Bassist PETER IWERS To Sit Out CYHRA's North American Tour

CYHRA bassist Peter Iwers will sit out the band's North American tour with KREATOR and SABATON "due to prior commitments" that he "couldn't change." CYHRA has not revealed a replacement bassist for the trek, which will kick off on February 12 in Portland. (Note: KREATOR and SABATON are playing the first few shows of the tour without CYHRA.)

CYHRA is the new band featuring Iwers (formerly of IN FLAMES),vocalist Jake E (ex-AMARANTHE),guitarist Jesper Strömblad (ex-IN FLAMES),guitarist Euge Valovirta (ex-SHINING) and drummer Alex Landenburg (LUCA TURILLI'S RHAPSODY).

CYHRA made its live debut on October 27 at Nosturi in Helsinki, Finland.

The group's debut album, "Letters To Myself", was released on October 20 via Spinefarm Records. The disc was recorded at Top Floor Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Peter told Finland's Kaaos TV that last fall that CYHRA has every intention of hitting the road in support of "Letters To Myself", "but we plan on doing smart touring, I would say — doing shows that we choose ourselves," he said. "And this is, of course, something that we think now — we never know what's gonna happen. But we plan on touring and doing shows that will fit us, basically. None of us really wanna go out and tour 365 days a year."

Added Jesper: "We're not gonna start from the start, so to speak. So we're going to take relevant shows and tours for us. Not that we think we are big stars — we have to work as everyone else to promote the band — but the fact is that we can't be — as Peter said — touring 300 days a year in a van, because we have families and we have businesses at home, and it's impossible. 20 years ago, if someone told me, 'Here's a plane ticket. You'll be home in three years,' [I would have said], 'Hell, yeah! Let's go.' But you can't do that anymore."