One of the world’s most famous heavy metal bands has announced its return to Israel. Megadeth, led by former Metallica guitarist Dave Mustaine, will be performing in Rishon Letzion on July 2nd.
The concert will be the band’s fifth performance in Israel and fulfills Mustaine’s pledge to return following the last minute cancellation of a Tel Aviv concert in 2014 at the height of hostilities with Hamas.
Despite repeated promises that he was “dead set” on performing despite the difficult security situation, Mustaine cancelled the show just a day before the event was to take place.
Mustaine denied that the cancellation was politically motivated, citing security concerns and the band’s long history of touring in Israel.
The band has been noted both for its politically charged lyrics as well as its pro-Israel leanings. Frontman Dave Mustaine is a born-again Christian and has incorporated his religious and political views into the band’s music, frequently targeting the United Nations and the Obama administration.
The concert is part of world tour in support of their recently released album “Dystopia”, which reached number 3 on the Billboard album chart, the highest position for the band since 1992.
Megadeth is just the latest star performance to announce an upcoming Israel tour this year. Recently both Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez announced their own 2016 performances in Israel.