Veteran Florida death metal band MASSACRE has joined forces with a new management team, Extreme Management Group, and has begun work on a new full-length album, to be released in 2020. The group has also welcomed new drummer Jeramie Kling (VENOM INC., THE ABSENCE, GOREGÄNG) and guitarist Taylor Nordberg (THE ABSENCE, GOREGÄNG). MASSACRE's forthcoming album will be the first to feature original bassist Michael Borders, as well as the band's first recording in 23 years to feature original vocalist Kam Lee (ex-DEATH, ex-MANTAS). Lee stated about returning to the band and the new lineup: "I understand for some fans that it's hard to not be a bit jaded about a band with such an ugly history, but that is all finally about to change. I'm now in a place in the band where I'm in position to do what is right by the band's namesake and legendary status quo. Plus, having both Jeramie and Taylor join is the best thing for the band. These members bring a sensibility and professional mindset that the band was lacking before and so urgently needed. Their talents and skill set is a refreshing and positively right direction for the band. I'm excited and looking forward to what MASSACRE will be doing next, and only hope the fans are just as excited." MASSACRE has begun recording its fourth studio album at Kling/Nordberg's own Smoke & Mirrors Productions in Spring Hill, Florida. A teaser video featuring a demo of a new song, titled "Cycle Of The Curse", can be seen below. Of the new music's sound, Borders had this to say: "We're really stoked that Taylor and Jeramie decided to come on board. I really think it's a good mix of new blood into our sound. While there will be no doubt when you hear the new material you're listening to MASSACRE, fans will know these recent changes were for the better. We're giving these guys free rein to be themselves, do their thing, not clone sounds and styles of past members." MASSACRE's new lineup will make its debut in the beginning of 2020 on a short run in Germany. January 17-19, alongside UNLEASHED, ENTRAILS and more. MASSACRE parted ways with guitarist Rick Rozz and drummer Mike Mazzonetto in September. At the time, Lee and Borders blamed the split on "contract infringement violations," "poor performance, incompetence, and lack of professionalism." MASSACRE's latest album, 2014's "Back From Beyond", featured Rozz and Mazzonetto alongside bassist Terry Butler and vocalist Ed Webb. In early 2017, Butler — who is now playing bass for OBITUARY — told Metal Wani that Rozz and Mazzonetto "destroyed" MASSACRE with their "behind-the-scenes backtalking and backstabbing." He went on to make it clear that Rozz and Lee's then-collaboration could not be called MASSACRE. He said: "They can do all they want and write all the songs in the world they want, but it's not gonna be called MASSACRE." Photo by Deidra Kling at Relic Imagery
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