Dirk Verbeuren, an accomplished drummer before being invited to join Megadeth in 2016, said becoming a member of a band he grew up listening to was truly a dream.
Megadeth headlines the Destroy All Enemies U.S. tour, which stops Sept. 3 outdoors at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, with Mudvayne, which formed in Peoria, and All That Remains, which released the single “No Tomorrow” from its forthcoming new album Aug. 16.
“We have three great bands, all bands with pretty strong legacies in metal — obviously ourselves who have been around for a long time but also Mudvayne who have built their own audience,” said Verbeuren of Los Angeles.
“All That Remains are also a great band, a little bit younger. I’ve actually had a chance to tour with them in the past when I was playing drums in Soilwork. They are an amazing band, great guys.
“Everybody puts on a killer show. What’s not to love?”
Multiplatinum-selling Megadeth’s set includes classics from 1990’s “Rust in Peace” and 1992’s “Countdown to Extinction” along with material from 2022’s “The Sick, The Dying … And The Dead!” and rarely played songs such as “Liar” from 1988’s “So Far, So Good … So What!”
“We’ve been putting a lot of work in spicing it up with less-known songs or songs that haven’t been performed (much) or at all. Every night is a different set list so there will be some surprises for the fans,” the Belgium-born Verbeuren said.
“When it comes to ‘Countdown’ and ‘Rust in Peace,’ those were defining albums for Megadeth. They were both very popular at the time when they came out. It was the peak of that style of music coming out to the scene.
“That was the time when that music took over the world so those are albums that our fans have close to their hearts, and they have become staples in a way. There’s usually a lot of songs from those records. Those records raised the bar with metal and thrash metal.”
Formed in 1983 by Dave Mustaine (lead vocals; lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars) after he was fired from Metallica, Megadeth received a best metal performance Grammy Award for the title track from the 2016 album “Dystopia.”
Known for songs including “Sweating Bullets” and “Symphony of Destruction,” the band also currently includes Teemu Mäntysaari (lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars) and James LoMenzo (bass guitar).
“It’s an honor to be able to represent the music of Dave Mustaine, who is somebody who’s written the book on thrash metal,” said Verbeuren about Megadeth’s leader, who battled throat cancer in 2019.
“There’s not many people who did what he did, which is write their own page in the history of metal. To be able to play with Dave and be part of the engine that drives this band, it’s just an honor. I enjoy it every single day.”
“The Sick, the Dying … and the Dead!” marked Verbeuren’s debut recording with Megadeth. He co-wrote the singles “Life in Hell” with Mustaine and “Night Stalkers” (featuring Ice-T) with Mustaine and former Megadeth guitarist Kiko Loureiro.
“It has cemented me feeling a part of this band,” Verbeuren said.
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Megadeth
When: 6:30 p.m. Sept. 3
Where: Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre, 19100 S. Ridgeland Ave., Tinley Park
Tickets: $27 to $106
Information: 708-614-1616; livenation.com
