Symphony of Destruction
Encyclopedia
"Symphony of Destruction" is a 1992 single by American
heavy metal
band Megadeth
, taken from their 1992 double platinum selling album, Countdown to Extinction
. The lyrics explores the hypothetical situation where an average citizen might be placed into a position where he can run the country while the public is led like puppets by a phantom government. Penned by vocalist and frontman Dave Mustaine
, the song received significant radio play and charted considerably well, making it one of Megadeth
's best known songs.
The song was generally well received by critics, and its accompanying music video
by Wayne Isham
initially received heavy rotation on MTV
, but eventually became controversial and was censored because of an assassination scene that they felt was "too harsh". The video features each band member individually playing, with a mostly black-and-white
nonlinear narrative revolving around a political candidate who is assassinated, and the massive amount of anarchy
and riots caused by the event. The song has been featured in several sources of media, and has been covered by several bands.
in Toluca Lake, Los Angeles to his home, he was inspired and begun jotting everything that he could down on paper. So stricken with inspiration he even wrote lyrics on the back of his arrest
paperwork, from the time he had gone to jail
. In 1992 Megadeth
recorded the demo for what would become "Symphony of Destruction" and after some tweaking, the song was finished and recorded for inclusion on their fifth studio album, Countdown to Extinction
. Originally, the first version of the song was much longer but was edited a lot during its pre-production for Countdown.
Mustaine wrote the lyrics to the song, which were written about what he perceived to be how the masses were being led to their own destruction by a political leaders, which is where the title is derived, Symphony of Destruction. The famous legend Pied Piper of Hamelin, is mentioned in the song and contains direct correlations to the lyrical meaning of the song. In the legend, the Pied Piper had the ability to force children and rats to follow his demands mindlessly, like the public does to military dictatorships.
- Requiem (K. 626)
, and the sound heard is an orchestra tuning their instruments, and then it immediately shifts into a heavily melodic
guitar riff, which plays nearly continuously throughout the duration of the song, with the exception of the solos where the tempo speeds up considerably. The song contains what has been described as catchy, with a more commercially mainstream, standard song structure, as opposed to some of Megadeth's more aggressive and structurally intense songs, such as "Hangar 18
" or "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due
".
By 1992, Mustaine's vocal performance
and style, along with Megadeth's bombastic aesthetic, were considered jarring by more casual music listeners, meaning they had not yet been exposed to more mainstream audiences. Partially due to the success and radio
friendliness of this song and Countdown to Extinction, Megadeth was capable of reaching a higher level of public
awareness and cultural relevance.
To promote the commercial success of the song as a single, Capitol Records
produced a music video
in 1992. Directed by Wayne Isham, who also directed the videos for "Train of Consequences
" and "99 Ways to Die
", the video begins with shots of a burning American flag
with the motto For the People imprinted on it, followed by a gun trigger being pulled, and then a man's unblinking eye, foreshadowing the assassination that occurs later in the video. Each member of Megadeth separately appear playing instruments during the video, although none of them are actually seen playing together. Rioting crowds and anarchy are shown in contrast of political figures laughing, which leads to the President
and First Lady
exiting a limousine
to a cheering crowd, where a man with a pistol
appears and shoots the president
. The remainder of the video consists of nonlinear footage of the band performing and miscellaneous destruction
caused by the chaos inflicted by citizens and significant collateral damage
.
At first, the song was shown considerably on MTV
without any concern, but later the scene where the politician finally gets assassinated was censored
, because the assassination scene was deemed "too harsh". The edited version continued to be played on MTV, though to a smaller degree. The controversy was defended by Dave Mustaine, where he stated "I think it's more important that our point got across than the fact of whether or not we had to soften up a certain scene or lose it altogether."
, for the album Megaded - A Tribute To Megadeth; Hellsongs
, for the album Hymns in the Key of 666; Katalepsy, track seven from the album Musick Brings Injuries; Paul Di'Anno
for his compilation album The Living Dead; Emil Bulls
, on a live version on the tour edition of their album The Black Path
; Seeds of Sorrow; Shelby Cinca
at the Galaxy Hut in Arlington Virginia, and it was also parodied by J.B.O.
as "Symphonie der Verstopfung" (Symphony of Constipation).
More notable covers include Arch Enemy's version, for a Kerrang!
CD entitled High Voltage! A Brief History of Rock, which featured modern bands set to define rock music for the next 25 years playing covers of bands that influenced them. The song is also on their Dead Eyes See No Future
EP. Nightwish
also released a cover version, a live performance of the song is included in "The Siren
" single and in the "Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan
" single. Nightwish has continued to perform the song live, but these versions are not available on official releases.
Also, by Tarja Turunen
, although this has not appeared on any studio albums, Turunen has covered the song live, often transitioning to it from a cover of "Dead Gardens" by Nightwish. The original Megadeth version was remixed by Nine Inch Nails
and Trent Reznor
as the 'Gristle' mix.
Solo player Michael Angelo Batio
released a cover of this song on the 2009 album Hands Without Shadows Pt.2: Voices, which featured Vinnie Moore and George Ballas.
video game Guitar Hero, with the Master Version of this song was released as Downloadable Content for Guitar Hero 5
. A remix was used in the video game WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006
and Full Auto 2: Battlelines
. Furthermore, song is featured in the video games True Crime: Streets of L.A., "NFL Street 3" and FlatOut 2
.
The song's name is the basis for the title of Dave Mustaine's instructional column in Guitar World
magazine, "Symphony of Instruction". Lastly, the music video for the song is featured in the Beavis and Butt-head
episode, Blood Drive. The duo are comically amused by the video, giggling through a majority of it, and responding positively to the catchy main riff and the quick editing and explosions featured in the video, even headbanging
to it. Beavis praises the video, stating that he believes that "Dave Mustaine rules, heheh" and that "these guys are cool".
When the song is performed live, the crowd will usually shout 'Megadeth, Megadeth, aguante Megadeth!' in between each of the opening riffs. This chorus began in Argentina and quickly spread worldwide. It can be loosely translated as 'Megadeth, Megadeth, go Megadeth'. 'Aguante' is an Argentinian slang term that means to "hold on tight", which represents to stick strongly to something, it's normally used in sports events to give support to the team players. It is also applied to something that "rules" or "rocks". The first time the Argentine crowd chanted this out, heavily influenced by its soccer song singing culture in stadiums, Dave Mustaine was blown out of his mind. This is mainly the reason that Argentina became one of his favorite countries to play in, as he states in the That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires
DVD filmed in Argentina, and also because "it's the only public that will sing out the guitar parts".
The song remains Megadeth's most widely known song, and a live staple that has been performed in nearly all Megadeth concerts since its composition. Because of this, it has been featured in the following:
Music of the United States
The music of the United States reflects the country's multi-ethnic population through a diverse array of styles. Among the country's most internationally-renowned genres are hip hop, blues, country, rhythm and blues, jazz, barbershop, pop, techno, and rock and roll. The United States has the...
heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, taken from their 1992 double platinum selling album, Countdown to Extinction
Countdown to Extinction
Countdown to Extinction is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was released on July 14, 1992 through Capitol Records. Countdown to Extinction is Megadeth's best-selling album, eventually achieving double platinum status...
. The lyrics explores the hypothetical situation where an average citizen might be placed into a position where he can run the country while the public is led like puppets by a phantom government. Penned by vocalist and frontman Dave Mustaine
Dave Mustaine
David Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
, the song received significant radio play and charted considerably well, making it one of Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
's best known songs.
The song was generally well received by critics, and its accompanying music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
by Wayne Isham
Wayne Isham
Wayne Isham is an American music video director who has directed music videos of many popular artists; such as Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Roxette, Mötley Crüe, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Whitesnake, David Cook, Simple Plan, Avenged Sevenfold, Pantera, *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys,...
initially received heavy rotation on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, but eventually became controversial and was censored because of an assassination scene that they felt was "too harsh". The video features each band member individually playing, with a mostly black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
nonlinear narrative revolving around a political candidate who is assassinated, and the massive amount of anarchy
Anarchy
Anarchy , has more than one colloquial definition. In the United States, the term "anarchy" typically is meant to refer to a society which lacks publicly recognized government or violently enforced political authority...
and riots caused by the event. The song has been featured in several sources of media, and has been covered by several bands.
Origins
Vocalist Dave Mustaine described the development of "Symphony of Destruction" as stroke of luck. One day while driving down Riverside DriveRiverside Drive
A number of cities around the world have a Riverside Drive.In the United States:*Riverside Drive *Riverside Drive *Riverside Drive *Riverside Drive...
in Toluca Lake, Los Angeles to his home, he was inspired and begun jotting everything that he could down on paper. So stricken with inspiration he even wrote lyrics on the back of his arrest
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
paperwork, from the time he had gone to jail
Jail
A jail is a short-term detention facility in the United States and Canada.Jail may also refer to:In entertainment:*Jail , a 1966 Malayalam movie*Jail , a 2009 Bollywood movie...
. In 1992 Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
recorded the demo for what would become "Symphony of Destruction" and after some tweaking, the song was finished and recorded for inclusion on their fifth studio album, Countdown to Extinction
Countdown to Extinction
Countdown to Extinction is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was released on July 14, 1992 through Capitol Records. Countdown to Extinction is Megadeth's best-selling album, eventually achieving double platinum status...
. Originally, the first version of the song was much longer but was edited a lot during its pre-production for Countdown.
Mustaine wrote the lyrics to the song, which were written about what he perceived to be how the masses were being led to their own destruction by a political leaders, which is where the title is derived, Symphony of Destruction. The famous legend Pied Piper of Hamelin, is mentioned in the song and contains direct correlations to the lyrical meaning of the song. In the legend, the Pied Piper had the ability to force children and rats to follow his demands mindlessly, like the public does to military dictatorships.
Structure
"Symphony of Destruction" is 4 minutes, 7 seconds long. In the first five seconds of the song, the classical piece at the beginning of the song is the Offertorium, Domine Jesu Christe from Wolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
- Requiem (K. 626)
Requiem (Mozart)
The Requiem Mass in D minor by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was composed in Vienna in 1791 and left unfinished at the composer's death. A completion by Franz Xaver Süssmayr was delivered to Count Franz von Walsegg, who had anonymously commissioned the piece for a requiem Mass to commemorate the...
, and the sound heard is an orchestra tuning their instruments, and then it immediately shifts into a heavily melodic
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
guitar riff, which plays nearly continuously throughout the duration of the song, with the exception of the solos where the tempo speeds up considerably. The song contains what has been described as catchy, with a more commercially mainstream, standard song structure, as opposed to some of Megadeth's more aggressive and structurally intense songs, such as "Hangar 18
Hangar 18 (song)
"Hangar 18" is a song by American heavy metal band Megadeth from the 1990 album Rust in Peace. UFO conspiracy theories, or possibly Hangar 18, the 1980 film based on those theories, inspired drummer Nick Menza to write the lyrics. Shortly thereafter, frontman Dave Mustaine composed the music...
" or "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due
Holy Wars... The Punishment Due
"Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" is the opening track of heavy metal band Megadeth's 1990 album Rust in Peace.The song has an unusual structure, shifting at 2:26 after an acoustic bridge by Marty Friedman to a different, slower and heavier section called "The Punishment Due", before speeding up...
".
By 1992, Mustaine's vocal performance
Performance
A performance, in performing arts, generally comprises an event in which a performer or group of performers behave in a particular way for another group of people, the audience. Choral music and ballet are examples. Usually the performers participate in rehearsals beforehand. Afterwards audience...
and style, along with Megadeth's bombastic aesthetic, were considered jarring by more casual music listeners, meaning they had not yet been exposed to more mainstream audiences. Partially due to the success and radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
friendliness of this song and Countdown to Extinction, Megadeth was capable of reaching a higher level of public
Public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individuals, and the public is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the Öffentlichkeit or public sphere. The concept of a public has also been defined in political science,...
awareness and cultural relevance.
Music Video
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
produced a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
in 1992. Directed by Wayne Isham, who also directed the videos for "Train of Consequences
Train Of Consequences
"Train of Consequences" was the first single from Megadeth's 1994 album, Youthanasia. The song reached #29 on the Billboard US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and #22 in the UK. Its music video received significant airplay on MTV, debuting during the Halloween special, Night of the Living Megadeth,...
" and "99 Ways to Die
99 Ways to Die (song)
"99 Ways to Die" is a heavy metal song written by Dave Mustaine that originally appeared on the compilation album The Beavis and Butt-Head Experience and later on Megadeth's Hidden Treasures. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Metal Performance, but lost to...
", the video begins with shots of a burning American flag
Flag desecration
Flag desecration is a term applied to various acts that intentionally destroy, damage or mutilate a flag in public, most often a national flag. Often, such action is intended to make a political point against a country or its policies...
with the motto For the People imprinted on it, followed by a gun trigger being pulled, and then a man's unblinking eye, foreshadowing the assassination that occurs later in the video. Each member of Megadeth separately appear playing instruments during the video, although none of them are actually seen playing together. Rioting crowds and anarchy are shown in contrast of political figures laughing, which leads to the President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
and First Lady
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
exiting a limousine
Limousine
A limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
to a cheering crowd, where a man with a pistol
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
appears and shoots the president
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
. The remainder of the video consists of nonlinear footage of the band performing and miscellaneous destruction
Destruction
Destruction may refer to:* Destruction Bay, Yukon, Canada* Destruction , a German thrash metal band* Destruction , one of the Endless in Neil Gaiman's comic book series The Sandman...
caused by the chaos inflicted by citizens and significant collateral damage
Collateral damage
Collateral damage is damage to people or property that is unintended or incidental to the intended outcome. The phrase is prevalently used as an euphemism for civilian casualties of a military action.-Etymology:...
.
At first, the song was shown considerably on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
without any concern, but later the scene where the politician finally gets assassinated was censored
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
, because the assassination scene was deemed "too harsh". The edited version continued to be played on MTV, though to a smaller degree. The controversy was defended by Dave Mustaine, where he stated "I think it's more important that our point got across than the fact of whether or not we had to soften up a certain scene or lose it altogether."
Covers and remixes
The song has been covered and remixed by numerous bands. Covers include Alghazanth; Black Warrant, on his Electric album; FuryFury (band)
Fury were a thrash metal band formed in Broken Hill, Australia in 1993 and for a time were based in Adelaide, Australia. Due to talks with their record label, Fury became known as The Harrowed in Europe, although they retained their original moniker of Fury within Australia...
, for the album Megaded - A Tribute To Megadeth; Hellsongs
Hellsongs
Hellsongs were a three piece acoustic band from Sweden who produced covers of famous rock and metal songs in a very different style that they called 'lounge rock'...
, for the album Hymns in the Key of 666; Katalepsy, track seven from the album Musick Brings Injuries; Paul Di'Anno
Paul Di'Anno
Paul Andrews , better known as Paul Di'Anno, is an English singer best known as the first vocalist to record with the iconic heavy metal band Iron Maiden, from 1978 to 1981....
for his compilation album The Living Dead; Emil Bulls
Emil Bulls
Emil Bulls is a German alternative metal band that was formed in 1995 in Munich, Bavaria. The group currently consists of two guitarists, a bass guitar player, a drummer and a vocalist/guitarist.-History:...
