MEGADETH drummer Shawn Drover has revealed via his Facebook page that he "spent this week in the studio with [MEGADETH mainman] Dave [Mustaine] tracking demo 'ideas' for the [band's] next [studio] record." He added: "[There are] some really heavy riffs going on here, and if I say it, you know it's true."

Speaking to National Rock Review this past March, Drover was asked if MEGADETH will venture into new musical territories on its next studio album. "I don't think so," Drover replied. "We definitely branch out to a couple of different areas, stylistically speaking."

He continued: "For me, I'm always an advocate for the heavy stuff, so that's usually what I present to the band — something a little more violent, a little more heavy and oftentimes fast stuff. Because that's how I write. Of course, MEGADETH has done so many different kinds of metal over the years, but for me, I'll always try to represent the more furious side of it, because that's just part of who I am, it's part of my creative DNA to try to write heavy riffs. Whether it gets accepted not, it obviously just depends on how it's going [with the writing process for] the record. We all have so many ideas, not everything is gonna make it. Case in point, on the 'Endgame' record, I had a song called 'Head Crusher', which was a pretty fast, heavy song. It was the first single, the first video and it was nominated for a Grammy Award. So you always try, but you just never know what you're gonna end up with. It just depends on how the recording process goes. But I'll always have ideas to submit, certainly."

In a December 2013 interview with MetalTitans.com, MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson commented on the criticism that was levelled against the band's last studio effort, 2013's "Super Collider". "We're aware of the comments, for sure, because they're on our own web site or our MEGADETH Facebook page!" he laughed. He then added: "My personal thought is that the next record will be much different.

"We go through these phases. Dave made three records when I wasn't in the band, and a couple of them quite good, I might add. They were good records because they were really good 'metal' records. That's what fans want to hear; because MEGADETH has this 30-year career, we have more than just one style in our cache.

"Fans have discovered us at various times throughout our journey; there are fans became fans when they heard 'Risk', that's when they go into rock 'n' roll and they bought their record, and to them, that is their debut MEGADETH record.

"I have learned not to criticize our own work, simply because there are naysayers out there and the fact that every record has significance to different people. Having said that, the first thing that people heard from the record was track 'Super Collider', which is a very mainstream, commercial song. I think had they heard 'Kingmaker' first, for instance, the reaction would have been much different.

"The first impression is more often than not the most lasting impression. When you hear a song that sounds like MEGADETH right out the gate, you say, 'Awesome, man!' When you hear a song that you have to listen to several times, analyze it and get your mind around it, the first impression may not make you want to dig right into out of the gate. I get that.

"I'm a fan. I used to buy KISS records as a kid and CHEAP TRICK records. I remember some records, I got it right out the gate, and there were records where I'd say, 'What the heck is this?' It wasn't what I was expecting. Some records take one listen, other take three or four listens other more. I think, for me, 'Super Collider' is one of those records."

During a November 2013 interview with Detroit Metro Times, Mustaine was asked why he thinks critics have been harsh on "Super Collider" while fans seem to "love" the CD. Mustaine replied: "Critics have to listen to a whole bunch of records and don't really have time to live with them like they used to when we were younger. They'll listen to a record once. If it grabs them, they'll say something about it. If it doesn't, they'll say something else about it. If somebody has said something good about it before, journalists nowadays can be impressed by a mob mentality. They'll jump on the bandwagon instead of being an individual and having their own opinions. There's also that psychosis where, if a guy doesn't like a person and he listens to the record, then it can be a masterpiece and they'll say it sucks. I know there have been a lot of misconceptions about me over the years and my autobiography cleared a lot of that up, but not everybody's read it."

Speaking to Ultimate-Guitar.com, Mustaine stated about "Super Collider": "There are gonna be people who are gonna take exception with the record because they're people that wanna hear 'Black Friday' the rest of their lives. And I feel for them, man. I know the first time I heard AC/DC versus what they put out now, it's a different time. I think that's the whole thing about if you're really a fan of the band, you grow with them or you stop being a fan. I always loved early AC/DC and I totally respect older AC/DC, but I was weaned on Bon Scott."

"Super Collider" sold 29,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart. "TH1RT3EN" opened with 42,000 units back in November 2011 to enter the chart at No. 11. The band's 2009 CD, "Endgame", premiered with 45,000 copies to debut at No. 9. This was slightly less than the 54,000 first-week tally registered by 2007's "United Abominations", which entered the chart at No. 8. 2004's "The System Has Failed" premiered with 46,000 copies (No. 18) while 2001's "The World Needs A Hero" moved 61,000 units in its first week (No. 16).