MEGADETH's DIRK VERBEUREN: 'The Metal Scene Is Really In A Good Place'

In an interview with Knotfest.com conducted at this past March's Knotfest Australia, MEGADETH's Dirk Verbeuren was asked if he thinks the metal scene "is going somewhere positive" after the pandemic. The Belgian-born-and-now-Los-Angeles-based drummer, who had played with SOILWORK for more than a decade before joining MEGADETH, replied (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, I think so. Other than this renewed sense of appreciation of what we have, I think the metal scene is really in a good place, and there are a lot of younger bands that I think will go places, and are starting to go places. I think of a band like GOJIRA that I personally sort of grew up with, 'cause I lived in France for many years and I saw them at their very beginning, and to see them now being at the level where they are and still growing. They just played Bercy [Accor Arena] in Paris, which is like the biggest venue, basically. I mean, that's super cool to see. That shows kind of them and a bunch of other bands that the metal scene is healthy and there's still a lot to come."

MEGADETH's current lineup includes Verbeuren, guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who was previously best known for his work with ANGRA, and bassist James LoMenzo. James was MEGADETH's bass player in the mid-2000s and stepped back in as a touring member for the 2021 leg of "The Metal Tour Of The Year". In May 2022, it was announced that Lomenzo was officially rejoining the MEGADETH family.

Last September, MEGADETH's latest album, "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!", debuted at the top of the charts during its first week of sales, taking the No. 3 spot on the Billboard 200 as well as number ones on Top Album Sales, Top Current Albums Sales, Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums and Top Hard Rock Albums. "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" was the highest-charting MEGADETH album of all time around the world, notching No. 1 In Finland, No. 2 in australia, poland, Switzerland, and Scotland, No. 3 in the U.K., and more.

MEGADETH's previous top 10 entries on the Billboard 200 were "Countdown to Extinction" (No. 2, 1992),"Youthanasia" (No. 4, 1994),"Cryptic Writings" (No. 10, 1997),"United Abominations" (No. 8, 2007),"Endgame" (No. 9, 2009),"Super Collider" (No. 6, 2013) and "Dystopia" (No. 3, 2016).

MEGADETH recently received its thirteenth Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance" for the song "We'll Be Back" from "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!".

MEGADETH won the 2017 Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" for the title track of the band's 2016 album "Dystopia". This marked the group's twelfth Grammy nomination in this category (including nominations in the discontinued "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category).