EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet has confirmed via his official web site that he is currently working on the third installment of his solo project AVANTASIA. "Again it's going to be a conceptual album with different musicians and singers," he writes.
"You ask why I am doing it? Because I can! Because I am dying to go for it! And because the time has come that I feel ready and strong enough to start something big, bombastic and monumental again! Believe me: you won't find any other man on the face of the earth who has got more work and stress right now — and who's yet as happy as I am. It's so exciting to see another dream of mine take shape."
Reunited Austrian black metallers ABIGOR will master their new album, "Fractal Possesion", in January for a spring release via End All Life Records. Check out a few audio samples at the band's ' .
Swedish metallers DREAMLAND have set "Eye for an Eye" (cover) as the title of their second album, due on January 26, 2007 via Dockyard 1. The CD was recorded at Joacim Cans' (HAMMERFALL) Moonshine Studio and Andy LaRocque's (KING DIAMOND) Los Angered Recording, where the album was also mixed. The group is promising that the effort will follow the melodic-yet-heavy style of their first release, "Future's Calling" (2005) "but will maybe also surprise the listener here 'n' there." Working titles set to appear on the CD include "Forever and Ever", "Into The Fire", "Shadows of the Night", "Carousel of Pain" and "Chosen Ones".
In other news, DREAMLAND has posted video clips of two songs from its appearance at HAMMERFALL's "Threshold" record-release party on October 21 at Trägårn in Gothenburg, Sweden. Check out the tracks "Breaking the Chains" (video) and the HAMMERFALL cover "Way of the Warrior" (video).
The cover artwork for ONE MAN ARMY AND THE UNDEAD QUARTET's upcoming sophomore album, "Error in Evolution", has been posted online at this location. Due on March 9, 2007 via Nuclear Blast Records, the follow-up to the band's debut, "21st Century Killing Machine", was recorded at Deadline studios with engineer Valle Adzic.
"Error in Evolution" final track listing: 01. Mine For The Taking 02. Knights In Satan's Service 03. Such A Sick Boy 04. The Supreme Butcher 05. The Sun Never Shines 06. See Them Burn 07. Nightmare In Ashes And Blood 08. He's back (The Man Behind The Mask) (ALICE COOPER cover) 09. Heaven Knows No Pain 10. Hail The King
ANATHEMA mastermind Daniel Cavanagh has issued the following update:
"This is the greatest record we have ever made. I know it in my heart. All we need do now is find the right engineer/producer and the right studio? And to remain focused. To this end, we have decided to hire a house in the country for the first month of next year to 'live' this record before we record. We will play every day and we will leave no stone unturned in pursuit of brilliance. Of a new way to express these feelings."
"Everything" track listing: 01. Thin Air (Ann Further) 02. Bricks (рабочее название) 03. Lightning Song 04. Sunlight 05. Get Off. Get Out. (рабочее название) 06. Angels Walk Among Us 07. Everything 08. A Simple Mistake 09. Voodoo (рабочее название) 10. No One Is Free (рабочее название) 11. Paradigm Shift 12. Hindsight
Italian "epic power metal" band DOMINE will release its fifth album, "Ancient Spirit Rising", on January 24. The track listing for the effort is as follows:
01. The Messenger 02. Tempest Calling 03. The Lady of Shalott 04. I Stand Alone 05. Ancient Spirit Rising 06. On the Wings of the Firebird 07. Another Time, Another Place, Another Space 08. Sky Rider 09. How the Mighty Have Fallen 10. Too Scared to Run (bonus track)
Frontman Buddy Lackey (a.k.a. Devon Graves; ex-PSYCHOTIC WALTZ) of DEADSOUL TRIBE has issued the following update:
"I changed my mind about making a double [DEADSOUL TRIBE] album. To me, it was an ambitious thought but probably a senseless business move. With all of today's downloading, it is becoming increasingly difficult for independent bands to keep running, selling enough to keep the bands in some sort of recording deal. Therefore it seems a bit risky to put out an album that is even more expensive, like a double disc set would inevitably have to be. Instead, I have taken what I consider the very best of the best between the two discs, and just put out the strongest record possible.
"The album will be called 'A Lullaby for the Devil. It will sound quite a bit different than the previous DEADSOUL albums, in that the songs are generally much faster-paced, and quite a bit more, progressive, quite a bit more aggressive, and quite a bit more metal. There are also some songs which would have been on the 'calmer' disc, which have a smokey, more experimental ambience. There is also a particularly noteworthy instrumental composed for lead flute. The album will have about 60 minutes running time, and should be released around April 2007 on InsideOut."
