Ex-BRAND NEW SIN Singer: 'All Things Come To An End At Some Point'

Lead singer Joe Altier has spoken to Mark Bialczak of the Syracuse Post Standard about his decision to leave of the Syracuse hard rock band BRAND NEW SIN.

"All things come to an end at some point," Altier said. "I guess the best thing is to not get into the politics of the band. We always kept inside things about the band within the band. It was an amicable parting of the ways."

Altier said he began thinking about his life and involvement with BRAND NEW SIN in a different light when his father died in October.

"Something like that, you flip 180," Altier said. "When the dust settles, you see every aspect of your life differently. ... At that point, I realized how quickly life goes by. ... I'm 33. I think it's time to take hold of my life."

Altier will continue with his two side projects. He'll perform solo on Tuesday nights at Station 58 in North Syracuse, playing piano and singing as BRAND NEW JOE. He'll also play there on Wednesday nights with AYLIST, a band with members of UNDER THE GUN and DEAD ROSE.

Drummer Kevin Dean, guitarists Kris Wiechmann and Kenny Dunham and bassist Chuck Kahl will continue playing together with their side cover band, THE UNDESIRABLES, which also includes Grant Waryan and Ronnie Dark, both of whom sing. They play tonight at Downtown Manhattan's in Hanover Square.

Dean said the four want to continue as an original music band, too. He said they're undecided whether they'll keep the name BRAND NEW SIN or how they'll go about linking up with a new lead singer.

BRAND NEW SIN last year parted ways with Century Media Records.

BRAND NEW SIN's acclaimed album "Tequila" was recorded at Method of Groove studios in Brooklyn with producer Joey Z (LIFE OF AGONY, STEREOMUD). The disc, mastered by the acclaimed George Marino (METALLICA, AC/DC, GUNS N' ROSES) at Sterling Sound, features a guest vocal appearance by Peter Steele (TYPE O NEGATIVE) on the track "Reaper Man". The group also recorded a new version of the entrance theme music for Big Show, the 7-foot, 500-pound ECW wrestler. The theme, "Crank It Up", was first heard on the compilation CD "WWE: Wreckless Intent", which debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard chart.