Megadeth’s forty-three-year career has been filled with highs and lows, but there’s no denying their influence on thrash and heavy metal. The band has been on an upward trajectory once again in recent years thanks to 2016’s Dystopia and 2022’s The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead! showing that this era still had plenty left in the tank when it came to high-energy material. But given Dave Mustaine’s health challenges in recent years, it may not be surprising that at the end of 2025 he announced Megadeth’s upcoming self-titled effort would be their final studio release with farewell tour dates scheduled for the next few years. This announcement gives Megadeth a different feel right out of the gate compared to its predecessors as it has the weight of being the final chapter from this long-running artist, but thankfully the material stands up to that expectation.
As you make your way through the songs the album has to offer, it feels like Mustaine and company have really taken a look back on all the different elements Megadeth has captured throughout their career. But at the same time Megadeth stands as a cohesive listen making this come through as much more of a “best-of” type of lookback. “Tipping Point” serves as another strong opener that’s up there with some of the heavy hitters from the last two albums, giving listeners the high-flying guitar work and faster pace they’d expect. The speed and scorching guitar riffs are also emphasized on the appropriately named “Let There Be Shred” and “Made to Kill”, which are sure to please fans of Megadeth’s earlier work. But there are just as many slower tracks along with some other stylistic influences that are reminiscent of different points in the band’s career. “I Don’t Care” has more of a punk edge to its rhythms, “Puppet Parade” brings back some of the rock elements from the band’s 90s output, and some of the others have that mid-tempo heavy metal sound. This gives the material a decent amount of variety, and while not every song hits the mark (“Another Bad Day” and “I Am War” both get repetitive), there are some great peaks. The production values also remain polished but with just the right amount of bite, in line with the last few albums. Of course I couldn’t finish off this section without talking about the bonus track “Ride the Lightning”, which brings Mustaine full circle back to his time in Metallica. Instrumentally don’t expect anything drastically different than the original (which Mustaine did help write so this isn’t surprising), but it does fit in well with the rest of what this final Megadeth album has to offer.
Dave’s voice has become grittier and more weathered over time, but I think he still sounds in good form on this self-titled album and expecting the same pitch from close to forty years ago is not realistic. The sung portions have that rougher edge to them, and with the production once again putting the vocals right at the front of the mix it’s an element that will either click with you or not depending on how you’ve felt about the past decade of Megadeth. But there’s a lot of different things done with this range, as “I Don’t Care” has more of a spoken word/sung cadence that gives off a completely different feel than “Tipping Point” while closer “The Last Note” has actual spoken word. Lyrically there’s a lot in common with what the group has explored over the decades but this one is especially inward looking, with plenty of references to Dave’s mortality and his career as a whole. It makes the material hit differently and made more of it stand out for me. Finally, it is a bit jarring at some points to hear him sing “Ride the Lightning” and some passages do feel a bit strained, but it’s a track I’ve still found myself drawn back to.
There are a few songs that are a bit too repetitive or don’t quite stick with you over time, but Megadeth’s final studio effort is still a strong note for them to go out on. The variety to the songwriting recalls different eras of the band while also keeping a cohesive flow, and the more compact run-time avoids some of the bloat The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead! suffered from. If you’ve enjoyed the recent run of albums or are looking to rediscover the more recent incarnation of Megadeth, this is a worthy listen. Megadeth is available from BLKIIBLK Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg