Gothenburg, Sweden-based extreme metal sextet MARIONETTE has announced a string of spring and summer appearances, including the final concert to be performed with departing vocalist Axel Widén (ZOMBIEKRIG).

For this farewell concert at Sticky Fingers in Gothenburg on May 22nd, incoming frontman Alexander Andersson (ELDRIMNER) will join the band on stage during the set.

Departing vocalist Axel Widén had the following to say regarding the upcoming special show: “After an amazing journey, the time has come for me to accept that my time as a part of Marionette is over. The band needs things that life keeps me from being able to provide. Given the choice between either lowering the bands ambitions or stepping down as a frontman, my love for Marionette, the guys, the fans, the music and the respect I feel for what we’ve accomplished means I have to step down. Let there be no confusion here; I leave so that Marionette can live on. We part on good terms. Alexander, the next person to leave his mortal flesh behind and front Marionette, will blow you away. And I will watch from the shadows, forever.”

Founding member and bassist Mikael Medin added the following: “It is not easy to announce that Axel is leaving Marionette. It wasn’t something that anyone wanted but, as Axel explained, he had no other choice. We’ve been through good and bad times together and we have more awesome memories together than we will ever remember. He will truly be missed.

“But Axel sure as hell isn’t going out without a bang. On May 22nd we are having a farewell show for Axel at Sticky Fingers here in Gothenburg and you should all come out and say good bye to him, as well as giving your warmest welcoming and support to our new singer, Alexander Andersson, who is fucking awesome and who we hope you will love as much as we do.”

Upcoming Marionette Concerts:

April

23 – Uno - Karlstad, Sweden

May

22 – Sticky Fingers (top floor) - Gothenburg, Sweden*

July

8-10 – Getaway Festival - Gävle, Sweden

(*special concert featuring departing vocalist Axel Widén and new vocalist Alexander Andersson)

Pre-Order tickets for the Sticky Fingers concert at this location.

Enemies, the sophomore album from Marionette, was released in fall 2009 in Europe and spring 2010 in Japan and North America through Listenable Records.

The follow up to the bands debut album Spite was recorded with a team of up-and-coming as well as established names in Swedish music including Pontus Hjelm (DEAD BY APRIL) and two-time Swedish Grammis award winning producer and songwriter Åke Parmerud.

Enemies was mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström (IN FLAMES, AT THE GATES, BRING ME THE HORIZON) at Studio Fredman and Peter In De Betou (DIMMU BORGIR, ZONARIA) at Tailor Maid respectively in May 2009.

Marionette recently completed a European tour with BLESS THE FALL and BURY TOMORROW.

More dates are to follow in the coming weeks.

More on Marionette at this location.