Finland's ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW have officially disbanded, according to a statement posted on the group's official web site.

The statement reads as follows:
"With mixed feelings we have to announce that ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW have decided to split up. ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW have been on a break since March 2002. During the break, it has become obvious that it is time to quit.
"This band started as a free-time activity about ten years ago. As we got more success, we also needed to give more and more of our time to the band. Day by day, we realized the band had become a full-time job for us. Now it's time to move on and do something different. This band achieved much more than we could imagine when we formed up this band.
"However, we don't stop making and playing music. Check out the official ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW web site regularly for information about the members and their other projects and bands. The site has been online for almost seven years now and will remain as it is. Only the address has changed: www.etos.tk.
"We thank all our fans for support! A huge number of nice things happened to us between 1994 and today, thanks to you!
"On behalf of ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW in early January 2003, Jarmo Puolakanaho & Altti Vetelдinen (the founding members)."

Vetelдinen and drummer Petri Sankala have spent much of the last year writing and recording with FOR MY PAIN, a new Finnish "goth metal" supergroup also featuring Tuomas Holopainen (NIGHTWISH) on keyboards, Lauri Tuohimaa (EMBRAZE) on guitar, Olli-Pekka Tцrrц (ex-ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW) on guitar, and Juha Kylmдnen (REFLECTION) on vocals. The group's as-yet-untitled debut album is currently being mixed at Finnvox studios by Mikko Karmila for a Mar. 31 release through Spinefarm Records.

Tuomas Holopainen plays keyboards in a new project For My Pain... along with members of Eternal Tears Of Sorrow. For My Pain... is: Altti Vetelainen (Eternal Tears of Sorrow) - bass, Tuomas Holopainen (Nightwish) - keyboards, Lauri Tuohimaa (Embraze) - guitars, Olli-Pekka Torro (ex-Eternal Tears of Sorrow) - guitars, Juha Kylmanen (RefleXion) - vocals, Petri Sankala (Eternal Tears of Sorrow) - drums. Still unnamed album will be released in the beginning of 2003 through Spinefarm Records. Their first single "My Wound Is Deeper Than Yours" will probably be released in the end of 2002.