MEGADETH performed its newest single, “Tipping Level”, dwell for the primary time earlier tonight (Tuesday, October 14) at Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, The Netherlands throughout the band’s European tour because the help act for DISTURBED. Fan-filmed video of the efficiency may be seen under.
Previous to launching into the observe, MEGADETH frontman Dave Mustaine informed the group: “So, we’ve got a brand new file popping out. And we’ve got a brand new single that is out proper now. And we’re gonna play that tune the primary time ever proper now.”
“Tipping Level” is the primary single from MEGADETH‘s upcoming self-titled album, due on January 23, 2026. The follow-up to 2022’s “The Sick, The Dying… And The Lifeless!” will likely be launched by way of Mustaine‘s Tradecraft imprint on Frontiers Label Group‘s new BLKIIBLK label.
The sonically explosive and lyrically unflinching “Tipping Level” kicks off with a thunderous guitar solo earlier than Dave‘s iconic voice hauntingly kicks in. Within the desolate however hopeful accompanying video, directed by Leonardo Liberti, Dave is locked up in a jail being tortured in excessive trend, whereas the band performs in the identical lock-up. In the long run Dave perseveres evil and walks away into a brand new day.
“All of us have totally different ‘tipping factors’ they usually might fluctuate from day after day,” Mustaine beforehand mentioned concerning the observe. “I believe we’re all being pushed to the sting proper now, and it is easy to lean into that feeling. Nevertheless it’s vital to not let issues get you down.”
On August 14, MEGADETH introduced that its upcoming LP would be the band’s final. The Mustaine-led outfit can even embark on a farewell tour in 2026.
In a press launch saying MEGADETH‘s last album and farewell tour, Mustaine thanked followers for his or her dedication and love whereas celebrating the band’s impression on the music world.
“There’s so many musicians which have come to the top of their profession, whether or not unintentional or intentional,” Mustaine mentioned. “Most of them do not get to exit on their very own phrases on prime, and that is the place I am at in my life proper now. I’ve traveled the world and have made thousands and thousands upon thousands and thousands of followers and the toughest a part of all of that is saying goodbye to them.”
He continued. “We won’t wait so that you can hear this album and see us on tour. If there was ever an ideal time for us to place out a brand new album, it is now. If there was ever an ideal time to tour the world, it is now. That is additionally an ideal time for us to inform you that it is our final studio album. We have made a whole lot of buddies over time and I hope to see all of you on our world farewell tour.
“Do not be mad, do not be unhappy, be completely satisfied for us all, come have fun with me these subsequent few years. We’ve got finished one thing collectively that is really fantastic and can most likely by no means occur once more. We began a musical model, we began a revolution, we modified the guitar world and the way it’s performed, and we modified the world. The bands I performed in have influenced the world. I really like you all for it. Thanks for every part.”
For its last album, MEGADETH as soon as once more labored with Chris Rakestraw, a producer, mixer and engineer who beforehand labored on MEGADETH‘s final two LPs, the aforementioned “The Sick, The Dying… And The Lifeless!” and 2016’s “Dystopia”.
Guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari joined MEGADETH two years in the past. He stepped in because the alternative for Brazilian-born guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who introduced in September 2023 that he would sit out the subsequent leg of MEGADETH‘s “Crush The World” tour to be able to keep dwelling together with his youngsters again in Finland. It was later revealed that the now-38-year-old Finnish musician would proceed to play guitar for MEGADETH for the foreseeable future, with Loureiro seemingly having no plans to return.
Mäntysaari was born in Tampere, Finland and started enjoying guitar on the age of 12. In 2004, he joined the band WINTERSUN. He has additionally been a member of SMACKBOUND since 2015.
Launched in September 2022, MEGADETH‘s newest album, “The Sick, The Dying… And The Lifeless!”, offered 48,000 equal album items within the U.S. in its first week of launch to land at place No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marked MEGADETH‘s eighth prime 10-charting album.
MEGADETH‘s earlier prime 10 entries on the Billboard 200 have been “Countdown To Extinction” (No. 2, 1992),“Youthanasia” (No. 4, 1994),“Cryptic Writings” (No. 10, 1997),“United Abominations” (No. 8, 2007),“Endgame” (No. 9, 2009),“Tremendous Collider” (No. 6, 2013) and “Dystopia” (No. 3, 2016).
Led by the growled vocals and razor-wire riffing of Mustaine, MEGADETH are one of many “Massive 4” thrash titans. Shortly after being kicked out of METALLICA in 1983, Mustaine met bassist David Ellefson, and the pair bonded rapidly, forming the core of MEGADETH. Drummer Gar Samuelson and guitarist Chris Poland later joined, and MEGADETH launched their underground-hit debut “Killing Is My Enterprise… And Enterprise Is Good!” in 1985. Its follow-up, “Peace Sells… However Who’s Shopping for?”, solidified the band’s standing with sprawling but tightly wound songs just like the uneasy opener “Wake Up Lifeless” and the fiery title observe.
“So Far, So Good… So What!”, launched in 1988, featured a brand new lineup in addition to a thrashy cowl of the SEX PISTOLS‘ “Anarchy In The U.Ok.” and the anti-PMRC broadside “Hook In Mouth”. In 1990 they launched “Rust In Peace”, with Nick Menza on drums and technical wizard Marty Friedman on guitar; songs comparable to “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due” and “Hangar 18” blended pummeling riffs and suspicion-fueled lyrics with a stadium-rock ambition that matched the period’s metal-embracing tendencies.
“Countdown To Extinction”, launched in 1992, and “Youthanasia”, launched in 1994, continued the band’s dominance of steel and emergence in rock’s mainstream, with the latter album’s “À Tout Le Monde” being a uncommon thrash ballad. After a quick breakup within the early 2000s, MEGADETH returned as a de facto Mustaine solo challenge with 2004’s “The System Has Failed”. Ellefson rejoined in 2010 previous to the album “Th1rt3en” and remained within the MEGADETH lineup till 2021, when he was fired.
Along with Mustaine and Mäntysaari, MEGADETH‘s present lineup contains drummer Dirk Verbeuren and bassist James LoMenzo.
