Photo by Ross Halfin
After 40 years, 16 albums, countless world tours and over 50 million album sales worldwide, Megadeth will officially put the band to rest next year. Today, Megadeth's frontman Dave Mustaine announced via his alter ego Vic Rattlehead that the band's next studio album will be their last one and that they will embark on a global farewell tour throughout 2026. Mustaine also revealed that he will be releasing a new memoir next year as well, more details to follow in the coming months.
“There's so many musicians that have come to the end of their career, whether accidental or intentional. Most of them don't get to go out on their own terms on top, and that's where I'm at in my life right now. I have traveled the world and have made millions upon millions of fans and the hardest part of all of this is saying goodbye to them.
“We can't wait for you to hear this album and see us on tour. If there was ever a perfect time for us to put out a new album, it's now. If there was ever a perfect time to tour the world, it's now. This is also a perfect time for us to tell you that it's our last studio album. We've made a lot of friends over the years and I hope to see all of you on our global farewell tour. Don't be mad, don't be sad, be happy for us all, come celebrate with me these next few years. We have done something together that's truly wonderful and will probably never happen again. We started a musical style, we started a revolution, we changed the guitar world and how it's played, and we changed the world. The bands I played in have influenced the world. I love you all for it. Thank you for everything.” - Dave Mustaine
Megadeth are set to release their forthcoming album via Mustaine’s Tradecraft imprint in partnership with Frontiers Label Group’s new BLKIIBLK label. It will launch with the project's first single (TBA) in tandem with global pre-orders this fall.
Fans can click HERE to register for early access to exclusive information and offers surrounding the forthcoming final album and all Megadeth news. In addition, look for the initial run of farewell tour dates to be announced later this year.
Megadeth was formed in 1983 in Los Angeles, California by Dave Mustaine following his exit from Metallica and saw instant success with their first two albums Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! and Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?. The band would release multiple landmark albums like Rust In Peace, Countdown To Extinction and Youthanasia, to name a few. These albums spawned many of the band's biggest hits like "Symphony of Destruction", "Hanger 18", " Peace Sells", and "Sweating Bullets". Megadeth's music is known for its complex guitar rhythms and lyrics that deal with war, politics, religion and even death and it has remained consistent across all sixteen studio albums. Their work of not only pioneering, but also popularizing the trash metal genre have earned them their place in the Big 4 of Thrash Metal alongside Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax. In total, the band has sold over 50 million records worldwide. Their most recent album, The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead! was released on September 2nd, 2022.
The first time I ever saw Megadeth live was in 2010 at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island alongside Slayer and Anthrax as part of the Jagermeister Music Tour 2010. That was one of my favorite concerts that year, the band was incredible and played their hits as well as all of Rust In Peace. I then saw them 5 more times including both Big 4 shows in California and Yankee Stadium in 2011. It's definitely bittersweet seeing them call it quits having we just lost Ozzy Osbourne only three weeks ago but they have had a memorable career. Let's not look at next year as the year we say goodbye, but to say thank you and to celebrate the legacy of one of thrash metal's biggest bands ever. If Megadeth comes to your city or a city near you, DO NOT sleep and miss out on your last chance to see Megadeth live.
Register for early access here.
Photos by John Campise
