Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has offered fresh insight into his long and complicated relationship with his former Metallica bandmates, suggesting that decades of tension have gradually given way to reflection and reconciliation.
Mustaine's fallout with Metallica — particularly with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich — has been well documented since his dismissal from the band in the early 1980s, a split fueled by substance abuse issues and internal conflict. While the years since have seen occasional moments of reconciliation, tensions flared again in 2017 during a royalty dispute surrounding Metallica's planned No Life 'Til Leather demo box set, which was ultimately scrapped.
At the time, Mustaine was outspoken about his refusal to relinquish songwriting credit, particularly regarding early Metallica tracks such as "Mechanix", "Jump In The Fire", "Phantom Lord", and "Metal Militia".
However, with Megadeth's retirement now on the horizon and the band's final studio album set for release on Friday, January 23, Mustaine's tone appears to have softened. Speaking recently to SPIN, he explained his decision to include "Ride The Lightning" — a song he co-wrote while in Metallica — on Megadeth's swan song as a gesture of closure rather than conflict.
"It was to complete the circle and pay respect to my partners, James and Lars," Mustaine said, adding that the track was never meant as a cover. "I wrote it with James and it was our creation." He also reiterated his long-held respect for his former bandmates, calling Hetfield "an exceptional guitar player" and Ulrich "an exceptional songwriter."
The reworked version slightly increases the tempo and reinforces key sections, aligning with Mustaine's belief that revisiting older material should aim to improve upon the original rather than simply replicate it.
Addressing his current relationship with Hetfield and Ulrich, Mustaine struck a notably reflective tone. "We're constantly working on improving our relationship," he said. "I really do love those guys. That's why we fought so much — it was that I missed them."
Now looking back on his career with greater perspective, Mustaine acknowledged that age and experience have reshaped how he views past conflicts. "I'm on the backside of the mountain," he reflected. "I want to make sure that every day counts."
