Rust in Peace
Encyclopedia
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 successfully produce a Megadeth album from start to finish, without being fired. It was the first album to feature guitarist
Marty Friedman and drummer
Nick Menza
, following the firing of both Jeff Young
and Chuck Behler
in 1989.
There are nine tracks on the album, with lyrics inspired by subjects ranging from nuclear fallout
, war
, religion
, Area 51
and fantasy
. Two singles were released from the album: "Hangar 18
" and "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due
", which have become staples of the band's live performances. Rust in Peace was very well received by both critics and fans and was responsible for bringing Megadeth to the attention of a mainstream metal audience, and it is considered one of the most influential heavy metal albums of all time. The album was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 33rd Grammy Awards, and "Hangar 18" was nominated for the same award at the 34th Grammy Awards. Allmusic described the record as "easily Megadeth's strongest musical effort", and it was noted as one of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
.
A remix
ed and remastered version, featuring several bonus tracks, was released in 2004. A limited edition 180g LP
using the original mix was issued in the U.S. in 2008 by Capitol Records. In addition, in January 2010, the band announced that they would be doing a North American
tour to commemorate the album's 20th anniversary. They performed the whole album live, including three tracks that had never previously been performed live, "Five Magics", "Poison Was the Cure", and "Rust in Peace... Polaris". Their performance at the Hollywood Palladium
was filmed and released as Rust in Peace Live
later that year.
festival at Castle Donnington in the UK, alongside Kiss
, Iron Maiden
, Helloween
, Guns N' Roses
, and David Lee Roth
, performing to an audience of more than 100,000 people. The band was soon added to the "Monsters of Rock" European tour, but dropped out after the first show due to bassist
Dave Ellefson's drug problems. Due to further issues within the band, Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine
fired both drummer
Chuck Behler
and guitarist
Jeff Young
, and canceled their scheduled 1988 Australian tour. The following year the band had hired drummer Nick Menza
and guitarist Marty Friedman
to join the band, creating what would become the band's first stable line-up. Dave Ellefson along with Mustaine were the only remaining members from the original line-up from 1983.
The title "Rust in Peace" was inspired by a bumper sticker
that Dave Mustaine saw on the back of a vehicle. In an interview from 1990, Mustaine remarked, "I was driving home from Elsinore... um, Lake Elsinore
. I was tailgating somebody, racing down the freeway, and I saw this bumper sticker on their car and it said... you know, this tongue in cheek
stuff like, 'One nuclear bomb
could ruin your whole day' and then I looked on the other side and it said, 'May all your nuclear weapons rust in peace' and I'm goin', Rust in Peace. Damn, that's a good title. And I'm thinkin' like, what do they mean, rust in peace? I could just see it now―all these warheads sittin' there, stockpiled somewhere like Seal Beach
, you know, all covered with rust 'n' stuff with kids out there spray painting
the stuff, you know."
A revitalized Megadeth entered Rumbo Studios in March 1990. They were joined with producer Mike Clink
, who had previously produced albums with Whitesnake
, Guns N' Roses and Metallica
.
The opening song on the album, "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due
" finds its thematic inspiration derived from the Northern Ireland
conflict
, in which the Catholic
s were against the Protestants, and Mustaine's feelings concerning religion
, amongst other things. In an interview with the UK magazine "Guitarist
", Mustaine says that he was inspired to write the song in Northern Ireland, when he discovered bootlegged Megadeth T-shirts were on sale and was dissuaded from taking action to have them removed on the basis that they were part of fund raising activities for "The Cause'
. Dave liked how "the cause" sounded and unknowingly dedicated a performance of Anarchy in the U.K. to it, where the audience quickly started to riot
. Megadeth was forced to travel for the remainder of the tour in a bulletproof bus. This incident further inspired the song, with the popular Marvel
comic book
character, The Punisher
acting as a lyrical inspiration.
Nick Menza thought of the concept for "Hangar 18
", a song about UFO conspiracy theories
, Area 51
and Hangar 18
, a film
which was later featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000
. According to Menza, "Hangar 18 is a military installation
that holds UFO artifacts and alien
creatures as far as we know." Mustaine remarked that "The idea's based on a place in the four corner state region of the United States... it's a place where the military intelligence
is housing alien aircraft and alien life-forms. Not that I subscribe to this point of view or any of that kind of BS
, but Nick is way into it."
Politics, warfare and the environment
are the main topics explored throughout the album, with songs like "Rust in Peace... Polaris" which is about intercontinental ballistic missile
s, and their effects on the world. "Polaris" refers to the Polaris missile
. "Take No Prisoners" is a song about Prisoners of war
and the killing of not just the enemy, but one's own soldiers, while "Dawn Patrol" is a song about the environment being destroyed by global warming and greenhouse gases, and the life of humans after a nuclear war
. "Five Magics" and "Lucretia" are fantasy
inspired songs; "Five Magics" is based on the novel
Master of the Five Magics
and "Lucretia" is about a "ghost
who lives in Mustaine's attic". "Tornado of Souls" is about dysfunctional relationships and the hardship of breaking up
, and "Poison Was the Cure" is a song about Mustaine's issues with heroin addiction
.
