Austrian metallers Serenity have issued the following update on their official website:

"In Serenity's history, this is the first truly sad message we have to publish. Simon Holzknecht - bass guitars - quits Serenity due to personal reasons.

Within the last couple of years Simon was a constant and important part within the band and his bass playing completed our releases (Words Untold & Dreams Unlived, Fallen Sanctuary) as well as our live performances. We have a lot of great memories to share from our weeks and weeks on tour, in studio, rehearsing or simply having fun with each other. We know hoch much effort and idealism is needed for a band such as Serenity and so we fully understand and back up his decision. Of course we wish him the best for his future career - no matter in which direction it may lead. Simon stated that he will not join another band immediately - what the future holds... we will see (or better hear).

Be assured that this will have absolutely no effect on our upcoming release or our live gigs! Bass guitars for our upcoming release Death & Legacy were already recorded by Tom Buchberger (guitars, songwriting).

And here are the good news! Fabio D'Amore (Pathosray, Fairyland) will join Serenity for all future live performances starting with our ProgPower Europe (NL) gig on the 1st of October 2010. Fabio plays in several bands and runs his own studio in Pordenone (IT). The fact that his other bands only perform some single shows a year made it quite easy to get him on board our battleship cruiser. He is fully addicted to music and we are looking forward to a whole lot of new touring experiences as well as gorgeous "Austrian-English-Italian-translations" (this will be pain in the ass)! If Fabio will become a full Serenity member is a decision to be made by all of us in the future to come...

By the way... The new album is in the mixing process!"

Source:	serenity-band.com
Band profile:	Serenity