Reunited classic lineup of BIOHAZARD will release “Divided We Fall”, the band’s first studio album in over a decade, on October 17 via BLKIIBLK. To celebrate the announcement, BIOHAZARD has released a new single, “F**k the System”, accompanied by a music video which can be seen below.
BIOHAZARD‘s Billy Graziadei (vocals/guitar) commented: “‘F**k the System’ is BIOHAZARD calling it like it is. The powers that be have us at odds and beefin’ with each other while they sit back and cash in. It’s no accident the world’s burnin’ in front of our eyes. It’s all divide and control – while they keep us divided by politics, class, race, all of it, and have us out here fighting each other, they’re pulling the strings. ‘F**k the System’ is our war cry about the state of the world with no sugarcoated bullshit.”
Produced, mixed, and mastered by Matt Hyde (SLAYER, HATEBREED, DEFTONES),“Divided We Fall” captures BIOHAZARD at their most raw, relentless, and unifying. The album blends the band’s unmistakable fusion of hardcore, metal, and streetwise groove with a sharpened edge for a fractured modern world delivering a powerful reminder of why BIOHAZARD remains one of the most vital and influential bands in heavy music.
BIOHAZARD‘s Bobby Hambel (guitars) comments: “We are really excited to finally have the classic BIOHAZARD lineup back together in the studio. This album has been a long time coming, and the record is straight from our hearts. We can’t wait for everybody to hear it, and to head out and play these new songs live. See you out there!”
Recording sessions took place at Shorefire Recording Studios in Long Branch, New Jersey and The Hydeaway in Van Nuys, California, with engineering by Joseph DeMaio and additional recording from Matt Hyde. Guitar and production tech duties were handled by Phil Caivano.
BIOHAZARD‘s upcoming release via BLKIIBLK marks a new chapter in a storied career that began in the late ’80s, one defined by aggressive sound, socially conscious lyrics, and an unwavering commitment to their roots.
“Divided We Fall” track listing:
01. F**k The System
02. Forsaken
03. Eyes On Six
04. Death of Me
05. Word To The Wise
06. Fight To Be Free
07. War Inside Me
08. S.I.T.F.O.A.
09. Tear Down The Walls
10. I Will Overcome
11. Warriors
In a recent interview with Chicago’s Rebel Radio 92.5 FM as part of the station’s 31st-anniversary celebration, Graziadei stated about “Forsaken”: “The song ‘Forsaken’ is a killer BIOHAZARD track. It’s the first one off the new record that we started playing live.
“We were on tour in Europe with LIFE OF AGONY and a band called LYLVC,” he continued. “We had a great tour. Most of it was sold out. So we started playing new songs during soundcheck, and one night we threw ‘Forsaken’ into the set. Because once social media started happening and everybody had a cell phone, we didn’t like playing new songs because it was up on YouTube the next day. So we were, like, ‘Screw it. Let’s just play it. Who cares?’ And then we played it. And, bro, it was like 1992 again, the way the kids and the audience was reacting. We kept playing it every night. And then the [fan-filmed live] videos started coming out [on YouTube]. And it’s funny, because we weren’t tight with the song. And it’s always like that — a new song, it takes a little while to get tight. But after, like, a week of play that every night, there was another video of us playing it, and it got better and better. So then we were like, ‘Yo, the kids like this new song. Let’s do a [proper] video.’ So I talked to the label, and the record wasn’t even done yet. But I was, like, ‘Let’s just do a video. Let’s film this. If something comes cool of it…'”
Billy added: “People have been seeing the [reunited] original [lineup] BIOHAZARD playing live for [the last] three years. We’ve been talking about doing a [new] record, we’ve been teasing it and we finally did it late last year and finished it during the winter and then went on tour. So it just came together. I hired some dudes I knew from England [to make the ‘Forsaken’ video]. They flew over to Amsterdam and Belgium, filmed a couple shows, and then we put together this… It’s a real video. It’s not a live video, but it captures all the energy. The new record is like that.”
Touching upon BIOHAZARD‘s approach to making the new album, Billy said: “One of the things about BIOHAZARD was we always were better live than we were on records. So that was a goal of mine, is to try to capture that live energy and sound. And I never was able to do it. With BILLYBIO and my solo stuff, I figured it out. BIOHAZARD, this record we worked with this producer named Matt Hyde, and he brought a whole different element and realization to the table with me. ‘Cause I have POWERFLO with Sen Dog and Christian from FEAR FACTORY, I have my solo stuff, BILLYBIO. He said, ‘You grew as an artist, as a writer.’ He goes, ‘And I love it. It’s great. But you can’t be that dude. You gotta be Billy BIOHAZARD from 1994. That’s when people fucking loved you guys. You’ve gotta be Billy BIOHAZARD from the early ’90s when everybody loved you. That was when you guys made music and you didn’t care about structure. It was real and raw and right in your face.’ And that realization, that was the resonating theme of this record. And we went back — every band says, ‘We’re going back to the roots.’ Guys, you heard it on ‘Forsaken’. We’re dropping something new next. You’ll hear it.”
Elaborating on the musical direction of the new BIOHAZARD material, Billy said: “The record — it’s not a rerun, but it’s kind of like we really found the heart and soul of the band that we… I guess it’s just the formula of the four of us being together. And being on the road for three years playing like all the classic BIOHAZARD songs, it reignited the same passion that we had back then. And it’s all there on the new record. So I can’t wait for you guys to get another track to play. The next track won’t let you down.”
As previously reported, BIOHAZARD will team up with the American hip-hop group ONYX for a North American tour this fall. Additional support on the “Divided We Fall” trek will come from BAYWAY and SWOLLEN TEETH.
BIOHAZARD was joined by ONYX on stage on February 23 at the Academy in Dublin, Ireland to perform the 1993 ONYX song “Slam”.
“Slam” was originally released in May 1993 as the second single from ONYX‘s debut album, “Bacdafucup”. An official remix, “Slam (Bionyx Remix)”, was a collaboration with BIOHAZARD and was made available as a maxi-single titled “Slam: The Alternatives” in June 1993.
BIOHAZARD and ONYX also worked together on the song “Judgment Night” for the soundtrack to the 1993 film of the same name.
BIOHAZARD, renowned for their aggressive style and socially conscious lyrics, has been a seminal force in the hardcore and metal scenes since their formation in the late 1980s. Their unique blend of hardcore punk, heavy metal, and hip-hop elements has garnered them a dedicated fan base and critical acclaim.
Musical pioneers in every sense of the word, BIOHAZARD were one of the first bands to seamlessly blend hardcore, heavy metal, punk, and hip hop into an intoxicating genre all their own. After more than a decade away, the Brooklyn, New York band’s OG lineup reunited in 2023 to both fan fervor and critical acclaim, headlining the opening night of the legendary Milwaukee Metal Fest for their first show back. Ghost Cult magazine said they “explosively unleashed their fury with fortitude and force” with “a superhuman set and an awe-inspiring show.”
The band followed with two sold-out hometown shows in New York City, a late-summer festival run in Europe, and a fall direct support slot with MEGADETH across North America. That was just the start. They returned to Europe in 2024 for the early summer festival season and made their triumphant return to South America in spring, then returned home to blow out America’s exploding festival circuit.
Photo credit: Istvan Bruggen
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