FORBIDDEN Splits With STEVE SMYTH, VOIVOD’s DAN MONGRAIN Joins

Forbidden has split with guitarist Steve Smyth, who played in the band between 2009 and 2012 and then again between 2023 and present day. Forbidden has since recruited Voivod‘s Dan Mongrain, which is one hell of a swap – both dudes are incredible.

Forbidden is now guitarists Craig Locicero and Mongrain, vocalist Norman Skinner, bassist Matt Camacho, and drummer Chris Kontos (ex-Machine Head, ex-Testament) – is working on their first new record since Omega Wave in 2010.

According to Locicero in an interview with Rock Hard, he’s got a lot of song ideas written for the rest of the band to collaborate on. When asked how the new material sounds, Locicero noted it’ll be somewhere between Forbidden‘s 1990 album Twisted Into Form and Omega Wave.

“It’s gonna have old-school thrash elements to it. I tell people, so far, the feeling I’m getting with the things we’re writing, I say it’s a cross between Twisted Into Form and Omega Wave with a little bit of the other stuff between it.

“Now, people [say], ‘What about [Forbidden‘s 1988 debut] Forbidden Evil?’ It’s, like, Judas Priest isn’t writing Rocka Rolla over. Your first album is a whole different vibe. And we will have elements of it, but I can say really crystal clear, that Twisted Into Form vibe is really prevalent, ’cause it’s a more mature version of it.”

Kontos added added: “Something I’ve noticed is that the drummers that have been in the band have stayed in in this formula. There’s a formula to it, and what Craig says you’re learning the language, that I wanna stay true to. I wanna make sure that there’s — because each drummer did that.

“There’s something that Paul [Bostaph] did on the first album that’s special. And each drummer, whether it was conscious or not, stayed there. So I wanna stay in that Forbidden Evil vibe, but then it will be against music that is not that first album. But there is something very cool with the drums that happens with each drummer. I’m, like, ‘Wow, he did that too.’ Mark [Hernandez] did that. Even Gene [Hoglan] coming in, and even Sasha [Horn].”

Locicero later joked that Forbidden was essentially the minor league team for all the major thrash bands. Which is kinda true – Forbidden has featured Slayer drummer Paul Bostaph, Nevermore guitarist Tim Calvert, every-metal-band-ever drummer Gene Hoglan, and Exhorder drummer Sasha Horn.

“Everyone that’s ever played in Forbidden I feel like is top notch at their fucking job. We’re like the minor league baseball team of Bay Area thrash. You had to come through Forbidden to get to the fucking majors. And now here we are. It’s crazy to have a chance to even be in this position. It’s really something that we don’t take for granted.

“I’m probably more blown away by the positive response by the crowds and the welcoming feeling that we’re getting. It’s no bullshit. Every night, it’s, like, ‘Wow, they really are happy we’re back.’ So it’s nothing to be squandered, man.”