Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along with Metallica, Anthrax, and Slayer, responsible for the genre's development and popularization. Their music features complex arrangements and fast rhythm sections, dual lead guitars, and lyrical themes of war, politics, religion, death, and personal relationship.
So Far, So Good... So What! is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released on January 19, 1988 by Capitol Records. It was the band's only album recorded with drummer Chuck Behler and guitarist Jeff Young, both of whom were fired from the band in early 1989, several months after the completion of the album's world tour. So Far, So Good... So What! features music performed at fast tempos with technical ability; lyrically, frontman and guitarist Dave Mustaine addresses a variety of topics, including nuclear holocaust and freedom of speech.
Rust in Peace is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released on September 24, 1990 by Capitol Records. It was the first Megadeth album to feature lead guitarist Marty Friedman and drummer Nick Menza. The songs "Hangar 18" and "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" were released as singles. A remixed and remastered version of the album featuring four bonus tracks was released in 2004.
Cryptic Writings is the seventh studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. Released on June 17, 1997 through Capitol Records, it was the band's last studio album to feature drummer Nick Menza. His departure would mark the end of the band's longest lasting lineup to date, having recorded four studio albums. Megadeth decided to produce the record with Dann Huff in Nashville, Tennessee, because they were not satisfied with their previous producer Max Norman. The album features twelve tracks with accessible song structures, specifically aimed for radio airplay. The lyrics were also altered, in order to make the music more inclusive for wider audience. These changes were met with mixed opinions from music critics, who noted the band moving away from their thrash metal roots.
Nicholas Menza was an American musician best known as the former drummer for thrash metal band Megadeth from 1989 to 1998. He recorded drums on four of Megadeth's albums: Rust in Peace (1990), Countdown to Extinction (1992), Youthanasia (1994), and Cryptic Writings (1997).
Chris Poland is an American guitarist, best known as the former guitarist of the thrash metal band Megadeth. Since 2002, Poland has been the guitarist of the instrumental rock/jazz fusion bands OHM and OHMphrey, among others, and has appeared on several projects and albums from a variety of different genres.
The System Has Failed is the tenth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released on September 14, 2004. It was the band's second and final studio album to be distributed by Sanctuary Records. The System Has Failed was the first album to be released after Dave Mustaine recovered from his arm injury sustained in 2002. It is also the first of four Megadeth records not to include original bassist and co-founder David Ellefson. The album features session players Vinnie Colaiuta (drums), Jimmie Lee Sloas (bass) and former Megadeth member Chris Poland (guitar).
James LoMenzo is an American heavy metal bass guitarist. He was a member of the band White Lion, performing with them from 1984 to 1991. He was later the bassist for Black Label Society, Slash's Snakepit, and Megadeth. He was announced as Megadeth's touring bassist in August 2021 and in June 2022 he fully returned to the band. Outside music, he is known for being a contestant on the 21st season of the reality television series The Amazing Race.
Keith Howland is an American guitarist and singer. He was the lead guitarist for the veteran pop-rock band Chicago from 1995-2021.
Neil Citron is a Canadian, Toronto-born guitarist, Grammy Award-winning recording engineer, and songwriter who played with the California-based rock bands Hero and Lana Lane as well as briefly with heavy metal band Quiet Riot in 2006, among numerous other music industry credits. He has also worked on the films My Big Fat Greek Wedding, That Thing You Do!, and Ricki and the Flash.
The Baked Potato is a prominent jazz club on Cahuenga Boulevard in Studio City, Los Angeles, California, opened by Don Randi in 1970. Randi formed his own group, Don Randi and Quest, as the house band. Over the years it has hosted many live recordings from jazz fusion artists. Larry Carlton recorded Last Nite there in 1986. In 2010 The Baked Potato was named the Best Jazz Club in Los Angeles by Los Angeles magazine. They have cited it as a "mainstay for session players since 1975". Nick Menza of Megadeth collapsed and died while playing here with his band Ohm on May 21, 2016.
Warrior is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 1982. Best known for their 1985 debut album, Fighting for the Earth, the band has released a total of four studio albums. Guitarist and co-founder Joe Floyd is the only Warrior member to appear on every album.
Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats is an American instrumental funk rock band from Los Angeles, California. It consists of Red Hot Chili Peppers' drummer Chad Smith, guitarist Jeff Kollman, bassist Kevin Chown, and Ed Roth.
Chasing the Sun is the second studio album by guitarist Chris Poland, released in 2000 through Grooveyard Records and Mascot Records (Europe), and reissued on March 16, 2004 through Rotten Records.
Anthony Gallo is an American guitarist who started at age 16 in the early 1980s punk scene. Gallo later progressed into heavy metal and rock as well as T.V. and Film. With a career spanning over 30 years Gallo played and recorded with New Regime, Los Cycos, Nick Menza (Megadeth), Mike Muir, Suicidal Tendencies/Los Cycos, SIN 34, Jon Nelson, Louiche Mayorga, Louis "Loud Lou" Hinzo (Würm), D.H. Peligro, Tiny Bubz (T.S.O.L.), Phil Campbell (Motörhead), heavy metal act Cold Shot, guitarist Carlos Cavazo, James Bradley Jr., Scott Weiland, guitarist Christian Nesmith and Bullet Boys vocalist Marq Torien, and has appeared on Sons of Anarchy in Seasons 5 and 6 as a hang around, and Season 7, the final Ride episode 9, as an S.O.A. Indian Hills, Nevada, charter member.
OHMphrey is the self-titled first studio album by the instrumental rock band OHMphrey. It was released on May 19, 2009 on Magna Carta Records.
Francesco DiCosmo is an Italian-American rock musician, best known for his work with Evanescence, Thin Lizzy, and Chris Poland of Megadeth, and is an experienced live bassist and singer, and session musician playing bass guitar, keyboards, and guitar. He has also recently formed his AllStar Band with drummer/vocalist Chad Cancino and guitarist/keyboardist Torbjorn Andersson, and also works as a composer for film and TV.
Anthony "Tiny Bubz" Biuso is best known for playing the drums in punk bands T.S.O.L., The Dickies, and Hed PE.
Dystopia is the fifteenth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was released on frontman and guitarist Dave Mustaine's Tradecraft label via Universal on January 22, 2016. It is the first Megadeth album to feature guitarist Kiko Loureiro. The album was produced by Mustaine and Chris Rakestraw and features cover artwork by Brent Elliot White.
