BRAINSTORM's video for the track "All Those Words" has been posted online at ' (Windows Media). The video was shot in an old mine in Germany, where "the special atmosphere deep inside these mighty mountains was perfectly captured," according to a press release.
"All Those Words" comes off the German power metallers' long-awaited new full-length album, "Liquid Monster", due on April 4 via Metal Blade Records. A limited-edition version of "Liquid Monster" will be available as a CD+DVD digibook, featuring the album, a video documentary of the band's last world tour and additional bonus material.
BRAINSTORM recently announced that female singer Carmen Schäfer will be joining them on stage for the song "All Those Words" at their shows in Ludwigsburg (April 27) and Budapest (April 30) on the upcoming tour. "Besides these two special performances, all fans can expect amazing shows on the whole tour with tons of light effects and fantastic stage buildings!" drummer Dieter Bernert said in a statement. "As we always promised to bring our own show with us, now you will see what a real BRAINSTORM show is all about!"
BRAINSTORM's "Inside The Monster - World Tour 2005 / 2006" will kick off April 19 at The Rock in Copenhagen, Denmark. A U.K. tour supporting SAXON was recently rescheduled for October.
Death Metal veterens BENEDICTION have finally started work in earnest on their follow-up album to 2001's "Organised Chaos". Vocalist Dave Hunt, guitarists Darren Brookes and Peter Rew, and bassist Frank Healy will be assisted in the writing and fine-tuning of the forthcoming tracks by their old drummer, Neil Hutton, and ex-DIMMU BORGIR/CRADLE OF FILTH skinsman Nick Barker. It has not yet been determined who will be drumming on the new release, but the live drummer will more than likely be Nick Barker. Barker has been a longtime friend of the band and shares their love of all things Metal. Also rumoured to be assisting the band during the writing process are various members of MISTRESS, ANAAL NATHRAKH and BOLT THROWER. No further information is available at this time.
Norwegian black metallers SATYRICON have posted the following message on their official web site: "Continuing the new way of writing and working on song arragements in remote places, Satyr just returned from another session held in a cabin by the sea on Norway's second biggest populated island. Now we are preparing for a test-recording for two new songs that will take place three weeks from now. The band has also managed to obtain an audio recording of the Pope's last rite held last night CET. We hope to make a song based around this recording and have Phil Spector produce it."
MAYHEM's Jan Axel Blomberg (a.k.a. Hellhammer) has reportedly agreed to play on the next DIMMU BORGIR CD as a session drummer. The Norwegian symphonic black metallers had previously utilized the services of NILE's Tony Laureano and Reno Kiilerich (PANZERCHRIST, EXMORTEM, VILE) as touring members following the departure of Nick Barker (ex-CRADLE OF FILTH) in early 2004.
DIMMU BORGIR recently announced plans to re-record their second album, "Stormblåst" (originally released in 1996 via Cacophonous Records) later in the year. No further information is currently available.
Swedish power metallers NOCTURNAL RITES have uploaded their video for the track "Avalon" at this location.
The group's third clip off their most recent album, "New World Messiah", "Avalon" was directed and produced by Owe Lingvall for Satellite Productions.
NOCTURNAL RITES' sixth studio album, "New World Messiah", was released last spring through Century Media Records. The follow-up to 2002's "Shadowland" was recorded in the band's hometown of Umeå, Sweden and was mixed and mastered at Finnvox Studio in Helsinki, Finland by T.T. Oksala (TIAMAT, APOCALYPTICA) and Minerva Pappi.
Brazilian thrashers SEPULTURA have posted the following message on their official web site:
"SEPULTURA is back in Brazil and getting ready for the recording of the DVD! Everything is set. Sunday, April the 3rd is the day! The concert will take place in São Paulo and SEPULTURA will be practicing all week for a very special show.
"The DVD — to be released in June/July — will also feature a documentary/home video with backstage footage and a lot more."
As previously reported. SEPULTURA are in the process of writing material for their new studio album, which is said to be based on the "The Divine Comedy", widely considered the greatest epic poem of Italian literature, and one of the greatest of world literature.
