MEGADETH frontman Dave Mustaine has officially confirmed what metal fans have been speculating for months: the band will embark on a world tour in 2026 celebrating the 35th anniversary of "Rust in Peace," widely considered one of the greatest thrash metal albums ever recorded. The album, released on September 24, 1990, features an arguably unmatched lineup of Mustaine, guitarist Marty Friedman, bassist David Ellefson (though his involvement with MEGADETH ended under acrimonious circumstances in 2021), and drummer Nick Menza, who passed away in 2016.
Mustaine confirmed in a lengthy interview with Blabbermouth that the tour would feature the album performed in its entirety, with the current MEGADETH lineup — Mustaine, guitarist Kiko Loureiro, bassist James LoMenzo, and drummer Dirk Verbeuren — handling all the material. "Every song on 'Rust in Peace' is a classic," Mustaine said. "There's not a weak moment on that record. And forty years ago we were recording some of the most technically demanding thrash metal of the era. I want people to hear that music live, performed at the level it deserves."
The tour kicks off in San Francisco on June 12 — a nod to the Bay Area thrash scene that incubated MEGADETH in the early 1980s — before moving to the East Coast, Europe in July, and Japan and Australia in August. The European leg includes confirmed headline slots at Alcatraz Festival in Belgium and Masters of Rock in the Czech Republic. No support act has been confirmed for the full tour, though regional support slots will be announced separately. The performance of "Rust in Peace" will be supplemented by a second set of career-spanning MEGADETH classics.