Exclusive: Mantic Ritual Guitarist On Reunion For Thrasho de Mayo VI, Warbringer

When we checked in with guitarist Jeff Potts in May, it was to ask about the status of his killer thrash band Mantic Ritual. We heard from Potts that Mantic — which authored one of 2009’s ace metal albums, Executioner — faded after line-up changes, relocations, and busted momentum. But the update was mostly happy, cuz Potts said he had begun a “power metally” album, bassist Ben Mottsman was temping for awesome Warbringer, and guitarist/vocalist Dave Watson was being awesome in Pittsburgh’s Icarus Witch. Yaaay!

So it was a major double take two weeks ago to see Mantic Ritual confirmed for a fest appearance in Los Angeles on May 11 with M.O.D., Ghoul, and Nunslaughter. I sprained an eyebrow making that “wha?” face and a nut tumbling off my sofa, but then hurriedly emailed Potts to again get the inside info. Is Mantic back for good? Is Mottsman still partying in Warbringer? Wait a sec didn’t Warbringer also have a position open up in the guitar department? Should I book a neck massage for May 12? Here’s what Potts told me:

We’re playing Thrasho de Mayo VI fest on May 11. Dan [Wetmore, original vocalist] is flying out for it, and Carlos Cruz [Warbringer] is going to be playing drums. I think it was Carlos’s idea … Ben and I play with him in Warbringer now, and when we were hanging out he brought up the fact that it would be fun to get Dan out here and play a local LA thrash show, because that’s the scene that really got the band moving. We all keep in touch, so it was an easy decision. And we’re all friends with Fueled by Fire, who run Thrasho, so we talked to them about it and they thought it was a good idea, too. Thrasho III was one of the most fun shows we’ve ever done, so we’re pumped!  And the line-up is a lot of the L.A. thrash staples and some killer out-of-town bands.

So Potts and Mottsman are in Warbringer now! Yaaay that’s like lobster stuffed with tacos: One of L.A.’s finest thrash bands inserted into another of L.A.’s finest thrash bands! See u at Thrasho :))))