Megadeth

Released: July 14, 1992

Songwriter: Marty Friedman Nick Menza David Ellefson Dave Mustaine

Producer: Max Norman Dave Mustaine

[Verse 1]
Endangered species, caged in fright
Shot in cold blood, no chance to fight
The stage is set, now pay the price
An ego boost, don't think twice
Technology, the battle's unfair
You pull the hammer without a care
Squeeze the trigger that makes you man
Pseudo-safari, the hunt is canned
The hunt is canned...

[Chorus]
All are gone, all but one
No contest, nowhere to run
No more left, only one
This is it, this is the countdown to extinction

[Verse 2]
Tell the truth, you wouldn't dare
The skin and trophy, oh so rare
Silence speaks louder than words
Ignore the guilt, and take your turn
Liars' anagram is "lairs"
Man, you were never even there
Killed a few feet from the cages
Point blank, you're so courageous
So courageous...

[Chorus]
All are gone, all but one
No contest, nowhere to run
No more left, only one
This is it, this is the countdown to extinction

[Spoken]
"One hour from now, another species of life form will disappear off the face of the planet... forever, and the rate is accelerating"

[Instrumental Break]

[Chorus]
All are gone, all but one
No contest, nowhere to run
No more left, only one
This is it, this is the countdown to extinction

After being kicked out of Metallica, Dave Mustaine decided to form a Thrash Metal band that not only rivaled his former band, but played faster, more technical Metal. Along with bassist David ‘Junior’ Ellefson and a revolving door of guitarists and drummers, Mustaine set the world afire as Megadeth became known as the world’s state-of-the-art Speed Metal band throughout the 80s and the early 90s. One of the Big Four of Thrash Metal, Megadeth remains one of Metal’s most popular acts today.

However, Dave Mustaine’s fledgling band got off to a shaky start. Initially unable to find like-minded individuals, it was not until an altercation with his (underage) downstairs neighbours Dave Ellefson and Greg Handevidt, that led to him buying them beer and forming the first incarnation of the band with drummer Dijon Carruthers in 1983.

The band was named after a political pamphlet that referred to a “megadeath” (one million deaths by nuclear explosion):

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Countdown to Extinction (1992)

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