New blood, new sound: Drummer Dirk Verbeuren on Megadeth’s exciting future

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As a devoted fan of Megadeth since the early days of “Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?”, I can’t help but feel a surge of excitement as I follow the band’s latest journey. With the addition of Teemu Mäntysaari to the lineup, it feels like we’re witnessing a new era for this iconic group. It’s akin to watching Dave Mustaine assemble the perfect metal puzzle piece by piece.

Dirk Verbeuren, drummer for the legendary heavy metal group Megadeth, showed his excitement about frontman Dave Mustaine’s recent endeavors in beginning work on new material for a sequel to their latest album, The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!. In an interview with Portugal’s Look Mag, Verbeuren shared his anticipation to rejoin the creative process. He is especially looking forward to teaming up with the band’s latest guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari, who joined last September, and bassist James LoMenzo, who has a deep-rooted history with Megadeth.

In fact, LoMenzo confirmed in early July that “We’re actively working on music right now.”

In an interview, Verbeuren expressed confidence that the revamped lineup would infuse fresh vigor and innovative thoughts into the band’s future endeavors. Recollecting the creation of “The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!“, Verbeunter offered insights into the collaborative methodology behind the band’s songwriting, with Mustaine, who is well-known for his leadership within the group, fostering input from each member.

In essence, Mustaine stated something like this: “If I’m part of a group, and they compose a song that becomes incredibly popular, wouldn’t it be rather foolish of me to refuse participating in its success?”

Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine is collaborative

As per Verbeuren, Mustaine was receptive from the get-go, accepting suggestions that ranged from guitar melodies, rhythmic drum patterns, to lyrical ideas. His open-minded attitude facilitated the submission of these ideas into collective folders, which he would scrutinize. If a concept struck a chord with him, they’d collaborate on it as a band.

In the creative process, Kiko Loureiro and I myself made substantial contributions to our music, resulting in songs such as “Night Stalkers” and “Life In Hell”. Collaboratively, we delved into the practice of revisiting old riffs from a vast archive that dates back to the 1980s, an approach pioneered by Mustaine. This rich repository of recorded material has been a constant source of inspiration for our band, with some riffs as old as 1984 being reinvented and incorporated into newer tracks like “We’ll Be Back”, a single from The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!. (As a fan, it’s fascinating to see the evolution of our music!)

How new members impact the Megadeth sound

Speaking about his impact on the album, Verbeuren highlighted his admiration for Megadeth’s distinct musical identity. His goal was to pay tribute to the history of past drummers such as Nick Menza and Gar Samuelson, while simultaneously infusing his own flair into the tracks. In the past, he has mentioned: “I became a fan of [Megadeth] when Gar Samuelson was still on drums. His unique playing style really caught my attention. It was unlike any other band in the genre at that time, and I admired it greatly.”

Verbeuren tailored his drumming to match Megadeth’s signature rhythm, yet intertwined his unique thoughts and techniques, aspiring that listeners would discern a delightful fusion of classic and modern elements.

“James and I arrived early for our first rehearsal together, so we took the opportunity to play a few songs. It turned out great; our chemistry was fantastic. Playing with him felt effortless and comfortable. James is exceptionally skilled at his craft, not just as a bassist but also as a vocalist. His talent shines even more after working alongside some of rock and metal’s most prominent artists.”

Album succcess

The band’s latest album, “The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!”, garnered commercial success, making its debut at the third spot on the Billboard 200 chart with a total of 48,000 equivalent album units sold in its first week. This achievement marked their eighth album to enter the top 10 of the chart. The album’s impressive sales further boosted Megadeth’s distinguished career, with previous top 10 hits including “Countdown to Extinction” (No. 2, 1992), “Youthanasia” (No. 4, 1994), “Cryptic Writings” (No. 10, 1997), and “Dystopia” (No. 3, 2016).

More about Megadeth

Megadeth’s impact on the heavy metal genre is indisputable, with their albums being just as iconic as Black Sabbath’s ‘Paranoid’. Founded in 1983 by Dave Mustaine following his exit from Metallica, the band swiftly gained recognition for its fierce, technically skilled brand of thrash metal. Their 1990 album, ‘Rust In Peace’, is frequently praised as one of the best thrash metal albums ever made, boasting intricate compositions and politically charged lyrics.

As a longtime fan of heavy metal music, I can attest to Megadeth’s significant impact on the genre and its enduring legacy. Growing up in the ’80s, I vividly remember the release of their critically acclaimed album “Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?” (1986) and how it helped establish them as one of the “Big Four” of thrash metal, alongside Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax. Over the years, Megadeth has consistently released a string of successful albums, earning multiple platinum certifications and even scoring a Grammy Award for “Best Metal Performance” in 2017 for the title track of their album “Dystopia.” Their music has been an integral part of my life, providing a soundtrack to many important moments and serving as a source of inspiration for countless others. In my opinion, Megadeth’s influence on heavy metal is undeniable, and they will continue to be celebrated by fans for generations to come.

Regardless of personnel shifts and obstacles, this band continues to exert a considerable influence within the realm of metal music, continually adapting yet maintaining its core thrash metal identity.

Touring and the new guitarist

The band is currently on the “Destroy All Enemies” tour across North America, which spans from August to September. This tour, produced by Live Nation, features Megadeth playing alongside Mudvayne and All That Remains. They’re bringing their non-stop energy to cities such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Boston, and St. Louis.

Teemu Mäntysaari, the latest addition to the band, boasts an impressive background, and he relishes the opportunity to venture beyond his usual comfort to emulate the challenging and distinct playing styles of the band’s former guitarists.

From Tampere, Finland, Mäntysaari picked up the guitar at age 12 and joined the group Wintersun in 2004. Since 2015, he’s been a member of Smackbound too. In September 2023, he made his live debut with Megadeth in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and has since solidified his position as a key contributor to the band’s current roster.

With Megadeth still moving forward, fans are excitedly looking towards the next stage in this iconic band’s career, hoping for new tunes that will continue the legacy of one of heavy metal’s most groundbreaking groups. As LoMenzo stated in July 2024: “We’re currently developing music at present. In a sense, yes – it is; we’re essentially a revamped Megadeth now. It’s a fresh take on the band, something unexpected by many. We’re in regular communication with Dave, who is eager to work on another album and release something new.”

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2024-08-19 15:01