10 Greatest Thrash Metal Albums Of All Time

Megadeth were not exactly a hit when they performed in Northern Ireland. A fortuitous turn of events lead to front man Dave Mustaine dedicating a cover of Anarchy in the UK to the IRA, prompting riots and the band having to be rushed out of the area in an armoured bus.

The late 80s were proving a rough time in general for Megadeth. Front man Dave Mustaine was bogged down with debilitating addictions to heroin, cocaine and liquor and bassist David Ellefson had grown so ill they had to cancel most of their 1988 touring schedule.

Sometimes, however, one must hit their lowest low before they reach their highest peak. From the ashes of all these mishaps and personal struggles, there rose Rust In Peace.

Now sporting a new line-up including Nick Menza on drums and famed guitarist Marty Friedman, the band were ready to enter their finest creative years. Opening track, Holy Wars... The Punishment Due was inspired by the band’s potentially fatal Northern Irish incident and kicks the album off in enraged high gear.

A masterclass in thrash metal with riffs so fast and so complicated as to wreck the fingers of a lesser guitarist, Rust In Peace blew the lid off Megadeth’s potential. Lauded to this day as a game changing hit that influenced the rest of the 90s decade in metal, the band’s famously intricate compositions and lyrics are as good as it gets.