Thrash Metal Titans Megadeth Working On New Studio Album
Megadeth are back in the studio, making their next chapter in metal history. Frontman Dave Mustaine has officially confirmed that the band is working on their new studio album, following up on 2022’s release, ‘The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead!’.
Singer/ guitarist Dave Mustaine offered more information via X: “Right now I’m in the studio working with Chris Rakestraw. And everybody else is gone. Teemu [Mäntysaari, guitars] is in Switzerland and James [LoMenzo, bass] and Dirk [Verbeuren, drums] are in Los Angeles. So it’s just me here by myself with Chris. It’s only a matter of a couple weeks before everybody converges on to the studio. And for that I’m pumped. And you guys are gonna be excited.”
In a separate interview, Mäntysaari said he's been working closely with Mustaine on ideas for new songs: “It feels really good at the moment. Yeah, we've been working remotely. So Dave is in the studio in Nashville, and I've been working from home, and now from the vacation location where we are with the family. But I'm working a little bit every day. And just today I was working on some solo ideas, and [I am] talking with Dave on the phone every day and doing Zoom meetings and exchanging ideas. So, there's progress every day, which is nice. I feel really good about the album. We have already so many good ideas. I think it's gonna be a great one.”
Megadeth's endurance as a powerhouse in thrash metal for over four decades is truly remarkable. This new music release isn't merely an album—it's a major event. As one of the most lasting and influential bands in thrash metal, Megadeth's contributions to the genre remain unparalleled. Their previous album demonstrated their ability to continue delivering high-quality music, effectively balancing nostalgia for long-time thrash enthusiasts with relevance for younger listeners new to the genre.
Meanwhile, in a recent interview with Switzerland-based photographer and videographer Alexandra Hernandez, former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson shared his thoughts about heavy metal and its fans stating that: “Metal is not a mainstream music; it's a subculture. And it's not meant to be mainstream. It's had its mainstream moments, but for the most part, it's a subculture, and people come because they're into it and they know the songs, they know the people involved in it, they know the words, some of them are musicians. I feel like maybe there's a bit more of an intrinsic connection between us. Even if it's rowdy and it's fist in the air and it's stage diving and it's rocking, it's a very interactive community. And for me it always has been. From the very early days of Megadeth, when we started that band, the fans, it was as entertaining for us to watch them as it was probably for them to watch us because of how engaged and how rowdy they were, with pits and stage diving and all that stuff. So it brought out this very primal thing in people. That's been a fun thing to be a part of my whole career. And even we see it every night after night with [Ellefson's] Kings Of Thrash [project]. It's fun to see that hasn't gone away. That's still part of who we are and what we do.”
Sources:
Metalinjection.net - MEGADETH Is Plotting Studio Time For A New Record In 2025, December 26, 2024
