Nervosa Bassist Mia Wallace Returns to Abbath Following 2020 Split

Nervosa bassist Mia Wallace this week confirmed her return to Norwegian black metal outfit Abbath, the eponymous act formed in 2015 by former Immortal guitarist and vocalist Abbath. Last year, Wallace said she was “forced” out of the band.

But on Monday (June 21), the rocker revealed she’s rejoined Abbath as bass player by sharing an Instagram image of her performing with the group, appending a note suggesting her comeback and Abbath’s eventual return to the road following the COVID-19 pandemic. When questioned if it signified Wallace was indeed back in Abbath, the musician replied in the affirmative.

See Wallace’s Instagram post and her subsequent comments down toward the bottom of this page.

“Unforgettable memories with @abbath_official,” Wallace captioned Monday’s photo. “I love you guys, we will be back soon!”

When an Instagram commenter asked if that meant she was back playing with Abbath, Wallace responded with a simple “yes” and a thumbs-up emoji. Asked by another user if she was still performing with Nervosa as well, Wallace answered, “Of course!”

The musician’s exuberant language was a far cry from her January 2020 statement revealing her departure from Abbath.

“It is with sadness I have been forced to part ways with Abbath,” Wallace relayed in a Facebook post at the time, per BrooklynVegan. “It has been a challenging but exhilarating/exciting time. … Being a part of Abbath was a dream come true and I can say with my hand on my heart I have been loyal to the team and to Abbath himself. … I have not always agreed with certain other people in the Abbath camp and I have given my opinion honestly without anger or negative intent.”

She added that she was “disappointed that none of my former colleagues have contacted me in this process except for the five-minute phone call from Abbath’s manager in which I was told I would no longer be needed. I was told not to contact anyone in the band.”

Following a disastrous 2019 Abbath performance in Argentina, one Wallace referenced in her first statement about the split, the bandleader Abbath entered rehab; two months later, he unveiled his newfound sobriety and stayed the sober course through the following year.

“I am convinced that I can do this,” Abbath said of abstaining, mentioning his participation in AA meetings and exercise. “I feel 20 years younger. I have regained self-respect — and my life. The strange thing is that I didn’t know I had a problem until I was confronted.”

Wallace first joined Abbath in 2019, after the previous year’s exit of bass player King, also a founding member of Immortal. Abbath touring bassist Rusty Cornell filled in when both King and Wallace took leave. Following Wallace’s departure from Abbath, she joined Nervosa.

As of this report, it appears that Abbath have yet to specifically address Wallace’s return themselves on their Instagram, Facebook page or official website. However, in March, the band updated their Facebook banner image to include a photo of Abbath’s lineup that includes her likeness among its members.