Dave Mustaine will open up with a new memoir In My Darkest Hour, tracing his battle with cancer and the long road back to the stage.
Set for release on September 8th, the book promises a raw look at the experience Mustaine has described as one of the most confronting chapters of his life, per Rolling Stone. At its core, the memoir centres on his 2019 diagnosis with squamous cell carcinoma, which put not just his career, but his life, into question.
From there, the story moves between hospital rooms and recording studios, capturing a period where Mustaine was undergoing intense treatment while still working on Megadeth’s music. The book details how he went from chemotherapy sessions straight into long studio days, eventually helping shape the band’s later output during that period.
“One of the most harrowing experiences of my adult life has been my seven-year journey through cancer treatment and onward into remission,” Mustaine said in a statement. “This story is considerably more than just, ‘Go to the doctor, get diagnosed, get treatment and hopefully I live happily ever after.’ This was a journey of me saving myself, staying alive, keeping my family together, and continuing to make music through it all.”
Ben Schafer, publisher Da Capo’s executive editor, said In My Darking Hour show Mustaine at his most revealing, vulnerable, and true. “With lacerating honesty and soulful reflection, he speaks to the universal human experience of facing serious illness and how it changes a person, their family and friends, and one’s relationship with creativity.”
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Now six years removed from the initial diagnosis, Mustaine has kept his determination. Megadeth released their 17th album, Megadeth, in January, where it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and in Australia. The album features Megadeth’s cover of Metallica’s “Ride the Lightning”, a tune Mustaine received a co-writing credit on, and the punky single “I Don’t Care”.
Mustaine has said that this LP will be Megadeth’s last. “After 40 years of delivering Megadeth music, playing shows around the world, I have nothing but gratitude at this moment,” he said of going No. 1. “Finding out that our last Megadeth record is also our first No. 1 only further validates my will to go out on top.”
Soon, the band will head Down Under to tour with Iron Maiden. It will kick off in Adelaide on November 11th, before stops in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. See here for details.
