In a brand new interview with Nikki Blakk of San Francisco’s 107.7 The Bone radio station, DEATH ANGEL and KERRY KING vocalist Mark Osegueda spoke about why DEATH ANGEL pulled out of its fall 2024 tour because the help act for W.A.S.P. Changing them on the invoice was ARMORED SAINT. He mentioned (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Since this entire Kerry band occurred, and nonetheless being a serious a part of DEATH ANGEL, there was some backlash from a number of DEATH ANGEL followers, considering that [my involvement with Kerry] may be the tip of DEATH ANGEL or it is taking away from DEATH ANGEL. After which there was a tour that DEATH ANGEL had a drop off of, and it was as a result of there was conflicting dates with Kerry. However when that [W.A.S.P.] tour was supplied to [DEATH ANGEL], I had put it on the market to the powers that be that, ‘Okay, however I am unable to assure I will be obtainable for the entire tour. Simply know this prematurely. So if you happen to take it, I will must do reveals with Kerry in the event that they get booked, and it seems to be like they very properly could.’ And nonetheless my phrases have been taken and with enthusiasm, they only heard, to a sure diploma folks thought, ‘Properly, let’s do it.’ I mentioned, ‘Okay, let’s, however as soon as once more…’ I imply, each little bit of communication we had, I’d reiterate that. And we nonetheless went for it, throwing warning to the wind, and the wind blew again ultimately, so to talk. And I mentioned, ‘Hey, what we did not wish to occur is occurring. However all of us knew this going prematurely. So that is what we are able to do.’ And I truly, being somebody — I do attempt to troubleshoot for DEATH ANGEL on a regular basis as a result of there’s been a few years that DEATH ANGEL has been self-managed by me, Rob [Cavestany, DEATH ANGEL guitarist] and Ted [Aguilar, DEATH ANGEL guitarist], and we have additionally had administration, however we at all times work with administration very properly. And so I attempted to troubleshoot, and I mentioned, ‘Look, I might suppose of some [singers] that would fill in,’ and I gave some names and whatnot, simply as an choice. ‘Trigger I did not need them to lose the tour. However the actuality is what the fact was. So ultimately, what got here again when that was supplied to the W.A.S.P. camp and reserving brokers, whatnot, they only mainly mentioned, ‘Properly, we do not desire a fill-in for 2 explicit instances,’ ‘trigger I’d have missed two batches of dates, and so they did not need that to be the case… That is just about the stance they took. So, then, from there on, push got here to shove, and so they bought ARMORED SAINT, which I feel it is a fantastic invoice. I imply, who’s to say that W.A.S.P. and DEATH ANGEL would not have been a fantastic invoice? Lots of people have been wanting ahead to it.”
Mark continued: “Previous to [DEATH ANGEL pulling out of the W.A.S.P. tour], there was not a lot negativity about me being in Kerry‘s band, however when that hit, then the floodgates opened. And that is when lots of people began saying adverse issues about me and my character and the way it was affecting the band they love. Unbeknownst to them, consider it or not, I really like that band greater than they do.”
Osegueda additionally defended the truth that he did not inform his DEATH ANGEL bandmates that he had joined Kerry‘s solo group till his involvement was formally introduced final February. “I could not actually inform the blokes ‘explanation for NDAs [non-disclosure agreements I signed] and whatnot. And I do know folks will say, ‘Properly, that is your blood. These are your bros.’ But it surely’s an NDA. It is a authorized, binding contract that I signed and I respect that. And wording in NDAs are form of daunting.
“The metallic neighborhood is a hen home,” he added. “It truly is. And simply, bap, bap, bap, bap, and phrase simply will get out, and it is identical to speedy fireplace. And Blabbermouth or not, it simply takes somebody from one crew, one band, and so they discover out and it simply goes round. And we needed to exit of our solution to preserve this mainly the most important secret there was. As a result of everybody form of had an concept of who was in [Kerry‘s] band, however for essentially the most half, nobody knew who the singer was. All of them assumed it was Phil [Anselmo]. And it was simply form of fairly an enormous secret to maintain down. In order that was exhausting. And I perceive that. And I defined that to the blokes after I did inform them. And there you go.”
