DAVE MUSTAINE's Next Memoir, 'In My Darkest Hour', To Detail His Cancer Battle

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Grand Central Publishing's recently launched Da Capo imprint has set a tentative September 2027 release date for MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine's next memoir, "In My Darkest Hour". The book will detail Mustaine's "gnarly" treatment after he was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma at the back of his tongue in 2019.

The Da Capo imprint, which is focused on publishing books about music, is a reincarnation of Da Capo Press, the longtime music publisher acquired as part of Hachette Book Group's 2016 acquisition of the Perseus Book Group, which was folded into Hachette Books in 2018. The Hachette Books imprint was dissolved in 2024 as part of restructuring efforts at Hachette Book Group.

"In My Darkest Hour" is being co-written by The New York Times journalist Joe Layden, who previously worked with Mustaine on his "Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir" autobiography and on original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley's "No Regrets: A Rock 'N' Roll Memoir". Layden also authored "The Last Great Fight" about what is considered by many to be the biggest upset in the history of boxing: James "Buster" Douglas's tenth-round knockout win over Mike Tyson in 1990.

Official "In My Darkest Hour" book description, courtesy of Da Capo: "From King of Metal Dave Mustaine, a powerful reflection on the harsh truths and raw realizations that can only come from confronting death.

"Dave Mustaine is no stranger to pain and suffering. He battled demons all his life — including an alcoholic father, addiction, and black magic — and turned fifty-eight believing he'd survived the worst. But in 2019, Mustaine was forced to face the loss of his instantly recognizable voice and the disintegration of his musical talent. Diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma at the back of his tongue, his entire career — and possibly his life — was about to end.

"For Mustaine, it was one more opportunity to fight like hell.