R.I.P. Nick Menza

Megadeth was one of the first metal bands I had the pleasure of discovering, and everything about them blew me away when I listened to some of their classic records. Rust In Peace, Countdown To Extinction, Youthanasia, Cryptic Writings, etc., were, and still are, marvels in the metal genre.

Prior to discovering a lot of other bands, Nick Menza was an artist that broke through to me. I can still remember listening to him for the first time when I was in high school. I tried to air drum my way through Five Magics or Ashes In Your Mouth and I was exhausted just attempting to sustain the same tempo. I always wondered to myself, "How the hell does this guy pound away on these songs live?!" But it's not just about uptempo metal assaults. His precision and attention to detail always astounded me.

When Megadeth had been searching for a new drummer and new lead guitarist in 2015, I got incredibly ecstatic with the rumours that a classic-era reunion of Megadeth with Marty Friedman and Nick Menza was on the horizon. Alas, it did not happen. It'll never happen again. Still, his impact on me will live on. Even though he's passed on, he passed doing what he loved. I'll always be grateful to the attitude, inspiration, and sound he brought into the music world.

R.I.P. Nick.