Having made a name for himself as a founding member of Megadeth, and having played on what is considered the best album in the band’s catalogue to date, Rust In Peace, bassist David Ellefson set himself up for a truckload of negativity when he officially launched F5 in 2005. Beyond his name there was nothing to connect the two bands, with Ellefson trading up his thrash roots for a modern-edged radio metal sound on the F5 debut, A Drug For All Seasons. It was far from being the disaster many diehard Megadeth fans had expected, however, earning F5 a grudging respect from the old guard due to the infectious nature of the music. The band’s second outing, The Reckoning, sees F5 taking their established sound to the next level with a distinctive good ol’ days metal delivery thrown in for a good measure. And while the fans won’t mistake it for Mustaine-powered music the album is indeed a tip to Ellefson’s past.

“There was a little bit of a backlash,” Ellefson says of F5’s debut, “but what’s funny is that a lot of people come up to me now telling me how much they love the first record. Initially there was a backlash because every fan who followed my former band wanted to hear Rust In Peace from any of us that were in that band (laughs). That’s like the Heisman Trophy record. That album is the Holy Grail of the work we did, right, wrong or indifferent, but the reality of it is life moves on and I’m happy with all the work that I’ve done. The other thing is, now when I do new things they’re not under that band name, so by nature they have the creative liberty to be different. I know a lot of people that say ‘We just want you to go back to that band and do that thing…’ and I get it, I appreciate it, and thank you. But, F5 has really become my creative home for the last few years. The thing about A Drug For All Seasons is that it takes you on this listening journey through a lot of different stuff. I think the F5 records are best when listened to as a body of work rather than just pulling a single track out.”

The newly sharpened metal edge that’s been added to the F5 sound has successfully separated them from the ever-growing league of Disturbed wannabes. The Reckoning straddles the line between modern metal and the mayhem Ellefson is more often associated with. And he has no problem in drawing comparisons to his past.

“For me, if the new record was going to be compared to my past stuff, as so much of my current work always is, it fits in the category with Countdown To Extinction,” he says without missing a beat. “I think when people first heard me launch out on my own there was naturally a similarity that they’re going to draw a comparison to. The first F5 record was successful in that it was heavy, but it clearly wasn’t following in the same footsteps because, quite honestly, that would have been easy. It would have been a no brainer to get a bunch of guys together, put on black shirts and play thrash metal; I’ve been doing that my whole life.”

Ellefson delves deeper into the creative process: “Our guitarist Steve Conley, who is a real old school metalhead and a big fan of shred guitar playing, he walked away from the first record feeling dissatisfied because he felt he wasn’t able to really let his gifts shine. When we got on the road and when we started writing new material, which was a few years ago now, that’s when we really laid the goods on the table. We approached the production for the new record differently, we didn’t put any limitations on things. Keep in mind that it’s 2008; the first record was made in 2004 and released in 2005, and in three or four short years it’s a different world. F5 was never a band that followed what other people did. We got together in a room and made music, good or bad, and that’s what it is.”

“For me there’s a huge sense of pride that we were able to make a second one,” he continues. “I think The Reckoning shows huge growth, and again, in a former setting I did a record called Killing Is My Business…, and that was very raw. It was as cut-and-dried meet-and-potatoes as it got, but when we graduated to Peace Sells... But Who’s Buying it was a huge, monumental jump. That happens when bands stay together and work together. By nature they grow. I’m just referencing the past only because I’ve been down these roads before (laughs), and in my case I’m doing something new and fresh. To have the experience already and have a second chance at it in a new setting all these years later, it’s sort of the pride of family that I have for this new F5 record. I mean, sales will be what they are, radio play and all the rest of it is completely out of our control. I try not to even go there anymore. For me it’s about what can we control, what can we improve, and what can we do to make F5 even better?”

The entrance of former Megadeth bandmate Jimmy DeGrasso is considered by many to be the catalyst for F5’s heavier direction.

“I think it did have an affect on us,” Ellefson agrees. “Fundamentally the music was well on its way, so when Jimmy came in he was the icing on an already very tasty cake that was being made (laughs). When we knew the drum change was coming down, the guys in F5 immediately looked at me point blank and said ‘DeGrasso! What are you waiting for? Why haven’t you called him yet?’ (laughs). And when I called him and asked if he wanted to play on the new F5 record he told me ‘Of course I do. I told you you should have called me to play on the first one.’ In my opinion this is one of the best records Jimmy has recorded. I think it’s the best record I’ve ever played on with him. Musically, from a songwriting point of view it’s the best, from a pure showcasing of chops and ability it’s the best record that I’ve worked with him on. We did a record a couple years ago under the name Killing Machine and Jimmy crushed on that one. He and I, we’re a rhythm section monster and it’s been fun to play in a lot of different settings with him.”

Whether F5’s sound moves further into the realms of full blown metal once DeGrasso gets involved in the actual songwriting is anbody’s guess. Ellefson is content to wait and see what the future holds; he’s simply having too much fun to worry about what’s to come.

“The first day we got together and started playing, it not only felt really good, it sounded really different. I think that feeling is what keeps us wanting to go back and write new tunes and keep things moving forward. I’ve always said it; for me F5 is a labour of love and what’s nice about it is the band got me falling in love with making music again and wanting to be in a band. I feel like I have a home again.”