Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

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",^[4] 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. Mustaine said that he was inspired to write the song after an incident at a 1988 concert in Antrim, Northern Ireland, where, he unknowingly dedicated their cover of Anarchy in the UK to "The Cause", otherwise known as the (Provisional Irish Republican Army), and caused a riot. "The Punishment Due" is based on the popular Marvel comic book character, the Punisher.^[5][6]

"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,^[7] and in 2018, Billboard ranked the song number two on their list of the 15 greatest Megadeth songs.^[8] In 2021, Eli Enis of Revolver included the song in his list of the "15 Greatest Album-Opening Songs in Metal".^[9] In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked the song number twenty-eight on their list of the 100 greatest heavy metal songs.^[10]

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, where it appears in the story mode as part of the final boss medley alongside "This Day We Fight!" and "Sudden Death",^[11] 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.

7-inch edition

1. "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"
2. "Lucretia"

12-inch edition

1. "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"
2. "Interview with Dave Mustaine"

12-inch edition

1. "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"
2. "Lucretia"
3. "Interview with Dave Mustaine" (edited)

CD edition

1. "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"
2. "Lucretia"
3. "Interview with Dave Mustaine" (edited)

• Capitol Records DPRO-79462

• Dave Mustaine – guitars, lead vocals
• Marty Friedman – guitars
• David Ellefson – bass, backing vocals
• Nick Menza – drums, percussion