EXHORDER Parts Ways With Founding Guitarist VINNIE LABELLA

EXHORDER have parted ways with founding guitarist Vinnie LaBella. The remaining members of the group have issued a statement saying that they will fulfill their “touring and recording obligations for 2020 and beyond.”

“EXHORDER and guitarist Vinnie LaBella have mutually agreed to part ways,” the statement reads. “We wish the best for Vinnie moving forward. EXHORDER will continue business as usual, and we are excited to perform our touring and recording obligations for 2020 and beyond. The band can’t wait to see everyone on the ‘Wings Over The USA’ tour featuring OVERKILL/EXHORDER/HYDRAFORM in the upcoming weeks!“

On Saturday, LaBella shared a link to EXHORDER’s latest single, “The Man That Never Was”, and wrote in an accompanying message: “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. Stage three begins today my friends. This will be my last release under the name EXHORDER. More to come…“

Singer Kyle Thomas is now the sole remaining founding member of EXHORDER, which released its first album in 27 years, “Mourn The Southern Skies”, last September via Nuclear Blast Records. The band is rounded out by Jason Viebrooks (HEATHEN) on bass, Marzi Montazeri (ex-SUPERJOINT RITUAL, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS) on guitar and Sasha Horn (FORBIDDEN) on drums.

EXHORDER released two albums in the early 1990s through the Roadrunner label — 1990’s “Slaughter In The Vatican” and 1992’s “The Law” — before breaking up, with Kyle going on to form FLOODGATE and also briefly appearing live as the vocalist for TROUBLE, which he later joined on a full-time basis (and is still a member of).

EXHORDER is cited by many as the originator of the riff-heavy power-groove approach popularized by PANTERA.