, who previously had designed the cover for Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?
. The album's two singles
, "Hangar 18" and "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" had promotional art created by Repka as well. The cover features band mascot Vic Rattlehead
and the leaders of the "five major world powers" of the early 90's. The world leaders, from left to right, are former British Prime Minister
John Major
, former Japanese Prime Minister
Toshiki Kaifu
, former German President
Richard von Weizsäcker
, former Soviet General Secretary
Mikhail Gorbachev
, and former American President George H. W. Bush
.
at number 23, Megadeth's highest charting album up to that point. It was eventually certified platinum by the RIAA
in 1994. The album was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 33rd Grammy Awards, and "Hangar 18" was nominated for the same award at the 34th Grammy Awards. These were Megadeth's first two nominations, and was the only time when a Megadeth album would receive two nominations.
Rust in Peace received very positive reviews by both underground
and mainstream
music critics. Reviewing for Allmusic, Steve Huey awarded the album four and a half stars, describing it as "easily Megadeth's strongest musical effort." Entertainment Weekly
critic Jim Farber awarded the album a B+ grade, calling it "brutality inventive" as well as "what can only be called nihilistic
whimsy." Mike Stango from Sputnik Music wrote that Rust in Peace is "widely considered to be one of thrash metal
's finest albums." Mike further remarked the song "Five Magics", "has a blistering two minute instrumental
before Dave Mustaine's vocals kick in, leaving the band an excellent opportunity to show their stuff." Metal Storm
noted that the album is "undoubtedly one of the saviors of thrash during the early nineties, Megadeth really outdid themselves on this release." MusicRadar
ranked the album number 6 on their list of the "50 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums Of All Time." IGN
named Rust in Peace the fourth most influential heavy metal album of all time, after Metallica
's Master of Puppets
, Black Sabbath
's Paranoid
and Iron Maiden
's The Number of the Beast
. It was also declared as one of the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
.
Christopher Foley of The Metal Crypt observed that: "'Holy Wars' is such a superb album opener, featuring many immense riff
s and Dave Mustaine's oh so original vocal delivery – I love the way this guy snarl
s his lines out and they're so damn fun to imitate." He further noted, "There's honestly not a bad word to be said about Rust in Peace. Just look at any track - they all have something special to offer, be it the ultra cool intro to "Lucretia" and the awesome riffage of "Tornado of Souls" and its ultra melodic
feel." Rolling Stone
magazine described the album as one of Megadeth's "most beloved albums" and that "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" was a "classic". When asked if Rust in Peace was his favorite Megadeth album, Dave Mustaine replied: "Yes actually, it’s a fun record for us to play. Sometimes you’re playing a record and it can be a little tiring, but we’ve been really excited about getting back down there and playing it some more."
ed their debut Megadeth album, Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!
. Inspired by the positive reception of the re-release
, he worked to remaster all of the subsequent Megadeth albums which had been recorded with Capitol Records
, which included Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? up to Risk. Rust in Peace was re-released in 2004 with a new sound, four new bonus tracks and a slightly different version of the cover art. During the audio mixing
process, Mustaine found that the original lead vocal tracks for "Take No Prisoners", "Rust in Peace... Polaris", "Five Magics" and "Lucretia" were all missing, which meant he had to re-record the vocals on "Take No Prisoners" & "Rust in Peace... Polaris" and use alternate takes for "Lucretia" and "Five Magics".
tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Rust in Peace, with Testament
and Exodus
as openers. The tour took place from March 1 to March 31, 2010 and included 22 shows. At every show, the band performed the album in its entirety and in order. The first concert on the tour was also the first occasion on which "Five Magics," "Poison Was the Cure" and "Rust In Peace... Polaris" were ever played live. Due to the overwhelmingly positive response, the band announced that it would carry on performing the entire album in the South
and Central American tour dates which were to follow. Coincidentally, former long-time bassist
and founding band member Dave Ellefson, who left the band in 2002, rejoined the band a short time before the tour began. He replaced James Lomenzo
, sparking even more interest in the tour. Ellefson stated in an interview for Classic Rock
magazine that Megadeth drummer Shawn Drover
contacted him and stated that bassist James LoMenzo
was leaving the band, and that "if ever there was a time for you and Dave to talk, now is it."
In 2010 Shout! Factory
released a live recording filmed on the Hollywood Palladium
stop of the tour. The release, titled Rust in Peace Live
is the first Megadeth release since 2002's Rude Awakening
to feature Dave Ellefson. The live album was released on September 7, 2010 in Blu-ray, DVD, and CD formats. The album debuted at 161 on the Billboard 200
and number two on the Billboard DVD charts.
