DARK FUNERAL Frontman Says Drummer's 'Greed And Lies' Led To Concert Cancellations

DARK FUNERAL vocalist/bassist Emperor Magus Caligula has released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET:

"The voices are back in my head, but now their anger point to a different direction than before.

"I think it's about time to come clean about what's going on with DARK FUNERAL, why a lot of shows have been cancelled lately and so on.

"A couple of weeks ago we were forced to cancel two shows in Russia and one in Ukraine because of our drummer's complaint of pain in one of his elbow. We (read Caligula, Ahriman, Chaq Mol and B-Force) was told that he needed rest and that his doctor had forbid him to play for at least 10 days. Unfortunately it gave us no other option but to cancel/postpone the shows with, regretfully, a very short notice.

"The result: Not only making lots of fans extremely disappointed, it also put us, the band, in financial debts to the promoters, who already had spent a lot of money on us and the event(s) itself. And one doesn't have to be a mathematical genius to understand the economical loss that is for us, first losing income for 5 shows. And on top of that, come in debts to several promoters. Well, it's really bad… But what is even more fucked up, is that everything Matte Modin had been telling us (and you) was all lies!!! Yeah, you heard it right. We are in this situation because of one man's greed and lies. He didn't have an infection in his elbow; he was on tour with another band, a punk band! I don't know what he told those guys, as I'm sure they must have known about OUR touring schedule, but I seriously don't think it was, 'Hey, fuck DARK FUNERAL, I rather play with you guys, and since I'm not man enough to tell them that, I will tell them I am sick, they will hopefully buy it.'

"All of us (again read Caligula, Ahriman, Chaq Mol and B-Force) feel so stupid. We bought everything he said, we even defended someone I used to call brother.

"DARK FUNERAL has always been like a band of brothers, helping each other in any way possible when needed. So when one guy inside the circle acts this incredibly selfish, it makes me mad.

"There are no doubts about what feelings ALL of us (again read Caligula, Ahriman, Chaq Mol and B-Force) had after we found out about the lies, but to save the two shows we had confirmed for this weekend (Latvia and Lithuania),we decided to shut up until they were done. However, since all of us live in different cities, some very far from the airport, we didn't want to take any chances and go all the way to the airport not knowing whether Matte was going to show up or not. So yesterday we asked him straight out if he was going to show up at the airport or not. He said no! This time the story was that his son had his birthday and that he wanted to stay home. Can't really say anything about that, it is quite normal. But to forget your own son's birthday and remember it the day before a show, a show you have confirmed several months ago, I do NOT understand! Right there and then, I was so mad, so fucking angry. He fucking did it again! He must obviously have known about his son's birthday, so why did he even confirm the shows in the first place!? And he sure should have let us (and you) know about it in advance so that there was enough time to make proper arrangements and postpone the shows or something. Instead he put us in this nightmarish situation (again) when we have no other option but to cancel/postpone yet another two shows (Latvia and Lithuania) with such a short notice. I think you get the whole thing….

"To all our fans, to all the promoters and of course to Dragon Production, our booking agency; we (again read Caligula, Ahriman, Chaq Mol and B-Force) are VERY sorry for this situation and the problems it must have caused YOU! This is indeed a fucking nightmare for us as well. But we sure hope to get a chance to make it up to all of you. And we sure hope to be able to re-schedule all the shows we have been forced to cancel because of one man's lies ASAP!

"Lord Ahriman and I have been working together for over 12 years now, and during these years there has been A LOT of problems, many setbacks and so on, but we have NEVER let anything break us down. And we are sure as hell NOT going let a problem called 'Matte Modin' do it either! We will be back STRONGER than ever, mark my word, as our biggest problem now is solved!

"To 'him' I can only say this; DUCO ATE ABYSSOS!!!!!!!!!!

"P.S.: The shows we have confirmed from this time and forth will take place as announced!"

DARK FUNERAL is currently compiling footage for two double DVDs, the first one of which will surface on June 18 via Regain. More details will be made available soon.

DARK FUNERAL's official live video for the song "Atrum Regina" has been posted online on the band's YouTube channel.

DARK FUNERAL recently made its movie debut in "Club Satan: The Witches Sabbath", written and directed by Shane Bugbee, an actual priest in the Church Of Satan. The entire band appears in the film, which is being touted as "the first-ever Satanic porn," and is being released by the controversial Extreme Associates. DARK FUNERAL not only stars in "Club Satan: The Witches Sabbath", but also contributes its song "King Antichrist" to the movie soundtrack. The scenes featuring the band were shot before and during their show at the Key Club in Hollywood, California on January 21, 2007.