AMARAN

guitarist Ronnie Backlund has fractured his right arm and will not be able to participate in the band's upcoming European tour with AFTER FOREVER, NIGHTMARE and DARK MOOR and the subsequent gigs in Finland with KATATONIA. He will be replaced on these tours by Esa Orjatsalo from the Finnish band DREAMTALE.

As previously reported, AMARAN's sophomore effort, “Pristine In Bondage”, is due on January 20 through Listenable Records. The first pressing of the album will be a slipcase edition with one bonus track — for a total of 11 tracks — and the Japanese version (due on Dec. 17) will be a 13-tracker with two additional bonus tracks.

The follow-up to “A World Depraved” was recorded at Studio Underground in Västerĺs, Sweden and is the group's first since the departure of bassist Mikael Andersson (he has since been replaced by JULIE LAUGHS NO MORE drummer Ronnie Bergerstĺhl).