New GOD FORBID Documentary Tells Story Of How Band's 2022 Reunion Came Together

GOD FORBID, a New Jersey-based band who helped pioneer the metalcore and New Wave Of American Heavy Metal sound in the late '90s and early '00s along with band like LAMB OF GOD, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and SHADOWS FALL, broke up in 2013. The band reunited in 2022 for the Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Virginia. A new mini-documentary — directed, filmed and edited by Hector Gallardo for Subharmonic City Productions — tells the story of how that reunion came together and what the experience was like for the band members.

GOD FORBID will perform more reunion shows in December 2024 celebrating the 20th anniversary of the band's breakout album, "Gone Forever".

Headlining shows:

Dec. 12 - Sacramento, CA @ Harlows (w/ SKINLAB, THROWN INTO EXILE
Dec. 13 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent (w/ Burton C. Bell, SKINLAB, EXMORTUS, THROWN INTO EXILE)

Shows with BLEEDING THROUGH, CARNIFEX, NEKROGOBLIKON, I DECLARE WAR and LAST OF OUR KIND

Dec. 14 - Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
Dec. 15 - San Diego, CA @ Observatory

Nearly a year ago, GOD FORBID guitarist Doc Coyle was asked by Scott Penfold of Loaded Radio if there were plans for him and his bandmates to work on new music in the near future. He responded: "Um, nothing officially. We've essentially been taking things one event at a time. 'Cause for some of the guys, it's just — they have kids, they have jobs. It's not the easiest thing for them to really invest a lot of time into this. So I don't wanna presume that people can do that. I'd love to do it. But if we're gonna do it, everyone has to kind of be on the same page about taking on that responsibility, 'cause it is. If you sign a record deal, there are expectations, there are responsibilities with that. And, obviously, if we did something, you want it to be great. You don't want it to be just okay. You want it to really be something we commit to and take seriously. But there is interest on the table. So it's something if we were really ready for, there's great opportunities out there. And I think there's actually kind of a relevant desire and demand for the band right now, which is, for me, just very pleasantly surprising. I was really not expecting that."

He continued: "It's just cool, 'cause I feel like for a very long time, we felt underappreciated, and it's cool that people seem like they're really into the band. It's, like you create this material and you see if it has any legs, you see if it stands the test of time. And I feel like our stuff has aged pretty well. I never thought I'd have the opportunity to kind of do the things we're doing right now. So it's a real blessing. I just love to spend time with the guys. I love the guys, and just on a pure friendship level, it's a real wonderful thing."

GOD FORBID's performance at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival in September 2022 at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia marked the band's first live appearance in over nine years.

GOD FORBID's lineup for its recent concerts has included Doc Coyle (guitar),Byron Davis (vocals),Corey Pierce (drums) and John "Beeker" Outcalt (bass),along with Nick Hipa (guitar; ex-AS I LAY DYING),who joined the group in July 2022.

GOD FORBID officially called it quits in August 2013 following Doc's departure.

Two and a half years ago, Doc told the "Drinks With Johnny" podcast that he didn't rule out putting out new music with GOD FORBID.

"I was kind of the main kind of riff writer [and] songwriter for the band for a good portion of those last few records," he explained. "So me as a writer, there's always stuff [I'm working on that] I'm, like, 'That sounds like a GOD FORBID thing.' So there's always stuff that I'll just kind of put to the side or kind of [have] in the back of my [head] that theoretically could be that. So there's definitely some material that definitely could exist, but I am very much taking it one step at a time.

"I have a tendency to have a lot of big ideas and go [down] a lot of rabbit holes [in] my head, but unfortunately — not even unfortunately — you want to make sure everyone's a part of that, not just it's my little kind of… Sometimes I get all hyped up in my head, but it's. like, it takes a village, and everyone has to be on board," he continued. "It's important to make sure everyone is excited about anything you're doing; that's just very, very important to me.

"I really enjoy the band dynamic and having everyone be involved and be excited about stuff because I really believe in the synergy of that. I think GOD FORBID was one of those bands where the sum was better than the parts, that everyone together made something that outpaced our actual talent and ability, you know, because of the chemistry."

GOD FORBID's latest album, "Equilibrium", was released in March 2012 via Victory Records. The bulk of the CD was recorded by Mark Lewis (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, WHITECHAPEL, DEVILDRIVER, TRIVIUM),with Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER) stepping in during the the vocal-tracking stage. The effort was mixed by acclaimed Swedish producer Jens Bogren, who previously worked with such acts as KATATONIA, OPETH, PARADISE LOST and AMON AMARTH.

"Equilibrium" sold 3,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 156 on The Billboard 200 chart. The effort landed at No. 7 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

Photo courtesy of Headbangers Boat