FLYLEAF, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Pull Out Of Belgium's GRASPOP METAL MEETING

FLYLEAF and FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH have pulled out of the 14th edition of the Graspop Metal Meeting, set to take place June 26-28, 2009 on the festival grounds of the Boeretang in Dessel, Belgium. Replacing them on the bill are DIABLO BLVD. and DELAIN.

According to the organizers, the concept remains identical: three days of metal mania, four stages, 70 bands, metal market, festival fair, side animation, signing sessions and much more!"

For more information, visit www.graspop.com.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH was forced to cancel a series of June dates in Europe due a combination of events; these involve both personal matters plus the necessity to finish mixing the tracks for second studio album, "War Is The Answer", due to be released worldwide in late August.

Commented the band: "In terms of the recording side, we were keen to work with Randy Staub (who has mixed METALLICA, STONE SOUR, and many more) on the album mixes, but due to Randy's tight schedule, [we] were only able to secure his services at a time that makes it impossible for the tour to take place. We apologize to our Europeans fans for the change in schedule, but promise to be back for a full run of dates this fall."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH will still be playing the Download festival on June 13 at Donington Park, United Kingdom. However, this is the only date the band could keep on this current run due to the above-mentioned conflicts.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory recently stated about the band's upcoming sophomore album, "The new record has been co-produced by Kevin Churko, who was heavily involved with OZZY's [OSBOURNE] 'Black Rain' album.

"In terms of the overall style, I would say that we've continued the journey we started on the first album, so there's a healthy balance of melody and aggression, and as always we concentrated on writing strong metal songs in the traditional sense. There's some epic moments on the record, and there's some straight-up home-wreckers, too. All I can say is, those who liked our first album are going to LOVE this one!"

The band's next album will follow up its 2007 debut, "The Way Of The Fist", which has sold 328,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

FLYLEAF recently resurfaced for a short run of shows, including last month's Rock On The Range festival in Ohio, while the band puts the finishing touches on their sophomore album. The group came off the road late last year after a long series of tours that left singer Lacey Mosley's voice in tatters. Mosley told The Pulse of Radio what the band did after that. "We needed a big, long break and that's what we got — about seven months, which is crazy since we've been touring for five years," she said. "I don't think any of us really knew what to do with our time (laughs),so we ended up writing, of course, and we're in the middle of recording the next record right now. We're almost done with it."

Mosley told The Pulse of Radio that the new FLYLEAF album is titled "Memento Mori" and should tentatively be out in late August or early September.

FLYLEAF's self-titled debut disc came out in late 2005 and was certified platinum for sales of more than one million copies.