The end of Megadeth is coming.
The long-running thrash metal outfit has announced that their next album will be their last. The Dave Mustaine-led group will also embark on one final tour. Additionally, Mustaine is releasing a new memoir in 2026.
"There's so many musicians that have come to the end of their career, whether accidental or intentional," Mustaine says. "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."
The album is due out in early 2026 and will be available to preorder in the fall. The tour will also kick off in 2026, and Mustaine hints that it will last for several years.
"Don't be mad, don't be sad, be happy for us all, come celebrate with me these next few years," Mustaine says. "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."
Mustaine launched Megadeth in 1983 after he was let go from Metallica. It would become one of the "Big Four" of thrash metal alongside Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax.