Dutch progressive metal band TEXTURES has decided to part ways with vocalist Pieter Verpaalen. Due to musical differences both parties decided it would be best to continue without each other. A new vocalist has been found already; Eric Kalsbeek (formerly of BRAINSHAKE) has joined TEXTURES and has performed with them from March 6th. By the way, the band’s video for the song 'Ostensibly impregnable' entered Dutch charts at number one, beating the other classic bands such as METALLICA , SLIPKNOT etc.
THE GREAT DECEIVER have just released their second full album for Peaceville - "Terra Incognito". Recording have taken place in Dug Out Studios with Daniel Bergstrand (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, MESHUGGAH) as producer. There is also a promo video for the track Lake Of Sulphur directed by Patric Ullaeus which will be an enhanced feature on the album.
In the nearest future DARK FUNERAL fans will be granted a full-length live album, the first such coming from the band for over than ten years of black metal worship. Song material for the platter, vaguely titled «De Profundis Clamavi Ad Te Domine», has been taken during the band’s South America tour in September 2003. Track list is expected to be as following: Intro - The Arrival Of Satan’s Empire - An Apprentice Of Satan - The Dawn No More Rises - Thy Legions Come - Hail Murder - Goddess Of Sodomy - The Secrets Of The Black Arts - Vobiscum Satanas - Shadows Over Transylvania - Open The Gates - Ineffable Kings Of Darkness - Thus I Have Spoken - My Dark Desires - Armageddon Finally Comes.
OUPIRIC Productions (Russia) have made a new issue - MISANTHROPIC ART cassette "Possessed by Bestiality". 50 min of fast and fierce misanthropic Black Metal - the slaughter of humanity has begun! Tape comes with obligatory black/white cover.
US metal pioneers STEEL PROPHET have signed with Massacre Records! The new album with their new singer Nadir D'Priest will be called "Beware" and will be in stores on June 28th!
The new album by German black/death metal band MYSTIC CIRCLE "Open the gates of hell" has been recorded and will be in stores on September 22nd. The satanic trio has recorded a real smasher in the Cream Studios, Frankfurt with producer Gerhard Magin.
England's Anglo Saxon Epic Metallers FOREFATHER recently finished the recordings for their upcoming and meanwhile 4th album titled «Our Is The Kingdom». Forefather-member Wulftstan comments on the new album: " With "Ours is the Kingdom" we've taken Anglo-Saxon Metal to new heights of intensity and power. This time round we consciously focused on shorter, faster songs whilst still retaining the epic elements we're known for. The result is the most varied and compelling album we've produced to date and the best representation of the unique FOREFATHER style. It's been a long time in the making but we think most will agree that it's definitely been worth the wait!" «Ours Is The Kingdom» is scheduled to be released on May 31st, through Karmageddon Media.
DRAGONLAND have signed a worldwide multialbum deal with CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS!!! The next album is almost ready for studio recording, which most likely will take place in Studio Fredman before summer. Might as well reveal some new songtitles: To The End of The World - The Returning - Calling My Name - The Dreamseeker - In Perfect Harmony - Starfall - As Madness Took Me
KUWALDA’s new album, named “Spasi i Sohrani”(“Save & Keep Safe”), is to hit the stores early in April. The album is promised to be heavier and more varied than its predecessor, and lyrically concerned with emergency events. That follows directly from the songtitles: 9-11 – Elektricheskaya Smert’ (Death From Electricity) – D.T.P. (Car Crash) – Alkogol’nyi Demon (Alcohol Demon) etc. Among the ones who have participated in recording there is a children choir, and the Lorelyai song is based on a poem by Geighne. KUWALDA’s debut, “Delicatessen”, will be re-issued simultaneously. It will contain 19 previously published songs and will also include videos on Betonomeshalka (Concrete Mixer) and Pesnya Pro Svarnogo as special multimedia tracks for PC.
With the forthcoming release of the mini album "The Dark Secret”, the Italian epic metal band RHAPSODY provides a taste of their long play album that is due in September of this year. It is the debut of a new style of Heavy Metal music created by RHAPSODY known as Film Score Metal.
Black metal legends, THORNS' mastermind, Snorre Ruch has been keeping busy with a variety of extra musical activities involving interesting exponents of the art world since the band's long awaited and much acclaimed self-titled debut in 2002. In the past few months alone, Snorre has created THORNS LTD, a separate outlet from THORNS, dedicated to making experimental music tailored specifically for art exhibitions. Contemporary Norwegian artist, Bjarne Melgaard's exhibition at the Palais De Tokyo museum in Paris earlier this year was Thorns Ltd's debut. A new composition will premier at New York artist, Banks Violet's show in London in September this year. THORNS’ new album will not be out before next year
STRATOVARIUS’ future is under a question! There should be reminded that an unknown person armed with a knife has commited a thugging against Timo Tolkki, the main man of honoured Finnish metallers. That has taken place just after STRATOVARIUS’ show at fest in Granada (Spain) in late February and from that accident Timo’s got his arm and head stabbingly wounded. After a week since that criminal deed Timo Tolkki have published a press release where he says that right by now he’s much worried about his wife’s and daughter’s lives and hence, freezes up any STRATOVARIUS’ activity. In fact, he adds that the band is going to be back to life little after but with a shared line-up only... As we know, since the departure of Timo Kotipelto (the group’s former singer) late last year, weather inside the band has been about to thunder crack...
Regrettably PARADISE LOST have come to the decision to part company with drummer Lee Morris (who’s been around since 1995). The band state personal and musical differences as their reason for taking this action. No replacement has been named as yet, although the new album will continue to be recorded as previously planned.
BLOODHEAD RECORDS are due to issue following titles: VINTERRIKET "Landschaften Ewiger Einsamkeit" and ANGEL’S DECAY "Odiumspace". Both albums will be available in MC format and will hit the stores, respectively, in May and early summer. The autumn release of DATURA’s new CD is expected as well.
DARKTHRONE are getting themselves ready to enter the studio and start on their new album, 'Sardonic Wrath'. "I'm currently under a lot of stress with all my DJing jobs, including Inferno next week," blurts out Fenriz during a quick telephone conversation. "But that's our 12th album, you know. It's another breakfast. We are not changing anything drastically music-wise but we are changing the studio this time. We are changing the studio like people change underwear." 'Sardonic Wrath' is out in September. Through Moonfog, as ever...
Dani & Co are currently working on their Roadrunner debut authentically named “Nymphetamine”. The album is set to release during this summer and right by now infamous musicians occupy Parkgate studios (Battle, England) along with Rob Caggiano (ANTHRAX’s guitarist) in the producer’s seat. About 15-16 absolutely new songs are expected to be shot during record session. Some part of them will make the forthcoming longplay, and the other, as Dave Pybus (bass) says, “will all be released in some shape or form over the next year”.
VINTERRIKET are due to issue their completely new masterpiece next month. The album title is «Landschaften ewiger Einsamkeit». About an hour of grim and starky music is expected...
BESEECH - The half animated video for the titletrack "DRAMA" have been delayed because of techical reasons but will probably be finished in May! Meanwhile, download a fullength liveversion of the song "Bitch" from the new album, recorded at the release party at Sjunde Himlen the 27th February. You can download it from the webpage at http://www.beseech.net in the download/video section.
NEUROSIS has just returned from Chicago where they completed the latest record with Steve Albini behind the controls. On January 2nd they played a show: BLOOD & TIME, STEVE VON TILL, and TRIBES OF NEUROT, followed by a listening event where the band played the newly-minted Neurosis album in its entirety. The yet-untitled album will be released in early summer 2004 on Relapse Europe and on Neurot Recordings worldwide. There will be an advance track on the upcoming Neurot Recordings compilation, which will be released with a bonus DVD.
Read what latest news KIND DIAMOND drumpounder Mr. Matt Thompson has to tell us! "I just finished my tracks for Single Bullet Theory's new cd (who btw supported King Diamond on the last USA tour) on Crash records, no release date set yet. It sounds like it will be extremely heavy and I had a great time doing it, they let me play whatever I wanted! During the same session I recorded "Spiritcrusher" for an upcoming Chuck Schuldiner tribute, with James Murphy at the helm. It was a great challenge negotiating Richard Christy's parts, and it is a huge honor to be included in this project." Meanwhile, another King's companion, Hank Shermann (MERCYFUL FATE, VIRUS 7), along with his new formation FORCE OF EVIL (on the picrture, actually, consisting of KING DIAMOND formers) has issued a debut self-titled album in mid-February through Escapi records. Moreover, the DVD is expected on April 13th (April 20th in the USA), which is promised to contain a live show dated back to November 2003 and extra material such as songs from their first concert in Cleveland last year, studio footage, interviews, promo video, image gallery, biography and more. Writing and recording of a new MERCYFUL FATE platter is about to begin... in several years....
At the moment BETHLEHEM is working at the 6th Studio Album called "Kavrassje Vrae". The album will contain 10 new songs and is a mixture of all BETHLEHEM albums. The instruments still are recorded, vocals will follow soon by new vocalist Kemna and Bartsch himself. Album release will be sometime in the end of 2004. Bartsch & Kehren (DEINONYCHUS) started working on a strange perverted electronic project which combines sick & bizarre moods with violent electronic beats, heavy guitars, bass and brutal vocals. Albums are planned for the future.
BORKNAGAR have completed work on their sixth epic genuinely dubbed... "Epic". General line, as it follows from an official statement, apparently continues the perfect one that's been started on "Empiricism" few years ago. The album will be finally out only in June under fair patronage from Century Media. Meanwhile, the band's line-up has crushed once again with a sudden departure of guitar maestro Jens F. Ryland (who's been around since 1997) and bassman Tyr (formerly on stage with EMPEROR). Who will replace them on upcoming tour, has not been stated yet.
Finnish "pagan battle metal" act TURISAS have parted ways with bassist Mikko Tormikoski. TURISAS are currently finishing up work on their debut album, entitled "Battle Metal", at Steel Track Studio in Finland and will be heading back to Sound Suite Studio in Marseille, France to mix the album with producer Terje Refsnes (TRISTANIA, DESTROYER 666, MORGUL). A summer release through Century Media Records is expected.
Young Finnish metallers present us finest power metal with their album "Transition". In CIS and Baltian states it is released through CD-Maximum.
Tracklisting:
01. Skeleton Dance 02. Prince Of Heavy Metal 03. A 1000 Lifetimes 04. Withered Heart 05. The Fugitive 06. Ocean Girl 07. Homewardbound 08. Inside Four Walls 09. Transitional Stage 10. Into the Vortex 11. Touch Of A Prey
Power metal group АРДА from Russia was formed in 2000 by Pavel Okunev - ex-singer of famous Russian band EPIDEMIA, for which Pavel has recorded two albums. In autumn 2003 label CD-Maximum signed a deal with ARDA to release their debut album "O Skitaniyah Vechnykh I O Zemle". Line-up: Pavel Okunev (vocal), Dmitry Protsko (guitar), Igor Peskarev (guitar), Yaroslav Pastukhov (bass), Vlad Alekseenko (drums).
"O Skitaniyah Vechnykh I O Zemle" tracklist:
01. Vozvrashcheniye Gosudarya 02. Pervaya zima 03. V Pustote 04. Melkor 05. Radi Zvezd 06. Net Nikogo 07. O Skitaniyah... 08. Krylataya T'ma 09. Novaya Mechta 10. Fly Away (bonus track)
Bay Area thrashers DEATH ANGEL have announced the final tracklist of their upcoming album "The Art Of Dying":
01. Thrown to the Wolves 02. 5 Steps of Freedom 03. Thicker than Blood 04. The Devil Incarnate 05. Famine 06. Prophecy 07. No 08. Spirit 09. Land of Blood 10. Never Me 11. Word to the Wise
The record will be released on April 26th through Nuclear Blast.
Norway's kings of Black Metal DIMMU BORGIR have won the Norwegian Grammy award "Spellemannsprisen" for their current album "Death Cult Armageddon". The band outrivaled ENSLAVED and OLD MAN'S CHILD that were nominated in the "Metal" category as well. Congratulations!
Dutch progressive metal band TEXTURES has decided to part ways with vocalist Pieter Verpaalen. Due to musical differences both parties decided it would be best to continue without each other. A new vocalist has been found already; Eric Kalsbeek (formerly of BRAINSHAKE) has joined TEXTURES and has performed with them from March 6th. By the way, the band’s video for the song 'Ostensibly impregnable' entered Dutch charts at number one, beating the other classic bands such as METALLICA , SLIPKNOT etc.
In the nearest future DARK FUNERAL fans will be granted a full-length live album, the first such coming from the band for over than ten years of black metal worship. Song material for the platter, vaguely titled «De Profundis Clamavi Ad Te Domine», has been taken during the band’s South America tour in September 2003. Track list is expected to be as following: Intro - The Arrival Of Satan’s Empire - An Apprentice Of Satan - The Dawn No More Rises - Thy Legions Come - Hail Murder - Goddess Of Sodomy - The Secrets Of The Black Arts - Vobiscum Satanas - Shadows Over Transylvania - Open The Gates - Ineffable Kings Of Darkness - Thus I Have Spoken - My Dark Desires - Armageddon Finally Comes.
OUPIRIC Productions (Russia) have made a new issue - MISANTHROPIC ART cassette "Possessed by Bestiality". 50 min of fast
US metal pioneers STEEL PROPHET have signed with Massacre Records! The new album with their new singer Nadir D'Priest will be called "Beware" and will be in stores on June 28th!
England's Anglo Saxon Epic Metallers FOREFATHER recently finished the recordings for their upcoming and meanwhile 4th album titled «Our Is The Kingdom». Forefather-member Wulftstan comments on the new album: " With "Ours is the Kingdom" we've taken Anglo-Saxon Metal to new heights of intensity and power. This time round we consciously focused on shorter, faster songs whilst still retaining the epic elements we're known for. The result is the most varied and compelling album we've produced to date and the best representation of the unique FOREFATHER style. It's been a long time in the making but we think most will agree that it's definitely been worth the wait!"
DRAGONLAND have signed a worldwide multialbum deal with CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS!!! The next album is almost ready for studio recording, which most likely will take place in Studio Fredman before summer. Might as well reveal some new songtitles: To The End of The World - The Returning - Calling My Name - The Dreamseeker - In Perfect Harmony - Starfall - As Madness Took Me
KUWALDA’s new album, named “Spasi i Sohrani”(“Save & Keep Safe”), is to hit the stores early in April. The album is promised to be heavier and more varied than its predecessor, and lyrically concerned with emergency events. That follows directly from the songtitles: 9-11 – Elektricheskaya Smert’ (Death From Electricity) – D.T.P. (Car Crash) – Alkogol’nyi Demon (Alcohol Demon) etc. Among the ones who have participated in recording there is a children choir, and the Lorelyai song is based on a poem by Geighne. 
With the forthcoming release of the mini album "The Dark Secret”, the Italian epic metal band RHAPSODY provides a taste of their long play album that is due in September of this year. It is the debut of a new style of Heavy Metal music created by RHAPSODY known as Film Score Metal.
Black metal legends, THORNS' mastermind, Snorre Ruch has been keeping busy with a variety of extra musical activities involving interesting exponents of the art world since the band's long awaited and much acclaimed self-titled debut in 2002. In the past few months alone, Snorre has created THORNS LTD, a separate outlet from THORNS, dedicated to making experimental music tailored specifically for art exhibitions. Contemporary Norwegian artist, Bjarne Melgaard's exhibition at the Palais De Tokyo museum in Paris earlier this year was Thorns Ltd's debut. A new composition will premier at New York artist, Banks Violet's show in London in September this year.
STRATOVARIUS’ future is under a question! There should be reminded that an unknown person armed with a knife has commited a thugging against Timo Tolkki, the main man of honoured Finnish metallers. That has taken place just after STRATOVARIUS’ show at fest in Granada (Spain) in late February and from that accident Timo’s got his arm and head stabbingly wounded. After a week since that criminal deed Timo Tolkki have published a press release where he says that right by now he’s much worried about his wife’s and daughter’s lives and hence, freezes up any STRATOVARIUS’ activity. In fact, he adds that the band is going to be back to life little after but with a shared line-up only... As we know, since the departure of Timo Kotipelto (the group’s former singer) late last year, weather inside the band has been about to thunder crack...
Regrettably PARADISE LOST have come to the decision to part company with drummer Lee Morris (who’s been around since 1995). The band state personal and musical differences as their reason for taking this action. No replacement has been named as yet, although the new album will continue to be recorded as previously planned.
BLOODHEAD RECORDS are due to issue following titles: VINTERRIKET "Landschaften Ewiger Einsamkeit" and ANGEL’S DECAY "Odiumspace". Both albums will be available in MC format and will hit the stores, respectively, in May and early summer. The autumn release of DATURA’s new CD is expected as well.
DARKTHRONE are getting themselves ready to enter the studio and start on their new album, 'Sardonic Wrath'. "I'm currently under a lot of stress with all my DJing jobs, including Inferno next week," blurts out Fenriz during a quick telephone conversation. "But that's our 12th album, you know. It's another breakfast. We are not changing anything drastically music-wise but we are changing the studio this time. We are changing the studio like people change underwear." 'Sardonic Wrath' is out in September. Through Moonfog, as ever...
Dani & Co are currently working on their Roadrunner debut authentically named “Nymphetamine”. The album is set to release during this summer and right by now infamous musicians occupy Parkgate studios (Battle, England) along with Rob Caggiano (ANTHRAX’s guitarist) in the producer’s seat. About 15-16 absolutely new songs are expected to be shot during record session. Some part of them will make the forthcoming longplay, and the other, as Dave Pybus (bass) says, “will all be released in some shape or form over the next year”.
BESEECH - The half animated video for the titletrack "DRAMA" have been delayed because of techical reasons but will probably be finished in May! Meanwhile, download a fullength liveversion of the song "Bitch" from the new album, recorded at the release party at Sjunde Himlen the 27th February. You can download it from the webpage at http://www.beseech.net in the download/video section.
CD-Maximum have recently released following titles:
SKYCLAD have announced the official release date for their next issue “A Semblance Of Normality”. It is Monday 24th of May.
Read what latest news KIND DIAMOND drumpounder Mr. Matt Thompson has to tell us!
BORKNAGAR have completed work on their sixth epic genuinely dubbed... "Epic". General line, as it follows from an official statement, apparently continues the perfect one that's been started on "Empiricism" few years ago. The album will be finally out only in June under fair patronage from Century Media. Meanwhile, the band's line-up has crushed once again with a sudden departure of guitar maestro Jens F. Ryland (who's been around since 1997) and bassman Tyr (formerly on stage with EMPEROR). Who will replace them on upcoming tour, has not been stated yet.
Finnish "pagan battle metal" act TURISAS have parted ways with bassist Mikko Tormikoski.
Young Finnish metallers present us finest power metal with their album "Transition".
Power metal group АРДА from Russia was formed in 2000 by Pavel Okunev - ex-singer of famous Russian band EPIDEMIA, for which Pavel has recorded two albums. In autumn 2003 label CD-Maximum signed a deal with ARDA to release their debut album "O Skitaniyah Vechnykh I O Zemle".
Russian group HOSTILE BREED has posted online two tracks from upcoming album "The Second Cut":
Norway's kings of Black Metal DIMMU BORGIR have won the Norwegian Grammy award "Spellemannsprisen" for their current album "Death Cult Armageddon". The band outrivaled ENSLAVED and OLD MAN'S CHILD that were nominated in the "Metal" category as well. Congratulations!