MEGADETH Leader DAVE MUSTAINE’s New Memoir, ‘In My Darkest Hour’, Is A New York Times Best Seller
Dave Mustaine’s memoir *In My Darkest Hour* has debuted at No. 4 on The New York Times’ hardcover non-fiction best-sellers list. The Megadeth frontman’s account describes how his cancer diagnosis and treatment shaped his work and personal life.
Co-written with Joe Layden, the book was published on 8 September 2026. It recounts Mustaine’s treatment for squamous cell carcinoma at the back of his tongue in 2019, alongside recording sessions for Megadeth’s 2022 album *The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!*; it also explores his reflections on mortality, family and faith.
- Mustaine’s memoir debuted at No. 4 on the New York Times list.
- It covers his cancer treatment and recording Megadeth’s 2022 album.
- The book explores mortality, family and faith.
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Dave Mustaine is an American musician best known as the singer and guitarist of Megadeth, a heavy metal band he formed in 1983. The group became one of the leading acts in thrash metal, a fast and aggressive style of heavy metal.
In 2019, Mustaine was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma at the back of his tongue and underwent treatment. He continued working on Megadeth’s 2022 album during that period, and his memoir describes how illness affected his music and personal life.
The book was written with Joe Layden and also discusses Mustaine’s thoughts on mortality, family and faith. It offers readers a personal account of how a serious illness intersected with a long career in music.