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Megadeth's upcoming self-titled final album will feature a cover of Metallica's "Ride the Lightning," a song co-written by Dave Mustaine before his departure from Metallica in 1983. The album, set for release on January 23, marks the end of an era for Megadeth, with Mustaine aiming to pay tribute to his roots and his former bandmates.
Mustaine's decision to include the song is rooted in respect for Metallica's James Hetfield. Mustaine told Rolling Stone, "It was about respect. I wanted to do something to close the circle on my career." Despite their complicated history, Mustaine emphasized that his intentions were pure, aiming to honor Hetfield's influence on the metal genre.
The cover will be a bonus track on the album, with Megadeth's rendition being faster and played in a lower key. Mustaine initially hoped to get Hetfield's approval but decided to proceed without it, as he mentioned in the interview. "I was hoping that we could get his approval on this before we release the track," he said, "but when it turned out the way that it did, I think there were so many people that were happy that we did this, that we just went for it."
The album will be released ahead of Megadeth's farewell tour, which kicks off in Peru on April 23rd, with dates in Los Angeles in September. Mustaine, who co-founded Megadeth over 40 years ago, aims to end the band's journey on his own terms while celebrating his musical legacy.