Reactivated San Francisco Bay Area thrashers FORBIDDEN continue their work at Sonic Room/Audio Voyage Studios in Livermore, California recording their upcoming new album Omega Wave. Album artwork has been commissioned from Kent Mathieu (Forbidden, EXODUS, AUTOPSY, EXHORDER). The album is being produced by Forbidden guitarist / songwriter Craig Locicero and Tim Narducci. All tracks will be mixed by Sean Beavan (SLAYER, MARILYN MANSON, NINE INCH NAILS).

States Locicero: “After a year of writing and a couple of months recording this son of a bitchin' album, we've finally decided to call it Omega Wave. It certainly would have been easy to self-title it, but anyone who knows anything about Forbidden and our history understands that we spend a considerable amount of time thinking about these things. That's just what we do. Omega Wave seemed most fitting and it's one of the thrashiest songs on the record! An ‘omega wave’ is the feeling of impending doom that hangs over everyone in these difficult times, more so than any other era in history. Many feel that our time is almost up, partly because it has been written and predicted in almost every ancient society; also because most people can tell which way the wind is blowing, if you know what I mean. So the question is, is this all really happening by design or is it a self-fulfilled, man-made hysteria that we are creating by accepting it in our collective consciousness? Either way, it's a black wave of negative energy that exists to billions of people. That is the Omega Wave.”

On why the band sought out the artist Forbidden's career began with:

“Within the last few months, we've reconnected with the original artist who painted the artwork for our first two albums, Forbidden Evil and Twisted Into Form: Kent Mathieu. I love the work he's done with everyone, but there is no denying that the first two covers he did for Forbidden are a couple of the most iconic pieces for our genre. Getting Kent on board was a coupe and he gets us like no other artist could. He’s got a pile of lyrics to inspire him and he fully understands the Omega Wave concept. I can't wait to see what he comes up with. Should be perfect!”

On the dedication of co-producer Tim Narducci:

“Tim and I have know each other since '86, when I was in FORBIDDEN EVIL and he was in TYRANNICIDE! We were under-aged kids drinking beer in the Ruthie’s Inn parking lot! That’s some history and he knows his metal! Some of my peers have been grilling me on what it's like to produce a record for the first time. It's time consuming and somewhat difficult to get the performances out of someone you've known since you were kids, but I am not doing this alone. Tim Narducci has been by my side every step of the way. We help each other stay focused and motivated. He's excellent and catching the little things and bringing the big picture together. We also have a great engineer and person in Brad Barth, who is a recording wizard and also owns Audio Voyage/Sonic Room (where we're tracking). I really love working with these guys. Tim, Brad, and I have been playing together in SpiralArms since 2005. We've learned a lot about ourselves and recording over the last 5 years and recently completed Spiral's first full length album that comes out this summer. We started recording and finished that album before we began the Forbidden record.”

On the talents of mixer Sean Beavan:

“Once we finish the recording process, everything gets into the hands of a true genius. I still can't believe how lucky we are to have Sean to do it. Sonically, he's very unique and on a different level. He's produced, engineered, and mixed some of the best sounding material out there. I met Sean through my work with Rick Rubin on the Manmade God record I did in 2003. Sean mixed it and we became friends. I learned a lot from him and he really listened to my input when Rick asked him not to (ha, ha). Sean will make the Forbidden record sound like nothing else going, and that's a great thing! Hopefully everyone will appreciate how cool and organic the tones and performances are. We set out not to make a record that sounds like anyone else besides Forbidden. I don't feel like it could be in any better hands than Sean's to keep the integrity of what we started all the way to the finish line.”

As a final comment on the new album, Locicero adds: “Whatever Omega Wave turns out to be will ultimately rest upon my shoulders. I picked the team and that's fine with me. I can live with that.”

Song titles for Omega Wave are as follows:

'Alpha Century'

'Forsaken At The Gates'

'Swine'

'Immortal Wounds'

'Hopenosis'

'Adapt Or Die'

'Inhuman Race'

'Behind The Mask'

'Dragging My Casket'

'Overthrow'

'Omega Wave'