Mark added: “However once more, as I mentioned, once we took the W.A.S.P. tour, I did inform the powers that be that make the choices for this band, me being one in all ’em, what might happen. Now say the powers that be throughout the band, or folks that do not have the facility within the band to make the choices, they won’t have recognized that I had prefaced this with administration and the blokes who make the enterprise choices. And never everybody on this band is a call maker in terms of this band. And that is simply the pecking order of how this band works. A few of us have longevity and precedence and a few of us do not. And that may at all times be the case, even when it goes down twenty years from now. Rob and I nonetheless have two extra a long time extra historical past within the band. In order that’s simply the case. And it is a greater means for a band to work. We have tried with the unique DEATH ANGEL lineup to do it as a democracy, and it would not work. It simply would not work. It simply breeds extra chaos and extra rigidity, strife. [Too many cooks in the kitchen] — with every thing, from writing, to setlists, to every thing. So, there must be some type of set construction, at the very least with this band. It really works higher that means. And most bands I’ve seen which have longevity, it tends to be the case as properly.”
Requested which singers have been on the shortlist to fill in for him, Mark mentioned: “Properly, I do not even know… I should not go down that street, however I urged a couple of names, after which I feel administration and other people have been wanting into folks as properly. And it simply wasn’t, I suppose, jelling, particularly with Rob. Rob and I had a couple of conversations, and he is, like, ‘It is simply not the identical.’ And I am not saying it’s or is not for any band, or it is totally different for any band, however it’s exhausting, and I am not saying the significance of a place, however it’s exhausting in a number of bands to get a fill-in singer. It’s. It’s, ‘trigger persons are used to her or him being the entrance individual and the way they have interaction with the gang, and the way they work, and the voice — every thing. And in order that’s one other factor Rob was actually involved about, which makes absolute sense. And in our private conversations, he was saying, ‘It might be simpler for us to discover a fill-in for me for a couple of dates than it’s for you.’ And he mentioned that selflessly, however mainly when it boils right down to it, everybody in DEATH ANGEL is an important a part of DEATH ANGEL, however I do know as a fan of various bands, if you happen to went to go see DEATH ANGEL with out me or Rob for that one present, there’s gonna be a substantial amount of folks on the market that say, like, ‘Properly, I bought form of robbed.’ That sucks. And that is simply form of the character of the beast and the character of the historical past of this band. With all bands, that is simply how it’s. It is like if you happen to went to see [BLACK] SABBATH and so they had a fill-in for Tony Iommi. You would be, like, ‘Oh.’ They usually’re an exception. There have been bands which have changed lead singers. Clearly, AC/DC and SABBATH are the 2 primest examples. And [IRON] MAIDEN. There is a handful. But it surely’s not a typical prevalence that it really works out so swimmingly and efficiently.”
In a December 2024 interview with El Planeta Del Rock, Aguilar was requested why DEATH ANGEL pulled out of the W.A.S.P. tour. He mentioned on the time: “Schedule conflicts with Kerry King. Kerry King had some dates booked in Mexico throughout that point. So it is simply schedule conflicts. And it is okay. It does suck, however issues occur for a purpose. It will have been a pleasant tour — after all we’re bummed we’re not doing it — however it’s a must to take a look at the optimistic aspect of issues and go, properly, we have been in a position to write extra songs for the [upcoming DEATH ANGEL] file, as a substitute of prepping for the tour for and getting every thing prepared. It did not occur. ARMORED SAINT bought the tour. They seem to be a good band and so they deserve it. However we take a look at it as, ‘Properly, since we’re not doing the tour, what are we gonna do? Properly, let’s proceed writing extra songs.’ So I feel on the finish of the day, it is loads higher to write down extra songs… ‘Trigger if we might have accomplished that tour, we might have accomplished 5 weeks of helps, and the place are we gonna put together for the Christmas reveals, all these songs, these totally different setlists. I take a look at issues as issues occur for a purpose, and for no matter purpose it’s, it introduced us right here, and we’re okay, man. We’re all proper. There will be extra excursions to come back about… You simply have to seek out the optimistic out of all of it. In the event you dwell on the adverse, then it isn’t gonna do you any good. Simply discover the optimistic, identical to something in life. So, one thing occurs, simply, okay, do not concentrate on the issue, concentrate on the answer. The answer is, hey, okay, that is what we’re gonna do. You need to bounce again straight away.”
