Dave Mustaine Confirms Megadeth’s Cover of Metallica’s “Ride The Lightning”

Dave Mustaine has confirmed that Megadeth’s upcoming and final studio album will include a cover of Metallica’s “Ride The Lightning.” The track will appear on the band’s self-titled farewell album, set for release on January 23rd.

The decision carries personal significance for Mustaine, who co-wrote the original “Ride The Lightning” alongside James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, and the late Cliff Burton before his 1983 departure from Metallica.

Speaking on the inclusion, Mustaine shared:

“As I come full circle on the career of a lifetime, the decision to include ‘Ride The Lightning,’ a song I co-wrote with James, Lars, and Cliff, was to pay my respects to where my career first started.”

The move comes after decades of tension and reconciliation between the former bandmates. Their relationship soured again in 2018 over Metallica’s planned deluxe reissue of their “No Life ’Til Leather” demo, which Mustaine claimed sought to alter his songwriting credits. That reissue was ultimately shelved, reigniting old wounds.

Now, as Megadeth prepare to close the book on their career, Mustaine’s decision to revisit “Ride The Lightning” serves as both a tribute and a final statement of legacy.

The confirmed tracklist for Megadeth’s final album is as follows:

01 – “Tipping Point”
02 – “I Don’t Care”
03 – “Hey God?!”
04 – “Let There Be Shred”
05 – “Puppet Parade”
06 – “Another Bad Day”
07 – “Made To Kill”
08 – “Obey The Call”
09 – “I Am War”
10 – “The Last Note”
11 – “Ride The Lightning” (Metallica cover)

Megadeth’s seventeenth and final studio album will be followed by a global farewell tour before the band officially retire.

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