DAVID ELLEFSON Teams Up With JAMES DURBIN For Cover Of JUDAS PRIEST's 'Metal Gods'; 2025 'Bass Warrior' Tour Announced

Former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson has announced his "Bass Warrior" tour across Europe for spring 2025. The tour will feature Ellefson and his solo band performing select cuts from his well-known catalog of MEGADETH hits, solo material and other hard rock and metal favorites which inspired him during his 40-year music career.

When the original "Bass Warrior" tour was first announced, Ellefson said in a statement: "I've approached my career as that of a musical warrior, always accompanied by my bass guitar. I eagerly anticipate bringing these songs back to the stage, while sharing introspective and entertaining anecdotes about their creation. It's been a wild ride of low notes and high stakes."

To coincide with the announcement, Ellefson teamed up with "American Idol" contestant James Durbin to release a powerhouse version of the JUDAS PRIEST classic "Metal Gods". The song also features Ellefson's solo band of musicians, including his longtime friend and musical director Andy Martongelli. The song is now available across all digital platforms and can be heard below.

Ellefson states: "As we're announcing the next round of 'Bass Warrior' tour dates for 2025, it seemed fitting to push out a new track which so clearly identifies heavy metal music, that of our favorite JUDAS PRIEST! And, to do it with our friend James Durbin on vocals. He has such a fantastic voice and he even performed with the mighty PRIEST on 'American Idol' so this story pretty much wrote itself."

Durbin adds: "When David Ellefson and Andrea Martongelli DM you and want you to cover JUDAS PRIEST with them, the answer is 'YES'! Aside from the late great Ronnie James Dio, the mighty PRIEST are the top of the heavy metal mountain for me and covering their music is a request I'll never turn down, especially considering who that request come from."

James Durbin was a contestant on the tenth season of "American Idol" and performed alongside JUDAS PRIEST during the show’s finale that year.

Ellefson's version of "Metal Gods" was produced by Ellefson and his solo band guitarist Andy Martongelli and mixed by Alessio Garavello at Rogue Recording Studios in Wembley, U.K.

Musicians featured on Ellefson's version of "Metal Gods" are:

James Durbin - Lead Vocals
David Ellefson - Bass Guitar
Andy Martongelli - Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Walter Cianciusi - Lead Guitars
Paolo Caridi - Drums

Produced by David Ellefson and Andy Martongelli

Mixing and backing vocals by Alessio Garavello for Rogue Recording Studios, Wembley, U.K.

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH more than three years ago after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

David was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.

In 2004, Ellefson filed an $18.5-million lawsuit against Mustaine, alleging the MEGADETH leader shortchanged him on profits and backed out of a deal to turn Megadeth Inc. over to him when the band broke up in 2002. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed and Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH in 2010.