Finnish melodic metallers SONATA ARCTICA have scheduled the following summer festival appearances:
Jun. 6-8 - Sauna Open Air - Tampere, Finland Jun. 20 - Monsters Of Rock - Zaragoza, Spain Jun. 21 - Hellfest - Clisson, France Jun. 27-29 - Tuska Open Air - Helsinki, Finland Jun. 28 - Graspop Metal Meeting - Dessel, Belgium Jul. 10-13 - Masters Of Rock - Vizovice, Czech Republic Jul. 11 - Evolution Festival - Milan, Italy Jul. 31- August 2 - Wacken Open Air - Wacken, Germany
France's Radio Metal recently conducted an interview with SONATA ARCTICA keyboardist Henrik Klingenberg and bassist Marko Paasikoski. Listen to the chat in streaming audio ' .
SONATA ARCTICA last year parted ways with guitarist Jani Liimatainen and replaced him with Elias Viljanen.
The band's new album, "Unia", was certified gold in Finland for sales in excess of 15,000 copies. This brings the band's total number of gold albums to seven, with their debut LP, "Ecliptica", and "best-of" compilation, "The Collection", reaching gold status in the past few weeks.
Recorded and mixed at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, "Unia" — which has been available in North America since May 22 — landed on the following international album charts: Finland - #1; Japan - #7; Sweden - #27; Germany - #35; Switzerland - #40; Austria - #62. The "Paid in Full" single also secured the #1 single position in the band's native land.
An audio sample of the new MIDNATTSOL song "Northern Light" is available ' . The track comes off the group's forthcoming second album, entitled "Nordlys" (translated: Northern Light), which will be released via Napalm Records on the following dates:
Mar. 26 - Finland Mar. 28 - Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden Mar. 31 - Rest of Europe Apr. 01 - USA/Canada
The CD was mixed by Tue Madsen and was mastered at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland with Mika Jusilla.
"Nordlys" track listing:
01. Open Your Eyes 02. Skogens Lengsel 03. Northern Light 04. Konkylie 05. Wintertimes 06. Race Of Time 07. New Horizon 08. River Of Virgin Soil 09. En Natt I Nord 10. Octobre (limited-edition bonus track)
Boston-based hardcore/metal band BURY YOUR DEAD will release its new self-titled album on March 18 via Victory Records. The band recently returned to Florida's Audiohammer Studios, the exact facility where their previous release, "Beauty and the Breakdown", was recorded. BURY YOUR DEAD also brought back producer Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, GOD FORBID), continuing with the theme of tradition. BURY YOUR DEAD drummer Mark Castillo previously stated, "All I have to say is the new BURY YOUR DEAD isn't what people are going to expect. You really have to hear this."
"Bury Your Dead" track listing:
01. Sympathy Orchestra 02. Disposably Yours 03. Fever Dream 04. Infidels Hymn 05. Angel With A Dirty Face 06. Hands To Hide The Shame 07. Wombdisease 08. A Devils Ransom 09. Dust To Dust 10. Fools Gold 11. Year One
Check out the song "Sympathy Orchestra" on the ' .
PAIN, the Swedish band featuring HYPOCRISY mainman Peter Tägtgren, is currently on the road in Europe as the support act for NIGHTWISH. The band has launched a ' where the bandmembers promise to "keep you updated with news and share whatever happens during the tour. Everything you read or see on this blog is exclusively uncensored. Similarities with now living persons is total coincidence."
As previously reported, guitarist Marcus Jidell (ROYAL HUNT, HOUSE OF SHAKIRA) is once again part of PAIN's touring lineup.
CHILDREN OF BODOM's video for the new single "Blooddrunk" can be viewed ' . The clip, which was produced by Katapult Filmproduktion, was shot in the former Nazi barracks in Krampnitz in the vicinity of Berlin, Germany, where the Russian army was stationed before the German reunion.
Spinefarm Records will release a digipack version of CHILDREN OF BODOM's new album, "Blooddrunk", on April 9. The set will include a bonus DVD featuring the songs mixed in 5.1 Surround Sound, the "Blooddrunk" video, a "making-of-the-video" segment, and a photo gallery. In addition, the CD will feature CHILDREN OF BODOM's cover of STAN JONES' "Ghost Riders In The Sky" as a bonus track.
