Megadeth Turn Their Final Album Into a Full-Circle Moment With a Metallica Song at the Finish Line

Dave Mustaine just dropped the most metal closure arc in history. Covered Metallica. Signed off. 

Megadeth have officially released what they are calling their final studio album, bringing a four-decade thrash metal legacy to a deliberate and carefully staged close. The self-titled record, their 17th full-length, arrives as the follow-up to 2022’s The Sick, The Dying… and The Dead! and is framed by frontman Dave Mustaine as a farewell on the band’s own terms.

Megadeth Bow Out With Final Album – Close the Circle With “Ride the Lightning” Cover

The album’s most talked-about moment comes at the very end: a special rendition of Metallica’s “Ride the Lightning.” The choice is deeply symbolic. Mustaine famously contributed to writing the song before his dismissal from Metallica in 1983, and he has described Megadeth’s version as a way of “paying his respects” to former bandmates James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich while “closing the circle” on a turbulent shared history. Despite ongoing tension between the camps, most recently over royalty disputes tied to Metallica’s No Life ’Til Leather demo; Mustaine has expressed hope that reconciliation is still possible.

The release also marks key lineup milestones. It is the Megadeth studio debut of guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari, the return of bassist James LoMenzo to a studio album for the first time since 2009’s Endgame, and drummer Dirk Verbeuren’s second outing with the band. Mustaine co-produced the record alongside longtime collaborator Chris Rakestraw.

Ahead of the release, Megadeth partnered with TalkShopLive to offer limited signed vinyl and CDs featuring autographs from the full lineup. The affordable pricing: $14 for CDs and $40 for vinyl -led to immediate sellouts and a brisk resale market, with copies quickly tripling in value online.

According to Forbes, On Monday (January 19), Megadeth released the single “Puppet Parade,” the latest from the group’s forthcoming set. As of the time of writing, “Puppet Parade” lands at No. 2 on the iTunes Top Songs chart

Dave Mustaine has announced plans for a three-to five-year farewell tour in support of the album, after which Megadeth will be retired. As he put it, few artists get to end their career “on top” and by choice.

Listen to the album below:

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