MEGADETH's DAVE MUSTAINE Didn't Know Why His Voice Was Hurting Before He Was Diagnosed With Throat Cancer

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine, who went public with his throat cancer diagnosis in June 2019, spoke to Colleen Carew of the 100.7 The Bay radio station about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's follow-up to 2016's "Dystopia" album. He said (hear audio below): "I think we would have been done a long time ago if I hadn't discovered the cancer. I didn't know I had it, and I was just trying to get from point A to point B and didn't really know why my voice was hurting. And then I found out. And now I'm super stoked. I'm actually excited to see how the new record turns out with singing, since they've got that weird antibody, whatever it is, that had invaded my vocal box."

Mustaine was told he was cancer-free last October, five months after receiving his throat cancer diagnosis.

The 59-year-old guitarist/vocalist revealed his cancer battle on social media, saying the doctors had given him a 90 percent chance of beating the illness. He later said that he underwent 51 radiation treatments and nine chemo treatments before being declared cancer-free.

Mustaine recently told SiriusXM's Jose Mangin that the upcoming MEGADETH album will be "up there with 'Countdown [To Extinction]', 'Rust In Peace' and probably 'Peace Sells' and 'Dystopia'."

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

The early sessions for the LP took place last year with co-producer Chris Rakestraw, who previously worked on "Dystopia".

Brazilian 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.

As previously reported, MEGADETH's North American tour with LAMB OF GOD, TRIVIUM and IN FLAMES has been rescheduled for 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.