Bad News!

Blabbermouth.net have posted the following news: Joe Ptacek, former vocalist of the long-defunct 1990s Illinois Death Metal band BROKEN HOPE, died last night (Wednesday, January 20) of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was 37 years old.

Two musicians from the band After Death from the UK died yesterday afternoon (Thursday, January 21) drowned in a beach in Aracaju, Sergipe, near 4 and a half hours by bus from Salvador. They are: Leon Villalba and Timothy Kennelly. They are the supporting act for the MASTER tour in Brazil along with Brazilian Predator. The Brazilian site infonet.com.br says: "A tragedy killed two young foreigners from the British band After Death. They were in the Sergipe capital Aracaju for a show with the American band MASTER that would take place on Friday, 22 at a street parking in Santo Amaro, center of the city. According to the soldier Rodrigo, from the Fire Department, the two young men were bathing in the Atalaia beach, around 14:30, near the Aquarium when they drowned. According to the soldier, teams from the Fire Department were deployed, but when they arrived on the scene, they found only the body of guitarist Leon Villalba, 21. Bassist Timothy Kennelly, 18, remains missing. The soldier said that when the drowning happened, the beach did not show any current. "We do not know what happened, because the site did not contain any ditch or stream and also the floor of the tide was dry," laments the soldier, pointing out that the foreigners may have been victims of lack of experience on entering the water. Another site said that one of the guys was drowning and the other tried to save him, but ended up drowning too. The label Death Toll Records, responsible for the tour, has posted the following official statement: "Despite the death of members Leon Villalba and Timothy Kennelly (body not found yet) of the London based band AFTER DEATH drowning in Aracaju, the "Masters of Hate Tour 2010" will continue, mainly, in awe to the public. In talks with members of AFTER DEATH they said "we are all still grieving and shocked by what has happened, but we have assurances that they would like the shows were made. Do this in tribute to them!".