"I have decided to leave Hammerfall. The reason is that I have been offered a job as a pilot within an airline.

"My interest in aviation has been growing very strong, and now I feel its time for me to take a step and be a pilot on a professional level.

"We have been discussing the possibility of combining the work with Hammerfall and both me and the rest of the band realized that it would be very hard indeed.

"It has been a great journey with lots of great memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

"I would like to give a big thanks to all the wonderful fans; it's has truly been a pleasure to meet and perform for you all during these 11 years.

"I still love to play the guitar so you might hear from me again someday somehow.

"I would like to wish who ever is taking my place and the rest of the band good luck in the future."

Hammerfall has yet to announce a replacement guitarist.

Hammerfall singer Joacim Cans will appear on the Swedish TV show "Så Ska Det Låta" on April 4.

"Så Ska Det Låta" is a very popular Swedish game show based on Ireland's "The Lyrics Board". The program was introduced in 1997 and was hosted by Peter Harryson until Peter Settman took over in 2006.

Hammerfall’s two-CD "best-of" set called Steel Meets Steel - Ten Years of Glory last October entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 53. The set also landed on the Swedish chart at No. 15.

An e-card for "Steel Meets Steel - Ten Years of Glory" can be accessed at this location. The collection includes around 25 classic Hammerfall tracks along with three new songs which were recently recorded at Mi Sueno studios in Tenerife, Spain: "Last Man Standing", "Restless Soul" and "HammerFall v2.0.07".