Megadeth Offshoot Kings of Thrash Unleash 'Lockdown'

05-16-2025

(OMG) Kings of Thrash, the acclaimed union of Megadeth alumni David Ellefson (bass) and Jeff Young (guitar), plus Chaz Leon (vocals, guitar) and Dead Groove/BulletBoys drummer Fred Aching, with special guest (and fellow ex-Megadeth-er) Chris Poland, return to the fray with a stunning new single, and a dramatic shift in attitude, too.

The band, after all, is most renowned as the sonic spark that detonated one of the recent past's most incendiary live albums, the mighty The Mega Years reinvention of Megadeth's first and three studio LPs, Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good (1985) and So Far, So Good...So What? (1988), plus highlights from the intervening Peace Sells...But Who's Buying! (1986). The albums, in other words, upon which the entire thrash metal genre was built and defined in the first place.

As guitarist Young put it at the outset of the continent-devouring Mega Years tour, "The mission here is to bring a connection of goodwill through the music, with a collaboration of musicians and friends in our community. Our thrash tribe casts a wide net to give people hope in a time when they're looking for something positive and uplifting. What better way than to do that than through the music which has become the soundtrack to our lives."

Released today, the new single "Lockdown," however, sees the Kings of Thrash step out of the shadow of their old band, while both maintaining, and even amplifying all the qualities that made those albums so wildly influential.

A brand new Kings of Thrash original, "'Lockdown' has it all," confirms guitarist Poland. "Great riffs. A super catchy chorus. And a rhythm section that is locked up tight"! And I'm honored to have been invited to be a part of it.