Former MELDRUM singer Moa Holmsten has posted a statement in regards to her departure from the band.

Says Moa, "Its now official… I have since some time back left Meldrum. I've lost the fire, the dedication and the joy. My heart was not in it anymore. A heart, the only heart, I had to be honest to or I couldn't live with myself.

I am grateful for what I've accomplished in the band and the tremendous love and support I've gotten from people through the years. It will always be remembered!

Im now gonna concentrate on my craft. My voice, my lyrics, my music and my own expression and wherever it will take me.

I wish Michelle and Gene and the new girls Michelle and Laura the best of luck in the future!!!! And also my greatest wishes to Frida in her forthcoming work in my buddies band LA PUMA.

Much Love...

Yours sincerely,

Moa."

After teaming up to write, Michelle Meldrum and Gene Hoglan recently announced MELDRUM's new member lineup before entering the studio to record tracks for their new album in Los Angeles, CA on April 29th.

Meldrum's new lineup features: Australian metal vocalist Michele Madden (TOURETTES), Laura Christine (WARFACE), Gene Hoglan (DEATH, DARK ANGEL, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD) and Michelle Meldrum (ex-PHANTOM BLUE).

The new album, in which band members strive to transcend anything previously recorded, will follow up their last CD Blowin' Up The Machine, which released last year on Frontiers/Locomotive.

According to Michelle Meldrum, "The new songs are slammin', heavier and more exciting than ever. I am honored to work with Michele Madden, she is an amazing singer with an extremely heavy voice and a huge range. We are venturing into new territory sonically, and can't wait to perform the new material live. Laura Christine is beyond awesome and definitely brings a heavy edge with her background experience from Warface, and…well, Gene is a drum god and his history speaks for itself. It's a new era for the band and it feels great."

Gene Hoglan added, "Both Michelle and I are super-excited to be working with the amazingly-talented and ultra-gorgeous Michelle Madden, and we welcome her with open arms into the Meldrum family. We've been writing a ton of new, ballcrushing, METAL-as-fuck songs in celebration of the leggy one's arrival on our shores. I've had the utmost respect for the past five years, and always considered Madden to be, in every awesome and cool use of the term, a rock star. BIG respect, absolutely, and I can't believe I actually get to play in a band with one of my all-time favorite vocalists. I'm real psyched, and no one in their right mind is gonna disagree with the fact that this band has just gotten WAAAY mightier with our new addition. Fuckin' rights."

Meldrum plan to unveil sneak peaks from their studio sessions on their website in coming weeks, with news on the new release and tours forthcoming.