As reported yesterday, Ontario-based black/folk metallers WOODS OF YPRES have inked a deal with Earache Records who will release the band's the fifth album in 2011.

With this signing comes controversy. Woods Of Ypres had previously announced that they were disbanding so why would Earache sign a defunct act? Truth is, the band never really broke up to begin with. Let frontman, David Gold explain his side of things:

"After eight long years of pushing forward, recording five albums and going on multiple tours as an independent band, we are very proud to announce that we have finally signed Woods Of Ypres to Earache Records. To address the rumors (some that we ran with and some that we started ourselves), Woods Of Ypres never actually broke up/disbanded/quit/ended, at all. Allow me to explain.

We just released the massive W4: The Green Album late last year (not even a year ago yet!), toured North America this past summer and then in August, we recorded our fifth album, Woods 5: You Were The Light. We've always been gluttons for pain and punishment in this band, and we've put ourselves through some hellishly busy years while keeping this band alive (not even considering all the side projects the guys and I have done during the same time!). Being the black and 'true doom' artists that we are, we simply couldn't resist the urge to take advantage of the opportunity to experiment with the drama and reaction to the news that we finally, unexpectedly and mysteriously decided to give up after all this time, after all that momentum, after coming this far.

Putting an end to Woods Of Ypres, after all it's been through, would be the saddest and most unfair thing we could ever do to this band and our supporters. I also think it was important for us, the band, to imagine and realize how it would feel, if it were true, if we did decide to finally call it quits when things were just starting to happen. Offering the news of our demise was also the most satisfying false sense of temporary satisfaction we could possibly give to our many haters who've been hoping that we'd finally quit for years, of whose lost spirits we can now continue to crush with the announcement of our signing to the mighty Earache Records!

So Woods Of Ypres never broke up, and we are in fact, finally, stronger than ever. However, at the end of August of this year, I did move to Kuwait for work. I am here now, in the desert, working. When I come home (maybe sooner than expected), we will finally have the opportunity for a fresh start for a new era of the band and a redefinition of the Woods Of Ypres sound! W5 is the end of our "indy" career and also the start of our "pro" career with Earache. The opportunity to write and record W6 in collaboration with Earache is the most exciting opportunity this band has ever had and I can already say that it will be our finest work. In the meantime, we intend to tour, hard, everywhere! Contact your local promoters and tell them to bring us to town! This band will never quit. All the best is still yet to come. On behalf of the band, Evan, Shane and Joel, thank you for all your kind wishes of congratulations now, and especially for all your support and encouragement throughout these last eight years! More news soon!"

Woods 5 and reissues of their entire catalogue will be out on Earache Records in 2011.

Woods Of Ypres is:

David Gold - vocals/guitar

Evan Madden - drums

Shane Madden - bass

Joel Violette - lead guitar