David Ellefson and Jeff Young to play classic Megadeth albums in their entirety on tour this fall

David Ellefson (left) and Jeff Young
(Image credit: Roberto Finizio/NurPhoto via Getty Images, Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Image)

Two former members of Megadeth, bass guitar player David Ellefson and electric guitar man Jeff Young, have formed a new group called the Kings of Thrash.

Under this name, Ellefson and Young – joined by drummer Fred Aching and guitarist/vocalist Chaz Leon – will perform both Megadeth's 1985 debut album, Killing is My Business…and Business is Good!, and their 1988 album, So Far, So Good…So What!, in their entirety on select dates this fall.

Having served as Megadeth's bassist from 1983 to 2002, and then again from 2010 up until his firing last year – after a series of intimate videos and conversations featuring Ellefson and a teenaged fan were leaked on Twitter – Ellefson played on both albums, while Young, who served as the band's lead guitarist from 1987 to 1989, played on the latter.

During the shows that have been announced to date, the Kings of Thrash will also be joined by another former Megadeth axeslinger, Chris Poland, who played on the band's first two albums and their 2004 LP, The System Has Failed.

The poster for the forthcoming Kings of Thrash tour

(Image credit: Press)

Only four dates of the Kings of Thrash 'The MEGA Years' tour have been announced as of press time. You can see the group's provisional itinerary below.

The shows aren't the only plans Ellefson has on his plate, though. Just two weeks ago, the bassist announced the formation of a new group called Dieth, comprised of himself, former Entombed A.D. guitarist Guilherme Miranda, guitarist Michał Grall and former Decapitated drummer Michal Łysejko.

In tandem with the announcement of their formation, the Poland-based group released their debut single, the appropriately thrashy In the Hall of the Hanging Serpents.

For more info on the shows, visit the official Kings of Thrash website.

The Kings of Thrash 2022 tour dates:

10/12: San Diego, CA – Brick by Brick
10/13: Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom
10/14: Las Vegas, NV – The Space
10/15: West Hollywood, CA – The Whisky a Go-Go

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Jackson Maxwell

Jackson is an Associate Editor at GuitarWorld.com. He’s been writing and editing stories about new gear, technique and guitar-driven music both old and new since 2014, and has also written extensively on the same topics for Guitar Player. Elsewhere, his album reviews and essays have appeared in Louder and Unrecorded. Though open to music of all kinds, his greatest love has always been indie, and everything that falls under its massive umbrella. To that end, you can find him on Twitter crowing about whatever great new guitar band you need to drop everything to hear right now.