Bassist Dan Biggin of thrash masters CRIMINAL — originally formed in Chile and now based in the U.K. — underwent surgery on his spine last week due to a herniated disk. The band states, "He had been in a lot of pain in the last few months but was on a waiting list and didn't expect to go under the knife so soon. Fortunately, everything went well, so after a period of recovery he will hopefully be like new and rocking the stage with CRIMINAL."

"Akelarre", the seventh studio album from CRIMINAL, was released last August via Massacre Records.

The CD was CRIMINAL's first album since the departure of lead guitarist and founding member Rodrigo Contreras and the subsequent addition of Basque guitar wizard Olmo Cascallar.

"Akelarre" is a word from the Basque language (Euskara) which is also widely used in most Spanish-speaking countries and translates to "witches' Sabbath."

"Akelarre" was produced by Dan Biggin at his HVR Studios in Suffolk, U.K.