EVILE BASSIST MIKE ALEXANDER PASSES

UPDATE: 10/7/09: MIKE ALEXANDER's death is believed to be caused by a cerebral hemorrhage or stroke. I'm so sorry to hear of Mike's passing, condolences to friends, family and fans of Mike Alexander.

MIKE ALEXANDER bassist of UK thrash band EVILE fell ill as his band was on tour with ENTOMBED and AMON AMARTH and was recently hospitalized. Today, bandmates announced Mike Alexander's passing, believed to be of a cerebral hemorrhage. EVILE members Matt Drake, Ol Drake and Ben Carter have released the following statement:

“This is so hard to find the words to express fully how we feel. We can’t believe or accept what’s happened. One minute we’re talking to our buddy, Mike, the next minute we can never speak to him again.
There’s so many things rushing through our heads that we want to say, do and feel. We half expect him to come round the corner and call us ‘dickheads’. We can’t get our heads around it.
It upsets us so much that he was away from his family when this happened, although knowing Mike, we’re at least glad he was on tour doing what he loves.
We’re lost for words. We all miss him so much already. He was such a headstrong, genuinely nice guy who loved music and his family. We’ve got so many brilliant memories with him.
Our hearts go out to his daughter, family and friends at this tragic, difficult time.
Mike is much loved and is sorely missed.
Rest in peace, brother.”
FROM ENTOMBED: STATEMENT ON MIKE ALEXANDERS PASSING

Guitarist Alex Hellid of Swedish metallers ENTOMBED has spoken to the Aftonbladet newspaper about the sudden passing of bassist Mike Alexander from the U.K. thrash metal outfit EVILE.

ENTOMBED was in the middle of a Swedish tour with AMON AMARTH and EVILE when Alexander was suddenly taken ill and rushed to a local hospital. He was pronounced dead a short time later.

Commented Alex: "You don't ever think something like this could happen. It's so sad. Our hearts are with his family."

He added, "I said hello to him in the afternoon. Then this happened and you can't believe it's true."

According to a report in Norrländska Socialdemokraten — a daily regional newspaper published in Norrbotten, Sweden — the cause of Alexander's death is believed to be "some kind of cerebral hemorrhage" although this has not yet been corroborated by an official source.

(A cerebral hemorrhage or hemorrhagic stroke is a form of stroke that occurs when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures or bleeds.)

ENTOMBED dedicated tonight's (October 6) concert in Östersund, Sweden to Alexander, who was just 32 years old.

The members of EVILE, who are said to be in shock, immediately canceled the rest of the tour.
Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-RIP MIKE\m/ -l-