Nicholas "Nick" Menza (July 23, 1964 – May 21, 2016) was a German-born American professional drummer and songwriter. He was best known for his work in Megadeth from 1989 to 1998 and in 2004. He recorded drums on four of Megadeth's albums: "Rust in Peace" (1990), "Countdown to Extinction" (1992), "Youthanasia" (1994) and "Cryptic Writings" (1997).