Rust in Peace in its entirety was released as purchasable downloadable content
in the rhythm game
Rock Band
, a part of the their "Rust in Peace Download Package". It was released a little more than a year after the release of Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? on the game's download store. A cover version
of "Holy Wars" by Steve Ouimette
was featured in Rock Revolution
. "Holy Wars" was also featured in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
, while "Hangar 18" was featured in Guitar Hero II
and as downloadable content for Guitar Hero 5
. Both songs have been described as amongst the most difficult songs in the series' history. In further pop culture
, a reference to the ending of the "Hangar 18" music video was made in an episode of Duck Dodgers
, an animated television series. In the episode "In Space, No One Can Hear You Rock" the title character
resurrects Dave Mustaine from a cryopreservation
to play loud enough to overload an evil alien device. Dave voices himself
in the episode.
A sequel
to "Hangar 18", titled "Return to Hangar" was featured on Megadeth's ninth studio album
The World Needs a Hero
. It concludes the fiction
al narrative
begun in "Hangar 18", where the life-forms said to be contained in Hangar 18
come back to life and kill those inside the building before escaping. Both "Hangar 18" and "Return to Hangar" were played live consecutively on the live DVD
Rude Awakening (video) , and That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires
,. Also "Holy Wars" and "Hangar 18" were the two opening songs during Megadeth's performance at The Big 4 Live from Sofia, Bulgaria
. Marty Friedman
, who recorded on Rust in Peace, covered the song "Tornado of Souls" on his solo album
Future Addict
in 2008. Megadeth tribute band Primitivity
performed an instrumental
cover of "Hangar 18" on their debut cello rock
album Plays Megadeth For Cello
in 2010. Russian thrash metal
band DeadXheaD
covered the same song on their debut album Regressive by Default
in 2006. "Hangar 18" was covered by Fairlight
and "Holy Wars" was covered by Mind-Ashes on the Megadeth tribute album Megaded - A Tribute To Megadeth released in 1999. Both "Hangar 18" and "Holy Wars" were also featured on the 2005 compilation album Greatest Hits: Back to the Start
, where fans voted on the track listing.
Singles
| style="text-align:center;"| 1991 || "Rust in Peace"
|| Best Metal Performance||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 1992 || "Hangar 18
"
|| Best Metal Performance||
|-
Studio album
A 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...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy 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 Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
. Released on September 24, 1990, it was the third Megadeth album distributed through Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol 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...
. The album was the band's only collaboration with record producer Mike Clink
Mike Clink
Mike 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...
who was the first producer to successfully produce a Megadeth album from start to finish, without being fired. It was the first album to feature guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Marty Friedman and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Nick Menza
Nick Menza
Nick 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:...
, following the firing of both Jeff Young
Jeff Young
Jeff 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 Chuck Behler
Chuck Behler
Chuck 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...
in 1989.
There are nine tracks on the album, with lyrics inspired by subjects ranging from nuclear fallout
Nuclear fallout
Fallout is the residual radioactive material propelled into the upper atmosphere following a nuclear blast, so called because it "falls out" of the sky after the explosion and shock wave have passed. It commonly refers to the radioactive dust and ash created when a nuclear weapon explodes...
, war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
, religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, Area 51
Area 51
Area 51 is a military base, and a remote detachment of Edwards Air Force Base. It is located in the southern portion of Nevada in the western United States, 83 miles north-northwest of downtown Las Vegas. Situated at its center, on the southern shore of Groom Lake, is a large military airfield...
and fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
. Two singles were released from the album: "Hangar 18
Hangar 18
The most notable Hangar 18 are:* Hangar 18 at Area 51 - the former biggest and still most famous building at the base.* Hangar 18 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base which allegedly houses evidence from the Roswell UFO incident...
" and "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due
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...
", which have become staples of the band's live performances. Rust in Peace was very well received by both critics and fans and was responsible for bringing Megadeth to the attention of a mainstream metal audience, and it is considered one of the most influential heavy metal albums of all time. The album was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 33rd Grammy Awards, and "Hangar 18" was nominated for the same award at the 34th Grammy Awards. Allmusic described the record as "easily Megadeth's strongest musical effort", and it was noted as one of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die is a musical reference book edited by Robert Dimery, first published in 2005. The most recent edition consists of a list of albums released between 1955 and 2010, part of a series from Quintessence Editions Ltd...
.
A remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
ed and remastered version, featuring several bonus tracks, was released in 2004. A limited edition 180g LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
using the original mix was issued in the U.S. in 2008 by Capitol Records. In addition, in January 2010, the band announced that they would be doing a North American
North American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
tour to commemorate the album's 20th anniversary. They performed the whole album live, including three tracks that had never previously been performed live, "Five Magics", "Poison Was the Cure", and "Rust in Peace... Polaris". Their performance at the Hollywood Palladium
Hollywood Palladium
The Hollywood Palladium is a theater located at 6215 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. It was built in a Streamline Moderne, Art Deco style and includes an 11,200 square foot dance floor with room for up to 4,000 people.-History:...
was filmed and released as Rust in Peace Live
Rust in Peace Live
Rust 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...
later that year.
Writing and recording
In 1988, Megadeth appeared at the Monsters of RockMonsters of Rock
Monsters 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 Donnington in the UK, alongside Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss 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,...
, Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron 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...
, Helloween
Helloween
Helloween 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' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns 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 Roth
David Lee Roth
David 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....
, performing to an audience of more than 100,000 people. The band was soon added to the "Monsters of Rock" European tour, but dropped out after the first show due to bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Dave Ellefson's drug problems. Due to further issues within the band, Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine
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...
fired both drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Chuck Behler
Chuck Behler
Chuck 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
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Jeff Young
Jeff Young
Jeff 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. The following year the band had hired drummer Nick Menza
Nick Menza
Nick 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:...
and guitarist Marty Friedman
Marty Friedman (guitarist)
Marty Friedman is a guitarist, well known for his tenure as the lead/rhythm guitarist for thrash metal band Megadeth, which lasted almost a decade...
to join the band, creating what would become the band's first stable line-up. Dave Ellefson along with Mustaine were the only remaining members from the original line-up from 1983.
The title "Rust in Peace" was inspired by a bumper sticker
Bumper sticker
A bumper sticker is an adhesive label or sticker with a message, intended to be attached to the bumper of an automobile and to be read by the occupants of other vehicles - although they are often stuck onto other objects...
that Dave Mustaine saw on the back of a vehicle. In an interview from 1990, Mustaine remarked, "I was driving home from Elsinore... um, Lake Elsinore
Lake Elsinore
Lake Elsinore, originally named Laguna Grande by the Spanish explorers, renamed for the town Lake Elsinore, California established on its northeastern shore April 9, 1888.-Limnology:...
. I was tailgating somebody, racing down the freeway, and I saw this bumper sticker on their car and it said... you know, this tongue in cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
stuff like, 'One nuclear bomb
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
could ruin your whole day' and then I looked on the other side and it said, 'May all your nuclear weapons rust in peace' and I'm goin', Rust in Peace. Damn, that's a good title. And I'm thinkin' like, what do they mean, rust in peace? I could just see it now―all these warheads sittin' there, stockpiled somewhere like Seal Beach
Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach
Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach is a United States Navy weapons and munitions loading, storage and maintenance facility located in Seal Beach, California with detachments in Concord, Fallbrook, and San Diego, all also in California...
, you know, all covered with rust 'n' stuff with kids out there spray painting
Spray painting
Spray painting is a painting technique where a device sprays a coating through the air onto a surface. The most common types employ compressed gas—usually air—to atomize and direct the paint particles. Spray guns evolved from airbrushes, and the two are usually distinguished by their size and the...
the stuff, you know."
A revitalized Megadeth entered Rumbo Studios in March 1990. They were joined with producer Mike Clink
Mike Clink
Mike 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...
, who had previously produced albums with Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
, Guns N' Roses and Metallica
Metallica
Metallica 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 opening song on the album, "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due
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...
" finds its thematic inspiration derived from the Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern 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...
conflict
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
, in which the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
s were against the Protestants, and Mustaine's feelings concerning religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, amongst other things. In an interview with the UK magazine "Guitarist
Guitarist (magazine)
Guitarist is a monthly music making magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. The magazine features reviews of newly released guitars, amplifiers and other equipment, plus interviews with guitar players, features on the guitar industry, news articles, and features on playing...
", Mustaine says that he was inspired to write the song in Northern Ireland, when he discovered bootlegged Megadeth T-shirts were on sale and was dissuaded from taking action to have them removed on the basis that they were part of fund raising activities for "The Cause'
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The 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...
. Dave liked how "the cause" sounded and unknowingly dedicated a performance of Anarchy in the U.K. to it, where the audience quickly started to riot
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
. Megadeth was forced to travel for the remainder of the tour in a bulletproof bus. This incident further inspired the song, with the popular Marvel
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
character, The Punisher
Punisher
The Punisher is a fictional character, an anti-hero appearing in comic books based in the . Created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, the character made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 .The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder,...
acting as a lyrical inspiration.
Nick Menza thought of the concept for "Hangar 18
Hangar 18 (song)
"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...
", a song about UFO conspiracy theories
UFO conspiracy theory
A UFO conspiracy theory is any one of many often overlapping conspiracy theories which argue that evidence of the reality of unidentified flying objects is being suppressed by various governments around the world...
