Former SLAYER Drummer DAVE LOMBARDO Exits PHILM

Former SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo has left PHILM, the Los Angeles-based experimental post-hardcore act he launched several years ago with guitarist/vocalist Gerry Nestler (CIVIL DEFIANCE) and bassist Pancho Tomaselli (WAR).

During an interview on episode 224 of the "Let There Be Talk" podcast with rock and roll comedian Dean Delray, Lombardo declined to reveal the reasons for his exit from PHILM, telling Delray (hear audio below): "I'm not gonna talk about it. They didn't want me to promote the band while I was with them, and I'm certainly not gonna do it when I'm without them."

Lombardo added: "I don't wanna talk about it anymore. Yeah, so I just said, 'See ya!'"

According to Lombardo, he was also told that he had to change his playing style to accommodate PHILM: "[They said] 'Don't play hard. We want you to play a little softer.' I said, 'Nope.'"

PHILM officially took form in late 2010 with a handful of tour dates and an early four-song demo that quickly began to make the rounds of in-the-know music critics.

In a 2014 interview with Journey Of A Frontman, Lombardo was full of praise for his PHILM bandmates, explaining that "it felt like a rejuvenation when I first got the band together in 2010."

He went on to say: "When you're in a band for more than 20 years, it becomes a job. There's hardly any communication with bandmembers — you rehearse with the band a couple of days before the tour, then fly back and that's it. You see them on stage but there's really not much to it."

PHILM released its sophomore album, "Fire From The Evening Sun", on September 16, 2014 (one day earlier internationally) via UDR.

Lombardo recently formed a new band called DEAD CROSS with members of THE LOCUST and RETOX. The group is currently recording its debut album with producer Ross Robinson, who has previously worked with KORN, DEFTONES, SEPULTURA and LIMP BIZKIT, among others.

Lombardo described DEAD CROSS's sound to Noisey: "It's just straightforward brutal punk— metal-esque, but it's definitely not metal. I think it definitely leans more towards the punk style, because I feel that the way things are in the world, a punk attitude is definitely necessary to help you along with the shit that's going on. There's no time to sing, 'We Are the World', or all this bullshit, we're all pissed right now, and there's no better way to release anger than to be in a punk band and write punk music."

Lombardo was effectively fired from SLAYER after sitting out the band's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other members of the group. He has since been replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001.