Megadeth Reveals David Ellefson’s Permanent Replacement After 2021 Exit

Almost a year after David Ellefson stepped back from Megadeth, the band has finally found a permanent replacement for the musician, as revealed in a recent statement posted online.

According to Banana 101.5, the legendary group took to their social media accounts to share an important announcement, saying bassist James LoMenzo is officially a permanent member of the band.

"LoMenzo was Megadeth's bass player in the mid-2000s and recently stepped back in as a touring member for The Metal Tour of the Year. LoMenzo now officially re-joins the Megadeth family," the statement reads.

Dave Mustaine shared his sentiments over the latest move, saying he's thrilled to welcome back their old pal as he initially re-joined them as a touring bassist, and it's been a "blast" having him back, so they thought of making it permanent.

Speaking about his experience of returning to the band, LoMenzo said he's excited to work again with his bandmates and move forward into the band's next phase.

"With Dave, Kiko and Dirk there's no stopping us! It just feels great to be home again," he added.

The bassist returned to the band in August 2021 to be a part of their tour.

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Initially, LoMenzo wasn't supposed to play for Megadeth, but John Fogerty, who has employed him for almost a decade, allowed him to take time off to work with his old bandmates.

"Dave's management reached out at first to see if I'd even be available, which I really wasn't, but after a call with Dave I realized how important for Megadeth and even for myself this would be," LoMenzo revealed in an interview last year.

He didn't have much time back then, and he knew it would be "a crunch." However, since he was a part of the band before, "the re-learning curve" was easy for him.

The musician was able to perform with the band during their first leg of touring; he later returned for the second leg earlier this year.

Even though he's currently a member, it's unlikely for him to be a part of the band's highly-anticipated album.

After Ellefson's exit, the group had already re-recorded the bass part with the help of Steve DiGiorgio.

The band is gearing up today as they're set to embark on a European tour this June. They'll return to the United States in August to perform along with Five Finger Death Punch.

More information about the official tour dates can be found on their official website.

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