GLOOMY GRIM Parts Ways With Guitarist, Announces Replacement

Finnish black metal project GLOOMY GRIM has parted ways with original guitarist Mrgth. His replacement is occultist Father Umbra Sol who has already played with GLOOMY GRIM in the past.

Commented GLOOMY GRIM founder Agathon: "This has been there for a long time. Working with Mrgth has been more difficult in every day, these days impossible. I don't say, that this decision was easy, but absolutely the right one. It has cleared the air in a very positive way. This had to be done, otherwise the band would have been dead, finished. We didn't come out from this as friends. The reason was not musical differencies or other simple things as that. To me, Mrgoth is DEAD!"

GLOOMY GRIM's latest album, "Under the Spell of the Unlight", was released in May via Anticulture Records.

According to a press release, "It all began in 1984 as HELLSTORM. Agathon (vocals) got his first influences as a teenager from the bands like VENOM, HELLHAMMER and BATHORY. HELLSTORM ended quite soon, but the title 'Fuck The World, Kill The Jehova!' remained. GLOOMY GRIM used it as the first demo name. The folklore tells that HELLSTORM was the first black metal band in Finland. Agathon wanted to create dark music, music from the depth of the darkest pit of hell and with no compromises from any other band members. Agathon started GLOOMY GRIM as a one-man band. The biggest inspiration has always been the dark life itself and the soundtracks of the horror films he collected. Agathon made four albums with a strong line-up. GLOOMY GRIM has also made some furious live shows in continental Europe and the Baltic states. After the latest album, 'The Grand Hammering' (2004) sold 30,000-plus copies, GLOOMY GRIM is back on his throne!"

Audio samples are available on the GLOOMY GRIMMySpace page.

GLOOMY GRIM has been confirmed for this year's Brutal Assault festival, set to take place August 14-16 at the Jaromer Army Fortress in Josefov, Czech Republic.