PARADISE LOST Explain Delay In U.K. Release of New Album

The U.K.'s PARADISE LOST have issued a statement on their official web site explaining why their new album, "Paradise Lost", has yet to receive a release in the band's home country:

"To try and explain to everyone who wants to know why the new album hasn't been released in the UK yet, please read the following statement:

"The band are licensed to G.U.N. Records/Sony-BMG. This means G.U.N. are only responsible for the release in Germany, so contrary to popular opinion, anything outside Germany is not their responsibility.

"Now for other territories such as the U.K. etc. Sony/BMG have the 'option' to release everything (like first refusal),if they choose to pick it up and release, then they do so according to their schedule. This can often mean releasing later... If they choose not to pick up the option for that album, then we are free to take it elsewhere. This is what is happening with the U.K. at the moment.

"The problem lies with time consuming tasks and all record companies in different countries, whilst being part of same 'group' operate independantly of each other. This is normal for a major label. So just because one label chooses a release date, another may decide to do it differently. There are literally hundreds of factors that affect this, like if the label has 'missed' magazine deadlines and can't promote the release they push it back. Obviously it's important people know its available before the release date.

"Now the specific 'hold-up' with the U.K. in this case is that BMG recently merged with Sony, while this 'shake-up' was taking place no decisions could be made until the correct heads of each department were appointed within the label itself. Once they were, we found the guy that had been 'backing' the band and working well had left. So we made the mutual decision to move off them for this album as we feared they would put no time/promotion etc. into it. This meant effectively we had to wait for them to legally let us go before signing to a new company. All these things cause delays, but at the end of the day, it was decisions made for the fans and band.

"Right now we are just finalising a deal with a metal label in the U.K. and the tentative plans are:

May 23rd - UK album release
June TBC - A one off U.K. gig for fans and press to mark new release.
Aug/Sep - Single release (track TBC) with a U.K. tour.

"We are hoping there will be a 'special' format, but nothing is confirmed at this stage. The digipack version was a release by G.U.N., therefore other territories may choose to release it or may not depending on the label in each country. If you want the G.U.N. German digi, you must order from Amazon.de or another german online store. If you can't speak German there is a downloadable PDF explaining the process in English here."

In other news, PARADISE LOST have been forced to withdraw from the JUDAS PRIEST. Sadly Greg Mackintosh (lead guitarist) still hasn't fully recovered from his ruptured appendix operation and subsequent peritonitis. The consultant has said he would risk further infection and complications if he were to try doing these gigs.

Greg issued the following statement:

"I had an unforeseen serious illness for which i needed emergency surgery, and there have been complications with my recovery so unfortunately the gigs had to be cancelled. I'd like to thank JUDAS PRIEST for the opportunity and apologise to any fans who had bought tickets for these shows."