It’s been 34 years since Megadeth came tantalisingly close to landing a number one album in the US with Countdown To Extinction, only to fall at the last hurdle thanks to Billie Ray Cyrus. Justice finally prevailed for Dave Mustaine’s merry band of thrashers in January when their final, self-titled album topped the Billboard 200. Now the band are looking to go out on a high, their farewell tour stopping in for a massive slot on Sonic Temple’s Cathedral Stage.
We’ll admit, we had misgivings. Megadeth’s tour supporting Disturbed in arenas across Europe last Autumn was far from the most incendiary performances the band had put on, a killer setlist only doing so much to make up for sluggish energy. At Sonic Temple, they’ve found that divine spark again. There’s a grin on Mustaine’s face as he greets the crowd and introduces newer tune Let There Be Shred, the band flying off on some virtuosic old school thrash that brings to mind the frantic fretwork of debut Killing Is My Business.
