Since then, the band has amassed a diehard following, played to sold-out audiences around the world and generated over 20 million in record sales. Indeed, the band has become an institution amongst fans of hard guitar rock.

Fans have flocked to Megadeth in growing numbers, inspired and excited by the band's constant desire to evolve and mature without straying too far from their signature sound. The group's ninth and latest album, appropriately titled Risk, is its greatest creative stride since Countdown to Extinction in 1992, on which Megadeth broke from their pure thrash metal roots and delved into the art of heavy, melodic song writing. In an era where established hard rock and heavy metal acts are either being swallowed up by the new breed of cutting edge noise bands (Korn, Limp Bizkit, Rage Against the Machine), or are struggling to conform to what's hip, Megadeth continue to blaze bold, new trails. The first song on Risk, "Insomnia," opens with a tweaked wave of feedback that segues into emotive cello line. From there, the tune shifts into a futuristic guitar-blaring metal anthem embellished with strings, Middle Eastern melodies and a throbbing electronic beat.