Following on from 2022’s The Sick, The Dying and The Dead, American thrash metal band Megadeth are back in the studio working on a new album.

Frontman Dave Mustaine is already working on the album in the studio, shortly to be followed by his bandmates.

Via X, Mustaine released an update, writing: “Right now I’m in the studio working with Chris Rakestraw. And everybody else is gone. Teemu [Mäntysaari, guitars] is in Switzerland and James [LoMenzo, bass] and Dirk [Verbeuren, drums] are in Los Angeles”.

He added: “So it’s just me here by myself with Chris. And Chris leaves tomorrow to go on a vacation, and I’m working up to the last second today to get as much done as I can before he takes off because we won’t be starting again until he returns somewhere around New Year’s Day.

“And at that point, it’s only a matter of a couple weeks before everybody converges on to the studio. And for that I’m pumped. And you guys are gonna be excited.”

This news comes after another update was shared by Mäntysaari. He stated that he and Mustaine had been working on new music during the holiday period.

Via Metal Injection, he commented: “So Dave is in the studio in Nashville, and I’ve been working from home, and now from the vacation location where we are with the family.

“But I’m working a little bit every day. And just today I was working on some solo ideas, and [I am] talking with Dave on the phone every day and doing Zoom meetings and exchanging ideas. So, there’s progress every day, which is nice.

“I feel really good about the album. We have already so many good ideas. I think it’s gonna be a great one.”

The upcoming album will be Mäntysaari’s studio debut with Megadeth, following the replacement of Kiko Loureiro.