Almost a year to the day since their last visit to Quebec, California metal band Megadeth are back in La Belle province with stops at the Videotron Center and Place Bell in Laval. Here are five things you should know about the Wednesday and Thursday shows.
A 16th work
On September 2nd, The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! is the band’s 16th studio album, released in 1983. Megadeth hadn’t released any new material since the opus Dystopia, which came out in winter 2016. This album is the result of two years of work with recording sessions in 2019. We find a presence of the rapper Ice-T on the track Night Stalkers. The 12-track album marks a comeback for the former Metallica founding member’s lineup.
Healing of Mustaine
The 61-year-old singer and guitarist was diagnosed with throat cancer in May 2019. A cancer was discovered during a visit to the dentist. His battle with the disease, which he won in October of that year, prompted him to monitor his diet closely. This illness led to the fact that the musician had a different attitude to life.
Traveling
The Crush the World Tour kicked off on April 26th at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington. This show was followed by seven concerts in Canada with stops in British Columbia, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Hamilton and Ottawa. After Quebec and Laval, Dave Mustaine, James LoMenzo, Kiko Loureiro and Dirk Verbeuren will perform in Moncton and Halifax, returning to American territory for two concerts before flying to Europe for a series of concerts, including a stop at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany.
At the door
David Ellefson, who served as the original line-up’s bassist until 2002, had a second stint in the line-up beginning in 2010. Dave Mustaine showed him the way out in spring 2021 after allegations of sexual misconduct towards a minor, which he denied. The bass sounds he recorded for The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! were reworked by bassist Steve Di Giorgio of California band Testament. Ellefson is replaced on stage by James LoMenzo (64), who was part of White Lion.
In the first part
Groups Oni and Bullet for My Valentine will open for Megadeth in Quebec and Laval. ONI is a Canadian prog metal band, born in Ontario in 2014, with two albums to their credit. English quartet Bullet for My Valentine, who released an album bearing the Welsh group’s name in 2021, have visited Quebec several times since forming in 1998.