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Jill Janus, lead singer with California heavy metal band Huntress, has died at the age of 43.

A statement from the band on their Facebook page said she took her own life on Tuesday.

The band said she was "a long-time sufferer of mental illness" and "spoke publicly about these challenges in hopes of guiding others to address and overcome their mental illness".

The statement said the band had "crushed hearts".

"She will be missed more than she could have ever known," they said.

The band formed in 2010 when Janus met up with underground metal band Professor in Highland Park, California.

They released three albums and were writing their fourth.

She was also the co-composer and creator of an upcoming rock opera with Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Angus Clark and had a decade-long career as NYC DJ Penelope Tuesdae.

She had been diagnosed with an early form of uterine cancer in 2015.

The band urged fans to reach out to support groups if they or someone they knew might be at risk of suicide.

If you are affected by the topics in this article, the Samaritans can be contacted free on 116 123 (in the UK) or by email on jo@samaritans.org. If you are in the US, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255.

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