Dave Mustaine was an early member of the band Metallica, and helped pen tracks that wound up on their first two albums. In 1983, Mustaine was let go from the group by Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield due to personal conflicts and substance abuse. He would be replaced by Kirk Hammett, guitarist for the Bay Area thrash band Exodus, who remains with the band to this day. Dave felt slighted and vowed to make his own band, which would be even faster and heavier than Metallica. Mustaine picked the name "Megadeth" from a pamphlet by California senator Alan Cranston that read: "The arsenal of megadeath can't be rid no matter what the peace treaties come to."
In 1985, Megadeth released their debut album, Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!, on the independent record label Combat Records, to moderate success. It caught the attention of bigger labels, which led to Megadeth signing with Capitol Records. Their first major-label album, Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?, was released in 1986 and was a major hit with the underground metal scene. Band members' substance abuse issues and personal disputes had brought Megadeth negative publicity during the late 1980s. Nonetheless, the band went on to release a number of platinum-selling albums, including So Far, So Good... So What! (1988), Rust in Peace (1990), and Countdown to Extinction (1992). These albums, along with worldwide tours, brought them public recognition.
Megadeth has had numerous guitarists, drummers and bassists throughout its 39-year career, with Mustaine being the only remaining original member of the group. The band temporarily disbanded in 2002 when Mustaine suffered an arm injury and re-established in 2004 without longtime bassist David Ellefson, who had taken legal action against him. Ellefson settled out of court and rejoined the band in 2010, but was fired in 2021 amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Megadeth's current lineup includes Mustaine, bassist James LoMenzo, guitarist Kiko Loureiro and drummer Dirk Verbeuren.
Megadeth earned platinum certifications in the United States for six of its sixteen studio albums, and has received twelve Grammy nominations. Megadeth won its first Grammy Award in 2017 for the song "Dystopia" in the Best Metal Performance category. The band's mascot, Vic Rattlehead, regularly appears on album artwork and live shows. Megadeth has hosted its own music festival, Gigantour, several times since July 2005, and held its first MegaCruise in October 2019.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megadeth
Studio albums
Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (1985)
Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? (1986)
So Far, So Good... So What! (1988)
Rust in Peace (1990)
Countdown to Extinction (1992)
Youthanasia (1994)
Cryptic Writings (1997)
Risk (1999)
The World Needs a Hero (2001)
The System Has Failed (2004)
United Abominations (2007)
Endgame (2009)
Thirteen (2011)
Super Collider (2013)
Dystopia (2016)
The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead! (2022)
Architecture of Aggression
Megadeth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the black cloak of night
To envelop its prey below
Deliver to the light
To eliminate your enemy
Hit them in their sleep
And when all is won and lost
The spoils of wars are yours to keep
Great nations built from the bones of the dead
With mud and straw, blood and sweat
You know your worth when your enemies
Praise your architecture of aggression
Praise your architecture of aggression
Ensuing power vacuum
A toppled leader dies
His body fuels the power fire
And the flames rise to the sky
One side of his face a kiss
The other genocide
Time to pay with your ass
A worldwide suicide
Great nations built from the bones of the dead
With mud and straw, blood and sweat
You know your worth when your enemies
Praise your architecture of aggression
Born from the dark
In the black cloak of the night
To envelop its prey below
Deliver to the light
To eliminate your enemy
Hit them in their sleep
And when all is won and lost
The spoils of war are yours to keep
Great nations built from the bones of the dead
With mud and straw, blood and sweat
You know your worth when your enemies
Praise your architecture of aggression
Great nations built from the bones of the dead
With mud and straw, blood and sweat
You know your worth when your enemies
Praise your architecture of aggression
The song "Architecture of Aggression" by Megadeth is directly related to the concept of war and the ways in which nations are built from the blood and sweat of those who died in battles. The lyrics describe the way that war is born from the dark, and how it envelops its prey below. The goal of war is to eliminate the enemy and to hit them when they least expect it, ensuring victory. The spoils of war are then claimed by the victor.
The chorus of the song refers to the way that great nations are built through war, using the bones of the dead and the materials that are left behind after a battle. The idea is that the architecture of aggression is the way that a nation becomes great, and the victory is celebrated by the praise of the enemy. The second verse of the song details the ensuing power vacuum that occurs after the defeat of a leader, and how his death is used to fuel the flames of war. The final verse is a repetition of the first, emphasizing the cyclical nature of war and the way that it perpetuates itself through generations.
Line by Line Meaning
Born from the dark
The creation of aggressive nations and their actions are rooted in darkness
In the black cloak of night
Their actions are hidden and done in secret
To envelop its prey below
To attack and dominate those who are weaker
Deliver to the light
Justifying their actions as bringing enlightenment to others
To eliminate your enemy
The goal is to completely destroy the enemy
Hit them in their sleep
To attack when the enemy is at its weakest and not expecting it
And when all is won and lost
After the war is over, with both sides having won and lost
The spoils of war are yours to keep
Rewards and benefits of winning the war belong to the victors
Great nations built from the bones of the dead
Aggressive nations are built on the destruction and sacrifice of others
With mud and straw, blood and sweat
The process of building an aggressive nation is brutal and involves great sacrifice
You know your worth when your enemies
The greatness of an aggressive nation is confirmed by the admiration of their enemies
Praise your architecture of aggression
Admiration of an aggressive nation's tactics and methods of domination
Ensuing power vacuum
After a leader is toppled, there is a vacuum of power
A toppled leader dies
The downfall of a leader often leads to their death
His body fuels the power fire
Their death is used as fuel to feed the desire for power
And the flames rise to the sky
The rise of power and aggression is symbolized by flames reaching towards the sky
One side of his face a kiss
Leaders use manipulation and charm to gain power
The other genocide
The other side of their leadership is the destruction and killing of others
Time to pay with your ass
The consequences of aggressive actions must be faced
A worldwide suicide
The consequence of continued aggression is the destruction of the world
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dave Ellefson, Dave Mustaine
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind