ONSLAUGHT Frontman Issues 'Eye' Update

ONSLAUGHT frontman Sy Keeler, who recently underwent a successful surgery to re-attach the retina of his left eye, has released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET:

"Hello all. Now I can see well enough, thought I'd check in with an eye update. But first off a HUGE thank you to everyone who posted here on Blabbermouth and on our sites for the good wishes and support. I was very low during the week after the op and your messages were a great pick-up, Thanks again.

"The problem started the day after our gig at the Kings Of Metal in Arnhem, Netherlands on April 30, which prompted a visit to Bristol eye hospital on our return. The docs could find no visible sign of damage at that point so off we went on our UK tour. May 3rd Leeds, during the afternoon the eye got a lot worse. Eventually during soundcheck I developed what I can only describe as a 'black hole' which prompted a rush to Leeds eye hospital where I had my biggest fear confirmed. 'Detached retina' emergency surgery had to be carried out within 24 hours, which the surgeon offered to do in Leeds the next morning, Bang goes the tour! I chose to return home to the Bristol eye hospital, where I had my [operation] at 2pm Friday [May] 4th under local anesthetic. Metal or what! A very unpleasant experience, I'll tell thee! The next 10 days I had to spend 'posturing' keeping my head tilted to the left for 45 minutes in every hour!!! Part of the healing process means 'a gas' had to be put into the eye to add pressure to the repair. The gas has now cleared sufficiently enough for me to spend short periods at the PC. 'Tis a peculiar effect having gas in the eye, it's like looking thro' a goldfish bowl with the water sloshing around.

"The op appears to have been a success, but I'm gonna have to take it steady for a while. We will return to action on June 16 at The 'Revenge Of True Metal Festival' in Italy.

"A special thanks to the doctors and nurses in Leeds & Bristol.

"Thanks again for your messages. 'See' you soon..."

ONSLAUGHT will release its first live DVD, "Live Polish Assault 2007", in Europe on June 11 via Metal Mind Productions (June 19 in the U.S.). The disc will contain more than an hour of veritable thrash mayhem filmed during the band's gig on February 12, 2007 at the Stodola Club in Warsaw, Poland. The DVD will also include an interview with guitarist Nige Rockett and vocalist Sy Keeler, bonus live video footage from the band's gigs in Japan and Holland, as also bonus audio tracks from the gig at Bristol Colston Hall in 1987 (featuring ONSLAUGHT's very first live performance of "Let There Be Rock")!

ONSLAUGHT's new album, "Killing Peace", was released in March via Candlelight Records. The CD was recorded at Backstage studio in Derbyshire, England with producer Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, MACHINE HEAD, ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE).