The four got together to discuss the possibility, but it didn't work out and eventually Kiko Loureiro and Chris Adler were brought in to work on 15th album Dystopia, due out on January 22.

Ellefson later cleared Mustaine of any blame over the failed reunion attempts. Now Mustaine tells Overdrive: "There was a lot of upheaval in our camp over the last couple of years, with management changes, bad touring decisions made by our management, and the loss of my mother-in-law and the whole Rust In Peace reunion.

"David Ellefson was a total gentleman and stood up and said, 'Look, this wasn't his idea to do this reunion. It was my idea.' Because my take on it was that I really didn't want anything to do with it. As far as I was concerned, it's done and let's just leave it where it's at.