UK thrash metal veterans Onslaught have issued an update revealing a shake-up in the band lineup, as well as news on their next album.

"The countdown to the new Onslaught album starts now," reads the message. "Songs have been written, demo tracks recorded and the thrashing machine is racing forward at full throttle. With a release date set before the end of 2018 this is shaping up to be Onslaught's most vicious and hard hitting thrash metal attack yet!

"The lead up for the new Onslaught album quite rightly kicks off at the UK’s most mighty and relevant heavy metal festival, Bloodstock Open Air! A powerful and brutal show is promised along with the world’s debut of a brand new Onslaught track taken from the forthcoming recording on AFM Records. Get your mosh on and get in the pit!

"Onslaught have always loved playing the UK’s finest metal festival, Bloodstock, and this year the show is going to be something special indeed! We’ll see you maniacs at the front!

"On another note both (drummer) Mic (Hourihan) and guitarist Iain ("GT" Davies) made the decision to leave Onslaught soon after the last tour finished in order to concentrate on their other bands and projects. We’d like to thank them for all of the hard work they put in over the last few years and wish them all the very best.

"So… saying that, the new guys are kicking major amounts of heavy metal backside right now and they will be announced to you all very soon. Believe me, the band has never sounded so aggressive and so focused! We can’t wait to unleash the new reign of violence for you at Bloodstock. It’s going to be epic and very, very explosive!"

(Band photo by Ronald van De Baan)