TODIEFOR To Enter Studio Next Week

Finnish gothic metallers TO/DIE/FOR have parted ways with drummer Tonmi Lillman. According to vocalist Jape Perätalo, "Tonmi is very great drummer and recorder and musician, but he is having so much other things to do also. TO/DIE/FOR is a thing I wanna do with all of heart and that's why I decided to be free, and do it without Tonmi again. It is sad, but I have my life, too, and I cannot just wait and wait all the time. Of course there is other reasons, too, but [no] personal problems. I love him as a friend always."

Perätalo added, "Trying to it with Tonmi it would take too long and [the next TO/DIE/FOR] album would not come before 2020... or do it sooner with guys who are living more near me, rehearsals would be easier, etc. etc. Many reasons."

TO/DIE/FOR's new lineup:

* Jape Perätalo - Vocals
* Santtu Lonka - Drums
* Juppe Sutela - Guitar
* Josey Strandman - Bass
* Antti-Matti "Antza" Talala (ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW, FLESHTONE, KALMAH) - Guitar
* Jussi-Mikko "Juska" Salminen (NEW DAWN FOUNDATION, TIAGA, HIM) - Keyboards

The new TO/DIE/FOR lineup will make its live debut on October 23 at the Icehall in Kouvola, Finland. In addition, the band will enter the studio on October 5 to begin recording its sixth album for an early 2011 release. Several tracks will be laid down during the initial sessions, including "Cry For Love" (IGGY POP cover), "Death Comes In March", "Into The Storm" and "Bittersweet Bleeding Heart".

TO/DIE/FOR released a "best-of" collection, "Epilogue From The Past - Best Of", on January 27 via Spinefarm Records. Included on the set was the brand new song, "Angelica", which is slated to appear on the group's next studio album.

In December 2009, TO/DIE/FOR uploaded a demo version of a new song, "Unknown III", to the band's MySpace page. The track is one of four cuts — alongside "Angelica", "My Hysteria" and "Sad" (working title) — which were used to procure new management and a record deal.

TO/DIE/FOR played in Lebanon on November 13, 2009 at Forum De Beyrouth.

TO/DIE/FOR's fifth album, "Wounds Wide Open", was released in Finland in October 2006. The follow-up to 2005's "IV" was recorded by Samu Oittinen at Fantom Studios and by Jari-Jukka Nippala at Sonic Image, and was mixed at Sweden's Abyss Studios by Peter Tägtgren (DIMMU BORGIR, CELTIC FROST).