Resurrected metal band Megadeth [ tickets ] kicks off a North American tour this weekend, and dates for the run now stretch into late November.

The group has added to its itinerary a number of late-November stops throughout Canada, as well as shows in Seattle and Spokane, WA; and Portland, OR. Details are shown below.

The tour gets underway in Reno, NV, on Sunday (10/23), and features show-opener Earshot for the first two dates; Exodus takes over through the end of October, and the bill will be expanded to include both opening acts for all of Megadeth's November shows.

Dubbed the "Blackmail the Universe Tour," the outing supports "The System Has Failed," which landed in stores last week, and debuted at No. 18 on The Billboard 200 album chart.

"The System Has Failed" is Megadeth's first new studio set since 2001's "The World Needs a Hero," and follows singer/guitarist Dave Mustaine's 2002 announcement that he was pulling the plug on the group after suffering an unspecified injury that caused severe nerve damage to his left arm and hand, and left him unable to play the guitar. He has since said that extensive physical therapy and exercise healed the ailment.

Backing Mustaine on "The System Has Failed" are bassist Jimmy Lee Sloas, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and returning Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland, whom Mustaine fired back in the mid-'80s.

Mustaine's backing band on the road, meanwhile, will feature all new faces: guitarist Glen Drover (King Diamond/Eidolon), bassist James MacDonough (Iced Earth) and drummer Shawn Drover (Eldolon).

When news of the upcoming tour first surfaced last month, Mustaine announced that former Megadeth drummer Nick Menza, who left the group in 1997, was returning for the tour. A message posted at the band's website on Sunday (10/17), however, stated simply that Menza had been "replaced in the lineup."

"We look forward to the upcoming tour with Shawn and wish Nick best of luck in his next endeavor," read the message. No reason for Menza's departure was offered; a spokesperson for the group could not be reached for comment.

More noticeably absent from the group's lineup is original bassist Dave Ellefson, who, along with Mustaine, had been the metal quartet's only constant member since its formation in 1984. The two had a falling out after Mustaine announced he was pulling the plug on the group.

Earlier this year, Ellefson filed an $18.5 million lawsuit against Mustaine, in which the bassist claims that Mustaine burned him on various profits and business dealings. Ellefson is also seeking damages for allegedly libelous statements he claims Mustaine made against him.

Mustaine has since filed a countersuit against Ellefson, in which he claims that Ellefson gave up his stake in the group via a previous settlement agreement.