Dave Mustaine has officially confirmed that MEGADETH will embark on a farewell tour, with the first leg kicking off April 23 in Lima, Peru. The tour is expected to span three to five years, covering Latin America, North America, Europe, and beyond, making it potentially one of the longest farewell campaigns in heavy metal history.
The announcement arrives in the wake of MEGADETH (2026), the band's self-titled and purportedly final studio album, released January 23. The record generated widespread attention partly for including "Ride the Lightning" — a song Dave Mustaine co-wrote during his brief tenure with METALLICA in 1983 before his dismissal. Mustaine has always maintained partial songwriting credit on the track, and this marks the first time he has officially recorded a studio version for release.
ANTHRAX and EXODUS will provide support on select legs of the tour. The pairing re-unites three of the original "Big Four" of American thrash metal on the road, albeit not simultaneously on the same bill. European dates have been confirmed through Nuclear Blast, with full routing to be announced in the coming weeks.
Mustaine, speaking at a press conference in Los Angeles, was characteristically direct: "We're not doing a victory lap — we're giving the fans everything we have left. When this is over, it's over. I want MEGADETH to go out the right way."
Ticket pre-sales for select markets begin next week.