HAMMERFALL Guitarist Says His Recovery Will Take Longer Than Previously Expected

HAMMERFALL guitarist Oscar Dronjak has posted the following message to the band's official web site:

"Looks like things weren't as great as I thought [following the motorcycle accident]: I went to the doctor on Wednesday, to get rid off the cast. She immediately proclaimed she definitely couldn't promise that I wouldn't suffer any effects of the injury, i. e. being back to 100%. She then went on to extend my recovery period from four weeks to ten, meaning that I, if I held a regular job, would be back on the horse (so to speak...) at the end of October. For me, this was quite a shock as she pushed the 'healing date' six weeks more into the future and let me know I might experience pain and loss of movement in any case afterwards. I hope she was trying to play it safe rather than realistic. Anyway, I have begun the long — and quite painful — rehabilitation period by doing the six exercises I was instructed to do four times a day. Interesting curiosity, the stitches they used to close the 25-30 cm long operation slit was not made of thread. Instead, they were called agraffes and looked just like the staples you normally use for paper sheets. The doctor removed half of the agraffes, and will have the rest taken out on Monday. After that, it's up to me and the physiotherapist to make this injury go away and as fast and completely as possible.

"Tonight (Saturday, August 30),I will venture outside my apartment to see the first concert in quite a while: Björn Rosenström. This is an underground favorite in Sweden, selling lots of albums but rarely getting any media coverage. It's a damn shame, because this guy is great! Mostly, it's just Björn and his guitar, the music rooted in Swedish pop/folk music. But it was the lyrics that attracted me in the first place, with their remarkable wit and odd subjects. At first listen, this seems like a joke, but when you take a closer look, the man is a true genius! Fantastic melodies and funny, funny, funny — and clever! — lyrics makes this a must-see for me! Now that I am home, that is. I know we were supposed to be playing in England tonight, at the Bloodstock Metalfest. I'm really sorry we couldn't be there, but I sincerely hope we can be a part of the festival sometime in the future. And I hear you get a pretty good replacement for HAMMERFALL: EDGUY! You know what they say, it's an ill wind that blows nobody good (according to my dictionary, this is what I mean to say, but it doesn't look right the consensus is, out of everything bad comes something good). Next week, you shall have the complete tracklist of [live CD/DVD] 'One Crimson Night' plus additional info."