his solo career...
in the United States. Cooper, alarmed by the band's drug habits, summoned them to his bus one night to warn against constant excessive drug use. In March of that year, Megadeth began their first world tour as a headlining act in the United Kingdom, which featured support bands
OverkillOverkill is an American thrash metal band, formed in 1980 in New Jersey. They have gone through many line-up changes, with singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and bassist D.D. Verni remaining from the original lineup. Along with Anthrax , the band is one of the most successful East Coast thrash metal...
and
NecrosNecros were an early American hardcore punk band from Maumee, Ohio, although they are usually identified with the Detroit music scene. They are the first band to record for Touch and Go Records.-History:...
.
After years of problems stemming from
substance abuseA substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
, both
Gar SamuelsonGary C. "Gar" Samuelson was a drummer for thrash metal band Megadeth, working in it from 1984–1987.-Biography:Little is known about Samuelson before he joined Megadeth...
and
Chris PolandChris Poland is an American guitarist, best known for being a former member of heavy metal band Megadeth.-Early career:...
were fired from Megadeth in July 1987, following the final show of the tour in Hawaii. Mustaine claimed that Samuelson had become too much to handle when intoxicated. He had replacement drummer
Chuck BehlerChuck Behler is an American drummer. Behler played drums for the heavy metal band Megadeth from 1987 through 1989, recording the album So Far, So Good… So What! with the group in 1988...
flown out for the last few dates of the tour, fearing that Samuelson would not be able to finish with the band's commitments. Mustaine claimed that Poland had sold band equipment to fund his increasing drug habit, later detailed in "
LiarLiar is a song by the American heavy metal band Megadeth, written by Dave Mustaine and David Ellefson. It is the fourth single from their third studio album, titled So Far, So Good... So What!, which was released on January 19, 1988. The lyrics of the song were inspired by Megadeth's former...
" which was dedicated to Poland. Samuelson later died in 1999 due to liver failure, though Poland managed to overcome his addiction. Poland was initially replaced by Jay Reynolds of
MaliceMalice is an American heavy metal band formed in the early 80s. Their sound is comparable to that of Judas Priest's, and they are notable for having toured with popular metal group Slayer. They had mild popularity that disappeared and reappeared frequently. The 1988 film Vice Versa featured a...
, but as the band began work on their next album, Reynolds was replaced by his own guitar teacher
Jeff YoungJeff Young is an American guitarist. He graduated from Musicians Institute in 1985, and is best known for his time with the thrash metal band Megadeth, appearing on the 1988 album So Far, So Good... So What!...
. Jeff joined Megadeth six weeks into the recording of their third album.
So Far, So Good... So What! (1987–1989)
With a major label recording budget, the recording process of the Paul Lani-produced
So Far, So Good... So What!- 2004 bonus tracks :† The intro makes use of a sample from The Ink Spots' 1941 song "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire"- Personnel :- Charts :-RIAA Certifications:- External links :*...
took over five months. It was notorious for the various problems that occurred during the production, due, in part, to Mustaine's ongoing battle with addiction. Mustaine later said, "The production (of So Far, So Good...) was horrible, mostly due to substances and the priorities we had or didn't have at the time." Mustaine also clashed with Lani on several occasions, beginning with Lani's insistence that the drums be recorded separate from the cymbals, an unheard of process for rock drummers. During the mixing process, Mustaine and Lani had a falling out, and Lani was replaced by producer
Michael WagenerMichael Wagener is a music producer, mixer, and engineer from Hamburg, Germany, best known for his work with many top hard rock and heavy metal bands in the late 80's. Wagener's works have sold over ninetyfour million albums worldwide. Wagener was the original guitarist for the German band Accept...
, who remixed the album.
In January 1988, Megadeth released
So Far, So Good... So What!- 2004 bonus tracks :† The intro makes use of a sample from The Ink Spots' 1941 song "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire"- Personnel :- Charts :-RIAA Certifications:- External links :*...
. Though the album was eventually certified platinum in the US, it was initially panned by critics, with Allmusic complaining that the album "lacked conceptual unity and musical bite" and that it "wants to sound threatening but mostly comes off as forced and somewhat juvenile". So Far, So Good... featured the song "
In My Darkest Hour"In My Darkest Hour" is a song by American thrash metal band Megadeth. It was the second single from Megadeth's third album, So Far, So Good...So What! . According to the liner notes of the remastered album, band leader Dave Mustaine wrote "In My Darkest Hour" in one sitting after learning of the...
" with music written by Mustaine as a tribute to fallen
MetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
bassist
Cliff BurtonClifford Lee "Cliff" Burton was an American musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the American heavy metal band Metallica....
. The song remains a fan favorite, and has been performed at nearly every Megadeth show since. So Far, So Good... also featured a cover version of the
Sex PistolsThe Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
' "Anarchy in the UK", with lyrics altered by Mustaine. Mustaine later admitted to simply hearing them wrong.
In June 1988, Megadeth appeared in
Penelope SpheerisPenelope Spheeris is an American director, producer and screenwriter. She is best known as a documentary film director whose works include the trilogy titled The Decline of Western Civilization...
' documentary film,
The Decline of Western Civilization II: The Metal YearsThe Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years is a documentary film directed by Penelope Spheeris about the Los Angeles heavy metal scene from 1986 to 1988. It is the second film of a trilogy by Spheeris depicting life in Los Angeles at various points in time. The first film The...
. The documentary chronicled the
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
heavy metal scene of the late 1980s, mostly focusing on
glam metalGlam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
. The music video for In My Darkest Hour was filmed by Spheeris, who also directed the "Wake Up Dead" and "Anarchy in the UK" videos, and appears in the final scene of that film. In Megadeth's 1991 Rusted Pieces VHS, Mustaine recalls the movie as a disappointment, aligning Megadeth with "a bunch of shit bands".
Megadeth began their world tour in support of So Far, So Good... opening for
DioDio was an American heavy metal band from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Formed in 1982 and led by vocalist Ronnie James Dio, after he left Black Sabbath with intentions to form a new band with fellow former Black Sabbath member, drummer Vinny Appice. Naming the band Dio made sense from a commercial...
in Europe in February 1988, later joining
Iron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
's
7th Tour of a 7th TourThe 7th Tour of a 7th Tour was a world tour conducted by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden in 1988 and was the last tour to feature Adrian Smith until 1999.- Opening bands :...
in the US. Noticing problems developing with drummer
Chuck BehlerChuck Behler is an American drummer. Behler played drums for the heavy metal band Megadeth from 1987 through 1989, recording the album So Far, So Good… So What! with the group in 1988...
, Mustaine brought drummer
Nick MenzaNick Menza is an American drummer best known for his work in Megadeth from 1989 to 1998, appearing on four of the band's studio albums.-Early life:...
in to act as Behler's drum technician. As with Gar Samuelson before him, Menza was to be ready to take over for Behler in the event that he could not continue with the tour. During Megadeth's live performance of "Anarchy in the UK" during the May 11, 1988 gig at Antrim, Northern Ireland, Mustaine drunkenly, and, as he later acknowledged, confusedly, dedicated the song to the "cause" of "giving Ireland back to the Irish!" This triggered a riot amongst the audience between Catholics and Protestants, an incident that inspired Mustaine to write the song "
Holy Wars... the Punishment Due"Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" is the opening track of heavy metal band Megadeth's 1990 album Rust in Peace.The song has an unusual structure, shifting at 2:26 after an acoustic bridge by Marty Friedman to a different, slower and heavier section called "The Punishment Due", before speeding up...
".
In August 1988, Megadeth appeared at the
Monsters of RockMonsters of Rock was an annual music festival held in England, then moved in other locations like The Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Chile.The Last show was in 2008....
festival at
Castle DoningtonCastle Donington is a village, with a population of around 7000 in the North West of Leicestershire, part of the Derby postcode area and on the edge of the National Forest. It is the closest town to East Midlands Airport.-Transport and housing:...
in the UK performing to an audience of more than 100,000 people alongside
Iron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
,
KissKiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
,
HelloweenHelloween is a German power metal band founded in the mid 1980s by members of Iron Fist and Powerfool. The band was a pioneering force in the European Power Metal movement and their second and third studio albums, Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt...
,
Guns N' RosesGuns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
, and
David Lee RothDavid Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
. The band was soon added to the "Monsters of Rock" European tour, but dropped out after the first show due to Dave Ellefson's drug problems. Shortly after that appearance, Mustaine fired both
Chuck BehlerChuck Behler is an American drummer. Behler played drums for the heavy metal band Megadeth from 1987 through 1989, recording the album So Far, So Good… So What! with the group in 1988...
and guitarist
Jeff YoungJeff Young is an American guitarist. He graduated from Musicians Institute in 1985, and is best known for his time with the thrash metal band Megadeth, appearing on the 1988 album So Far, So Good... So What!...
and canceled their scheduled 1988 Australian tour. "On the road, things escalated from a small border skirmish into a full-on raging war", Mustaine later recalled. "I think a lot of us were inconsistent (on the 1988 tour) because of the guy we were waiting for after the show".
In July 1989,
Nick MenzaNick Menza is an American drummer best known for his work in Megadeth from 1989 to 1998, appearing on four of the band's studio albums.-Early life:...
was hired to replace Behler on the drums. Unable to find a suitable lead guitarist in time, Megadeth recorded a
cover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of
Alice CooperAlice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
's "No More Mr. Nice Guy" as a three piece band. The version later appeared on the soundtrack to the 1989
Wes CravenWesley Earl "Wes" Craven is an American actor, film director, writer, producer, perhaps best known as the director of many horror films, particularly slasher films, including the famed A Nightmare on Elm Street and Wes Craven's New Nightmare, featuring the iconic Freddy Krueger character, the...
horrorHorror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
movie
ShockerShocker is a 1989 horror film written and directed by Wes Craven. The relatively low-budget film has since become a cult classic...
. While the band was holding auditions for the new lead guitarist in 1989, Mustaine was arrested for driving while intoxicated and possessing narcotics after crashing into a parked vehicle occupied by an off-duty police officer. He entered court-ordered rehab soon after and became consistently sober for the first time in ten years.
Rust in Peace (1990–1991)
Following Mustaine's new found sobriety, Megadeth began a lengthy search for a new lead guitarist. Among those who auditioned were
Lee AltusLee Altus is an American heavy metal guitarist. Altus first came to public attention in the mid-80s with his original band, Heathen, where Altus displayed his highly technical neoclassical guitar playing style...
of
HeathenHeathen is an American thrash metal band originating from the Bay Area San Francisco, founded in 1984 by guitarist Lee Altus and drummer Carl Sacco...
and
Eric MeyerEric Meyer was the long time lead guitarist for the Los Angeles based thrash metal band Dark Angel. He joined the band in 1984 and played on all of their recorded albums from We Have Arrived onwards....
of
Dark AngelDark Angel was an American thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California. Their over-the-top style earned them the nickname "the L.A...
fame. Meyer had been invited to join the band following Chris Poland's departure, but had declined in order to remain in Dark Angel.
Guns N' RosesGuns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
guitarist
SlashSaul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
had been jamming with Mustaine and Ellefson and, though it appeared that he was being drafted into Megadeth, he remained with Guns N' Roses.
Dimebag Darrell Abbott of then-obscure
PanteraPantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
also auditioned, and was eventually offered the spot. Darrell, however, would not join without his brother, Pantera drummer
Vinnie Paul AbbottVincent Paul Abbott, also known as "Vinnie Paul" is a heavy metal drummer and producer who is currently a member of supergroup Hellyeah, but is best known for being a member, and co-founder, of the heavy metal band Pantera...
. Having already hired Nick Menza, the band was forced to turn Darrell down.
In 1987, a 16-year-old
Jeff LoomisJeff Loomis is an American musician, best known for his role as lead guitarist in the progressive metal band Nevermore.-Early days:...
of
SanctuarySanctuary is an American heavy metal band founded in Seattle in 1985. The band consisted of Warrel Dane , Lenny Rutledge , Sean Blosl, Jim Sheppard , Dave Budbill , and in the end Jeff Loomis.-History:...
and, later,
NevermoreNevermore is an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington. Formed in 1991, they are known to incorporate elements from styles such as thrash, power, progressive, and neo-classical metal into their songs, and also makes use of acoustic guitars and a wide range of vocal styles.-Early years...
, auditioned following the departure of Chris Poland. Afterwards, Mustaine complimented Loomis on his playing, but rejected him because of his age. Loomis later saw
CacophonyCacophony was an American Speed metal band formed in 1986 by guitarists Marty Friedman and Jason Becker. Cacophony is often recognized for its technically challenging, neo-classical metal and speed metal elements, as well as featuring two shred guitarists...
with
Marty FriedmanMarty Friedman is a guitarist, well known for his tenure as the lead/rhythm guitarist for thrash metal band Megadeth, which lasted almost a decade...
and
Jason BeckerJason Eli Becker is an American virtuoso neo-classical metal guitarist and composer. At the age of 16, he became part of the Mike Varney-produced duo Cacophony with his friend Marty Friedman. They released Speed Metal Symphony in 1987 and Go Off! in 1988...
on tour, and told Friedman, who had just released his first solo effort in 1988, of the experience. Afterward, Friedman also auditioned for the spot, but was initially rejected by Mustaine for having multicolored hair. However, after undergoing what Mustaine called "Rock School 101", Friedman officially joined Megadeth in February 1990.
A revitalized Megadeth entered Rumbo Studios in March 1990 with co-producer
Mike ClinkMike Clink is a record producer who started his career as an engineer at Record Plant Studios, recording such bands as Triumph, Guns N' Roses, Mötley Crüe, Megadeth, UFO , Jefferson Starship, The Babys, Heart, Eddie Money and many others.Clink began producing in 1986...
to begin work on what would become their most critically acclaimed album to date,
Rust In PeaceRust in Peace is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. Released on September 24, 1990, it was the third Megadeth album distributed through Capitol Records. The album was the band's only collaboration with record producer Mike Clink who was the first producer to...
. For the first time in their career, the band remained sober while working in the studio, alleviating many of the problems they'd had recording previous albums. Clink was also the first producer to successfully produce a Megadeth album from start to finish without being fired.
Released worldwide on September 24, 1990,
Rust in PeaceRust in Peace is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. Released on September 24, 1990, it was the third Megadeth album distributed through Capitol Records. The album was the band's only collaboration with record producer Mike Clink who was the first producer to...
was a hit with fans and critics alike, debuting at #23 in the US and #8 in the UK. Mustaine's writing style adopted a rhythmically complex
progressiveProgressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
edge and the album showcased a much tighter sound, prompting Allmusic to cite Rust in Peace as "Megadeth's strongest musical effort". The album featured the singles "
Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" is the opening track of heavy metal band Megadeth's 1990 album Rust in Peace.The song has an unusual structure, shifting at 2:26 after an acoustic bridge by Marty Friedman to a different, slower and heavier section called "The Punishment Due", before speeding up...
" and "
Hangar 18"Hangar 18" is a song by American heavy metal band Megadeth from the 1990 album Rust in Peace. UFO conspiracy theories, or possibly Hangar 18, the 1980 film based on those theories, inspired drummer Nick Menza to write the lyrics. Shortly thereafter, frontman Dave Mustaine composed the music...
" , both of which had music videos made of them and remain live staples. Rust in Peace went on to sell more than a million copies in the US and received Grammy nominations in 1991 and 1992 for Best Metal Performance.
In September 1990, Megadeth joined
SlayerSlayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
,
TestamentTestament is an American metal band from Berkeley, California, formed in 1983. They are often credited as one of the most popular bands of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
and
Suicidal TendenciesSuicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...
for the European
Clash of the Titans tourClash of the Titans was the name of a worldwide tour by several popular American thrash metal bands of the 1980s, with alternating headliners from show to show.-History:...
. In October of that year, they were added as the opening band on
Judas PriestJudas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
's Painkiller tour, climaxing with a performance to 120,000 people in January 1991 at the Rock in Rio 2 festival in Brazil. Following the success of the European tour, a Clash of the Titans US tour began in May 1991 featuring Megadeth,
SlayerSlayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
,
AnthraxAnthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
, and
Alice in ChainsAlice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
. In July, Megadeth's "Go to Hell" was featured on the
Bill & Ted's Bogus JourneyBill & Ted's Bogus Journey is a 1991 American science fiction comedy film, and the directing debut of Peter Hewitt. It is the second film in the Bill & Ted franchise, and a sequel to Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure . Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter and George Carlin reprise their respective roles...
soundtrack. Shortly after, "Breakpoint" was featured on the Super Mario Bros soundtrack. In 1991, Megadeth also released their first
home videoHome video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or rented/hired for home cinema entertainment. The term originates from the VHS/Betamax era but has carried over into current optical disc formats like DVD and Blu-ray Disc and, to a lesser extent, into methods of digital...
,
Rusted PiecesRusted Pieces is a 1991 home video released by Megadeth. It contains six uncensored music videos, with Dave Mustaine and David Ellefson speaking about each one briefly...
, which contained six of the band's music videos as well as a video interview with the band.
Countdown to Extinction (1992–1993)
In January 1992, Megadeth visited Enterprise Studios in
Burbank, CaliforniaBurbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
with co-producer
Max NormanMax Norman is a retired record producer and recording engineer in the 1980s and 1990s. He produced many acclaimed heavy metal releases, and was renowned for his top notch production. Max got his "big break" while he was the resident engineer at Ridge Farm Studios in London, England...
. Norman, who had mixed
Rust in PeaceRust in Peace is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. Released on September 24, 1990, it was the third Megadeth album distributed through Capitol Records. The album was the band's only collaboration with record producer Mike Clink who was the first producer to...
, would be integral in Megadeth's resulting musical makeover, pushing for shorter, less complicated, and more radio-friendly songs. The band spent four months in the studio with Norman, writing and recording what would become Megadeth's most commercially successful effort,
Countdown to ExtinctionCountdown to Extinction is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was released on July 14, 1992 through Capitol Records. Countdown to Extinction is Megadeth's best-selling album, eventually achieving double platinum status...
. The album was the first to feature writing contributions from each band member, and was named by drummer
Nick MenzaNick Menza is an American drummer best known for his work in Megadeth from 1989 to 1998, appearing on four of the band's studio albums.-Early life:...
.
On July 14, 1992, Capitol Records released
Countdown to ExtinctionCountdown to Extinction is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was released on July 14, 1992 through Capitol Records. Countdown to Extinction is Megadeth's best-selling album, eventually achieving double platinum status...
. The album was an instant hit, debuting at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 album charts in the US, and #5 in the UK. Anchored by the
Mainstream RockHot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...
hits "Symphony of Destruction" (#29), "Foreclosure of a Dream" (#30), and "Sweating Bullets" (#27), the album quickly went double platinum in the US, and received a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance in 1993.
The album's title song, "Countdown to Extinction", also gave Megadeth the distinction of being the only metal band to ever win the "
Doris DayDoris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,...
Music Award", presented to the band by the
Humane Society of the United StatesThe Humane Society of the United States , based in Washington, D.C., is the largest animal advocacy organization in the world. In 2009, HSUS reported assets of over US$160 million....
in 1993 for "spotlighting species destruction and the horrific 'sport' of
canned huntA canned hunt is essentially a trophy hunt in which the animal is kept in a more confined area, such as in a fenced-in area, increasing the likelihood of the hunter obtaining a kill...
s".
The band released their second
home videoHome video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or rented/hired for home cinema entertainment. The term originates from the VHS/Betamax era but has carried over into current optical disc formats like DVD and Blu-ray Disc and, to a lesser extent, into methods of digital...
,
Exposure of a DreamExposure of a Dream is long play video starring Megadeth. The video highlights music videos from the band's 1992 album Countdown to Extinction and the title is a play on the second track titled "Foreclosure of a Dream".-Track listing:...
, in November 1992. In a similar fashion to
Rusted PiecesRusted Pieces is a 1991 home video released by Megadeth. It contains six uncensored music videos, with Dave Mustaine and David Ellefson speaking about each one briefly...
, the release featured all music videos previously released from Countdown. A world tour in support of the album was launched in December 1992 with
PanteraPantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
and
Suicidal TendenciesSuicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...
as support acts. The tour included a North American leg in January 1993 with opening act
Stone Temple PilotsStone Temple Pilots is an American rock band from San Diego, California that consists of Scott Weiland , brothers Robert DeLeo and Dean DeLeo , and Eric Kretz ....
. One month into the leg, all remaining shows, including dates scheduled in Japan, were cancelled when Mustaine returned to
substance abuseA substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
, ending up in the hospital emergency room. After a seven week stint in rehab, Mustaine emerged clean once again, and the band returned to the studio to record "
Angry Again"Angry Again" is a 1993 heavy metal song by Megadeth, written by Dave Mustaine. The song was written exclusively for inclusion in the 1993 satirical action film Last Action Hero, directed by John McTiernan which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, and appeared on the film's soundtrack...
" , a song which was featured in the 1993 film
Last Action HeroLast Action Hero is a 1993 American action-comedy-fantasy film directed and produced by John McTiernan. It is a satire of the action genre and its clichés, containing several parodies of action films in the form of films within the film....
, and was later nominated for a Grammy in 1994.
In June 1993, Megadeth returned to the stage, appearing as special guests at
MetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
's Milton Keynes Bowl Festival, marking the first time the former bandmates played the same stage in ten years. The pairing prompted Mustaine's on stage announcement that "the ten years of bullshit (was) over between Metallica and Megadeth", although problems would later resurface between the long-feuding bands. In July, Megadeth was added as the opening act for
AerosmithAerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
's
Get A Grip US tourThe Get a Grip Tour was a concert tour by American hard rock band Aerosmith that lasted over eighteen months, from early June 1993 to mid-December 1994...
, but due to contractual disputes and on-stage remarks made by Mustaine about Aerosmith's advancing age, Megadeth was removed from the tour after seven performances.
Following their cancelled US tour, Megadeth returned to the studio to record "99 Ways to Die" , a song that appeared on
The Beavis and Butt-Head ExperienceThe Beavis and Butt-head Experience is a compilation album, released in 1993 by Geffen Records. The name is a reference to Jimi Hendrix's original band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience.-Overview:...
, a compilation album released in November 1993 that featured songs intercut with commentary by
Beavis and Butt-headBeavis and Butt-head is an American animated television series created by Mike Judge. The series originated from Frog Baseball, a 1992 short film by Judge. After seeing the short, MTV signed Judge to develop the concept. Beavis and Butt-head originally aired from March 8, 1993 to November 28, 1997...
. The song was later nominated for a Grammy in 1995 for Best Metal Performance. At the same sessions,
Paranoid"Paranoid" is a song by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, featured on their second album Paranoid . It is the first single from the album, while the B-side is the song "The Wizard". It reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart and number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100...
was recorded for a
Black SabbathBlack Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
tribute album.
Youthanasia (1994–1995)
Early in 1994, Megadeth reunited with co-producer
Max NormanMax Norman is a retired record producer and recording engineer in the 1980s and 1990s. He produced many acclaimed heavy metal releases, and was renowned for his top notch production. Max got his "big break" while he was the resident engineer at Ridge Farm Studios in London, England...
to begin work on the follow-up to Countdown to Extinction. With two members of the band now residing in Arizona, initial work began at Phase Four Studios in Phoenix. A few days into pre-production, problems with Phase Four's equipment forced the band to seek out an alternative studio. Mustaine insisted on recording in Arizona, but no suitable recording facility could be found. At the request of co-producer Norman, the band opted to construct their own recording studio inside of a rented
warehouseA warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
in
Phoenix, ArizonaPhoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, later dubbed "Fat Planet in Hangar 18". While the studio was being constructed, much of the pre-production song writing and arrangements took place at Vintage Recorders in Phoenix, a studio which would also be used for MD45 and solo projects for both Mustaine and Friedman. For the first time in their career, the band wrote and arranged the entire album in studio, including basic tracks recorded live by the whole band. The album's recording process was captured on video and later released as
Evolver: The Making of YouthanasiaEvolver: The Making of Youthanasia chronicles Megadeth's experience recording the 1994 release Youthanasia, including constructing their own recording studio inside of a warehouse. The video is hosted by Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine, who explains the writing, recording, mixing, and mastering...
