A year on from the death of drummer Martin “Kiddie” Kearns, who passed away on September 14th, 2015 from an undisclosed ailment. The UK death metal legends have now revealed that the band will not continue without Kearns.

Bolt Thrower updated their official website with the following announcement:

“On behalf of ourselves and Kiddie’s family, we would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and support over the last 12 months. Together with Kiddie’s family we made the conscious decision to keep his unexpected death a private matter, and to take time out to deal with it all.

“When Kiddie joined us back in 1994, although he was only 17, he instantly improved Bolt Thrower as a live band, and no one was more loyal to, and prouder to be in Bolt Thrower than him.

“We spent over 20 years together, touring the world, with 3 different vocalists, but he was so much more than just a drummer to us. So when we carried his coffin to his final resting place, the Bolt Thrower drummer position was buried with him. He was, and will now forever remain THE Bolt Thrower drummer, our Powerhouse and friend Martin “Kiddie” Kearns.

“As for the rest of us, Bolt Thrower has been our way of life for 30 years, never driven by money, fame or ego, but by our own personal principles and values that have guided us through life, and which bonded us as friends long before Bolt Thrower was even formed…”

They also included the following:

“We are not now that strength which in old days
moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”

- Tennyson – 1833

On September 17th, 2015, Bolt Thrower confirmed Martin’s passing with the following:

“With the heaviest of hearts, and still numb from shock, we have to share the very sad news that on Monday, September 14th Bolt Thrower lost our powerhouse drummer, Martin ‘Kiddie’ Kearns.

“After the first rehearsal for our upcoming tour of Australia, Kiddie suddenly felt unwell which continued throughout the night, and the next day he passed away peacefully in his sleep.

“He was a fantastic Dad, husband, son, friend, but to us he was always ‘Kiddie’, the same 17 year old Coventry kid whose drumming style and personality blew us away when he first walked into our rehearsal room 20+ years ago.

“Kiddie enriched our lives, and the Bolt Thrower sound. He leaves a massive hole in the lives of everyone who knew him and will be very sorely missed by many.”

Kearns performed on 2001’s Honour – Valour – Pride and 2005’s Those Once Loyal.