The new era of Nefarious has officially begun on stage. Fan-filmed footage has emerged capturing the Bay Area metal collective performing their very first concert with new vocalist Sean Rivera. The show took place this past Saturday night, January 3, at the DNA Lounge in San Francisco, marking a fresh chapter for the band comprised of thrash veterans.
The videos, courtesy of Walter Morgan, offer fans their first glimpse of Rivera fronting the powerhouse lineup, which features guitarists Rick Hunolt (Exodus, Diehumane) and Doug Piercy (Heathen, Anvil Chorus), bassist Tom Gears (Blind Illusion), and drummer Will Carroll (Death Angel).
Rivera stepped into the role last fall, taking over for Hirax frontman Katon W. De Pena, who performed on the band’s debut album, Addicted To Power.
The shift in vocalists was driven largely by a desire to have a frontman who could be physically present in the Bay Area scene. When Rivera‘s addition was announced in December, Piercy explained that proximity was key to the band’s evolution.
“We wanted someone who could be in the room with us — creating, rehearsing, and ready to play,” Piercy stated. “It’s hard to get tight as a band when they can’t rehearse on the regular. The Bay Area has always thrived on that energy, and now we’ve got it. Long-distance situations can get complicated when there’s simply no communication.”
Rick Hunolt was equally enthusiastic about the change, praising Rivera not just for his voice, but for his broader musical capabilities.
“Sean Rivera has brought Nefarious to the next level,” Hunolt said. “The metal gods gave us a true musical wizard. Not only is he an amazing singer, and absolute stellar musician (guitar, keyboards),but he is an amazing human to work with and I can’t wait for you all to hear this man sing. C’ya on the road in ’26 .. Lfgoooooo!”
For Rivera, joining a group with such a deep pedigree in the thrash metal world was an intimidating but thrilling prospect.
“When Doug and Rick reached out to me and asked if I wanted to try out for Nefarious on vocals, I was excited and nervous,” Rivera commented regarding his recruitment. “Everyone in the band are fantastic players and have such seasoned musical histories, and stepping into that felt really significant to me. After listening to the album I thought the songs were great and knew it was a project I wanted to be a part of. Thankfully, everyone liked what my vocals added and I was really stoked when they asked me to join. They’re all really great people and have been super supportive with the whole process of learning the songs and becoming a part of the band. I feel really fortunate to be given this opportunity and I’m really excited for all we can accomplish together on the road ahead!”
With the new lineup now battle-tested on stage, Nefarious is looking toward a busy year. The band is scheduled to embark on a full European tour in August and September of 2026, which will kick off with a performance at the legendary Alcatraz festival in Belgium.
