Eric Forrest, the bassist for cyber-thrash cult band Voivod, was seriouslyinjured late last week when the band's tour van was involved in a one-vehicleaccident outside Mannheim, Germany. In a scene eerily reminiscent of the wreckthat claimed the life of Metallica bassist Cliff Burton some years back,Forrest was thrown from the van and suffered multiple fractures, includingseveral to his lower vertebrae.

While none of the other band members sustained anything more than minorinjuries, Forrest (a recent addition to the veteran Montreal metallurgists) iscurrently what manager James MacLean says is in "an induced coma ... until hisinternal injuries can be fully assessed." He is expected to make a fullrecovery, although MacLean says his walking ability may be impaired.

Voivod are no strangers to such difficulty. At the turn of the decade, theband was nearly torn asunder after it was discovered that guitarist DenisD'Amour had a brain tumor. But after surgery and chemotherapy, D'Amour wasgiven a clean bill of health.

DAVID SPRAGUE