After more than four decades of defining and redefining thrash metal, Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has confirmed that the band’s upcoming studio release, due early next year, will be their final album. The news arrived in a heartfelt statement shared with fans worldwide and the Megadeth Cyber Army via Mustaine’s alter ego, Vic Rattlehead.
The yet-untitled record will mark the end of Megadeth’s storied discography and set the stage for an extensive global farewell tour launching in 2026. Mustaine also revealed plans for a new memoir, details of which will be announced soon.
“Most musicians don’t get to go out on their own terms,” Mustaine said. “I’ve traveled the world, made millions of fans, and the hardest part is saying goodbye. Don’t be mad, don’t be sad—be happy for us. Come celebrate these next few years. We started a musical style, we started a revolution, we changed the guitar world and the world itself.”
The album is being completed with longtime producer Chris Rakestraw, who worked on The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead! (2022) and Dystopia (2016). It will be released via Mustaine’s Tradecraft imprint in partnership with Frontiers Label Group’s BLKIIBLK.
Megadeth’s current lineup features Mustaine alongside drummer Dirk Verbeuren, bassist James LoMenzo, and guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari, who joined in 2023 after Kiko Loureiro stepped away to focus on family.
Since their debut Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good! in 1985, Megadeth have been a cornerstone of the “Big Four” thrash movement, producing landmark albums including Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?, Rust in Peace, Countdown to Extinction, and Youthanasia. Their music has earned them a Grammy, multiple platinum certifications, and a lasting influence across the heavy metal spectrum.
With their final chapter on the horizon, Megadeth promise one last world-spanning celebration of the riffs, rebellion, and relentless energy that have defined them for over 40 years.
