The final album by Megadeth — titled Megadeth — has been released, which means the band’s version of Metallica’s “Ride the Lightning” is now available.
This moment has been over 40 years in the making, ever since Metallica made the decision to part ways with Dave Mustaine on April 11, 1983. Their stories have been intertwined ever since, driven by a competitive spirit common among metal bands striving to establish their identities and legacies.
As Megadeth’s journey comes to a close with a farewell tour that currently has no set end date and this self-titled record, it represents a full circle moment for Mustaine, whose contributions to Metallica will now be heard in a fresh context — through Megadeth.
Discover more about this new rendition of “Ride the Lightning” and listen to it further down the page.
What Did Dave Mustaine Say About Megadeth Recording “Ride the Lightning”?
“Ride the Lightning” is one of six Metallica songs credited to Dave Mustaine. It first appeared on the 1984 album of the same name, which was Metallica’s second release following Kill ‘Em All, which launched the band’s career a year earlier.
“That was the beginning of my songwriting career,” Mustaine shared with Loudwire Nights radio host Chuck Armstrong in a recent interview, reflecting on his life as a musician and his time with Metallica.
“I had been learning how to play in the latter part of the ’70s, so when the ’80s came around, it was mainly punk rock and disco. And of course there was pop rock…you know, if you wanted to really be heavy, you had to listen to bands like REO Speedwagon. So doing ‘Ride the Lightning’ felt like completing the circle and I think it’s cool because it’s paying my respects to the band that I first went to dance with,” Mustaine continued.
Megadeth – Dave Mustaine
He added, “I’ve always had tremendous respect for James [Hetfield’s] guitar playing and Lars [Ulrich’s] songwriting is really quite unorthodox and beautiful at the same time. So when we started off together, I honestly didn’t think we were going to last anyway because there were just so many strong personalities. Whether that was combustible or not, I still really respected those two guys.
Regarding how he came to record his version of the song, Mustaine explained, “I was talking with my management and they suggested, ‘Why don’t you do ‘Ride the Lightning,’ and I said, ‘Well, then that would be my version of it,’ because I’m not going to do a cover song. I’ll play it how we played it but speed it up a bit and we’ll enhance the drum fills at the end and maybe we’ll spice up the solo and rhythm section underneath while speeding up the song a little. Just make it like when we were doing those demos; there was just this raw aggression. A lot of that came from our living conditions and that we drank more than we ate. It sure was fun, though.”
Hear Megadeth Perform “Ride the Lightning”
Get Your Copy of Megadeth’s New Album on Vinyl
Megadeth, the final album by these thrash legends, is out now!
1. “Tipping Point”
2. “I Don’t Care”
3. “Hey God?!”
4. “Let There Be Shred”
5. “Puppet Parade”
6. “Another Bad Day”
7. “Made to Kill”
8. “Obey the Call”
9. “I Am War”
10. “The Last Note”
Get your copy from the Loudwire Vinyl Shop or directly from the button below.
Will Megadeth become the best thrash album of 2026? Time will tell.
For now, check out the best thrash album from each year dating back to 1983.
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Gallery Credit: Bryan Rolli
