Megadeth bassist, David Ellefson, will soon release Sleeping Giants, a companion LP to his upcoming memoir More Life With Deth (out July 16 via Jawbone Press). Ellefson talked about the new album with Phoenix New Times.

“There was what Thom (Hazaert, Ellefson's business partner, radio personality and music journalist) called ‘sleeping giants’ - a season of writing demos I did in ’93,” explains Ellefson. “Songs that have been sleeping in the background all these years and now their day has come.”

They finally began to record the songs during Ellefson’s Basstory Tour in December 2018. The two entered the studio at 11 PM, Ellefson wrote the riffs in an hour, Thom wrote lyrics and melody, and the end result was Sleeping Giants' “Vultures".

Read more at  Phoenix New Times.

In stores July 19 on Combat Records, Sleeping Giants will be a retrospective featuring several new tracks, plus a collection of demos and unreleased material from F5 and David’s other projects, remastered by Richard Easterling. Featuring artwork and photos by Melody Myers (Altitudes and Attitude, Marc Rizzo, Escape The Fate) Sleeping Giants will also include a second bonus disc, featuring a compilation of EMP and Combat Records Artists including Last Crack, Dead By Wednesday, Doyle, Mark Slaughter, Ron Keel Band, Hatchet, Wrath, Marc Rizzo, and more.

Produced by Ellefson and his partner, and MLWD co-author, Thom Hazaert, (who also provides vocals for the new tracks), with additional production from Icon guitarist John Aquilino at the Platinum Underground in Phoenix,  Sleeping Giants is set to include a multitude of guests including legendary MC Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, who shares vocals with Hazaert on the title track, Mark Tremonti, Eric AK (Flotsam and Jetsam), Ken Mary (Alice Cooper, Flotsam and Jetsam), Steve Conley (Flotsam and Jetsam, F5), Ethan Brosh, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Dave Sharpe and Opus Lawrence of Dead By Wednesday, Illias Papadakis (Memorain), Dave McClain (Machine Head, Sacred Reich), Andy Martongelli (Altitudes and Attitude) and more, plus a remix by Game Of Thones star Kristian Nairn (Hodor), and unreleased songwriting demos featuring vocals by John Bush (Armored Saint/ex-Anthrax), and David Glen Eisley (House of Lords, Giuffria).

Sleeping Giants is available for pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

Disc 1:

Ellefson/Hazaert 2019

"Vultures"
"Sleeping Giants" (ft. DMC)
"Hammer (Comes Down)" (ft. Mark Tremonti, Chris Poland, and Eric AK)
"Vultures" (Kristian Nairn Remix)
"If You Were God” (ft. John Bush) *

F5 Demos

"Deadman Rise"
"I Fall"
"Bleeding"
"Why Can’t We Die"
"Dying on The Vine"
"Faded"
"Undeniable"
"Feel Your Pain"
"Out In The Rain" (ft. David Glen Eisley) *
"Voices" (ft. David Glen Eisley) *

*Unreleased Demo

Disc 2: EMP/Combat Artist Sampler

Last Crack - “Golden Age”
CO-OP (ft. Joe Perry) - “Howl”
Green Death (ft. David Ellefson) - “Pure Torture”
Semblant - “Scarlet Heritage - Legacy of Blood Pt. III”
Hatchet - “Back Into Dust”
Marc Rizzo - “Downside Up”
Mark Slaughter - “Conspiracy”
Doyle (ft. Alissa White-Gluz) - “Kiss Me As We Die”
Dead By Wednesday - “You & Die”
Evil United (ft. Jason McMaster) - “Operation Overlord"
Sunflower Dead - “Turn Away” (Radio Edit)
Arise in Chaos - “The Divine”
Doll Skin - “Daughter”
Psykotribe (ft. David Ellefson) - “End It”
Archer Nation - “Severed”
Ron Keel Band - “Fight Like A Band”
Wrath - “Draw Blood”

"Hammer (Comes Down)" lyric video:

Ellefson has also announced additional dates for his summer 2019 Basstory - More Life With Deth tour, including stops in Baltimore, Indianapolis, and Minneapolis. The tour features a book Q&A with Ellefson and Hazaert, plus an intimate full band set including Hazaert, plus Dead By Wednesday’s Opus Lawrence (drums), and Dave Sharpe (Guitar), and Hatchet guitarist Clayton Cagle.

Support in various cities will be provided by EMP Label Group and Combat artists including Last Crack, Wrath, Green Death, Archer Nation, Crawl, and Voodoo Terror Tribe. Limited Dinner VIP meet and greets are available for each date, here.

Basstory - More Life With Deth tour dates are listed below.

July
6 - Providence, RI - Fete Music Hall
7 - Long Branch, NJ - Brighton Bar
8 - N. Branford, CT - Strangeland (Book Signing)
10 - New Bedford, MA - Vault Music Hall at Greasy Luck
11 - Waterbury, CT - Shamrock Pub and Grill
12 - Halethorpe, MD - Fish Head Cantina
14 - Long Island, NY - Revolution
17 - Lakewood, OH - The Winchester
18 - Pekin, IL - Twisted Spoke Saloon
19 - Lombard, IL - Brauerhouse
21 - Green Bay, WI - SV2
22 - Rockford, IL - Whiskey's Roadhouse
24 - Tama, IA - Tama Ballroom
27 - Indianapolis, IN - Citadel Music Hall
29 - Minneapolis, MN - Turf Club
30 - Mankato, MN - What's Up Lounge

September
7 - Phoenix, AZ - Joe's Grotto (with Fatal Malady)

(Photo - Melody Meyers)