Ted added: “It does suck [that we couldn’t do the tour]. We’d have liked to go on tour with W.A.S.P., and, after all, we like to play dwell. However the brand new file is necessary, these Christmas reveals have been necessary. So there will be extra to come back in 2025.”
Requested if he has listened to Kerry‘s debut solo album, “From Hell I Rise”, which options King and Osegueda alongside drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER),bassist Kyle Sanders (HELLYEAH) and guitarist Phil Demmel (previously of MACHINE HEAD),Ted mentioned: “I listened to it as soon as. It is what I anticipated. I feel Mark sounds nice on the file. They’re doing their factor. I’ve to provide hats off to Kerry. SLAYER discontinued, and he moved on with these items. He positively picked the appropriate guys to play with him. And I’ve seen some footage dwell. They’re fucking doing wonderful. So, hats off to them. It is nice. It is a optimistic factor. It is good for Mark. Mark loves it. He is sounding actually good. And it is simply gonna profit each bands. That is how I take a look at it. The one robust half is attempting to determine schedules. However that is one thing we might cope with. But it surely’s gonna profit each events. So there you go.”
Concerning the opportunity of DEATH ANGEL and Kerry King‘s solo band performing collectively in some unspecified time in the future sooner or later, Ted mentioned: “That is as much as Mark, due to his voice. However by no means say by no means. Issues could occur. It might be at a pageant. We’ll cross that bridge once we get there, if it comes about. However I guess to the followers, they want it. However I suppose all of it will depend on Mark, if his voice might deal with it. He solely is aware of. I imply, on paper seems to be good, however behind the paper, you go, ‘Mark, are you able to do it?’ If he says, ‘Yeah.’ If it really works, it really works. If it would not, then it would not.”
When it was first introduced in August 2024 that DEATH ANGEL was pulling out of the W.A.S.P. tour, the one purpose given for the cancelation was “unexpected circumstances”, with no additional data supplied. Nonetheless, DEATH ANGEL drummer Will Carroll later shed some mild on the problems that led to DEATH ANGEL pulling out of the tour, writing on his private Fb web page “it is fairly fucking apparent” why his band was now not participating within the trek. “The phrase BETRAYAL involves thoughts,” he wrote, including: “We knew there can be issues in some unspecified time in the future however not so instantly.”
Not lengthy after DEATH ANGEL‘s tour dates with W.A.S.P. have been introduced, King‘s social media revealed that Kerry‘s band would play two reveals in Mexico in early November — one live performance in Mexico Metropolis because the help act for AMON AMARTH on November 6, and one other gig because the help act for SLIPKNOT in Guadalajara on November 8 — in direct battle with the W.A.S.P. tour, which was scheduled to launch in late October and conclude in mid-December. KERRY KING additionally confirmed appearances at three Good Issues pageant reveals in Australia in early December.
In Might 2024, Osegueda was requested throughout an look on the “Let There Be Speak” podcast with rock and roll comic Dean Delray how he broke the information to his DEATH ANGEL bandmates that he was becoming a member of King‘s solo group. The singer mentioned: “Oh, man. With this one, it is robust. I actually needed to respect the NDA. I actually did. And it was consuming at me. ‘Trigger DEATH ANGEL has been touring constantly — we toured constantly when the world shut down [due to the coronavirus pandemic]. When the world reopened, we went proper again out on the street. And this was all occurring. I used to be beginning to do these demos through the pandemic, after which, after that, I used to be often seeing Kerry to do extra demos [for his debut solo album] when the world opened. And [Kerry‘s] file was accomplished for a 12 months earlier than it got here out. And I would be on tour with DEATH ANGEL. And there have been some nights the place me and Rob have been within the lounge, simply me and him, ingesting, listening to music and simply laughing and speaking like we do. And it simply took every thing in me [not to tell him what was going on]. It is so exhausting to not simply say, ‘Look, bro. Look, bro.’
