GENE HOGLAN To Play For Reunited Thrashers FORBIDDEN

Legendary drummer Gene Hoglan (DARK ANGEL, DEATH, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, TESTAMENT) has issued the following update:

"I'm currently in Stockholm, Sweden, after just returning from a highly successful and awesome string of dates in Italy with my bitches, MELDRUM.

"I'd like to say a big thank you and hello to all our friends and fans who came to the shows; you guys are great! I must admit, your women are beautiful, but I had to travel all the way to Italy to eat the worst pizza ever. Not once, but twice! But another thank you must go out to our promoter/hosts, Gianrico and the lovely Fiorenza. And, I do need to thank my MELDRUM bitches for taking such good care of me over there. I was like a spoiled kid most of the time, so my heart and thanks go out to them for lookin' out for me.

"And let me tell ya, a week on the road turns them bitches HORNY! Their palpable lust for Mandingo was replaced with one for Rocco Siffredi, and one could only imagine the pillow fights and hot-oil rubdowns that occured in their hotel rooms on a nightly basis. That's what girlies do every night, right? Hee hee. I don't know, but these bitches were smart, they got me my own room every night, probably 'cuz the only thing I do louder than play drums is SLEEP. Could well be that was why...

"So now, we have another couple of shows in Sweden, then I have to go back early to play one DETHKLOK show at an undisclosed location in the States.

"Speaking of DETHKLOK, what a blast that quick tour was. Getting to play with the MASTERFUL musicians that were Misters Kenneally, Beller, and Small; wow, talk about heaven. I was definitely the SCRUB musician on that stage every night, believe me. And, say what you want about the show, I love it, and the live show was waaaaay cool! I had to crack up during the set quite a few times in the beginning, 'til I got used to some of the dialogue.

"Anyway, I think the live show is really sharp, and I strongly suggest all metalheads check us out if we come near your town in 2008.

"As for 2008, it too will be pretty chaotic, and one of the things I'm most looking forward to is being a part of the 'reunion of the year,' in my opinion, which involves the return of the mighty FORBIDDEN. As I understand, Mr. Bostaph [Paul Bostaph; TESTAMENT, ex-SLAYER, FORBIDDEN, EXODUS] has prior commitments, so my FORBIDDEN brethren reached out to me and I was very honored to say yes. I'm sure more details will come from their camp soon, but I just wanted to make a quick mention of it right here. I'll keep everyone posted with some updates soon.

"As for a DVD update, I thank everyone's impatience in this matter, and yes, I KNOW I promised it's release months ago, but as I'm a bit of a control freak (only in this matter, I assure you),and this schedule of mine over the past few months has been pretty brutal, I've just needed all this time to get it done right. It won't be perfect, but it will be something I can be proud of, and hopefully something you'll be proud to have in your collection.

"Also, a GIANT THANK YOU to all who have purchased a GENESHIRT, whether manly or girlie. WOW! We've just re-ordered, due to selling out of most of the first pressing. Very cool, and quite unbelievable, guys, so again, thank you!

"Now, as everyone in the metal world knows, the holidays for all of us now are forever bittersweet. With rememberences for the loss of Chuck and Dime, and now with the untimely passing of our new brother Vitek, the holiday cheer might not seem so, I don't know...cheery. But, I'm sure a crestfallen feeling would be the last thing any of these gentlemen would want from us, so with a glass in one hand and horns raised in the other, we remember our fallen brothers with a...smile. And maybe a cranking-up of the volume.

"Thanks for listening, everybody. A happy holidays to all of ya..."

Watch fan-filmed video footage of MELDRUM (with Gene Hoglan) performing at Jailbreak in Rome, Italy on November 29, 2007: