Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Aug 11, 2026

Fatal Illusion

"Fatal Illusion" is a song by American thrash metal band Megadeth. It was released as the lead single from their fifteenth studio album, Dystopia on October 1, 2015, and as a CD release on October 9 of the same year.

Last revised
Aug 11, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
451 w
Citations
12
Source
Wikipedia ↗
"Fatal Illusion"
Single by Megadeth
from the album Dystopia
ReleasedOctober 1, 201512
RecordedApril–July 2015
StudioLattitude Studio South, Leiper's Fork, Tennessee
GenreThrash metal
Length4:16
LabelTradecraft/Universal
SongwriterDave Mustaine
Producers
  • Mustaine
  • Chris Rakestraw
Megadeth singles chronology
"Burn!"
(2013) 		"Fatal Illusion"
(2015) 		"The Threat Is Real"
(2015)

"Fatal Illusion" is a song by American thrash metal band Megadeth. It was released as the lead single from their fifteenth studio album, Dystopia on October 1, 2015,3 and as a CD release on October 9 of the same year.4

Music and lyrics

According to the band's website, "the lyrics are about a person who is a misfit in society and ends up getting taken before the judicial system…"5

Performances

The song debuted live in Perth, Australia, on October 16, 2015.67 Megadeth guitarists Dave Mustaine and Kiko Loureiro did a playthrough of the song for Guitar World magazine.8

Critical reception

Loudwire ranked "Fatal Illusion" as the thirteenth best metal song of 2015.9 The song was ranked the fourth greatest from the album by Return Of Rock.10

Track listing

All tracks are written by Dave Mustaine.

Japanese CD
No.TitleLength
1."Fatal Illusion"4:17
2."Symphony of Destruction" (live)3:46
3."Peace Sells" (live)4:18
Total length:12:21
  • Tracks 2 & 3 recorded live at The Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA April 12, 1992.

Charts

Chart (2015) Peak
position
Billboard Japan Hot 10011 133

Personnel

Credits adapted from Dystopia liner notes.12

Megadeth

Additional musicians

Production and design

  • Produced by Dave Mustaine and Chris Rakestraw
  • Engineering by Chris Rakestraw
  • Mixed by Josh Wilbur
  • Pre-production by Cameron Webb
  • Additional production by Jeff Balding
  • Mastering by Ted Jensen
  • Brent Elliott White – cover artwork
References

References

  1. Rosenburg, Axl. "Listen the New Megadeth Single "Fatal Illusion" Right Now!". Metal Sucks. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  2. Bienstock, Richard (October 1, 2015). "Megadeth Premiere New Song, "Fatal Illusion"". Revolver. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  3. "NEW SINGLE 'FATAL ILLUSION' WORLD PREMIERE!". Megadeth.com. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  4. "Megadeth – Fatal Illusion". discogs. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  5. Monomyth. "Megadeth 'Dystopia' Track-By-Track: 'Fatal Illusion'". Megadeth. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  6. "Megadeth Setlist". Setlist.FM. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  7. "CHRIS ADLER'S SECOND SHOW + 'FATAL ILLUSION' LIVE PREMIERE". Megadeth.com. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  8. "Megadeth's Dave Mustaine and Kiko Loureiro Play "Fatal Illusion"". Guitar World. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  9. "20 Best Metal Songs of 2015 20 Best Metal Songs of 2015 20 Best Metal Songs of 2015". Loudwire. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  10. "Dystopia Songs Ranked". Return Of Rock. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  11. "メガデスのシングル作品" [Megadeth Singles] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  12. Dystopia Liner notes. Universal Music Enterprises. 2016. p. 12.