Ex-ICED EARTH Guitarist Suffering From Degenerative Condition, Benefit Concert Planned

November 16, 2004

Former ICED EARTH/DEATH and current SEBASTIAN BACH guitarist Ralph Santolla has released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET:

"I recently found out that I have a degenerative condition in the bones of my jaw area. This was apparently caused by smoking cigarettes, among other things. According to my doctor, I've been sick for years. It started because I noticed that my face and neck were always puffy, and I always seemed to have a mild fever.I'm going to have to have bone grafts and reconstructive surgery, and my medical bills are going to be between 30 and 50 thousand dollars. That's a lot of cash to most people, including me. To help offset my expenses, some friends in Tampa are putting on a benefit concert in January. Sebastian Bach is headlining, and Alexi Laiho [CHILDREN OF BODOM] has offered to come over from Finland and jam with us (that might not happen, because I'm not sure I want to ask him to travel that far just to play a few tunes). Some of my other friends in metal have offered to play, and a firm lineup will be announced at the begining of the year.

"I feel kind of strange announcing this situation publicly, but since we're gonna have the show, it's not exactly a secret. And now — LET THE FLAMING BEGIN!"

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