The beginning of the end is here.
Following Megadeth’s announcement over the summer that they’ll soon be winding down their epic career with a new album and a global farewell tour, Dave Mustaine and Co. have just offered up the first single of this final era. The new ripper arrives under the name “Tipping Point.”
Megadeth started teasing the song last week, posting a clip from a skull-tearing new music video to their socials. Earlier this week, the band further teased the tune with Vic Rattlehead-focused artwork that found our favorite bone boy greedily tipping the scales of justice.
Now, Megadeth have unleashed the song in full, replete with classically thrashing riffs and the signature growl of one Dave Mustaine — albeit sometimes sporting some eerie production effects. Lyrically, the song seems to cruise between the personal and the political, which tracks with the arc of Megadeth (“You try to stop the voices and stop the heart that beats/You will pay for silence you will pray for peace”).
“We all have different ‘tipping points’ and they may vary from day to day,” Mustaine explained in a statement. “I think we’re all being pushed to the edge right now, and it’s easy to lean into that feeling. But it’s important not to let things get you down.”
You can stream the cymbal-stopping, mega-chugging new Megadeth tune above, and watch the prison-set, horror-styled video below starting at 11 a.m. EST.
As previously reported, Mustaine announced last August that their upcoming album would be the band’s last. It’s now confirmed that it’ll be a self-titled LP, and it sees release January 23rd via BLKIIBLK. Pre-orders for exclusive vinyl variants of the album on “Red Orange Ghostly” and “Green Black Kiwi Splatter”-colored wax (both limited to 300) are already up in Revolver‘s shop, where you can likewise pick up other classic Megadeth albums, t-shirts, patches, photo prints and more.
Megadeth are currently touring Europe, and revealed in the summer that they will spend the next few years supporting the upcoming LP. Mustaine also said that his decision to call it quits was made while Megadeth is still operating at the top of their abilities.
“There’s so many musicians that have come to the end of their career, whether accidental or intentional. Most of them don’t get to go out on their own terms on top, and that’s where I’m at in my life right now,” Mustaine explained. “I have traveled the world and have made millions upon millions of fans and the hardest part of all of this is saying goodbye to them.”
He added of the eventual goodbye: “Don’t be mad, don’t be sad, be happy for us all, come celebrate with me these next few years.”
