San Francisco Bay Area thrash veterans FORBIDDEN have released "Burning The Lungs Of Earth", the fourth single from their self-titled album, out October 23 via BLKIIBLK, the metal imprint of Frontiers Label Group. It is their first record since 2010's "Omega Wave".
The video was directed by FORBIDDEN drummer Chris Kontos and edited by Mike Sloat. Guitarist Craig Locicero laid out what the song is aiming at: "'Burning The Lungs Of Earth' is a fast-paced thrasher with complex riffs, soaring melodic vocals, thunderous drums and bass. The song mirrors the effects of mankind's natural and unnatural disasters, coupled with the planetary cycle we find ourselves in decimating our ecosystems. Corporations, politicians and greed suffocating the planet."
The album was tracked at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland with engineer and co-producer Zack Ohren, and produced by Locicero, Kontos and Ohren. It runs past the hour mark, opening with "Single Point Failure" and closing on the nine-minute "Flower Of Life (Chaos By Design)" — a scope the band has not attempted before. MASTODON's Brann Dailor guests on "Sycophantasy".
"Making 'Forbidden' felt more like an odyssey than a typical recording process," Locicero said. "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. Every member brought their best. 'Forbidden' is five lifetimes of experience forged into one piece of metallic art."
FORBIDDEN formed in Fremont, California in 1985 as FORBIDDEN EVIL, and were always the youngest of the Bay Area class that produced METALLICA and MACHINE HEAD. "Forbidden Evil" (1988) and "Twisted Into Form" (1990) remain the reference points; "Distortion" (1994) and "Green" (1997) followed before the band broke up. They reunited in 2008, released "Omega Wave", then went quiet again in 2012.
The current run started in 2023, with Locicero joined by longtime bassist Matt Camacho, vocalist Norman Skinner and Kontos on drums. Last November the band parted ways with VOIVOD guitarist Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain and brought in Jeremy Von Epp. The 2026 lineup is Skinner, Locicero, Camacho, Kontos and Von Epp.
A headlining tour supporting the album starts October 23 in Las Vegas and finishes November 22 in Los Angeles, with HEATHEN and VOID in support.