Megadeth Announce Final Album, Plot 2026 Farewell Tour

Megadeth are the latest band to employ a countdown clock to make a major announcement and when their clock wound down at 11AM ET, the big reveal was that Megadeath will be concluding with the arrival of their next studio album and its corresponding farewell tour.

When the website hit zero, it revealed among other things a video of a news report that longtime mascot Vic Rattlehead broke into. From his desk, Vic shared, "For over four decades I've been chained in silence. But the end demands my words. It is confirmed that the next Megadeth studio album will be the last. Forty years of metal forged in steel ending in fire. And when the new world rises, the global farewell tour. You've heard the warning, now prepare yourself Cyber Army. Stay loud, stay tuned and meet me on the frontlines."

Megadeth, "The End Is Near" Broadcast

What Did Megadeth Have to Say About Their Final Album?

In a mailing to fans, leader Dave Mustaine provided a final message. It reads as follows:

“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.”

What Else We Now Know About Megadeth's Farewell

Megadeth are set to release their forthcoming album via Dave Mustaine's Tradecraft imprint in partnership with Frontiers Label Group’s new BLKIIBLK label early next year.

They will launch with the project's first single (TBA) in tandem with global pre-orders this fall.   Also set for next year is a new memoir from Dave Mustaine, details of which will be revealed in the coming months.

How Did Megadeth Tease the New Announcement?

Megadeth got fans buzzing that something was coming by posting an ominous message on their socials that simply read, "The end is near ...." The clip featured the band's logo in grey lettering against a white cloud-like backdrop sky and had no backing music." But fans were directed in the sharing of the post to visit the Megadeth.com website.

Once at the Megadeth website, another message was displayed which read, "The End Is Near. It's Crystal Clear Part of the Master Plan," which fans will immediately recognize as lyrics from the Rust in Peace track, "Holy Wars ... The Punishment Due."

Accompanying the lyric was a sign up box allowing you to enlist by entering your email that upon completion read, "Mission Accepted. The Reckoning Approaches," which could be a nod to their song "Reckoning Day" from the Youthanasia album.

READ MORE: Whatever Happened to Rock + Metal's Class of 1985?

What does it all mean? Speculation ran the gamut from a reissue campaign to new music to a themed anniversary tour to the ominously worded messages signifying a potential band farewell.

Megadeth formed in 1983 and recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of their debut release, Killing Is My Business .... and Business Is Good.

What Else Is Happening With Megadeth in 2025?

While Megadeth made their big announcement, one other big thing that will take up a good portion of the fall is touring. The band has announced a major European tour run that will kick off Sept. 22 in Istanbul, Turkiye. Dates are currently on the books through an Oct. 28 finale in Glasgow, Scotland.

You can find all the Megadeth tour stops as well as ticketing information and VIP and Meet & Greet options through the Megadeth website.

Stay tuned to see what else Megadeth have in store as the announcements surrounding their final album and tour are revealed.