MEGADETH Bassist Breaks Down 'TH1RT3EN' Track By Track

MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson gave MusicRadar.com a track-by-track breakdown of the band's new album, "TH1RT3EN", which will be released on November 1 via Roadrunner Records. A couple of excerpts follow below.

"Sudden Death":

Ellefson: "This is a track that was being worked on when I rejoined the band. I came in on a Friday, I played my part on a Saturday, and on Monday we put out the press release that I was back in MEGADETH. So this song represents a real homecoming for me. Musically, I wanted to combine a New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and a thrash style in my bass playing. There's some great rhythmic work going on, particularly in the intro, and the riff, especially towards the end, gives me a chance to move up an octave and create tension underneath the guitars. All by itself, it's a very exciting song. But when I think about what it represents, it's deep on an emotional level."

"Public Enemy No. 1":

Ellefson: "We started writing this song during a soundcheck in Croatia last year, and we finished it in Vienna, Austria a short while later. Funnily enough, earlier this year we wrote another song on the record called 'Never Dead' in the same venue in Austria. So that place has magic in it. Again, it's another New Wave Of British Heavy Metal-type song, at least as far as what I do. I loved the early DEF LEPPARD records, and I'm copping a bit of a Rick Savage bass approach on it. I really tried to write around the vocals. I love to hear as much of the band, especially the vocals, when I record a bass part. As a player, I want to be the mortar between the blocks that glue the building together. Once the vocal melody developed, Johnny [K, producer] and I worked with Dave [Mustaine, guitar/vocals], and that allowed me to put down a strong bass part. It was a fun way to record. I had a lot of note choices available to me, and there's a cool moving bassline in the B section of the verse as well as the chorus. As a listener, none of that matters, but hopefully, you'll feel the song jump."

"Never Dead":

Ellefson: "When Dave first played me this riff, I was floored. It was so violent and in your face, it reminded me of the 'Peace Sells' album. In particular, it sounded a little like 'Good Mourning/Black Friday', but in a great new way. I loved it. What's funny is, Dave forgot about it for a while. We got together earlier this year to work on some stuff, and I reminded him about this one, and he couldn't remember it. Fortunately, he had recorded it on his BlackBerry, so he was able to find it. As soon as we all started playing it for real, we were like four little kids jumping around a room. It's such a strong riff. It's so huge, you can't help but get crazy when you hear it."

Read more from MusicRadar.com.

MEGADETH filmed the "Public Enemy No. 1" video on September 17 in Santa Clarita, California. The clip was shot on a movie set where old Westerns are filmed.

"TH1RT3EN" was recorded at MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine's Vic's Garage studio in San Marcos, California with producer Johnny K (full name: John Karkazis),who has previously worked with DISTURBED, SEVENDUST, MACHINE HEAD and STAIND, among others. The artwork was once again created by artist John Lorenzi, who worked on the last two MEGADETH studio albums, 2007's "United Abominations" and 2009's "Endgame", as well as the band's 2007 box set, "Warchest".

"TH1RT3EN" marks the recorded return of bassist David Ellefson who was part of the band's classic lineup from 1983 to 2002. In a move that delighted the band's legion of diehards, Ellefson returned to performing live with MEGADETH in early 2010 and has remained a fixture on the stage ever since. This is the first time Ellefson has played on a MEGADETH record since 2002's "Rude Awakening".

CD track listing:

01. Sudden Death
02. Public Enemy No. 1
03. Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)
04. We The People
05. Guns, Drugs & Money
06. Never Dead
07. New World Order
08. Fast Lane
09. Black Swan
10. Wrecker
11. Millennium Of The Blind
12. Deadly Nightshade
13. 13

Limited-edition picture-disc vinyl track listing:

Side A:

01. Sudden Death
02. Public Enemy No. 1
03. Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)
04. We The People

Side B:

01. Guns, Drugs & Money
02. Never Dead
03. New World Order

Side C:

01. Fast Lane
02. Black Swan
03. Wrecker

Side D:

01. Millennium Of the Blind
02. Deadly Nightshade
03. 13

"TH1RT3EN" cover:

2x Double-Sided Vinyl Picture Discs:

"Public Enemy No. 1" single cover: