NEFARIOUS, a band featuring Rick Hunolt (EXODUS, DIEHUMANE) and Doug Piercy (HEATHEN, ANVIL CHORUS) on guitar, Tom Gears (BLIND ILLUSION, ANCIENT MARINER) on bass, and Will Carroll (DEATH ANGEL) on drums, played its first concert with new vocalist Sean Rivera on Saturday night (January 3) at the DNA Lounge in San Francisco. Rivera joined NEFARIOUS last fall as the replacement for Katon W. De Pena (HIRAX), who sang on NEFARIOUS's debut album, 'Addicted To Power'.
When Rivera's addition to NEFARIOUS was announced in December, Piercy said, 'We wanted someone who could be in the room with us, creating, rehearsing, and ready to play. It's challenging to become a tight band without regular rehearsals. The Bay Area has always thrived on that energy, and now we have it. Long-distance situations can get complicated when communication is lacking.' Hunolt added, 'Sean Rivera has elevated NEFARIOUS to a new level. The metal gods have bestowed upon us a true musical wizard. He's not only an incredible singer and stellar musician (guitar, keyboards) but also an amazing human to work with. I'm eager for you all to hear his voice. See you on the road in '26!'
Rivera expressed his excitement, saying, 'When Doug and Rick reached out to me, I was thrilled and nervous. They're all fantastic players with seasoned musical histories, and stepping into that felt significant. After listening to the album, I knew it was a project I wanted to be a part of. Thankfully, everyone loved my vocals, and I was stoked when they asked me to join. They're all great people and have been supportive throughout the learning process. I feel fortunate to have this opportunity and am excited about our future together.'
NEFARIOUS will embark on a full European tour in August/September 2026, starting at the legendary Alcatraz festival in Belgium. During a recent livestream, De Pena discussed his departure, stating, 'NEFARIOUS was great, and I'm proud of the record. I did one show with them, which was awesome. But I must focus on HIRAX, my band for 40 years. My heart is there, and that's what I must do. I wish NEFARIOUS all the best; they're a great band and musicians.'
Carroll, during an appearance on Zetro's Toxic Vault, mentioned the singer switch, saying, 'Things didn't work out with Katon... HIRAX is touring and busy. It was a communication issue. He wouldn't talk to us for months, and we took it as a sign he didn't want to be in the band. We wasted time waiting, but we had to move on, and that's when Sean came in.'
Regarding the new vocalist, Carroll noted, 'His name is Sean Rivera, and he sings for a band called COFFIN HUNTERS, not to be confused with the [side band of EXODUS bassist] Jack Gibson's COFFIN HUNTER. COFFIN HUNTERS is a traditional heavy metal band, and they play in Santa Rosa. Rick discovered him after seeing him perform.'
In a social media post, Carroll stated, 'I didn't say anything out of line or untrue. I provided a vanilla version of the whole Katon situation.' The Katon-fronted version of NEFARIOUS played its first and only show on July 19, 2025, at the DNA Lounge in San Francisco.
'Addicted To Power' was released on July 18, 2025, via Relentless 'Metal' Records, with collector vinyl available through Hectic/Bleeding Priest Records. Katon, in an interview with The Metal Crypt, described NEFARIOUS's formation, stating that it was initially intended as a solo project for Doug Piercy. They met through years of playing in the same scene and decided to collaborate, motivated by their shared love for music.