.
Following eight months in the studio,
YouthanasiaYouthanasia is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released on November 1, 1994 through Capitol Records. A remixed and remastered version, featuring several bonus tracks, was released in 2004....
was released on November 1, 1994. On October 31, 1994, MTV played a live broadcast called "Night of the Living Megadeth", which introduced the new songs to a wide audience. Youthanasia debuted at #4 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart in the US. The album was certified gold in Canada after thirty minutes and was certified platinum in the US faster than any other Megadeth album. With producer Max Norman still pushing for a slower, more commercial sound, Youthanasia followed the stylistic shift that began with Countdown to Extinction. While still retaining core metal elements, the album focused on stronger vocal melodies and more accessible, radio friendly arrangements. The band enlisted noted fashion photographer Richard Avedon to further their new image. On the advice of Avedon, the band members exchanged their jeans and t-shirts for a more style conscious look.
A sticker on initial releases of
YouthanasiaYouthanasia is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released on November 1, 1994 through Capitol Records. A remixed and remastered version, featuring several bonus tracks, was released in 2004....
advertised the relatively new concept of a band
websiteA website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
, known as "Megadeth, Arizona". Fans could chat in the "Mega-diner", correspond with the band through email, request songs to be played live, and read columns and tour diaries written by band members.
Youthanasia's first single, "Train of Consequences" , reached #29 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock charts. In November 1994, Megadeth appeared on the
Late Show with David LettermanLate Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
, performing the album's second single, "
À Tout le Monde"À Tout le Monde" is the fourth song on Megadeth's sixth studio album Youthanasia, released as a single in 1995. In 2007, a re-arrangement titled "À Tout le Monde " featuring Cristina Scabbia of Italian band Lacuna Coil was released as the second single from the band's album United...
" . A music video for "À Tout le Monde" was released, but
MTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
refused to play it, thinking its lyrics were an endorsement for
suicideSuicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
.
Live support for Youthanasia began in South America in November 1994 and would span eleven months, becoming Megadeth's most extensive tour to date. The band was joined by
Corrosion of ConformityCorrosion of Conformity is an American heavy metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina formed in 1982. For almost the majority of its existence, the band has consisted of guitarist Woody Weatherman, bassist Mike Dean , drummer Reed Mullin and vocalist and rhythm...
in both Europe and the US and
Flotsam and JetsamFlotsam and Jetsam is a thrash metal band that formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1982.-1981-1986: The beginning:The band's original name was "Paradox" founded by Drummer Kelly David-Smith and two other guitarists, until 1982 when bassist Jason Newsted joined. Jason had come to Phoenix with his band...
,
KornKorn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
, and
Fear FactoryFear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
in the US. The tour culminated with an appearance at the
Monsters of RockMonsters of Rock was an annual music festival held in England, then moved in other locations like The Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Chile.The Last show was in 2008....
festival in Brazil, co-headlining alongside
Alice CooperAlice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
and
Ozzy OsbourneJohn Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
. In January 1995, Megadeth appeared on the soundtrack of the horror film
Tales from the Crypt Presents: Demon KnightDemon Knight is a 1995 American horror film directed by Ernest Dickerson, starring Billy Zane, William Sadler, and Jada Pinkett Smith...
with the song "Diadems". Megadeth also contributed a cover version of "Paranoid" to
Nativity in BlackNativity in Black is the name of two Black Sabbath tribute albums that came out in the 1990s and 2000s. The albums were recorded with various heavy metal bands paying tribute to Black Sabbath for their influence on the heavy metal genre of rock music....
, the first
Black SabbathBlack Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
tribute album. The band's version of "Paranoid" was nominated for a Grammy in 1996 for Best Metal Performance. This was Megadeth's sixth nomination in as many years.
In March 1995, Megadeth released a special edition of Youthanasia in Europe, containing a bonus disc entitled Hidden Treasures. The bonus disc featured all of Megadeth's one-off songs from film soundtracks, compilations, and tribute albums, including a new recording of the
Sex PistolsThe Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
' "Problems". Due to fan demand, the bonus disc was released as its own
EPAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
in the United States and Japan in July 1995.
In the middle of 1995, the band underwent changes on the business side. Manager Ron Lafitte was hired by EMI Records and essentially disbanded his management company. Megadeth later signed with ESP Management and hired Bud Prager, a previous manager of both
ForeignerForeigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
and
Bad CompanyBad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
, to be the band's new creative manager. As with Max Norman before him, Prager would go on to be highly influential in shaping the direction of the band.
Cryptic Writings (1997–1998)
Following an extensive world tour in support of Youthanasia, Megadeth took time off late in 1995. Mustaine began work on
MD.45MD.45 was a side project of Megadeth guitarist/frontman Dave Mustaine, Fear guitarist/vocalist Lee Ving on singing duties, Electric Love Hogs and future Goldfinger bassist Kelly LeMieux and former Suicidal Tendencies member Jimmy DeGrasso on drums...
, a side project with vocalist
Lee VingLee Ving Lee Ving Lee Ving (born Lee James Capellaro; April 10, 1946 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an American musician, most famous for his role as lead singer and rhythm guitarist for Los Angeles-based punk rock band Fear, and actor. In the late 1960s Ving joined Sweet Stavin Chain Blues Band...
of
FearFear is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1977. The band is credited for helping to shape the sound and style of American hardcore punk, the group started out as part of the early California punk rock scene, and gained national prominence after an infamous 1981...
. Drummer Jimmy Degrasso, who had been playing in Alice Cooper's band for the South American Monsters of Rock Tour months previous, was brought in. Marty Friedman constructed a studio in his new home in Phoenix and started working on a solo project both there and at Vintage Recorders.
In September 1996, Megadeth went to London to work on songs for their next album, tentatively titled Needles and Pins. The writing process was closely supervised by their new manager, Bud Prager, who also contributed musical ideas and lyrics to the songs. Many lyrics and song titles were changed at the request of Prager. Regarding Prager's writing influence, Mustaine later wrote "I figured maybe (Prager) could help me get that intangible 'Number One' record I so badly wanted". Due to a problem with the album's original artwork, the album cover was replaced with a voodoo symbol and the album was renamed
Cryptic WritingsCryptic Writings is the seventh studio album by heavy metal band Megadeth. The album was released on June 17, 1997 and debuted at #10 on Billboard Top 200. This is the last Megadeth studio album to feature drummer Nick Menza. His departure would mark the end of the band's longest lasting lineup to...
.
On June 17, 1997
Capitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
released
Cryptic WritingsCryptic Writings is the seventh studio album by heavy metal band Megadeth. The album was released on June 17, 1997 and debuted at #10 on Billboard Top 200. This is the last Megadeth studio album to feature drummer Nick Menza. His departure would mark the end of the band's longest lasting lineup to...
. The album debuted at #10 on the Billboard Top 200, and was Megadeth's sixth consecutive studio album to be certified platinum in the United States. "
Trust"Trust" is the first song on Megadeth's seventh studio album Cryptic Writings. It was released on May 8, 1997 in both English and Spanish language versions...
" , a single from Cryptic Writings, became Megadeth's highest charting single to date. The #5
Mainstream Rock TrackHot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...
was also nominated for a Best Metal Performance Grammy in 1998. Press response to the album was mixed, but the album included four top 20 Mainstream Rock Tracks, including "
Almost Honest"Almost Honest" is the second song as well as the second single of Megadeth's seventh studio album Cryptic Writings. It was released in September 1997. It was later included on the compilation album, Capitol Punishment and the box set Warchest, but it is not on the Greatest Hits: Back to the Start...
" (#8), "
Use the Man"Use the Man" is the third song as well as the second single of Megadeth's seventh studio album Cryptic Writings. The song went up to the 15th position in the U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks....
" (#15), and "
A Secret Place"A Secret Place" is the eighth song as well as the third and last single of Megadeth's seventh studio album Cryptic Writings. The song went up to #19 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart....
" (#19) . When asked about the eclectic nature of the album, Mustaine later said "(they) divided it into thirds. One part of the record was really fast and aggressive, one third of it was the really melodic, in between stuff, and the final third was really radio-orientated music like Youthanasia".
After more than a year away from the stage, Megadeth returned as a live act in June 1997, beginning a world tour with the Misfits and later touring in the United States with
Life of Agony-Formation and River Runs Red :The band was formed in the summer of 1989 by singer Keith Caputo, bassist Alan Robert and guitarist Joey Z. After playing with several drummers, they enlisted Type O Negative drummer Sal Abruscato before recording the debut album River Runs Red after they signed to...
and
Coal ChamberCoal Chamber is an American alternative metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1993. Prior to Coal Chamber, Dez Fafara and Meegs Rascón formed the band She's In Pain in 1992. The two decided to create Coal Chamber. They disbanded in 2003 after ten years together, but announced a reunion in...
. In July, Megadeth joined
OzzfestOzzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne, both of whom also organize each yearly tour with their son Jack Osbourne...
98, but, halfway through the tour, drummer Nick Menza discovered a tumor on his knee and was forced to leave to undergo surgery. He was replaced by
Jimmy DeGrassoJimmy DeGrasso is an American heavy metal drummer. He is currently the drummer for F5.DeGrasso was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and graduated from Liberty High School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1981....
. Though he was initially only meant to be a temporary replacement, following the tour, DeGrasso replaced Menza permanently after Mustaine claimed that Menza had "lied about having cancer".
In 1998, computer game development company
3D Realms3D Realms is a current video game publisher and former video game developer based in Garland, Texas, United States, established in 1987...
announced that they would be using two unreleased Megadeth tracks on their promotional album,
Duke Nukem: Music to Score By. The first song was a rendition of the Duke Nukem theme song "Grabbag", originally composed by Lee Jackson. The second was "New World Order", a Megadeth song originally written during the
Clash of the TitansClash of the Titans is an American 1981 fantasy–adventure film involving the Greek hero Perseus. It was released on June 12, 1981 and earned a gross profit of $41 million domestically, on a $15 million budget , by which it was the 11th highest grossing film of the year. A novelization of the film...
tour in 1991, which later appeared on the remastered edition of Hidden Treasures. A demo version of this song had already been featured on the 1994 Japanese edition of Hidden Treasures, but was also included on the remastered version of
YouthanasiaYouthanasia is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released on November 1, 1994 through Capitol Records. A remixed and remastered version, featuring several bonus tracks, was released in 2004....
. "New World Order" was the 7th song on the band's thirtheenth album
Th1rdt3enThirteen is the thirteenth studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. The album was released on November 1, 2011 in North America, making it the second Megadeth album that was released on that date. The album was released on October 26, 2011 in Japan...
.
Risk (1999–2000)
Following the band's first real radio success with Cryptic Writings, Megadeth opted to again work with
country popCountry pop, with roots in both the countrypolitan sound and in soft rock, is a subgenre of country music that first emerged in the 1970s. Although the term first referred to country music songs and artists that crossed over to Top 40 radio, country pop acts are now more likely to cross over to...
producer
Dann HuffDann Huff is an American musician, session musician, singer-songwriter and producer. For his work as a producer in the Country music genre he has won several awards including the Musician of the Year award in 2001 and 2004 at the Country Music Association Awards and the Producer of the Year award...
in
NashvilleNashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
on their eighth studio album. In January 1999, the band began writing a new album. The new album was again supervised by manager Bud Prager, who was credited with co-writing five of the album's twelve songs. Prager convinced Mustaine to grant producer Dan Huff more control over the recording process. Mustaine later wrote, "When it comes to Risk, there'd be people in there playing and I wouldn't even know who they were or where the parts came from, and I'm not used to that. I was a little bit intimidated by the success we had with Cryptic Writings, so when it came to creating new material after that, it's like being "power-drunk" - you want more. After the success with "Trust", I thought to myself 'wow, we've had a number one hit'. We'd had four top five hits in a row, so why would I not want to give Dan even more control when it comes to the producing part on the next record? So I did, and it backfired."
