RIOT V bassist Donnie Van Stavern opened up about the band's recent vocalist change in a new interview with Chile's PowerOfMetal.cl, walking through the sudden departure of singer Todd Michael Hall and the arrival of Italian musician Valentino Francavilla, of WHITE SKULL, as the band's new touring frontman.
Van Stavern said Hall's exit came without warning. "We got hit with a blow from Todd. It was very unexpected, and it was just a phone call, and [he told us] 'I quit,'" he recalled. Hall cited serious family issues and said he could not commit to RIOT V's 2026 touring schedule. With shows already booked and tickets sold, the band chose to press ahead rather than cancel, with Van Stavern noting that many fans travel long distances to see the band.
RIOT V considered several possible replacements, including Mark Boals (best known for his work with Yngwie Malmsteen) and Marc Lopes of ROSS THE BOSS, before guitarist Mike Flyntz suggested Francavilla, whose own solo band had previously opened for RIOT V in Japan. After reviewing video auditions of Francavilla performing the band's songs, RIOT V brought him to Germany for a week of rehearsals ahead of his live debut.
The response since has been strong. "When he sang, people loved him. And we've been getting a lot of great comments. They said, 'We thought Todd would be hard to replace.' They said, 'But Valentino's doing a great job,'" Van Stavern said, adding that Francavilla — a vocal teacher and guitar teacher himself — brings a more soulful, higher-register tone that some fans have compared to late RIOT singer Guy Speranza, in contrast to what Van Stavern called Hall's occasionally "one-dimensional" delivery. Francavilla, notably, grew up a RIOT fan and reportedly knows the band's 1988 classic "Thundersteel" note for note.
Francavilla lives in Italy while the rest of RIOT V is based in the United States, and he is committed to handling all of the band's 2026 touring dates, incorporating material spanning multiple eras of the band's catalog, including songs from the Mike DiMeo period. Van Stavern said a decision on a permanent lineup will wait until after RIOT V's next studio album, its 18th overall, arrives next year.