DECAPITATED Parts Ways With Singer RASTA, Announces Replacement

Polish extreme metal band DECAPITATED has parted ways with vocalist Rafał "Rasta" Piotrowski and has replaced him with Eemeli Bodde of Finnish metallers MORS SUBITA.

Bodde will make his live debut with DECAPITATED on Friday, November 1 at Damnation Festival's "A Night Of Salvation" at BEC Arena in Manchester, United Kingdom. Also joining DECAPITATED at the gig for several "classic" tracks will be the group's original vocalist Wojciech "Sauron" Wąsowicz, who was previously a member of DECAPITATED between 1996 and 2005.

Earlier today (Friday, October 11),DECAPITATED released the following statement via social media: "It's been a while since we've had an update, but as the saying goes, good things take time! We're thrilled to announce that Sauron, our original vocalist, will be re-joining us in Manchester for Damnation Festival - A Night Of Salvation. He'll be performing some of the band's classic tracks—songs that have already become iconic and helped define a generation. We couldn't be more excited to have Sauron's powerful voice back on stage and to share this special moment with you, our loyal fans!

"At the same time, we have some bittersweet news: Rasta is stepping down as the band's vocalist. We want to take a moment to thank him for his 14 years of dedication. He's been a huge part of DECAPITATED's journey, and we're incredibly grateful for all he's contributed. We wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.

"Looking to the future, we're excited to introduce our new vocalist, Eemeli Bodde. Some of you might know him from his work with Finland's @morssubitaofficial or his involvement in the soundtrack for the cult film Heavy Trip. Eemeli brings an incredible voice and an electrifying stage presence, and we can't wait for you to experience the energy he'll bring to the band. He'll make his debut at A Night Of Salvation, and we hope you'll join us for what promises to be an unforgettable show!"

Rasta added in a statement: "The time has come for me to leave DECAPITATED. After all these years with the band this was a difficult decision for me to make.

"It has been an incredible journey with many great memories and I would like to thank every single person I have met along the way - to the band, our collaborators and to everyone that worked with and supported us during my time.

"It was awesome to be a part of DECAP and to see the band flourish over the years. I wish them all the best.

"To the best fans in the world - thank you for your enduring support. Your passion and energy has always been my fuel and performing for you around the planet has been the greatest privilege of all. All the best and stay in touch!"

Across eight studio albums, DECAPITATED grew from the adolescent dream of teenagers from a small Central European town to one of the leaders of the metal genre. Each successive album further expands the band's sound with genre-bending authenticity and integrity. As Metal Injection rightfully observed, "any self-respecting death metalhead knows the name well." Like a rose in the devil's garden, the DECAPITATED story builds triumph from tragedy. The gleeful grotesquery of extreme metal imagery and riff-tastic bludgeoning beckons listeners to uncover broader truths.

Their latest studio album, "Cancer Culture", was released in 2022, with instantly recognizable devastation and deceptively sinister hooks abound. Newly minted DECAPITATED anthems like "Last Supper", "Hello Death", "Just A Cigarette", "No Cure", "Iconoclast" and "Cancer Culture" shimmer with sonically sharp production and unrelenting bombast. There's also a newly increased emphasis on melody, even venturing into darkly romantic territory. JINJER vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk and MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn make impressive guest appearances. Flynn contributes a hauntingly beautiful vocal to the "Cancer Culture" track "Iconoclast", with Shmayluk, a formidable screamer, going the clean vocal route on track "Hello Death".