The next time you see Philip H. Anselmo + the Illegals, there will be a new face in the band, but rest assured, the group is working on what the singer describes as "scathing" new music.

The lineup change comes in the guitar spot, where Marzi Montazeri has exited the band, replaced by Mike DeLeon. Speaking with Metal Underground about Montazeri's exit, Anselmo revealed, "What I wanted to do with Marzi anyway was jump start his career, which I did. He's the type of guy that needs to be the focal point of pretty much anything he does. So he's got that now and I'm happy for him. More power to him."

As for DeLeon, Anselmo stated that the guitarist was put on his radar thanks to his association with Illegals drummer Blue and Superjoint guitarist / bassist Steve Taylor. "Steve Taylor was constantly saying, 'DeLeon is the guy, DeLeon is the guy. He wants it the most! He wants it the most!' I trust them. I trust their judgment. I trust their intuition. So far, every time DeLeon has come to jam it has been serious grinding. He takes a good beating, man. He's great. He's a pleasure to work with."

Anselmo revealed that in the midst of all his other projects, he and the Illegals have begun working on their next album. "It's f--king scathing," says the vocalist. "It's going to be absolutely horrible for some. It's gonna be miserable for others. For others, maybe they'll get it fast. I'll say that. It's unforgiving, that's all I'll say."

So keep an eye out for Philip H. Anselmo and the Illegals returning to the music landscape in the future.

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