Forty years after Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! first shook the metal world, MEGADETH have returned with what will be their swan song. On October 3, Dave Mustaine and company unleashed “Tipping Point” — the first single and video from their upcoming self-titled album, set for release in 2026 via Mustaine’s Tradecraft imprint in partnership with Frontiers’ BLKIIBLK label. And while this marks the beginning of the end, fans agree: MEGADETH still sound as vital and dangerous as ever.
Opening with a searing guitar solo, “Tipping Point” quickly locks into a trademark thrash groove, driven by Dirk Verbeuren’s relentless drumming and James LoMenzo’s punishing bass lines, with Teemu Mäntysaari delivering blistering guitar solos throughout the track. Mustaine’s voice, sharp and sinister, slices through the chaos with the same venom that defined the band’s rise in the ’80s.
The accompanying video, directed by Leonardo Liberti, adds an extra layer of grit and symbolism — depicting Mustaine tortured and imprisoned before ultimately walking free into the dawn. A metaphor, perhaps, for a career that has battled demons, defied odds, and endured decades.
“We all have different tipping points… I think we’re all being pushed to the edge right now,” Mustaine explains. “But it’s important not to let things get you down.”
The fanbase, however, is anything but down. Reaction to the track has been explosive across platforms, with longtime followers celebrating the fact that, even as the band prepares to close the book, they’re doing so with fire still in their veins.
- “Still got it.”
- “This is the last first single of Megadeth. We’ll miss you.”
- “Pure Megadeth style of thrash metal 🤘🏻.”
- “Teemu’s soloing is spectacular — speed and melody with no wasted notes.”
- “What an inspiration… this doesn’t sound like a band about to retire.”
Others reflected on the band’s legacy: “Hard to believe this ride’s been going forty years. It’s a hell of a send-off.” and “Megadeth are the gold standard in metal.” One fan perhaps summed it up best: “Dave is pushing 65 and still writing blistering riffs. Thank you for staying true to your roots and inspiring us fans and musicians for over 40 years!”
The self-titled Megadeth will be the group’s 17th and final studio release, following 2022’s The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!. It comes as Mustaine simultaneously prepares to publish a new memoir and launch a farewell tour expected to be announced later this year.
If “Tipping Point” is any indication, MEGADETH aren’t fading quietly into history. They’re roaring into the sunset with the same ferocity that built their legend. For fans who have been on this ride since the beginning — and those who’ve just discovered the thrash pioneers — this final chapter promises to be both bittersweet and unforgettable.
I’m Drew, the founder and editor of Front of the Stage. I have a strong love for music and photography, which started at a very young age. There’s just something I love about experiencing live music and capturing memories that will last a lifetime, and that’s how Front of the Stage came to be.
