Megadeth bassist David Ellefson has praised his bandmate Dave Mustaine following the singer’s various life battles, including his diagnosis with throat cancer in 2019 and subsequent treatment.

In a new interview with the Real Music With Gary Stuckey podcast (per Blabbermouth), Ellefson said: “Dave’s a fighter, and he’s a survivor. I mean, look – he’s gone through being fired [from Metallica], kicked out, kicked down. He just went through cancer. The guy, he’s a tireless warrior, and I think that’s a big part of the Megadeth story. And that’s worldwide; that’s global.

“And then, behind that, of course, there’s this brotherhood between me and him that, as much as Dave’s the fighter — Dave’s the fighting one, and I’m the friendly one. So there’s a chemistry there that people like. They’re, like, ‘Okay, as long as Ellefson’s in the room, we feel safe.’”

Ellefson was a member of Megadeth from the band’s formation in 1983 up to 2002, when the group temporarily disbanded due to Mustaine suffering severe nerve damage.

Earlier this month (April 12) the bassist confirmed that Megadeth are in the “final hours” of recording their next album.

The thrash metal pioneers released their last album ‘Dystopia’ in 2016, but Ellefson says fans won’t have long to wait for its follow-up.

Speaking to Rock Music Star, he said: “I was actually just down there [at the recording studio] last week. I went to Nashville to just put a couple of little, tiny finishing touches on some stuff. We’re literally in the final hours of getting everything done. Obviously, COVID slowed things down.”