Dave Ellefson Gushes About New Metallica By Comparing Their New Releases to a “New iPhone Launch”
Not everyone in the Megadeth camp has always harbored ill feelings to the guys in Metallica. In fact, former Megadeth bassist and roaming musician with a million different side projects David Ellefson thinks the other ‘Big Four’ member act is pretty damn cool.
During a recent interview with WRIF’s Meltdown (transcribed by Ultimate Guitar), Ellefson chatted about the insane amount of hype that’s building behind Metallica’s 12th studio album, 72 Seasons.
“I think it’s very cool, just as much as everything with those guys. They’re like Apple, you know? When they do a product launch it usually comes off pretty freakin’ cool. A new Metallica album is like a new iPhone launch. It’s pretty much awesome [laughs].”
As an Android user, that means nothing to me. Still, he continued gushing over the roll out of 72 Seasons. Just like the rest of the metal world, he said he was shocked that something as huge as a new Metallica album and world tour was kept completely under wraps until its announcement. To that end, he’s not unlike Lars.
“And out of nowhere, I was in Poland – I’ve got this group, Dieth. We’re getting ready to drop a record this summer on Napalm Records. And I was over there, shooting the videos, and out of nowhere comes [‘Lux Æterna’], new album announced, new single new tour announced with Pantera and Five Finger Death Punch, and all that stuff, you’re like, ‘Geez!’
“I don’t think any of us saw it coming, which I thought was so cool.”
Having been a big name in metal for four decades himself, Ellefson praised Metallica for being able to release something new, yet familiar. He even mentioned his former band in the compliment, noting how hard it can be to come up with something new when you’ve been at it for so long.
“The first single [‘Lux Æterna’] especially I thought was very cool… Look, at this point, there’s only 12 notes in the chromatic scale, we’ve played them all, in almost every possible combination.
“So, it’s like, how do you… even with Megadeth, it was like, ‘Geez, we’re on how many albums now? And how do we not repeat ourselves, yet still keep the street cred and play to those fans that want to hear us do that?’
“You’re not really the same guy you were when you recorded ‘One’, right? I think as we age… you’re always looking for how [to] scratch the itch and satisfy all parts of your creative thing there?”
72 Seasons is coming out on April 14, 2023 via Metallica’s own label Blackened Recordings. It’s the band’s follow up to the 2016 release Hardwired… To Self-Destruct and apparently has over 77 minutes and 12 tracks.
As for Ellefson, his Megadeth cover band/new project Kings of Thrash are about to set off on a tour of their own, where they’ll play the entirety of Killing Is My Business…and Business Is Good and So Far, So Good…So What. The dates for this tour can be found below.
Kings of Thrash tour
- 2/16 — Joliet, IL — The Forge
- 2/17 — Minneapolis, MN — Varsity Theater
- 2/19 — Madison, WI — Majestic Theatre
- 2/20 — Indianapolis, IN — The Vogue
- 2/21 — Columbia, MO — Blue Note
- 2/22 — Columbus, OH — King Of Clubs
- 2/24 — Flint, MI — The Machine Shop
- 2/25 — Cincinnati, OH — Legends Bar And Venue
- 2/27 — Cleveland, OH — Beachland Ballroom And Tavern
- 2/28 — Warrendale, PA — Jergels
- 3/1 — Buffalo, NY — Town Ballroom
- 3/3 — Poughkeepsie, NY — The Chance
- 3/4 — Sayreville, NJ — Starland Ballroom
- 3/5 — Harrisburg, PA — Midtown Arts Center
- 3/7 — Ardmore, PA — Ardmore Music Hall
- 3/8 — New York, NY — Gramercy Theatre
- 3/10 — Charlottesville, VA — Jefferson Theatre
- 3/11 — Greensboro, NC — Hangar 1819
- 3/12 — Asheville, NC — The Orange Peel
- 3/14 — Charleston, SC — Music Farm
- 3/15 — Atlanta, GA — The Masquerade (Hell)
