MARK OSEGUEDA Says Next DEATH ANGEL Album Probably Won't Arrive Before Early 2028

In a new interview with Poland's KVLT Magazine, DEATH ANGEL vocalist Mark Osegueda spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's long-awaited follow-up to 2019's "Humanicide" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've released a couple of singles [2025's 'Wrath (Bring Fire)' and 'Cult Of The Used', and 2026's 'The Never Was']. We're writing new music for the full-length. And we wanna amass a bunch of songs and then pick out the best songs. So we don't know and we can't guarantee how many of the singles will be on the record. One or two very well may be, but at the same time, it could just be a whole slew of new songs. But we are currently writing and starting more demoing processes for the new record. And we definitely hope to be in the studio by this upcoming summer."

Asked if he and his DEATH ANGEL bandmates already have more new songs in the works, Mark said: "Well, we're still writing, for sure. We definitely have some full songs that are demoed, yeah, for sure. And we're currently writing some more to do some more demo tapes. And the studio's all set up for, to start doing the basic tracks for them, and we're gonna demo as many as we can. And then we'll get into the studio, hopefully in summer, as I said, to start tracking the actual record."

As for a possible release date for the next DEATH ANGEL album, Mark said: "Uh, that's a tough one. That's a tough one. I know how long it takes for marketing and whatnot, and especially pressing vinyl these days takes a lot longer. So probably, in all honesty, the safest answer would be first quarter of 2028. But we'll be recording by summer of 2027."

He added: "We wanna kind of approach it like we did [1990's] 'Act III' — write a mass of songs, and then cherry-pick the best songs and narrow it down to one record."

Asked what the reason is behind the fact that this has been the "longest period" between DEATH ANGEL records, Mark said: "[COVID] played a huge role… I'd actually say the main reason was COVID, and at first everyone took a… [DEATH ANGEL drummer] Will [Carroll] was definitely very ill at the time [after contracting COVID early in the pandemic]. And then once he healed up, it was a process of healing for everyone worldwide, wondering what the hell is going on. And everyone approached it differently, and I know a lot of people, friends of ours, contemporaries, wrote a lot of music. And with us it, was kind of odd. We wrote some music... 'Cause we had to shelter in place, Rob [Cavestany, DEATH ANGEL guitarist] and I did an acoustic EP ['Under Pressure'] under [the name] DEATH ANGEL. We came out with that. But to keep our name out there, we did streaming shows during the pandemic and online shows, and we put a lot of concentration in that and relearning old songs. And that's what we kind of put our focus on to. And then after that, then when the world started opening up, we started getting our feet wet with touring again, and that was kind of the main gist of what's going on."

Mark also denied that his involvement with the solo band of SLAYER guitarist Kerry King had a significant effect on the amount of time it has taken DEATH ANGEL to work on new music. He said: "As far as the Kerry King thing, how it affected it, I wouldn't say that plays a major part in it. To some people it may have, but the only way it could have would be if, say, I wrote the music, but I don't write the music. I write lyrics and melodies, so as long as the music's there, no matter where I am, I can write it. So I think it's just how every individual was affected by the pandemic, and then reintroducing yourself into the world once it opened up again. And this is how we were doing it. And now we're back on solid ground and we started touring again a great deal, and now it's time to really focus on this new record while still getting some live shows out there, just so we feel like we still are on top of our live game, 'cause we've always been a live band. It's something we pride ourselves on."

The official lyric visualizer for "The Never Was", which came out earlier in the month, features original drawings and video production by Tamara Llenas of Aimed & Framed, with single cover artwork created by Mark Richards.

With new music in tow, DEATH ANGEL will soon return to the international stage for a series of highly anticipated performances throughout Europe and Australia. The band will also continue their long-running tradition of year-end holiday shows, bringing their explosive live performance to fans before closing out the year.

DEATH ANGEL is a pioneering American thrash metal band formed in 1982 in Daly City, California, and a vital force in the legendary Bay Area thrash movement. Emerging as teenage prodigies, the band quickly built a reputation for blistering speed, technical precision, fearless songwriting, and ferocious live performances — qualities that continue to define them more than four decades later.

Formed by cousins Rob Cavestany (guitar),Dennis Pepa (bass) and Andy Galeon (drums),alongside vocalist Mark Osegueda and guitarist Gus Pepa, DEATH ANGEL cut their teeth in local clubs before exploding onto the international stage with their 1987 debut album "The Ultra-Violence", recorded when Galeon was just 14 years old. Its complex arrangements and explosive energy immediately distinguished them within the Bay Area scene. They followed with 1988's "Frolic Through the Park", which featured the breakout single and MTV favorite "Bored", even leading to the band hosting "Headbangers Ball". In 1990, their major label debut "Act III" (Geffen) revealed a more dynamic and melodic dimension while retaining their thrash intensity. With MTV airplay for "Seemingly Endless Time" and "A Room With A View", and a feature in People magazine, the album cemented their status as one of thrash metal's most musically adventurous acts.

After reuniting in 2001, DEATH ANGEL embarked on a powerful second chapter — one that would become among the strongest stretches of their career. Rather than leaning on nostalgia, they delivered a run of acclaimed releases that fused classic Bay Area aggression with sharpened songwriting and modern production. Beginning with "The Art Of Dying" (2004) and continuing through "Killing Season" (2008),"Relentless Retribution" (2010),"The Dream Calls For Blood" (2013),"The Evil Divide" (2016),and 2019's "Humanicide", the band refined their attack while expanding their dynamics. Across these albums, intricate riff craftsmanship, blistering tempos, and socially aware lyricism became hallmarks of their modern era. "Humanicide" earned DEATH ANGEL a Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance", further solidifying their place among contemporary thrash metal's most vital and respected forces.

In 2025, the band unveiled two standalone singles, marking their first new material in several years and signaling the next phase of their evolution. "Wrath (Bring Fire)" delivered a high-velocity assault rooted firmly in classic Bay Area ferocity, while "Cult Of The Used" emerged as a sharp, socially charged anthem driven by precision riffing, thunderous rhythm work, and commanding vocals. Together, the releases reaffirmed DEATH ANGEL's creative momentum and uncompromising intensity.

To celebrate the 35th anniversary of "Act III", DEATH ANGEL launched a special anniversary tour performing the album in its entirety. The run combined full-album performances with select classics from across their catalog, offering longtime fans a rare and immersive experience. The tour included major U.S. markets and multiple hometown Bay Area performances — including two advanced sold out shows at the legendary Fillmore — underscoring the album's enduring impact. The "Act III" anniversary tour continues into 2026 and 2027, with additional dates to be announced.

The current lineup — Mark Osegueda (vocals),Rob Cavestany (guitar),Ted Aguilar (guitar),Damien Sisson (bass),and Will Carroll (drums) — has remained intact for nearly two decades, forming one of the most stable and formidable configurations in the band's history. That longevity translates powerfully to the stage, where DEATH ANGEL continues to tour extensively across North America, Europe, South America, Asia, and Australia, appearing at major festivals and headlining club and theater dates while maintaining their reputation as one of thrash metal's most electrifying live acts.