WARBEAST Releases 'Hitchhiker' 18-Minute Horror Movie

"Hitchhiker", the new video from Texas thrashers WARBEAST, can be seen below. The tune, delivered as an eighteen-minute horror movie, is based on Edwin Neal's character in the original "Texas Chain Saw Massacre".

States WARBEAST vocalist Bruce Corbitt: "I've actually had this idea of using Ed Neal for a music video for a long time. So after we knew for sure that we were going to include a song called 'Hitchhiker' on the new WARBEAST album, the timing was right to make this old idea become a new reality.

"The lyrics for the song are based on Ed's character from the original 'Texas Chain Saw Massacre'. But this short film/music video is not related to that movie plot in any way. This is really just a silly script and a band having fun working on our final project together.

"Ed was a complete professional and great to work with and we are excited to have him starring in this. But like I said, this film isn't to be taken serious I hope you have as much fun watching it as we had making it.

"Thanks to Michael Huebner and 12 Pound Productions for doing a great job filming and editing this video. I also got to give a shout-out to Lee Russell and Gas Monkey Live for allowing us to film the music portion of this film there."

"Hitchhiker" is taken from WARBEAST's new album, "Enter The Arena", which was released on August 4 via Philip H. Anselmo's Housecore Records. The disc was captured at Anselmo's Nodferatu's Lair, mixed by Mike Thompson at the Riff Factory and mastered by Lee Russell. It features newest WARBEAST recruits, guitarist Drew Shoup and bassist Lyric Ferchaud, and stands among the band's most potent, volatile, and unrepentantly powerful offering yet.

"We recorded 'Enter The Arena' exactly a decade after we formed WARBEAST," noted Corbitt. "The nucleus and founding members of this band [guitarist Scott Shelby, drummer Joey Gonzalez and Corbitt] provided the essential veteran leadership that was vital for us to reach our goal of creating our magnum opus. The three of us also contributed our unique individual styles to guarantee that we still sound like WARBEAST. But with the addition of our two newest members — guitarist Drew Shoup and bassist Lyric Ferchaud — who I call the 'Youngbloods,' it was like adding a breath-of-fresh-air to our chemistry. We definitely sound like a well-oiled-machine on this album. So get prepared for the upcoming onslaught of pure, fresh, and quintessential Texas thrash!"

"'Enter The Arena' is WARBEAST at its finest in performance, writing and tone quality," added Shelby. "I'm confident that it will please any rivethead out there! I believe it's mine and our best work to date."

The release of WARBEAST's "Enter The Arena" followed Corbitt's recent and tragic announcement that he's been diagnosed with esophageal cancer — a treatable though rarely curable disease — facing the likelihood that he will never be able to sing again.

Corbitt, who recently began an intensive schedule of radiation treatments, played his final show on Saturday, May 27 at the Rail Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

The band's CD-release party took place on July 14 at The Rail Club in Ft. Worth, Texas. Vocals were handled by Anselmo, Edwin Neal ("Texas Chain Saw Massacre"),and Wayne Abney of HAMMER WITCH.

A special fund to help with the Corbitt family's escalating medical expenses has been set up. To donate, go to this location.

"Enter The Arena" track listing:

01. Centuries Of Poisoned Soil
02. Punishment For Gluttony
03. Orchestration Of Violence
04. Maze Of The Minotaur
05. Hitchhiker
06. Chemicals Consuming
07. Enter The Arena
08. The Scalping
09. Conjuration With The Devil
10. Ancient Hate

Photo by Eric Younkin Jr.