Former NEVERMORE/TESTAMENT guitarist Steve Smyth has issued the following update:

"Happy Christmas, or whatever holiday you are celebrating!

One more time, we're doing a one off show in Santa Rosa, at the Last Day Saloon, with SWEET LEAF, THE ESSENESS PROJECT, SPIRALARMS and SHATTER THEORY!

Should be a fun show, and a great way to end this year, this decade, and say good-bye to the '80's once again, and uh oh, hello to the '90's?! Oh man, so long as flannel and anti-depressants aren't the fashion, I'll stick around then. ha ha!

And we're going to film the sets of The EssenEss Project and Sweet Leaf, and get them on the MySpaces and YouTubes, and whatever other surprises the geeks who run this world now decide to give us next to exploit with! ha ha

It's a double duty night for me and Steve Hoffman, and also Ron Redeen, who is now jamming in Craig Locicero's other band, Spiralarms! So, if you're in the North Bay, or anywhere in the area, come on out to the show! It's going to be a lot of fun, and some great music as well! And The EssenEss Project will be selling our merch at some seriously crazy discounts, our way of saying thank you for your support, and saving you some beer money in the process! ha ha

I've had a good busy year, jamming with FORBIDDEN, getting some touring in with the guys, and settling in with helping to write their new album, one which I believe sees a return to form, yet a continued growth as well, kind of full circle Forbidden, but they've learned what they like, and now know how to deliver it! And it's metal all the damn way, which I love!!! And I know any Forbidden fan will as well! I'm way excited and ready to get this underway in 2010, and see what we can do together! Bring on 2010!

As well, I have a new band I have been putting together with some great musicians over in the UK. We have in the band: Jamie Hunt (guitar; BIOMECHANICAL), Adrian Lambert (bass; Biomechanical ), Morten Sørensen (drums; ANUBIS GATE, WUTHERING HEIGHTS ), and Mikkel Sandager (vocals; ex-MERCENARY), and myself on guitar, and what sounds like might be backing vocals as well. This is early days right now, meaning we're still hammering out vox and lyric ideas with Mikkel, who just recently came on board with us, but damn can this man sing! And with Adrian and Morten on board, we have a powerhouse rhythm section which I believe will raise the bar on what metal rhythm sections can sound like! Musically, I've written a lot of songs over the last few years here, and started writing with Jamie over the last year as well, and we're really proud with what we have come up with, and ready to unleash this animal in 2010! So stay tuned on this one! No solid name yet, but we're working on that, and open to suggestions!

The EssenEss Project will also be working on a new album, as Steve Hoffman and I have been tossing new ideas around a little in the last year, and we also have a wish list of special guests in mind for the album, and also on the production end of things as well, but we're taking our time with this one, and making sure we take everything we learned about making the last one, and make this one even more special, crazy, progressive, shredding, and all out weird as well! Stay tuned, and we'll give you the low down when we have news.

All in all, health-wise, I have recently passed the three year post transplant mark now, and the docs are happy to see me in better shape (with the help of a personal trainer who pretty much kicked my ass into shape over the last three months or so, thanks Shawn!), eating better (I cook a lot more now, and also know better how to take care of myself on the road than I did four years or more ago), and my mind is back in focus on what matters in life, which is living it!

So, to close out what will probably be my last blog on here for the decade, I wish all of you a very Happy Holiday season, and a great 2010, and thank every one of you who have stuck with me, given me your support, your ears, and your minds, instead of kicking me down, like a lot of people in my life did when the chips were seriously down! I hope to have your continued support in this new decade, and to share my music and contributions with you for many more years to come! In the meantime, KEEP IT F***ING HEAVY!!! AND HEALTHY!!!"