“To all intents and purposes, it was a disaster. I wanted to kick my habit, I didn’t want to kick it.” A wasted singer, a bizarre producer and a real-life Sex Pistol: how Megadeth made thrash metal’s most chaotic album

Megadeth posing for a photograph in 1987.

At the start of 1988, Megadeth stood on the edge of the precipice, ready to plummet. Since the release of their debut album, Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good in 1985, the band had been living on a diet of drugs, booze and anger – this was especially true of Dave Mustaine, not only the driving and creative force, but also fuelled by a sense of injustice.

“I still can’t believe I got kicked out of fucking Metallica,” Mustaine said, at the time Megadeth were recording that first album. “So I drank? Big fucking deal. And the other guys were angels? You know why they got rid of me? James [Hetfield] was jealous. Look at him now, he’s ripped me off, man! And they’re still using my songs. But wait until Megadeth hits – then people will know the truth!”