German "dark Satanic metal band" MYSTIC CIRCLE have parted ways with drummer Necrodemon. "There is no bad blood betwenn the bandmembers," reads a posting on the group's web site. "Necrodemon left the band for doing his own studio. MYSTIC CIRCLE has already a new drummer that is a full member of the band. Necrodemon will produce the new MYSTIC CIRCLE album. The band will enter the studio for the new album right after the MARDUK tour in the middle of September 'till the end of October 2005."
As previously reported, MYSTIC CIRCLE have set "The Bloody Path of God" as the title of their seventh full-length album, tentatively due in early 2006 via Dockyard 1, the new company formed by Dirk Putzke, Christine Stephan (both ex-Sanctuary/Noise Records) and Piet Sielck (IRON SAVIOR).
Polish death metallers VADER have posted the following message on their official web site:
"The MCD 'The Art of War', containing four brand new tracks plus two intros (both made by Siegmar from VESANIA) and a videoclip, is ready to release. For the first time in the band's history, there's a song entirely written by Mauser! The band recorded also a bonus track for the Asian version of the album, it's called 'Die!' (the song from their very rare, old demo tape, 'Live') and Peter sang it in the original, Polish-language version! Another worth underlining issue is production, this time the band entrusted the entire matter to well-experienced producers — Slawek and Wojtek Wieslawscy known from Hertz Studio, who were charged not only with the engineering, but also with mixes and mastering."
"The Art of War" will be released via Sweden's Regain Records.
Swedish black metallers BEWITCHED have finished laying down drums for their new album, "Spiritual Warfare", tentatively due before the end of the year via Regain Records. "The coming weeks we'll be laying down all guitars and bass for these 10 tracks," the band write on their web site. Songtitles set to appear on the follow-up to 2002's "Rise of the Antichrist" (Osmose Productions) include "Fucked by Fire", "Jehovah Slain", "Let Darkness Come", "Bringers of Death" and "Malevolent Force of Destruction".
BEWITCHED's first release for Regain, the "Atrocities in a Minor" mini-CD, was issued in 2004.
Former DIO/WWIII guitarist Tracy G will be teaming up with YNGWIE MALMSTEEN drummer Patrick Johansson and Italian hard rock singer Chris Heaven for the recording of a song for the upcoming DAVID LEE ROTH tribute CD. It is not presently clear if this is the same ROTH tribute album currently being put together by Versailles Records, "Just Like Paradise: A Millennium Tribute to Diamond David Lee Roth", which is due in the winter of 2005. That CD will feature contributions from current/former members of LILLIAN AXE, AEROSMITH, DOKKEN, RIOT, WATCHTOWER, ENUFF Z'NUFF, AMERICAN DOG, DANGEROUS TOYS, LYNCH MOB and TNT, as well as Richard Kendrick and Corey Craven, and is said to be the "first, only and definitive" tribute to hard rock's seminal frontman, featuring a mix of the best of Roth's solo work and selections from the 1977-1984 VAN HALEN catalog, according to a press release.
Former JUDAS PRIEST and current ICED EARTH/BEYOND FEAR frontman Tim "Ripper" Owens has posted the following message in the "Forum" section of his official web site:
"PRIEST has informed me that they don't think it is a good idea to have BEYOND FEAR on any tours with them and that it would be best for me to drop the tribute/PRIEST factor. I know a lot of fans wanted this and I myself still like to please the fans. But it looks as though you will never see PRIEST and myself on the same tour. Sorry."
Owens is in the process of signing a record deal for his BEYOND FEAR project, which also features guitarists John Comprix (SPAWN, 13 FACES) and Dwane Bihary (MISSING SKIN), bassist Dennis Hayes (WINTERS BANE, SEVEN WITCHES) and drummer Eric Elkins (CRYPTKICKER, ALL YOU FEAR). Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "I Don't Need This", "And You Will Die", "It Is Me", "Telling Lies" and "The Faith".
"The contract is signed on my end, and I'm now waiting to get it back and the OK to start recording," Owens writes. "I have informed [producer] Jim Morris [ICED EARTH, DEATH, DEMONS & WIZARDS] and everybody involved that we will soon get this thing going."
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Polish death metallers VADER have posted the following message on their official web site: