According to the UK’s Kerrang Magazine, Norwegian “death punk” group Turbonegro has tapped ex-Dukes Of Nothing frontman Tony Sylvester as their new singer. If you’re a fan or at least know of the band (maybe from their performance on Viva La Bam?), then you might be asking the following at the moment:

1. Wait, singer Hank Von Helvete left Turbonegro?
2. Can Turbonego continue on without their most visible and well known member?

Well the answer to your first question is yes, Helvete left the group in 2009 to “to pursue a career in acting, the Church of Scientology and goth rock.” Following his departure, the band actually went on hiatus. As for whether the band will be able to live on with Helvete…well that’s what Turbonegro is hoping for.

Bassist and main song writer Happy-Tom had the following to say about their new singer :

“Tony has the powerful, soulful voice and the presence we have always been looking for in a singer. We are stoked to have this magical gentleman or gentle thug aboard!”

Sylvester, who was once the President of the London chapter of the Turbojugend fan club and the band’s UK press officer, added the following:

“I was incredibly honoured to get the call up and blown away by the way the sound came together so quickly. It’s going to be different for sure – there’s a little more filth in my pipes, but as a longtime [fan], I want to assure the Turbojugend that the legacy is in safe hands.”

Seeing that the band has had many members in and out of the group since forming in 1989, it is unclear as to who else currently makes up the new lineup. However, we’ll know soon enough as Turbonegro are set to make their debut with Sylvester on July 15 at the Turbojugend World Days fan club convention in Hamburg, Germany. The band is also apparently in the studio recording their follow up to 2007’s Retox. We’ll keep you posted if more is revealed.