MEGADETH’s upcoming self-titled album, due out January 23, 2026, is already stirring speculation—and not just because it marks the end of an era. A cryptic quote from frontman Dave Mustaine has fans wondering if the record might include a reimagined METALLICA track, one that Mustaine himself originally helped write.
In a resurfaced interview from June with Norwegian radio show Stjernepose, Mustaine teased: “We have 13 new songs for the new album… One of the songs is a cover song but I actually wrote it, so it’s kind of like a cover, kind of like my song. Then there’s two extra songs for when the record’s been out for a while just to keep everybody excited.”
That statement has reignited long-standing debates about Mustaine’s contributions to METALLICA’s early catalog. Before founding MEGADETH, Mustaine was a key part of METALLICA’s formative years, and he’s been vocal over the decades about feeling under-credited for riffs and songwriting that shaped their debut and sophomore albums.
Now, with MEGADETH preparing to bow out, fans are poring over every teaser and tracklist preview. A recent Instagram post from the band blurred out the final track title—but eagle-eyed followers believe it resembles “Ride the Lightning,” a song Mustaine has claimed partial authorship of. If true, it would be a bold full-circle moment: MEGADETH closing their discography with a reinterpretation of a METALLICA classic, reclaiming a piece of thrash metal history.
While the band hasn’t confirmed the track’s identity, the full tracklist is expected to drop later today. Whether it’s “Ride the Lightning” or another surprise, MEGADETH’s final chapter is shaping up to be one of their most provocative yet.
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.