Former TESTAMENT Guitarist Resumes Production, Recording Activities Following Tumor Diagnosis

Former TESTAMENT/DEATH guitarist James Murphy has laid down two guitar solos for the forthcoming MALEVOLENT CREATION CD, entitled The Will To Kill, to be released later in the year via Nuclear Blast Records. Commented Murphy: "Both solos were in one song which is titled 'Assassin Squad'. After recording my tracks I stuck around to help out with effects during the mixing session. The album was mixed by Jean-Francois Dagenais of KATAKLYSM and he is a really great guy. I had a lot of fun."

In other news, the forthcoming CD from Michigan-based black metallers SUMMON, ...And the Blood Runs Black, which James recently produced for Moribund Records, will also contain a couple of guest solos from the guitarist — on one of the regular album tracks, "Necromantic Lust", as well as on a bonus/B-side track, a cover of DEATH's "Left To Die", which Murphy also played rhythm guitar on.

During the coming months, James — who is presently receiving treatment for a brain tumor with which he was diagnosed last year — is scheduled to work as producer/engineer with TRANSMETAL (Mexico),BLOOD RITUAL (Washington) and HAVOCHATE (New York). Murphy will also continue to prepare material for the much-anticipated second DISINCARNATE CD, which is tentatively due to surface in late 2003.

"I am working, slowly but surely, on the new material [for the second DISINCARNATE album]," said Murphy. "I have a couple songs close to finished musically, but no lyrics yet. You can certainly expect it to be heavy and intricate with tons of eerie melodies and harmonies.

Anyone interested in dropping James a line can do so at the following address: [email protected]. You can also visit his official web site at this location.