During a March 4 Twitch live chat with “Talkulture”, MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson discussed the band’s plans for the coming months. He said: “There’s a new MEGADETH album being finished up. We have a big tour this summer — MEGADETH, LAMB OF GOD, TRIVIUM and IN FLAMES. Live Nation just put out an announcement, I think [on] Tuesday, saying all concerts are a go, ‘We’re gonna stay open,’ ‘Everything’s gonna be great.’ So, per that, hopefully we’ll see everybody on tour this summer. So let’s hope that happens. [We’re staying] optimistic, and hopefully it keeps things going. It was rescheduled from last summer, so it’d be great if we could just get out and get rocking. So, [I’m] looking forward to seeing everybody out there.”
MEGADETH‘s North American tour with LAMB OF GOD, TRIVIUM and IN FLAMES, dubbed “The Metal Tour Of The Year”, is now scheduled to kick off on July 9 in Detroit, Michigan and end on September 10 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
MEGADETH‘s follow-up to 2016’s “Dystopia” album is likely to arrive in late 2021 or early 2022.
The early sessions for the LP took place in 2019 with co-producer Chris Rakestraw, who previously worked on “Dystopia”.
In addition to Ellefson, MEGADETH‘s current lineup includes founding guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, former SOILWORK drummer Dirk Verbeuren and Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who was previously best known for his work with ANGRA.
Ellefson was in MEGADETH from the band’s inception in 1983 to 2002, when the group briefly broke up because Mustaine suffered severe nerve damage that left him unable to play. After Mustaine reformed MEGADETH with an all-new lineup in 2004, Ellefson sued his former bandmate for $18.5 million, alleging that Mustaine still owed him substantial merchandise and publishing royalties. In January 2005, the case was dismissed in court, and five years later, Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH.