, on a live version on the tour edition of their album The Black Path
The Black Path (album)
The Black Path is the fourth major studio album by the German band Emil Bulls, released on April 4, 2008. The first single from the record is "The Most Evil Spell", released on March 7, 2008...
; Seeds of Sorrow; Shelby Cinca
Shelby Cinca
Shelby Serban-Alex Cinca is a Romania-born musician, one of the founding members of the DC post-punk band Frodus and the vaudevillian steampunk band, The Cassettes. He has also been a part of such bands as Frantic Mantis and Decahedron...
at the Galaxy Hut in Arlington Virginia, and it was also parodied by J.B.O.
J.B.O.
J.B.O. is a heavy metal band from Erlangen, Germany. J.B.O. was founded in 1989 by Vito C. and Hannes "G.Laber" Holzmann and is known for parodies of rock and pop songs...
as "Symphonie der Verstopfung" (Symphony of Constipation).
More notable covers include Arch Enemy's version, for a Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
CD entitled High Voltage! A Brief History of Rock, which featured modern bands set to define rock music for the next 25 years playing covers of bands that influenced them. The song is also on their Dead Eyes See No Future
Dead Eyes See No Future
Dead Eyes See No Future is an EP by melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. It was released on November 2, 2004 through Century Media Records.The title track is taken from Arch Enemy's Anthems of Rebellion album....
EP. Nightwish
Nightwish
Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland. Formed in 1996 by songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen, Nightwish's current line-up has five members, although Tarja has been replaced by Anette Olzon and the...
also released a cover version, a live performance of the song is included in "The Siren
The Siren (song)
The Siren was the fourth and last single of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish's fifth studio album Once. The song was recorded with the London Session Orchestra and includes many exotic instruments, for example an electric violin and a sitar....
" single and in the "Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan
Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan
Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan is the third single released from the album Once by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released on November 24, 2004, by Spinefarm Records, together with the platinum edition of Once. The single was never released outside Japan and Finland."Kuolema Tekee...
" single. Nightwish has continued to perform the song live, but these versions are not available on official releases.
Also, by Tarja Turunen
Tarja Turunen
Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen Cabuli is a Finnish singer-songwriter and composer. She is a full lyric soprano and has a vocal range of three octaves....
, although this has not appeared on any studio albums, Turunen has covered the song live, often transitioning to it from a cover of "Dead Gardens" by Nightwish. The original Megadeth version was remixed by Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
and Trent Reznor
Trent Reznor
Michael Trent Reznor is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, record producer, and leader of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. Reznor is also a member of How to Destroy Angels alongside his wife, Mariqueen Maandig, and Atticus Ross. He was previously associated with bands Option 30,...
as the 'Gristle' mix.
Solo player Michael Angelo Batio
Michael Angelo Batio
Michael Angelo Batio also known as Mike Batio or MAB, is a guitarist and columnist from Chicago, Illinois. His work has encompassed many genres, notably metal and its subgenres. Batio was voted the "No. 1 Shredder of All Time" by Guitar One Magazine in 2003...
released a cover of this song on the 2009 album Hands Without Shadows Pt.2: Voices, which featured Vinnie Moore and George Ballas.
In popular culture
The song has been featured in numerous video games, including a cover version of the song that featured in the PlayStation 2PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
video game Guitar Hero, with the Master Version of this song was released as Downloadable Content for Guitar Hero 5
Guitar Hero 5
Guitar Hero 5 is a music video game and the fifth main entry in the Guitar Hero series. The game was developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision, and released internationally in September 2009 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, 3 and Wii consoles...
. A remix was used in the video game WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006
WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2006
WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 , is a professional wrestling video game released on the PlayStation 2 console and the PlayStation Portable handheld console by THQ and developed by Yuke's. It is part of the WWE SmackDown vs...
and Full Auto 2: Battlelines
Full Auto 2: Battlelines
Full Auto 2: Battlelines is the second Full Auto game and is available on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. It is developed by Pseudo Interactive on PS3 and by Deep Fried Entertainment on PSP and published by Sega.- Gameplay :...
