After more than four decades at the forefront of heavy metal, Megadeth founder and frontman Dave Mustaine has announced that the band’s next studio album and 2026 global tour will be their last.
The news, revealed in a social post to fans and the band’s official “Cyber Army” community, featured Megadeth’s iconic mascot, Vic Rattlehead “, speaking” for the first time. But the heartfelt statement came directly from Dave Mustaine himself.
“Going Out on Top”
“There’s so many musicians that have come to the end of their career… most of them don’t get to go out on their own terms on top, and that’s where I’m at,” Dave Mustaine wrote. “We can’t wait for you to hear this album and see us on tour… This is our last studio album. Don’t be mad, don’t be sad — be happy for us all, come celebrate with me these next few years.”
Dave Mustaine reflected on Megadeth’s impact, saying: I
From Metallica Fallout to Global Success
Formed in 1983 after Mustaine’s infamous departure from Metallica, Megadeth exploded onto the scene with 1985’s Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! and cemented their place in metal history with 1986’s politically charged Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying?.
Over the years, Megadeth released 16 studio albums — five of them platinum in the U.S. — weathering lineup changes, label shifts, Mustaine’s cancer diagnosis, substance abuse recovery, and the 2021 departure of founding bassist David Ellefson.
Alongside Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax, Megadeth is part of the “Big Four” of thrash metal, a title solidified during the 1990-91 Clash of the Titans tours.
The Final Lineup and Album
The current lineup features:
Thursday’s announcement revealed the cover art for Megadeth’s final studio album, but the title remains a mystery. Fans can expect the record to drop ahead of the farewell tour in 2026.
A Farewell Worthy of Legends
If the Clash of the Titans tours and decades of blistering live performances are any indication, Megadeth’s farewell will be a high-voltage celebration of their career-defining hits, deep cuts, and metal mastery.
For fans, this marks the last chance to witness one of thrash metal’s most influential bands take the stage — not as a group fading away, but as legends walking off in a blaze of glory.
