Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson has made candid comments about the band’s newly released, self-titled final studio album, saying that when he listens to it, it “doesn’t sound like Megadeth.” Speaking on his podcast The David Ellefson Show, the longtime member — who played on and helped shape the band’s sound for decades before parting ways in 2021 — described the record as more akin to a Dave Mustaine solo project than what he considers classic Megadeth.
Ellefson, who was Megadeth’s bassist from the band’s formation in 1983 until his 2021 departure, explained that although the album carries the Megadeth name, “to me it just doesn’t sound like Megadeth.” He argued that with the current lineup and production approach, the new material reflects a different creative environment, saying:
“Okay this is a Dave solo record. This is Dave and his new band, Dave and his new guys… but realistically I hear it, and to me it just doesn’t sound like Megadeth.”
Ellefson acknowledged that guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari — who joined the band more recently — and drummer Dirk Verbeuren are skilled musicians, but he also offered critique of some production choices, suggesting that heavy quantization detracts from the organic energy he associates with classic Megadeth records.
His remarks come in the context of Megadeth’s final studio album being positioned as the band’s farewell release, with frontman Dave Mustaine slated to retire the group after a final tour supporting the record. Ellefson said he listened to the album both as a longtime fan and as someone who admires Mustaine’s songwriting, but maintains that the finished product feels more like Mustaine’s solo work than a continuation of the band’s signature identity.
The album — released in January 2026 — has already made history by earning Megadeth their first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, driven by strong sales and streaming numbers in multiple countries.
Ellefson also referenced the inclusion of a reinterpretation of Metallica’s “Ride the Lightning” on the album, noting the irony given Mustaine’s historical connection to the song’s early development and his complicated past with Metallica.
Though Ellefson says he has “moved on” from his time in the band and doesn’t obsess over the album, his comments underscore how divided opinions can be — even among those who helped build Megadeth’s sound — over what defines the band’s musical legacy going into its final chapter.
