09/13/2010 11:05

Forbidden

Forbidden: 'Omega Wave'

Reactivated San Francisco Bay Area thrashers Forbidden have debuted the artwork to their new studio album, 'Omega Wave.

Forbidden guitarist / songwriter Craig Locicero checks in about his collaborative process with artist Kent Mathieu, the visual elements that can be found in the album's artwork, and his concern for the future of the human race:

"As soon as Forbidden committed to writing a new record, I wondered where Kent Mathieu was. I'd always felt like 'Forbidden Evil' and 'Twisted into Form' were pretty iconic album covers... When things like that actually seemed to matter.

"Then, the good people at Nuclear Blast actually located Kent! I got pretty excited and reached out to him immediately. He was equally excited to hear from us, too. The only real direction I gave Kent was to somehow tie the past into the future. Find a way to make the two skulls [from 'Forbidden Evil's artwork] vital again. He had worked up about 12 sketches all kinds of variously cool stuff. Out of all of the pictures he sent me, I liked the way one of them was laid out because of it's simplicity. After thinking about it for a long while, I had a concept for Kent to work with. The 'Omega Wave' concept. The title wasn't decided until I had a good idea for the cover."

"I don't want to over-explain the actual picture because there is enough symbolism for everyone to interpret everything differently. That is always a plus, in my book. What I can tell you is that the skull in the center is based upon the crystal skull of Belize. This skull was found at some of the pyramid ruins in two perfect pieces, jawbone and upper cranium. It was always quite a mystery, but some years later Hewlett Packard scientists did extensive tests on the skull and found many anomalies.

"One of them was that there is no way, even with our most modern technology, that we could cut into the crystal the way this skull was formed. It would shatter with any instrument we have available, even today. Another thing was the fact that no matter what temperature the skull was placed in, the skull's temperature would stay almost exactly the same. Scientists even believe the skull holds information that they could not tap into, like a giant computer chip with an impenetrable code.

"So I got to thinking: Does this skull - and the other ones found throughout the most ancient places on Earth - hold something that we would need to know to possibly save ourselves? This is not an entirely new concept, but it hit me pretty hard. What could we learn about ourselves that may save us at this all-important juncture for the human race?

"It seems as if we've reached our Omega stage as a civilization. Meaning, we as people seem to be in a hurry to reach some sort of ending... possibly all self-manifested by accepting some sort of pre-determined fate. Or possibly just pawns in a game that was played out before and will be repeated again and again in other times and dimensions. So 'Omega Wave' is part science fact and part from my imagination.

"Kent Mathieu is a artistic genius who created something that respects this concept, as well as Forbidden's past, present and future! All of this with one very strong hand-painted picture. That's right, no computer manipulation whatsoever. Something else we can all be proud of! We hope you approve."

'Omega Wave', Forbidden's fifth studio album after a 13-year recording hiatus, will be released through Nuclear Blast in Europe on October 22nd and on October 26th in North America. It was recorded at Sonic Room/Audio Voyage Studios in Livermore, California, produced by Forbidden guitarist / songwriter Craig Locicero with Tim Narducci, and mixed by Sean Beavan (Slayer, Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails).

Forbidden 2010 features Russ Anderson on vocals, Craig Locicero on guitar, Steve Smyth on guitar, Matt Camacho on bass and Mark Hernandez on drums.

Studio blog's can be read here.

(source: Nuclear Blast)

(older news about the topic:)

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, Locicero comments:
"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 on the new Forbidden album 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

(source: Forbidden)