"I think when things happen like the throat cancer, or my neck being fused, or the saturnine palsy in my arm, most people would stop." Dave Mustaine on why Megadeth's final show might still be "three to five years" away

Dave Mustaine has discussed Megadeth's impending final chapter as the thrash metal legends gear up for the release of their last ever studio album and accompanying world tour.

In August, Mustaine confirmed that Megadeth will retire after the album cycle for their seventeenth, self-titled record, which lands in January, stating:

"Don't be mad, don't be sad, be happy for us all, come celebrate with me these next few years. We have done something together that's truly wonderful and will probably never happen again."

Now, he has revealed why now is the right time to wind down his career, referencing his past health issues as something he was able to bounce back from, but noting that all good things must ultimately come to an end.

"I think when things happen like the throat cancer, or my neck being fused, or the saturnine palsy in my arm, most people would stop,” he tells Kerrang!. “Most people would be terrified, and I did step back and regroup. But this is what I love doing, and I know that at some point the time is going to come for our last show.”

Megadeth fans needn't panic quite yet though - Mustaine adds that it could be up to half a decade before he finally hangs up his plectrum for good.

“We're easily talking about touring for another three to five years,” he teases. “And if we're going to be doing it for that long then, shit, I'll be looking at the birthday I don't even want to think about [70, which Mustaine will turn in 2031].”

“I'm not caught up in longevity and stuff like that, and being one of those guys who can play until he's in his 80s,” the frontman adds. “I have to remember that people live and they die. And I need to take good care of myself."

Megadeth followed up their retirement announcement by announcing that their final studio album will include a surprising cover - a fresh take on Metallica classic Ride The Lightning, which Mustaine wrote parts of while he was still in the band in the early 80s.

“I think it was the right time to record it and close the circle,” he explained to Metal Hammer. “It’s back to where I came from, and honestly, it’s a good song, we played it really well. We sped it up a little bit, but I personally think when you’re going to do a version of a song then you have to make it just as good or if not better. I really think that we’ve done it just as good the original.”

You can order an exclusive copper/emerald marble variant of Megadeth's final studio album via the official Metal Hammer store.