SWARM OF THE LOTUS Calls It Quits

Baltimore's SWARM OF THE LOTUS has announced plans to break up following its final show on November 1 at Ottobar with GOATWHORE and a few other bands to be announced later. An official statement from guitarist/vocalist Peter Maturi reads as follows:

"So, it has reached its end. After 8 years, I have decided to put the monster, the rolling ball of chaos that it is, to rest for the long hall. I never thought I'd reach that point with this project. But after years of mostly struggle to even exist, I have come to the realization that it has always been somewhat of a broken project trying desparately to push forward. With all the line-up changes, relearning processes, constant bad luck on the road, and the general one-step-forward, two-steps-back blackhole that the band sank into, it has been hard to even recognize who and what exactly we are. And to try and maintain constant motivation and confidence that in the end everything will work out just fine can be taxing and has only and finally started to affect me very recently. And also, on top of everything else, all of the current members have so many other things going on in our persoanl lives right now that are requiring attention, some of those being things that have been put on the back burner for far too long now.

"Now, I don't want to paint everything with just a negative brush, as it certainly wasn't all bad, there was definately a good balance, sometimes dipping to either side for periods of time, but that's as it should.

"I feel nothing but grateful and fortunate for all of the things the band has managed to accomplish over our time and have enjoyed playing with everyone that I've had the pleasure of doing so with. And to any of you who appreciated what we had to bring to the table, thank you. Mountains of thanks to all the people that might have had a hand in helping or supporting the band in any and all ways. I could never say enough. This also doesn't mean that I personally will be giving up playing, no way. I could never do that and neither will anybody who is currently in the band. So be on the lookout for those guys in future projects that they may do. As for me, I feel that this is all a good thing and that by putting this gargantuan project to rest, I can start fresh with new music, in a new project, with renewed enthusiasm.

"Until then, thank you once again for everything, to all of you who cared and became part of the history of the band. Through it all, in the end, we had fun."

SWARM OF THE LOTUS' latest album, "The Sirens of Silence", was released last year via Abacus Recordings.