Megadeth took a brief moment away from the grind to let their fearless leader Dave Mustaine kick cancer’s ass earlier this year, but the thrash-metal superstars are primed and ready to unleash a new set of whiplash tracks to follow up their most recent release, 2016’s ‘Dystopia.’
Talking to Rolling Stone recently, the lion-haired singer said the band has “nine really crushing songs” so far, and their business partners all agreed on the same three top contenders among that pack — which they hope to release as “early offerings” ahead of the band’s upcoming winter European tour.
They still have to head into the studio to record them properly, but Mustaine thinks all the group needs is to get drummer Dirk Verbeuren in for a couple of run-throughs, then the rest falls on himself and his musical co-conspirator and bassist David Ellefson to tidy things up.
The singer/guitarist also revealed some of the songs’ working titles, including “The Dogs of Chernobyl,” “Rattlehead, Part Two,” and “Faster Than Anything Else.” Mustaine then goes on to open up about the creative inner-workings of the band this time around, saying he’s conceding some power to Ellefson and letting the bassist write and sing on a ballad-type track on the as-yet-untitled record.
Using Kiss’ “Beth” as a reference point, Mustaine says he told Ellefson, “I think you should write a song about what it’s like being in Megadeth with me, because I read all your lyrics, and I know that your lyrics are aimed at me. You’re upset. So why don’t you write about it?”
While fans wait patiently for the new LP’s arrival, they can catch Mustaine and the gang on tour in Europe in early 2020, starting with a January 20th date in Helsinki. For full tour details, go here.
