The current line-up of the band is Norman Skinner (vocals), Craig Locicero (guitar), Matt Camacho (bass), and Chris Kontos (drums).

Along with Death Angel, Vio-lence, Defiance, Testament and Exodus (the latter of the two had featured original Forbidden drummer Paul Bostaph), they were one of the most successful Bay Area thrash metal bands and earned a loyal fanbase in the underground music community and critical acclaim, with their debut album Forbidden Evil (1988) regarded by critics as a classic thrash metal album and the follow-up, Twisted into Form (1990), as something of a masterpiece within the "tech-thrash" genre.

Forbidden has also been credited as one of the "Big Six" of the Bay Area thrash metal scene, along with Exodus, Testament, Death Angel, Lȧȧz Rockit and Vio-lence.

By 1986, Jim Pittman, John Tegio, and Robb Flynn left the band and were replaced by Paul Bostaph (drums), Matt Camacho (bass) and Glen Alvelais (guitar).

[4] Forbidden's second studio album, Twisted Into Form, was released in 1990,[4] which saw the band showcase a more melodic and progressive sound with many acoustic interludes and clearer production, and less of a raw edge than its predecessor.

[4] In 1993 amidst writing and rehearsing material for Forbidden's third studio album, Craig Locicero filled the guitar slot for Death during a three-week European tour.

Lack of support for the album from GUN Records and no tour scheduled to promote it, as well as Locicero wanting to go in a different creative direction, led to Forbidden breaking up in 1997.

[5] In August 2001, Anderson, Bostaph, Alvelais and Camacho reformed for a one-time, six song performance for Chuck Billy's Thrash of the Titans benefit concert, using their original name Forbidden Evil.

[6] The reunion initially featured the Forbidden Evil line-up from 2001, this time including Craig Locicero but without Paul Bostaph, who had prior commitments with Testament.

Gene Hoglan (of Dark Angel, Death and Strapping Young Lad fame) played drums for the band's first few reunion shows.

After Hoglan, Mark Hernandez (ex-Vio-lence, Heathen, Defiance) took over on the drums for the band's European tour, which included an appearance on the main stage at Belgium's Graspop festival.

[19] The band's additional reunion dates included opening for Death Angel at two shows in San Francisco in December 2023, and appearing at the Hell's Heroes Festival in Houston in March 2024.