Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson has shared a candid assessment of his former band’s swan song, the recently released self-titled album Megadeth. Speaking on a new episode of “The David Ellefson Show,” the co-founder offered a mix of high praise for the current lineup and pointed criticism regarding the album’s production and perceived identity.
Ellefson argued that the project feels less like a collaborative band effort and more like a solo vehicle for frontman Dave Mustaine.
“I still look at it as Dave‘s retirement because I still think of Megadeth as our band,” Ellefson explained. “I think it’s a sin to just go off and claim it as his own.”
He elaborated on his sonic impression of the record, noting a distinct departure from the classic group dynamic he was once part of.
“I hear it and I go, ‘Okay, this is a Dave solo record. This is Dave and his new band, Dave and his new guys. It says Megadeth so obviously it gets all the attention, but realistically, I hear it and to me it just doesn’t sound like Megadeth. And that’s just me, period. It sounds like Dave doing what Dave does but with a different set of guys in a new day. And this is Dave’s retirement.”
Despite his reservations about the band’s identity, Ellefson was effusive in his praise for the current musicians backing Mustaine, specifically highlighting new guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari. He pointed to the single “Let There Be Shred” as evidence of the guitarist’s skill.
“Look, Teemu is obviously a great guitar player,” Ellefson said. “He’s fantastic. He’s a great player. To me, he’s kind of the story of Megadeth right now. He’s the shining star of the group.”
Ellefson also commended drummer Dirk Verbeuren, comparing his style favorably to the band’s original jazz-fusion influenced drummer, Gar Samuelson. However, he expressed frustration with the modern production techniques used on the drums, specifically the heavy use of digital quantization.
“I wish they would not Pro Tool Dirk Verbeuren so much because the guy can play,” Ellefson added. “We always said he’s the closest to Gar Samuelson since Gar Samuelson. It’s like, take the guy off the f**king Pro Tools grid. Stop quantizing him and let him breathe a little bit.”
Reviewing the songwriting, Ellefson credited Mustaine‘s enduring ability to craft compelling lyrics, particularly on the album’s closer, “The Last Note.” He noted that the track evoked a vibe similar to Bob Seger‘s road anthem “Turn the Page,” a comparison Mustaine himself has reportedly made.
“Dave does write a lyric that you listen to it,” Ellefson observed. “I really like the lyric, and I heard Dave‘s interview with Jose [Mangin] and he talked about the Bob Seger thing, because that’s exactly what I thought. I thought, this kind of reminds me of a ‘Turn the Page‘ kind of thing.’ I did like it. I didn’t like the song that good. I was hoping for a better song, but I did like the lyric. And that is very much a Dave lyric.”
The band’s self-titled final album has debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, dated February 7, 2026, according to Billboard. This marks the first time the iconic metal act has claimed the top spot in its long and storied career.
Megadeth made its Billboard 200 debut in 1986 with Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?, and since then, the band has placed 23 albums on the chart. Before this, their highest position was No. 2, achieved by Countdown to Extinction in 1992. Billboard reported that the new album earned 73,000 equivalent album units in the week ending January 29, marking the group’s best sales week since Billboard started tracking multi-metric consumption in 2014.
The album arrived on January 23, following the release of the documentary “Megadeth: Behind the Mask,” which hit theaters just one day earlier. Fans will soon be able to celebrate the band’s farewell in person, as their final tour begins February 15 in Victoria, British Columbia.
Megadeth Track Listing:
- “Tipping Point“
- “I Don’t Care“
- “Hey, God?!“
- “Let There Be Shred“
- “Puppet Parade“
- “Another Bad Day“
- “Made To Kill“
- “Obey The Call“
- “I Am War“
- “The Last Note“
- “Ride The Lightning” (bonus track)
- “Nobody’s Hero” (exclusive bonus track)
