“Dave Mustaine Invented Thrash Metal”: Megadeth Drummer Pays Tribute to the Genre’s Defining Force

When discussing the pioneers of thrash metal, legendary bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, and Exodus immediately come to mind. Whether the genre can truly be credited to one individual remains a topic of endless debate — but Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren believes the answer is obvious: Dave Mustaine.

Speaking in a new interview with Brazil’s TV Braba, Verbeuren reflected on his decade-long journey with Megadeth and praised the enormous musical legacy built by Mustaine over the years.

“To be in this band for 10 years and help continue its legacy through great music is incredible. Obviously, everything Dave has created is iconic, but there’s also the unbelievable drumming legacy of Nick Menza, Gar Samuelson, Chuck Behler, and all the musicians who’ve been part of the band over the years. In heavy metal, it’s hard to imagine a greater legacy than that,” Verbeuren explained.

He then delivered a statement certain to spark discussion among metal fans everywhere:

“To me, Dave is the person who invented thrash metal. He wrote so much of the early material that defined what the genre would become. His riffs are instantly recognizable among millions of others. Even today, his guitar playing has a completely unique identity. To me, Dave is the ultimate rock god. Absolutely.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Verbeuren recalled how surreal it still feels to perform alongside a band he admired as a teenager. According to the drummer, Megadeth was one of the first live acts he ever saw.

“It still feels unreal being part of such an iconic band. I first saw Megadeth live back in 1990, when I was around 15 years old. It was one of the very first concerts I ever attended. I’d only seen two other shows before that.”

As for Dave Mustaine, he has never downplayed the impact he believes he had on the development of thrash metal and the musicians around him.

“Kerry [Kerry King of Slayer] and I used to play together in the early days, and I showed him how to play Megadeth songs before Slayer released the albums that became so important for them. Kerry and I had an amazing time together,” Mustaine said in a recent interview.

He also emphasized his contributions to both Metallica and Megadeth:

“I wrote music in Metallica, and I wrote music in Megadeth. So my influence on the guitar side of these three bands has been very significant.”

Mustaine also reflected on meeting Scott Ian and the members of Anthrax during the early years of the New York thrash scene:

“When I met Scott Ian and the guys from Anthrax in New York, the same kind of thing happened. Their first album sounded very different from the records they made after getting to know me and the guys from Metallica. I think that’s awesome. I love all of those bands.”