"Blooddrunk" digipack details:
CD:
01. Hellhounds On My Trail 02. Blooddrunk 03. LoBodomy 04. One Day You Will Cry 05. Smile Pretty For The Devil 06. Tie My Rope 07. Done With Everything, Die For Nothing 08. Banned From Heaven 09. Roadkill Morning 10. Ghost Riders In The Sky
DVD:
01. Blooddrunk (video) 02. Making of the Video 03. Hellhounds On My Trail (Surround Sound) 04. Blooddrunk (Surround Sound) 05. LoBodomy (Surround Sound) 06. One Day You Will Cry (Surround Sound) 07. Smile Pretty For The Devil (Surround Sound) 08. Tie My Rope (Surround Sound) 09. Done With Everything, Die For Nothing (Surround Sound) 10. Banned From Heaven (Surround Sound) 11. Roadkill Morning (Surround Sound) 12. Photo Gallery
Fan-filmed video footage of CHILDREN OF BODOM performing the new song "Tie My Rope" for the first time at this year's annual Spinefeast event (dubbed Spinefeast At Sea 2008), which took place January 31 - February 1 aboard the Tallink Galaxy cruise chip in Finland, can be viewed below.
The UK's What Records will release three limited-edition versions of CHILDREN OF BODOM's "Blooddrunk" single on March 3:
01. Blooddrunk 02. No Commands (previously released STONE cover) + CHILDREN OF BODOM sticker
A new CHILDREN OF BODOM song, entitled "Banned From Heaven", is available for streaming on the ' . The track comes off, "Blooddrunk", which is scheduled for release in North America on April 15 via Spinefarm/Fontana International. The CD is due in Europe on April 7 via Spinefarm Records (two days later in Finland). Check out the album artwork ' .
Norwegian melodic metal band PICTURES OF PAIN will enter Black Dimension studios at the end of February to begin recording its debut album. The CD will contain eight tracks and will be produced by Stein Sund, who has previously worked with THRONE OF KATARSIS and THUNDRA, among others.
PICTURES OF PAIN was formed in 2004 by Frode Gundersen (drums) and Hans Helge Iversen (vocals). They were later joined by Roy Ostrem (bass) and Rune Fredriksen (guitar). The group recorded its first demo in November 2005. A second studio recording followed in July 2006.
Austrian symphonic metal band EDENBRIDGE will release its sixth studio album, "MyEarthDream", on April 25 via Napalm Records. ' was created by Anthony Clarkson, who has previously worked with BLIND GUARDIAN, among other artists.
"MyEarthDream" track listing:
01. The Force Within 02. Shadowplay 03. Remember Me 04. Adamantine 05. Paramount 06. Whale Rider 07. Undying Devotion 08. Fallen From Grace 09. Place Of Higher Power 10. MyEarthDream Suite (For Guitar And Orchestra) 11. MyEarthDream
Wilmington, North Carolina-based rock/post-hardcore band HE IS LEGEND has parted ways with guitarist Mitch Marlow and replaced him with Worth Weaver (FRIENDS FOR HIRE). Marlow left the group after accepting an offer to join the recently reunited FILTER.
HE IS LEGEND is currently writing material for its third album, which the band plans to begin recording later this year.
The group released its second full-length CD, "Suck out the Poison", in October 2006 via Solid State Records.
"21", the new video from Swedish metallers WITHIN Y, can be viewed ' . The clip was directed by Dino Medanhodzic (guitar player in CARNAL FORGE and SOULBREACH) from Arboga, Sweden.
"21" comes off the Swedish melodic death metal band's third album, "The Cult", which is scheduled for release on February 27 via the Gothenburg-based label Gain. The CD artwork was created by Niklas Sundin of DARK TRANQUILLITY and Cabin Fever Media.
"The Cult" track listing:
01. Deathtrip 02. 21 03. The Cult 04. Bittersweet Suicide 05. The Predictable End 06. My Fall 07. King Of Flies 08. Self Refinement 09. Strive 10. Facing Reality
WITHIN Y has scheduled a CD-release party on February 29 at Sticky Fingers in Gothenburg, Sweden. Also appearing on the bill is LAETHORA.
Swedish melodic black metallers SIEBENBÜRGEN have announced the addition of guitarist Joakim Ohlsson and vocalist Lisa Bohwalli Simonsson to the group's ranks. This 22 year-old-female from Stockholm "just amazed SIEBENBÜRGEN with her vocal performance, resulting in a full membership in the metal act," according to a press release.
Commented singer Marcus Ehlin, "Our first decision was to exclude the female parts in our music, but after hearing Lisa's voice, we changed our minds."
SIEBENBÜRGEN will enter the studio on March 1 to begin recording its new album for a May 23 release via Germany's Massacre Records. Entitled "Revelation VI", the upcoming CD will be recorded at Studio 301 in Stockholm and Sonic Train in Varberg.
The complete track listing of the new TIAMAT album, "Amanethes", which is scheduled for release on April 18 via Nuclear Blast Records, is revealed. The CD was once again produced at Woodhouse Studios in Germany with Siggi Bemm.
"Amanethes" track listing:
01. The Temple Of The Crescent Moon 02. Equinox Of The Gods 03. Until The Hellhounds Sleep Again 04. Will They Come? 05. Lucienne 06. Summertime Is Gone 07. Katarraktis Apo Aima 08. Raining Dead Angels 09. Misantropolis 10. Amanitis 11. Meliae 12. Via Dolorosa 13. Circles 14. Amanes
TIAMAT's last studio album, "Prey", was released in 2003 through Century Media.
SLAYER was honored with a Grammy in the "Best Metal Performance" category in the pre-telecast ceremony at the 50th annual Grammy Awards, which are being held tonight (Sunday, February 10) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. SLAYER was nominated for the track "The Final Six", from the band's 2007 limited-edition "Christ Illusion". The song, written by SLAYER's vocalist/bassist Tom Araya and guitarist Jeff Hanneman and produced by Josh Abraham, is a chilling look at an hypothesized end of the world. The track made its debut last July as the "Single of the Week" on MySpace where it has since accumulated some 750,000 plays, an astounding number for a song that received no commercial airplay.
Swedish/German extreme metallers ARCH ENEMY have scheduled two shows in Russia in April. Vocalist Angela Gossow comments, "We are very excited to meet our Russian fans! We have heard a lot of crazy stories about YOU — and we sincerely hope they are all true!"
The dates are as follows:
April 15 - St Petersburg, Russia - Port April 16 - Moscow, Russia - DK Gorbunova
ARCH ENEMY was honored with the P3 Guld award (for the band's critically acclaimed "Rise of the Tyrant" release) from Swedish radio station P3 in the "Best Rock/Metal Album of the Year" category. The awards show was broadcasted live on national radio on January 18.
ARCH ENEMY's video for the song "Revolution Begins" can be viewed at ' . The clip was shot in early September just days before ARCH ENEMY flew to North America to begin the Black Tyranny tour (with MACHINE HEAD, THROWDOWN and SANCTITY). To promote their new album, "Rise of the Tyrant", the band shot two videos in Gothenburg, Sweden with director Patric Ullaeus (IN FLAMES, LACUNA COIL).
After recently celebrating the band's 20-year anniversary, DREAM THEATER returns with its first-ever best-of collection. Spanning 1991-2005, the two-disc set contains rare single edits, B-sides and a trio of new remixes that spotlight that band's nonpareil musicianship, complex arrangements and amazing songwriting.
The collection's 22 songs are split evenly between two discs, which are divided into "The Dark Side" (the metallic) and "The Light Side" (the melodic). Filled with some of the band's most sinister sounds, the first disc lives up to the billing of "The Dark Side."