, Area 51
Area 51
Area 51 is a military base, and a remote detachment of Edwards Air Force Base. It is located in the southern portion of Nevada in the western United States, 83 miles north-northwest of downtown Las Vegas. Situated at its center, on the southern shore of Groom Lake, is a large military airfield...
and Hangar 18
Hangar 18 (film)
Hangar 18 is a 1980 science fiction film that was released to capitalize on the UFO interest of the era. The film itself carries ties to Area 51, as well as ufology. Although it flopped , it tantalized those who saw government cover-ups of UFOs...
, a film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
which was later featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
. According to Menza, "Hangar 18 is a military installation
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
that holds UFO artifacts and alien
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
creatures as far as we know." Mustaine remarked that "The idea's based on a place in the four corner state region of the United States... it's a place where the military intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
is housing alien aircraft and alien life-forms. Not that I subscribe to this point of view or any of that kind of BS
Bullshit
Bullshit is a common English expletive which may be shortened to the euphemism bull or the initialism B.S. In British English, "bollocks" is a comparable expletive, although bullshit is commonly used in British English...
, but Nick is way into it."
Politics, warfare and the environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
are the main topics explored throughout the album, with songs like "Rust in Peace... Polaris" which is about intercontinental ballistic missile
Intercontinental ballistic missile
An intercontinental ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a long range typically designed for nuclear weapons delivery...
s, and their effects on the world. "Polaris" refers to the Polaris missile
UGM-27 Polaris
The Polaris missile was a two-stage solid-fuel nuclear-armed submarine-launched ballistic missile built during the Cold War by Lockheed Corporation of California for the United States Navy....
. "Take No Prisoners" is a song about Prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
and the killing of not just the enemy, but one's own soldiers, while "Dawn Patrol" is a song about the environment being destroyed by global warming and greenhouse gases, and the life of humans after a nuclear war
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
. "Five Magics" and "Lucretia" are fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
inspired songs; "Five Magics" is based on the novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
Master of the Five Magics
Master of the Five Magics
Master of the Five Magics is a fantasy novel by Lyndon Hardy, first published in 1980. It is the first of a trilogy set in the same world; the second book is Secret of the Sixth Magic and the third Riddle of the Seven Realms...
and "Lucretia" is about a "ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
who lives in Mustaine's attic". "Tornado of Souls" is about dysfunctional relationships and the hardship of breaking up
Relationship breakup
A relationship breakup, often referred to simply as a breakup, is the termination of a usually intimate relationship by any means other than death. The act is commonly termed "dumping [someone]" in slang when it is initiated by one partner...
, and "Poison Was the Cure" is a song about Mustaine's issues with heroin addiction
Addiction
Historically, addiction has been defined as physical and psychological dependence on psychoactive substances which cross the blood-brain barrier once ingested, temporarily altering the chemical milieu of the brain.Addiction can also be viewed as a continued involvement with a substance or activity...
.
Artwork
The album's artwork was created by longtime Megadeth artist Ed RepkaEd Repka
Edward 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 previously had designed the cover for Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?
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's two singles
Single (music)
In 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...
, "Hangar 18" and "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" had promotional art created by Repka as well. The cover features band mascot Vic Rattlehead
Vic Rattlehead
Vic Rattlehead is the mascot of the heavy metal band Megadeth. Vic is a skeletal figure who embodies the phrase, "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil." His eyes are covered by a riveted-on visor, his mouth is clamped shut, and his ears are closed with metal caps.His image appears on several...
and the leaders of the "five major world powers" of the early 90's. The world leaders, from left to right, are former British Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
, former Japanese Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
Toshiki Kaifu
Toshiki Kaifu
is a Japanese politician who was the 76th and 77th Prime Minister of Japan from 1989 to 1991.- Career :He was born in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, and was educated at Chuo University and Waseda University. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party , Kaifu ran successfully for the Diet in 1960 and...
, former German President
President of Germany
The President of the Federal Republic of Germany is the country's head of state. His official title in German is Bundespräsident . Germany has a parliamentary system of government and so the position of President is largely ceremonial...
Richard von Weizsäcker
Richard von Weizsäcker
Richard Karl Freiherr von Weizsäcker , known as Richard von Weizsäcker, is a German politician . He served as Governing Mayor of West Berlin from 1981 to 1984, and as President of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1984 to 1994...
, former Soviet General Secretary
General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the title given to the leader of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. With some exceptions, the office was synonymous with leader of the Soviet Union...
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
, and former American President George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
.
Reception
Rust in Peace was released on 24 September 1990, and it debuted on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The 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...
at number 23, Megadeth's highest charting album up to that point. It was eventually certified platinum by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
in 1994. The album was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 33rd Grammy Awards, and "Hangar 18" was nominated for the same award at the 34th Grammy Awards. These were Megadeth's first two nominations, and was the only time when a Megadeth album would receive two nominations.
