The members of Van Halen have announced that Gary Cherone is leaving the band, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The musicians and the singer said the departure is without rancor.

Cherone, who previously sang for Extreme, joined Van Halen in 1996 after then-vocalist Sammy Hagar was ushered out. Cherone's lone album with the veteran rock group, "Van Halen III," was a commercial disappointment. Although it peaked at No. 4 on The Billboard 200, the album sold only 500,000 copies, according to SoundScan, 1.5 million fewer than its predecessor, "Balance."

No immediate announcement was made regarding a replacement for Cherone. Van Halen has been working on a new album for some time and had recorded nine songs as of Aug. 20. The band's official website quotes Cherone as describing the track "Left For Dead" as "Four-on-the-floor. [It's] one of the most uptempo songs the band has done."

In the meantime, Van Halen has a new DVD out on Nov. 9. "Best Of Volume One" is a 14-song video compilation that features clips from favorites such as "Jump," "Hot For Teacher," and "Panama." Lead guitarist Eddie Van Halen also plays on the track "Lost Boys Calling," which can be found on the soundtrack for the film "The Legend Of 1900." Former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters sings on the track.