Lots going down in the Crown the Lost camp, specifically the wrapping-up of album #3 (more on that very soon), and a corresponding music video shoot for one of the songs off said album. Should be a blast. When more details become concrete, we'll fill you in. More live shows are in the works, but for now, check the shows page for what we have on tap. Keep thrashin'!

-David E. Gehlke

We're currently tied up doing some relatively important things (i.e. making something called an "album"), but we do have the good fortune of having new live dates on the horizon, most specifically our first show with our new lineup on Saturday, May 8th. The show will be @ the 31st Street Pub with our friends Iron Crown and one more to be announced. This will mark the live debut of our new vocalist, Leon Mallah and hopefully he doesn't fall of the stage, introduce the wrong song, etc., etc., but if he does, we'll be cool with it...for that one time.

Additional live dates have been scheduled for June and July and we hope to fill our schedule up with more shows. No rest for the wicked, or the sober Manticore. More to come...and soon.

Cheers,

-David E. Gehlke

In a move that was a long time coming, we'd like to welcome Argel Marchelletta into the CTL fold as our full-time drummer. Argel's initial capacity was that of a fill-in to help us prepare for album #3, but he was so impressive that we had no choice but to ask him to join. Fortunately for us, he accepted.

On a related note, singer Chris Renaldi has left the band in order to pursue his own project. As the only singer this band has ever had, Renaldi's vocals were an integral part of the Crown the Lost sound and we're eager to hear what he has in store for his new musical endeavor. Here are some words from Renaldi:

"After four and a half years with the same group of people, people and ideas tend to grow and change. Due to this, it became difficult for me to see eye-to-eye with other members of the band. However, this is nothing that would force me to harbor ill-will towards the band itself. It's too hard to despise something you helped to shape and mold, and besides that, my time had expired. I wish the best for Crown the Lost, as I plan on doing something on my own (musically, that is). Lastly, I would like to thank everyone who had lent their ears to the music that we wrote. After all, it was you guys who made it all worth the while."

Renaldi's replacement comes in the form of Leon Mallah, a converted guitarist from fellow Pittsburgh metallers In the Wake, who are coincidentally the same band we poached Argel from. Judging from the last few months of rehearsal, Leon's vocals will stay true to the clean vocal template of our sound, but will also add new twists and variations. Leon's live debut with the band should be in May.

Additional details on our forthcoming third album, Cold Pestilent Hope will be released in the very near future.

-David E. Gehlke

First off, this winter nonsense is pretty lame-o. The only people that are probably enjoying this are Immortal. They'd probably laugh if they knew what a difficult time people here are having with the snow. But I digress...

Over the span of the last several months, we've been working diligently on album #3, which will is titled Cold Pestilent Hope. It will contain 11 songs, two of which are instrumentals and in our humble estimation, is the next logical step from our previous efforts. Recording will commence before all of the snow melts and once again, we'll be hunkered down in Soundscape Studios with Dave Watson (Mantic Ritual) and artwork/design will be provided by Jarno Lahti, who did the artwork for Blind Faith Loyalty.

More details to come in the very near future. For now, let us count the days until pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training.... Cheers,

-David E. Gehlke

Much ado about everything in the CTL camp, as we are gearing up for our next show (and first since August) with the mighty While Heaven Wept, Argus, and Crucifist. It is on Friday, January 8th @ the 31st Street Pub in Pittsburgh and since the Steelers probably won't make the playoffs, attendance should be solid. That is, unless a snowstorm hits the 'Burgh. Please come out if you can - everyone rocks pretty hard on this bill.

In regards to the aforementioned show, we will be playing a couple new jams, since that's what we've been up to: working on new jams. We're about 95% completed with the writing for album #3 and to avoid making the stock statement that every other band makes (i.e. "This is our strongest material to date!"), we'll just say this: our enthusiasm for the new songs cannot be contained, harnassed or measured. We hope you'll feel the same come 2010...

-David E. Gehlke

We would like to announce the addition of bassist Tim Boyle to the CTL ranks, who is replacing the departed Dom Scarano. Tim comes to us via Grave Desire (who coincidentally have our producer and current Mantic Ritual singer/guitarist Dave Watson in the ranks) and is well-versed in the CTL catalog, so it was a natural decision. We would like to wish Dom the best in his future endeavors, as his gaudy sense of humor and keen eye for the ladies will be missed.

Live activity as well as writing for the ever-important album #3 will resume, for are working with a fill-in drummer (key word: fill-in), but since we're tired of announcing member changes, we'll be clandestine for once. Great album, Entombed's Clandestine. Best song? "Sinner Bleed," of course.

-David E. Gehlke