Rust in Peace received very positive reviews by both underground
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
and mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
music critics. Reviewing for Allmusic, Steve Huey awarded the album four and a half stars, describing it as "easily Megadeth's strongest musical effort." Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
critic Jim Farber awarded the album a B+ grade, calling it "brutality inventive" as well as "what can only be called nihilistic
Nihilism
Nihilism is the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more putatively meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value...
whimsy." Mike Stango from Sputnik Music wrote that Rust in Peace is "widely considered to be one of thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash 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...
's finest albums." Mike further remarked the song "Five Magics", "has a blistering two minute instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
before Dave Mustaine's vocals kick in, leaving the band an excellent opportunity to show their stuff." Metal Storm
Metal Storm
Metal Storm Limited is a Brisbane, Australia based research and development company that specializes in electronically initiated superposed load weapons technology and owns the proprietary rights to the electronic ballistics technology invented by J. Mike O'Dwyer. Metal Storm represents both the...
noted that the album is "undoubtedly one of the saviors of thrash during the early nineties, Megadeth really outdid themselves on this release." MusicRadar
MusicRadar
MusicRadar is a website for musicians. It covers information pertaining to artists and music, special features, product news and reviews, music lessons and a social network service in the style of Facebook and Myspace...
ranked the album number 6 on their list of the "50 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums Of All Time." IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
named Rust in Peace the fourth most influential heavy metal album of all time, after Metallica
Metallica
Metallica 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 Master of Puppets
Master of Puppets
-Personnel:Metallica* James Hetfield – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar on track 1, first solo on tracks 2 and 7* Cliff Burton – bass, backing vocals* Lars Ulrich – drums* Kirk Hammett – lead guitarProduction...
, Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black 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...
's Paranoid
Paranoid (album)
Paranoid is the second studio album by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Released in September 1970, the album was the only one by the band to top the UK Albums Chart, and as a result is commonly identified as the band's magnum opus...
and Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron 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 The Number of the Beast
The Number of the Beast (album)
The Number of the Beast is the third studio album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 29 March 1982 through EMI and on its sister label Capitol the US. The 1998 re-issue was released by EMI and Sanctuary/Columbia in the US...
. It was also declared as one of the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die is a musical reference book edited by Robert Dimery, first published in 2005. The most recent edition consists of a list of albums released between 1955 and 2010, part of a series from Quintessence Editions Ltd...
.
Christopher Foley of The Metal Crypt observed that: "'Holy Wars' is such a superb album opener, featuring many immense riff
RIFF
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
s and Dave Mustaine's oh so original vocal delivery – I love the way this guy snarl
Snarl
A snarl is a facial expression, where the upper lip is raised, and the nostrils widen, generally indicating hate, anger or pain. In addition to humans, other mammals including monkeys and dogs snarl, often to warn others of their potential bite. In humans, snarling uses the levator labii...
s his lines out and they're so damn fun to imitate." He further noted, "There's honestly not a bad word to be said about Rust in Peace. Just look at any track - they all have something special to offer, be it the ultra cool intro to "Lucretia" and the awesome riffage of "Tornado of Souls" and its ultra melodic
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
feel." Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling 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...
magazine described the album as one of Megadeth's "most beloved albums" and that "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" was a "classic". When asked if Rust in Peace was his favorite Megadeth album, Dave Mustaine replied: "Yes actually, it’s a fun record for us to play. Sometimes you’re playing a record and it can be a little tiring, but we’ve been really excited about getting back down there and playing it some more."
2004 remaster
In 2002, Mustaine remasterRemaster
Remaster is a word marketed mostly in the digital audio age, although the remastering process has existed since recording began...
ed their debut Megadeth album, Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!
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...
. Inspired by the positive reception of the re-release
Reissue
A reissue is the repeated issue of a published work. In common usage, it refers to an album which has been released at least once before and is released again, sometimes with alterations or additions....
, he worked to remaster all of the subsequent Megadeth albums which had been recorded with Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol 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...
, which included Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? up to Risk. Rust in Peace was re-released in 2004 with a new sound, four new bonus tracks and a slightly different version of the cover art. During the audio mixing
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
process, Mustaine found that the original lead vocal tracks for "Take No Prisoners", "Rust in Peace... Polaris", "Five Magics" and "Lucretia" were all missing, which meant he had to re-record the vocals on "Take No Prisoners" & "Rust in Peace... Polaris" and use alternate takes for "Lucretia" and "Five Magics".
