Megadeth leader Dave Mustaine has clarified his political stance, stressing that he does not identify as a right-winger. Speaking in a new interview with The New York Times, the 64-year-old guitarist/vocalist drew a clear distinction between faith, politics, and personal belief.
"I'm a Christian, and I answer to a different set of angels. I obey the law, but no, I'm not a right-winger," Mustaine said.
He further explained that his outlook is rooted more in spirituality than organized religion. "We used to always say that religion's for people who are afraid of going to hell, and spirituality is for people like us who have been there," he added.
Mustaine also addressed the ever-scrutinized state of his relationship with former Metallica bandmates James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. While acknowledging uncertainty on their end, he expressed openness and closure on his own. "On my side, I'm cool with it, and on their side, I don't know," he said. "I hope they're cool."
That sentiment of closure comes full circle on Megadeth's new album, which features a cover of Metallica's "Ride the Lightning," a song Mustaine originally helped write during his early days with the band. "One thing I do know is that I wanted to pay my respects and complete the circle, and I think that that's what we've done here," Mustaine explained.
He noted that he didn't know whether Hetfield or Ulrich had heard Megadeth's version yet, but hoped they would appreciate it. A representative for Metallica stated that neither band member was available for comment.
Looking beyond Megadeth, Mustaine admitted that the future remains undefined. He spoke about staying involved in music in some capacity and spending time rebuilding a World War II – era Harley-Davidson with his son Justis, who is also part of his management team.
For now, however, his focus remains firmly on Megadeth's farewell tour, which begins in Canada next month and, notably, has no set end date.
When asked if he had imagined what Megadeth's final concert might look like, Mustaine responded with his trademark dark humor: "I was joking around the other day about how I thought it would be a good idea to have a bunch of shows booked at the end of this tour, and don't tell me which one is the real last one."
He continued: "I pictured getting on the tour bus after a gig and heading down the road for a while before someone would spring the news on me. 'Hey, well, that was our last show. No need to cry your eyes out up onstage tonight.'"
Megadeth also recently announced they're teaming up with Trafalgar Releasing for a worldwide cinema screening of the new Megadeth new film Megadeth: Behind The Mask. The film will hit over 1,000 screens worldwide on January 22, 2026.
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