Editing Rust in Peace (section)

==Composition==
The album features multiple lyrical themes: religion,{{sfn|Kajzer|2010|p=322}} politics and warfare, as well as Mustaine's personal issues, such as his fight against drug and alcohol addiction,{{sfn|Pillsbury|2006|p=83}} [[UFO conspiracy theory|UFO conspiracy theories]]<ref name="Hangar 18">{{cite web|last=Davies|first=Claire|title=Megadeth interview (Monster Riffs Week)|url=http://www.musicradar.com/totalguitar/megadeth-interview-monster-riffs-week-280473|publisher=[[MusicRadar]]|date=September 29, 2010|access-date=January 1, 2014}}</ref> and even the [[Marvel Comics]] character [[Punisher]].<ref name=Punisher>{{cite web|title=Dave Mustaine Says Megadeth and Slayer 'Started to Become Close' in Australia|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dave-mustaine-says-megadeth-and-slayer-started-to-become-close-in-australia/|work=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|publisher=Roadrunner Records|date=November 4, 2009|access-date=August 19, 2014}}</ref>

The opening song, "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" finds its thematic inspiration derived from the [[The Troubles|Northern Ireland conflict]], in which the largely Catholic [[Irish nationalism|nationalist]] community were in conflict with the mainly Protestant [[Ulster loyalism|loyalist community]] over the sovereignty of the six counties of Northern Ireland. Mustaine has said that at a show in Antrim, Northern Ireland, he discovered [[Counterfeit|bootlegged]] Megadeth T-shirts were on sale. He was dissuaded from taking action to have them removed on the basis that they were part of fund raising activities for [[Provisional Irish Republican Army|"The Cause"]],<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Holy Wars...The Punishment Due |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/song-stories/holy-wars-the-punishment-due-megadeth |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=December 6, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309221717/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/song-stories/holy-wars-the-punishment-due-megadeth |archive-date=March 9, 2014 }}</ref> explained as something to bring equality to Catholics and Protestants in the region. Liking how "The Cause" sounded as was explained to him, Mustaine dedicated a performance of "[[Anarchy in the U.K.]]" to it, causing the audience to riot.{{sfn|Kajzer|2010|pages=317-318}} The band were escorted in a bulletproof bus back to their hotel in Dublin after the show.<ref name="Rust">{{cite web|first=Richard|last=Bienstock|title=Megadeth: Rust Never Sleeps|url=http://www.guitarworld.com/megadeth_rust_never_sleeps?page=0,2|page=3|work=[[Guitar World]]|date=September 17, 2010|access-date=November 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202225634/http://www.guitarworld.com/megadeth_rust_never_sleeps?page=0,2 |archive-date=December 2, 2013}}</ref><ref name=Bulletproof>{{cite web|title=Megadeth Mainman Reacts To "The Cause" In Ireland|url=http://www.bravewords.com/news/35297|work=[[Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles]]|date=November 12, 2005|access-date=December 19, 2013}}</ref> This incident, along with Marvel's Punisher, inspired Mustaine to write the song.<ref name=Punisher/>

"Rust in Peace... Polaris", addresses the topic of nuclear warfare,{{sfn|Walser|1993|p=158}} with "Polaris" referring to the [[Cold War]]-era Lockheed [[UGM-27 Polaris]] [[intercontinental ballistic missile]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Popoff|first=Martin|title=The Top 500 Heavy Metal Songs of All Time|year=2002|publisher=[[ECW Press]]|isbn=978-1-55022-530-3|page=229}}</ref> Mustaine has revealed that the song, originally titled "Child Saint", was one of his earlier compositions, having been written before his tenure with Metallica (1981–83).<ref name="Rust"/> Menza proposed the concept for "Hangar 18", a song about UFO conspiracies and [[Area 51]].<ref name="Hangar 18"/> Musically, the song features twin guitar solos after the verse.{{sfn|Wagner|2010|p=44}}

In 2017, more than 25 years after the album was released, Dave Mustaine revealed the majority of "Holy Wars" tabs on the web did not transcribe the main riff correctly, and posted the correct transcription himself.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/dave_mustaine_holy_wars_tabs_are_wrong_heres_how_to_do_it_right.html|title=Dave Mustaine: 'Holy Wars' Tabs Are Wrong, Here's How to Do It Right|website=www.ultimate-guitar.com}}</ref>