Ram It Down Records has checked in with the following update:

"Finnish melodic heavy metal band Merging Flare (which features Beast In Black guitarist Kasperi Heikkinen in its ranks), has just released a video for their new song, 'Clarion Call'. The track is taken from the upcoming album Revolt Regime, which will be relaesed on June 14th."

 

For information on Merging Flare go to the band's official Facebook page here.

Kasperi Heikkinen, also a former member of U.D.O., left for personal reasons in 2017. He issued the following statement upon his departure:

"I want to thank everyone, especially the fans, for these great four years I was in the band. I also wish all the best for the band with their future endeavours. From now on I will focus on my other music projects and some different outlets of creativity. You will surely hear from me again when the time is right. Stay metal and tsönk all the way! Thank you everybody!"

In a 2018 interview with Metal Forces (found here), Udo Dirkschneider commented on Heikkinen's departure and guitarist Bill Hudson's more recent exit, stating "they were definitely not team players, and that's the reason why they are not in the band any more."

Heikkinen responded via Sound.fi saying "That is really sad, unnecessary and unprofessional. I wonder why Udo feels it is necessary to comment on the subject at this point, more than a year and a half after I left the band. Anyone who has read Udo's opinions about Accept's current lineup can draw their own conclusions about how seriously his comments should be taken."

(Photo by Michael “Maikel” Pander”)