New SUICIDE SILENCE Singer: 'I Did Everything In My Power To Stay In ALL SHALL PERISH'

Former ALL SHALL PERISH singer Hernan "Eddie" Hermida spoke to Metal Injection about his decision to join SUICIDE SILENCE as the replacement for the late Mitch Lucker.

Asked how SUICIDE SILENCE approached him to join the band, Hermida said: "At first, their manager contacted me and said, 'Hey, Ed, the guys are thinking about picking themselves up and would like to hear what someone else sounds like on a previously recorded track.' They said it was more for the reference than anything else. After I recorded the 'You Only Live Once' track, they liked it so much that we started exploring ways to make something work."

He added: "Mitch and SUICIDE SILENCE were always like a surrogate family to me so when they asked me to help with the track, I was honored. When they officially asked me if I'd be interested in joining the band, it definitely put me in a tough spot as I had many things to consider."

Regarding when he decided that he would have to do this full time and depart from ALL SHALL PERISH, Hermida said: "The full-time aspect for SUICIDE SILENCE was always part of the deal. Just know that I did everything in my power to stay in ALL SHALL PERISH and work both projects. The ALL SHALL PERISH boys will say that I quit when I decided to take the reigns in SUICIDE SILENCE. I will say that I was asked to step away by my bandmates because they didn't want my schedule with SUICIDE SILENCE to interfere with their future. Either way, ALL SHALL PERISH has my heart and soul built into it and I will always support the work we did together."

An audio snippet of the SUICIDE SILENCE song "You Only Live Once" featuring Hermida can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

Lucker died November 1, 2012 after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle crash in Huntington Beach on Halloween night.

A funeral service for Mitch Lucker was held on November 8, 2012. The ceremony was attended by family and friends.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Lucker struck a light pole near the intersection of Main and 13th streets and was thrown from his 2013 Harley Davidson. The motorcycle continued sliding south on Main Street and struck a northbound 2007 Nissan Titan pickup.

Lucker, who was treated at the scene by paramedics, died shortly after 6 a.m. at UC Irvine Medical Center.

Randy Blythe (LAMB OF GOD),Robb Flynn (MACHINE HEAD) and Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, SEPULTURA) were among the "surprise" guests who performed with with the surviving members of SUICIDE SILENCE at a special show on December 21, 2012 at the Fox theater in Pomona, California as a tribute Mitch Lucker. All proceeds from the event went towards the education of Mitch's six-year-old daughter, Kenadee Lucker.

The Pomona concert was professionally filmed for a DVD that is expected to surface before the end of the year.