Risk, released on August 31, 1999, was both a critical and commercial failure and led to a backlash from many longtime fans. Although recent Megadeth albums had incorporated mainstream rock elements alongside a more traditional heavy metal sound, Risk was virtually devoid of metal, featuring instead dance,
electronicaElectronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
, and
discoDisco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
influences. Despite this, Risk was certified Gold in US. The album's lead-off single, "Crush Em" , appeared on the
Universal Soldier: The ReturnUniversal Soldier: The Return is a 1999 American science fiction action film directed by Mic Rodgers and starred Jean-Claude Van Damme, Michael Jai White, professional wrestler Bill Goldberg, Heidi Schanz, Kiana Tom and Xander Berkeley as Doctor Dylan Cotner...
soundtrack, was temporarily used as
World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
's entrance theme for
Bill GoldbergGoldberg earned a scholarship to play for the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team where he served as a defensive tackle. He was taken in the 11th round, with the 302nd overall selection, in the 1990 NFL Draft....
, and later became an official NHL song, played during hockey games. Singles were made out of "
Crush 'Em"Crush 'Em" is a song by heavy metal band Megadeth and the lead single from their eighth studio album, Risk. It first appeared on the soundtrack to Universal Soldier: The Return in July 1999 and debuted as the third most added track on alternative rock stations on July 5...
", "Breadline", and "
Insomnia"Insomnia" is the third and last single off Megadeth's eighth studio album Risk. The 2004 remastered edition of Risk includes the bonus track "Insomnia" , which is 3 seconds longer and another Rhys Fulber mix appears on the Breadline remix album...
".
In July 1999, Megadeth recorded a cover version of the
Black SabbathBlack Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
song "Never Say Die", which appeared on the second
Nativity in BlackNativity in Black is the name of two Black Sabbath tribute albums that came out in the 1990s and 2000s. The albums were recorded with various heavy metal bands paying tribute to Black Sabbath for their influence on the heavy metal genre of rock music....
tribute album. They began their world tour in support of Risk in September 1999, playing alongside
Iron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
during the European leg. Three months into the tour, longtime guitarist
Marty FriedmanMarty Friedman is a guitarist, well known for his tenure as the lead/rhythm guitarist for thrash metal band Megadeth, which lasted almost a decade...
announced that he would be leaving the band, citing musical differences. As Mustaine later explained, "I told (Marty) after Risk that we had to go back to our roots and play metal, and he quit". In January 2000, Megadeth enlisted guitarist
Al PitrelliAl Pitrelli is a guitarist, best known for his work with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Megadeth, Alice Cooper, Joe Lynn Turner, Asia and Savatage.-Early career :...
, formerly of
SavatageSavatage is an American heavy metal band founded by the brothers Jon and Criss Oliva in 1978 at Astro Skate in Tarpon Springs, Florida.-Early days :...
,
Alice CooperAlice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
, and
Trans-Siberian OrchestraTrans-Siberian Orchestra is an American progressive metal band founded in 1993 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli and keyboardist and co-producer Robert Kinkel to form the core of the creative team. Since then, TSO sold nearly 8...
, as Friedman's replacement.
In April 2000, Megadeth returned to the studio to begin work on their ninth studio release. However, one month into production, the band was given the opportunity to join the Maximum Rock tour alongside Anthrax and
Mötley CrüeMötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
. Megadeth put the recording on hold and toured North America throughout the second quarter of 2000. Early into the tour, Anthrax dropped off the bill, allowing Megadeth to play an extended, co-headlining set.
The World Needs a Hero (2001–2002)
After working together for 14 years, Megadeth and
Capitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
parted ways in October 2000. The label returned the band's newest recordings, and, in return, released a
greatest hitsA greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
record called
Capitol Punishment: The Megadeth Years-Track listing:-Hidden track :-Bonus track :-Charts:AlbumSingles...
. The album also featured two new tracks, "Kill the King" and "Dread and the Fugitive Mind" , both of which showcased the band's return to their metal roots.
In November 2000, Megadeth signed with new label
Sanctuary RecordsSanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...
. The band returned to the studio in October to put the finishing touches on their next album, The World Needs a Hero, which had been near completion before the band joined the Maximum Rock tour six months earlier. Following the overwhelming negative response to Risk, Mustaine fired manager Bud Prager and decided to self-produce the next album.
The World Needs a Hero-Track listing:-Personnel:-Album:-Singles:...
was the first Megadeth album since Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? to be written entirely by Mustaine, with one contribution from Al Pitrelli on "Promises". It was released on May 15, 2001 to mixed reviews. The album marked a return to the kind of music fans had come to expect following the attempted mainstream rock featured on Risk, but some critics felt the album fell short of expectations. Mustaine compared the album to the first major turn of a huge ship at sea, trying to right itself and get back on course. The album's lead off single, "
Moto Psycho"Moto Psycho" is the lead single off Megadeth's ninth studio album The World Needs a Hero. The song is about people who commute every day to and from work, ending up spending a long time on the road:...
" , reached #22 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts and received regular airplay on
VH1VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Rock Show.
Touring in support of The World Needs a Hero began in the summer of 2001 in Europe alongside
AC/DCAC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
, followed by an American tour with
Iced EarthIced Earth is an American heavy metal band from Tampa, Florida. Originally formed under the name "Purgatory" in 1984, Iced Earth has released a total of ten studio albums, one live album, three EP's, two compilations and boxsets...
and
EndoEndo was a four-piece nu metal music group from Miami, Florida. The band formed in 1995, release two major record label albums in 2001 and 2003, and worked on songs for a third before disbanding in 2007.-History:...
in September. The tour was cut short following the attacks on America on
September 11The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, and the band was forced to cancel all scheduled dates, including a DVD shoot set in
ArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, though they did perform one show at the Commador Ballroom in Vancouver, B.C. on September 12. Instead, the band played two shows in Arizona in November which were filmed and later released as
Rude AwakeningRude Awakening is a live album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. The album was released by Sanctuary Records in 2002, the last release before the band broke up in 2002...
, Megadeth's first official live release. The DVD went gold on July 23, 2002. In February 2002, Bill Kennedy remixed and remastered Megadeth's first album,
Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! is the debut album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth, released in June 1985 through Combat and Relativity Records. During the beginning of 1985, the band was given $8,000 by Combat Records to record and produce their debut album, but this...
, using more modern techniques and added bonus tracks.
Breakup (2002–2004)
In January 2002, Mustaine was admitted to the hospital to get a
kidney stoneA kidney stone, also known as a renal calculus is a solid concretion or crystal aggregation formed in the kidneys from dietary minerals in the urine...
removed. While undergoing treatment, he was administered pain medication that triggered a relapse. Following his hospital stay, he immediately checked himself into a treatment center in Texas. While at the treatment center, Mustaine suffered a freak injury causing severe nerve damage to his left arm. The injury, induced by falling asleep with his left arm over the back of a chair, caused compression of the
radial nerveThe radial nerve is a nerve in the human body that supplies the upper limb. It supplies the medial and lateral heads of the triceps brachii muscle of the arm, as well as all 12 muscles in the posterior osteofascial compartment of the forearm and the associated joints and overlying skin.It...
. He was diagnosed with radial neuropathy, also known as Saturday Night Palsy, which left him unable to grasp or even make a fist with his left hand.
On April 3, 2002, Mustaine announced in a press release that he was disbanding Megadeth, officially due to his arm injury. For the next four months, Mustaine underwent intense
physical therapyPhysical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
five days a week. Slowly, Mustaine began to play again, but was forced to "re-teach" his left hand.
In order to fulfill contract obligations with
Sanctuary RecordsSanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...
, Megadeth released a compilation album,
Still Alive... and Well?Still, Alive... and Well? is a Megadeth compilation album released on September 10, 2002 and is the last Megadeth release with bassist and co-founder David Ellefson until his reunion with the band 8 years later...
on September 10, 2002. The first half of the album contains live tracks recorded at the Web Theatre in
Phoenix, ArizonaPhoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, on November 17, 2001. The second half of the album contains studio recordings taken from The World Needs a Hero.
Following nearly a year of recovery, including physical and
electric shockElectric Shock of a body with any source of electricity that causes a sufficient current through the skin, muscles or hair. Typically, the expression is used to denote an unwanted exposure to electricity, hence the effects are considered undesirable....
therapy, Mustaine began work on what was to be his first solo album. The new material was recorded with session musicians
Vinnie ColaiutaVincent Colaiuta is an American drummer based in Los Angeles. Originally from Republic, Pennsylvania, he began playing drums as a child and received his first full drum kit from his parents at the age of 14...
and
Jimmy SloasJimmie Lee Sloas grew up in Fairborn, Ohio & Isonville, Kentucky. He is an American session musician, producer and songwriter who plays bass guitar...
in October 2003, but the project was put on hold when Mustaine agreed to remix and remaster Megadeth's eight album back catalog with
Capitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
. Mustaine re-recorded some parts that were lost over time, or altered without his knowledge in the initial mixing process.
The System Has Failed (2004–2005)
In May 2004, Mustaine returned to his newest recordings, intended as a solo effort, but, due to outstanding contractual obligations with the band's European label,
EMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, he was forced to release one more Megadeth album. Mustaine decided to reform the band, and contacted the fan favorite "Rust in Peace line-up" to re-record backing tracks on his latest songs. While drummer Nick Menza initially signed on, both Marty Friedman and Dave Ellefson were unable to come to an agreement with Mustaine. Menza was dismissed shortly after he began rehearsing with the band again. According to Mustaine, "it just didn't work out. (They) tried for two weeks to get everything to happen, and it just didn't click. Five days before the tour started, (he) had to send (Menza) home." Regarding longtime bassist Ellefson's departure, Mustaine claimed that Ellefson slandered him, said that his arm injury was fake, and lied about him to the press. Although Mustaine did make him an offer, Ellefson declined. The resulting album was the first Megadeth recording not to feature Ellefson. Original lead guitarist
Chris PolandChris Poland is an American guitarist, best known for being a former member of heavy metal band Megadeth.-Early career:...
, from the 'Killing is My Business' and 'Peace Sells' era, was hired by Mustaine to contribute to the guitar solos of the new album. This was the first time the two musicians had worked together since Poland's dismissal from the band in the 1980s. Poland opted to serve as a studio musician only, wanting to remain focused on his own
jazz fusionJazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
project,
OHMOhm: is a project formed by Chris Poland and Robertino Pagliari. The band was formed in 2002 and has released 3 LPs and a live album up to date.-Members:* Chris Poland - Guitar* Robertino Pagliari - Bass...
.
On September 14, 2004, Megadeth released their comeback album,
The System Has Failed-Songs:* "Blackmail the Universe" has numerous quotes from the movie Thirteen Days, which was about the Cuban Missile Crisis.* "Die Dead Enough" was released as a single, and was originally set to be featured in the movie Saw, but it was not used for undisclosed reasons.* "The Scorpion" was...
on
Sanctuary RecordsSanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...
in the US and
EMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
in Europe. Heralded as a return to form,
RevolverRevolver is a bi-monthly rock and heavy metal magazine published by Future US. Before covering heavy metal, rock & hard rock solely, it was a more mainstream oriented magazine. The magazine is structured in a manner similar to publications such as Spin while covering many avenues within the heavy...
magazine gave the album four stars, calling The System Has Failed "Megadeth's most vengeful, poignant and musically complex offering since
Countdown to ExtinctionCountdown to Extinction is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was released on July 14, 1992 through Capitol Records. Countdown to Extinction is Megadeth's best-selling album, eventually achieving double platinum status...
." The album debuted on the Billboard 200 chart at #18, and was led by the radio single "
Die Dead EnoughDie Dead Enough is a 2004 song by the American thrash metal band Megadeth, written by Dave Mustaine. It was the first single off of their 2004 album, The System Has Failed, which was released on September 14, 2004...
" , which reached #21 on the US Mainstream Rock charts. Mustaine announced that the album would be the band's last. The album would followed by a farewell tour, after which he would focus on a solo career.
Megadeth began the Blackmail the Universe world tour in October 2004, enlisting touring bassist
James MacDonoughJames MacDonough born on April 3, 1970 in Jacksonville, Florida U.S.A. is a professional bass guitarist. He has played with Iced Earth, Nevermore, and most recently, Megadeth....
of
Iced EarthIced Earth is an American heavy metal band from Tampa, Florida. Originally formed under the name "Purgatory" in 1984, Iced Earth has released a total of ten studio albums, one live album, three EP's, two compilations and boxsets...
and guitarist
Glen DroverGlen Drover is a heavy metal guitarist from Missisauga, Ontario, Canada. He currently resides in MississaugaOntario. Drover is best known as the former lead guitarist in Megadeth and King Diamond, as well as his own band Eidolon, along with his brother Shawn Drover.-History:Glen Drover began...
of
EidolonEidolon was a Canadian power metal band formed in 1993 by brothers Shawn and Glen Drover . The band was signed to Metal Blade Records, but was let go in 2004, in part because of a refusal to tour. Eidolon signed soon after to Escapi Records. The band has released seven studio albums to date...
and
King DiamondKim Bendix Petersen , better known by his stage name King Diamond, is a Grammy Award nominated Danish heavy metal musician. As a vocalist, he is known for his extensive vocal range, in particular his usage of falsetto. He is the lead vocalist for both Mercyful Fate and the eponymous King Diamond...
. While in rehearsal for the tour, drummer
Nick MenzaNick Menza is an American drummer best known for his work in Megadeth from 1989 to 1998, appearing on four of the band's studio albums.-Early life:...
parted ways with the band, unable to prepare for the physical demands of a full US tour. He was replaced just five days before the first show by
Shawn DroverShawn Drover is a Canadian drummer, best-known for his work with the heavy metal band Megadeth....
, brother and former Eidolon bandmate of new guitarist Glen Drover. The band toured the US with
ExodusExodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of over 30 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members. Guitarist Gary Holt remains the only constant member of the band,...
and, later in Europe, with
Diamond HeadDiamond Head are an English heavy metal band formed in 1976 in Stourbridge, England. The band is recognised as one of the leading members of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and is acknowledged by later bands like Metallica and Megadeth as an important early influence.-Early history:Formed by...
and
DungeonDungeon was a melodic power metal/thrash metal band based in Sydney, Australia, considered by some sources as one of Australia's leading metal bands...
.
In June 2005,
Capitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
released a
greatest hitsA greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
album to replace the now out of print Capitol Punishment, entitled
Greatest Hits: Back to the StartGreatest Hits: Back to the Start is the second greatest hits album by Megadeth. It was released in 2005 by Capitol Records. The tracklist for Back to the Start was largely the result of a poll on their official website, in which tens of thousands of fans voted for their favorite tracks from the...
. The album featured the new remixed and remastered versions of songs from the first eight albums.
Gigantour (2005–2006)
In the middle of 2005, Mustaine organized an annual heavy metal festival tour, dubbed
GigantourGigantour is the name of a sporadically organised traveling heavy metal music festival organized by Megadeth's Dave Mustaine. The tour was founded in 2005 with dates across North America, and the 2006 and 2007 line-ups also traveled to Australia...
. Megadeth headlined the inaugural run with
Dream TheaterDream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
,
NevermoreNevermore is an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington. Formed in 1991, they are known to incorporate elements from styles such as thrash, power, progressive, and neo-classical metal into their songs, and also makes use of acoustic guitars and a wide range of vocal styles.-Early years...
,
AnthraxAnthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
,
Fear FactoryFear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
, Dillinger Escape Plan,
Life of Agony-Formation and River Runs Red :The band was formed in the summer of 1989 by singer Keith Caputo, bassist Alan Robert and guitarist Joey Z. After playing with several drummers, they enlisted Type O Negative drummer Sal Abruscato before recording the debut album River Runs Red after they signed to...
,
Symphony XSymphony X is an American progressive metal band from Middletown, New Jersey.Founded in 1994 by guitarist Michael Romeo, their albums The Divine Wings of Tragedy and V: The New Mythology Suite have given the band considerable attention within the progressive metal community...
,
Dry Kill LogicDry Kill Logic is a four-piece metal band from Westchester County, New York, USA. They formed in 1993 and are still active...
, and
BobaflexBobaflex is an American rock band from Point Pleasant, West Virginia. They were part of Gigantour in 2005 and Rock on the Range in 2008.-History:...
. Performances from the
MontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and
VancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
shows were filmed and recorded for a live
DVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and CD, both of which were released in the second quarter of 2006.
On October 9, 2005, following the successes of
The System Has Failed-Songs:* "Blackmail the Universe" has numerous quotes from the movie Thirteen Days, which was about the Cuban Missile Crisis.* "Die Dead Enough" was released as a single, and was originally set to be featured in the movie Saw, but it was not used for undisclosed reasons.* "The Scorpion" was...
and the Blackmail the Universe world tour, Mustaine announced on stage to a sold out crowd at the Pepsi Music Rock Festival in
ArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
that Megadeth would continue to record and tour. This concert was officially released on DVD as
That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires-Disc 2:-Unreleased songs from the performance:#"The Scorpion"#"Train of Consequences"#"Of Mice and Men"#"Sweating Bullets"-Personnel:*Dave Mustaine - Rhythm and lead guitar, Lead vocals*Glen Drover - Lead and rhythm guitar, Backing vocals...
in March 2007 and a 2 CD version was released on September 4, 2007. The DVD went gold on July 19, 2007.
In February 2006, bass player
James MacDonoughJames MacDonough born on April 3, 1970 in Jacksonville, Florida U.S.A. is a professional bass guitarist. He has played with Iced Earth, Nevermore, and most recently, Megadeth....
parted ways with the band for what he called "personal differences". He was replaced by bassist
James LoMenzoJames "JLo" LoMenzo is a metal bassist known for his roles as a former member of White Lion and Megadeth. He is also known for his work in Black Label Society .-Past bands and other works :...
, who had previously worked with
David Lee RothDavid Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
,
White LionWhite Lion is an American/Danish hard rock/heavy metal band that was formed in New York City in 1983 by Danish vocalist Mike Tramp and American guitarist Vito Bratta. Mainly active in the 1980s and early 1990s, the band achieved double platinum status with their #8 hit "Wait" and #3 hit "When the...
, and
Black Label SocietyBlack Label Society is a heavy metal band formed by Zakk Wylde, with nine studio albums, one live album, two compilation albums, one EP, and three video albums released since formation of the band.-Formation and Sonic Brew :...
. On March 16, 2006, the new Megadeth lineup made their live debut headlining the Dubai Desert Rock festival, held in the
United Arab EmiratesThe United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, alongside
TestamentTestament is an American metal band from Berkeley, California, formed in 1983. They are often credited as one of the most popular bands of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
and
3 Doors Down3 Doors Down is an American rock band from Escatawpa formed in 1996. The band consists of Brad Arnold , Matt Roberts , Todd Harrell , Chris Henderson , and Greg Upchurch ....
.
On March 21, 2006,
Capitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
released a two disc DVD titled
Arsenal of MegadethArsenal of Megadeth is an anthology of Megadeth's first 20 years. The 2-disc DVD set contains music videos, live performances, interviews, home videos and special appearances. Arsenal of Megadeth is an EMI/Capitol release...
, which included archive footage, interviews, live shows, and many of the band's music videos. Due to licensing issues, movie soundtrack videos and videos not released by Capitol Records were not included on the DVD. The DVD still featured the songs "No More Mr. Nice Guy" and "
Go to Hell"Go to Hell" is a song by American heavy metal band Megadeth. It appears on the Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey soundtrack released in 1991, and on Megadeth's rarities EP, Hidden Treasures, which was released in 1995. It begins with the same prayer used by Metallica in their song Enter Sandman which...
" from Hidden Treasures. The DVD went gold on July 27, 2007.
The second installment of the Gigantour was launched in the third quarter of 2006. Megadeth headlined the tour with
Lamb of GodLamb of God is an American heavy metal band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 1994, the group consists of vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler...
,
OpethOpeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
,
Arch EnemyArch Enemy is a Swedish melodic death metal band, originally a supergroup, from Halmstad, formed in 1996. Its members were in bands such as Carcass, Armageddon, Carnage, Mercyful Fate, Spiritual Beggars, and Eucharist to name a few. It was founded by Carcass guitarist Michael Amott along with Johan...
,
OverkillOverkill is an American thrash metal band, formed in 1980 in New Jersey. They have gone through many line-up changes, with singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and bassist D.D. Verni remaining from the original lineup. Along with Anthrax , the band is one of the most successful East Coast thrash metal...
, Into Eternity,
SanctitySanctity was a heavy metal band from Asheville, North Carolina, USA. They formed in 1998 and have released one album, Road to Bloodshed, on April 24, 2007. They are currently writing for a new album, with their new TBA vocalist...
, and
The SmashUpThe Smashup are a post-hardcore / punk rock band from Brooklyn, New York. They formed in 2001. They are currently signed to Warcon Records.They released their self-titled debut EP in 2004 and their first studio album "Being and Becoming" in 2005, featuring songs such as "Never Going To Kill Us",...
. Gigantour 2006 also continued with 3 dates in Australia. The lineup included
SoulflySoulfly is a heavy metal band formed in 1997 based in Phoenix, Arizona. The original lyrical content revolved around spirituality and religious themes, with later albums encompassing other themes including war, violence, aggression, hatred and anger. Soulfly is led by former Sepultura frontman Max...
,
Arch EnemyArch Enemy is a Swedish melodic death metal band, originally a supergroup, from Halmstad, formed in 1996. Its members were in bands such as Carcass, Armageddon, Carnage, Mercyful Fate, Spiritual Beggars, and Eucharist to name a few. It was founded by Carcass guitarist Michael Amott along with Johan...
, and
CalibanCaliban are a five-piece metalcore band from Germany. They have released seven studio albums to-date, and two split albums with the band Heaven Shall Burn.-History:...
. Performances from the
Sunrise, Florida-Overview:Sunrise is a city in southwestern Broward County, Florida, United States. It was incorporated in 1961 by Norman Johnson – a developer whose World Famous Upside-Down House attracted buyers to what was then a remote area...
show were filmed and recorded for a live DVD and CD, both of which were released in early 2008.
United Abominations (2007–2008)
In May 2006, Megadeth announced that their eleventh studio album,
United AbominationsUnited Abominations is the eleventh studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Released on May 8, 2007, United Abominations is the first Megadeth release distributed through Roadrunner Records, and was recorded with an all new lineup excluding the band's singer, guitarist, songwriter,...
, was near completion. Although it was originally scheduled for release by
Roadrunner RecordsRoadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
in October 2006, that August, Mustaine announced that the band was "putting the finishing touches on it", and it was rescheduled for release on May 15, 2007. United Abominations was the band's first studio release to feature members
Glen DroverGlen Drover is a heavy metal guitarist from Missisauga, Ontario, Canada. He currently resides in MississaugaOntario. Drover is best known as the former lead guitarist in Megadeth and King Diamond, as well as his own band Eidolon, along with his brother Shawn Drover.-History:Glen Drover began...
,
Shawn DroverShawn Drover is a Canadian drummer, best-known for his work with the heavy metal band Megadeth....
, and
James LomenzoJames "JLo" LoMenzo is a metal bassist known for his roles as a former member of White Lion and Megadeth. He is also known for his work in Black Label Society .-Past bands and other works :...
. In March 2007,
Dave MustaineDavid Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
announced on the Megadeth forums that a new version of "À Tout le Monde (Set Me Free)" would be released on the album. It would feature a duet with
Cristina ScabbiaCristina Adriana Chiara Scabbia is an Italian singer, best known as one of the two vocalists in the Italian gothic metal band Lacuna Coil. She also writes an advice column in the popular rock magazine Revolver, alongside musician Vinnie Paul. Scabbia is featured in a Megadeth song, "À Tout le...
of the band
Lacuna CoilLacuna Coil is an Italian gothic metal band from Milan. Formed in 1994, the group has had two name changes since being previously known as Sleep of Right and Ethereal and was inspired by the combination of gothic imagery and music...
, and was to be the first single on the album until it was replaced by "Washington Is Next!".
