Stabbing Westward have decided to break up, issuing a brief statement, reading, "Thank you very much for the support and love. We are very sad and as well very excited about all our futures."

The group got its start in the late Eighties when singer Christopher Hall and keyboardist Walter Flakus began working together, eventually bringing bassist Jim Sellers, drummer David Suycott and guitarist Stuart Zechman on board when Stabbing Westward signed to Columbia Records, which released their first full-length album, Ungod, in 1993. The band replaced Suycott with Andy Kubiszewski and parted ways with Zechman, finding bigger success with 1996's Wither, Blister, Burn and Peel, which reached gold certification (sales of 500,000 copies), as did the follow-up, 1998's Darkest Days. The group was dropped from Columbia, though, and landed with Koch, which released the band's self-titled fourth album last year.

ANDREW DANSBY
(February 12, 2002)