DAVID ELLEFSON Says Songwriting Process For MEGADETH's Next Album Is 'Coming Along Well'

MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson spoke to the Texas cult TV show "Robb's MetalWorks" about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2016's "Dystopia" album. He said (see video below): "We're working on it now. I think we learned with 'Dystopia' that it's important to take our time. The 'Th1rt3en' album [2011]… It's funny — I'd come back to the band [in 2010], we were on tour, we had some 'Big Four' shows booked, we had the Mayhem tour booked, and we had 10 weeks to make this record. And we got in with a real urgency, came right off the road, went in and ripped it and made a really good record. And I think we learned on 'Super Collider' — we had dates booked and we were kind of forced… We came off the road [after] a very successful tour with 'Th1rt3en', we did the 'Countdown To Extinction' 20th anniversary, and you need a minute to just kind of debrief and decompress out of the thing. I think we learned that when we put a record out, that's the time to hit it hard; I mean, on this record, we went three years on this tour. But what we did learn from that is when the tour is over, take some time [and] decompress — don't just rush in and just keep cranking. We don't have to be on the treadmill anymore, which is nice. So we're taking our time, but it's coming along well, much like 'Dystopia'."

MEGADETH's upcoming effort will mark the group's first release to feature drummer Dirk Verbeuren, who officially joined the group more than two years ago.

"Dystopia" was MEGADETH's first album with Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, best known for his work with ANGRA.

MEGADETH has announced plans to stage the first-ever Megacruise in 2019. No further details have been revealed except that it will launch from the West Coast next year. More information will be made available on October 3.

MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine told "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon" back in June that the release of the band's next album would coincide with the launch of a new MEGADETH-curated event, to be held in at least two separate installments over the course of several months. "We've got a huge festival that we're gonna be announcing," he said. "It's really a big deal. It's kind of the equivalent of Gigantour, but it's a much fresher idea. We've got that set up in about 10 cities in April, and then we're gonna do it again for a three-day weekend in the middle of the year, and we're gonna do probably about another 10 of those dates at the latter part of the year."