German thrashers DEW-SCENTED have set "Issue VI" as the title of their new album, due in Europe on June 20 via Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Impact", "Issue VI" was recorded at Stage One studios in Borgentreich, Germany with producer Andy Classen (CALLENISH CIRCLE, TANKARD, OCCULT). Classen, who produced the previous DEW-SCENTED albums "Inwards" (2002) and "Impact", "did an outstanding job once [again] and definitely managed to deliver his best production (for us, at least...) ever! We look forward to sharing these new songs with everybody!" the band write on their web site.
"Issue VI" track listing:
01. Processing Life 02. Rituals of Time 03. Turn to Ash 04. Ruins of Hope 05. Out of The Self 06. The Prison of Reason 07. Bled Dry 08. In Defeat 09. Never to Return 10. Vortex 11. Conceptual End 12. Evil Dead (ZEKE cover)
Former HIRAX members Gary Monardo (bass), Johnny Tabares (drums, HIRAX's "Raging Violence" album), and Bob Savage (guitar, HIRAX's 1984 demo) have joined forces with ex-WARGOD singer Robbie Perkins in a reformed version of their pre-HIRAX band COLD BLOOD, now going under the moniker WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION (W.O.M.D.). The group are currently in the process of writing material for a three-song demo, to be released this summer.
Russian "angry" metallers HOSTILE BREED will be supporting SOULFLY on their upcoming Russian tour beginning on April 21.
Confirmed SOULFLY/HOSTILE BREED tour dates:
Apr. 21 – S-Petersburg, RUS @ Port Apr. 22 – Kaliningrad, RUS @ City Park Apr. 23 – Moscow, RUS @ DKG Apr. 24 - N.Novgorod, RUS @ Matrix
HOSTILE BREED's latest album, "The Second Cut", was released last April via top Russian metal record label Irond Ltd. "The Second Cut" includes a guest appearance on vocals by SKINLAB frontman Steev Esquivel on the song "Show Me the Road", a guitar solo by INVOCATOR's Flemming C. Lund on "Civilization of Hatred", and an appearance by the singer from Danish band SACRIFICIAL on the song "Color of Freedom". Production on the album was handled by Jacob Hansen (INVOCATOR, MNEMIC, RAUNCHY, HATESPHERE). The CD cover artwork was conceived by the Moscow art studio Traum.
According to the U.K.'s Terrorizer magazine, Carl-Michael "Aggressor" Eide (AURA NOIR, INFERNO, VIRUS, VED BUENS ENDE, ex-CADAVER, ex-DHG) fell from (or jumped off, depending on whose story you believe) a five-story building in Oslo, Norway on Saturday (March 26). He is currently undergoing extensive surgery and the outcome is still not determined. Friends, family and fans all over the world are in shock and can only hope that he'll pull through and make as complete a recovery as possible.
Reactivated Florida death metallers OBITUARY have lined up the following festival appearances during the coming months. OBITUARY have finished recording a mixing their new CD for a tentative summer release via Roadrunner Records. The as-yet-untitled new album, which was self-produced by the band will mark the group's first collection of new songs since 1997's "Back From the Dead".
Reactivated Finnish metallers ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW are about to enter the studio to begin recording their as-yet-untitled fifth album. The first studio session will take place at Tico-Tico studio on Good Friday (March 25). The songs will be recorded and mixed at several studios in Northern Europe during the coming months. A late 2005 release via Spinefarm Records is expected.
According to the band, "The material for the fifth album is heavier, much more diverse and more guitar-orientated compared to the fourth album 'A Virgin And A Whore'." A studio diary has been launched at this location.
ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW's current lineup is as follows:
Altti Veteläinen - Bass, Vocals Jarmo Puolakanaho - Guitar Risto Ruuth - Lead Guitar Janne Tolsa - Keyboards Petri Sankala - Drums
JUDAS PRIEST's "Angel of Retribution" has entered the Greek national album chart at position No. 1 — the first time PRIEST have topped the national album chart anywhere in the world.
"Angel of Retribution" first-week chart positions (updated):
#1 - Greece #3 - Sweden #4 - Japan #4 - Germany #6 - Norway #6 - Spain #10 - Austria #12 - Canada #13 - U.S. #19 - Switzerland #26 - Italy #39 - U.K. #40 - Ireland #43 - France #45 - Czech Republic #46 - Holland
Singer Rob Halford's first album with JUDAS PRIEST in 15 years, "Angel of Retribution" was produced by Roy Z, who has previously worked on solo albums from Halford and IRON MAIDEN's Bruce Dickinson.
