American thrash metal veterans Meliah Rage have announced the retirement of founding lead guitarist Jim Koury from live performance.

Koury has been a key part of the band's sound for over four decades, releasing 12 albums with the group.

He will be replaced by Caith Threefires, a seasoned professional touring and recording musician who has performed with various acts across the US.

Threefires has been friends with Meliah Rage founder Anthony Nichols since high school, when they bonded over their shared love of metal music.

While they followed different paths after high school, they have remained in touch and now Caith will be joining the band as their new touring lead guitarist.

"I've always been a huge fan of Meliah Rage's music," Threefires said of his decision to join the band.

"I admire Tony's ability to keep coming up with fresh sounding riffs and interesting arrangements after all these years that excite the imagination yet never give up their metal ferocity." Threefires will make his debut with Meliah Rage on March 27 at 2 Minutes To Midnight in Tulsa, OK, alongside Voivod.

He will then join the band again on May 2 for Piranha Pit Fest III in Montreal, Canada, supporting Kings Of Thrash.

The news comes as BraveWords Records continues to support its roster of established metal acts, including Alcatrazz and Crimson Glory.

Fans are encouraged to follow the label on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest developments.