Thrash titans Megadeth destroyed the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ on May 11. Their blazing set began at 8:06 following a strong showing from Lacuna Coil.

Firing through classic favorites “Hangar 18,” “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due,” and tracks from their most recent release Thirteen, Megadeth’s sound was dead on; even surpassing their historic performance at Yankee Stadium during the east coast’s Big 4 show last September.

Chris Broderick continues to show himself the band’s best lead guitarist rivaling former ax-man Marty Friedman. Dave Mustaine also unleashed some sweet pentatonic mayhem of his own during “Wake Up Dead.”

As for Mustaine’s vocals tonight, he is right on top of the game. Sounds perfect, far from washed up, that’s for damn sure.

Before playing “She-Wolf,” Mustaine pulled a kid up on stage who held a sign reading “10 Years of Megadeth.” Mustaine grunted, “start em young I always say.” Classy move by the legend. He later gave his signature Jackson guitar away to some dude named Joe following “Symphony of Destruction.”

Other set highlights included a blistering “Sweating Bullets” and “A Tout Le Monde” featuring the vocals of Lacuna Coil’s Cristina Scabbia—she has got a set of pipes on her. “Peace Sells” garnered the most audience participation of the night, while “Public Enemy #1 kicked total ass.

Megadeth sounded their best tonight of the dozen or so times I have seen them over the years. Very crisp and tight as fuck. What an awesome way to open the 2012 Rob Zombie-Megadeth tour.