Swedish thrash/death/black metallers DEVIAN have released the following statement:

“We have decided to put DEVIAN to rest.

“After the tour with UNLEASHED in 2009, we started to focus on the third DEVIAN opus. After a few months of hard work on the album, Legion [a.k.a. Erik Hagsted, vocals] announced that he’d leave the band. About that time we also parted ways with the label that released our two first albums, Century Media.

“Some months later, we started to negotiate with various labels, but never did found anything that would meet even our budget for recording. During this period of time, we started to feel that we had lost the glow we once had for the band and the music.

“We recorded a demo with a new direction to more ordinary metal with lots of clean vocals, [which] you can still hear [below]. This gave a new spark to the band, but it was only temporary.

“At this time Joinus [Jonas Mattson, guitar/vocals] decided to leave the band. He was ‘tired’ of the music DEVIAN was playing. After all, 20 years playing death/thrash metal in various acts is a long time. And the step to the direction he (and some other members) was trying to reach was a step to far and would only disappoint all of you who listened to what DEVIAN once started out as, a death metal act.

“And after Joinus left, Emil [Dragutinovic, drums], Tomas [Nilsson, guitar] and Carl [Stjärnlöv, bass] decided to put DEVIAN to sleep, forever…

“But to give up music would be to give up life. Nowadays you can find the members in the following acts;

“Joinus plays ’60s and ’70s rock ‘n’ roll in the Luciferian-themed YEAR OF THE GOAT (just released a mini-LP / mini-CD through VÁN Records) and garage smelling, denim action rock in THE HORSEHEAD UNION (album released during autumn 2011 with artwork from Skrymer / FINNTROLL).

“Tomas has teamed up with Roberth Karlsson (ex-DEVIAN, ex-EDGE OF SANITY, FACEBREAKER, SCAR SYMMETRY) and released a few hardcore-oriented albums on the hardcore Swedish label Halvfabrikat Records. This project is called Aktiv Dödshjälp. Sometime ago a well-known extreme metal band offered him the bass duties in their band. He accepted the offer and is right now sweating his guts out in a rehearsal room in Stockholm; preparing to get out on tour again [as soon as possible]! ‘DEVIAN has been a good run and really cool experience for me that I’ll never forget!’

“Emil has quit all his ‘official’ musical activities and has his studio-based two-man death metal act RUPTURE and says that he will not participate in any new projects/bands at the time being. [He says], ‘As the other DEVIAN members, I came across other priorities so it just feels natural to let the band go and focus on what’s to come. I hope to come across a new goal in music which doesn’t involve death metal, my studio project RUPTURE is enough at the time being when it comes to extreme music. Possessed as I am with creating music, I will for sure not stop doing music, that’s my life, my passion that I’ll never stop doing, no matter what I’m into at the moment.’

“Carl is currently busier than ever with DIABOLICAL. ‘Ars Vitae’ was released earlier this year and the band has been on tour in Russia. Right now they are planning more shows and new material is being written for a new album. [He says], ‘Sadly we decided to put DEVIAN to sleep, but it was obviously the right thing to do given that most members had lost the spark for the band. I’d guess that none of us will quit doing music so keep a close eye at what we’re doing in our respective bands and projects. I’ve had tons of good times with the guys from DEVIAN and I would be very happy to play with them again in some context. I wouldn’t be surprised if it happens, because personal and musical chemistry of the caliber that we’ve had doesn’t come along very often.’

“We want to thank everyone involved in the story of DEVIAN from the bottom of our hearts. Without you this journey wouldn’t have been worth anything.”

DEVIAN 2010 demo tracks can be streamed on band’s Myspace Page.  Source: Blabbermouth.net