MEGADETH Is 'Really Happy' With Material For Next Studio Album, Says DAVID ELLEFSON

MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson recently spoke to Rockin' Metal Revival about the band's plans to record the follow-up to 2016's "Dystopia" album. He said (hear audio below): "Well, we were scheduled to be in the studio at the end of March recording the new album. It's primarily written; it's ready to go. Then, when things started shutting down [due to the coronavirus pandemic], that had to be pushed back. So we are right now rescheduled to get in the studio — particularly for me and our drummer, Dirk [Verbeuren], to get in and cut the bass and drum tracks. And then from there, we'll just continue to build the songs in the recording studio. But the tunes are there. It's in motion. It's taken the last three years to write it, but it's great.

"I hate to sound boastful and talk too much about it until it comes out, 'cause it's still in a formative phase, but we're really happy with it," he continued. "The management's really happy with it, the inner sanctum of our little staff we let weigh in on it, everybody's very stoked. They feel it is absolutely a perfect follow-up for 'Dystopia'."

The early sessions for MEGADETH's 16th studio album took place last year in Franklin, Tennessee with co-producer Chris Rakestraw, who previously worked on "Dystopia".

MEGADETH's new effort will be the first to feature drummer Verbeuren (ex-SOILWORK),who joined the band almost four years ago.

Late last year, MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine teased songs that were "heavy as hell" with titles such as "Rattlehead Part Two" and "The Dogs Of Chernobyl".

Guitarist Kiko Loureiro made his recording debut with MEGADETH on "Dystopia", whose title track was honored in the "Best Metal Performance" category at the 2017 Grammy Awards.