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

Dirk Verbeuren, drummer for the iconic heavy metal band Megadeth, expressed his enthusiasm for frontman Dave Mustaine's recent efforts in starting work on new material for a follow-up to their latest album, The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!. In an interview with Portugal's Look Mag, Verbeuren conveyed his eagerness to dive back into the old creative process. He is particularly excited about collaborating with new guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari, who joined the band last September, and bassist James LoMenzo, who has a rich history with Megadeth.

In fact, LoMenzo confirmed in early July that "We're actively working on music right now."

In his own interview, Verbeuren believed the new lineup will bring fresh energy and ideas to the band’s upcoming projects. Reflecting on the creation of The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!, Verbeuren shared insights into the collaborative nature of the band’s songwriting process. Mustaine, known for his strong leadership in the band, encouraged contributions from all members.

As Mustaine put it: "You know what? If I'm in a band, and they write a song that's a massive hit, how stupid would I be to say no?"

Megadeth's Dave Mustaine is collaborative

According to Verbeuren, Mustaine welcomed ideas from the beginning, whether they were guitar riffs, drum patterns, or lyrics. This open-minded approach allowed band members to submit their ideas into shared folders, which Mustaine would review. If something resonated with him, the band would work on it together.

This method led to the inclusion of significant contributions from then-guitarist Kiko Loureiro and Verbeuren himself, with songs like "Night Stalkers" and "Life In Hell" emerging from these collaborative efforts. Verbeuren also touched on Mustaine's practice of revisiting old riffs from his extensive archive, which dates back to the 1980s. Mustaine's treasure trove of recorded material has served as a wellspring of inspiration for the band, with some riffs from as far back as 1984 being reworked into newer tracks like "We'll Be Back," a single from The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!.

How new members impact the Megadeth sound

Discussing his own influence on the album, Verbeuren emphasized his respect for Megadeth's signature sound. He aimed to honor the legacy of former drummers like Nick Menza and Gar Samuelson while still injecting his own style into the music. He said in the past: "I discovered [Megadeth] when Gar Samuelson was still the drummer. And he had a very unique style of playing that really stood out for me. It was unlike any of the other bands in the genre, and so I really liked that."

Verbeuren adapted his drumming to align with Megadeth’s established sound, while also infusing his own ideas and playing style, which he hopes fans will recognize as a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation.

He also has had kind words to say about Megadeth's bassist: "James and I both happened to get to the first rehearsal early, so we decided to jam on a few songs. It all just clicked. Playing together felt natural and easy. James is really, really good at what he does, not only as a bass player but as a vocalist as well. He’s honed his craft playing alongside some of the biggest artist[s] in rock and metal."

Album succcess

The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead! achieved commercial success, debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart with 48,000 equivalent album units sold in its first week. This marked the band's eighth album to break into the top 10 on the chart. The album's success added to Megadeth's impressive track record, which includes previous top 10 entries such as 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 influence in the heavy metal scene is undeniable, with albums considered every bit as iconic as Black Sabbath's Paranoid. Formed in 1983 by Dave Mustaine after his departure from Metallica, the band quickly made a name for itself with its aggressive, technically proficient style of thrash metal. Their 1990 album Rust In Peace is often hailed as one of the greatest thrash metal albums of all time, featuring complex compositions and politically charged lyrics.

This album, along with the critically acclaimed Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? (1986), helped establish Megadeth as one of the "Big Four" of thrash metal, alongside Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax. Over the years, Megadeth has released a string of successful albums, earning multiple platinum certifications and a Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" in 2017 for the title track of their album Dystopia.

Despite lineup changes and challenges, the band has remained a significant force in the metal world, consistently evolving while staying true to their thrash metal roots.

Touring and the new guitarist

The band has embarked on the "Destroy All Enemies" tour across North America, with dates scheduled from August through September. The tour, produced by Live Nation, sees Megadeth performing alongside Mudvayne and All That Remains, bringing their relentless energy to cities like Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Boston, and St. Louis.

Teemu Mäntysaari, the new guitarist, brings his own impressive pedigree to the band, and he likes the challenge of stepping "out of [his] comfort zone" to approximate the demanding and unique styles of the band's previous guitarists.

Born in Tampere, Finland, Mäntysaari began playing guitar at the age of 12 and joined the band Wintersun in 2004. He has also been a member of Smackbound since 2015. Mäntysaari made his live debut with Megadeth on September 6, 2023, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and has since become an integral part of the band's current lineup.

As Megadeth continues to push forward, fans eagerly await the next chapter in the band’s storied career, anticipating new music that will undoubtedly carry on the legacy of one of heavy metal's most influential acts. As LoMenzo said in July of 2024: "We’re actively working on music right now. In a way — well, it is; it’s a new band at this point. It’s a new version of Megadeth, as if nobody expected that coming. We’re talking with Dave every day. Dave really wants to do another record and just get something fresh out there."