Formal Service For WOODS OF YPRES Mainman Planned For Early January

A "party" to celebrate the life of David Gold — a founding member of the Ontario, Canada-based black and doom metal band WOODS OF YPRES — will take place on December 28 in his hometown of Sault Ste. Marie. According to his sister Marie, "a formal service" for David will be held the first week of January, once holidays are over. She added, "It's been really amazing to see how David has positively influenced people all over this world; it truly warms my heart."

David was killed last Wednesday afternoon (December 21) in a car accident near Barrie, Ontario. He was 31 years old.

According to Ontario Provincial Police, the accident — which involved a vehicle and a pedestrian — occurred at 1:30 p.m. on Highway 400 north of Highway 89.

The police shut down the northbound lanes at Highway 89 and traffic was diverted from the scene as OPP highway safety investigators collected evidence.

The cause of the collision remains under investigation.

The accident occurred just hours after Gold texted his mother in Sault Ste. Marie that he was on his way home, according to Local2.ca.

There were no other injuries.

WOODS OF YPRES' new album, "Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light", will be released in 2012 via Earache Records. The CD was recorded with producer Siegfried Meier (KITTIE) at Beach Road Studios in Ontario, Canada, and was mixed by John Fryer (NINE INCH NAILS, PARADISE LOST).

Earache Records set up a memorial page on its web site after learning of Gold's death.

Formed in 2002, WOODS OF YPRES has earned critical acclaim for its ever-evolving, envelope-pushing mix of blackened doom metal. Most often compared to bands such as AGALLOCH and TYPE O NEGATIVE, WOODS OF YPRES toes a thin line between the catchy, the artistic and the extreme to create an unmistakable signature sound.

WOODS OF YPRES' recently released single, the now-ominously-titled "Kiss My Ashes (Goodbye)", can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.