The former lead singer of a popular Scottish rock band has responded to being replaced after a decade with the group.<\/p>\n
Carl Sentance has spoken out after Nazareth replaced<\/a> him with new lead singer Gianni Pontillo.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to thank every single one of you for supporting me over nearly 11 years,\u201d Sentance said in a video message<\/a> on Facebook Tuesday. \u201cEleven years \u2014 can you believe it? It\u2019s crazy. Time flies, but now it\u2019s time to move on.”<\/p>\n Sentance, 64, said he\u2019s going on a solo tour in January and then will be touring with his new group, Lords of NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal), featuring members of Praying Mantis, Diamond Head, Raven, Tank and Persian Risk. Sentance released a solo album last year and was previously the frontman for Persian Risk and the Geezer Butler Band.<\/p>\n \u201c2026 is gonna rock, guys, for me. It\u2019s gonna be wonderful,\u201d Sentance said in the video. \u201cWe start off in Japan, Tokyo, with the Lords of New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Back to the roots. Yes. And the 22nd of January, I start my solo tour again… It\u2019s gonna rock, guys. Come and rock with us. 2026. Happy New Year. We\u2019ll see you then.\u201d<\/p>\n Nazareth bassist Pete Agnew said in a Facebook post<\/a> Sunday, Dec. 21 that Sentance, who joined the group in 2015, \u201cis no longer in the band,\u201d while introducing Portillo as his successor.<\/p>\n \u201cThose who have seen and heard Gianni will already know what an incredible voice he has, and those of you who haven\u2019t are in for a wonderful surprise when you come to see us in 2026,\u201d the post reads. \u201cNext year is going to be one of the busiest in Nazareth\u2019s history so there is a good chance to see the new line up and we can\u2019t wait to introduce you to this man\u2019s amazing talent.\u201d<\/p>\n Agnew and Sentance did not give any further explanation for the lineup change to Nazareth. The Scottish group last performed with Sentance on Dec. 17 in Berlin, Germany, and plan to continue touring next year with Pontillo as the band\u2019s lead singer. Pontillo appears to be a seasoned performer. According to Louder Sound<\/a>, he was the lead singer of the German heavy metal band, Victory and also worked with Pure Inc., The Order Souls Revival and Pontillo & The Vintage Crew.<\/p>\n The lineup change comes days after Nazareth concluded their Bending the Rules tour in Berlin, Germany. While the band prepares for a new era, Sentance appears to be moving quickly with U.S. tour dates already posted<\/a> for 2026.<\/p>\n