Forbidden Members to Miss Fall 2026 U.S. Tour

Temporary Replacements and Tour Details

The San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal institution Forbidden announced on Friday, September 18, that bassist Matt Camacho and drummer Chris Kontos are unable to participate in the upcoming "Chaos By Design" U.S. tour. The tour, which also features Heathen and Void, is scheduled to begin on October 23, 2026, in Las Vegas and will conclude on November 22 in Los Angeles, California.

To fill the vacancies, the band has recruited Eli Lucas on drums and Avery Thurman on bass. Lucas was previously the runner-up during the band's international drummer search in 2011, narrowly losing the position to Sasha Horn at the time due to his youth and lack of experience. He has since established himself as a prominent drummer in the Bay Area. Thurman, a 21-year-old bass prodigy, is being borrowed from the band Blind Illusion for the duration of the trek.

Official Statements from the Band and Members

In a statement released via social media, the band addressed the lineup changes and expressed their support for the departing members' privacy:

"Hello, FORBIDDEN People. We're letting you all know that Matt & Chris unfortunately can't be a part of our upcoming US tour with HEATHEN & VOID, starting on October 23rd. They both have personal reasons that they can't make this trip. Please respect their privacy as we do and support their decision. That being said, they're both planning on being back in the fold in 2027, as we have a full slate of touring coming up to support our first new album in 16 years — a record that both Chris & Matt are a part of and made amazing contributions to. We've already been preparing/rehearsing the set for the last few weeks with Eli Lucas (drums) & Avery Thurman (bass). Both of these guys are absolutely insane musicians in their own right. Eli was the runner-up as FORBIDDEN's drummer during our international search back in 2011. He barely missed the cut by a whisker to Sasha Horn, simply because Eli was a little too young & inexperienced at the time. Since then, he's gained a reputation as one of the Bay Area's best drummers. Avery is being borrowed from the legendary BLIND ILLUSION for this tour. He's a 21-year-old bass prodigy who's been quickly making a name for himself with his insane technique & raging stage presence. Both of them have no shortage of energy & musical prowess. We're ecstatic to have them aboard for the tour, with the blessings of both Matt & Chris. We're working on a set spanning most of our history, revolving around 18 songs that we can pull in & out each night. See you out there on tour starting October 23rd at The Usual Place in Las Vegas."

— Forbidden Official Statement

Camacho, who has not missed a tour with the band since 1987, shared his own perspective on the situation:

"There is nothing more satisfying than playing for FORBIDDEN fans, which is why it pains me, due to circumstances out of my control, that I will miss the upcoming US tour. I want to thank Avery Thurman from BLIND ILLUSION for stepping in for me, and thank Team FORBIDDEN for understanding. This is the first tour I will miss since 1987, and I'll be super excited to rejoin my brothers in 2027. HORNS UP!!!! You're in good hands. This lineup is insane!"

— Matt Camacho

Kontos also provided a statement regarding his absence, citing family and personal commitments:

"Hey everyone, I wanted to share that I will not be able to join FORBIDDEN on the upcoming US tour. It all comes down to some very important family and personal commitments, as well as timing that just doesn't line up right now. I'm really bummed to miss it because I was looking forward to hitting the road with the band and crew and seeing all of you out there. Thank you so much for your understanding and support. Please show my replacement, Eli Lucas, the same respect and support you would show me. Eli is a fantastic drummer who will certainly deliver an outstanding performance on this tour. I'm hoping I'll have another chance to tour down the line and see you all again."

— Chris Kontos

New Album and Historical Context

The tour coincides with the release of the band's new, self-titled album on October 23 via BLKIIBLK, an imprint of Frontiers Label Group. This record marks the group's first full-length release since 2010's "Omega Wave" and was recorded at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California, with engineer and co-producer Zack Ohren.

Originally formed in 1985 as Forbidden Evil, the band became a cornerstone of the Bay Area scene. After shortening their name, they released influential albums such as "Forbidden Evil" (1988) and "Twisted Into Form" (1990). Following a period of inactivity that began in 1997, the band reunited in 2008 and later returned again in 2023. The most recent era of the band began in 2025 with the release of "Divided By Zero," their first new song in 15 years.

The lineup has seen several changes in recent years. In July 2024, guitarist Steve Smyth departed to focus on his project One Machine. He was briefly replaced by Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain, who was subsequently replaced by Von Epp in November 2024. The current touring iteration features founding guitarist Craig Locicero and vocalist Norman Skinner alongside the temporary replacements.