"Greatest Hit (...& 21 Other Pretty Cool Songs)" track listing:
Disc 1 (The Dark Side): 01. Pull Me Under (2007 Remix) 02. Take The Time (2007 Remix) 03. Lie (Single Edit) 04. Peruvian Skies 05. Home (Single Edit) 06. Misunderstood (Single Edit) 07. The Test That Stumped Them All 08. As I Am 09. Endless Sacrifice 10. The Root Of All Evil 11. Sacrificed Sons
Disc 2 (The Light Side): 01. Another Day (2007 Remix) 02. To Live Forever 03. Lifting Shadows Off A Dream 04. The Silent Man 05. Hollow Years 06. Through Her Eyes (Alternate Album Mix) 07. The Spirit Carries On 08. Solitary Shell (Single Edit) 09. I Walk Beside You 10. The Answer Lies Within 11. Disappear
SCUM, the Norwegian/American project featuring Samoth (ZYKLON, ex-EMPEROR), Bard G. Eithun (a.k.a. Faust) (ex-EMPEROR), Happy Tom (TURBONEGRO), Casey Chaos (AMEN) and Cosmocrator (MINDGRINDER), has had its 2005 debut album, "Gospels for the Sick", made available on limited-edition vinyl.
To order a copy, click ' .
"Gospels for the Sick" was released in Europe via Dogjob Records (a division of Tuba) and Candlelight Records in the U.S. The CD was recorded at Crystal Canyon Studio (TURBONEGRO, WE, EUROBOY) in Norway and features guest appearances by Mortiis, Nocturno Culto (DARKTHRONE) and Knut "Euroboy" Schreider (TURBONEGRO, EUROBOYS).
A video for the album cut "Protest Life" can be viewed ' .
Dutch metallers WARMASTER have inked a deal with Dutch Metal Records. The group's long-awaited debut CD, "First War", will be released on March 24.
"First War" was recorded and mixed at A.M. Studio (INFINITED HATE, FUNERAL WINDS, DARK REMAINS) and was mastered by Robbe K. According to a press release, WARMASTER "has created an album which takes death metal back to basics, yet agressive music and is determined to conquer the metal scene!"
01. Testimony From The Grave 02. Unleashing Devilment 03. Silent Scream 04. Against Heavy Odds 05. Psychological Suffering 06. In Cold Blood 07. Silent 08. 1914
Century Media Records has set a February 22 German release date for "Slave to the Dark", a comprehensive box set featuring all 14 CDs plus a DVD covering the band's years as a Century Media recording artist. The set includes the following titles:
* Iced Earth (1990) * Night of the Stormrider (1991) * Burnt Offerings (1995) * The Dark Saga (1996) * Days of Purgatory (1997) * Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998) * Alive in Athens (Live) (1999) * Melancholy (2001) * Horror Show (2001) * Dark Genesis (2001) * Tribute to the Gods (2002) * The Blessed and the Damned (Best Of) (2004) * Alive in Athens (DVD) (2006)
"We Rock", the new video from Finnish metallers NORTHER, can be viewed ' .
Commented the group: "We shot our new video some time ago. It's looking damn good and will be something a way cooler than we've ever done before. We did the video with [the Helsinki-based] Tunne Productions. I must say that besides being really pro guys they were also really nice and everything went smoothly."
"We Rock" is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page. The track comes off the group's new album, "N", which will be released through Century Media Records on the following dates:
Feb. 13 - Finland Feb. 22 - Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, BeNeLux Feb. 25 - UK, France, Denmark, Greece, Norway Feb. 26 - Spain, Portugal Feb. 29 - Sweden, Hungary
The CD was recorded and produced by longtime partner Anssi Kippo (CHILDREN OF BODOM) at Astia Studios and mixed by Fredrik Nordstrom (DARK TRANQUILLITY, ARCH ENEMY, IN FLAMES) at Studio Fredman in Sweden.
According to a press release, "N" sees NORTHER "perfecting their mix of ripping riffs, aggressive vocals and epic melodies and will be premiered live at the well-known Finnish Metal Expo on February 16, 2008 in Helsinki. With the release of the massive metal anthem 'We Rock' as Finland-only single plus a new video currently in the works NORTHER are destined to induce 2008 with a metallic kick-off par excellence."
