Ill Niño has announced that guitarist Marc Rizzo has returned to the band. Rizzo left in 2003 to join Soulfly where he stayed, until this year, when they experienced a less than friendly parting ways.

In a statement issued today, Ill Niño said this:

“Hello Familia, cats outta the bag… We have some ill news to announce. Original ILL NIÑO guitarist MARC RIZZO returns home to rejoin his Familia as a permanent member. At the same time, we need to inform you all that our brother, guitarist JES DEHOYOS must step down from touring and continuing with ILL NIÑO.

Jes, wants to concentrate on his family, children and home life. Jes is an amazing guitarist and brother to the ILL NIÑO fam and will always be part of our familia.

Currently we have been recording guitars with Marc on the new album, welcoming back his signature Flamenco style and incredible guitar playing. Also in the works are 2 new music videos.

We’re super excited to be working with our brother Marc again and we’re equally excited to share with you all our incredible new album “IllMortals“. Next weekend we will be doing an Instagram live, and Facebook live from the studio 🤘🔥”

Rizzo livestreamed on his youtube channel playing guitar and breaking the news himself,

“We will be announcing it soon, but I’m doing some recording for the new Ill Niño record. And I’m super excited, man. It’s a different band. It’s not the band it was, obviously, for obvious reasons, from back when I was in the band, in 2002, when I left. A lot of things have changed. So I’m excited to work with these guys. It’s great to reconnect with Laz and Dave and work with the new singer Marcos, who’s an incredible singer.

So I’m stoked, man. We’re gonna record this new record. I’ll probably — well, I am gonna do a tour with them soon, and we’ll see what the future holds, man. They’re gonna be announcing this very soon, and I’m very excited. Yes, I’m rejoining the band, which is awesome. I’m very excited to reconnect with my friends.

Everyone loves a good reunion, and the fact that me and Ill Niño are working together again, it just goes to show that things can happen when everybody can meet up and talk and keep it between dudes. Don’t bring in managers and people’s freakin’ girlfriends and wives. You can have a reunion. And when dudes get in a room and just talk and work out anything from the past, good things can come out of it. So that’s what’s going on.

More importantly than all that is the music. This new Ill Niño record is the best shit they’ve ever done. Again, the new singer Marcos is one of the best singers in metal. I mean, this kid is spot-on. He writes great stuff. He can sing; he can scream. So, this is really good stuff, man. I’m really excited.”

 

Watch the stream below!