Megadeth’s Final Album to Include New Version of Metallica Classic ‘Ride the Lightning’

The final studio album from thrash metal titans Megadeth, simply titled "Megadeth," is scheduled for a January 23, 2026, release. This landmark project will be issued through a collaboration between frontman Dave Mustaine's own Tradecraft label and BLKIIBLK, a new imprint from the Frontiers Label Group. This partnership highlights Mustaine's long-standing dedication to creative independence, a principle that has defined his leadership since he first established the band in 1983.

Comprising ten original tracks, the album will also feature a significant bonus: a "reimagined" rendition of Metallica's "Ride The Lightning." The selection is deeply symbolic, as Mustaine was a co-writer on the 1984 original. His history with Metallica is foundational to his career; he was a founding member in late 1981 but was famously dismissed in March 1983, an event that directly catalyzed the creation of Megadeth. For over four decades, Mustaine has remained the sole constant member of Megadeth, a band that became a cornerstone of the "Big Four" of thrash metal alongside Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax.

Mustaine explained his decision to revisit the classic track as a way of bringing his career "full circle" and to "pay my respects to where my career first started." The new version serves as a powerful bookend, connecting his earliest days in the explosive Los Angeles metal scene with the conclusion of his recorded output. Music historian Dr. Elena Vance notes, "Mustaine's departure from Metallica was a pivotal moment in metal history, inadvertently creating one of the 'Big Four' of thrash and fueling a creative rivalry that pushed the entire genre forward for decades."

This album announcement follows Mustaine's declaration last August that both this record and an extensive 2026 world tour would signify the end of Megadeth's active career. In a reflective statement, he expressed profound thanks to the global fanbase, acknowledging that the band had "started a musical style, a revolution," and permanently altered the landscape of guitar music. He concluded with a heartfelt message: "We have done something together that’s truly wonderful and will probably never happen again. I love you all for it. Thank you for everything."

The complete tracklist for the self-titled finale is: 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, and the bonus track, Ride The Lightning.