David Ellefson Reveals His Favorite Metallica Record

Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson recently reminisced about his introduction to Metallica and shared his favorite release by the iconic band. Ellefson, who has often spoken about Metallica despite the historical feud between Megadeth and Metallica in the ’80s and ’90s, seems to have become even more vocal about his admiration since his departure from Megadeth in 2021.

In an interview with Ultimate Guitar, Ellefson recounted the first time he encountered Metallica’s music and revealed his favorite among their extensive discography. “Metallica just had a great sound out of the gate,” Ellefson recalled, noting that the first piece of music he heard from them was their 1982 demo No Life ‘Til Leather.

“I remember going to Dave’s [Mustaine] apartment, and he was playing it one day while he was doing the dishes or making lunch or something. There was something just so haunting and dark, yet rowdy and fun about it, that I just loved.”

Although many tracks from No Life ‘Til Leather were later featured on Metallica’s debut album Kill ‘Em All, released in 1983, Ellefson pointed out the differences between the demo and the album versions.

“It’s a very different migration toward where they were going. That still is my favorite Metallica release, the No Life ‘Til Leather demo.”

Ellefson also touched on why his post-Megadeth band, Kings of Thrash, performs Metallica’s “Jump in the Fire.” He explained that the song, originally written by Mustaine, was a staple in Megadeth’s early rehearsal setlists. He added:

“Anthrax, of course, had a sound that, even though they went from Neil Turbin and Dan Lilker over to Joey [Belladonna] and Frank [Bello] and other members, they’ve maintained it.”

Ellefson praised the consistency of Metallica’s core sound, attributing it to key members.

“I guess Scott [Ian] and Charlie [Benante] sort of maintained that sound, probably the same way James [Hetfield] and Lars [Ulrich] did. And I’d like to think probably in the same way Dave and I did through all the transitions of Megadeth through the years.”

Ellefson’s reflections highlight not only his deep respect for Metallica but also his appreciation for the thrash metal genre’s evolution and the pivotal roles played by foundational bands like Metallica, Anthrax, and Megadeth.