Legacy
The tracks "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" and "Hangar 18" have become almost permanent additions to Megadeth's live set, and are fan favorites. In early 2010, the band announced a North AmericanNorth American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Rust in Peace, with Testament
Testament (band)
Testament 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 Exodus
Exodus (band)
Exodus 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,...
as openers. The tour took place from March 1 to March 31, 2010 and included 22 shows. At every show, the band performed the album in its entirety and in order. The first concert on the tour was also the first occasion on which "Five Magics," "Poison Was the Cure" and "Rust In Peace... Polaris" were ever played live. Due to the overwhelmingly positive response, the band announced that it would carry on performing the entire album in the South
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and Central American tour dates which were to follow. Coincidentally, former long-time bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
and founding band member Dave Ellefson, who left the band in 2002, rejoined the band a short time before the tour began. He replaced James Lomenzo
James Lomenzo
James "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 :...
, sparking even more interest in the tour. Ellefson stated in an interview for Classic Rock
Classic Rock (magazine)
Classic 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 Drover
Shawn Drover
Shawn Drover is a Canadian drummer, best-known for his work with the heavy metal band Megadeth....
contacted him and stated that bassist James LoMenzo
James Lomenzo
James "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 leaving the band, and that "if ever there was a time for you and Dave to talk, now is it."
In 2010 Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory
Shout! 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...
released a live recording filmed on the Hollywood Palladium
Hollywood Palladium
The Hollywood Palladium is a theater located at 6215 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. It was built in a Streamline Moderne, Art Deco style and includes an 11,200 square foot dance floor with room for up to 4,000 people.-History:...
stop of the tour. The release, titled Rust in Peace Live
Rust in Peace Live
Rust 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...
is the first Megadeth release since 2002's Rude Awakening
Rude Awakening (Megadeth album)
Rude 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...
to feature Dave Ellefson. The live album was released on September 7, 2010 in Blu-ray, DVD, and CD formats. The album debuted at 161 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The 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...
and number two on the Billboard DVD charts.
Rust in Peace in its entirety was released as purchasable downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
in the rhythm game
Rhythm game
Rhythm game or rhythm action is a genre of music-themed action video game that challenges a player's sense of rhythm. Games in the genre typically focus on dance or the simulated performance of musical instruments, and require players to press buttons in a sequence dictated on the screen...
Rock Band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
, a part of the their "Rust in Peace Download Package". It was released a little more than a year after the release of Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? on the game's download store. A cover version
Cover version
In 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 "Holy Wars" by Steve Ouimette
Steve Ouimette
Steve Ouimette is a rock guitarist. He is known for performing a cover version of the hit song "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" for the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, in which the parts played on the fiddle are instead played on an electric guitar...
was featured in Rock Revolution
Rock Revolution
Rock Revolution is a music video game developed by Zoë Mode and HB Studios and published by Konami. It was first revealed on May 15, 2008, and released on October 15, 2008 for the Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360...
. "Holy Wars" was also featured in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
Guitar 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...
, while "Hangar 18" was featured in Guitar Hero II
Guitar Hero II
Guitar Hero II is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane. It is the second installment in the Guitar Hero series and is the sequel to Guitar Hero...
and as downloadable content for Guitar Hero 5
Guitar Hero 5
Guitar Hero 5 is a music video game and the fifth main entry in the Guitar Hero series. The game was developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision, and released internationally in September 2009 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, 3 and Wii consoles...
. Both songs have been described as amongst the most difficult songs in the series' history. In further pop culture
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
, a reference to the ending of the "Hangar 18" music video was made in an episode of Duck Dodgers
Duck Dodgers (TV series)
Duck Dodgers is an American animated television series, based on the classic cartoon short Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century, produced by Warner Bros. Animation from 2003 to 2005. The series aired on Cartoon Network and starred Daffy Duck as the titular character...
, an animated television series. In the episode "In Space, No One Can Hear You Rock" the title character
Duck Dodgers
Duck Edgar Dumas Aloysius Eoghain Dodgers is the metafictional star of a series of cartoons produced by Warner Bros. He is actually the famous cartoon star Daffy Duck, cast in the role of an intergalactic future hero....
resurrects Dave Mustaine from a cryopreservation
Cryopreservation
Cryopreservation is a process where cells or whole tissues are preserved by cooling to low sub-zero temperatures, such as 77 K or −196 °C . At these low temperatures, any biological activity, including the biochemical reactions that would lead to cell death, is effectively stopped...
to play loud enough to overload an evil alien device. Dave voices himself
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
in the episode.
A sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to "Hangar 18", titled "Return to Hangar" was featured on Megadeth's ninth studio album
Studio album
A 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...
The World Needs a Hero
The World Needs a Hero
-Track listing:-Personnel:-Album:-Singles:...
