Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren recently guested on  That Metal Interview Podcast and discussed the band's new album, The Sick, The Dying...and The Dead!', which he says was a collaborative effort. Check out the interview below.

Verbeuren: "There was a lot of freedom. Dave (Mustaine) invited Kiko (Loureiro / guitar) and myself from the get-go to contribute our own ideas and our interpretations, and that's what we did. Kiko co-wrote quite a few of the songs on the album, so it was a very collaborative process. As far as the drums went, same thing. Of course, there were certain parts where Dave preferred one idea over the idea, and he would be, like, 'Play it more like this,' or, 'I prefer that beat over this beat.' But for the most part, I pretty much got to do what I wanted to do and how I felt it. Because I think, at this point, having been in the band for over six years, I've got a pretty good feel of what Megadeth drums are supposed to sound like, and it seems like Dave feels the same way."

Megadeth made their debut on the Billboard 200 albums chart, dated September 17, with their new album, The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!.

According to Billboard, Megadeth notched its eighth Top 10 with the #3 debut of The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!. The set launches with nearly 48,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, album sales comprised 45,000, SEA units comprised 3,000 (equaling 3.6 million on-demand streams of the set’s songs) and TEA units comprised a neglible sum.

Megadeth scored its first top 10 on the Billboard 200 a little more than 30 years ago, when Countdown To Extinction debuted and peaked at #2 on the August 1, 1992-dated chart. The act has since visited the top 10 with Youthanasia (#4, 1994), Cryptic Writings (#10, 1997), United Abominations (#8, 2007), Endgame (#9, 2009), Super Collider (#6, 2013), Dystopia (#3, 2016) and The Sick, the Dying… And The Dead!

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the US based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Tuesday (September 13).

Featuring twelve new tracks, The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead! is available on CD, vinyl, and cassette, as well as digitally through all online partners and can be ordered/saved here. There is also be a limited deluxe edition 2LP, 12-track album pressed on 180g black vinyl, housed in a numbered gatefold jacket with a 12x24 lyrics/credits insert, a lenticular vinyl lithograph and a bonus 7" featuring "We’ll Be Back" and the unreleased b-side "The Conjuring" (Live). The limited deluxe edition can only be purchased via Megadeth’s official online store, through Sound Of Vinyl, and uDiscover, and can be ordered here.

Tracklisting:

"The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!"
"Life In Hell"
"Night Stalkers" (feat. Ice T)
"Dogs Of Chernobyl"
"Sacrifice"
"Junkie"
"Psychopathy"
"Killing Time"
"Soldier On!"
"Célebutante"
"Mission To Mars"
"We’ll Be Back"
"Police Truck"
"This Planet’s On Fire (Burn In Hell)" (feat. Sammy Hagar)

"We’ll Be Back" video:

"Night Stalkers" video:

"The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" video: