Bay Area thrash legends FORBIDDEN continue to share updates from their recording sessions at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California, as they work toward completing their long-awaited comeback album — the first new FORBIDDEN material in sixteen years. Drummer Chris Kontos, a Bay Area scene veteran whose credits include stints with MACHINE HEAD (he played on the legendary debut "Burn My Eyes"), ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT, and KONKHRA, has laid down his tracks for eight new FORBIDDEN originals plus "one super-secret cover song" that the band promises will surprise fans when revealed.
The album is being recorded with engineer and co-producer Zack Ohren, whose production work with bands like MACHINE HEAD, SUFFOCATION, and CATTLE DECAPITATION has made him one of the most sought-after names in heavy music production. Ohren's ability to capture both clarity and raw aggression in his mixes makes him an ideal choice for FORBIDDEN's brand of technically accomplished yet viscerally thrilling thrash metal.
The current FORBIDDEN lineup includes founding guitarist Craig Locicero, whose serpentine riff work has always been the band's signature element, alongside bassist Matt Camacho, guitarist Jeremy Von Epp, and vocalist Norman Skinner. While the absence of original vocalist Russ Anderson will inevitably draw comparisons, Skinner has earned respect through his powerful performances and his ability to handle the demanding vocal lines that FORBIDDEN's music requires.
FORBIDDEN were always one of the Bay Area's most underrated thrash acts, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with EXODUS, TESTAMENT, and DEATH ANGEL in terms of musical quality but never quite achieving the same commercial breakthrough. Albums like "Forbidden Evil" (1988), "Twisted Into Form" (1990), and "Distortion" (1994) remain touchstones of technical thrash metal. The tentative release target is mid-2026 via BLKIIBLK, the heavy metal imprint of Frontiers Label Group.