DEATH ANGEL's MARK OSEGUEDA On JUDAS PRIEST's ROB HALFORD: 'He's My Biggest Inspiration'

In a new interview with Czech Republic's Backstage TV, DEATH ANGEL singer Mark Osegueda spoke about his appreciation for British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "JUDAS PRIEST is my favorite heavy metal band of all time. When you say heavy metal, they are the inventors of heavy metal. I love, love JUDAS PRIEST. I love all eras of PRIEST. Just a wonderful band that has inspired me, especially Rob Halford. If one's seen DEATH ANGEL, you can see the two people I rip off more than anyone are Ronnie James Dio and Rob Halford. And why wouldn't you? If you don't, you're doing it wrong. He's the biggest inspiration to me. Sonically beautiful — he just gets everything. Just over the years, how he's maintained that voice is incredible. And I know people far younger than even that have blown their voices out. And to see someone like Rob get up there and do what he does night after night and album after album, it's absolutely incredible. He's my biggest inspiration. Their dual-guitar attack is just incredible and has been forever. Their songs are wonderful. It's timeless, and it's timeless for a reason, 'cause they're the greatest."

Last year, DEATH ANGEL guitarist Ted Aguilar confirmed that he and his bandmates were working on material for the follow-up to the Grammy-nominated "Humanicide" album.

DEATH ANGEL released a new live album titled "The Bastard Tracks" in November 2021 via Nuclear Blast. Recorded live at The Great American Music Hall in their hometown of San Francisco on May 22, 2021, and streamed live soon after, "The Bastard Tracks" was described in a press release as "a deep-cuts collection of rarely and never performed songs from the band's catalog" that was released digitally and on CD, vinyl and Blu-ray.

In October 2020, DEATH ANGEL released a four-song EP, "Under Pressure". The effort included a cover of QUEEN + David Bowie's "Under Pressure", followed by a new track titled "Faded Remains", plus acoustic versions of "Act III"'s classic "A Room With A View" and "Humanicide"'s "Revelation Song". The EP was mixed by Max Norman (OZZY OSBOURNE, MEGADETH, BAD COMPANY) and mastered by Ted Jensen (LAMB OF GOD, MACHINE HEAD, HALESTORM).

Released in May 2019 via Nuclear Blast, "Humanicide" saw DEATH ANGEL returning to producer and friend Jason Suecof (DEICIDE, TRIVIUM) of Audiohammer studios for the recording and mixing, along with the mastering of the legendary Ted Jensen (SLIPKNOT, PANTERA) of Sterling Sound, who added the final touches and brought it all to life, with artist Brent Elliott White (LAMB OF GOD, MEGADETH) providing the ominous cover artwork.

In March 2020, DEATH ANGEL drummer Will Carroll spent almost two weeks on a ventilator in an intensive care unit at a Northern California hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. He first got sick when he and the rest of DEATH ANGEL spent more than a month on the road in Europe with TESTAMENT and EXODUS as part of "The Bay Strikes Back 2020" tour.

DEATH ANGEL was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" for the "Humanicide" title track. It was the group's first Grammy nomination.

Carroll joined DEATH ANGEL in 2009 as the replacement for the band's original drummer, Andy Galeon.

Will can be heard on the last four DEATH ANGEL studio albums: "Relentless Retribution" (2010),"The Dream Calls for Blood" (2013),"The Evil Divide" (2016) and the aforementioned "Humanicide".