Norwegian extreme metallers ENSLAVED are planning to perform the entire "Eld" album (originally released in 1997) during their scheduled appearance at the Hole in the Sky festival on August 26 in Bergen, Norway. This will be the first and last time ever for this specific concept, according to a posting on the group's web site.
In other news, ENSLAVED are currently putting the finishing touches on their "Return to Yggdrasil" DVD. The disc will feature the band's May 4 live performance in Bergen and bonus material from the band's European tour, including a band interview. The sound is being handled by Lars Klokkerhaug (who mixed "ISA" and the editing of the footage is being taken care of by Stig "Ese" Eliassen (guitarist of VREID, ENSLAVED's support band on their recent European tour).
ENSLAVED recently won the "Metal Album of the Year" prize at the Norwegian "Grammy" awards, Spellemannprisen, for their latest release, "ISA". The band also received the independent Alarm Award for "Best Metal Album" of 2004.
Belgian death metallers PREJUDICE have finished recording three songs at Excess studios in Rotterdam, Holland for an upcoming split CD with ROTTENNESS (Mexico) and CARNAL DECAY (Switzerland). A sample track, entitled "Terminal", can be heard online at this location (.WMA file). The effort wll be released later in the year via Spain's Grotesque Productions.
PREJUDICE are currently searching "for a new label that can give us what we need to make a decent new CD and do some tours to promote it," the band write on their web site. "We hope to get a better deal this time then the ones we've had in the past."
French thrashcore act DRIFTING BREED will release their debut EP, entitled "Hope Hereafter", on June 20 via Overcome Records. The 22-minute CD contains four tracks and will reportedly "appeal to all fans of thrash metal, death metal and metalcore who enjoy brutality, groove and melody." A preview MP3 is available at the group's official web site, www.driftingbreed.com.
"Hope Hereafter" track listing:
01. Hope Hereafter 02. Almost a Stranger 03. Waste Game 04. Some Reasons to Kill Me
Reunited Swiss avant-garde metallers CELTIC FROST have selected HYPOCRISY/PAIN mainman Peter Tägtgren to co-produce their long-awaited comeback effort, tentatively titled "Dark Matter Manifest". The band willl enter Horus Sound Studio in Hannover, Germany on August 1 to begin recording their first collection of new material since 1990's "Vanity/Nemesis". Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Incantation against You", "Obscured", "Ain Elohim" and "Temple of Depression".
CELTIC FROST, who have been mixing new demo material at Oakland Recording in Winterthur, Switzerland, have yet to secure a record deal for their upcoming CD.
GOD AMONG INSECTS, the Swedish "old-school" death metal band featuring vocalist Emperor Magus Caligula (DARK FUNERAL), guitarist Lord K (a.k.a. Kenth Philipson) (THE PROJECT HATE), bassist Tomas Elofsson (SANCTIFICATION) and drummer Tobias Gustafsson (VOMITORY), will enter Abyss Studios with producer Tommy Tagtgren on August 19 to begin recording their sophomore album, tentatively due in early 2006. "We are dying to start recording this one. It'll be some 10 days of complete insanity for sure," the group write on their web site.
GOD AMONG INSECTS' debut album, "World Wide Death", is available now on Threeman Recordings via Plastic Head Distribution. An MP3 of the album cut "A Gush of Blood" can be downloaded at ' .
WINTERS BANE have finished mixing their new album, "Redivivus", for a late summer release. The drum tracks for the follow-up to 1997's "Girth" were laid down at The Dump studio in the U.K. by former HELLOWEEN/METALIUM drummer Mark Cross with the help of veteran producer Chris Tsangarides (JUDAS PRIEST, THIN LIZZY, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, BRUCE DICKINSON, HELLOWEEN, ANGRA, BLACK SABBATH). The vocals were laid down by German singer Alexander Koch (POWERGOD, SPIRAL TOWER) at Smiley Sound Studio in Akron, Ohio with producer Curran Murphy (ex-NEVERMORE, ANNIHILATOR guitarist).
"Redivivus" track listing (in no particular order):
01. Catching the Sun 02. Despise the Lie 03. Burning Bridges 04. Remember to Forget 05. The World 06. Seal the Light 07. Spark to Flame 08. Fury 09. Dead Faith
Norway's GRIMFIST have set "10 Steps to Hell" as the title of their forthcoming album, tentatively due later in the year. The CD was recorded at SubSonic Society with engineer Lars Klokkerhaug (ENSLAVED, DARKTHRONE, RED HARVEST), mixed at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden, and mastered at Tailor Maid Production in Stockholm. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Separation of My Soul", "Unborn", "The Power", "Reap the Fire", "Tools of the Trade", "Fight or Die", "Breed Apart", "Ashes of the Gods", "Touched by a Shadow of Evil", and "On the Wings of a Demon".
DREAM EVIL drummer Snowy Shaw (MEMENTO MORI, NOTRE DAME, KING DIAMOND, MERCYFUL FATE) has posted the following message on the band's official web site:
"First of all: we're awfully sorry for the last months' inactivity. As you all know, due to Niklas' [Isfeldt, vocals] throat problems we've been forced to postpone the recordings of our fourth album for a couple of months as well as cancel all summer festival shows. It stinks, to say the least, but what the hell can we do!? If Niklas ignores the doctors prescriptions it could give him permanent damage and maybe he could never sing again...we don't want that do we?
"Within shortly though, a brand new song called 'Gold Medal in Metal' will be posted here on our site. So don't be a stranger..."
Italian folk/power metal band ELVENKING are currently at Sonic Pump Studios in Finland mixing their third album for a late 2005 release via AFM Records. "Everything's going great as we've nearly finished the first song," the band write on their web site. "Sonic Pump will surely become one the biggest and greatest studios over here and Nino Laurenne [mixer] is a fuckin' nice guy! The coolest thing here is going to sleep at midnight with sun shining!! Fuckin' crazy..."
The follow-up to 2004's "Wyrd" was recorded at the group's own Sherpa Studios. The final mastering will be handled by Mika Jussila at Finnvox in Helsinki. Cover artwork and booklet layout are being designed by Hungarian artist Havancsák Gyula (ANNIHILATOR, GRAVE DIGGER).
ELVENKING recently announced the departure of guitarist Jarpen. For the time being, the group will go on as a five-piece.
Sorcery Studios has made available a new TNT DVD of lost gems entitled "The Collection: Volume 1". Described as "a video retrospective that spans the last 20 years of the band," this collection is a release that is finally being made available after a huge demand by the fans worldwide and is also an attempt at cutting into the illegal selling of the band's material on eBay.
"The Collection: Volume 1" DVD track listing:
Live In Japan:
01. A Nation Free 02. As Far As The Eye Can See 03. Caught Between The Tigers 04. Tonight I'm Falling 05. End Of The Line 06. Intuition 07. 10,000 Lovers 08. Take Me Down (Fallen Angel) 09. Everyone's A Star
Japanese TV Special:
* Band Interviews * The making of the "Intuition" video
"Realized Fantasies" special:
* Band Interviews * "Lionheart" performed live acoustically
Videos:
01. Seven Seas 02. Everyone's A Star 03. 10,000 Lovers (version 1) 04. 10,000 Lovers (version 2) 05. Intuition (version 1) 06. Intuition (version 2) 07. Tonight I'm Falling 08. My Religion
The Swedish black metal band are currently in the Dug-Out Studios in Uppsala, Sweden to record their new album with Daniel Bergstrand (Meshuggah, Strapping Young Lad, In Flames, Behemoth a.s.o.) as producer. Lord Ahriman have posted the following message at the band's official discussion forum:
"I just got back home after being a second week at Dug Out Studios working on the new album. We will return to duty on thusday morning.
The song writings are going better then killer. This week we have completed another 2 songs. So right now we have 5 new songs ready for the new album. 3 more to write and our new Satanic Symphony is completed!
Not relly sure how to explain these 2 new songs other than that they are AMAZING!!! One of them is a "slow" song (no blast beats, only down tempo). And it's filled with so much pain and suffering… It's not anything like "Goddess Of Sodomy". This is pure suffering!!!
It's really hard to put exact words on what the hell we're creating here. But I can promise you one thing. You've never been closer to hell then this!. Be prepared for a HUGE fucking surprise!!!"
Sweden's KATATONIA have entered Fascination Street studio located in the outskirts of Örebro, Sweden to begin recording their new album, tentatively due before the end of the year via Peaceville Records. "This is the same studio as 'Viva Emptiness' [2003] was mixed in last time," the band write on their web site. " Songtitles, album title and final track listing to be revealed in a future update, so keep checking back as we'll give you a report + pics on the progress as we move along." Check out a couple of photos from the recording sessions at http://katatonia.com/newsmid.html
Sweden's OPETH have set "Ghost Reveries" as the title of their new album, tentatively due late summer via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to 2003's acoustic masterpiece, "Damnation", and OPETH's first disc in years without producer Steve Wilson, the album will include the following tracks, among others: "Ghost of Tradition", "The Baying of the Hounds" and "Isolation Years".
OPETH will be embarking on the "Sounds of the Underground" tour in the U.S. beginning in late June. A European headlining tour will follow in September. A complete list of currently confirmed tour dates can be found at'
German power metallers HELLOWEEN have reportedly set "Keeper of the Seven Keys - The Legacy" as the title of their new album, due on October 31 via SPV Records. A single, "Mrs. God", will precede the album by several weeks. Apart from the title track, the single will contain various bonus features such as an exclusive non-album track, one album cut and the video for "Mrs. God".
HELLOWEEN, who recently replaced drummer Stefan Schwarzmann with former RAWHEAD REXX skinsman Dani Löble.
HELLOWEEN's world tour in support of the new album, dubbed "Keeper of the Seven Keys - The Legacy World Tour 2005/2006" will kick off in late November
DESTRUCTION have confirmed that they have tapped nne diferent world-renowned metal singers from all different heavy metal styles to make a guest appearance in their track "The Alliance of Hellhoundz", to be included on "Inventor of Evil", due on August 15 via AFM Records. The confirmed guest musicians are as follows:
Biff Byford (SAXON) Doro Pesch Shagrath (DIMMU BORGIR) Björn "Speed" Strid (SOILWORK) Paul Di'Anno (ex-IRON MAIDEN, KILLERS) Messiah Marcolin (CANDLEMASS) Mark Osegueda (DEATH ANGEL) Peter "Peavy" Wagner (RAGE) Peter Tägtgren (HYPOCRISY, PAIN)
Commented DESTRUCTION bassist/vocalist Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer, "The all-star song 'The Alliance of Hellhoundz' will make metal history: from Paul Di'Anno to Messiah, we'll have the best metal singers in ONE fuckin' song!"
DESTRUCTION are currently recording "Inventor of Evil" with producer Peter Tätgtren (HYPOCRISY, PAIN), V.O. Pulver (GURD) and their live engineer Franky Winkelmann at studios in Germany and Switzerland. The mix will be done by Tätgtren at the Abyss Studios in Sweden.
German power metallers GAMMA RAY have posted the following message on their official web site:
"On June 1st and 2nd, GAMMA RAY were shooting fotos for the new album, 'Majestic'. The photos were taken by the well-known photographer Stefan Malzkorn. The location for the first day was the studio of German comedian Dirk Bielefeld, also known as 'Mr. Holm'. The band was dressed in black with golden instruments. For the second day, the location was the big festival room of Atlantic Hotel Hamburg to provide a real majestic atmosphere. The cover artwork by Herve has also been finished, only some slight changes still have to be done by Henjo."
GAMMA RAY recently completed work on their new album, "Majestic", at Hansen Studios in Hamburg, Germany. Mastering duties were handled at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland by Mikko Karmila and Kai Hansen. The follow-up to 2001's "No World Order" includes 11 tracks which represent "all of the characteristic strengths of the band's musical career to date," the group write on their web site. A late September release is expected.
German power metallers GRAVE DIGGER filmed their "25-Year Anniversary" show on May 7 at the TV Direct Music Hall in Sao Paulo, Brazil for an upcoming live CD/DVD, tentatively due October 17. The group's setlist was as follows:
01. Intro: Passion 02. The Last Supper 03. Desert Rose 04. The Grave Dancer 05. Shoot Her Down 06. The Reaper 07. Paradise 08. Excalibur 09. The House 10. Circle of Witches 11. Valhalla 12. Son of Evil 13. The Battle of Bannockburn 14. The Curse of Jacques 15. Grave in the No Man' Land 16. Yesterday 17. Morgane Lefay 18. Symphony of Death 19. Witchhunter 20. The Dark of the Sun 21. Knights of the Cross 22. Twilight of the Gods Encore #1: 23. Rebellion 24. The Grave Digger Encore #2: 25. Rheingold 26. The Round Table 27. Heavy Metal Breakdown
Italian "extreme epic metal" act STORMLORD have parted ways with keyboardist Simone Scazzocchio. "There were no discussions or troubles with him, he was simply not interested in playing metal music anymore," the band write in a press release. "Our split has been friendly, we kept good relations and we wish him the best.
