POISON IDEA Taking Hiatus To Address 'Health Issues' And 'Personal Matters'

Upon returning from its successful European tour which lasted several weeks, long-running Portland, Oregon-based American hardcore punk outfit POISON IDEA has announced that it will be taking a hiatus for an undetermined amount of time to “address some health issues and personal matters.” As a result, all previously announced POISON IDEA have been canceled. Additional details on the band’s future plans will be revealed at a later date.

POISON IDEA‘s latest album, “Confuse & Conquer”, came out this past April via Southern Lord Recordings. The band’s first CD since 2006’s “Latest Will And Testament” was recorded by Joel Grind (TOXIC HOLOCAUST) and mastered by Brad Boatright (FROM ASHES RISE).

POISON IDEA currently includes Eric “The Vegetable” Olsen, back on lead guitar. He was the first real lead guitarist in the band and the second player after Pig Champion, and he played on the 1987’s “War All The Time” LP and 1988-released “Filthkick” EP. The band also welcomed the return of Chris “Spider” Carey on bass, who played on “Latest Will And Testament”, the last recording before Pig passed. The lineup is rounded out with Brandon Bentley also joining on guitar, Nathan “Skinny” Richardson on drums, and as always, founding vocalist Jerry A. Lang handles the hot-blooded vocal delivery.

Formed in 1980, POISON IDEA became a household name in the hardcore/punk scenes early in their career, and are known as one of the most notoriously in-your-face acts in the American musical underworld, with an enraged, high-energy live set even more rambunctious than the massive roster of singles, EPs, full-length studio and live releases and more, across a realm of labels, including Pusmort, Alchemy, American Leather, Bitzcore, Tim/Kerr, Taang!, Farewell, TKO, Southern Lord, Candlelight, and their own Fatal Erection. They’ve been an incredibly influential act to major performers, including NIRVANA, PANTERA, NAPALM DEATH, MACHINE HEAD, EYEHATEGOD, EMPEROR, TURBONEGRO and an endless number of others.