D’Amour Succumbs To Cancer

Voivod guitarist Denis “Piggy” D’Amour died of colon cancer August 26th at a Montreal, Quebec, hospital.

D’Amour, 45, reportedly slipped into a coma the night before.

“As we all mourn his passing, we also celebrate his life,” a message on the band’s Web site said.

D’Amour was a founding member of the thrash metal band, one of the first to emerge from Canada, in the early 1980s. Voivod split up briefly then regrouped in 2001, adding former Metallica guitarist Jason Newsted.

D’Amour was working on the band’s latest album for The End Records when he fell ill. The album reportedly will be released as a tribute to the guitarist.