Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has once again addressed his songwriting contributions to Metallica’s early catalog, reigniting a long-standing dispute with his former bandmates. The remarks were made during an interview at Tuska Festival 2026.
Mustaine spoke in detail about the songs he claims to have written or co-written during his time with Metallica. He also revisited the issue of songwriting credits he believes were not properly attributed to him.
“Well, on ‘Kill ‘Em All,’ I wrote the music for ‘Jump in the Fire,’ and the lyrics, and James [Hetfield] changed that a little bit,” Mustaine said. “And then I wrote ‘Mechanix,’ which James changed the lyrics on that to ‘The Four Horsemen.'”
Mustaine went on to list several other tracks he says he contributed to, spanning both Kill ‘Em All and Ride the Lightning.
“I wrote the music for ‘Phantom Lord’,” he continued. “I wrote the music for ‘Metal Militia.’ I wrote the music for ‘Ride the Lightning.’ I wrote the music for ‘Call of Ktulu,’ which was called ‘When Hell Freezes Over.’ And there are parts of my music in ‘Leper Messiah.'”
The guitarist also revisited the credit dispute that has long complicated any potential reconciliation with Metallica. “Part of the reason why we haven’t been able to really reconcile is because I had songs that when I left I didn’t want them to record, and they went ahead and recorded them but they didn’t pay me what my share of the songs were,” he said. He specifically added, “James and I wrote ‘Metal Militia’ and ‘Phantom Lord’ – every note. And somehow, on the record [‘Kill ‘Em All’], it says Lars gets 10%. And on ‘Metal Militia’ that Kirk [Hammett] gets some of it, and he wasn’t even in the band!”
The dispute stretches back to one of the most pivotal moments in heavy metal history. Mustaine was fired from Metallica on April 11, 1983, just weeks before the band entered the studio to record Kill ‘Em All. Personal conflicts and behavior issues tied to substance abuse led to his dismissal. Despite his departure, the music he had written remained with the band – and that unresolved ownership has fueled friction ever since.
Metallica formally credited Mustaine as a songwriter on four tracks from Kill ‘Em All and two from Ride the Lightning. However, Mustaine has consistently argued that the credits fall short of reflecting the full extent of his contributions. He has also maintained that the financial compensation tied to those credits never matched what he was owed.
The core of Mustaine’s grievance is that he explicitly told Metallica not to use his music after he left – a request the band did not honor. Songs like “Ride the Lightning,” “The Call of Ktulu,” “Phantom Lord,” “Metal Militia,” “Jump in the Fire,” and “The Four Horsemen” all bear his fingerprints, yet were recorded and released without his consent or fair compensation.
“At the time, I was really mad and I didn’t wanna forgive them for what they did,” Mustaine has said of his ousting. “And I told them when I left, ‘Do not use my music.’ And of course they used it.”
The songs in question are not deep cuts – they are cornerstones of Metallica’s legacy and among the most celebrated tracks in thrash metal history. For Mustaine, that makes the unresolved credit dispute all the more significant. His willingness to revisit it publicly suggests the wound remains far from healed.
Source: Radio City Suomi – DAVE MUSTAINE ON TEEMU & MEGADETH’S FUTURE | Tuska Festival 2026
