In a recent interview with Jorge Botas from Portugal's Metal Global, Megadeth bassist James LoMenzo shared exciting news about the band's current endeavors. When asked if they have started working on new material following their 2022 album The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!, LoMenzo confirmed: "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."
Reflecting on the previous album, LoMenzo reminisced about his eagerness to contribute. "When I had just joined the band, they just finished recording it. I begged, I pleaded, I said, 'I know, I know, I know, but could I please play bass on this?' Cause there are a few things I had heard that were so great. And they were, like, 'We've been doing this for two years. We just have to get on the road. It's done.' I was, like, 'All right.' But Steve DiGiorgio – who played bass on The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead' – did an amazing job. I really love the way he played on this. And I enjoy playing his style."
LoMenzo also spoke about the band's newest guitarist, Teemu Mäntysaari, who joined last fall to replace long-time guitarist Kiko Loureiro. "He's good. He's young. He's younger than the rest of us, so he keeps us on our toes. But he's really helpful because he's got a… We've already walked this journey for a while, Dave and I, so to have that kind of fresh blood, that's really… He's very focused. And it's not contagious, 'cause I don't do that, but it's good to have somebody there to kind of corral us old guys into a corner and go, 'Okay, I've worked on this. Are we ready to go?' It's, like, 'Oh, we should work on this now. Okay. Let's go.'"
LoMenzo praised Mäntysaari's readiness and impact on the band during a critical time. "He really helped us out because he came to us at a crucial time where… Kiko, who I adore, could not stay with us due to his family stuff. And that's the most respectful thing I think you can think of is… We all have a life and sometimes it's better to have a life and do your stuff the way you're supposed to, do life right. I've been in and out of bands my whole life, and let me tell you, man, you leave stuff at home, it's there; it's always there. So when Teemu came along, he was the exact right guy we needed. We needed somebody who could just kind of step up and get right in. And he was so crazily prepared."
He emphasized how Mäntysaari's knowledge of new technology has been beneficial for the band's creative process. "To this day, he and I were just working on some music before we started. So, it's great sitting down with him and breaking down things. And he's shown me some new technology that really helps me move things ahead that I wasn't aware of. He's on top of all that stuff."
LoMenzo, who originally played with Megadeth in the mid-2000s and returned as a touring member in 2021, was officially reinstated as a permanent member in May 2022.