. It concludes the fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al narrative
Narrative
A narrative is a constructive format that describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to recount", and is related to the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled"...
begun in "Hangar 18", where the life-forms said to be contained in Hangar 18
Area 51
Area 51 is a military base, and a remote detachment of Edwards Air Force Base. It is located in the southern portion of Nevada in the western United States, 83 miles north-northwest of downtown Las Vegas. Situated at its center, on the southern shore of Groom Lake, is a large military airfield...
come back to life and kill those inside the building before escaping. Both "Hangar 18" and "Return to Hangar" were played live consecutively on the live DVD
DVD
A 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....
Rude Awakening (video) , and That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires
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...
,. Also "Holy Wars" and "Hangar 18" were the two opening songs during Megadeth's performance at The Big 4 Live from Sofia, Bulgaria
The Big 4 Live From Sofia, Bulgaria
The Big 4 Live from Sofia, Bulgaria is a DVD/Blu-ray featuring live concert performances by Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax, collectively known as "the big four" of thrash metal. The event took place on June 22, 2010 at the Sonisphere Festival at Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia,...
. Marty Friedman
Marty Friedman (guitarist)
Marty Friedman is a guitarist, well known for his tenure as the lead/rhythm guitarist for thrash metal band Megadeth, which lasted almost a decade...
, who recorded on Rust in Peace, covered the song "Tornado of Souls" on his solo album
Solo album
A solo album, in popular music, is an album headlined by a current or former member of a band. A solo album may feature simply one person performing all instruments, but typically features the work of other collaborators; rather, it may be made with different collaborators than the artist is...
Future Addict
Future Addict
Future Addict is the eight studio album by the American guitarist Marty Friedman. The album is a collection of reworked, reconstructed and completely remade versions of songs spanning Marty's entire career, from his first band Deuce to his current J-pop themed metal, including a few songs from his...
in 2008. Megadeth tribute band Primitivity
Primitivity
Primitivity is an American instrumental cello rock band consisting of three cellists and a percussionist. Primitivity began primarily as a cover band playing songs by the thrash metal band Megadeth and the cello rock band Apocalyptica. The band has released one album entirely of Megadeth covers...
performed an instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
cover of "Hangar 18" on their debut cello rock
Cello rock
Cello rock and cello metal are subgenres of rock music and heavy metal characterized by the use of cellos as primary instruments, alongside or in place of more traditional rock instruments such as electric guitars, electric bass guitar, and drum set.Cellos, often in groups of three or more, are...
album Plays Megadeth For Cello
Plays Megadeth For Cello
Plays Megadeth For Cello is the debut album by American rock cello group Primitivity, released in 2010. It features eight instrumental Megadeth covers arranged and played on cellos.-Track listing:#"Skin o' My Teeth" - 3:18...
in 2010. Russian thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash 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...
band DeadXheaD
DeadXheaD
A metal band DeadXheaD is Megadeth fans project from Russia formed in 2004 by Paul Staine and Sergey Chirkoff in Glazov town .Their style is melodic thrash heavy metal with progressive elements, and cite influences such as Megadeth, Metallica, Rage and Helloween amongst others...
covered the same song on their debut album Regressive by Default
Regressive by Default
Regressive by Default is the debut album by Russian band DeadXheaD, released in 2006. - Track listing :# "Dead Head" - 4.08# "Like A Rat In A Hole!" - 4.21# "Regressive By Default" - 4.05# "Monster's Mind" - 4.54# "Maximum" - 5.45...
in 2006. "Hangar 18" was covered by Fairlight
Fairlight (group)
Fairlight is a warez and demo group initially involved in the Commodore demoscene, and in cracking to illegally release games for free, since 1987. In addition to the C64, Fairlight has also migrated towards the Amiga, Super Nintendo and later the PC...
and "Holy Wars" was covered by Mind-Ashes on the Megadeth tribute album Megaded - A Tribute To Megadeth released in 1999. Both "Hangar 18" and "Holy Wars" were also featured on the 2005 compilation album Greatest Hits: Back to the Start
Greatest Hits: Back to the Start
Greatest 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...
, where fans voted on the track listing.
Track listing
Personnel
Megadeth
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Production
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2004 Remix Remix A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song .... and Remaster Remaster Remaster is a word marketed mostly in the digital audio age, although the remastering process has existed since recording began...
|
Charts
Album| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The 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... |
23 |
| ARIA Charts ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
47 |
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
70 |
| Japanese Albums Chart Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... |
29 |
| Swedish Albums Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
34 |
| Swiss Music Charts Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
29 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
8 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | "Hangar 18 Hangar 18 (song) "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... " |
Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
25 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
26 | ||
| "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due 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... " |
Irish Singles Chart | 12 | |
| UK Singles Chart | 24 |
RIAA Certifications
| Date | Certification |
|---|---|
| December 13, 1994 | Platinum |
Grammy nominations
|-| style="text-align:center;"| 1991 || "Rust in Peace"
|| Best Metal Performance||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 1992 || "Hangar 18
Hangar 18 (song)
"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...
"
|| Best Metal Performance||
|-