In a full-circle moment, Megadeth have unveiled a cover of Metallica’s “Ride the Lightning,” a song frontman Dave Mustaine co-wrote when he was a member of Metallica in the early ’80s.
The Megadeth version of “Ride the Lightning” appears as a bonus track on Megadeth’s self-titled final album, which is out today, January 23rd.
When announcing the track’s inclusion on the album, Mustaine stated in a press release, “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 [Hetfield], Lars [Ulruch], and Cliff [Burton], was to pay my respects to where my career first started.”
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He added via an Instagram post, “We sped it up just a little tiny bit, we played around with the solo… You might hear some differences with the tempo, and of course I sing different from James. … It was about completing the circle and about showing what James and I, as guitar players, did to change the world.”
As you’ll hear below, Megadeth’s version of “Ride the Lightning” retains the song’s classic riffage, but adds a little speed and features Mustaine’s distinct vocals.
Megadeth will kick off their farewell tour next month with a headlining run of Canada. Later in the year, Mustaine and company will support Iron Maiden’s North American tour in the summer. Get tickets here.
Take a listen to Megadeth’s cover of “Ride the Lightning,” and compare it to the Metallica version, below. Pick up Megadeth’s final album on vinyl or CD via Amazon.