DragonForce Bassist Frédéric Leclercq Leaving Band, Temporary Replacement Revealed

Longtime DragonForce bassist Frédéric Leclercq has announced that he will be leaving the power metal unit following one last show with them this coming weekend. YouTube personality Stevie T (Steve Terreberry) will be filling in on a temporary basis.

DragonForce announced the news of his impending departure, stating, "We are sad to announce that Frédéric Leclercq is leaving DragonForce to pursue other projects. We want to thank Fred for all the musical contributions and good times over the years."

Leclercq vows to be back in the public eye soon, but is unable to divulge exactly what he'll be doing at this time. In his brief comment, the bassist explained, "I had an amazing opportunity that will be announced soon." There's no animosity between the two sides as he went on to state, "There is no bad blood and I wish the band all the best. I want to thank the fans for their support throughout the years."

"As sad as we are to lose him, we are excited that he is going to continue playing the music he loves. He will always be a friend and a member of the DragonForce family," commented guitarist Herman Li.

DragonForce's appearance at Elb-Riot in Hamburg, Germany will be Leclercq's final show with the group and there's a promise of a "massive celebration" for the departing bass player.

As mentioned earlier, Steve Terreberry is set to assume Leclercq's role temporarily. He caught the band's attention with a video where he played a triangle solo on "Through the Fire and Flames" (video below). Li added, "I was deeply moved when I saw Stevie T’s technical precision and finesse on the triangle and immediately invited him to join the tour. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the greatest triangle player ever to grace this earth."

Leclercq joined the band in 2005, making his recording debut on DragonForce's 2006 breakout album, Inhuman Rampage, which famously features the recently platinum-certified "Through the Fire and Flames." He also played on the band's forthcoming full length, Extreme Power Metal, which will be released on Sept. 27. Hear the first single, "Highway to Oblivion."

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