German dark rock and metal outfit Lord of the Lost have announced a major lineup change, revealing that bassist Klaas Helmecke and guitarist Pi Stoffers will be leaving the band’s live lineup following the conclusion of the OPVS NOIR era.

In a statement shared on social media, the band described the decision as the beginning of a new chapter.

“The OPVS NOIR era is coming to an end. As is well known, every ending holds a new beginning, and with it the opportunity for change. We have never closed ourselves off to change – change is good and important.”

The band confirmed that the decision was made together and emphasized that both musicians remain part of the Lord of the Lost family.

“After 17 and 10 years with LOTL, Klaas and Pi will be embarking new paths in the future. However, it is only the LOTL stage that they are leaving, so we are looking forward to seeing and hearing what the future holds for both of them! And beyond that, Klaas and Pi will forever remain part of our family!”

The identities of the musicians who will join Lord of the Lost on stage have already been decided, with the band promising more details at a later date.

For Klaas Helmecke, the decision was driven by his ongoing mental health journey. In a heartfelt personal statement, he explained:

“My mental health and the healing process it requires have made this step unavoidable. The guys in my band have supported me as best they could throughout all these years and offered every helping hand possible to help me break out of this spiral. I’m now on a good path, but that path is still a long one, and at the moment I can no longer walk it alongside the path of being a professional musician.”

Reflecting on his 17 years with the band, Helmecke thanked everyone who had been part of the journey.

“So LOTL will continue without me, even though I will miss my friends, my band, my crew very much – especially when on tour. I want to thank each and every one of you out there for all the dreams that I was able to turn into memories!”

He concluded by expressing hope that the break will allow him to recover and eventually return to performing.

“Now I’m taking the time to heal, to open up new perspectives, and to work, step by step and without any pressure, toward finding my way back to live music. And I hope I’ll see many of you again!”

Guitarist Pi Stoffers also shared a personal message, describing his departure not as a farewell born from conflict, but as the beginning of a new chapter.

“After 10 years, LOTL and I will be going our separate ways. This is not a decision against the incredible people I’ve had the privilege of spending the most amazing years of my life with so far… Rather, this is a decision in favor of change.”

Looking ahead, Stoffers said he is eager to continue exploring new creative opportunities.

“For me, that means opening myself up to new opportunities and continuing my musical journey in a different direction. I will always cherish everything we’ve experienced, achieved, and gone through together!”

He closed his statement by thanking his bandmates, crew, and fans around the world.

“From the bottom of my heart, thanks to everyone who has been part of this journey in any way… Chris, Benji, Klaas, Gerrit, and Nik—thank you for absolutely everything. I wish LOTL nothing but the best, because nothing less would be appropriate. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future has in store—for LOTL, and for me as I embark on a new path!”

The departures mark the end of a significant era for Lord of the Lost, as the band prepares to move forward into its next chapter while paying tribute to two musicians who helped shape its sound and live performances for nearly two decades.

Photo: Péter Tepliczky