Megadeth’s Final Album Will Feature A Metallica Cover

Megadeth is set to release its self-titled final album on January 23, and frontman Dave Mustaine is ensuring the band’s farewell makes a statement. The album’s standout moment? A bold and unexpected cover of Metallica’s “Ride the Lightning.”

In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Mustaine confirmed long-circulating rumors about the cover, framing it not as a stunt, but as a symbolic full-circle moment.

Revisiting Old Ghosts

The decision carries deep personal significance. Before being dismissed from Metallica in 1983, Mustaine co-wrote portions of “Ride the Lightning,” a track that went on to become one of the band’s defining songs.

“It wasn’t really that I wanted to do my version,” Mustaine explained. “We all wanted it to turn out a certain way, and for me, this was about something so much more than how a song turns out. It was about respect.”

That respect, he clarified, is directed toward James Hetfield, Metallica’s frontman, with whom he has shared a turbulent relationship for decades. “No one ever talks to me about that,” Mustaine said of Hetfield’s playing. “One day he’s a singer, the next day he’s this fucking powerhouse, and I’ve always respected him as a guitar player. So I wanted to do something to close the circle on my career right now… I wanted to do something that I felt would be a good song.”

Pure Intentions and a Legacy of Respect

Despite their complicated history, Mustaine insists that his motives were genuine. “I didn’t have any reason I was going to say, ‘Oh, hey man, this thing that we’ve had for 40 years where you guys will never tour with me, me doing the song is going to change things.’ That wasn’t it at all,” he said. “It was more about: this is my life going forward. I want to do things that are respectable. And I think doing something where we can pay honor to the guy that… I mean, I hate to say this because it’s just so fucking arrogant, but the guitar playing in Metallica changed the world.”

Mustaine confirmed that Metallica has not yet heard Megadeth’s version of “Ride the Lightning.” “It was not for lack of having the thought or the courage or anything like that,” he noted. “I know the last time James and I talked, we were talking about some business stuff and I haven’t spoken to him since. So I was hoping that we could get his approval on this before we release the track. 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 Final Chord

For Mustaine, this cover isn’t an olive branch or an attempt to rewrite history — it’s a closing statement from one of metal’s most complicated figures. “I think the whole purpose of this was not to try and rekindle relationships or anything,” he said. “It was about showing respect to a man that… I don’t believe he thinks I respect him, and I wanted to make that clear.”

As Megadeth prepares to bow out, Mustaine’s decision to cover “Ride the Lightning” feels like more than just a nod to the past — it’s a reckoning. It’s the sound of an artist facing his origins head-on, reclaiming a piece of music history that began with bitterness but now ends with grace.

“I wanted to pay tribute to the band,” Mustaine said. “And now that I’m getting ready to hang my guitar up, I just want to make sure the story ends on my terms.”

If this truly is the last word from Dave Mustaine, it’s not one of rivalry or regret — it’s a farewell forged in respect, humility, and the same defiant fire that made him a legend in the first place.

Megadeth, ‘Megadeth’ Track Listing
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”
11. “Ride the Lightning” (Bonus Track)