Norwegian symphonic metal band TRAIL OF TEARS have issued the following update:

"(Singer) Ronny Thorsen has decided to leave Trail of Tears. The band supports him in his decision, although we think the timing is very bad. The reason for his decision has been various problems during the making of Oscillation, where Ronny have contributed with lyrics and vocals.

The making of the album has been a very hard process on all of us. Ronny Thorsen felt the prosess was going too slow. Meanwhile, others have worked very hard to finish it. This major contrast between those who have spent almost every day during the last three years to make the album as good as possible, and those who have been more busy pushing some in the band to the edge of breakdown, is the main reason in this conflict. I (Cathrine Paulsen; soprano vocals) ) have to speak my mind this time, and I really feel that I need to speak the truth.

Through the years Trail Of Tears have suffered several split ups. Last time the whole band left Ronny. I need to say, there are reasons when the whole band leaves like that. Ronny was responsible for their tour in Mexico at the time. He told the band there was a contract for the tour, which there wasn`t. In Mexico all went wrong, and with no contract the band didn`t have any rights. Ronny went behind their backs and sent them to Mexico with no contract- and lied about it. That`s why the band left last time.

I was thrown out of the band in 2004. After A New Dimension Of Might (2002) I waited for new songs. Then I received a SMS saying I was no longer wanted in the band. In the magazines I could read that we had agreed that I quit. That was nothing but a lie that they made up. I never quit, I was kicked out without any explanation. In many years, Ronny and I had no contact. I was devastated after this treatment and especially when I had to read all these lies in the magazines. I feel okay about this now, but I want to finally tell what happened.

When the band left Ronny Thorsen after the tour in Mexico, I contacted him for the first time in years. I wanted to say that even though I felt bad about beeing kicked out, I thought it was sad to hear that the band had split up. Then he asked me to work with him again, he wanted to continue Trail of Tears. I had my doubts about that, but I felt that I still had a lot to do in the band. As I said, it was never my decision to leave the first time.

I was the one putting the new Trail Of Tears together. I offered my bandmates from LUCID FEAR to join the band. That`s how Bjørn Erik Næss and Cato Jensen became a part of it. Endre Moe played with Cato in Cutthroat, and we brought him onboard as well. I told Ronny that I expected him to show me respect, and to not backstab me again.

During this cooperation I have felt frustration and sadness many times. I found out I still don`t have any reasons to trust Ronny, as I and the rest of the band have started to read news about the band on Facebook. That means that he doesn't communicate with the band anymore. I cannot work like this, so it`s easy for me to support his decision to leave the band. Ronny made this decision in October, still he keeps running the show alone, making decisions for the band without even asking or telling the rest. That becomes even more wrong when everyone else do most of the work in this band. I feel like shit writing this, but I will not tolerate anything but the truth anymore. This is hard for me, because I am an honest person who really cares for those around me. That means to take care of the other guys´ interests, as well as my own. I have to set a limit and put an end to what`s going on behind the scenes, before lies will be spread all over the world again."

Trail Of Tears new album, Oscillation, will be released on March 22nd via Germany's Massacre Records.

Check out the Oscillation cover art, created by Jan Yrlund below:

Oscillation was recorded at Sound Suite Studio in Marseille, France. A short in studio clip was posted by the band and can be see below. Updates to follow.

(Photo above courtesy of Trail Of Tears' Facebook)