Megadeth’s long-awaited final album — simply titled Megadeth — is officially streaming in full, and it arrives with a twist fans have been buzzing about: the record includes a bonus cover of Metallica’s “Ride the Lightning.”
Released on January 23, 2026, this self-titled album marks the legendary thrash band’s 17th and purported final studio effort, closing out more than four decades of music. Frontman and founding member Dave Mustaine has framed the record as both a farewell and a statement of creative closure, making the inclusion of Ride the Lightning especially meaningful.
The album’s streaming debut lets fans experience the complete work in one place — heavy riffs, classic Megadeth thrash intensity, and the poignant bonus track that many saw coming. The Metallica cover is the final track on the record and is presented as a reimagined version of the 1984 Metallica classic Ride the Lightning.
What makes this cover particularly notable is that Mustaine co-wrote the original song during his early tenure in Metallica before he was fired in 1983 — years before Metallica recorded the track on their second album. Mustaine has said that including this version wasn’t about rivalry, but about paying homage to where his musical journey began.
In statements surrounding the album’s rollout, Mustaine framed the cover as a way of “closing the circle” in his career, reconnecting with the very roots that helped launch his legacy in heavy metal.
The self-titled final album features ten new original tracks across the band’s signature blend of thrash, speed, and socially charged metal — including previously released singles like “Tipping Point.” The full tracklist appears to be:
- 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)
Across the new material, the band mixes old-school thrash ferocity with reflections on mortality, legacy and the tumultuous journey that has defined Megadeth’s history.
With the album now streaming in full, fans can hear it ahead of Megadeth’s expansive 2026 farewell tour, which is shaping up to be one of the largest runs of the band’s career and is expected to continue deep into the year, with multiple international legs planned.
Mustaine has described the tour as potentially spanning three to five years, making it a lengthy journey to match the band’s lengthy legacy.
Reactions from the metal community have been mixed online: some listeners applaud the Ride the Lightning cover as a powerful symbolic bookend to Mustaine’s career, while others question ending Megadeth’s final record with a Metallica classic, seeing it as controversial given the long and often fraught relationship between the two bands.
Still, the move underscores a moment that goes beyond competition — a rare, reflective artistic choice from a figure who helped shape thrash metal on both sides of the story.
