Megadeth Bring Holy Wars And High Voltage Thunder to The O2!

The air inside The O2 was thick with anticipation on Sunday night, a buzzing energy reserved only for the true titans of thrash metal. The crowd, a vast tapestry of generations, was a vivid illustration of Megadeth’s four-decade-long musical legacy and enduring relevance. Despite an unusually early start time for a Sunday arena show, the audience turned up on masse. The sheer number of Megadeth shirts visible throughout the concourse and the impressively full arena were a powerful testament to the band’s iconic status and the unwavering dedication of the UK metal faithful.

As the audience waited with excited anticipation for the heavy rock legends to take to the stage the arena was absolutely buzzing, but the audience didn’t have long to wait, because within moments, the silence was shattered as Mustaine launched straight in, instantly highlighted by a single spot that caught his distinctive figure before the stage exploded into a blinding surge of yellow and orange light. The band were straight down to business, igniting the set with the blistering fury of “Skin o’ My Teeth”. It was a visceral opening that instantly locked the crowd into the evening’s ferocious pace. The momentum didn’t let up. Following huge applause from the roaring crowd, the stage lights shifted to an aggressive wash of red and white as Megadeth tore into the complex, multi-sectioned thrash masterpiece, “Hangar 18”. The song’s inclusion, an early classic demonstrating their signature technicality, showcased the foundation upon which their longevity is built.

From the outset, the band’s stage dynamics were phenomenal. The three members not rooted to the drum kit—Mustaine, alongside bassist James LoMenzo and new guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari—were in constant motion. They worked the space, interacting with the crowd and traversing the stage. Mustaine commanded every inch of the massive stage, moving relentlessly from side to side and delivering his venomous snarl from various points of attack. This wasn’t a band resting on their laurels; this was a band hungry to dominate the arena, with every member operating at full ferocious force.

The lights shifted to a deep, intense purple as the crowd’s chant of “Megadeth! Megadeth!” filled the cavernous venue, setting the stage for “She-Wolf”. The power emanating from the PA system was immense, with Dirk Verbeuren’s drums cutting through the mix with exceptional clarity and punch. The sonic foundation he and LoMenzo provided was the bedrock for the guitarists’ pyrotechnics. A particularly captivating moment arrived during the guitar outro, as Mäntysaari and Mustaine converged at the front of the runway that protruded from the regular stage, facing each other in a thrilling display of twin-guitar precision that drew the eye to the core musical exchange. This exchange was a powerful reminder of the band’s commitment to uncompromising technical excellence across decades.

The purple hue remained for the introduction of “Angry Again”, a fan-favourite anthem that was greeted with a huge cheer, the crowd’s energy surging with the familiar, grinding riff. LoMenzo and Mäntysaari were constantly swapping sides of the stage as they delivered a mind-blowing performance much to the joy of the ecstatic audience; whilst frequently connecting with Mustaine in a tight, musically focused dance of sorts, a dance that was an epic explosion of heavy rock magic and mastery!. The song’s conclusion saw the “Megadeth” chants recommence, a clear expression of appreciation for the relentless delivery of their phenomenal performance!

A change in atmosphere was marked by the stage lights turning green as the relentless, driving kick drum introduced their fifth song, “Sweating Bullets”. Mustaine, in between his famously intricate guitar work, punctuated the song’s signature, paranoid lyrics with emphatic hand gestures, a theatrical flourish that was met with a massive round of applause. The set continued with the anthemic “Trust”. Mäntysaari took centre stage for a solo passage, accompanied solely by Verbeuren’s powerful drumming, before the others rejoined. A dramatic blackout preceded the guitar solo, which then burst back to life, the lights mirroring the sudden acceleration of sound. The crowd screamed and chanted in approval, utterly swept up in the performance.

It was time for a momentary breather, and Mustaine took the opportunity to engage directly with the faithful. The energy of the crowd reflected the anticipation surrounding the band’s recent news about their upcoming, self-titled final album. “Are you feeling Good?” he asked, receiving a torrent of noise in return. He gauged the crowd, asking “Who is here for the first time?” before moving to their newest material. Mustaine then directly acknowledged the future of the band, a topic that has set the metal world buzzing. He reminded the audience that after over four decades, the clock is ticking on new studio output.

“Who has heard our new single?” he inquired, referring to the first taste of their upcoming seventeenth and final studio album, the self-titled Megadeth. From the general roar, one voice cut through with crystal clarity: “It’s f**king awesome!” Mustaine, amused and acknowledging the raw honesty, asked the audience member to repeat the sentiment for the introduction of new song “Tipping Point.”

The stage flashed with sharp, vibrant blue as the band launched into their newest release. The track is pure, distilled thrash metal, a high-octane single that shows Mustaine is laying the band to rest while at the absolute peak of his aggression. Megadeth proved their current material stands shoulder-to-shoulder with their classics, demonstrating that the new lineup, solidified by bassist James LoMenzo and new axeman Teemu Mäntysaari, is firing on all cylinders right up to the final act. As the song momentarily slowed in the middle, the crowd showed their appreciation with loud applause, a testament to the track’s immediate impact, before the final, pulverising chorus kicked in for the last time. This moment felt particularly poignant, a clear signal that Megadeth is choosing to end their studio career not with a whimper, but with a calculated, ferocious bang, solidifying their legacy of aggression and precision.

The set then turned towards a deeper dive into the back catalogue. “Tornado of Souls” began with its signature heavy riff and pounding drums, followed by Mustaine’s distinctive vocals. Mustaine again moved between the mics to cover the stage. For “Mechanix”, the stage lighting was used with surgical precision: Verbeuren stood, an arm raised in a moment of poised drama before striking a cymbal to start the song. The stage lights flashed in time with the drums—a mesmerising visual syncopation—before returning to their original pattern.

The prelude to one of their most iconic songs was heralded by Verbeuren standing and pumping his fist in time with his kick drum to start “Peace Sells”. The energy shifted again, becoming a collective experience as the crowd took over the chorus, singing the famous lines for Mustaine, who explicitly asked for them to sing along. The band’s iconic mascot, Vic Rattlehead, made an appearance on stage, instantly elevating the spectacle and the crowd’s enthusiasm.

Megadeth at The O2 was a triumph. It was a performance that was technically flawless, musically devastating, and delivered with the passion of a band still operating at the absolute peak of their powers. Mustaine, Mäntysaari, LoMenzo, and Verbeuren proved that Megadeth remains an unstoppable, essential force in heavy music, whose decades of influence are etched into the DNA of the genre.

Long live Megadeth!

Skin O’ My Teeth

She-Wolf

Angry Again

Sweating Bullets

Trust

Tipping Point

Tornado of Souls

Mechanix

Peace Sells

Symphony of Destruction

Holy Wars…The Punishment Due