Flametal bassist Angeline Saris announced on her private Facebook page that Flametal's mastermind Benjamin P. Woods has lost his battle with cancer.

Angeline Saris wrote: ''There a no guarantees, so give a good squeeze to those close to you. My very old friend Ben Woods passed away after battling cancer. He was too young and I know he was not ready to go. He had so much more music to share with the world and it just confuses me why these things happen. My heart and my brain cannot make sense of it.

"Ben was the mastermind and genius behind Flametal which fused his two favorite types of music, flamenco and metal. Yep! In my experience, it is rare to know someone with such a unique vision. That vision paired with his unflinching determination, passion, insane chops, and love brought this music to life. He also brought a family of musicians and dancers together wherever he went. Brian, Uriah, and Thomas were all the original members of Flametal and when Uriah got the Whitesnake gig, I got to step in on bass. Learning Ben’s songs kicked my ass and made me a better musician - it really shaped who I am. I always knew Flametal was special, but looking back, I feel so lucky to have been a part of this music and this crew, and to know Ben and work with him during those years.

"When I was at Tennessee Valley Beach on Tuesday, a very large raven flew right up and landed next to me, walked all around me eyeballing me in an odd way, and just hung out for a few minutes before flying away. It was the strangest experience and I can’t help but wonder if it was you saying hello, Ben. I hope you are flying free, my friend. Love you."

Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	Flametal