From album
Rust in Peace
Megadeth · 1990 · Track 1
Details
TonalidadE
Compás4/4
Tempo117 BPM
Duración6:32
CompositorDave Mustaine
ÁlbumRust in Peace
Año1990
ISRCUSCA20400647
Credits
Music Dave Mustaine
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The story behind
When you dive into Holy Wars… The Punishment Due, you encounter a piece that takes you on a journey. The song starts with an overwhelming energy, typical of thrash metal, but it doesn't stop there. Around the two-and-a-half-minute mark, there's a break. An acoustic bridge, handled by Marty Friedman, gives way to a completely different section: slower, heavier, known as "The Punishment Due." This duality is maintained, with guitar solos that come and go, one of them performed by Dave Mustaine himself, before the song regains its initial speed for a final solo.
The lyrics of Holy Wars… The Punishment Due, written by Dave Mustaine, address global religious conflicts, with a particular focus on places like Israel and Northern Ireland. The inspiration for this theme arose after an incident in 1988, in Antrim, Northern Ireland. During a concert, Mustaine dedicated a version of Anarchy in the UK to "The Cause," a term associated with the Provisional Irish Republican Army, which triggered a riot. The "The Punishment Due" part is inspired by the Marvel comics character, Punisher. This song was the opening track of the album Rust in Peace, released in 1990, the same year it was recorded. The album, which also includes Hangar 18 as another of its singles, was produced by Mustaine and Mike Clink, and featured the participation of Marty Friedman and Nick Menza as new members of Megadeth. The music video for Holy Wars… The Punishment Due, filmed in August 1990, interweaves images of armed conflicts of the time, especially from the Middle East, with sequences of the band playing and Mustaine skydiving.
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