. Furthermore, song is featured in the video games True Crime: Streets of L.A., "NFL Street 3" and FlatOut 2
FlatOut 2
FlatOut 2 is a racing video game developed by Bugbear Entertainment and published by Empire Interactive and Vivendi Universal Games. It is the sequel to the 2004-2005 releaseFlatOut....
.
The song's name is the basis for the title of Dave Mustaine's instructional column in Guitar World
Guitar World
Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
magazine, "Symphony of Instruction". Lastly, the music video for the song is featured in the Beavis and Butt-head
Beavis and Butt-Head
Beavis and Butt-head is an American animated television series created by Mike Judge. The series originated from Frog Baseball, a 1992 short film by Judge. After seeing the short, MTV signed Judge to develop the concept. Beavis and Butt-head originally aired from March 8, 1993 to November 28, 1997...
episode, Blood Drive. The duo are comically amused by the video, giggling through a majority of it, and responding positively to the catchy main riff and the quick editing and explosions featured in the video, even headbanging
Headbanging
Headbanging is a type of dance which involves violently shaking the head in time with the music, most commonly in the rock and heavy metal music genres.-Origin:The term "headbanger" was coined during Led Zeppelin's first US tour in 1969...
to it. Beavis praises the video, stating that he believes that "Dave Mustaine rules, heheh" and that "these guys are cool".
When the song is performed live, the crowd will usually shout 'Megadeth, Megadeth, aguante Megadeth!' in between each of the opening riffs. This chorus began in Argentina and quickly spread worldwide. It can be loosely translated as 'Megadeth, Megadeth, go Megadeth'. 'Aguante' is an Argentinian slang term that means to "hold on tight", which represents to stick strongly to something, it's normally used in sports events to give support to the team players. It is also applied to something that "rules" or "rocks". The first time the Argentine crowd chanted this out, heavily influenced by its soccer song singing culture in stadiums, Dave Mustaine was blown out of his mind. This is mainly the reason that Argentina became one of his favorite countries to play in, as he states in the That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires
That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires
-Disc 2:-Unreleased songs from the performance:#"The Scorpion"#"Train of Consequences"#"Of Mice and Men"#"Sweating Bullets"-Personnel:*Dave Mustaine - Rhythm and lead guitar, Lead vocals*Glen Drover - Lead and rhythm guitar, Backing vocals...
DVD filmed in Argentina, and also because "it's the only public that will sing out the guitar parts".
The song remains Megadeth's most widely known song, and a live staple that has been performed in nearly all Megadeth concerts since its composition. Because of this, it has been featured in the following:
- Exposure of a DreamExposure of a DreamExposure of a Dream is long play video starring Megadeth. The video highlights music videos from the band's 1992 album Countdown to Extinction and the title is a play on the second track titled "Foreclosure of a Dream".-Track listing:...
- Capitol Punishment: The Megadeth YearsCapitol Punishment: The Megadeth Years-Track listing:-Hidden track :-Bonus track :-Charts:AlbumSingles...
(Compilation) - Rude AwakeningRude Awakening (Megadeth album)Rude Awakening is a live album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. The album was released by Sanctuary Records in 2002, the last release before the band broke up in 2002...
(Live CD & DVD) - Still Alive... and Well?Still Alive... And Well?Still, Alive... and Well? is a Megadeth compilation album released on September 10, 2002 and is the last Megadeth release with bassist and co-founder David Ellefson until his reunion with the band 8 years later...
(Live/Compilation) - Video HitsVideo Hits (DVD)Megadeth Video Hits is a 2005 release featuring the select music videos through the career of Megadeth from the albums Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? - Cryptic Writings.-Track list:#"Peace Sells"#"Anarchy in the U.K."#"Hangar 18 "...
- Greatest Hits: Back to the StartGreatest Hits: Back to the StartGreatest Hits: Back to the Start is the second greatest hits album by Megadeth. It was released in 2005 by Capitol Records. The tracklist for Back to the Start was largely the result of a poll on their official website, in which tens of thousands of fans voted for their favorite tracks from the...
- Arsenal of MegadethArsenal of MegadethArsenal of Megadeth is an anthology of Megadeth's first 20 years. The 2-disc DVD set contains music videos, live performances, interviews, home videos and special appearances. Arsenal of Megadeth is an EMI/Capitol release...
(Video compilation) - That One Night: Live in Buenos AiresThat One Night: Live in Buenos Aires-Disc 2:-Unreleased songs from the performance:#"The Scorpion"#"Train of Consequences"#"Of Mice and Men"#"Sweating Bullets"-Personnel:*Dave Mustaine - Rhythm and lead guitar, Lead vocals*Glen Drover - Lead and rhythm guitar, Backing vocals...
(Live CD & DVD) - WarchestWarchestWarchest is a box set from the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Warchest features five discs and features studio tracks, demos and live recordings of a number of the band's songs from its previous eleven studio albums and rarities EP...
(Box set) - Anthology: Set the World AfireAnthology: Set the World Afire-Disc 1:-Disc 2:-Personnel:*Dave Mustaine - lead vocals and lead and rhythm guitar on all tracks*Marty Friedman - guitar on tracks 10–17 disc one and 1–13 and 16–18 disc two*Chris Poland - guitar on tracks 1–5 on disc one...
- Rust in Peace LiveRust in Peace LiveRust in Peace Live is a live album by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released in 2010 through Shout! Factory in Blu-ray, DVD, and CD formats. Filmed at the Hollywood Palladium on March 31, 2010, the performance showcases Megadeth's 1990 album, Rust in Peace played in its entirety with the same...
(Live CD) - The Big 4 Live From Sofia, BulgariaThe Big 4 Live From Sofia, BulgariaThe Big 4 Live from Sofia, Bulgaria is a DVD/Blu-ray featuring live concert performances by Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax, collectively known as "the big four" of thrash metal. The event took place on June 22, 2010 at the Sonisphere Festival at Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia,...
- Blood in the Water: Live in San DiegoBlood in the Water: Live in San DiegoBlood in the Water: Live in San Diego is a live DVD from American thrash metal band Megadeth. It features a live concert recorded at Cox Arena in San Diego filmed during Gigantour 2008 on May 20, 2008. The band decided to release it as a full concert due to the other acts on the bill declining...
Charts
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
71 |
| Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 29 |
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
91 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
14 |
| New Zealand | 15 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
15 |
Single track listing
- "Symphony of Destruction" - 4:02
- "Peace SellsPeace Sells"Peace Sells" is a song by the American thrash metal band Megadeth from the 1986 album Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?, written by Dave Mustaine. It, along with Wake Up Dead from the same album, has been a staple at Megadeth concerts. Lyrically, it deals with negative stereotypes about...
(Live)" (Recorded live on the Clash of the Titans TourClash of the Titans (tour)Clash of the Titans was the name of a worldwide tour by several popular American thrash metal bands of the 1980s, with alternating headliners from show to show.-History:...
, at Wembley ArenaWembley ArenaWembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
, October 1990)
Personnel
- Dave MustaineDave MustaineDavid Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
- rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, lead vocals - Marty FriedmanMarty Friedman (guitarist)Marty Friedman is a guitarist, well known for his tenure as the lead/rhythm guitarist for thrash metal band Megadeth, which lasted almost a decade...
- lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, backing vocals - Dave Ellefson - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Nick MenzaNick MenzaNick Menza is an American drummer best known for his work in Megadeth from 1989 to 1998, appearing on four of the band's studio albums.-Early life:...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, backing vocals