ONSLAUGHT Drummer Quits

Drummer Steve Grice of U.K. thrashers ONSLAUGHT has released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET:

"With great reluctance and sadness, I must announce that I am no longer prepared to fulfill the role of drummer for ONSLAUGHT, the band that I helped found in 1983, and which I brought back together in 2005. This has been a very difficult and painful decision to make, and follows a series of events that, in my opinion, have seen the recurrence of old patterns of behavior that fuelled the band's original demise in 1991.

"This culmination of occurrences came to a head when I learned through a third party that the band had booked a series of shows without my knowledge, and with the intention of using another drummer, during a period of time reserved for family commitments. Be very clear — the temporary use of another drummer does not present me with a problem. My issue is with the fact that at no point did anyone from the band let me know that these decisions had been made.

"Again in my opinion, there is a considerable gap between certain parties' view of ONSLAUGHT and the truth in terms of album sales and concert attendances. My reality, that of a father of two approaching 50, was simply incompatible with this alternate world view.

"My heartfelt thanks go out to all those I have met in my professional and personal lives over the last six years. Your love and kindness has been appreciated more than you could ever know. I have no immediate plans to remain in the music industry — my focus now returns to my marketing business and my family, who have been a constant source of support through the good times and the bad."

ONSLAUGHT's "The Sound Of Violence" video can be viewed below. The band's first official clip in twenty years (the last being from the group's 1990 full-length, "In Search Of Sanity") was filmed and edited by Lukas Hambach of Bloodwork Entertainment (DESTRUCTION, GAMMA RAY) and produced by Tommy Morriello and Thosten Lütje.

"The Sound Of Violence" comes off ONSLAUGHT's fifth album, "Sounds Of Violence", which was released in January via AFM Records. The follow-up to 2007's "Killing Peace" was recorded and mixed at Hansen Studio in Ribe, Denmark with acclaimed Danish producer Jacob Hansen (RAUNCHY, MERCENARY, VOLBEAT, HEAVEN SHALL BURN).