“That is a type of issues that simply, prefer it or not, some folks will suppose I am an ass about it, however I simply form of actually promised — I promised Kerry and I signed the NDA,” Mark defined. “I promised everybody I wasn’t gonna let anybody know. The one individuals who knew have been my girlfriend, my lady, my mother and my sister. We did not even inform my dad ‘trigger my dad has free lips. So we did not even inform him then. So these are the three individuals who knew. And, after all, individuals who have been on the studio once we have been recording, and shit like that, who have been all NDA folks as properly. So it is fucked up, however I waited and let him know by e-mail similar day that the [official] announcement [of Kerry‘s new band] occurred [in early February 2024]. After which shortly thereafter I talked to Rob and Ted.”
Elaborating on how he approached informing his longtime bandmates of his involvement with Kerry‘s new band, Mark mentioned: “I mentioned within the e-mail, ‘Look, that is the hardest factor for me to inform you.’ And the way I worded it in a single facet to them was simply just about, ‘That is gonna be both essentially the most shocking factor on the planet to you or, slash, the obvious factor on the planet to you.’ And I even mentioned on the finish, ‘trigger it was an e-mail to all the blokes, and I simply mentioned, ‘Take a while to essentially course of all this earlier than you reply, earlier than we speak. Let all this type of sink in, after which when come collectively, if you happen to wanna speak to me, then we’ll all speak.’ And shortly thereafter, I talked to Ted and Rob. They usually have been nonetheless slightly sideswiped, for positive — for positive. I might see it of their [faces]… We did a FaceTime form of Zoom name, the three of us, and so they have been each positively nonetheless in form of a state of processing it. However by the tip of the decision, after we talked for about an hour, they have been supportive, for positive, comfortable for me. They usually each did say, ‘Now that you just point out it, man, it is form of the obvious fucking factor on the planet.’ [Laughs] But it surely was robust, man. I am not gonna lie. It is robust, ‘trigger we have been by a lot collectively — so a lot collectively — particularly me and Rob. I imply, not to remove from… Shit, Ted‘s been within the band since 2001, and now Damien and Will have been within the band for properly over a decade now. So it is loopy. However, after all, me and Rob, we have recognized one another since we have been within the crib. In order that it was a troublesome one. However now, [Rob is] very, very supportive. Earlier than the primary [Kerry King] present, I bought a textual content from him saying, ‘Have a fucking killer present, bro.’ And all these items. The [Kerry King album] launch day, he despatched me congratulations on launch day. Ted as properly. So, they’ve [come] to simply accept it. And I feel it is already introduced a number of consideration to DEATH ANGEL. And it is gonna preserve doing that. But it surely was robust.”
Mark added: “I am enthusiastic about every thing. I am enthusiastic about every thing forward. However, yeah, for positive, it was positively a fragile state of affairs. Even earlier than it was occurring, after I knew it was developing, it was, like, ‘I’ve gotta select my phrases rigorously.’ It is robust. However now that it is out, I really feel so relieved — so relieved — it is out. And since then, we have [DEATH ANGEL] toured South and Central America collectively lately, and that was the primary tour we did for the reason that [Kerry King] announcement and a few [of Kerry‘s] songs have been launched. So everybody bought alongside nice. And it is out. And it simply feels so significantly better to be across the guys with them understanding. I simply felt so odd them not understanding.”
Requested by Delray if he made his clear in his preliminary e-mail that he was not quitting DEATH ANGEL, Mark mentioned: “Yeah, completely. Properly, first, I am form of yammering concerning the means of it, however I positively mentioned, ‘I am very a lot nonetheless the singer of DEATH ANGEL.’ And, after all, after I was speaking to Rob and Ted, Rob was, like, ‘I used to be very comfortable to listen to you say that.’ Like, ‘In fact, bro.'”
“From Hell I Rise” got here out in Might by way of Reigning Phoenix Music.
Following his current tour with LAMB OF GOD and MASTODON and his first European headline tour earlier this 12 months, King and his solo band will hit the street for the 28-date North American headline tour in early 2025. With MUNICIPAL WASTE as particular visitor and ALIEN WEAPONRY supporting, the tour is ready to launch in San Francisco on January 15, 2025, and wrap at Home of Blues in Las Vegas on February 22
