MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine has issued the following update:

"As we near the time where all of our gear will be returning from [the recently completed 'Priest Feast' [European tour with JUDAS PRIEST and TESTAMENT], I can't help but get excited about picking up [with the recording of the new MEGADETH album] where we left off. Andy [Sneap, producer] and I are on track to start back up on [April] 11th or so, with the first order being setting up all of the gear again, now that it has all been moved and new gear has been received. For example: I have just received all of the stunning Marshall 1960 DM cabinets, and I also got one of the new Randy Rhoads Marshalls to use for my lead solos. I am pumped about this!! I have also decided on one section having a slight rhythm change, the two songs James [Lomenzo, bass] wants to change, another song with a modulation in it, and extending one song by just a small length of time. I am really excited about some of the lyrics I have got for this record too.

"So far I have six songs done with lyrics and I of course will make some changes; the opening song (which is an instrumental like the opener on 'So Far, So Good, So What?!'), followed by three others, and then I have had a little writer's block on the next two because I have been waiting for the other guys to come up with lyrics for them. James has informed me that he has a song that I gave him some inspiration on done, called 'El Pistolero Solo', of a lone gunman and his last days. I have also gotten a real charge out of watching the guitarists this last weekend at the [Musikmesse fair in Frankfurt Germany] and especially the Marshall dinner, because I NEVER sit down and watch anyone play. I was really having a lot of fun; watching the casual attitude of the bands along with the drive that they had to play was really good for me. I thought that the Chris George band that Marshall had play for them was really cool.

"It's always cool to see some motivational playing that gets you in the mood. Watching Doug Aldrich [WHITESNAKE, ex-DIO] play when Chris George was sitting back was great too, and the drummer was from another planet. He was the drummer from the great French band TRUST, which reminds me, what happened to my friend Morgan Rivalin this last trip to Paris? Oh well, I will just have to wait to hear from him."

Tentatively due on September 1 via Roadrunner Records, MEGADETH's forthcoming LP will be the group's first with guitarist Chris Broderick, who replaced Glen Drover at the end of 2007.

The recording process for MEGADETH's twelfth studio album began on January 7 at the band's own Vic's Garage studio in San Marcos, California.

The CD is once again being helmed by British producer Andy "Undie" Sneap (ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE, EXODUS, MACHINE HEAD), who worked with MEGADETH on the band's last album, "United Abominations", which came out in May 2007 via Roadrunner.