Drummer Phil Baheux of reunited Belgian metallers Channel Zero passed away earlier today (Saturday, August 10) at the age of 45. His bandmates say in a statement: "[Phil's] unexpected death is a tremendous shock to his fellow band members of Channel Zero and crew. We kindly ask you to respect our and his family's privacy."

"I cannot comment on the exact cause of death, but 45 years is obviously still very young," Billy Torney of Channel Zero's record label, Cnr Records, tells Hln.be.

"Phil Baheux was a founding member of Channel Zero. He formed the group in 1990, along with singer Franky De Smet-Van Damme and bassist Tino De Martino. In 2010, they reformed the band with the addition of American guitarist Mikey Doling [Snot, Soulfly]. They were busy recording a new album [at the time of Phil's death]. That, of course, is now suspended."

Channel Zero's latest album, "Feed 'Em With A Brick", received a wider European release in June 2012 via Graviton Music Services. The Cd, which was originally made available in June 2011 in Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg through Roadrunner Records, was recorded at a Los Angeles-area studio with producer Logan Mader (Machine Head, Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy, Devildriver, Gojira).

Channel Zero's "In The City" video can be viewed below. The Pascal Baillien-directed clip was filmed in Los Angeles and features a guest appearance by adult-film actress Angie Savage.