The release date of ICED EARTH's new album, "The Glorious Burden", has been officially pushed back to January 13, 2004 (a day earlier internationally), according to SPV Records. A single containing the tracks "The Reckoning (Don't Tread On Me)", "When The Eagle Cries" (Unplugged), "Valley Forge" and "Hollow Man" will be released on October 27. "The Glorious Burden" is the group's first CD to feature new vocalist Tim Owens (ex-JUDAS PRIEST), who replaced Matt Barlow earlier in the summer. The follow-up to 2001's "Horror Show" features Owens alongside ICED EARTH mainman Jon Schaffer (guitar), Richard Christy (drums, ex-DEATH, CONTROL DENIED), James MacDonough (bass) and Ralph Santolla (guitar, EYEWITNESS, MILLENIUM, ex-DEATH). The complete track listing for "The Glorious Burden" is as follows: 01. Star Spangled Banner 02. Declaration Day 03. When The Eagle Cries 04. The Reckoning (Don't Tread On Me) 05. Attila 06. Red Baron/Blue Max 07. Hollow Man 08. Waterloo 09. Valley Forge 10. Gettysburg (1863) 11. The Devil To Pay 12. Hold At All Costs 13. High Water Mark
Veteran death metallers CANNIBAL CORPSE will be heading back to the studio on September 15 to start the recording process for the follow-up to last year's "Gore Obsessed", due in early 2004 through Metal Blade Records. The band will once again record at Sonic Ranch Studios in Tornillo, Texas with producer Neil Kernon (NEVERMORE, JUDAS PRIEST). More information, including the album title, will be announced shortly.
Gothenburg-based Death/Thrashers WITHIN Y just finished the recordings for their upcoming debut album titled "Extended Mental Dimensions". Tracklisting for "Extended Mental Dimensions": 01. Lost in Solitude 02. God in Silence 03. Remains of a Shattered Illusion 04. Things 05. Injection 06. Face Down 07. Behold 08. Silently Leaving 09. Feeble and Weak 10. Sacred Lies
The album was recorded and mixed during the month August and early September at Meta4Music Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden. Artwork is currently being created by art-wizard Niklas Sundin at Cabin Fever Media. The release for "Extended Mental Dimensions" is scheduled for January 19th, 2004 on Karmageddon Media.
THY MAJESTIE have announced that after four years with label Scarlet Records, the band have parted ways and are now seeking a new deal. In the meantime the band are working on the last few songs of their new album, which they themselves describe as an "historical concept based on Joan Of Arc".
SEETHINGS, the new Swedish band fronted by former DARKANE vocalist Lawrence Mackrory, have posted MP3 clips of three songs from their debut album, "Parallels", due in Europe and Scandinavia on October 27 through Scarlet Records. Check them out: "Slow Healer"' "This Hole"' "Tonight"'
Norwegian black metallers ANCIENT will enter the studio in November to record their new album, tentatively due in early 2004 through Metal Blade Records. The CD will be recorded at Mirage and Alpha-Omega studios and the mixing and mastering will take place at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden. The as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2001's "Proxima Centauri" will contain the following cuts, among others: 1. Envision The Beast 2. Fuel The Flames 3. Raping The Children Of Abel 4. Night Visit
An "unmixed" version of NAPALM DEATH's cover of KREATOR's "Riot Of Violence"' has been posted online in MP3 format The track — which is said to be a favorite of NAPALM DEATH guitarist Mitch Harris — comes off the group's upcoming collection of covers, entitled "Leaders Not Followers 2", due in early 2004 through the band's own Feto label. As previously reported, "Leaders Not Followers 2" will include the following cuts: 01. CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER – "Lowlife" 02. OFFENDERS – "Face Down In The Dirt" 03. DEVASTATION – "Devastation" 04. ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT - "Dope Fiend" 05. AGNOSTIC FRONT - "Blind Justice" 06. WEHRMACHT - "Night Of Pain" 07. ANTI CIMEX - "Game Of The Assholes"/"Victims Of A Bomb Raid" 08. SEPULTURA - "Troops Of Doom" 09. INSANITY - "Fire Death Fate" 10. HIRAX - "Hate Fear + Power" 11. DAYGLO ABORTIONS - "Bedtime Story" 12. HELLHAMMER - "Messiah" 13. KREATOR - "Riot Of Violence" 14. DISCHARGE - "War's Not Fairytale" 15. SIEGE - "Conform" 16. MASSACRE - "Clangor Of War" 17. MASTER - "Master" 18. DIE KREUZEN - "I'm Tired"
Norway's SUSPERIA have signead a record deal for threee albums with Tabu Recordings - sublabel of Tuba Records. As previously reported, on 24th of September band will enter a studio to record their new third album, tenatively untiteled "Unlimited". Next year February release is expected.
NECROPHAGIA frontman Killjoy and cult horror actress and singer with band JEZEBEL, Eileen Daly ("Cradle of Fear", "Razor Blade Smile") have agreed to collaborate on a number of music and film projects. To begin with KILLJOY will be remixing and preparing a much darker version of the track "Lector And Bundy" from JEZEBEL's album "Forbidden Fruit", Killjoy comments: "I'm really looking forward to working with Eileen, artistically and vocally she has an extremely unique vibe, in this day and age when most female vocalists' are trying to sound masculine, Eileen grabs the proverbial goat by the horns and injects a much needed dose of "femme fatal" into the scene ... she has the most unlimited potential of anyone I know !!! Eileen definitely has what I call "The Dark Gift". Later this year Killjoy and Eileen Daly are planning to collaborate on some UK horror and gore filming in conjunction with horror maestro Alex Chandon whose directorial work can be seen in numerous CRADLE OF FILTH videos and the blood-soaked feature "Cradle Of Fear". Killjoy and Eileen DALY will also be working on some new NECROPHAGIA songs where Killjoy's and Daly's distinctive vocal styles are expected to create whole new levels of aural mayhem and menace.
New live video tracks from SLAYER "South Of Heaven" and "Angel Of Death" are posted online on ofiicial Dave Lombardo site. Video was shoted in Sweden on Hultsfred Festival 2002. In other news, Dave recently finished recording of the new album by RIP INC. with producer Waldemar Sorychta.
The upcoming TORTURE KILLER album got refused to be printed at the cd-factory !!! Official reason was that the artwork and the lyrical content of the album "For Maggots to Devour" were too shocking. "Fortunately we already found a new cd-factory, so the release will not be delayed any longer than necessary." - report Karmageddon Media (ex-Hammerheart Records). TORTURE KILLER from Finland plays groovy, oldschool Death Metal in the vein of bands like Massacre, Obituary and Bolt Thrower. The band started out as a side-project but has become a real band featuring members of Adramalech and Demigod. Their debut-album "For Maggots To Devour" will be unleashed upon mankind by Karmageddon Media on October 6th. The album was recorded at Popstudio in Loimaa (Finland) together with producer Mika Haapsalo. The complete track listing for "For Maggots To Devour" is as following: 01. Flesh Breaks to Open Wounds 02. Sadistic Violation 03. Motivated to Kill 04. Necrophag 05. Fuck Them When They Bleed 06. No Time to Bleed 07. Torture of Death 08. Gore Terror 09. Strangulation
ANATHEMA will release their new album, "A Natural Disaster", in November trough Music For Nations Records. Follow uop to "A Fine Day to Exit" was recorded and mixed at Parkgate Studios (Hastings, England) except two tracks, which were mixed in Nottingam at Electric Mayhem. Producer is Dan Turner, and artwork by Travis Smith. Tracklist:
1. Harmonium 2. Balance 3. Closer 4. Are You There? 5. Childhood Dream 6. Pulled Under 7. A Natural Disaster 8. Flying 9. Electricity 10. Violence
Two songs will be instrumental, the total length - 55 minutes.
Brand new song by EIDOLON, "Demoralized", posted online. It is from band's new album "Apostles Of Defiance", due to out on 6th October through Metal Blade Records. Tracklist is following: 01. Scream From Within 02. Volcanic Earth 03. Twisted Morality 04. Demoralized 05. The Test 06. The Will To Remain 07. Apostles Of Defiance 08. Pull The Trigger 09. Apathy For A Dying World
Swedish death metallers ANATA finished work on their new full-length album "Under A Stone With No Inscription", which will be released early 2004 through Earache Records. Tracklist: 01. Shackled To Guilt 02. A Problem Yet To Be Solved 03. Entropy Within 04. Dance To The Song Of Apathy 05. Sewerages Of The Mind 06. Built On Sand 07. Under The Debris 08. The Drowning 09. Leaving The Spirit Behind 10. Any Kind Of Magic Or Miracle
Finland's "epic heathen metallers" MOONSORROW have signed a deal with Spikefarm (part of Spinefarm Records). First release for new label will be re-release of debut album "Suden Uni", with bonus track "Tulkaapa Aijat!" (NORDMAN "Kom Nu Gubbar" cover) and DVD with two promo videos and live video from festival Tuska 2003. Album also will have new artwork by Niklas Sundin (IN FLAMES, ARCH ENEMY, DARK TRANQUILLITY) and will be released on 8th of December. MOONSORROW will record their new album only next year.
Folk metal act SUBWAY TO SALLY (Germany) will release new album, "Engelskrieger" through Metal Blade on 6th of October, and Metal Blade will ditribute it on whole territory of Europe, except Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Greece and BeNeLux.
Germany-based progressiv power metallers SYMPHORCE, featured vocalist Andy B. Franck (BRAINSTORM) and guitarist Cedric Dupont (FREEDOM CALL), are going to record a new album this month. CD, tenatively entitled "Twice Second", will be recorded at House Of Music studio in Winterbach, Germany with legendary producer Achiem Keller (BRAINSTORM, PRIMAL FEAR). Some tracks name are known: "Fallen...", "Ignored By The System", "Two Seconds To Live" and "Turn Away". CD is due to out in January 2004.
PAGAN REIGN have already mastered and mixed their newest album "Otbleski Slavy I Vozrozhdeniye Bylogo Velichiya". It was recorded at CDM records. Release date is 10th of September this year through Sound Age productions. Tracklist:
UPCOMING KARMAGEDDON MEDIA RELEASES IN OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2003
06.10.2003 TORTURE KILLER - For Maggots to Devour CD NOCTURNUS - The Nocturnus Demos digi-CD
20.10.2003 AETERNUS - Beyond the Wandering Moon CD (remastered/new artwork/bonustracks) AETERNUS - .....And so the Night Became CD (remastered/new artwork/bonustracks) AETERNUS - Shadows of Old CD (remastered/new artwork/bonustracks) AETERNUS - Ascension of Terror CD (remastered/new artwork/bonustracks)
03.11.2003 MORIFADE - Domin<>tion digi-CD/CD TRIBUTE TO POSSESSED - Seven Gates of Horror digi-CD
17.11.2003 TRIBUTE TO EURONYMOUS - Nordic Metal CD NILE - In The Beginning digi-CD DIMMU BORGIR/OLD MAN'S CHILD - Sons of Satan Gather for Attack CD SEPTIC FLESH - Sumerian Daemons CD
Upcoming early 2004 : new killer albums of DISMEMBER, CRUACHAN, ARTHEMESIA, WITHIN Y and many more !!!
Swedish melodic power metallers MORIFADE recently finished the recordings for their new album. The album is titled "Domi<>nation" and the complete tracklisting is as follows: 01. Parallels 02. A Silent Revolution 03. The Second Coming 04. Words I Never Speak 05. Clarity (Fragments of a Dream) 06. Panopticon 07. The Rising 08. Erase 09. Memorys End 10. Lost Within A Shade (video track)
"Domi<>Nation" was recorded and mixed in Los Angered Recording Studio with Andy La Rocque. The vocals and choirs were recorded in Monogram Recording Studio. Release of the new album is scheduled for November 3rd on Karmageddon Media.
Russian label Oskorei Music is proud to present a wonderful dark ambient split VINTERRIKET "Von Eiskristallen...und dem ewigen Chaos" from Germany and Russia's RIKKET "Riket Av Evig Skogen". Release is so close! 8th of September! Don't miss, because only 300 hand numbered copies are going to be out. Tracklist:
VINTERRIKET 1. Einsamkeit 2. Eisreflektionen RIKKET 3. Vi Staar I En Sirkel Av Svart 4. V Chern' Lesa Zimnego Tayas' 5. The Mourning
Polish label Agonia Records has signed a deal with Swedish Black brigade ARMAGEDDA, featured Graav (Vocals and Strings) and A. (Strings). Second full-length CD "Only True Believers" will be released at the end of September Company Beyond Productions will release vinyl version of album.
Third album by Italy's blackers HANDFUL OF HATE, entitled "ViceCrown", which will appear on 27th of October through Code666 Records. First 666 copies will be released as coolest limited edition in leather box. Artwork for album made artist Fabio (also made artwork for ARKHON INFAUSTUS, ABORYM, KHONKRA).
World wide known deathers MONSTROSITY have finalized tracklist for brand new album "Rise To Power". It was recorded in Audio Hammer studios in Sanford Florida with sound-engineer Jason Soucof. Conquest Music Inc. will release CD on 23rd of September this year. Final track listing:
01. The Exordium 02. Awaiting Armageddon 03. Wave Of Annihilation 04. The Fall Of Eden 05. Chemical Reaction 06. A Casket For The Soul 07. Rise To Power 08. Visions Of Violence 09. From Wrath To Ruin 10. Abysmal Gods 11. Shadow Of Obliteration
World wide known label Hammerheart Records changed name to Karmageddon Media. About these changes from Guido Heijnens (co-owner of Hammerheart Records): "After months of thinking, talking, evaluating plans and contracts HAMMERHEART RECORDS have decided to call it a day ! But we are not simply leaving all this behind... how could we ever? Both owners Peter van Ool and Guido Heijnens have decided to re-start a new label under the name KARMAGEDDON MEDIA ! Of course with the same quality and impact as Hammerheart Records used to have. Why? We simply got a bit tired of some of the things happening in the music-industry, especially the attitude of some people was too much for us, we had to change things drastically or stopping was the only option. We ran into problems and what I would call "anti-social" behaviour too often and frequently. This new label is done in very close co-operation with PLASTIC HEAD DISTRIBUTION, who will exclusively distribute KARMAGEDDON MEDIA starting October 1st 2003. We feel secure and positive that under the wings of our big independent brothers working at PLASTIC HEAD DISTRIBUTION we get more chances to develop and grow in a steady and reliable way. The artists and the catalogue of HAMMERHEART RECORDS are transferred to KARMAGEDDON MEDIA and we will soon inform everyone on our release-schedule. Be prepared for new killer albums by DISMEMBER, CRUACHAN, MORIFADE, TORTURE KILLER etc."
Church and city government have forbidden the performance of ANCIENT CEREMONY at Summerbreeze Open Air (one of Europe's biggest Metal festivals) because of the band's Satanic and blasphemous attitude! Promoters were even set under pressure by getting told the whole event was cancelled if the band was allowed to play so that the organizers had no other chance than taking them from the billing. This scandal is a fist into the face of the entire Metal scene and neither band nor management are willing to accept this cancellation without fighting against it. Of course ANCIENT CEREMONY will continue following their Satanic ethics consequently and are almost "proud" that they are the only controversial act that was chosen as "enemy" by these radical catholics - but there is no legal base for the behaviour from church and authorities so that ANCIENT CEREMONY hope for massive support from fans and media in fighting against this censorship!
STRATOVARIUS have posted a clip from the song "I Walk To My Own Song"' from upcoming "Elements Pt.2" CD. The clip is almost 3 minutes long and it is with good quality. As previously announced "Elements Pt.2" will be released on 27th of October through Nuclear Blast.
At the REAL AUDIO Section' the first offical soundfiles are now posted online, to give you a first impression of the upcoming album "Metal Discharge" - More files will follow soon. Nuclear Blast will release this new Thrash Metal Masterpiece worldwide on the 22. of September 2003. The brand new videoclip of the track "Desecrators" will be posted nnext week.
New NIGHTWISH DVD "End Of Innocence" will be released in September through Spinefarm Records. It will include: 1. The history of NIGHTWISH by Tuomas and Jukka
2. Music clips: 1. End Of All Hope 2. Dead To The World 3. 10th Man Down 4. Slaying The Dreamer 5. Over The Hills And Far Away 6. Sleeping Sun 7. Over The Hills And Far Away (promo) 8. Bless The Child (promo) 9. End Of All Hope (promo !!!) live from SUMMERBREEZE festival 2002, 5.1 sound