“I’ve always listened to the suggestions of the people I work with. It doesn’t mean I do what they say, but I listen”: How Symphony Of Destruction turned Megadeth from tech-thrashers to Platinum-selling sensation

Megadeth in 1991.

Near the end of 1991 – just months after Megadeth’s latest album, Rust In Peace, earned the band their third Gold record – singer/guitarist Dave Mustaine sent demos of several new songs to the band’s record company. The group were scheduled to track their fifth album with producer Max Norman (Ozzy Osbourne, Death Angel) shortly after New Year’s Day, and the label wanted to make sure they were ready.

“I don’t know that I was there when this happened,” Dave says, “but [then-bassist David] Ellefson said that they said we needed a couple more songs – more songs, better songs, longer songs, I don’t know.”