Metal icon Wayne Static dead at 48

Heavy metal star Wayne Static has died three days before his 49th birthday.

A representative for the former Static-X frontman confirmed the sad news to Billboard.com late on Saturday night (01Nov14), although no further details were available as WENN went to press.

Born Wayne Richard Wells in Michigan, the singer began his career as a professional musician as a member of the trio Deep Blue Dream.

The band was short-lived and he went on to form Static-X in 1994, scoring a hit album with the release of the group's 1998 debut, Wisconsin Death Trip.

Static-X released its sixth and final album, Cult of Static, in 2009, and disbanded the following year (10).

Static relaunched the group with a new line-up in 2012, only to split again last year (13).

The rocker, who wed adult actress Tera Wray in 2008, also enjoyed success as a solo star following the 2011 release of his album Pighammer and had been due to head out on tour this winter (14) with Powerman 5000 and Drowning Pool.