Oh boy, are you guys ready for some thrash metal nostalgia? 🤘 Because FORBIDDEN is back with a brand new, self-titled album, and I’m not sure if I should be excited or concerned for my eardrums. The album drops on October 23 via BLKIIBLK, the heavy metal imprint of Frontiers Label Group, and it’s been a long time coming – 13 years, to be exact, since their last album “Omega Wave”. I mean, I’ve seen high school friendships last shorter than that. 🤣
The band’s new album was tracked at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California with engineer/co-producer Zack Ohren, and it features 11 tracks that promise to be a “masterpiece of thrashy predilection, emotive musical movements, and prog-scraping sonic ambitions”. Yeah, because that’s exactly what I want from a thrash metal album – a bunch of big words that sound cool but don’t really mean anything. 🙄 The official music video for the fourth single, “Burning The Lungs Of Earth”, is out now, and it was directed by FORBIDDEN drummer Chris Kontos and edited by Mike Sloat. Because, you know, drummers are always secretly great directors. 🎬
The Legacy of FORBIDDEN
FORBIDDEN’s legacy is one of being the youngest, hungriest, and most ambitious of the Bay Area brethren that has launched metal paradigm shifters from METALLICA to MACHINE HEAD. With a reconstituted lineup, guitarist Craig Locicero and bassist Matt Camacho have crafted an hour-plus masterpiece (there’s that word again) that promises to be a game-changer. From the intensity of opening track “Single Point Failure” to the philosophical shades of the nine-minute closer “Flower Of Life”, this is FORBIDDEN not merely stretching beyond the steely foundations of 1988’s classic “Forbidden Evil” or the quantum leap of 1990’s “Twisted Into Form”, but the sound of a band with a new sense of scope and purpose. Produced by Locicero, Kontos, and Ohren, “Forbidden” isn’t merely a revival for the quintet, but a full-blown reinvigoration and purgative endpoint for this Bay Area metal institution. Wow, that’s a lot of words. 🤯
I mean, can you blame them, though? The band’s been around since 1985, and they’ve had their fair share of lineup changes. They’ve even had a few reunions, and it’s like they’re trying to make up for lost time. 🕰️ They’ve got a new lineup, with Norman Skinner on vocals, Craig Locicero on guitar, Matt Camacho on bass, Chris Kontos on drums, and Jeremy Von Epp on guitar. And, of course, they’ve got a new album, which they’re supporting with a headlining tour alongside HEATHEN and VOID. Because, you know, what’s a thrash metal album without a tour to go with it? 🤘
What to Expect from the New Album
So, what can we expect from the new album? Well, according to Locicero, “Making ‘Forbidden’ felt more like an odyssey than a typical recording process. We set out to create a record that reminds people why they fell in love with thrash and heavy metal in the first place, embracing raw energy, melody, and the imperfections that give heavy music its character.” Yeah, because imperfections are what make heavy music great – said no one ever. 😂 Every member brought their best, and having Brann Dailor of MASTODON join them on “Sycophantasy” was an incredible addition. “Forbidden” is five lifetimes of experience forged into one piece of metallic art. Okay, I think they’ve used up all their big words for the year. 📚
The album’s track listing is as follows:
01. “Single Point Failure”
02. “Burning The Lungs Of Earth”
03. “Divided By Zero”
04. “DCLXVI”
05. “Psyclops”
06. “Jisei”
07. “Mutually Assured Dysfunction”
08. “Sycophantasy”
09. “The Burden”
10. “Sol Grave”
11. “Flower Of Life (Chaos By Design)”. Wow, that’s a lot of songs. I hope they’re all good. 🤞
The band will hit the road in support of “Forbidden” on a run of headlining tour dates supported by HEATHEN and VOID. The trek will kick off on October 23 in Las Vegas, Nevada and conclude on November 22 in Los Angeles, California. Because, you know, what’s a thrash metal tour without a bunch of dates in the Southwest? 🤠
In conclusion, FORBIDDEN is back, and they’re not going away anytime soon. With their new album and tour, they’re sure to remind everyone why they fell in love with thrash metal in the first place. So, if you’re a fan of big words, imperfections, and a healthy dose of nostalgia, then this album is for you. 🤘 And if you’re not, well, there’s always the next big thrash metal reunion to look forward to. 🎉
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
