DARKEST HOUR Guitarist Explains Concert Cancellations

Guitarist Kris Norris of the Washington D.C.-based metallers DARKEST HOUR has issued the following update:

"After getting a few emails about this, I decided to just say why we cancelled a few shows on the last tour...

"OK, here's what happened. I've finally comes to terms with discussing this as it's very personal to me... I have a weird genetic calcium/enzyme defiency disease that affects my mother's side of the family, basically our teeth. My teeth were basically rotting out from this and I was struck with a very violent infection and had to be rushed to the hospital and this forced me to have 19 teeth surgically removed and a denture plate put in. I have recovered enough to do the U.K. tour but without insurance it cost me out of pocket $7,000 which I didn't have and had to pay upfront, so I borrowed it.

"Thank you to the band for putting up with this issue with me so much and understanding. I couldn't ask for a bunch of better dudes to go through this with.

"Soon I will be having an auction for the guitar and cabinet that I used in the 'Convalescence' and 'Sound the Surrender' video to try and pay these people back [as soon as possible since they were kind enough to lend me the money in dire need to do this (since my father, who makes tons, refused to help!). Every penny will go to them and I hope to pay them back fully and any money not made I will cover somehow or made over the cost (in my dreams) will be given out in other ways. I am just happy to be getting healthy again and not to look like a disgusting pile of shit any more.

"So that's the basic lowdown of it all. Sorry to the guys and girls who missed us on the last few shows of the SOILWORK tour. I'll give you all naked pictures of Ryan [Parrish, drums] in return with my apologies!!!! And show you all the parlor tricks I learned with fake teeth!"

As previously reported, DARKEST HOUR will enter a Vancouver, B.C. area studio with producer Devin Townsend (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD) on February 19 to begin recording its new album for a tentative late spring/early summer release via Victory.

Pittsburgh, PA-based label A-F Records last month issued a collection of DARKEST HOUR's early recordings prior to the band's signing with Victory. Entitled "Archives", the set marks DARKEST HOUR's ten-year anniversary and features over an hour of rare and unreleased material, including the band's recordings as early as "The Misanthrope" EP, recorded in 1995 while the members were in high school. It continues the band's output with "The Prophecy Fulfilled" from 1997 and singles from vinyl as late as 1998.