DAVID ELLEFSON Reveals Which MEGADETH Song Is The Hardest On Bass

David Ellefson played bass on almost every Megadeth record, so the dude knows a thing or two about which songs are difficult.

In an interview with Monsters, Madness and Magic, Ellefson named "Holy Wars… The Punishment Due" off Rust In Peace as the the most difficult one to play. Ellefson also recalls opening with the song back in the '90s, adding that he couldn't wait for the flamenco guitar break toward the middle pretty much every night.

"When we used to come out and start with it, back in the '90s, like with the Rust In Peace or something, I think we started with it at the time, and it was, like, 'Oh my God. This is a fucking killer to come out of the gate with this one.' You were kind of waiting for the little break where Marty does the flamenco thing, so you can go, 'Ah,' and shake it off. 'Cause if you tense up, you get the Popeye arm."

Ellefson also joked that every Megadeth song is "hard if you play 'em right, is the truth, because they're fast." Ellefson played bass for Megadeth between 1983 and 2002, and then again between 2010 and 2021. Megadeth has still not yet announced a permanent replacement for Ellefson, though they did recruit Steve Di Giorgio (Testament, ex-Death) for the new record.