SOILWORK Parts Ways With Bassist OLA FINK, Announces Replacement

June 16, 2015

Sweden-based melodic death metal experts SOILWORK will release their tenth studio album, "The Ride Majestic", worldwide on August 28 via Nuclear Blast. Joining the band on tour in support of the CD will be new bassist Markus Wibom, formerly of Helsingborg hardcore group HEARTS ALIVE. Wibom replaces longtime bandmember Ola Flink, who has amicably left the group to focus on other endeavors. Wibom has been a personal friend of the band for many years and has previously toured with SOILWORK as a guitar tech and lighting designer. Wibom made his live debut with SOILWORK in Stockholm on April 30.

SOILWORK vocalist Björn "Speed" Strid states: "We all, sooner or later, come to a crossroad in our lives when our focus of being fueled by the past is just as strong as our visions of the future and we have to make that incredibly hard decision. Where do I go now?

"Flink will forever be a symbol for SOILWORK and of all we were and still are about. That being said, we all could sense that he eventually would come to the above mentioned crossroad. He understandably and respectfully chose to step down.

"So, where do WE go now? Let me introduce you to one of the finest and most stand-up people I know: Markus Wibom. He's been a longtime friend and is an overall multi-instrumental amazing musician. He's been with us before, on past world tours. He's also an amazing character and I couldn't think of a better person to fill Flink's shoes, which indeed are very big… literally. (Markus's shoe size is actually even bigger, if anybody wants to know)

"Anyway, as much as I will miss Flink, I'm just as excited to tour the world with one of my absolute best friends.

"Thank you, Flink; you will forever rule. Thank you, Markus, for taking this on. I know you will blow people's minds, once the world tour of 'The Ride Majestic' commences.

"Please give Markus a very warm welcome, everyone!"

Wibom adds: "It's a great honor and a true pleasure to play with such skilled musicians and amazing people! It's going to be awesome to share the stage with those guys after all these years on the road together, and with the new record coming up — it absolutely kills!"

Catch Wibom out on tour with SOILWORK on the band's upcoming European headline tour, dubbed "The Tour Majestic", with support from HATESPHERE. The European dates will follow SOILWORK's upcoming U.S. tour with SOULFLY, DECAPITATED and SHATTERED SUN, in addition to several European summer festival dates coming up soon.

soilworktheridecd

soilworkhatespheretour2015

Find more on Soilwork
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • reddit
  • email

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).