Former SOULFLY Guitarist MARC RIZZO Is Focusing On His Solo Projects: 'It's A Healthier Environment For Me'

Former SOULFLY guitarist Marc Rizzo has confirmed that he is focusing on his solo projects following his departure from the band.

Although Rizzo's exit from SOULFLY was never officially announced, it was revealed yesterday (Thursday, August 5) that FEAR FACTORY's Dino Cazares will play guitar for SOULFLY on the Max Cavalera-fronted band's upcoming U.S. tour, which kicks off on August 20 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Rizzo addressed his absence from the SOULFLY trek while chatting with fans on Facebook Live yesterday morning. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm just going full forward with my solo project. It's just better for me. It's more of a healthier environment for me and my family. And being home more, and do my solo project, which I'm super stoked about. I've also got [my new band] HAIL THE HORNS. We're releasing the video that we did for a KISS cover today. I've got REVENGE BEAST. I've got ACOUSTIC VENDETTA. Things are good. And I'm doing a lot of good shit. I'm going full forward with my solo project. That's really where my heart is at, where I get my writing credit, where I get credit for my work and all my hard work gets proper credit. It's a healthier environment."

Rizzo joined SOULFLY in 2004, and has since appeared on all of the band's subsequent records, including "Prophecy" (2004),"Dark Ages" (2005),"Conquer" (2008),"Omen" (2010),"Enslaved" (2012),"Savages" (2013),"Archangel" (2015) and "Ritual" (2018). In 2007, Rizzo became a member of CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, the side project of SEPULTURA co-founders, brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, and has performed on all CAVALERA CONSPIRACY releases including "Inflikted", "Blunt Force Trauma", "Pandemonium" and the critically acclaimed 2017 LP "Psychosis".

Back in 2018, Max praised Rizzo, telling "The Classic Metal Show": "He loves what he does; he loves playing in SOULFLY; he loves working with me. We are totally connected. He gives 150 percent every show, no matter if there's ten people or ten thousand, which is rare. Sometimes when there's not a lot of people, it's hard to go out there and still be excited and he does it. I do believe he's underrated big-time, but I'm kind of happy about that because if he gets too big, then he will go away. He will join a big band. I'll be out looking for another guitar player and it would suck. It would really suck to lose Marc. I'm kind of happy. It's almost like a secret thing that we have, this treasure that we have. He's fantastic. He's an amazing guitar player. I sit sometimes around the dressing room just to hear him play. Just go in the dressing room to hang out while he's practicing just to hear him playing some of the flamenco sections in the dressing room or when he's just shredding. He's killer. He is a true, true guitar hero."

Rizzo was originally a member of New Jersey Latin metal favorites ILL NIÑO, appearing on their classic 2001 Roadrunner release "Revolution Revolucion" and the 2003 follow-up "Confession".