Steffan Chirazi
FAITH NO MORE are poised to make a spectacular return with a new guitarist and a scorching new album!
The band are on the verge of announcing their replacement for legendary 'Big Sick Ugly' Jim Martin, who parted company with the San Franciscan superstars in December, and say they should be ready to enter the studio in under two months.
"We're very close to a decision about our new guitarist, but not close enough that I can throw a name out just yet," FNM bassist Bill Gould tells Mayhem.
"There's still a lot of things to work out before the final decision's made, and I would expect that to come when we finally go into the studio in about six weeks."
The band are understood to have auditioned Killing Joke guitarist Geordie, among others, but refuse to comment on any of Martin's potential replacements. One of the biggest Rock bands of the late 80s/early '90s, they must surely realise the importance of finding the right man to help deliver what will be a crucial fifth album...
"The music we're doing right now is the hardest-hitting music we've ever done," Gould enthuses.
"The extremes are there as much as before - in some ways it's going to be a challenge for the listener - and there will be some very hard-hitting songs like we've never done before. Which I think only makes things better. There are some riffs that are more percussive than ever. This record will seem alive.
"The majority of the album is written," he reveals. "Everything's looking really good and now we're just waiting for the final pieces to fall into place. The guitarist situation will be a done deal when we enter the studio to start recording, but we need to be absolutely sure before we announce anything. We'd look like idiots if we prematurely announced something that didn't work out."
Gould can confirm that the band have approached Andy Wallace (Slayer, Nirvana, Sepultura) to produce the band's next album, and that the two parties are currently working on the details.
"It's really cool," Gould enthuses. "It'll be the first time we've worked with a producer besides Matt Wallace. Which is the main reason we'd like to work with Andy Wallace. If you think about a band that's been together for 10 to 12 years who's never worked with another producer. we have to do it. It's a fresh break, and we owe it to ourselves to know how we'd sound in someone else's ears. Matt understands. I'm sure he feels the same - it's completely mutual."
Originally intended for an Autumn release, the next Faith No More album is now more likely to surface at the start of next year.
More news on FNM's return to action - and of their new guitarist - as it happens!