As a message on PECCATUM's website says, "A new PECCATUM EP entitled “The Moribund People” is just about ready. This release contains two new songs and a special cover of Bathory’s legendary “For All Those Who Died”. The EP will also include a music video for the title track. Release date for Europe will follow shortly."
Polish death metallers VADER have parted ways with longtime drummer Doc. The group's leader, Peter, has issued the following statement on the matter:
"We have been building 'the VADER Empire' together since '88... The success of our music was no doubt the success of Doc himself. Not just a talent is but the main point of being a part of a BAND, not only musical abilities but — first of all — devotion, utterance.... We had already such a problems before (Shambo, Simon..). Doc pretty hard tried to 'fight' against his weaknesses, which were troubles for all of us. Finaly he had not prevailed over that battle... All in all, he attempted.
"VADER today is not just a friendship anymore — it's our life with armies of man involved in music, releases and — first of all — fans waiting for shows or new albums... This is a high responsibility, not too many know about. If a person, even the most talented one, cannot stand it — has to leave... That was Doc's decission as well. 'But the world keeps turnin'...' and the same is with VADER. We were and we will be!!!
"For Doc, his girlfriend and newborn son we all wish good luck and wanna thank mim for all those great years, in which we were touring across the world!!!
"From now Daray has been officially confirmed as a new drummer of the band. Not really brand new, he has been playing with the band since one year and recorded the latest album 'The Beast'."
Dutch melodic death metallers CALLENISH CIRCLE have issued the following update:
"Last couple of months we have been working very hard on our new (and meanwhile fifth) studio album. So far we have written the complete basics of six new tracks and we have plenty of cool material and ideas left for the rest of the album. It's just a matter of putting the right ideas into song structures and working out the details. Some of the new songtitles are 'This Day You Regret', 'Sweet Cyanide' and 'As You Speak'.
"The recordings for the new, as-yet-untitled, album are scheduled in May and June over here in The Netherlands with Gail Liebling (mastermind behind GAIL OF GOD). The mix will be done in Denmark with Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, ILLDISPOSED, MNEMIC) at the well-known Antfarm Studio. Last but not least, the album will be mastered by Peter Neuber at Mega Wimp Sound in Germany. At the moment we haven’t decided on the artist for the artwork yet.
"The new material music-wise… well… just imagine the best of what we did on both Metal Blade albums, add some really cool groovy parts and combine this already deadly cocktail with some high-tech wacky soundscapes, delivered by Mr. Liebling himself.
"Furthermore the new album will feature a bonus DVD with a lot of cool video footage. On this bonus DVD there will be featured a completely professional (audio & visual) recorded live show (recorded at the 013 venue in Tilburg), a home-video of our trip to the Piorno Rock Festival in Spain, a studio report of the recordings of our upcoming album and some other interesting stuff.
"The release is scheduled for November on Metal Blade Records again. After the release we will also hit the road again to promote the album at the live front."
Italian Black Metallers ABORYM, now featuring former EMPEROR and current SCUM drummer Bard "Faust" Eithun, have inked a two-album deal with Season of Mist. After comparing several offers from European and American labels, the band decided to sign with Season of Mist, in their opinion the best "quality Black Metal" label. ABORYM will record their new album during April-May 2005 in Rome, Italy.
The band's lineup has undergone several changes with the addition of Faust and vocalist Prime Evil (ex-MYSTICUM). Faust says: "Through the years my contribution to ABORYM varied from writing a few lyrics, doing some spoken passages, as well as playing with them live. I have great respect for the band and the people behind it. ABORYM is highly innovative and influential as far as the mixture of traditional Black Metal and electronics goes. I see my position in the band strengthening when becoming a permanent part of the band. I am going down to Rome later this year in order to participate on the recording of the fourth ABORYM album. I think it should easily surpass everything they have done earlier. It should be classic to say the least".
Prime Evil joins ABORYM as the replacement for the group's previous singer, Attila Csihar, who has returned to MAYHEM. Despite Attila's departure, Csihar will still find time to do some vocals on the new ABORYM album.
