Kings of Thrash, the powerhouse project featuring former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson and guitarist Jeff Young, alongside vocalist/guitarist Chaz Leon and Dead Groove/BulletBoys drummer Fred Aching, are stepping into new creative territory with the release of their original single, “Lockdown.” This move signals an evolution for the band, previously acclaimed for their electrifying live renditions of early Megadeth classics. Ellefson discussed this new direction and the band’s dynamics in a recent interview with The Rock N’ Roll & Coffee Show.
The new single, “Lockdown,” which also features a guest appearance by fellow ex-Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland, was born from a desire to introduce original material ahead of upcoming tour dates in September and October 2025. Ellefson revealed he tasked Chaz Leon with spearheading the track, giving him a clear directive (as transcribed by Blabbermouth): “Dude, 1984, full-blown thrash metal. Just head for Nuclear Assault ‘Game Over‘, Metallica ‘Ride The Lightning‘. Just go right to the heart of the matter.”
He praised Leon‘s contribution: “‘Cause he’s got a real thrash heart. And plus he’s our singer… we wanted something that really just kind of came out of the gate swinging.” Ellefson also noted the track’s timely resonance, stating, “I don’t think we saw probably how poignant the lyric is, in light of all of the unrest going on now. So, yeah, as a good thrash song should be, maybe a bit political, a bit anarchist, and always good fun.”
This venture into original songwriting represents a “logical step to kind of legitimize yourself,” according to Ellefson. While acknowledging the deep connection he and his bandmates have to the early Megadeth material they perform (“some of the Megadeth stuff is stuff that I wrote, and so they already are my songs”), he emphasized the importance of growth. “To move forward, it’s always good to sort of freshen it up a little bit and show everybody what you got.” This isn’t their first foray into originals; the band previously wrote and performed a song called “Bridges Burned” on their 2023 tour, a track born from on-the-road collaboration. Recalling the decision to play it live immediately, Ellefson said: “Our crew were, like, ‘Dude, you guys can’t play that on stage.’ I said, ‘Oh, really? Watch this.’ Like, why not?… It’s thrash metal, dude. This is the kick-a*s, have-fun, get-in-the-pit-and-fr*cking punch-your-neighbor music.”
When asked about the possibility of a full-length album of original Kings of Thrash material, Ellefson was open but pragmatic. “It’s possible. I’m certainly not gonna say no to it,” he commented. “I tell you what, it was great to just do one song. Making a record is a lot of work, especially when you live in different cities and you’re trying to collaborate.”
He also touched upon the unique dynamic within Kings of Thrash: “One of the things about Kings is we are not four of the same guy. We are four very different individuals, and so to sort of be agreeable on something, I’m not gonna lie, it’s a bit of a challenge. And quite honestly, it’s the diversity that makes Kings so cool.” He likened this to the varied personalities within early Megadeth and praised the current contributions of all four members in Kings of Thrash, from songwriting input to Fred Aching handling artwork and directing the video for “Lockdown.” “We’ve got four really creative guys that do very different things… And that’s great — to have four different dudes.”