United Abominations was released on May 15, 2007. A week later, it was #8 in the US, the band's highest charting position since 1994's
YouthanasiaYouthanasia is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released on November 1, 1994 through Capitol Records. A remixed and remastered version, featuring several bonus tracks, was released in 2004....
, and had already sold 54,000 copies. In March 2007, Megadeth began a tour through Canada and the United States as an opening act for the newly-reformed Heaven & Hell. They played with
DownDown is an American heavy metal supergroup that formed in 1991 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist Phil Anselmo, guitarist Pepper Keenan, guitarist Kirk Windstein, bassist Pat Bruders and drummer Jimmy Bower. Since their formation, Down has gone on hiatus twice...
for Canadian performances and
Machine HeadMachine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
in the US. This was followed by a summer festival tour through Europe. In September 2007, Megadeth returned to the United States as the headline act on their Tour Of Duty tour, which included the Pacific rim and the third installment of Gigantour, which was launched in Australia in November 2007. The lineup included
Static-XStatic-X is an American industrial metal band from Los Angeles, California. They were formed in 1994. They are signed to Warner Bros. Records and have released six albums, their most recent being Cult of Static, which was released on March 17, 2009....
,
Lacuna CoilLacuna Coil is an Italian gothic metal band from Milan. Formed in 1994, the group has had two name changes since being previously known as Sleep of Right and Ethereal and was inspired by the combination of gothic imagery and music...
,
DevilDriverDevilDriver is an American heavy metal band from Santa Barbara, California, formed in 2002. The band was originally named Deathride, however, due to copyright issues and the name being taken by several bands, Deathride changed its name to DevilDriver, which refers to bells Italian witches used to...
, and
Bring Me the HorizonBring Me the Horizon are a British metalcore band from Sheffield, Yorkshire, who formed in 2004. Bring Me the Horizon constits of Oliver Sykes as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist Lee Malia, rhythm guitarist Jona Weinhofen, bassist Matt Kean and drummer Matt Nicholls...
.
On January 2008, Glen Drover quit Megadeth to focus on his family.
Drover was replaced by
Chris BroderickChristopher Broderick is the virtuoso guitarist of the American thrash metal band Megadeth. He currently resides in Sherman Oaks, California...
, formerly of
NevermoreNevermore is an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington. Formed in 1991, they are known to incorporate elements from styles such as thrash, power, progressive, and neo-classical metal into their songs, and also makes use of acoustic guitars and a wide range of vocal styles.-Early years...
and
Jag PanzerJag Panzer were an American power metal band from Colorado Springs, Colorado.-Biography:Jag Panzer came together in late 1981, being inspired by the onslaught of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal...
. Mustaine said he was happy with Drover's decision and was pleased that his replacement is Broderick, saying that "Chris is doing just fine". Former Nevermore bandmate
Van WilliamsVan Williams is the former drummer of Nevermore. Van Williams hails from New York where he began his music career in various bands, later relocating to Seattle, Washington in 1993...
commented that Megadeth is "getting one hell of a good player, more importantly they're getting a great guy to hang out with and a true friend". Broderick said, "I realize I have some big shoes to fill and I will do my best". With regards to what kind of an addition Chris Broderick will be for Megadeth, Dave Mustaine said in an interview that he was "...thoroughly thrilled with Chris... it reminds me a lot like when
OzzyJohn Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
found
Randy RhoadsRandall William "Randy" Rhoads was an American heavy metal guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. A devoted student of classical guitar, Rhoads often combined his classical music influences with his own heavy metal style. While on tour with Ozzy Osbourne, he would seek out...
".
The new lineup made its live debut in Finland on February 4, 2008, and continued on the Tour Of Duty tour in Europe as the headline act. The band returned to the UK the same month and to the US for Gigantour 2008. Dave Mustaine wanted a shorter lineup to allow each band a chance to put on a good show. The 2008 installment of the tour featured
In FlamesIn Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
,
Children of BodomChildren of Bodom is a Finnish heavy metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993, the group currently consists of Alexi Laiho , Roope Latvala , Janne Wirman , Henkka Seppälä , and Jaska Raatikainen...
,
Job for a CowboyJob for a Cowboy is a American death metal band from Glendale, Arizona. Formed in 2003, the band's debut album Genesis was released in 2007, peaking at #54 on the US Billboard 200 and selling 13,000 copies in its first week of release. The second album, 2009's Ruination, sold 10,600 copies in...
, and
High on FireHigh on Fire is a stoner metal band from Oakland, California, that was formed in 1998. Matt Pike, the band's frontman and founder, previously played guitar for the influential stoner doom band Sleep.-History:...
.
EvileEvile is a thrash metal band from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire in the United Kingdom. Their debut album, Enter the Grave, was produced by Flemming Rasmussen at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark and was released worldwide in 2007 by Earache Records to critical acclaim by fans and critics...
was also featured for the UK and Scandinavia tour. Megadeth continued the Tour Of Duty tour in South America and Mexico throughout May and June 2008. A compilation album called
Anthology: Set The World Afire-Disc 1:-Disc 2:-Personnel:*Dave Mustaine - lead vocals and lead and rhythm guitar on all tracks*Marty Friedman - guitar on tracks 10–17 disc one and 1–13 and 16–18 disc two*Chris Poland - guitar on tracks 1–5 on disc one...
was released on September 30, 2008.
Endgame (2009–2010)
In February 2009, Megadeth embarked on the "Priest Feast" European tour with headliners
Judas PriestJudas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
and
TestamentTestament is an American metal band from Berkeley, California, formed in 1983. They are often credited as one of the most popular bands of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
. During this time, Metallica, who had been inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of FameThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
, invited Dave Mustaine to attend their induction. Mustaine congratulated them respectfully, but, due to the European tour with Judas Priest, he wasn't able to attend the ceremony. In April 2009, Megadeth and
SlayerSlayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
co-headlined Canadian Carnage. This was the first time they had performed together in more than 15 years.
Machine HeadMachine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
and
Suicide SilenceSuicide Silence is an American extreme metal band from Riverside, California. The group consists of vocalist Mitch Lucker, guitarists Chris Garza and Mark Heylmun, drummer Alex Lopez and bassist Dan Kenny. Formed in 2002, the band has released three full-length studio albums, one EP and seven music...
opened for the four shows that occurred later in June.
On May 19, 2009, Megadeth finished recording their twelfth album and, on June 18, 2009, the album's title was revealed to be Endgame. According to Dave Mustaine, the name "Endgame" is an homage to the Alex Jones documentary of the same name.
The release date for "Endgame" was announced on the Megadeth official website as September 15, 2009, and
Metal HammerMetal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
magazine's website was the first to review the album track by track. Megadeth began its Endgame tour on November 14, 2009, in
Grand Rapids, MichiganGrand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
and ended on December 13, 2009, in
Las Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. The tour featured
Machine HeadMachine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
,
Suicide SilenceSuicide Silence is an American extreme metal band from Riverside, California. The group consists of vocalist Mitch Lucker, guitarists Chris Garza and Mark Heylmun, drummer Alex Lopez and bassist Dan Kenny. Formed in 2002, the band has released three full-length studio albums, one EP and seven music...
,
WarbringerWarbringer is an American thrash metal band. The band formed in 2004. Warbringer is signed to Century Media Records. Century Media signed Warbringer after seeing them at a local show in LA. Originally, a Century Media rep was at the show to see another LA thrash metal band but decided to sign...
, and Arcanium. In January 2010, Megadeth was set to embark on the "American Carnage" tour with Slayer and
TestamentTestament is an American metal band from Berkeley, California, formed in 1983. They are often credited as one of the most popular bands of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
, both giants of the thrash and heavy metal scene. The tour was scheduled to begin on January 18, but was postponed due to Tom Araya's back surgery. Several weeks later, Megadeth's "
Head Crusher"Head Crusher" is the first single from Megadeth's twelfth studio album, titled Endgame, which was released on September 15, 2009. The single was released on July 7, 2009. According to Roadrunner Records official website, a download of "Head Crusher" was available for 24-hours on July 7...
" was nominated for a 2010 Grammy.
In January 2010, Megadeth announced a "Rust in Peace 20th Anniversary Tour". The tour, which began on March 1, 2010, was a month-long North American tour with support from Testament and
ExodusExodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of over 30 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members. Guitarist Gary Holt remains the only constant member of the band,...
. During the tour, Megadeth played
Rust In PeaceRust in Peace is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. Released on September 24, 1990, it was the third Megadeth album distributed through Capitol Records. The album was the band's only collaboration with record producer Mike Clink who was the first producer to...
in its entirety and Testament played The Legacy in its entirety. In February 2010, prior to the start of the "Rust in Peace 20th Anniversary Tour", original bassist Dave Ellefson rejoined Megadeth after eight years. He stated in an interview for
Classic RockClassic Rock is a British magazine dedicated to the radio format of classic rock, published by Future Publishing, who are also responsible for its "sister" publication Metal Hammer. Although firmly focusing on key bands from the 1960s through early 1990s, it also includes articles and reviews of...
magazine that Megadeth drummer
Shawn DroverShawn Drover is a Canadian drummer, best-known for his work with the heavy metal band Megadeth....
contacted him and told him that bassist
James LoMenzoJames "JLo" LoMenzo is a metal bassist known for his roles as a former member of White Lion and Megadeth. He is also known for his work in Black Label Society .-Past bands and other works :...
was declining and that "if ever there was a time for you and Dave to talk, now is it."
Thirteen (2010–present)
In September 2010, Megadeth recorded a song titled "
Sudden Death"Sudden Death" is a song by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was written by Dave Mustaine for inclusion in the 2010 music video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, which was released on September 28, 2010 in North America...
", which appeared in the video game
Guitar Hero: Warriors of RockGuitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is a music video game and the sixth main entry in the Guitar Hero series for the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles. The game was released September 24, 2010 in Europe, September 28, 2010 in North America and September 29, 2010 in Australia...
. On June 18, 2010, IGN posted a video showcasing the completed version of the song within the game. Other Megadeth songs accompanying "Sudden Death" in the game are "
Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" is the opening track of heavy metal band Megadeth's 1990 album Rust in Peace.The song has an unusual structure, shifting at 2:26 after an acoustic bridge by Marty Friedman to a different, slower and heavier section called "The Punishment Due", before speeding up...
" and "
This Day We Fight!"This Day We Fight!" is a song by the American heavy metal band Megadeth, which appears on their twelfth studio album Endgame, which was released on September 15, 2009, written by frontman Dave Mustaine...
". On September 24, 2010, "Sudden Death" was released as a single on iTunes. On September 28, 2010, Roadrunner Records made the track available for streaming on its website. On September 7, 2010, the band released
Rust in Peace LiveRust in Peace Live is a live album by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released in 2010 through Shout! Factory in Blu-ray, DVD, and CD formats. Filmed at the Hollywood Palladium on March 31, 2010, the performance showcases Megadeth's 1990 album, Rust in Peace played in its entirety with the same...
on CD, DVD, and Blu-ray, recorded at the Hollywood Palladium via
Shout! FactoryShout! Factory is an entertainment company founded in 2003 that was started by Richard Foos , Bob Emmer and Garson Foos initially as a specialty music label...
.
Megadeth, along with
MetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
,
SlayerSlayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
, and Anthrax performed on the same bill for the first time on June 16, 2010 at Bemowo Airport in
Warsaw, PolandWarsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. It was the first performance played by the band as a part of Sonisphere Festival series. One of the following performances in
Sofia, BulgariaSofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
on June 22, 2010 was sent via satellite to cinemas. This was the first time that Megadeth and Metallica had played the same stage since June 1993, and only the second time since 1983 that Mustaine,
HetfieldJames Alan Hetfield is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler,...
, and
UlrichLars Ulrich is a Danish drummer, and one of the founding members of the American thrash metal band Metallica. He was born in Gentofte, Denmark to an upper-middle class family. A tennis player in his youth, Ulrich moved to Los Angeles, California at age sixteen to pursue his training; though rather...
had shared the same stage.
On September 24, 2010, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax began The Jägermeister Music Tour in Dallas, TX. Megadeth continued to play their 1990 album Rust In Peace in its entirety, while Slayer performed their
Seasons in the AbyssSeasons in the Abyss is the fifth studio album by the thrash metal band Slayer. It was released on October 9, 1990 through Def American Records, and later through American Recordings after the company changed its name. The album's recording sessions began in January 1990...
album. On October 21, 2010, during the final show of Jägermeister Music Tour,
Kerry KingKerry King is an American lead and rhythm guitarist. He is best known as the lead guitarist and cofounder of American thrash metal band Slayer. He co-founded the band with Jeff Hanneman in 1981 and has been a member ever since...
joined Megadeth on stage at the Gibson Amphitheater in Hollywood, California to perform Megadeth's classic "Rattlehead". This was the first time in 26 years that Kerry King had shared the stage with Megadeth since he played with the band during Megadeth's very first shows in 1984.
In an October 2010 interview with Crypt Magazine,
Shawn DroverShawn Drover is a Canadian drummer, best-known for his work with the heavy metal band Megadeth....
stated plans on another Megadeth album: "Yeah, we’re certainly talking about it. Right now we’re in tour mode, but we’re starting to discuss our game plan for next year, and I envision next year we’ll be recording a new record." Later that month,
Roadrunner RecordsRoadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
submitted several Megadeth songs for Grammy nominations. They submitted "
Sudden Death"Sudden Death" is a song by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was written by Dave Mustaine for inclusion in the 2010 music video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, which was released on September 28, 2010 in North America...
" for
Best Metal PerformanceThe Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for works containing quality performances in the heavy metal music genre...
, "
The Right to Go Insane"The Right to Go Insane" is a song by the American heavy metal band Megadeth, written by Dave Mustaine. It is the final track and second single from their twelfth studio album Endgame, which was released on September 15, 2009...
" for
Best Hard Rock PerformanceThe Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance was an award presented to recording artists at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, for works containing quality performances in the hard rock music genre...
, and "
Rust in Peace LiveRust in Peace Live is a live album by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released in 2010 through Shout! Factory in Blu-ray, DVD, and CD formats. Filmed at the Hollywood Palladium on March 31, 2010, the performance showcases Megadeth's 1990 album, Rust in Peace played in its entirety with the same...
" for
Best Rock AlbumThe Grammy Award for Best Rock Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality albums in the rock music genre...
at the
53rd Grammy AwardsThe 53rd annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2011, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. They were broadcast on CBS with a rating of 26.6 million viewers. Barbra Streisand was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year two nights prior to the telecast on February 11. Nominations were...
. "Sudden Death" was nominated, making it the band's ninth Grammy nominated song.
On November 17, 2010, Dave Mustaine officially announced in the Megadeth Cyber Army Chat Room that Megadeth would soon be recording their 13th album in Vic's Garage. On December 18, 2010, it was announced that Megadeth and
SlayerSlayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
would join forces once again for the European Carnage Tour in March and April 2011. Megadeth was also confirmed for the fourth annual
Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem FestivalThe Mayhem Festival is a touring metal festival that takes place during the summer. The inaugural iteration took place in 2008; the festival has since become an annual event across the United States and Quebec, Canada. The tour has been sponsored by the Rockstar Energy Company since the time of its...
in July and August 2011. On January 25, 2011, another Big 4 show was announced, this time in the United States. The gig took place on April 23, 2011 in
Indio, CAIndio is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, located in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's Colorado Desert region. It lies east of Palm Springs, east of Riverside, and east of Los Angeles. It is about north of Mexicali, Baja California on the U.S.-Mexican border...
at the Empire Polo Club. At the time, this was the only scheduled stop in the US and was the first time all of the Big 4 members played on the same stage there. Shortly after the show, a second American show, to be held at at
Yankee StadiumYankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
in
New YorkNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, was announced.
During an online chat with members of the band's fan club, Mustaine revealed that the band had completed five new songs for the next album. Mustaine also noted that the new album was turning out to be "more like Endgame". In an online post during the Thirteens recording, Shawn Drover noted that working with producer Johnny K (
StaindStaind is an American rock band that was formed in 1995 in Springfield, Massachusetts. For 16 years, the band consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April, and drummer Jon Wysocki...
,
SevendustSevendust is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia. Formed in 1994 by bassist Vince Hornsby, drummer Morgan Rose and guitarist John Connolly. After their first demo, lead vocalist Lajon Witherspoon and guitarist Clint Lowery joined the group...
) was a "blast" and that he "shared the same vision for the new album". In an interview with Pure Grain Audio, Mustaine said that the album would sound quite different from previous offerings, claiming that it was "different, a hundred percent different", and calling the sound "really super-modern". Mustaine went on to state that he believes that it will be the band's best album since Countdown to Extinction.
On June 3, 2011, it was announced that a new song, "Never Dead", was to be included in a trailer for the video game
NeverDeadNeverDead is an upcoming video game, developed by Rebellion Developments and published by Konami for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is scheduled for release on January 31, 2012 in North America and February 3, 2012 in Europe.-Gameplay:...
. On July 4, 2011, in
Hamburg-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Megadeth debuted a new song entitled "
Public Enemy No. 1"Public Enemy No. 1" is a song by the American heavy metal band Megadeth, written by Dave Mustaine. It is the first single and second track from their thirteenth studio album Thirteen, which was released on November 1, 2011. The song was commercially released as a single on September 13, 2011,...
". Public Enemy No. 1 was made available as a free single November 1, 2011, exclusively on iTunes.
Mustaine announced on July 8, 2011 that the new album would be entitled
ThirteenThirteen is the thirteenth studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. The album was released on November 1, 2011 in North America, making it the second Megadeth album that was released on that date. The album was released on October 26, 2011 in Japan...
, though it would be stylized as "TH1RT3EN" on the album cover. He also confirmed in an interview with
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
on July 12, 2011 that
Sudden Death"Sudden Death" is a song by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was written by Dave Mustaine for inclusion in the 2010 music video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, which was released on September 28, 2010 in North America...
, which earlier appeared in the video game
Guitar Hero: Warriors of RockGuitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is a music video game and the sixth main entry in the Guitar Hero series for the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles. The game was released September 24, 2010 in Europe, September 28, 2010 in North America and September 29, 2010 in Australia...
, NeverDead, and a title track, 13, would be included on the album.
In an interview KISW 99.9 FM in Seattle, Mustaine stated that, after 4 years of absence, there would be a new Gigantour tour in 2012. In October 2011 it was announced that
Motörhead, Volbeat and
Lacuna CoilLacuna Coil is an Italian gothic metal band from Milan. Formed in 1994, the group has had two name changes since being previously known as Sleep of Right and Ethereal and was inspired by the combination of gothic imagery and music...
will feature alongside Megadeth for the next Gigantour.
Lyrical themes
As Megadeth's primary lyricist, Mustaine is known for his often controversial, political, and more recently, personal lyrics. War and
nuclear warNuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
are common topics, including the
military-industrial complexMilitary–industrial complex , or Military–industrial-congressional complex is a concept commonly used to refer to policy and monetary relationships between legislators, national armed forces, and the industrial sector that supports them...
in songs such as "Architecture of Aggression", "
Hangar 18"Hangar 18" is a song by American heavy metal band Megadeth from the 1990 album Rust in Peace. UFO conspiracy theories, or possibly Hangar 18, the 1980 film based on those theories, inspired drummer Nick Menza to write the lyrics. Shortly thereafter, frontman Dave Mustaine composed the music...
", "Return to Hangar", and "Take No Prisoners", as well as the aftermath of war in songs such as "Dawn Patrol" and "Ashes In Your Mouth". The name Megadeth is a deliberate misspelling of the word
megadeathMegadeath is a term for one million deaths by nuclear explosion. It was coined in 1953 by RAND military strategist Herman Kahn and popularized in his 1960 book On Thermonuclear War...
, a term coined in 1953 by
RANDRAND Corporation is a nonprofit global policy think tank first formed to offer research and analysis to the United States armed forces by Douglas Aircraft Company. It is currently financed by the U.S. government and private endowment, corporations including the healthcare industry, universities...
militaryA military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
strategist
Herman KahnHerman Kahn was one of the preeminent futurists of the latter third of the twentieth century. In the early 1970s he predicted the rise of Japan as a major world power. He was a founder of the Hudson Institute think tank and originally came to prominence as a military strategist and systems...
to describe one million deaths, popularized in his 1960 book On Thermonuclear War. Politics are also a common theme in Megadeth songs, as seen in Mustaine's scathing assessment of
Tipper GoreMary Elizabeth "Tipper" Gore , née Aitcheson, is an author, photographer, former second lady of the United States, and the estranged wife of Al Gore...
, the PMRC, and music
censorshipthumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
in the song "Hook In Mouth". Mustaine takes an
environmentalistAn environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
stance in "Countdown to Extinction" and "Dawn Patrol", and shows a general cynicism regarding
politicsPolitics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
in songs like "Symphony of Destruction", "Peace Sells", "The World Needs A Hero" and "Blackmail the Universe". The UN is criticized for its ineffectiveness in "United Abominations" and "Peace Sells".
Controversial and misunderstood lyrics have also caused problems for the band. For instance, the
music videoA music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "
In My Darkest Hour"In My Darkest Hour" is a song by American thrash metal band Megadeth. It was the second single from Megadeth's third album, So Far, So Good...So What! . According to the liner notes of the remastered album, band leader Dave Mustaine wrote "In My Darkest Hour" in one sitting after learning of the...
" was banned from
MTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
in 1988 when the music channel deemed the song to be pro-
suicideSuicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. The music video for "
À Tout le Monde"À Tout le Monde" is the fourth song on Megadeth's sixth studio album Youthanasia, released as a single in 1995. In 2007, a re-arrangement titled "À Tout le Monde " featuring Cristina Scabbia of Italian band Lacuna Coil was released as the second single from the band's album United...
" was later banned by MTV, also wrongly interpreted as being pro-suicide. According to Mustaine, the song was written from the perspective of a dying man, saying his last words to his loved ones.
Addiction is also a common theme in songs such as "Use the Man", "Burnt Ice", and "Addicted to Chaos". "Use the Man" is about a former
substance abuseA substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
counselor who died of a
drug overdoseThe term drug overdose describes the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced...
. Some lyrics have taken on religious themes, such as "
Never Walk Alone... A Call to Arms"Never Walk Alone... A Call to Arms" is the third single from the album United Abominations by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. A music video was released for the song. The song was composed by Dave Mustaine and Glen Drover. When the music video was released, Dave Mustaine's cell phone...
", and "Shadow of Deth", with spoken lyrics taken directly from
Psalm 23In the 23rd Psalm in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, the writer describes God as his Shepherd. The text, beloved by Jews and Christians alike, is often alluded to in popular media and has been set to music....
of the King James Bible. "My Kingdom" and "Of Mice And Men" also feature Christian lyrics.
Mustaine dabbled in
black magicBlack magic is the type of magic that draws on assumed malevolent powers or is used with the intention to kill, steal, injure, cause misfortune or destruction, or for personal gain without regard to harmful consequences. As a term, "black magic" is normally used by those that do not approve of its...
in his teenage years, which became the theme for the song "The Conjuring" off
Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?-25th Anniversary 2-CD reissue:-25th Anniversary box set:Disc 5 contains both the original album, and the above listed 1987 show in hi-resolution audio....
. Mustaine stated that it was emotionally difficult to play because of his rebirth into
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
.
Controversy
Dave MustaineDavid Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
is notorious for making inflammatory statements in the press, usually regarding feuds and problems with former
MetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
bandmates or other bands, including
SlayerSlayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
,
Suicidal TendenciesSuicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...
and
PanteraPantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
. The oldest of these, and most well-known among fans, is Mustaine's long standing feud with Metallica members
James HetfieldJames Alan Hetfield is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler,...
and
Lars UlrichLars Ulrich is a Danish drummer, and one of the founding members of the American thrash metal band Metallica. He was born in Gentofte, Denmark to an upper-middle class family. A tennis player in his youth, Ulrich moved to Los Angeles, California at age sixteen to pursue his training; though rather...
. This feud stemmed from his ejection from the band, the method with which it was conducted, and disagreements on songwriting credits. After more than two decades, this feud has been resolved and Mustaine and the members of Metallica are once again good friends.
