THE OBSESSED Begins Recording New Album, 'Live Fast - Love Hard - Die Free'

American doom metal veterans THE OBSESSED have entered Waterford Digital Studio in Pasadena, Maryland with producer Frank Marchand to begin recording their new full-length album, "Live Fast - Love Hard - Die Free", tentatively due in 2027.

The band says: "We're exited as fukk to lay this on y'all , YAHOOO!!!"

Last July, THE OBSESSED parted ways with drummer Brian Costantino and replaced him with Bob Pantella — the powerhouse percussionist known for his crushing work with MONSTER MAGNET and THE ATOMIC BITCHWAX.

THE OBSESSED returned in 2024 after a seven-year absence with its acclaimed latest album, "Gilded Sorrow", on independent Californian label Ripple Music. Lauded as a "must-listen for fans of the genre and a compelling entry point for newer voyagers into the world of doom" by Metal Hammer and "the best the band has ever sounded" by Ghost Cult magazine, "Gilded Sorrow" was described in a press release as "a defiantly abrasive, crushing and straightforward album that has already left an indelible mark on the heavy music landscape."

Weinrich is a living legend. In a way, he is the American version of Lemmy and shares many traits with the late, much-beloved metal icon. He's always been a rebel, loner and an outsider in an outsider scene, pursuing his music without regard for popularity or acceptance. In the process, he came to be considered one of the early pioneers of American doom. All of this began when he founded THE OBSESSED back in the 1970s, then pursued through his many other outfits such as SAINT VITUS and SPIRIT CARAVAN. As a key part of the 1980s Washington/Maryland music scene, his music earned the respect of metal, punk and crossover fans alike while often being dubbed doom metal. Looking back, it was just gritty, street-wise American metal with a cynical bent and psychedelic flair, and this is what made him the unique and timeless heavy music icon he is today.

THE OBSESSED was formed in the late 1970s in Potomac, Maryland by Weinrich. The band spawned in the realm of musicians/artists such as BLACK SABBATH, Frank Zappa, THE DICTATORS and THE STOOGES. The earliest lineup consisted of Wino, bassist Mark Laue, guitarist John Reese and drummer Dave Flood. In 1983, Wino took over vocal duties and the band became a three-piece to record the "Sodden Jackal" EP. The band broke up in the late 80s after Wino moved to California to join SAINT VITUS. At that time, a German label, Hellhound Records, and the booking agency that had signed SAINT VITUS, released "The Obsessed", originally recorded in 1985, prompting Wino to reform THE OBSESSED. After multiple lineup changes, the band signed to Columbia Records in 1994 to release their third album, "The Church Within". Despite highly acclaimed reviews, they would break up following the release, seeing Wino forming SPIRIT CARAVAN (then SHINE) and other projects.

In September 2011, THE OBSESSED returned to the stage at Roadburn festival with "The Church Within"'s legendary lineup of Wino, Greg Rogers and Guy Pinhas. The band played a few more reunion shows over the next couple of years, including Hellfest in 2012 and Maryland Deathfest XI in May 2013 with bassist Reid Raley. Wino announced the full-time return of the band in March 2016 and the band's official signing to Relapse Records to record the follow-up to "The Church Within". The new lineup originally consisted of SPIRIT CARAVAN bassist Dave Sherman and Wino's longtime friend and former road crew member Brian Costantino (drums). On October 31, 2016, Wino announced a new lineup change, including Bruce Falkinburg (bass) and Seraphim (guitar),making it the first time the band had been a four-piece in over thirty-five years.

In 2017, THE OBSESSED unleashed "Sacred", the band's first studio album in over twenty years, further pushing the band into the annals of heavy metal history. After a few years on the road, the lineup stabilized around Brian Costantino on drums, Chris Angleberger on bass, Jason Taylor on guitar and Scott "Wino" Weinrich at the helm. In the winter of 2024, the iconic foursome embraced the new decade in doom with the release of their fifth album "Gilded Sorrow" as part of their collaboration with Californian label Ripple Music and their return to the stage forefront through several North American and European tours and festival appearances.