CRIMSON FALLS: GUITARIST KRISTOF DAMEN DEPARTS

Kristof Damen, guitarist for melodic death metal band Crimson Falls, has left the band. Here is Kristof´s statement:

"Hello everyone,

A while ago, after almost 13 years, I decided it’s time for me to step back from Crimson Falls. I will still play the last four shows we’ve got planned for this year (Groesbeek, Roeselare, Antwerp & Gent). Afterwards, it’s over.

Those of you who are close to me know that Crimson Falls was never just ‘my hobby.’ It was my passion and for more than a decade of my life I invested loads of time, energy, money, sweat and tears in this band. Composing music, writing lyrics, rehearsing, playing out live and spending countless hours behind the computer screen trying to get things arranged, paving a way up for my band.

Even though I still enjoy all of this, I can only admit that over the last year I lost this will to conquer the world with the band. The power to keep battling and break through walls disappeared. Instead, at this point, I just want to be a good dad for my boy and girl who I love more than anything. I want to be a good man for my wife and family. I want some time off, some rest, a few free weekends. And I want to be able to chase some other dreams I have and do some stuff I hardly had time for while being in the band.

Crimson Falls brought me lots of joy, meaning & satisfaction and I’m very proud of everything we could achieve with the band. I mean, what the fuck?

· We played 275 shows spread over 12 countries!

· We played Graspop, Ieperfest, Deathcrusade Fest, Day Of Decay, Massdeathtruction Fest…

· We shared the stage with big names such as Volbeat, Machine Head, Hatesphere, Textures, Samael… but also with a lot of my own personal heroes like All Shall Perish, Whitechapel, Carnifex, The Faceless, Despised Icon, The Black Dahlia Murder, Aborted, And Hell Followed With… and there were a lot of amazing smaller headline shows.

· We released 3 full CDs and 2 EPs; recorded in professional studios and worked with some of the biggest names.

Yes, indeed, dreams do come true. Now it’s time to move on.

Thank you, not only Wim, Tom, Jay & Youri; but also Mitch, Friso, Sigi, Ringo and Maarten for all the good times and making all this possible. Thank you Kim for always supporting me in this adventure. Thank you Filip Clompen, Kris CCR, Henny Guitar & Sound, Geert Kuyken & N-E-L, David Damen, Bart Steyaert, Genet Records, Split Second Sound, Metalzone/Shiver Records, Bjorn Samyn, Barbara Bulens… for your unforgettable & crucial support along the way. Thanks to all bookers, clubs and zines for the support. And thanks to all of you banging your head, moshing it up or just checking us out with a beer in your hands.

As for Crimson Falls; it looks like the band will continue without me. The guys are still checking how they can work everything out, but a new guitar player seems to be found, so I guess you can expect a statement about that pretty soon.

As for me, I’m planning to keep on writing new music. As a matter of fact, I already am. But if, when and in what form this will see the light of day… time will tell. For now, the journey ends."

Kristof