German gothic metallers CORONATUS have parted ways with classical soprano vocalist Carmen R. Lorch, and have announced her replacement, Natalia Kempin (ex-ARCANE GRAIL - pictured at left).

Carmen R. Lorch issued the following message:

"I have to announce today that I have left my beloved band Coronatus. This decision has not nearly been easy for me.

As many of you might know, I am mother of a wonderful little daughter. Now the date to leave Coronatus was fixed by my second child, which is supposed to be born in November: Because of my current afflictions caused by the pregnancy - in addition to the non-existence of a second singer at the moment - we consequently had to cancel all further gigs already booked and therefore there will foreseeably not be any further Coronatus concerts with me.

Several months I have been trying to get an idea how I can stay a part of Coronatus with two children in the future. Unfortunately, the

answer is very disillusioning - at least as long as it is not nearly possible to live from an even quite successful band like Coronatus. I know that up to now some of you had thought that we could earn enough money from the band to make a living. But this is not the case. So the result is, unfortunately, that there will be no place for Coronatus in my life next to family and work, and so eventually I have taken this hard decision.

For fifteen years I have been an e-guitarist and singer in numerous bands - now for the first time I do not have any band anymore. Five and a half years as singer, co-songwriter and co-manager of Coronatus have come to an end for me. I leave full of gratitude to our record label Massacre Records, as well as all committed concert organisers / bookers and fair music journalists. And ultimately I leave full of gratitude to you, my fans, all the ones who have bought our cds and hereby made a major contribution to the fact that we could record and publish our music on a total of three CDs!"

More on Coronatus at this location.