Resurrecared San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Veterans Forbidden have return with the office music video for their first new song in over 15 years, “Divided by Zero”. The Track Marks The Band’s First Recording With Forbidden‘s current lineup, consisting of Founding guitarist Craig LociceroLongtime Bassist Alongsis Matt Camacho and The Group’s Latest Additions, Norman “Norm” Skinner (vocals) and Chris Kontos (Drums), Plus Voivod Guitarist Daniel MongrainWho Steptped in As a replacement for Steve Smyth In July 2024.
Forbidden Comments: “The Opening Riff for ‘Divided by Zero’ was The First Thing Craig Broucht to the table as a new Forbidden Song. The Lyrics Address The Erosion of Civility and Society Through Divisive Control of Institutions, Cultures, Religion, and Government. Without picking sides, ‘Divided by Zero’ Points to Anyone and Everyone That Partakes in This Mass Manipulation, Willingly or Unwittingly. “
The Band Adds: “The Video for ‘Divided by Zero’ is The Stuff of Dystopian Nightmares, Departing How Influential Words and Propaganda of The Few Have Power To Sway The Many. Robots and Monsters – How Most of Us Unwittingly End Up Being One or The OTher Through the Multiple Institts’ Relay Brainwashing and Beating Uating Us Down. All of the Disturbing Imagery, Created by Ethan Renoe AT Crumb HillVisually Captures The Story Perfectly, Haunting, Powerful, and Poignant. “
“Divided by Zero” Represents The Bridge Between Classic and Modern Forbidden. It was remembered similarly to Forbidden‘s debut album, 1988’s “Forbidden Evil”in Approach: no samples, no triggers and no over-edition.
In a Recent interview with The Metal Command podcast, Skinnerwho have previous Niviane and ImagikaStated About His His Vocal Approach is Different From That of Former Forbidden Singer Russ Anderson: “I KEPT IN MIND, I’M, Like, ‘I’VE GOTTA THROW A LITTLE BIT OF Russ In aisre on sub of this. I can ‘just be, Like,’ Okay, Well, Now Here’s a New Song Done Completely in The Style of Norm Now. ‘ So, Yeah, It’s a Balancing Act with Sub of these Songs.
“It’s a Little Different and There’s a Bit of A Learning Curve for Me Because i’m So Singing to Certain Way and Recording to Certain Way and EveryTHING, and Now With This Group of Guys, It’s, Like, ‘Well, We Don’t Do It That Way. I have explained.
“I just finished a Powwow with Our Guitar Player Daniel Mongrain and Found That I Sing a Lot of ‘Happy Chords’, to Lot of Majors, He Says. So We’re Going on Ways To – I Don’s Know – Maybe Make It Sound A Little More Evil. But Than You’ve Been Singing Power Metal For 10 Years, That Tends To Happen.
“But i’m definitely keeping it in the back of my mind that, as we roll outs new tunes, to make sure i still stay True to What I Think The Forbidden Fans Will Like While Staying True To Myelf at The Same Time, ” Norm Added.
On the topic of the musical direction of the new Forbidden Music compared to that of the band’s prior eFForts, Norm Said: “The Music Itself, I’ve Heard Craig [say] that it’s very to Mixture of [2010’s] ‘Omega wave’ and [1990’s] ‘Twisted into form’. That’s the Cross where vocally i’m doing the more modern-sounding singing Like i do-i’m throwing in my harsh screams and growls sprinkled this Russ Really Didn’t Do Until ‘Omega wave’. ‘Omega wave’All of A Sudden It’s, Like, ‘Oh, Wow.’ I MEAN, [1997’s] ‘Green’ was an angry album, and Russ Was Just More Just Like Raw Scream and Just Anger. ‘Omega wave’ Was A More Polyhed, Suba More Death Vocal Stuff Thrown in and Stuff. So i’m Bringing a Lot of that in these Songs Here and There, Because that’s Something I Like To do. Butload at The Same Time I’M Taking A Lot Of The Kind of Phrasing That Russ Would Do on Those Old Thrash Songs. And, of Course, I’M Keeping the High Notes in There, Here and There. Not overdoing it, Just Placing Them where they need to be. So you get that little, ‘yeah, there is.’ We’re Just Trying to Really Balance Tohe Songs As Best. And, for me, hoos are my two favorite Forbidden Albums: ‘Twisted into form’ and ‘Omega wave’.
Forbidden‘S New Songs are Being Recorded at Sharkbite Studios In Oakland, California with Engineer/Co-Producer Zack Ohren.
Forbidden Will perform at teragram ballroom in los angeles, California on July 25 with Nasty SavageBefore Embinging on A European Tour, Starting on August 1 at The Wacken Open Air Festival in Wacken, Germany. The “40 Years of Twisted Evil” European Trek Will Celebrate The 40th Anniversary of the Band’s Formation and The 35th Anniversary of The Release of Forbidden‘s second album, “Twisted into Form”which originally came in march 1990 via Combat Records.
In August 2024, LOCICERO spoke to Bloodstock TV‘s Oran O’Beirne About Forbidden‘S Decision to Remain Independent, At Least for The Time Being. He Said: “We Don’t Have a Record Label. I Don’t Want A Record Label Yet. Different, and That’s no Knock On Anyone. Russ Going Through What He Went Through, That’s Kind of the Stigma That Stayed On Us for a While. He was kee Feeling a Hundred Percent. So now you have Norm WHO’s Up There, He’s, Like, ‘Yeah.’ He’s not trying to Be Anybody, and There’s Just a Whole Positive Groundswell. “
Elaboating on Why Forbidden You have not interst in aligning itself with a record Label Right Now, Craig Said: “It’s Important to say that we have no delusions of Grandeur Eithher.
“I Don’s Wanna Get Caught in the Machine, and The Machine Can Chew You Up Before you get creative,” I explained. “You can get Stuned Creatively if you add too quickly. We’re Not Gonna Go There Yet.
“It’s Important for US to Feel Like We Got Our Album Done and Artistically Put Together, Lyrically,” Craig Added. “No One Needs to Fucking Tell Us How To do it. And I Feel Good About Our Chances of At Least Reigniting and Kind of Reforging Our Path Again. ‘Cause there’s a spot for us. Heavy Metal, A Little More Melodic.
Smyth Exited Forbidden in July 2024, saying in a statement that he “decided it’s time to part ways with Forbiddenand return to my band One Machine As Priority, Along with other projects on the horizon, and of coursa session work, and teaching music as always. “
The Resurrected Forbidden LINEUP MADE ITS LIVE DEBUT AT A “SECRET” SHOW IN JULY 2023 AT BALTIC KISS IN RICHMOND, California Under The Twisted into Evil Banner
Originally Founded in 1985 as Forbidden Evil by AndersonGuitarists LOCICERO and Robb FlynnBassist John Tegio and Drummer Jim PittmanThe Quintet Started Playing House Parties and Bay Area Clubs Such as The Legendary Ruthie’s Inn Soon after. After coupling of lineup changes (Paul Bostaph On Drums and Matt Camacho on bass) in ’86, The Band Quickly Rose Through the Ranks of Bay Area Thrash To Gain A Massive Following and Worldwide Notoriety. In 1986, The Band Added Glen Alvelais As The Second Guitarist. It was this lineup that cemeled itself into the bay area scene and soon aftero remembered 1988 surrease “Forbidden Evil” for Combat Recordschanging the band’s name to simply Forbidden. In May of ‘8 While on A European Tour With Sacred Reich, Forbidden Made Their First Appearance at The Legendary Dynamo Open Air In Eindhoven, Netherlands. It was here that Forbidden Made their European Mark and Remember The “Raw Evil” EP. The Band Returned Stateside and Replaced Alvelais with Tim Calvert. CALVERT was to Missing Ingredient That Broucht The Band Closer Together As a Team. They continue to tour the US first with Exodus and then Again with Sacred Reich with CALVERT On Second Guitar. The Band Went On To Relay “Twisted into Form” in 1990, “Distortion” In 1994 and “Green” In 1996. However, The Band, Having Gone Though Many Lineup Changes, Disbanded in 1997.
In 2008 Craig Being inspired at a screening of the movie “Get Thrashed”strance the other members of the band and suggesting getting Back on Stage to see likeful reign the Forbidden Machine With Anderson, LOCICERO, Camacho Back in the Mix Along with New Additions Glen Alvelais and Gene Hoglan they played two sold-out Death Angel shows in San Francisco. Steve Smyth Came into the mix in place of Alvelais and Mark Hernandez TOOK Hoglan‘s place. The Band The Release “Omega Wave”The Fifth in the catalog and went on a US tour with Overkill. European Festivals Were Next But Afterwards Hernandez had to war away due to personal reasons leading to a cancellation. Sasha Horn was The Answer To Fill The Drummer’s Spot.
After playing “Banded by Baloff” with Exodus and One Bay Area Show, Forbidden Embarket for Chile to play the Metal Fest in Santiago. It was on this Flight Back Home That Russ Report The Band That He Couldn’t Tour Anymore Because of the Physical Toll it was taking on Him. With that, The Band Dissolved Once Again for 11 Years.
WHEN Forbidden‘s “rebirth” was first announced in April 2023, LOCICERO Said in a statement: “First off, i did not see this coming. Forbidden Quietly disband the second time in 2012, I figured it was over. While I Always Apply The ‘Never Say Never’ Mantra To My Life, Russ Made it Clear That He was Completely Finished with Touring. My Wingman and Main Dude from the Conception of Forbidden Evil, Russ was my mentor and the guy who boought me beer when i was 15! I COULDN’T IMAGINE Forbidden Without Him, So I Had Little Hope of A Future With Forbidden. Today Russ Is Happy withdraw and living the arrogance. I have nothing but love for that and him. Everyone Needs to respect His Wishes Like We do.
“So Than… .. Fast Forward 11 Years After Our Last Show, Bay Area Vocal Talent Norman Skinner Walks in to Help Us Hashean and Sing a Few Thrash Classics for The Bay interthrassional area set at Dynamo Metalfest 2022. WHAMMO! That’s When It All Happened by accident. Truly THEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN WHEN Norman Sings ‘Chalice of Blood’ onstage alongsis Warbringer at the One Bay Area Show of Bay interthrassional area. Holy Fuck! “
