Megadeth performed at Arena 1 in Peru this week — crossing off two milestones as they kicked off the latest leg of their Crush the World tour and played their first Peruvian show in 14 years. And needless to say… it was a thrash-worthy event that no metal fan will soon forget.
With a packed setlist, prismatic light show, and more powerful riffs than we can count, the Los Angeles-based group was in their prime. How did they manage to hype up the audience so much, even from the first song? By opening with a live debut, “The Sick, the Dying…and the Dead!,” which also happens to be the title track off their sixteenth album released in 2022.
They’ve supported this album on the road practically nonstop for nearly two years, and it’s easy to see why. It marked the first Megadeth album in six years, after all, and produced stellar singles like “Night Stalkers,” “Soldier On!,” and “Killing Time.” Sadly, none of these songs were performed in Peru, but Megadeth gave fans a treat by dipping into their deep cuts.
Megadeth has had a storied career, celebrating 40 years together in 2023 and often referred to as one of the “big four” thrash metal bands alongside Metallica, Anthrax, and Slayer. Therefore, they decided to take a trip back in time with their Peru setlist. Naturally, old favorites like “Dread and the Fugitive Mind,” “Sweating Bullets,” “Trust,” “Peace Sells,” and “Symphony of Destruction” were major crowd pleasers.
Swirling with their signature fast tempos, aggressive vocals, and shamelessly controversial lyrics, longtime Megadeth fans were in heaven as they flashed the sign of the horns. Every old song, including “A tout le monde,” a single off the sixth Megadeth album, Youthanasia, that celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2024, was a reminder of their not-always-easy but undeniably epic musical journey. And Dave Mustaine and Co. loved every second of it.
After several more surprises, including a performance of “Devil’s Island” for the first time in ten years and an adrenaline-pumping farewell track, “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due,” the band walked offstage with grace. With trademark long hair, overflowing flair, and unbothered attitudes that have contributed to their rock star reputations, Megadeth made a great impression on Peru. And the multiplainum, GRAMMY-winning rockers can’t wait to perform throughout the rest of Latin America.
Check out the full Megadeth setlist in Peru here.
