WARCHEST

AN ALBUM-BY-ALBUM GUIDE TO MEGADETH'S EXPLOSIVE STUDIO OUTPUT — FROM THEIR 1985 DEBUT TO THEIR 2026 FINALE

- BY GUITAR WORLD STAFF AND ANDREW DALY

KILLING IS MY BUSINESS... AND BUSINESS IS GOOD!

COMBAT, 1985

Still bitter about being fired from Metallica, Dave Mustaine returned with a band fashioned from his own imagination. The songs were sharp and socially aware, while the music was surprisingly mature. Mustaine had immediately made his intentions clear — namely to take the thrash beast he'd helped create and give it a rounded metal education. It didn't chart on the Billboard 200, but it was loved from the start.

GUITARIST: CHRIS POLAND

PEACE SELLS... BUT WHO'S BUYING?

CAPITOL, 1986

Originally recorded for Combat Records, this was switched to the much bigger Capitol label, with the band given the budget to completely remix. The result is a true landmark album. Forget about thrash; here was Mustaine leading a charge through the whole spectrum of musical emotions. The title track itself is something of an epic, showcasing Megadeth's startlingly creative process. Meanwhile, Chris Poland's playing is nothing short of brilliant.

GUITARIST: CHRIS POLAND

SO FAR, SO GOOD... SO WHAT!

CAPITOL, 1988

Two years after Peace Sells..., a new Megadeth lineup landed on their feet with a record that refused to conform to expectations. While the cover of Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the U.K." seemed somewhat superfluous, Mustaine was at his finest on the emotional "In My Darkest Hour" - a tribute to the late Cliff Burton of Metallica - and the haunting "Mary Jane." We also don't mind "Hook in Mouth" and "Set the World Afire."

GUITARIST: JEFF YOUNG