Megadeth’s Final Album to Feature Reimagined Metallica Classic ‘Ride the Lightning
Megadeth has unveiled the tracklist for their upcoming self-titled final album, scheduled for release on January 23, 2026. The album, which will be distributed on Dave Mustaine’s Tradecraft label in partnership with Frontiers Label Group’s new BLKIIBLK imprint, includes ten new tracks along with a significant bonus: a “reimagined” version of Metallica’s “Ride The Lightning.”
This inclusion holds particular significance for fans, as “Ride The Lightning” is the title track from Metallica’s second album and was notably co-written by Megadeth founder and frontman Dave Mustaine. Mustaine collaborated on the song with James Hetfield, Cliff Burton, and Lars Ulrich during his tenure as a member of Metallica.
In an official announcement, Mustaine explained the motivation behind featuring the track. He stated, “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 was an original member of Metallica, playing with the band from late 1981 until March 1983, before forming Megadeth, where he has remained the sole constant member.
The announcement of this final album follows Mustaine’s previous revelation in August that Megadeth’s forthcoming album and 2026 tour would mark the conclusion of their storied career. Reflecting on his musical journey, Mustaine shared, “We have done something together that’s truly wonderful and will probably never happen again… We started a musical style, we started a revolution, we changed the guitar world and how it’s played, and we changed the world. The bands I played in have influenced the world. I love you all for it. Thank you for everything.” This final album aims to be a poignant capstone to a career that profoundly impacted the heavy metal music landscape.
Source: https://variety.com/2025/music/news/megadeth-new-version-of-metallica-ride-the-lightning-1236565979/