MEGADETH's 'Gigantour' To Be Re-Launched With MOTRHEAD, VOLBEAT, LACUNA COIL

MEGADETH is excited to re-launch for the first time since 2008 its critically acclaimed package festival Gigantour. The multi-artist bill with metal heavyweights MOTRHEAD, VOLBEAT and LACUNA COIL all personally picked by MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine will kick off in early 2012 with dates tentatively set for late January through early March.

Conceived in 2005, Gigantour proclaimed "the mother of all shred fests" by Revolver magazine resurrects metal's focus on stellar musicianship.

The third installment of the North American Gigantour officially launched on April 12, 2008 in Denver, Colorado with headliner MEGADETH, Swedish metal band IN FLAMES, Finland's CHILDREN OF BODOM, Arizona's modern extreme act JOB FOR A COWBOY and Oakland, California heavy power trio HIGH ON FIRE. The 29-date trek criss-crossed North America and wrapped May 22, 2008 in Phoenix, Arizona.

The "Gigantour 2" DVD and CD, which contains footage from the second coming of Gigantour, arrived on April 22, 2008 via Image Entertainment.

MEGADETH filmed a video on September 17 in Santa Clarita, California for the band's the new single, "Public Enemy No. 1". The clip was shot on a movie set where old Westerns are filmed. Bassist David Ellefson states in a video message (see below),"We have never shot a video like this before; theres actually animals in the movie and that's all we can say."

"Public Enemy No. 1" was released last week digitally via iTunes. The song comes off MEGADETH's new album, "TH1RT3EN", which is scheduled for release on November 1 via Roadrunner Records. The CD was recorded at MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine's Vic's Garage studio in San Marcos, California with producer Johnny K (full name: John Karkazis),who has previously worked with DISTURBED, SEVENDUST, MACHINE HEAD and STAIND, among others. The artwork was once again created by artist John Lorenzi, who worked on the last two MEGADETH studio albums, 2007's "United Abominations" and 2009's "Endgame", as well as the band's 2007 box set, "Warchest".

"TH1RT3EN" marks the recorded return of bassist David Ellefson who was part of the band's classic lineup from 1983 to 2002. In a move that delighted the band's legion of diehards, Ellefson returned to performing live with MEGADETH in early 2010 and has remained a fixture on the stage ever since. This is the first time Ellefson has played on a MEGADETH record since 2002's "Rude Awakening".