Megadeth - 2026 Final Album Review

Before I start sharing my opinion about the new album, I want to give you some context. I want to tell you a bit about my story, my relationship with the band. Mainly so you know who this review is coming from.

I'm 48 years old, I'm from Argentina, and I started listening to Megadeth when I was 13 or 14 years old, during my first year of high school, around 1990 or 1991.

For the younger readers: this was pre-internet. Back then, discovering music was pure word of mouth. You had to make a real effort to find new bands. You learned about them through magazines, friends who lent you a cassette, and when you managed to save some money, you went to a record store and had to think very carefully about what you were going to buy (around 20 dollars per album, more or less).

I'm not saying it was better or worse. It was just the way it was.

The first Megadeth album I bought was Rust in Peace. And to be honest, it didn't blow my mind at the time. I would play it on repeat, but only "Holy Wars" and "Hangar 18". Every now and then, I'd listen to the whole album from start to finish.

My real love for Rust in Peace came a couple of years later, when I picked up a guitar for the first time… but that's another story. Let's move on.

The following year, Countdown to Extinction came out. I went to Bond Street and bought it. That was love at first listen. That album completely blew me away. I played it over and over again, nonstop.

I remember being on vacation at the coast, sharing a tiny room with my younger siblings, playing the album again and again until we ended up singing every song from memory. During that trip, I found a place that sold bootleg cassettes. That's where I finally got the albums I was missing: Killing Is My Business…, Peace Sells and So Far, So Good… So What!

The cassettes sounded terrible, but I didn't care at all. I was already in. And it was forever.

That same year, Megadeth announced they were coming to Argentina on the Countdown tour. I bought my ticket, happy and anxious. The story is well known: Dave relapsed, the tour was canceled. I still remember the sadness of going back to get my money refunded.

I also remember one night, late at night, listening to Heavy Rock & Pop on the radio — the only metal radio show at the time. One of the very few ways to get news back then (remember: my entire adolescence was pre-internet).

That's when they announced that Dave had finished rehab and that Megadeth was playing again. Honestly… I almost cried with joy.

Then Youthanasia came out. Megadeth announced a new tour, and once again Latin America was included, Argentina too. First one date, then two, then three… four… five.

That's when I realized we weren't that few. That the people who shared this passion for Megadeth were not a minority. Out of those five shows, I went to four. I only missed the December 2nd show because it was my high school graduation ceremony. If I hadn't gone, my parents would've killed me.

Why all this introduction?

So it's clear that my opinion is totally subjective. Megadeth is my adolescence. It's something that has been with me my entire life. Something that was almost always there. And now I'm listening to their final album. Their end.

Let's get to it.

What did I think of the album?

The album is good. It's a worthy ending.

It's an album where Dave, using the tools he has today — what his voice allows him to do and what his hands can still deliver — revisits much of Megadeth's discography, from the fastest moments to the more melodic ones.

I expected a faster, more thrash-oriented album, but instead there are several tracks where the band slows things down and leans more on groove and atmosphere.

The Red One, true to his style, made the album he wanted to make. And I applaud that. When you decide to leave, you should also be able to choose the terms of your exit.

How does the album sound?

Like any modern album, it sounds good. That almost goes without saying.

The guitars are front and center, heavy on the mids, tuned down a whole step like in recent years.

The drums sound modern but not overproduced. They feel natural, which works especially well for the songs with a more "retro" vibe.

The bass, in my opinion, sits a bit too far back in the mix. That's a shame, because James is an incredible musician.

It's a real festival of well-crafted solos. Truly. Teemu had already been impressing me live, and in the studio he confirms it: speed, technique and taste. The full package.

Dirk is a machine. Always. He does everything right and, on top of that, he's a genuinely great guy. For me, after Nick, he's the best drummer Megadeth ever had.

James, in my opinion, does his job, but that's it. I think he lost some space in the mix and ends up playing more of a supporting role, which feels unfair knowing how great of a bassist he really is.

Dave, guitar-wise, is classic Dave: sharp riffs, very few solos but all of them smart and purposeful. His chemistry with Teemu is undeniable.

Vocally… we all know he's been struggling for a while, and this album is no exception. In many parts, Dave doesn't sing in the traditional sense — he phrases, he recites, he leans on attitude rather than range. He adapted to what he has. In some songs it works better than in others, especially in the slower ones, where the limitations are more noticeable. The only moment where he brings back some of his signature high-pitched tone is on the bonus track.

It's clear they didn't want to do anything in the studio that couldn't be replicated live. This is what it is. And that's fine.

Track by track

1. Tipping Point (8/10)

We already knew it. Fast, sharp, with flawless solos and a very '80s-style ending. Everything that's right in one song.

2. I Don't Care (7/10)

Another familiar one. Dave shows his more punk side. The structure is very straightforward, maybe too much for what you expect from Megadeth. But the solos absolutely destroy — among the best on the album.

3. Hey God (7/10)

The first of the "mid-tempo" group. At first it threw me off: we come from a song that constantly repeats "I don't care" and move into another one that repeats "Hey God" at the start of every verse.

Honestly, it didn't click on the first listen, but on the second one it grew on me. Nice guitar melodies, well-thought-out arrangements and solid riffs.

4. Let There Be Shred (9/10)

The last single released. Fast, aggressive. I love the breakdown in the middle. The solos are insane. I like everything about this song.

5. Puppet Parade (8/10)

A song with a more melodic atmosphere that reminded me at times of "Black Swan". Dave switches between phrasing, emotion and actual singing. Within his limitations, it works really well. The guitar lines are catchy. I liked it a lot.

6. Another Bad Day (6/10)

Follows the same path as the previous track. Slightly '80s-style intro, great-sounding guitars. The melody and chorus are fine, but the song starts and ends in the same place. It doesn't evolve, it doesn't surprise. It didn't do much for me.

7. Made to Kill (9/10)

This could easily belong on Peace Sells or SFSGSW. Fast, full of changes, breaks everywhere, and Dirk completely unleashed. A great song and one of the highlights of the album.

8. Obey the Call (8/10)

Starts with a darker tone, reminiscent of "Go to Hell". The chorus works, the solos keep building tension, and the ending is massive: everything speeds up, solos flying everywhere. To put it simply: it ends in the most Megadeth way possible.

9. I Am War (7/10)

I don't know why, but this one hooked me from the first listen. It's simple, maybe too simple. The chorus is catchy and easy to remember. The solos do their job, although they're among the simplest on the album.

It has a more hard rock-oriented structure. Probably one of those songs I'll remember first — and forget the fastest.

10. The Last Note (8/10)

There couldn't be a better title for the last song of the band's final album. No arguments allowed.

It starts with Dave reciting over an arpeggio, then speeds up and moves between hard rock and metal. Great chorus, a beautiful acoustic guitar solo, and a closing section where everything builds up until Dave literally says goodbye over an acoustic guitar.

One word: emotional.

11. Ride the Lightning (9/10)

Let's be honest: the morbid curiosity track. The first one we all went to listen to.

The biggest achievement of this version is that it doesn't feel like a cover. Because it isn't. It's a song that Dave largely wrote, but Metallica edited and recorded.

Is it better than the original? No.

Is it worse? Neither.

It's Dave's version.

Faster, incredible solos, Dirk respecting the structure while adding amazing fills. Dave sings well here, with great feeling, and even recovers some of his old high register without forcing it.

I really enjoyed this one.

Final score: 8/10

In one word, this is a dignified ending.

It's an album that shows, clearly and without makeup, what Megadeth can offer today: solid songs, sharp riffs and inspired solos.

It's not the best Megadeth album — and it doesn't try to be. It's honest, and that honesty is appreciated.

Is it a happy ending?

No. There are no happy or perfect endings — only possible ones.

Megadeth says goodbye with a great lineup, incredible musicians and a final work that lives up to their history. And that is a lot.

I can't listen to or talk about this album without a bittersweet feeling. The soundtrack of my life is fading out.

If you love Megadeth or metal the way I do, when you listen to every riff and every solo on this album, there will be one thought in your head:

"I'm really going to miss you…"