Swedish Experimental Extreme Metallers MESHUGGAH have finalized the track listing for their new album, "Catch 33", due on May 16 in Europe and May 31 in the U.S. via Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to 2002's "Nothing" is being described as one continuous 47-minute song divided into 13 parts and is said to be "musically the opposite" of the group's 2004 EP, "I".
"Catch 33" track listing:
01. Autonomy Lost 02. Imprint Of The Un-Saved 03. Disenchantment 04. The Paradoxical Spiral 05. Re-Inanimate 06. Entrapment 07. Mind's Mirrors 08. In Death - Is Life 09. In Death - Is Death 10. Shed 11. Personae Non Gratae 12. Dehumanization 13. Sum
Former CHARON guitarist Jasse Von Hast has launched a new project called WIHASTAN.
WIHASTAN was formed in the fall of 2003 after Von Hast left CHARON. Being a songwriter for 15 years and having a "wild rock 'n' roll soul," Von Hast made the decision to develop WIHASTAN into a fully working band.
After playing with male vocalists for a number of years, Von Hast wanted to try something different for his band. After a little searching and test recordings Von Hast decided to choose a female vocalist with a unique voice.
In summer 2004, Jasse Von Hast built his own ProTools-based digital home studio and began demoing the group's material.
WIHASTAN's first promotional CD, "You Bring Me Hell", was completed in December 2004 and was premiered in January on the Finnish heavy metal radio program "Metalliliitto".
Sanctuary Records has set a May 24 U.S. release date (one day earlier internationally) for the new solo album from IRON MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson, entitled "Tyranny of Souls".
Dickinson is an artist who has influenced thousands of singers, musicians and fans alike in his outstanding role as the front man of legendary band IRON MAIDEN. He has achieved great success as a solo artist, and is also acclaimed as a radio DJ, TV presenter, pilot, author and voice of modern music.
It has been seven years since Dickinson released his last solo album, "The Chemical Wedding", which received massive critical acclaim while exploring intriguing and dark themes. The intervening years have seen him make a highly successful return to IRON MAIDEN, with two huge albums and record-breaking live shows and tours.
"Tyranny of Souls" track listing:
01. Mars Within (Intro) 02. Abduction 03. Soul Intruders 04. Kill Devil Hill 05. Navigate the Seas of the Sun 06. River of No Return 07. Power of the Sun 08. Devil on a Hog 09. Believil 10. A Tyranny of Souls
Monday 21st March sees the release of ADEMA’s lead-off single ‘Tornado’ from their hotly anticipated new album ‘Planets’. Available for one week only, on CD Single and 7" Vinyl, both limited editions contain exclusive non album B-side tracks including a cover of Metallica's 'The Thing That should Not Be'. In other news, hot on the heels of Henry Rollins, 50 Cent, The Vandals and comedian Robin Williams, rockers ADEMA have been invited by the USO to fly out to the Persian Gulf to do a series of shows for the troops stationed in the area. For ADEMA’s new vocalist Luke Caraccioli, this is even more poignant as Luke, up until the summer last year was in the Marines, is going to play shows where his former unit are based. They will be in the Middle East on the day their new album ‘Planets’ is released in the U.S.
Norwegian Goth Rockers MORTIIS are due to release their second single from the critically acclaimed album ‘The Grudge’. The new single will be ‘Decadent & Desperate” and is due to be released in the UK on 25th April, and comes with 4 newly recorded tracks, exclusive to this release.
LINEA 77 have begun recording their new album in the famed Ameraycan Studio, Los Angeles with Dave Dominguez. This will be the follow up to ‘Numb’ - the album that brought them a European MTV Award Nomination.
Finnish noisecore act CALLISTO are set to release their debut for Earache - ‘True Nature Unfolds’ on Monday 28th March and have confirmed a Uk tour with High On Fire & Winnebego Deal
As the release of HATE ETERNAL’s new album ‘I, Monarch’ gets closer, the band have announced details of a US tour in support of the album.
Polish death metallers LOST SOUL have announced a huge European tour starting in April. This includes their first ever trip to the UK with giants VADER.
Thrash-core maniacs MUNICIPAL WASTE are in the process of finishing their debut full length album for Earache and are then planning a series of shows across the US.
The Dutch metallers NOX are gearing up to enter Excess Studios in Holland in June, to record their debut album for Wicked World ‘Ixaxaar’
There’s no rest for the wicked! After completing a near 2 month long tour of the UK & Europe, The Swedish noisecore crew are preparing to head out to the US for their first ever tour Stateside with giants Mastodon.
Debauched rockers SOCIETY 1’ brand new album ‘The Sound That Ends Creation’ is now available worldwide
Earache has now become affiliated with cult US label Willowtip, to release their artists within Europe. Willowtip is home to the likes of CEPHALIC CARNAGE, MISERY INDEX, CIRCLE OF DEAD CHILDREN to name a few.
New Releases out now:
WOLVERINE - ‘The Window Purpose’ SOCIETY 1 - ‘The Sound That Ends Creation’
New Releases – coming soon
21/03 – ADEMA - ‘Tornado” - SINGLE in UK ONLY 28/03 - CALLISTO - ‘True Nature Unfolds’ 28/03 - WITH PASSION - ‘In The Midst Of Bloodied Soil’ 11/04 - ADEMA - ‘Planets’ 25/04 – MORTIIS - ‘Decadent & Desperate’ - SINGLE 02/05 – CROWPATH – ‘Red On Chrome’ (Willowtip) 02/05 – CAPHARNAUM - ‘Fractured’ (Willowtip) 02/05 – MISERY INDEX/COMMIT SUICIDE – Split CD (Willowtip) 02/05 – WATCHMAKER - ‘Kill.Fucking.Everyone’ (Willowtip) 09/05 – CANDIRIA - ‘What Doesn’t Kill You ..’ 16/05 – BEECHER - ‘Breaking The Fourth Wall’ (includes 6 bonus tracks) 23/05 – SHORTIE - ‘Without A Promise’ 06/06 – CARNIVAL IN COAL - ‘Collection Prestige’ (Elitist) 06/06 – BIOMECHANICAL - ‘Empires Of The Worlds’
GUNS N' ROSES manager Merck Mercuriadis has dismissed as fake a newly circulated MP3 file which was previously rumored to be the new GN'R song "Twat". Sp1at spoke with Mercuriadis regarding the "leaked" recording and were assured that the song was "not GN'R." Merck also told Sp1at that if they were to host the track, he would not ask them to take it down. GN'R drummer Bryan "Brain" Mantia also told Sp1at that the track was fake, going as far as to say that it was "not even close" to the real version of "Twat".
SIRENIA, the Norwegian gothic metal band featuring former TRISTANIA guitarist/vocalist Morten Veland, have inked a deal with Nuclear Blast Records.
"SIRENIA are proud to have teamed up with Nuclear Blast. Together we will keep up the flame, and bring out the best music we could possibly offer for many years to come!" Veland said in a statement. "The last couple of months have been spent on creating new songs alongside our touring activity," the band write. "We have tons of ideas to pick from and will most likely spend the next few months on perfecting the best of this material. All the songs are meant for our next full-lenght album that most likely will be out in the beginning of next year."
Veteran San Francisco Bay Area thrashers EXODUS are selling a two-disc DVD document of their "Tempo of the Damned" record-release show, which took place March 2004 at the DNA Lounge in San Francisco. Entitled "Live at the DNA", the set contains the following track listing:
DVD One:
01. Intro / Scarred Spangled Banner 02. Deliver Us to Evil 03. Blacklist 04. Piranha 05. Til Death Do Us Part 06. Fabulous Disaster 07. Shroud of Urine 08. Parasite 09. Only Death Decides 10. Forward March 11. Chemi-Kill
DVD Two:
01. And Then There Were None 02. Culling the Herd 03. Sealed With A Fist 04. Throwing Down 05. Lesson In Violence 06. War Is My Sheppard 07. Tempo of the Damned Encore: 08. Impaler 09. Toxic Waltz 10. Bonded by Blood 11. Strike of the Beast
The first demo of DEATH HEAVEN, titled "Techno Decomposition World", is out now. It contains seven tracks of technical and aggressive death metal plus an instrumental intro. For info visit the official DEATH HEAVEN ' .
Magic Circle Music has signed an exclusive worldwide distribution deal for MANOWAR with SPV.
Magic Circle Music spokesman and MANOWAR management team member revealed that "With their professional attitude and international structure SPV won out over all the other major and independent record companies in negotiations that lasted more than a year.
MANOWAR bassist Joey DeMaio was quoted as saying " We are proud that our past with Nuclear Blast was a success that ultimately brought them their first gold record in their home territory of Germany, however since the formation of our own label, we have the very same level of responsibility to our artists and their fans as we do for MANOWAR and the MANOWAR fans, so it was absolutely necessary to find a company that could interface with our structure and would commit 100 percent of their support to us as well as to all Magic Circle bands".
MANOWAR are set to release their new single as well as their new DVD "Hell On Earth Part IV" in July of this year. The new MANOWAR album will then follow early 2006. MANOWAR will also perform live with several other Magic Circle Music bands at the Earthshaker Fest 2005 in Geiselwind/Germany on July 23, 2005.
SPV president commented, "my first working experience with MANOWAR began in 1985. SPV was the exclusive distribution partner for Roadrunner Records in Germany and as such was responsible for MANOWAR's album "Hail To England" and therefore marketed it successfully 20 years ago. I believe that signing MANOWAR will be the beginning of a longterm and fruitful pairing with the Kings Heavy Metal. This has been a true wish for two decades to continue this early collaboration on a higher level. Now with this current deal structure I am sure all of SPV's hopes and visions for a band like MANOWAR with their own label environment will come true.
The importance of MANOWAR for the whole scene, not only in Germany but in the other major-markets around the world is reason enough for me to be personally involved in all aspects of this great collaboration as it has been proven right in all of our past negotiations.
The most recent of which is the collaboration between Magic Circle Music and SPV with the outstanding success of Italian melodic-rockers RHAPSODY with Christopher Lee.
With two experienced teams working together this can only bring success!
To date MANOWAR have sold over 8 Million records Their latest album "Warriors Of The World" was released in 2002 achieving Top 5 chart positions worldwide (e.g. # 2 in Germany's Media Control Top 100 Charts) and has been certified gold.
Finnish power metallers STRATOVARIUS have posted the following message on their official web site:
"After a lot of listening and editing, the basic structure of our 11th album is getting together slowly but surely. After the turbulence of the last year, none of us has known what to expect when going into the studio.
"We have used the drums Jörg [Michael] recorded alone at Soundtrack studio about a year ago. There was about 70 gigabytes of drums, so that took a while to listen to. And bit of tough decisions, and editing, cutting and pasting. New lyrics and vocal melodies have been written, and also some new songs.
"Says Timo Tolkki (guitar): 'I recorded all my rhythm guitars during one evening. God, my fingers still hurt!! There is a construction project going on under my studio. They are building a parking hall and are exploding huge bombs twice a day. Also there is lots of drilling. I am sure that this is the first time in the history of metal that an album has been recorded under circumstances like these.'
"It has indeed been very hard to record vocals and acoustic instruments. But we are finally getting there, slowly but surely. It's flowing and the feeling is really good. The vocals will for sure be finished before [singer] Timo Kotipelto's solo tour embarks. Then of course, the mixing... the mixing... the mixing.
"STRATOVARIUS has never made a compromise when it comes to the sound and this time with [Timo Tolkki] in his own studio.. my God, anything under two months of mixing and we'll be lucky. Anyway we would like to thank you, the fans, for your patience and hope that you enjoy this progress report and some new pictures."
A brand new promotional photo of STRATOVARIUS can be viewed at '
SOILWORK vocalist Björn "Speed" Strid and BLIND GUARDIAN drummer Thomen Stauch are currently seeking a name for their new project. The collaboration, which originally went under the COLDSEED moniker, is described by Strid as "a mixture between RAMMSTEIN and ALICE IN CHAINS." A full-length album is currently being recorded and is due later in the year.
To suggest a name for the new band, visit SOILWORK's official web site at '
There is an information within LACRIMOSA's official site.
"There are only a few weeks left until May 2nd, when "Lichtgestalt" (luminous figure), our new and nineth studioalbum will be released! The aware LACRIMOSA-listener might have several associations by reading this title, which are thoroughly wanted, as this album "Lichtgestalt" takes to the point, what some previous lyrics and compositions indicated and prepared."
Norway's TURBONEGRO will release their new album, "Party Animals", throughout Europe on May 9. "Party Animals" is the follow-up to 2003's "Scandinavian Leather", and is produced by Steve McDonald, known for his work with THE WHITE STRIPES, BECK and REDD KROSS.
Songs to appear on the album include "City of Satan", "Wasted Again" and "Blow Me (Like the Wind)".
Death Metal veterens BENEDICTION have finally started work in earnest on their follow-up album to 2001's "Organised Chaos". Vocalist Dave Hunt, guitarists Darren Brookes and Peter Rew, and bassist Frank Healy will be assisted in the writing and fine-tuning of the forthcoming tracks by their old drummer, Neil Hutton, and ex-DIMMU BORGIR/CRADLE OF FILTH skinsman Nick Barker. It has not yet been determined who will be drumming on the new release, but the live drummer will more than likely be Nick Barker. Barker has been a longtime friend of the band and shares their love of all things Metal. Also rumoured to be assisting the band during the writing process are various members of MISTRESS, ANAAL NATHRAKH and BOLT THROWER. No further information is available at this time.
MAYHEM's Jan Axel Blomberg (a.k.a. Hellhammer) has reportedly agreed to play on the next DIMMU BORGIR CD as a session drummer. The Norwegian symphonic black metallers had previously utilized the services of NILE's Tony Laureano and Reno Kiilerich (PANZERCHRIST, EXMORTEM, VILE) as touring members following the departure of Nick Barker (ex-CRADLE OF FILTH) in early 2004.
Swedish power metallers NOCTURNAL RITES have uploaded their video for the track "Avalon" at this location.
German thrashers DEW-SCENTED have set "Issue VI" as the title of their new album, due in Europe on June 20 via Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Impact", "Issue VI" was recorded at Stage One studios in Borgentreich, Germany with producer Andy Classen (CALLENISH CIRCLE, TANKARD, OCCULT). Classen, who produced the previous DEW-SCENTED albums "Inwards" (2002) and "Impact", "did an outstanding job once [again] and definitely managed to deliver his best production (for us, at least...) ever! We look forward to sharing these new songs with everybody!" the band write on their web site.
Russian "angry" metallers HOSTILE BREED will be supporting SOULFLY on their upcoming Russian tour beginning on April 21. 
As a message on PECCATUM's website says, "A new PECCATUM EP entitled “The Moribund People” is just about ready. This release contains two new songs and a special cover of Bathory’s legendary “For All Those Who Died”. The EP will also include a music video for the title track. Release date for Europe will follow shortly."
Polish death metallers VADER have parted ways with longtime drummer Doc. The group's leader, Peter, has issued the following statement on the matter:
Dutch melodic death metallers CALLENISH CIRCLE have issued the following update:
Italian Black Metallers ABORYM, now featuring former EMPEROR and current SCUM drummer Bard "Faust" Eithun, have inked a two-album deal with Season of Mist. After comparing several offers from European and
Swedish Experimental Extreme Metallers MESHUGGAH have finalized the track listing for their
Former CHARON guitarist Jasse Von Hast has launched a new project called WIHASTAN.
Sanctuary Records has set a May 24 U.S. release date (one day earlier internationally) for the new solo album from IRON MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson, entitled "Tyranny of Souls".
Monday 21st March sees the release of ADEMA’s lead-off single ‘Tornado’ from their hotly anticipated new album ‘Planets’. Available for one week only, on CD Single and 7" Vinyl, both limited editions contain exclusive non album B-side tracks including a cover of Metallica's 'The Thing That should Not Be'.
Finnish power metallers STRATOVARIUS have posted the following message on their official web site:
SOILWORK vocalist Björn "Speed" Strid and BLIND GUARDIAN drummer Thomen Stauch are currently seeking a name for their new project. The collaboration, which originally went under the COLDSEED moniker, is described by Strid as "a mixture between RAMMSTEIN and ALICE IN CHAINS." A full-length album is currently being recorded and is due later in the year.