Holy Wars... The Punishment Due#Charts
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Holy Wars... The Punishment Due
| cover = Megadeth - Holy Wars.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Megadeth
| album = Rust in Peace
| B-side = Lucretia
| released = 23 September 1990
| format =
| recorded = 1990
| studio =
| genre = Thrash metal{{cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-22-best-old-school-thrash-metal-songs|title=22 killer old school thrash songs that will instantly improve your day|last=Lawson|first=Dom|date=23 January 2019|website=Metal Hammer|access-date=6 May 2019}}{{Cite web|date=2019-03-06|title=Fan Poll: 5 Greatest Thrash-Metal Songs of All Time|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/fan-poll-5-greatest-thrash-metal-songs-all-time|access-date=2021-06-25|website=Revolver|language=en}}{{cite web|title=Top 10 Best Thrash Metal Songs|url=https://www.thetoptens.com/metal/top-thrash-metal-songs/|website=thetoptens.com|access-date=17 February 2022}}
| length = 6:32
| label = Capitol
| writer = Dave Mustaine
| producer = {{hlist|Mustaine|Mike Clink}}
| prev_title = No More Mr. Nice Guy
| prev_year = 1990
| next_title = Hangar 18
| next_year = 1991
| misc = {{External music video|
{{YouTube|9d4ui9q7eDM|"Holy Wars...The Punishment Due"}}}}
}}
"Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" (also known as "Holy Wars") is a song by American thrash metal band Megadeth. Released in 1990, it is the opening track off the band's fourth studio album Rust in Peace (1990).
Music and lyrics
The song has an unusual structure: it opens with a fast thrash section, shifting at 2:26 after an acoustic bridge by Marty Friedman to a different, slower and heavier section called "The Punishment Due",{{Cite web |title=Megadeth - Holy Wars... The Punishment Due Lyrics {{!}} Lyrics.com |url=https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/31207613/Megadeth |access-date=2024-08-28 |website=www.lyrics.com}} interspersed by two guitar solos played by Friedman, before speeding up again with a third and final solo played during this segment by Dave Mustaine.
The lyrics deal with global religious conflict, particularly in Israel and Northern Ireland. In an interview with the UK magazine Guitarist, Dave Mustaine said that he was inspired to write the song in Northern Ireland, when he discovered bootlegged Megadeth T-shirts were on sale and was dissuaded from taking action to have them removed on the basis that they were part of fundraising activities for "The Cause" (i.e. the Provisional Irish Republican Army).{{Cite web |title=The Realms of Deth - Megadeth Interviews |url=http://megadeth.rockmetal.art.pl/interviews_holywars1990.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303185729/http://megadeth.rockmetal.art.pl/interviews_holywars1990.html |archive-date=3 March 2016 |access-date=28 August 2024}} "The Punishment Due" is based on the popular Marvel comic book character, the Punisher.{{Cite web |title=The Realms of Deth - Megadeth Lyrics - Rust in Peace |url=http://megadeth.rockmetal.art.pl/lyrics_rust.html#Punishment |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171651/http://megadeth.rockmetal.art.pl/lyrics_rust.html#Punishment |archive-date=3 March 2016 |access-date=28 August 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://geektyrant.com/news/megadeth-frontman-dave-mustaine-says-song-holy-wars-inspired-by-the-punisher|title = MEGADETH Frontman Dave Mustaine Says Song "Holy Wars" Inspired by THE PUNISHER| date=5 February 2017 }}
Legacy
"Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" is widely considered one of Megadeth's greatest songs and one of the greatest songs in metal. In 2012, Loudwire ranked the song number one on their list of the 10 greatest Megadeth songs,{{cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/best-megadeth-songs/|title=10 Best Megadeth Songs|first=Graham|last=Hartmann|website=Loudwire|date=September 13, 2012|accessdate=March 16, 2022}} and in 2018, Billboard ranked the song number two on their list of the 15 greatest Megadeth songs.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/best-megadeth-songs-top-15-8210738/|title=The 15 Best Megadeth Songs: Critic's Picks|first=Christa|last=Titus|magazine=Billboard|date=March 15, 2018|accessdate=March 16, 2022}} In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked the song number twenty-eight on their list of the 100 greatest heavy metal songs.{{Cite magazine |last= |first= |date=2023-03-13 |title=The 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-heavy-metal-songs-1234688425/ |access-date=2023-07-06 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}
A cover version of the song is playable in the band simulation game Rock Revolution. The master recording is purchasable as part of the Rust in Peace album pack on the Rock Band band simulation platform, is playable in the Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock game,{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2010/08/17/full-guitar-hero-warriors-of-rock-track-list-revealed/|title=Full Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock track list revealed|author-first=Griffin|author-last=McElroy}} and is available as DLC for Rocksmith 2014. The music video for "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" was filmed in August 1990 (around the time of the Gulf War in 1990). It depicts news footage of various armed conflicts, mainly from the Middle East interspliced with footage of the band playing and Mustaine engaging in a skydive.
= Accolades =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:left;" |
| scope="col"| Year
! scope="col" | Publication ! scope="col" | Country ! scope="col"| Accolade ! scope="col"| Rank |
|---|
| scope="row"| 2022
| Louder Sound | style="text-align:center;" | United States | The Top 20 Best Megadeth Songs Ranked{{cite web |last1=Stewart-Panko |first1=Kevin |title=The top 20 best Megadeth songs ranked |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/megadeth-best-songs-top-20-ranked/2 |website=Louder Sound |date=14 July 2022 |access-date=29 August 2022}} | style="text-align:center;"| 1 |
| scope="row"| 2018
| style="text-align:center;" | United Kingdom | The 15 Best Megadeth Songs: Critic’s Picks{{cite magazine |last1=Titus |first1=Christina |title=The 15 Best Megadeth Songs: Critic's Picks |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/best-megadeth-songs-top-15-8210738/ |magazine=Billboard |access-date=29 August 2022}} | style="text-align:center;"| 2 |
| scope="row"| 2023
| style="text-align:center;" | United States | The 100 Greatest Metal Songs | style="text-align:center;"| 28 |
Track listing
7-inch edition
- "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"
- "Lucretia"
12-inch edition
- "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"
- "Interview with Dave Mustaine"
12-inch edition
- "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"
- "Lucretia"
- "Interview with Dave Mustaine" (edited)
CD edition
- "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"
- "Lucretia"
- "Interview with Dave Mustaine" (edited)
- Capitol Records DPRO-79462
Personnel
- Dave Mustaine – guitars, lead vocals
- Marty Friedman – guitars
- David Ellefson – bass, backing vocals
- Nick Menza – drums, percussion
Charts
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Gold|certyear=2022|title=Holy Wars... The Punishment Due|artist=Megadeth|type=single|access-date=August 24, 2022|relyear=1990}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|noshipments=true|nosales=true}}
Notes
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d4ui9q7eDM Official music video] at YouTube
{{Megadeth}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Songs critical of religion
Category:Songs about The Troubles (Northern Ireland)