Thrash titans Megadeth have announced that their next studio album will be their last, accompanied by a global farewell tour set for 2026.
Frontman Dave Mustaine shared an emotional statement about the decision: “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.”
The final album will be released early next year through Mustaine’s Tradecraft imprint in partnership with Frontiers Label Group’s BLKIIBLK label. The release will coincide with the first single (TBA) and global pre-orders this fall.
Fans can also look forward to a new memoir from Mustaine, with details coming soon. While tour dates haven’t been announced yet, the farewell trek promises to take Megadeth across the globe for one last celebration with their fans.
Since forming in 1983, Megadeth have become one of the “Big Four” of thrash metal, alongside Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax, leaving a lasting mark on heavy music history.
Writer and extreme metal devotee, Ialdagorth has spent over a decade covering the darkest corners of heavy music. A black metal lifer, he spends his free time wandering the Carpathian Mountains, likely humming blast beats to the trees.