Italian metallers LABYRINTH have finalized the track listing for their sixth full-length album, "6 Days to Nowhere", due in February via Scarlet Records. The mastering took place at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London.
"6 Days to Nowhere" (view cover at StayMetal.net) track listing: 01. Crossroads 02. There Is A Way 03. Lost 04. Mother Earth 05. Waiting Tomorrow 06. Come Together (THE BEATLES cover) 07. Just One Day 08. What!!! 09. Coldness 10. Rusty Nail 11. Out Of Control 12. Wolves 'N' Lambs 13. Smoke And Dreams 14. Piece Of Time
Danish metallers MNEMIC have posted a new 30-second teaser clip for their upcoming album, "Passenger", which is due out on February 6, 2007 via Nuclear Blast Records. Check it out ' .
Commented the band: "This 30-second sound clip consists of the more extreme and diverse material of the album. It's still not enough to give you the whole picture, but basically the fast parts have become much faster and the technical more crazy..... and [by the way], this machine will break for nobody!"
Produced by FEAR FACTORY's Christian Olde Wolbers at Track Record Studios (KISS, MEGADETH, AEROSMITH) in Los Angeles, engineered by Warren Riker (DOWN, THE FUGEES), and mixed by fellow countryman Tue Madsen (HALFORD, THE HAUNTED) at Antfarm Studios in Denmark, "Passenger" features artwork by Asterik Studios (ANTHRAX, UNEARTH) plus guest vocal appearances by Jeff Walker (CARCASS, BRUJERIA) and Shane Embury (NAPALM DEATH, BRUJERIA). MNEMIC has also completed a video for "Meaningless" with Revolver Film director Patric Ullaeus.
The final track listing for "Passenger" is as follows: 01. Humanaut 02. In The Nothingness Black 03. Meaningless 04. Psykorgasm 05. Pigfuck 06. In Control 07. Electric I'd Hypocrisy 08. Stuck Here 09. What's Left 10. Shape Of The Formless 11. The Eye On Your Back 12. Zero Synchronized (Japanese Bonus Track)
Finnish melodic thrashers HEVEIN have been confirmed for the tenth-anniversary edition of Germany's Summer Breeze festival, set to take place August 16-18, 2007 in Dinkelsbühl. The festival billing is shaping up as follows (in alphabetical order):
AMON AMARTH THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER COMMUNIC DARK FUNERAL DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER DORNENREICH EISBRECHER HEVEIN ILLDISPOSED IN EXTREMO MOONSORROW NECROPHOBIC TANZWUT
HEVEIN released its debut album, "Sound Over Matter", was released last year via Spinefarm Records. A video for the song "Last Drop of Innocence" was directed by HEVEIN drummer Alpo Oksaharju.
PAIN OF SALVATION's Daniel Gildenlöw (vocals/ guitar) and Johan Hallgren (guitar) will perform an exclusive acoustic show at the Rock Hard Greece party on January 21, 2007 at the Underworld Club in Athens, Greece. They will also present their new album, "Scarsick", which is due on January 22 via Inside Out. All attendees will get CDs, posters and various other giveaways. A DJ set from the editors of Rock Hard magazine will follow this event and many other surprises will take place. Stay tuned and check ' , as a huge competition will take place in which two winners will have dinner with the band the night before the show. Entrance to this event is 15 euros (beer included).
Italian metallers LABYRINTH have inked a deal with Scarlet Records. The band's sixth full-length album, "6 Days to Nowhere", includes a cover of THE BEATLES classic "Come Together" and is scheduled for release in February. The mastering took place at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London.
Madrid, Spain-based power metallers DARK MOOR have posted the cover artwork for their new album, "Tarot", at this location (artwork created by Derek Gores).
DARK MOOR recently signed a deal with Italy's Scarlet Records. The group's new album, "Tarot", is said to be "an intriguing" conceptual effort about the major arcanes of the tarot, covering in depth the meaning of each arcane and the esoteric halo that surrounds it. Production duties were once again handled by renowed producer Luigi Stefanini (RHAPSODY, LABIRYNTH, VISION DIVINE). The impressive artwork was created by Derek Gores (EDGUY, KAMELOT).
"Tarot" track listing: 01. The Magician 02. The Chariot 03. The Star 04. Wheel Of Fortune 05. The Emperor 06. Devil In The Tower 07. Death 08. Lovers 09. The Hanged Man 10. The Moon
Guitarist Thomas Youngblood of the American/Norwegian melodic metallers KAMELOT has issued the following update:
"I am just returning from another great week in Germany as we are laying down the finishing touches of the new album. I am dying to tell you the song ideas and title but I am sworn to secrecy. We are working on the art with several artists, including one amazing new one from France. Drums are done; Casey [Grillo] did a killer job again. This time he flew to Gate Studios in Wolfsburg to record. We are aiming for a release of spring 2007, followed by the first leg of Europe tour, then to Japan and another run in North America in August. New songs, new stage and every night a party with our extended family. Also we are excited about our first visits to Finland, Russia, Serbia, Romania, Hungary and Denmark.
Former BLIND GUARDIAN drummer Thomen Stauch, who was unable to perform any shows this year with his new bands, SAVAGE CIRCUS and COLDSEED, due to an unspecified medical/psychological condition, has issued the following update:
"Just want to say THANX A MILLION to all of you loyal SAVAGE CIRCUS and COLDSEED fans for supporting the complete situation during the last months! I'm proud to hear you all kicked asses during this time!!! Same to my SAVAGE CIRCUS and COLDSEED band members for believing in me and giving me that strength to go through all this!!! Thanks soooo much, brothers!
"The only thing I can say at the moment is: I'm in pretty good condition again and you all can expect Thomen behind the drums on our 2007 shows!!!"
SAVAGE CIRCUS's debut album, "Dreamland Manor", was released in North America in March via Century Media Records. COLDSEED — which also features in its ranks SOILWORK singer Björn "Speed" Strid — release its album "Completion Makes the Tragedy" in North America on September 16 via Nuclear Blast Records.
DIMENSION F3H, the Norwegian death metal band led by Morfeus (LIMBONIC ART), has lined up the following dates:
Jan. 13 - Gamle Posten - Porsgrunn, NOR Jun. 02 - Hub & Heuy metalfest - De Azijnfabriek - Roermond, NETH
DIMENSION F3H recently inked a deal with Dark Essence Records. "We are currently working on finishing our second album, entitled 'Does the Pain Excite You?', and if everything goes according to plans, we shall have that one ready by the end of January," the band said in a statement. "An early spring release should be in the works."
DIMENSION F3H's debut album, "Reaping the World Winds", was released in 2003 through Hammerheart Records. The CD was produced by Morfeus and mixed at Sweden's renowned Studio Fredman (IN FLAMES, DARK TRANQUILITY, DIMMU BORGIR).
Death metal legends MASTER have been added to the previously announced DERANGED European headlining tour, which is set to take place in May 2007. The lineup for the trek is now as follows: DERANGED, MASTER, RESURRECTED, DEMONICAL and EPICEDIUM. So far the following shows have been booked, with more to follow:
May 01 - Berlin, GER @ Magnet Club May 04 - Cottbus, GER @ Glad House
DERANGED recently announced the addition of bassist Tomas Ahlgren (ARSONIST, PANDEMONIUM) to the group's ranks. "The band has been jamming a while with an incomplete lineup, but it's now complete with Tomas Ahlgren," the group writes in a press release.
DERANGED current lineup:
Rikard Wermen - Drums Johan Axlesson - Guitar Tomas Ahlgren - Bass Martin Shonherr - Vocals
DERANGED recently changed the projected title of the follow-up to their sixth full-length album, "Obscenities in B Flat", to "The Red Light Murder Case" from the previously announced "213". Recording is set to commence "sometime early next year." Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Death Walks on High Heels", "Strip Nude for your Killer", "Watch Me When I Kill", "Too Young Too Die", "The Killer Wore Black Gloves", "So Sweet So Dead" and "The Red Light Murderess".
Finnish melodic power metallers THUNDERSTONE will release their fourth studio album, "Evolution 4.0", on March 14 (except in the U.S., where it will be issued later in the spring). According to the band, the new CD is "a milestone, bringing in more of the heavier stuff that 'Tools of Destruction' already hinted at, but still retaining the landmark melodies of THUNDERSTONE. That's why we thought the title 'Evolution 4.0' best represents where we now stand". Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Roots of Anger", "10,000 Ways", "Swirled", "Down with Me" and "The Source".
THUNDERSTONE is one of a dozen acts that will compete to represent Finland in next year's Eurovision Song Contest, set to take place May 2007 in Helsinki. The band's third full-length album, "Tools of Destruction", was released in the U.S. in June 2005 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was mixed at Timo Tolkki's (STRATOVARIUS) Goldenworks studio with producer/guitarist Nino Laurenne.
The band's second album is some kind of showy work with lyrics in Russian and band's familiar trademark. Hard riffing, sparkling brilliant guitar-keyboard solos have been carefully packed for you to listen. Cover artwork as well as some lyrics were created by famous “sir designer” Leo Hao. Full booklet edition contains bonus track “Give Me Your Hand” (English version for ARIA’s “Day Ruku Mne”).
Jerry Lenin (ex-4 Tarakana, Lady's Man) became a new vocalist of russian prog-metal band MECHANICAL POET.
Message on the band's official site: "We have already recorded all vocals. Everything was done perfectly and we were more than satisfied with the results. So now we’re looking forward and going to start the mixing as soon as possible;)"
"CT4FC" track-listing: 1. Welcome To Creepy Tales 2. Urban Dreams 3. Bubble Bath 4. Spikyhead + Miremaid 5. Vesperghosts Of Milford Playhouse 6. A Rose For Michelle 7. Dolly 8. Lamplighter 9. The Afterguide 10. Aztec Zombies* 11. The Dead, The Living And The City 12. Hide And Seek With Cary Nage 13. Once Upon A Day 14. The Dead, The Living And The City - Russian version** 15. The Afterguide - Russian version** 16. Vesperghosts Of Milford Playhouse - Russian version**
In other news, the band will playing on the ProgPower Europe 2007. The festival will be held in the first weekend of October in Baarlo, a small village in the South of The Netherlands.
Musicians comments: "Together with 13 other bands you will be able to see 1 hour of Mechanical Poet. Other bands confirmed so far are JON OLIVA, HEAVEN'S CRY, CIRCUS MAXIMUS, MEYVN and DREAMSCAPE. Check the homepage of ProgPower for all the details about the festival and ticket sales, ' !
LUCYFIRE, the side project of TIAMAT mastermind Johan Edlund, is working on its second album, tentatively due in 2007. The follow-up to 2001's "This Dollar Saved My Life at Whitehorse" is being produced by TIAMAT drummer Lars Sköld. No further information is currently available.
The cover artwork for the forthcoming SIRENIA album, "Nine Destinies and a Downfall", has been posted online at this location. Due on February 26 via Nuclear Blast Records, the CD will contain the following track listing:
01. The Last Call 02. My Mind's Eye 03. One By One 04. Sundown 05. Absent Without Leave 06. The Other Side 07. Seven Keys And Nine Doors 08. Downfall 09. Glades Of Summer
Two absolutely new EPIDEMIA DVDs have hit the Moscow music stores yesterday: "10 Let Puti" (including a first half of a show which took place at DK "Gorbunova" lately last year as well as some bonus videos) and "Elfiiskaja Rukopis'" which features theatrical performance of this popular metal opera during the aformentioned show.
DVD1 tracklist: 1)Vrata Vremeni 2)Zvon Monet 3)Na Krayu Vremeni 4)Volya K Jizni 5)Jizn’ V Sumerkah 6)Ya Molilsya Na Tebya 7)Guitar’s solo 8)Snova Byt’ S Toboy 9)Feanor 10)Kol’co Vsevlast’ya 11)Vsadnik Iz L’da 12)Vernis’ 13)Cherniy Mag 14)Drum’s solo 15)Noviy Den’ 16)Beliy Sokol +BONUSES
DVD2 tracklist: 1)Zolotie Drakoni 2)Bitva Barabanshikov 3)Chas Ispitaniya 4)Rojdenniy Dlya Bitvi 5)Proydi Svoy Put’ 6)Krov’ El’fov 7)Na Poroge Ada 8)Vechniy Voitel’ 9)Romans O Sleze 10)Magiya I Mech’ 11)Oskolki Proshlogo 12)Epilog
SIRENIA, the Norwegian gothic metal band featuring former TRISTANIA guitarist/vocalist Morten Veland, has completed work on a video for the song "My Mind's Eye" from the group's new album, "Nine Destinies and a Downfall". The clip will be made available to all video outlets in early 2007.
As previously reported, Nuclear Blast Records has set a February 26 European release date (February 23 in Germany) for "Nine Destinies and a Downfall". The track listing for the CD is as follows:
01. The Last Call 02. My Mind's Eye 03. One By One 04. Sundown 05. Absent Without Leave 06. The Other Side 07. Seven Keys And Nine Doors 08. Downfall 09. Glades Of Summer
EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet has confirmed via his official web site that he is currently working on the third installment of his solo project AVANTASIA. "Again it's going to be a conceptual album with different musicians and singers," he writes. 
Swedish metallers DREAMLAND have set "Eye for an Eye" (cover) as the title of their second album, due on January 26, 2007 via Dockyard 1. The CD was recorded at Joacim Cans' (HAMMERFALL) Moonshine Studio and Andy LaRocque's (KING DIAMOND) Los Angered Recording, where the album was also mixed. The group is promising that the effort will follow the melodic-yet-heavy style of their first release, "Future's Calling" (2005) "but will maybe also surprise the listener here 'n' there." Working titles set to appear on the CD include "Forever and Ever", "Into The Fire", "Shadows of the Night", "Carousel of Pain" and "Chosen Ones".
01. Mine For The Taking
ANATHEMA mastermind Daniel Cavanagh has issued the following update:
01. The Messenger
Frontman Buddy Lackey (a.k.a. Devon Graves; ex-PSYCHOTIC WALTZ) of DEADSOUL TRIBE has issued the following update:
"6 Days to Nowhere" (view cover at StayMetal.net) track listing:
01. Humanaut
Finnish melodic thrashers HEVEIN have been confirmed for the tenth-anniversary edition of Germany's Summer Breeze festival, set to take place August 16-18, 2007 in Dinkelsbühl. The festival billing is shaping up as follows (in alphabetical order):
PAIN OF SALVATION's Daniel Gildenlöw (vocals/ guitar) and Johan Hallgren (guitar) will perform an exclusive acoustic show at the Rock Hard Greece party on January 21, 2007 at the Underworld Club in Athens, Greece. They will also present their new album, "Scarsick", which is due on January 22 via Inside Out. All attendees will get CDs, posters and various other giveaways. A DJ set from the editors of Rock Hard magazine will follow this event and many other surprises will take place. Stay tuned and check ' , as a huge competition will take place in which two winners will have dinner with the band the night before the show. Entrance to this event is 15 euros (beer included).
"Tarot" track listing:
Guitarist Thomas Youngblood of the American/Norwegian melodic metallers KAMELOT has issued the following update:
Former BLIND GUARDIAN drummer Thomen Stauch, who was unable to perform any shows this year with his new bands, SAVAGE CIRCUS and COLDSEED, due to an unspecified medical/psychological condition, has issued the following update:
DIMENSION F3H, the Norwegian death metal band led by Morfeus (LIMBONIC ART), has lined up the following dates:
Death metal legends MASTER have been added to the previously announced DERANGED European headlining tour, which is set to take place in May 2007. The lineup for the trek is now as follows: DERANGED, MASTER, RESURRECTED, DEMONICAL and EPICEDIUM. So far the following shows have been booked, with more to follow:
Finnish melodic power metallers THUNDERSTONE will release their fourth studio album, "Evolution 4.0", on March 14 (except in the U.S., where it will be issued later in the spring). According to the band, the new CD is "a milestone, bringing in more of the heavier stuff that 'Tools of Destruction' already hinted at, but still retaining the landmark melodies of THUNDERSTONE. That's why we thought the title 'Evolution 4.0' best represents where we now stand". Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Roots of Anger", "10,000 Ways", "Swirled", "Down with Me" and "The Source".
The band's second album is some kind of showy work with lyrics in Russian and band's familiar trademark. Hard riffing, sparkling brilliant guitar-keyboard solos have been carefully packed for you to listen. Cover artwork as well as some lyrics were created by famous “sir designer” Leo Hao. Full booklet edition contains bonus track “Give Me Your Hand” (English version for ARIA’s “Day Ruku Mne”).
Jerry Lenin (ex-4 Tarakana, Lady's Man) became a new vocalist of russian prog-metal band MECHANICAL POET.
LUCYFIRE, the side project of TIAMAT mastermind Johan Edlund, is working on its second album, tentatively due in 2007. The follow-up to 2001's "This Dollar Saved My Life at Whitehorse" is being produced by TIAMAT drummer Lars Sköld. No further information is currently available.
01. The Last Call
Two absolutely new EPIDEMIA DVDs have hit the Moscow music stores yesterday: "10 Let Puti" (including a first half of a show which took place at DK "Gorbunova" lately last year as well as some bonus videos) and "Elfiiskaja Rukopis'" which features theatrical performance of this popular metal opera during the aformentioned show.
SIRENIA, the Norwegian gothic metal band featuring former TRISTANIA guitarist/vocalist Morten Veland, has completed work on a video for the song "My Mind's Eye" from the group's new album, "Nine Destinies and a Downfall". The clip will be made available to all video outlets in early 2007.