Megadeth Name Touring Replacement for David Ellefson

After dismissing longtime bassist David Ellefson earlier this year, Megadeth are welcoming the return of bassist James LoMenzo to their lineup for their upcoming tour.

LoMenzo previously played in Megadeth from 2006 to 2010 and recorded their United Abominations and Endgame albums with them. The band will be embarking on what they’ve dubbed The Metal Tour of the Year, alongside Lamb of God, Trivium, and Hatebreed, later this month.

“I’m super stoked to be rejoining Megadeth for the upcoming Metal Tour of the Year,” LoMenzo said in a statement. “There are no better fans than Megadeth fans, I can’t wait to get out there and shred some Megadeth music with you all.”

“I’m happy to announce that former bassist and Megadeth alumni James LoMenzo has graciously stepped in on the Metal Tour of The Year,” frontman Dave Mustaine said. “Tour rehearsals just began, and we cannot wait to start crushing North America.”

The band is currently working on a new album and have said that it will feature a bassist other than Ellefson; it did not confirm whether LoMenzo would be that bassist. The tour will kick off in Austin on August 20th and work its way around North America before ending in Quebec City in October.

In May, Megadeth announced they were “officially parting ways” with Ellefson — who was a band member from 1983 to 2002 and again from 2010 until this year — after sexually explicit video of him appeared online. At the time, rumors spread that he had been grooming a fan, but Ellefson denied those claims and filed a police report alleging revenge porn to defend himself.

“While we do not know every detail of what occurred, with an already strained relationship, what has already been revealed now is enough to make working together impossible moving forward,” Mustaine said at the time. “We look forward to seeing our fans on the road this summer, and we cannot wait to share our brand-new music with the world. It is almost complete.”

“Recently, a very private video was illegally posted on the internet and false allegations were made against me,” Ellefson told IndieLand at the time. “The actions in the video were between two consenting adults and were recorded without my knowledge. I am working with Scottsdale Police Department in their investigation into charges regarding revenge pornography to be filed against the person who posted this video. Also, my lawyers are preparing a defamation lawsuit to be filed against this person. This person will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”