Forbidden Announce First Album in 15 Years With New “Psyclops” Video and Fall U.S. Tour for Thrash Fans
LOS ANGELES, CA — Bay Area thrash metal veterans Forbidden are back with their first full-length album in 15 years. The band’s self-titled record arrives Oct. 23 through BLKIIBLK, marking their first album since 2010.
To launch the news, Forbidden also released “Psyclops,” a new single paired with an official music video. The song gives fans their first taste of the group’s new material and sets the tone for a comeback built on speed, melody and heavy riffs.
A new song built for the album’s final stretch
Guitarist Craig Locicero called “Psyclops” “a hypnotizing stomper,” saying it came together late in the writing process. He also said vocalist Norman Skinner’s lyrics are meant to be open-ended, with the chorus suggesting people stuck in complacency.
The record was produced by Locicero, Gene Hoglan and Zach Ohren, and runs for more than an hour. According to the band, the album combines their classic Bay Area thrash foundation with progressive touches and lessons learned over decades of playing together.
The band says the album was a long road back
Locicero described making the album as more of an odyssey than a routine studio session. He said the goal was to recapture the excitement that first drew listeners to thrash and heavy metal, while still keeping the raw edges and imperfections that give the genre its character.
The album also includes a guest spot from Mastodon’s Brann Dailor on “Sycophantasy.” Forbidden’s track list stretches across 11 songs, including “Single Point Failure,” “Divided By Zero” and “The Burden.”
Forbidden will support the album with a full U.S. run this fall
The comeback does not stop with the release date. Forbidden will hit the road this fall with Heathen and Void, beginning Oct. 23 in Las Vegas and wrapping Nov. 22 at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles.
The U.S. trek includes stops in Chicago, Brooklyn, Atlanta, Austin, Dallas and several other cities, giving longtime fans a chance to hear the new material alongside the band’s Bay Area thrash catalog.
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