Megadeth have been rolling out the tracklisting details to their forthcoming self-titled final album across socials this week, and it appears as if one song might be a cover of Metallica’s “Ride the Lightning” — the thrash classic Dave Mustaine had co-written in the Eighties before getting kicked out of ‘Tallica.
UPDATE: Dave Mustaine has now confirmed that Megadeth’s final album will indeed include a reimagined version of “Ride the Lightning,” the song he’d initially co-written in the Eighties with then Metallica bandmates James Hetfield, Cliff Burton and Lars Ulrich.
“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,” Mustaine wrote in a statement.
He added a few more thoughts on the revamp in an Instagram video, which you’ll find below, in which he further explains his reasons for “closing the loop” with the cover, while also praising the guitar playing of James Hetfield and songwriting work of Lars Ulrich,
As previously reported, Megadeth announced the arrival of their 17th album earlier this month when they delivered their speedy “Tipping Point” single, which has since been confirmed to be the first song on next year’s Megadeth.
Throughout the week, the band added the names of the other songs on the LP, including tracks called “Let There Be Shred,” “Puppet Parade,” “Obey the Call” and more. So far, 10 song titles have been revealed in full.
On Wednesday (October 28th), however, a teaser clip suggested an 11th song was on the way, too, and while this has not been confirmed, the partially-revealed text seems to read as “Ride the Lightning.”
While this has not been confirmed by the band, Mustaine told Norwegian radio program Stjernepose earlier this year (via Consequence of Sound) that one song set to appear on the album “is a cover song but I actually wrote it, so it’s kind of like a cover, kind of like my song.”
Mustaine was, of course, Metallica’s lead guitarist from 1981 to 1983. He was let go form the band ahead of the recording and release of 1983’s Kill ‘Em All, but received writing credits on that record’s “The Four Horseman,” “Jump In the Fire,” “Phantom Lord” and “Metal Militia.” For 1984 follow-up Ride the Lighting, he received writing credit on the title track and “The Call of Ktulu.”
Megadeth’s self-titled swansong is out January 23rd via BLKIIBLK. Mustaine and Co. will support the album on a summer 2026 tour with Iron Maiden and Anthrax, with more farewell tour dates expected to be announced soon.
Megadeth tracklisting:
Tipping Point
I Don’t Care
Hey, God?!
Let There Be Shred
Puppet Parade
Another Bad Day
Made to Kill
Obey the Call
I Am War
The Last Note
Ride the Lightning (Bonus Track)