AETERNUS Part Ways With Drummer, Announce Replacement

Norwegian "dark metallers" AETERNUS have parted ways with drummer Erik (a.k.a. Vrolok; ex-THY GRIEF, GORGOROTH, BOURBON FLAME). AETERNUS mainman Ares commented: "Erik decided to quit the band a while after the production of [the new AETERNUS album] 'HeXaeon' was completed. He was with AETERNUS from the same year as I started the band which was 1993. His reasons were honest and understandable as we all respect his ways and opinions regarding his musical path and so forth. Erik said he simply had no more to give the style of extreme metal music; he felt he had done enough and his passion and fire towards this type of metal style were no longer with him to the extent where it would give him something as a musician and a drummer to proceed. Erik meant a lot to AETERNUS' music and his drumming was always a part of what makes AETERNUS what it is today. I will personally always be glad and honored for the time he spent in AETERNUS. His skills and dedication were at 100% at all times. The way it should be. He will be missed and remembered as one of the greatest musicians I have personally ever worked with. I am glad to know that his drumming on ALL of AETERNUS' released material will always be there, reminding me of a tremendously great musical era, but first and foremost an era that has given me SO much inspiration as a composer of extreme music. Growing as a musician with him over a period of 13 years was something very, very special that I wouldn’t trade for anything."

In a separate posting on their official web site, AETERNUS have announced the addition of drummer S. Winter (FORLORN, A WINTER WITHIN, GEHENNA) to the group's ranks. "His status in AETERNUS has not been set, but we hope to have him as a permanent member of the band," said Ares. "As for now, he's more or less a session drummer or whatnot… The future of AETERNUS requires a drummer and I am pretty sure we have found the man for the job here. We hope to be more active in the future regarding live shows and so forth. When we get things settled, we'll surely work towards gigs and so forth."

AETERNUS' long-awaited new album, "HeXaeon", is tentatively due later in the year. The follow-up to 2003's "A Darker Monument" was recorded at Grieghallen Studios in Norway and was once produced by Eirik "Pytten" Hundvin, who has previously worked with ENSLAVED and MÖRK GRYNING, among others.