"Bonded By Baloff" On-Track To Be A Sold-Out Event

For those who were either born too late or living in the wrong part of the world while music which has now become legendary was exploding from the Bay Area’s thrash metal scene in the early-to-mid 1980s, here’s your second chance to re-live history.

With a very special All Ages show marking the 10-year anniversary of former EXODUS singer Paul “Pavel” Baloff’s passing, “Bonded By Baloff: A Decade Of Remembrance” will take place at the Oakland Metro Operahouse on Saturday, February 4^th, 2012 and features the evening’s headliners EXODUS plus POSSESSED, FORBIDDEN, HEATHEN, and MAD AT SAM on the Main Stage.  Playing the Second Stage are ANGERHEAD, MUDFACE, THE VENTING MACHINE, HELLFIRE, and HYSTERIA.

The evening is well on its way to being a SOLD-OUT event and may very well turn into the second installment of the recent Bazillion Points book Murder in the Front Row (which can be purchased here), so don’t miss out!

Of the event, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt has previously stated:

"[We] knew it was high time we do something special to remember the legend of Paul Baloff, so we decided to put together a show the Bay Area will not soon forget.  There are some nice surprises in store as well!  It will be ten years and two days since the thrash world lost one of its greatest frontmen ever, and we will always make sure his memory lives on and is never forgotten. Long live The Destroyer!”

Advanced tickets for “Bonded By Baloff: A Decade Of Remembrance” can be purchased at this location.

Visit EXODUS online at www.facebook.com/EXODUSATTACK, www.myspace.com/EXODUS, www.YouTube.com/exodus, and www.twitter.com/_exodus.

Visit FORBIDDEN online at www.facebook.com/FORBIDDENOFFICIAL, twitter.com/ForbiddenMetal, and www.myspace.com/FORBIDDENOFFICIAL.

New Forbidden Drummer Featured In Drum! Magazine

Sasha Horn, newly crowned drummer for reunited Bay Area thrash metal band FORBIDDEN (once home to well-known skinsman Paul Bostaph), has been featured in the February 2012 NAMM issue of DRUM! Magazine.  In it, Sasha discusses his near life-long admiration of the band, his audition, and the importance of chemistry.

FORBIDDEN’s current line-up – which features original vocalist Russ Anderson, founding member/guitarist Craig Locicero, original bassist Matt Camacho, Steve Smyth on guitar, and Sasha Horn on drums – will debut at the upcoming, nearly sold-out Bonded By Baloff: A Decade Of Remembrance event at the Oakland Metro Operahouse on Saturday, February 4^th, 2012 commemorating the 10-year anniversary of former EXODUS singer Paul “Pavel” Baloff’s passing.

About his upcoming debut performance, Sasha shares:

“There is no better place to cut my teeth and sharpen my claws than in front of the ones who pioneered the genre, and in front of a hometown crowd filled to the brim with old school die-hards.  It is an honor and a privilege to be able to call the Bonded By Baloff gig my first with FORBIDDEN. This entire experience should prove to be heavier than time.”

All remaining advanced tickets for Bonded By Baloff can be purchased at this location.

Visit Sasha’s Facebook page here.

Visit FORBIDDEN online at www.facebook.com/FORBIDDENOFFICIAL, twitter.com/ForbiddenMetal, and www.myspace.com/FORBIDDENOFFICIAL.

Exodus & Forbidden Members Comment On Paul Baloff Tribute

EXODUS and FORBIDDEN are just two of the bands from the now infamous Bay Area thrash metal scene who will be performing at the special show marking the 10-year anniversary of former EXODUS singer Paul “Pavel” Baloff’s passing. “Bonded By Baloff: A Decade Of Remembrance” will take place Saturday, February 4^th, 2012 at the Oakland Metro Operahouse.

States guitarist Gary Holt of EXODUS:

"With February 2nd being the 10 year anniversary of Paul's passing, the band knew it was high time we do something special to remember the legend of Paul Baloff, so we decided to put together a show the Bay Area will not soon forget. We've pulled some of the Bay's finest for this, bands who knew and shared many a stage and drink with Pavel.  There are some nice surprises in store as well!  It will be ten years and two days since the thrash world lost one of its greatest frontmen ever, and we will always make sure his memory lives on and is never forgotten. Long live The Destroyer!”

FORBIDDEN guitarist & founding member Craig Locicero adds:

“Everyone in FORBIDDEN is honored to have been asked by Gary and EXODUS to play this show marking the 10th anniversary of Paul Baloff’s crazy fucking life!  I witnessed his insanity first-hand at the Mabouhay Gardens and Ruthie’s Inn.  As EXODUS got bigger, Paul got crazier - in a good way.  It was genius at work.  He was the mold that all thrash frontmen cut themselves from, but he was also a pretty damn sweet guy.  Always kind to those he liked, he'd be in the front row at FORBIDDEN gigs screaming things like ‘Why does it have to be so heavy?’ and my favorite, ‘Heavier than time!’  I'm laughing just typing this!

“At his memorial, I saw people I hadn’t seen in years. So much love, so many laughs. It made me happy in some strange way just to see that kind of respect displayed for Paul.  We all really loved him.  Luckily his legend has returned with a vengeance… and hey, Paul, you did it: You’ve become heavier than time!”

The Main Stage line-up for “Bonded By Baloff: A Decade Of Remembrance” includes: EXODUS, POSSESSED, FORBIDDEN, HEATHEN, and MAD AT SAM.

Playing the Second Stage are: ANGERHEAD, MUDFACE, THE VENTING MACHINE, HELLFIRE, and HYSTERIA.

Advanced tickets can be purchased at this location.

Visit EXODUS online at www.facebook.com/EXODUSATTACK, www.myspace.com/EXODUS, www.YouTube.com/exodus, and www.twitter.com/_exodus.

Visit FORBIDDEN online at www.facebook.com/FORBIDDENOFFICIAL, twitter.com/ForbiddenMetal, and www.myspace.com/FORBIDDENOFFICIAL.

Forbidden's Steve Smyth: NAMM Signing Schedule

FORBIDDEN lead guitarist Steve Smyth will be participating in the following Artist Signing Sessions and Meet-and-Greet appearances at this year’s Winter National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) show, taking place at the Anaheim Convention Center from January 19^th – 22^nd:

 

In related news, Guitar World magazine recently reviewed the Steve Smyth Signature 6 B.C. Rich Bich Guitar in the February 2012 issue (out now!) and has awarded it the Gold Award in Performance.  Regarding his guitar’s prestigious review, Smyth states: “I AM STOKED BEYOND BELIEF!!!”  Watch Guitar World’s video review here! 

Three years in the making, both the 6-string and 7-string versions of Steve’s signature guitar are currently available now at retailers and will be on display at the NAMM show. 

Specs for the 6-string Bich:

• Neck Through Construction
• Mahogany Body
• Maple Neck
• Grover® Rotomatic Tuners
• Ebony Fretboard

• 24 Jumbo Frets

• 25 1/2" Scale

• B.C. Rich Quad bridge

• EMG® 81 bridge and 85 neck Pickups

• 2 Volume, 1 Tone, and 1 Three-way Toggle Controls

Specs for the 7-string Bich:

• Neck Through Construction
• Mahogany Body
• Maple Neck
• Grover® Rotomatic Tuners • Ebony Fretboard • 24 Jumbo Frets • 25 1/2" Scale • Floyd Rose® Original 7 Bridge • EMG® 81-7 bridge and 707 active Pickups • 2 Volume, 1 Tone, and 1 Three-way Toggle Controls

FORBIDDEN’s 2010 reunion album, Omega Wave, debuted at #27 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, #83 on the Billboard Top Hard Music Albums chart, and #92 on the Billboard Top Independent Albums chart the week following its release.

Visit STEVE SMYTH online at www.stevesmyth.com, www.myspace.com/stevesmyth, www.facebook.com/stevesmyth01, www.twitter.com/stevesmyth01 &

www.youtube.com/stevesmyth01.

Visit FORBIDDEN online at www.facebook.com/FORBIDDENOFFICIAL, twitter.com/ForbiddenMetal, and www.myspace.com/FORBIDDENOFFICIAL.

Drummer Chris Kontos Discusses A.F.A.R. On Ωmega Wave Podcast

The latest installment of Craig Locicero of FORBIDDEN’s Ωmega Wave podcast hosted former-Machine Head, former-Testament/current Spiral Arms & Attitude Adjustment drummer Chris Kontos.  Chris spoke about the A.F.A.R. coalition he founded (Alliance For Artist Rescue). According to A.F.A.R.’s statement: “Our mission is to assist metalhead refugees that are in dangerous cultural situations overseas; to help them settle in the U.S. by hosting and finding them jobs upon their arrival to the Bay Area.”

Chris shared some of the moving - and in some cases, horrifying - back-stories for these artists.  He and his partners are a selfless organization that has already helped bring artists from Iraq, Iran, and South Africa into the United States. It is a noble and amazing effort that should be respected and shared with everyone in the metal community.  

Listen to the podcast at this location, visit A.F.A.R. on Facebook and on YouTube, and see what you could do to help.

Locicero and his co-host "Barbwire" Bill Shields (former host for “In the Dark” Radio, professional wrestler, and current Ordained Minister of the Collective Conscious) will speak off-the-cuff on whatever controversial subject may come up. The goals of the Ωmega Wave Podcast are two-fold:

1) To speak to different compelling and controversial lyricists in Metal and Hard Rock weekly.  They will be asked about their motivation, their craft, and what exactly inspires them in these challenging times to do what they do.  Their thoughts & opinions on the most current affairs and intensely debated issues will also be discussed.

2) Have listeners sit in on a real conversation between good friends without censorship watering those thoughts down.  Hosts Bill and Craig will take questions & topic suggestions live and do not filter their reactions to them. These conversations can get very heated at times, depending on the topic.

Previous guests include: Neil Fallon of Clutch, Jon Schaffer (Iced Earth, Sons of Liberty), Peter Dolving of The Haunted, Henrik Ohlsson (Scar Symmetry), Barney Greenway & Mitch Harris of Napalm Death, C.J. “The Metal Motivator” Ortiz, Charles Elliott of Abysmal Dawn, and Mr. Axe from Anonymous.

Listen to the tracks “Forsaken At The Gates” and “Dragging My Casket” from FORBIDDEN’s 2010 reunion album, Omega Wave, here.

Purchase Omega Wave (digi-pak or vinyl version) at the Nuclear Blast USA webstore.

Visit FORBIDDEN online at www.facebook.com/FORBIDDENOFFICIAL, twitter.com/ForbiddenMetal, and www.myspace.com/FORBIDDENOFFICIAL.