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)
Countdown to Extinction
Megadeth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shot in cold blood, no chance to fight
The stage is set, now pay the price
And ego boost, don't think twice
Technology, the battle's unfair,
You pull the hammer without a care
Squeeze the trigger that makes you Man,
The hunt is canned
All are gone, all but one
No contest, nowhere to run
No more left, only one
This is it, this is the countdown to extinction
Tell the truth, you wouldn't dare
The skin and trophy, oh so rare
Silence speaks louder than words
Ignore the guilt and take your turn
'Liars' anagram is lairs
Man you were never even there
Killed a few feet from the cages
Point blank, you're so courageous
So courageous
All are gone, all but one
No contest, nowhere to run
No more left, only one
This is it, this is the countdown to extinction
One hour from now
Another species of life form
Will disappear from the face of the planet
Forever and the rate is accelerating
All are gone, all but one
No contest, nowhere to run
No more left, only one
This is it, this is the countdown to extinction
The song "Countdown to Extinction" by Megadeth addresses the issue of human impact on the environment and its consequences on various species. The lyrics describe how animals are mistreated, placed in cages and hunted exhibiting human's inhumane behaviour. The stage is set and the price paid to boost a human’s ego without any remorse, where technology is used to ensure that humans win the battle. The rapacious human behaviour is compared to a “pseudo-safari,” where the hunt is canned, the animals are defenseless, and there is nowhere to run.
Dave Mustaine, the songwriter of Megadeth reveals the hunters' egos, who are responsible for the destruction of various ecosystems. The song also discusses ignoring the guilt that allows the hunters to take their turn; and how silence speaks louder than words to compensate for the destruction of these species, which has led to the countdown to extinction. The killing of these animals is described as cowardly as the hunters are never present, and the animal is killed point-blank, exhibiting no mercy.
The song ultimately conveys a message regarding the importance of the environment and the need to preserve the different species from extinction caused by humans. The song’s theme is the personification of the human consciousness especially with the understanding that human activities, like hunting, poaching, and deforestation, are responsible for the loss of species, affecting the biodiversity of the ecosystem.
Line by Line Meaning
Endangered species, caged in fright
Animals on the brink of extinction, captured and confined in fear
Shot in cold blood, no chance to fight
Killed ruthlessly and without mercy, unable to defend themselves
The stage is set, now pay the price
The situation is now in motion, and the consequences must be faced
An ego boost, don't think twice
The thrill of the hunt provides a false sense of superiority and no remorse
Technology, the battle's unfair
The use of advanced tools for hunting is an uneven and slanted contest
You pull the hammer without a care
Firearms are used without any regard to the impact they have
Squeeze the trigger that makes you Man
Trophy hunting is seen as a symbol of masculinity and dominance
Pseudo-safari, the hunt is canned
The imitation of a real hunting experience, where the outcome is predetermined in a controlled environment
All are gone, all but one
The extinction of many species except for a solitary survivor
No contest, nowhere to run
There is no competition, and no place to hide
No more left, only one
The obliteration of almost all life forms except for the few remaining
This is it, this is the countdown to extinction
The final moments leading up to the end of life as we know it on this planet
Tell the truth, you wouldn't dare
The reality of hunting endangered animals is not openly admitted or spoken about
The skin and trophy, oh so rare
The value of the dead animal's skin and horns is considered precious and desirable
Silence speaks louder than words
The act of not speaking up against the unethical practice of hunting endangered animals says enough
Ignore the guilt and take your turn
Dismissing any feelings of guilt and continuing to participate in the atrocities
'Liars' anagram is lairs
A play on words, suggesting that those who hunt for sport are deceitful
Man you were never even there
The hunting experience, while deemed as a thrilling conquest, is nothing but a hollow display of dominance
Killed a few feet from the cages
The animals that were hunted were brutally executed in close proximity to their captors' cages
Point blank, you're so courageous
Killing defenseless animals at close range doesn't require bravery or skill
One hour from now
In just sixty minutes
Another species of life form
A new type of animal
Will disappear from the face of the planet
Will go extinct and never be seen again
Forever and the rate is accelerating
The rate of extinction is speeding up and it's a permanent loss
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVE MUSTAINE, DAVID ELLEFSON, MARTY FRIEDMAN, NICK MENZA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind