Overview
- On his podcast, David Ellefson said the new self-titled record "doesn't sound like Megadeth" and described it as "a Dave solo record."
- Ellefson framed the album as "Dave's retirement," positioning it as an endpoint rather than a continuation of the band’s legacy.
- He questioned the inclusion of a bonus cover of Metallica’s Ride the Lightning, highlighting the irony of Mustaine now playing solos he once criticized Kirk Hammett for performing.
- Recalling first hearing Ride the Lightning in the 1980s, Ellefson said Mustaine claimed Metallica "stole" a riff, while adding he wasn’t present for the song’s final writing and recording.
- Released January 23, the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, as Ellefson’s comments arrive following his 2021 exit after a scandal that ended his long tenure with the band.