MEGADETH: New Album Title, Record Label Revealed

MEGADETH has set "Super Collider" as the title of its new album, due this June via MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine's new label, Tradecraft, which is distributed by Universal Music Enterprises(UMe).

"It was a real thrill for us to learn there was an opportunity to join Universal," said Mustaine. "It seems like every time you see a great band or music video, it comes from a Universal label.

"Being with Universal is by far the most exciting and prestigious home for MEGADETH ever! We are electrified with what the future holds and the possibilities such a powerhouse like Universal will bring for us all.

"We have worked with some great people over the years, and it is amazing to see so many of them on the Universal team for our new record, 'Super Collider'.

"If MEGADETH being here isn't satiating enough, having Tradecraft as my own label is going to be really amazing for metal bands around the world."

"Super Collider" is being recorded at Mustaine's Vic's Garage studio in San Marcos, California and is MEGADETH's first release its recent split with Roadrunner Records.

"Shawn [Drover, drums], Chris [Broderick, guitar] and David [Ellefson, bass] have all been feverishly contributing some great music and I believe we are doing our best work ever together in the studio right now," Mustaine said.

Speaking to Full Metal Jackie at last month's NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show in Anaheim, California, Mustaine stated about the direction of the band's new material: "[MEGADETH bassist] David Ellefson is one of those guys that's kind of the barometer of the band. You ask me, you never really know what you're gonna get, but when you ask David Ellefson, it's kind of like reading the ingredients on the back of something, 'cause he's such a straight shooter. He told some people the other day that this is music that's really similar to [MEGADETH's 1985 debut album] 'Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!', some of the stuff — really dark, really heavy and fast stuff. I mean, I don't thnk it's really as fast and heavy as 'Killing' is, to me, but Junior is a great, like I said, barometer — bad word, but he knows what's going on."

On the topic of MEGADETH's current label situation, Mustaine said: "We have a new label. We left Roadrunner; we completed our contract with them, which not a lot of many metal bands have the luxury to have been able to complete contracts. They usually either break up or quit or give up and stuff like that, but we were honorable and finished our contract with them and we moved on. And we've actually got a fantastic relationship with a brand new label. We have eleven songs already recorded. We wanna give them thirteen, 'cause, you know, the B-sides and Japanese releases and all that kind of crazy stuff."

"MEGADETH is not just one of the most successful metal bands, but one of the most influential rock bands of the past 30 years," said UMe President/CEO Bruce Resnikoff in making the announcement. "They continue to be a huge draw on the road with their longtime fans as well as continually adding new fans. I look forward to working together with them."

With the recent acquisition of EMI, UMe now brings together MEGADETH's classic, 14-year, seven-album Capitol catalog, which includes one multi-platinum release ('92's "Countdown To Extinction"),four platinum records ('86's "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?"; '88's "So Far, So Good... So What?"; '90's "Rust in Peace"; '94's "Youthanasia"),and one gold ('97's "Cryptic Writings"). In all, the band has scored five U.S. Top 10 albums (including 2007's "United Abominations" and 2009's "Endgame") and two Top 5 releases, with 2011's "TH1RT3EN" debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart.

In a January 24 post on his Facebook page, Ellefson wrote about the recording process for MEGADETH's new album: "Having a great week here at Vic's Garage laying down bass on the new songs. Really some great, great songs taking shape at this point in the recording process. I told Dave [Mustaine] today that one of them totally reminded me of the earliest stuff back when we first met. Fast, ripppin' and fully bringing the REAL old-school MEGADETH sound!!!"

Johnny K produced MEGADETH's last album, 2011's "TH1RT3EN", which was also recorded at Vic's Garage.