New MEGADETH Music Will Arrive In 2021, Says DAVID ELLEFSON

Megadeth 2020
Photo credit: Mcabe Gregg

In a new interview with Decibel Geek, MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson about the progress of the recording sessions for the band’s follow-up to 2016’s Dystopia record.

“Basic tracks are done,” Ellefson said (watch video below). “Overdubs now are continuing. I’m sure 2021 will see some new MEGADETH music of some form — hopefully the whole album, because touring will open up and we can drop a record and the tour dates that we have rescheduled will all go forward as planned. That’s what we’re hoping. That’s about all I can say on it — just ’cause it’s not done yet, so it’s hard to talk about something that’s still in motion.”

Last week, MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine spoke about the upcoming album on Full Metal Jackie: “I just found out yesterday, believe it or not, we got our delivery date, when they want me to have the record turned in by,” Dave said. “I’ve had a pretty busy last two years. We were getting ready to start to record, and then stuff started going wrong with my throat, and we found out about the [throat] cancer. The treatment for the cancer was completed in six months, which was mind-blowing for me.

“But besides that, there were so many other things that had gone wrong — we have the pandemic here, and we have all these things that are going on. The work that I do that affects the people around me, it affects me ’cause I care so much about our fans.

“When we were out doing the Hendrix thing [‘Experience Hendrix’ tour] last year, we came back to just get started on the record,” Mustaine continued. “I thought, ‘Okay, we’re gonna blast through this.’ And then, boom, here comes the pandemic, and everything drops down a couple of gears. But you know what? We’re still working every day, and the record’s getting done.

He added: “It’s funny ’cause every person that I know — well, not every person, but the people that I know that know I’m writing a new record, and God bless ’em — they all go, ‘So, are you gonna write about the coronavirus?’ And I’m thinking, ‘Well, now there’s a thought…’”

MEGADETH recently rescheduled its “Metal Tour of the Year” with LAMB OF GOD, plus special guests TRIVIUM and IN FLAMES, to 2021. Tickets and dates for the tour can be find here.