Ahead of the Kings Of Thrash Australian tour - which will feature the band playing two Megadeth albums back to back - bassist David Ellefson spoke with Sense Music Media. He opened up about leaving Megadeth, and discussed Pantera as well as the recent death of founding drummer Lee Rauch. Check out the interview below.
Ellefson: "I knew that when I came back to Megadeth in 2010, I saved their fucking ass, because there was no one else who was gonna be playing Rust In Peace (in its entirety on tour), and it was a perfect setup for that. And, after 11, almost 12 years there, if that journey's over, well, move on. I didn't sit around and lick my wounds and cry. I'm not making a career now of throwing rocks at them. It's, like, why? Just fucking move on, man.
I had a lot of really wonderful supporters. I think the other reality of it is a lot of people kind of (said), 'Oh, shit, that could happen to any of us...' Some related thing like that, the sort of celebrity shaming and all this kind of shit. Look, you live, you learn, you move on."
Death thrash force Dieth - featuring Grammy Award winning bassist David Ellefson, Swedish Grammy nominated guitarist/vocalist Guilherme Miranda (ex-Entombed A.D.) and drummer Michał Łysejko (ex-Decapitated) - will release their debut full-length, To Hell And Back, this Friday, June 2 via Napalm Records.
The band recently released their new single and bassist David Ellefson's first ever solo lead vocal performance of his career, "Walk With Me Forever". The touching ballad holds very special meaning on this US Memorial Day week, as it explores the intense loss of a loved one and their memory providing the strength to carry on.
The track's haunting accompanying music video, also out today, shows David Ellefson narrating a story of love and loss, directed by Oskar Szramka and starring notable Polish actors Jan Napieralski and Agnieszka Goździewicz.
Ellefson states about the track: "We've all experienced loss and grief at some point in our life, and this song expresses that feeling as well as the gratitude we find when accepting, letting go and carrying the beauty of that person's life with us as we move on."
Watch the music video for "Walk With Me Forever":
Dieth marks the exciting resurgence of three renowned musicians, coming together as a new musical force after years of silence. Produced by Dieth with mixing and mastering by Tomasz Zed Zalewski at Zed Studios in Chechło, Poland, To Hell And Back represents new beginnings - musically, lyrically and for the band members themselves.
Weaving a sinister thread of unrelenting tech-steeped death metal, rapid thrash bangers and even boasting the first ever lead vocal performance by David Ellefson on a track, the members of Dieth have pushed beyond the stereotypes of their former genres to create an unexpected yet charismatic and dynamic new sonic footprint.
Opening with an entrancing acoustic introduction, first track “To Hell And Back” quickly slams in with a punishing death metal attack. Tracks like “Dead Inside” and “Don’t Get Mad … Get Even!” showcase the thrash-infused side of Dieth, while death metal anthems such as “Wicked Disdain” and “The Mark of Cain” lean diabolical with hair-raising solos and breakneck paced rhythms backed by crushing walls of aggression. Standout “Free Us All” flirts with the record’s pace by blending winding passages and aggression with throwback bass-driven interludes with psychedelic production, followed by “Heavy Is The Crown” - a slow and low grinder featuring stoner metal groove, a swaying chorus and a blues-infused solo. Pensive, powerful ballad “Walk With Me Forever” showcases David Ellefson’s lead vocal performance debut, singing about the intense loss of a loved one and their memory providing the strength to carry on.
Ending with intensely beautiful “Severance”, To Hell And Back proves that Dieth isn’t just another side project or “supergroup”, but rather the collective reincarnation of three renowned heavy metal forces who, by harnessing their own pain and conflict, have delivered an exciting next chapter no metal fan will want to miss!
David Ellefson says about the new album: "This album has been a terrific collaboration, building upon our past as we created a new sound together... we're looking forward to unleashing the fury!"
To Hell And Back tracklisting:
"To Hell And Back"
"Don't Get Mad ... Get Even!"
"Wicked Disdain"
"Free Us All"
"Heavy Is The Crown"
"Walk With Me Forever"
"Dead Inside"
"The Mark Of Cain"
"In The Hall Of The Hanging Serpents"
"Severance"
"Don't Get Mad ... Get Even!" video:
"To Hell And Back" video:
"In The Hall Of The Hanging Serpents" video:
Live dates:
July
6-8 - Velke Mezirici, Czech Republic - Fajtfest
August
3-5 - Vagos, Portugal - Vagos Metal Fest
20 - Carhaix, France - Motorcultor Festival
Dieth is:
Guilherme Miranda - Vocals/Guitar
David Ellefson - Bass
Michał Łysejko - Drums
(Photo - Maciej Pieloch)
