Bay Area thrash metal pioneers FORBIDDEN have unleashed their new single, “Burning the Lungs of Earth,” taken from the band’s forthcoming self-titled album, due October 23 via BLKIIBLK.
The track arrives alongside an official music video and offers another taste of Forbidden, the band’s first full-length studio release since 2010’s Omega Wave.
Guitarist Craig Locicero describes the new song:
“‘Burning the Lungs of Earth’ is a fast paced thrasher with complex riffs, soaring melodic vocals, thunderous drums & bass. The song mirrors the effects of mankind’s natural & unnatural disasters, coupled with the planetary cycle we find ourselves in decimating our ecosystems. Corporations, politicians & greed suffocating the planet.”
Watch the official video for “Burning the Lungs of Earth” :
The new album represents a major new chapter for one of the foundational bands of the Bay Area thrash movement. Founding guitarist Craig Locicero and longtime bassist Matt Camacho are joined by vocalist Norman Skinner, drummer Chris Kontos and guitarist Jeremy Von Epp for the band’s latest incarnation.
Spanning more than an hour, Forbidden moves from the immediate thrash attack of opener “Single Point Failure” through increasingly progressive territory, culminating with the nine-minute closing track “Flower of Life (Chaos By Design).”
Produced by Locicero, Kontos and Zach Ohren (Machine Head), the album builds upon the foundations established by FORBIDDEN classics such as 1988’s Forbidden Evil and 1990’s Twisted Into Form while pushing the band’s sound into new territory.
The record also features a guest appearance from Mastodon drummer Brann Dailor on “Sycophantasy.”
Locicero comments:
“Making Forbidden felt more like an odyssey than a typical recording process. 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, and having Brann Dailor (Mastodon) join us on ‘Sycophantasy’ was an incredible addition. Forbidden is five lifetimes of experience forged into one piece of metallic art.”
Forbidden Track Listing
- “Single Point Failure”
- “Burning the Lungs of Earth”
- “Divided By Zero”
- “DCLXVI”
- “Psyclops”
- “Jisei”
- “Mutually Assured Dysfunction”
- “Sycophantasy”
- “The Burden”
- “Sol Grave”
- “Flower of Life (Chaos By Design)”
FORBIDDEN will take the new record on the road this fall for an extensive US headlining tour with support from fellow Bay Area thrash veterans HEATHEN and VOID.
The run kicks off on the album’s release date, October 23, in Las Vegas and concludes November 22 at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles.
- 10/23 — Las Vegas, NV — The Usual Place
- 10/25 — Salt Lake City, UT — Urban Lounge
- 10/26 — Denver, CO — Federal Theatre
- 10/28 — Iowa City, IA — Gabe’s
- 10/29 — Minneapolis, MN — Turf Club
- 10/30 — Chicago, IL — Reggies
- 10/31 — Lakewood, OH — Mercury Music Lounge
- 11/01 — Pittsburgh, PA — Preserving Underground
- 11/02 — Leesburg, VA — Tally Ho Theater
- 11/04 — Worcester, MA — The Palladium (Upstairs)
- 11/05 — Brooklyn, NY — TBD
- 11/07 — Albany, NY — Empire Underground
- 11/08 — Lititz, PA — Mickey’s Black Box
- 11/09 — Greensboro, NC — Hangar 1819
- 11/10 — Greenville, SC — Radio Room
- 11/12 — Orlando, FL — Conduit
- 11/13 — Atlanta, GA — Masquerade (Altar)
- 11/15 — Destin, FL — Club LA
- 11/17 — Austin, TX — Come And Take It Live
- 11/18 — Dallas, TX — Trees
- 11/20 — Albuquerque, NM — Launchpad
- 11/21 — Tucson, AZ — Club Congress
- 11/22 — Los Angeles, CA — Teragram Ballroom
Formed in Fremont, California in 1985 under the name Forbidden Evil, FORBIDDEN emerged as part of the legendary Bay Area thrash metal movement. The band’s 1988 debut, Forbidden Evil, established their combination of technical precision, aggression and melody before Twisted Into Form followed in 1990.
The band continued with Distortion in 1994 and Green in 1997 before initially disbanding. FORBIDDEN reunited in 2008 and released Omega Wave in 2010 before entering another extended hiatus.
The latest chapter began in 2023, when Locicero reunited with longtime members Matt Camacho and Steve Smyth alongside Norman Skinner and Chris Kontos. The revitalized band returned to the stage at Belgium’s Alcatraz Metal Festival and later performed sold-out Bay Area shows supporting Death Angel’s annual Christmas concerts.
In 2025, FORBIDDEN released “Divided By Zero,” their first new song in 15 years, setting the stage for the band’s full-scale return with Forbidden.
FORBIDDEN Are
Norman Skinner — Vocals
Craig Locicero — Guitar
Jeremy Von Epp — Guitar
Matt Camacho — Bass
Chris Kontos — Drums
Forbidden arrives October 23 via BLKIIBLK.