In April 1988, at a concert in
AntrimCounty Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
,
Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, Mustaine unknowingly dedicated the final song to the
IRAThe Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
. Before the final song, "Anarchy in the UK", Mustaine said, "This one's for the cause!". Protestants took offense at this statement and a fight amongst the audience ensued. The band had to travel in a bulletproof bus for the remainder of the tour of
Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and the
Republic of IrelandIreland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. Mustaine later alleged that he had been misled by T-shirt bootleggers about the meaning of the expression "the cause". This incident served as inspiration for the song "
Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" is the opening track of heavy metal band Megadeth's 1990 album Rust in Peace.The song has an unusual structure, shifting at 2:26 after an acoustic bridge by Marty Friedman to a different, slower and heavier section called "The Punishment Due", before speeding up...
".
In July 2004, former bassist Dave Ellefson sued Mustaine for $18.5 million in
ManhattanManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
Federal CourtThe United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
. Ellefson alleged that Mustaine short changed him on profits and backed out of a deal to turn Megadeth over to him when they disbanded in 2002. Ellefson also accused Mustaine of locking him out of merchandise and publishing royalties. The suit was dismissed in 2005, and Mustaine filed a countersuit that was settled out of court.
In recent years, Dave Mustaine has become a Born again Christian. Following this, minor controversy was sparked by Mustaine's announcement that Megadeth will not play certain songs live anymore due to his new identification as a
ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
. In May 2005, Mustaine also allegedly threatened to cancel shows in Greece and Israel with
extreme metalExtreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
bands
Rotting ChristRotting Christ is a Greek black metal band formed in 1987. They are noted for being one of the first black metal bands within this region, as well as a premier act within the European underground metal scene.- Line-up :...
and
DissectionDissection was a black metal band from Strömstad, Sweden. The band was formed in 1989, by Jon Nödtveidt. The band released its first EP in 1991. They disbanded in 2006, after Nödtveidt's suicide.- Band overview :...
due to the bands' anti-Christian beliefs. This caused the two bands to cancel their appearances.
Legacy
With over 30 million albums sold worldwide, ten top 40 albums (including five top 10 albums), 18 top 40 Mainstream Rock singles, and nine Grammy nominations, Megadeth remains one of the most successful heavy metal bands of all time. Of the "Big Four"
thrash metalThrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
bands, Megadeth,
MetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
,
AnthraxAnthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
, and
SlayerSlayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
, Megadeth is second only to Metallica in sales and commercial success.
As an early pioneer of
thrash metalThrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
, Megadeth were considered one of the progenitors for the burgeoning
extreme metalExtreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
movement of the late 1980s and early 1990s, and is often cited as an influence by later metal acts, including
PanteraPantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
,
Bullet for My ValentineBullet for My Valentine are a Welsh heavy metal band from Bridgend, formed in 1998. The band is composed of Matt Tuck , Michael Paget , Jason James , and Michael Thomas . They were formed under the name Jeff Killed John and started their music career by covering songs by Metallica and Nirvana...
,
Arch EnemyArch Enemy is a Swedish melodic death metal band, originally a supergroup, from Halmstad, formed in 1996. Its members were in bands such as Carcass, Armageddon, Carnage, Mercyful Fate, Spiritual Beggars, and Eucharist to name a few. It was founded by Carcass guitarist Michael Amott along with Johan...
,
Lamb of GodLamb of God is an American heavy metal band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 1994, the group consists of vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler...
, and
In FlamesIn Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
.
Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?-25th Anniversary 2-CD reissue:-25th Anniversary box set:Disc 5 contains both the original album, and the above listed 1987 show in hi-resolution audio....
has been recognized as a notable achievement in the history of
thrash metalThrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
by Allmusic, who called the album "One of the most influential metal albums of its decade, and certainly one of the few truly definitive thrash albums", as well as "one of the best beginning-to-end metal albums ever". In May 2006,
VH1VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
ranked "Peace Sells" #11 on the 40 Greatest Metal Songs of all time countdown. In addition to this,
Rust In PeaceRust in Peace is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. Released on September 24, 1990, it was the third Megadeth album distributed through Capitol Records. The album was the band's only collaboration with record producer Mike Clink who was the first producer to...
was named the third greatest thrash metal album of all time by
Metal HammerMetal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
magazine. Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? was placed 11th.
In 1993, Megadeth became the first and only metal band to win the
Humane Society'sThe Humane Society of the United States , based in Washington, D.C., is the largest animal advocacy organization in the world. In 2009, HSUS reported assets of over US$160 million....
Genesis AwardThe Genesis Awards are awarded annually to individuals in the major news and entertainment media for producing outstanding works which raise public awareness of animal issues. Presented by The Humane Society of the United States, the awards show takes place every March in California...
for the title track of their
Countdown to ExtinctionCountdown to Extinction is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was released on July 14, 1992 through Capitol Records. Countdown to Extinction is Megadeth's best-selling album, eventually achieving double platinum status...
album.
In 2004,
Guitar WorldGuitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
magazine ranked Dave Mustaine and Marty Friedman together at #19 on the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists of All Time. Megadeth are also ranked 69th on "VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" list.
In 2009, after the release of Endgame, BBC regarded Megadeth as "the most consistent heavy [metal] group". BW&BK mentions that, even in 2009, "Megadeth are still driven by hunger" for new material and they do not repeat themselves. About.com asserts that "More than a quarter century after their formation, Megadeth is still at the top of their game."
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
| Genesis Awards The Genesis Awards are awarded annually to individuals in the major news and entertainment media for producing outstanding works which raise public awareness of animal issues. Presented by The Humane Society of the United States, the awards show takes place every March in California...
|
1993 |
Countdown to Extinction Countdown to Extinction is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was released on July 14, 1992 through Capitol Records. Countdown to Extinction is Megadeth's best-selling album, eventually achieving double platinum status...
|
Doris Day Music Award |
|
Grammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s |
|
Rust in Peace Rust in Peace is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. Released on September 24, 1990, it was the third Megadeth album distributed through Capitol Records. The album was the band's only collaboration with record producer Mike Clink who was the first producer to...
|
Best Metal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for works containing quality performances in the heavy metal music genre...
|
|
| |
"Hangar 18 "Hangar 18" is a song by American heavy metal band Megadeth from the 1990 album Rust in Peace. UFO conspiracy theories, or possibly Hangar 18, the 1980 film based on those theories, inspired drummer Nick Menza to write the lyrics. Shortly thereafter, frontman Dave Mustaine composed the music...
" |
|
| |
Countdown to Extinction Countdown to Extinction is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was released on July 14, 1992 through Capitol Records. Countdown to Extinction is Megadeth's best-selling album, eventually achieving double platinum status...
|
|
| |
"Angry Again "Angry Again" is a 1993 heavy metal song by Megadeth, written by Dave Mustaine. The song was written exclusively for inclusion in the 1993 satirical action film Last Action Hero, directed by John McTiernan which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, and appeared on the film's soundtrack...
" |
|
| |
"99 Ways to Die "99 Ways to Die" is a heavy metal song written by Dave Mustaine that originally appeared on the compilation album The Beavis and Butt-Head Experience and later on Megadeth's Hidden Treasures. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Metal Performance, but lost to...
" |
|
| |
"Paranoid "Paranoid" is a song by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, featured on their second album Paranoid . It is the first single from the album, while the B-side is the song "The Wizard". It reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart and number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100...
" |
|
| |
"Trust "Trust" is the first song on Megadeth's seventh studio album Cryptic Writings. It was released on May 8, 1997 in both English and Spanish language versions...
" |
|
| |
"Head Crusher "Head Crusher" is the first single from Megadeth's twelfth studio album, titled Endgame, which was released on September 15, 2009. The single was released on July 7, 2009. According to Roadrunner Records official website, a download of "Head Crusher" was available for 24-hours on July 7...
" |
|
| |
"Sudden Death "Sudden Death" is a song by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was written by Dave Mustaine for inclusion in the 2010 music video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, which was released on September 28, 2010 in North America...
" |
|
| |
"Public Enemy No. 1 "Public Enemy No. 1" is a song by the American heavy metal band Megadeth, written by Dave Mustaine. It is the first single and second track from their thirteenth studio album Thirteen, which was released on November 1, 2011. The song was commercially released as a single on September 13, 2011,...
" |
Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance is a Grammy Award in the Rock Field that will start being presented as of 2012 at the 54th Grammy Awards. The Award combines the previous categories; Best Hard Rock Performance and Best Metal Performance...
|
|
| Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards Metal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
|
2007 |
Dave Mustaine David Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
|
Riff Lord |
|
| 2008 |
|
| Megadeth |
Best Live Band |
|
| Revolver Golden Gods Awards Revolver is a bi-monthly rock and heavy metal magazine published by Future US. Before covering heavy metal, rock & hard rock solely, it was a more mainstream oriented magazine. The magazine is structured in a manner similar to publications such as Spin while covering many avenues within the heavy...
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2009 |
Dave Mustaine David Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
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Golden God |
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| Full Armor of God Broadcast WLRY is a non-commercial educational radio station licensed to serve Rushville, Ohio, USA. The station, established in 1999, is owned by the Arcangel Broadcasting Foundation, a 501 non-profit organization...
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2011 |
Megadeth |
Full Armor Award |
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Band members
Current members
- Dave Mustaine
David Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
– lead vocals, guitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1983–2002, 2004–present)
- Dave Ellefson – bass
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals (1983–2002, 2010–present)
- Chris Broderick
Christopher Broderick is the virtuoso guitarist of the American thrash metal band Megadeth. He currently resides in Sherman Oaks, California...
– guitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, backing vocals (2008–present)
- Shawn Drover
Shawn Drover is a Canadian drummer, best-known for his work with the heavy metal band Megadeth....
– drumsA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
(2004–present)
Discography
- Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!
Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! is the debut album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth, released in June 1985 through Combat and Relativity Records. During the beginning of 1985, the band was given $8,000 by Combat Records to record and produce their debut album, but this...
(1985)
- Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?
-25th Anniversary 2-CD reissue:-25th Anniversary box set:Disc 5 contains both the original album, and the above listed 1987 show in hi-resolution audio....
(1986)
- So Far, So Good... So What!
- 2004 bonus tracks :† The intro makes use of a sample from The Ink Spots' 1941 song "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire"- Personnel :- Charts :-RIAA Certifications:- External links :*...
(1988)
- Rust in Peace
Rust in Peace is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. Released on September 24, 1990, it was the third Megadeth album distributed through Capitol Records. The album was the band's only collaboration with record producer Mike Clink who was the first producer to...
(1990)
- Countdown to Extinction
Countdown to Extinction is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was released on July 14, 1992 through Capitol Records. Countdown to Extinction is Megadeth's best-selling album, eventually achieving double platinum status...
(1992)
- Youthanasia
Youthanasia is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released on November 1, 1994 through Capitol Records. A remixed and remastered version, featuring several bonus tracks, was released in 2004....
(1994)
- Cryptic Writings
Cryptic Writings is the seventh studio album by heavy metal band Megadeth. The album was released on June 17, 1997 and debuted at #10 on Billboard Top 200. This is the last Megadeth studio album to feature drummer Nick Menza. His departure would mark the end of the band's longest lasting lineup to...
(1997)
- Risk (1999)
- The World Needs a Hero
-Track listing:-Personnel:-Album:-Singles:...
(2001)
- The System Has Failed
-Songs:* "Blackmail the Universe" has numerous quotes from the movie Thirteen Days, which was about the Cuban Missile Crisis.* "Die Dead Enough" was released as a single, and was originally set to be featured in the movie Saw, but it was not used for undisclosed reasons.* "The Scorpion" was...
(2004)
- United Abominations
United Abominations is the eleventh studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Released on May 8, 2007, United Abominations is the first Megadeth release distributed through Roadrunner Records, and was recorded with an all new lineup excluding the band's singer, guitarist, songwriter,...
(2007)
- Endgame (2009)
- Thirteen
Thirteen is the thirteenth studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. The album was released on November 1, 2011 in North America, making it the second Megadeth album that was released on that date. The album was released on October 26, 2011 in Japan...
(2011)