A new snippet demo version of the song "Conquest" from the soundtrack to the upcoming long-awaited Nick Menza documentary film "This Was My Life: The Story Of Nick Menza", can be heard in the YouTube clip below.
"Conquest" features heavy razor sharp guitar riffs / solos and aggressive bass by Austrian guitarist, composer, and session musician Bernth Brodträger with thunderous drumming with double bass drum attack from Nick Menza.
The "This Was My Life: The Story Of Nick Menza" documentary soundtrack will deliver a very diverse posthumous album worth of heavy music. The LP will now consist of 13 tracks from unearthed and previously unreleased drum riffs the late Megadeth drummer recorded for a project he assembled in 2013 called The Atomic Disintegrators and is believed to be some of the final studio drum recordings of Menza before he tragically passed away 2016. Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson played on a few of the tracks and is also served as executive producer for the project.
"Conquest" was written and composer by guitarist Bernth Brodträger and it's known to be the heaviest drum material Menza recorded three years before his tragic death. Collaborating musicians who participated in writing and recording process for the "This Was My Life: The Story Of Nick Menza" documentary soundtrack are as follows:
* David Ellefson (Megadeth)
* Steve Digiorgio (Testament)
* Rob Cavestany (Death Angel)
* Lars Frederiksen (Rancid)
* Andy Martongelli (Ellefson-Soto)
* Dino Jelusick (Trans-Siberian Orchestra)
* Bernth Brodträger (Solo Artist)
* Dave Linsk (Overkill)
* Michael Gilbert (Flotsam And Jetsam)
* John Howard (Threat Signal)
* James Macdonough (Iced Earth)
* Ilias Papadakis (Memorain)
* Chris Valagao (Zimmers Hole)
* Davor Garasic (Sufosia)
* David Corral (L.A. Calling)
* Stephanie Jayne (Solo Artist)
* Marialena Trikoglou (Solo Artist)
13 songs have since been completed and will be available in the upcoming feature-length documentary film and to be later released under The Atomic Disintegrators moniker.
Ellefson recently successfully completed the narration for "This Was My Life: The Story of Nick Menza". Executive producer, director and editor Holly Mollohan from the West Virginia-based Screaming Butterfly Entertainment is currently in the studio editing the film's official trailer.
"This Was My Life: The Story of Nick Menza" will be released later this year. Menza's longtime personal manager Robert Bolger stated: "Going through all of Nick's personal and private VHS tape collection, photos and audio files was by far the best part of making this documentary. There's so much material I went through, listening to all the unreleased drum tracks, gathering all the footage from the live shows, backstage, on the tour bus, in the studio, fans and the interviews was an absolute amazing task piecing everything together. What amazing life Nick lived and a legacy he left behind."
Ellefson previously stated about his involvement with the film: "The making of the Nick Menza documentary has been such a joy for all of us, like a sort of MEGA family reunion where we shared stories, laughs and even a few tears around Nick and what he meant to so many of us. I think this film and soundtrack will touch the hearts of the fans and viewers in the same way, as we remember his larger-than-life character behind the drum kit, but also his lovable charm and warmth that made him the beloved one of a treasured musical legacy."
The Menza family previously stated: "We are excited for the fans to see the life Nick lived before, during, and after Megadeth, it was quite the journey. Stay tuned for an epic documentary. As Nick would say, 'It's gonna be RAD."
"This Was My Life" will be the first-ever film to memorialize Menza's legacy and celebrate his life exactly how it was. It is described in a press release as "an unflinching exploration into the life of one of the most successful thrash-metal drummers of all time, authorized by the Menza family. From his childhood all the way through to the end of his life including a true blow-by-blow account of the repeated failed attempts of the classic 'Rust In Peace' lineup."
"This Was My Life" will feature rare and never-before-seen photos and video footage from Nick's archived VHS tape collection, personally filmed by Menza himself from 1988 through 1991. Included will be exclusive content showcasing Nick working at the studio, personal home movies, casual time and party time with his fellow bandmembers, as well as other well-known artists of the era that Nick toured with.
"This Was My Life" will include interviews with the Menza family and close friends, and former Megadeth members Chris Poland, Jeff Young, former LAMB OF GOD/Megadeth drummer Chris Adler, former Megadeth tour manager Skip Rickert, Nick's drum tech Rob Corsie, legendary rock and roll photographer Gene Kirkland, film director, late metal historian, journalist and filmmaker Bob Nalbandian, James Rota and Emily Burton of FIREBALL MINISTRY, Terri Evans, Peter Flyn, John "Gumby" Goodwin, Bert Wolf, David Randi, Rob Schaefer, Juan "Nico" Alvarez, Robertino "Pag" Pagliari, Iki Levy of Soultone cymbals, and David Corral of L.A. CALLING.
Late in the evening on May 21, 2016, Nick collapsed behind his drum kit after suffering a heart attack during a concert with Chris Poland and Robertino "Pag" Pagliari in their band OHM: at The Baked Potato in Studio City, California and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said Menza died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Menza rightfully earned his place as heavy metal's fiercest drummer during Megadeth's 10-year peak at the top. The highlight of his career, Nick said, was playing Rock In Rio before more than 100,000 people. The lowest point was being fired by Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine while he was still in a hospital bed after surgery to remove what doctors feared was a cancerous growth.
The cover photo for the film was shot by Los Angeles music photographer Alex Solca and designed by Brazilian artwork designer Alcides Burn of
Burn Artworks.