"After some months of auditions, now we are glad to introduce you Luca Bellanova, that's the new keyboard player of STORMLORD! Luca is 20 years old and a really talented musician, as well as a big fan of STORMLORD. He made his first appearance with the group at the recent show in Bergamo."
STORMLORD are currently writing the material for their fourth album, tentatively due in late 2006 via Scarlet Records. The follow-up to last year's "The Gorgon Cult" will feature a "much more epic direction" than that on its predecessor, "but with the same high skill quality level," according to the press release.
Keith Fay (vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards) of the Irish folk metal band CRUACHAN has posted the following message on the group's official web site:
"I am delighted to announce that the Father of Folk Metal, Martin Walkyier, will be doing guest vocals for one track on our next album. I am a huge fan of Martin's since early SABBAT and SKYCLAD so for me this is a huge honour."
CRUACHAN recently parted ways with Karmageddon Media. The group's final release for the label will be a reissue of their 1994 "Celtica" demo, featuring unreleased tracks, including "Timmy", which has been performed live at quite a few CRUACHAN shows.
CRUACHAN will embark on the European "Pagan Invasion Tour 2005" beginning in mid-September. A list of the confirmed tour dates can be found at this location.
SOULFLY have finalzed the track listing for their new album, "Dark Ages", due on September 13 via Roadrunner Records.
"Dark Ages" was produced by SOULFLY mainman Max Cavalera and was mixed by Terry Date, who has previously worked with PANTERA and DEFTONES, among others.
"Dark Ages" final track listing:
01. The Dark Ages 02. Babylon 03. I And I 04. Carved Inside 05. Arise Again 06. Frontlines 07. Inner Spirit 08. Corrosion Creeps 09. Molotov 10. Riot Starter 11. Bleak 12. (The) March 13. Fuel The Hate 14. Stay Strong 15. Soulfly V
U.D.O., the German band led by former ACCEPT frontman Udo Dirkschneider, will release their new album, "Mission No. X", on October 4 via AFM Records. The complete track listing for the CD is as follows:
01. Mission No. X 02. 24/7 03. Mean Streets 04. Primecrime On Primetime 05. Eye Of The Eagle 06. Shell Shock Fever 07. Stone Hard 08. Breaking Down The Border 09. Cry Soldier Cry 10. Way Of Life 11. Mad For Crazy
A single/EP, "24/7", will precede the album on June 27. The track listing for the single is as follows:
01. 24/7 (' clip) 02. Mean Streets (' clip) 03. Scream Killers (' clip) 04. Number For A Number (' clip)
The follow-up to 2004's "Thunderball", "Mission No. X" marks the recording debut with the group of new drummer Francesco Jovino. Jovino joined the band last year as the permanent replacement for Lorenzo Milani, who left the group for "personal reasons." A world tour in support of the album will kick off in January 2006.
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The Swedish black metal band are currently in the Dug-Out Studios in Uppsala, Sweden to record their new album with Daniel Bergstrand (Meshuggah, Strapping Young Lad, In Flames, Behemoth a.s.o.) as producer. Lord Ahriman have posted the following message at the band's official discussion forum: 
German power metallers GAMMA RAY have posted the following message on their official web site:
German power metallers GRAVE DIGGER filmed their "25-Year Anniversary" show on May 7 at the TV Direct Music Hall in Sao Paulo, Brazil for an upcoming live CD/DVD, tentatively due October 17. The group's setlist was as follows:
Italian "extreme epic metal" act STORMLORD have parted ways with keyboardist Simone Scazzocchio. "There were no discussions or troubles with him, he was simply not interested in playing metal music anymore," the band write in a press release. "Our split has been friendly, we kept good relations and we wish him the best.