TRISTANIA's male vocalist Østen Bergøy has issued following update:

"After a turbulent year with injured drummers and runaway female singers, we thought that our worst struggles belonged to the past. It is with regrets I must announce that we were wrong.

"Putting a last hand on the preparations for [the Wave Gotik Treffen festival in Leipzig, Germany] and the upcoming tour in Latin America, we learned that Svein Terje [Solvang, guitar] had decided to jump the ship. The timing could not be worse, because it was way too late to replace him for the upcoming shows. I am not sure concerning the reasons — I hope for his own sake that they are valid. I love Svein Terje like a brother, but I must admit that this feels like being stabbed in the back. However, we will do the tour with Anders [Høyvik Hidle] as the only guitarist. Not an ideal situation, but we will make it work. The rest of us are eager to get out there and play our songs for you."

Russia's Darkside e-zine has uploaded video footage of TRISTANIA performing the song "Angellore" on March 1, 2008 in Moscow (as part of the "Wacken Road Show" also featuring OVERKILL and ENSLAVED). Watch the clip below.

TRISTANIA last fall announced the addition of Italian singer Mariangela "Mary" Demurtas to the group's ranks.

The band's latest album, "Illumination", was released in January 2007 via SPV. The CD was recorded at Woodhouse Studios in Hagen, Germany with producer Waldemar Sorychta (LACUNA COIL, TIAMAT, GRIP INC.).

Upcoming TRISTANIA shows:

May 14 - Teatro Flores - Buenos Aires, Argentina
May 16 - Hellooch - Curitiba, Brazil
May 17 - AVR Festival - São Paulo, Brazil
May 19 - El Huevo - Valparaiso, Chile
May 20 - Novedades - Santiago, Chile
May 21 - Sala 2 - Concepcion, Chile
May 23 - Ibex - Monterrey, Mexico
May 25 - Hard Rock Live - Mexico City, Mexico
Jul. 12 - Masters Of Rock - Vizovice, Czech Republic