Mustaine said in 2002 that he suffered a debilitating injury that caused severe nerve damage to his left arm and hand, and rendered him unable to play the guitar. At the time, he issued a statement that said it would take about a year to make a complete recovery, "and even then, we don't know how complete that is going to be." He never publicly revealed how he was injured.

Now that his arm has healed, Mustaine has revived Megadeth as a trio featuring drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and bassist Jimmy Slolas. Longtime Megadeth bassist David Ellefson--who was the only constant in the group besides Mustaine--is no longer on board.

The new trio has finished work on a new, as-yet-untitled album, which Sanctuary Records plans to release on July 27. Mustaine has leaked one sample track, "Kick the Chair," online, according to his publicist.

"I think that it has come full circle back to the aggressive, political cynical lyrics and aggressive guitar riffing that I am famous--or infamous--for," Mustaine said in a statement. "I feel something very similar to when I first started out when I hear this new record ... it's exciting for me and I can't wait for the public to be able to have this record in their hands."

Megadeth plans to tour the U.S. and Europe behind the new set, according to a press release. The itinerary is still being assembled.

The reissues--1986's "Peace Sells ... But Who's Buying?," 1988's "So Far, So Good, So What," 1990's "Rust in Peace," 1992's "Countdown to Extinction," 1994's "Youthanasia," 1996's "The Craving," 1997's "Cryptic Writings" and 1999's "Risk"--are scheduled for release on July 27.

According to a press release, each album was remixed, remastered and restored by Mustaine, and augmented with previously unreleased tracks, demos and alternate mixes. Mustaine also wrote liner notes for the albums.

"Some of the songs just didn't turn out the way that I wanted them to when they were first made, due to money restrictions, technology limitations and so on," Mustaine said. "I believe now that there is nothing standing in the way of what I felt when I wrote these songs and how you will be able to hear them."

Megadeth's most recent album of new material is 2001's "The World Needs a Hero."