"N" track listing:
01. My Antichrist 02. Frozen Angel 03. Down 04. To Hell 05. Savior 06. Black Gold 07. We Rock 08. Always & Never 09. Tell Me Why 10. If You Go 11. Self-Righteous Fuck 12. Forever And Ever 13. Sabotage (Japanese Bonus Track)
"N" will be available as a CD and limited edition digipak including three bonus tracks.
Awake/Strong will release a hardcore compilation, entitled "Music by People Like Us", on March 25. In the vein of the classic compilations, "Music By People Like Us" is a time stamp of where hardcore is now. The legends that are still going, such as AGNOSTIC FRONT, SICK OF IT ALL, and MADBALL, to the new crop like WISDOM IN CHAINS, EVERYDAY DOLLARS, and BLACKLISTED (28 bands in total), are featured, all with an unreleased or previously released song. Inlay contains write-ins from people all over the world with their thoughts or stories for each band.
"Music By People Like Us" track listing:
01. WISDOM IN CHAINS - Land Of Kings 02. EVERYDAY DOLLARS - Supply And Demand 03. MADBALL - Infiltrate The System 04. DISTRICT 9 - Addicts * w/ Armando F451 05. SICK OF IT ALL - Die Alone 06. BLACKLISTED - How Quickly We Forget (Again) 07. MY TURN TO WIN - Hear Me Now 08. GO IT ALONE - Love 09. KILL YOUR IDOLS - Miserable And Satisfied 10. MODERN LIFE IS WAR - The Outsiders 11. DEATHCYCLE - Suicide Seeds 12. PULLING TEETH - Ashes And Dust 13. ONE 4 ONE - This Day 14. BLOOD FOR BLOOD - Hanging On The Corner 15. SKARE TACTIC - Down For Life 16. BRING OUT YOUR DEAD - ...and When The Dramamine Wears Off 17. WALTER SCHREIFELS - Open Letter 18. FAHRENHEIT 451 - And I 19. ALWAYS UPRISING - Get Up & Go 20. IGNITE - Poverty For All 21. AGNOSTIC FRONT - Addiction 22. 20 BULLS EACH - Bow Down 23. H2O - 1995 (Demo) 24. AMBITIONS - Overstep 25. SUBHOODZ - 454 Big Block 26. OLDE YORK - Still Believe 27. DEATHKILLER - New England Is Sinking 28. KILLING KINGS - Failure Eclipse
The CD is available for pre-order exclusively via ' and includes a free t-shirt.
Swiss folk metal band ELUVEITIE is streaming its new album, "Slania", in its entirety on the ' . Due in Germany on February 15 via Nuclear Blast Records, the follow-up to 2006's "Spirit" is "the perfection of the first album, but still there is enough room to give some new influences a chance," according to a press release. 'Expect nothing less than a masterpiece of hellish heavy folk metal with an 'x' factor!"
New York's PSYCHOMANTHIUM, which features former and current members of NEGLECT, ARKHAM 13 and SHALLOWS OF THE MUNDANE, has inked a deal with No Joke Records. The group's debut album, "Blueprint for Murder", will be released on July 1.
"Blueprint for Murder" track listing:
01. Ravenous 02. Cast Out 03. Reborn From Darkness 04. Till I Bleed 05. Blueprint for Murder 06. 40 Days 07. The Confession 08. Bloodshed 09. Tree of Woe 10. Evil Dead 11. Virulent Disention 12. From the Shadows 13. The Zero Hour 14. Enter the Psychomanthiumn
HeavyMetalSource.com conducted an interview with Matt DeVries and Rob Arnold of CHIMAIRA on February 2, 2008 at The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts. ' .
CHIMAIRA's latest album, "Resurrection", sold 16,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release back in March 2007 to debut at position No. 42 on The Billboard 200 chart.
The band's "Resurrection" video was directed by Todd Bell and features an appearance by Mixed Martial Arts fighter Mavrick.
Finnish folk/pagan metal band MOONSORROW will release a new EP, entitled "Tulimyrsky" (Firestorm), on March 26 through Spinefarm Records. The track listing for the CD is as follows:
01. Tulimyrsky (new song) 02. For Whom The Bell Tolls (METALLICA cover) 03. Taistelu Pohjolasta (from the "Tama Ikuinen Talvi" demo) 04. Hvergelmir (from the "Metsa" demo) 05. Back To North (MERCILESS cover)
Chicago-area psychedelic black metal group NACHTMYSTIUM has posted a new song, entitled "Your True Enemy", on the band's ' . The track comes off NACHTMYSTIUM's new album, "Assassins", due this spring via Candlelight Records in Europe and Century Media in the rest of the world. According to the band, "the [recording] session [for the new CD] was the perfect combination of productive and destructive, and the proof is the music itself."
"Assassins" was recorded at Volume Studios in Chicago with producer Sanford Parker (MINSK, YAKUZA, BIBLE OF THE DEVIL). The CD features a guest appearance on drums by Tony Laureano (DIMMU BORGIR, ANGELCORPSE, NILE).
Finnish progressive metallers ADAMANTRA have posted the song "Shattered" on their ' . The track comes off the group's debut album, which was recently mixed by Mikko Mustonen (best known for his work with NORTHERN KINGS, a band consisting of members of NIGHTWISH and SONATA ARCTICA, among other groups).
ADAMANTRA is about to start the first round of label negotiations for the release of the album.
According to ADAMANTRA's official bio, the group's influences include the progressive metal greats SYMPHONY X, DREAM THEATER and SHADOW GALLERY as well as the traditional power metal bands BLIND GUARDIAN and RHAPSODY.
"The Scarecrow", the new album from AVANTASIA — the solo project of EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet — has registered the following first-week European chart positions:
"The Scarecrow" is being streamed in its entirety at ' .
An e-card for the CD can be accessed at ' .
"The Scarecrow" was released on January 25 as a standard CD as well as rare picture (double) vinyl.
"The Scarecrow" features guest appearances by the following artists:
Alice Cooper (vocals) Amanda Somerville (vocals) Bob Catley (MAGNUM; vocals) Jorn Lande (ex-MASTERPLAN; vocals) Kai Hansen (GAMMA RAY; guitar) Michael Kiske (ex-HELLOWEEN; vocals) Oliver Hartmann Roy Khan (KAMELOT; vocals) Rudolf Schenker (SCORPIONS; guitar)
Polish avantgarde/metal band ETERNAL DEFORMITY will release its next album, "Frozen Circus", on February 29 via Code666. The CD will be distributed by SPV in Germany and Aural Music in all other territories.
"Frozen Circus" was recorded at Zed Studio with help from Tomasz Zalewski.
The track listing for the album is as follows:
01. Retrospection 02. The Force of your Heart 03. Unholy Divine 04. Little 15 05. Crime 06. So Silent 07. Thor's Message 08. Endless Night 09. Lovelorn
Check out the song "Lovelorn" on the ' .
ETERNAL DEFORMITY was founded in 1993 and has released four records so far: "Forgotten Distant Time" (1994), "Nothing Lasts Forever" (1998), "In The Abyss Of Dreams... Furious Memories" (2000), and "The Serpent Design" (2002).
"01011001", the new rock opera from AYREON — the brainchild of Dutch guitarist/composer Arjen Lucassen — has entered the Dutch "alternative chart" at position No. 1 and the overall Dutch album chart at No. 2 — the highest Dutch chart positions so far for any AYREON release! The album also entered the German album chart at number 18, which is the highest ever for AYREON and for any InsideOut Music release. It also entered the Swedish album charts at number 54, and the French charts at number 90 — again the band's highest positions ever in those countries.
In other news, "01011001" will be released on vinyl. The details and artwork are still being finalized, but you can look forward to a triple album on colored vinyl.
The complete list of musicians who appear on the album is as follows:
Vocalists:
Daniel Gildenlöw (PAIN OF SALVATION) Tom Englund (EVERGREY) Hansi Kürsch (BLIND GUARDIAN) Anneke van Giersbergen (AGUA DE ANNIQUE, THE GATHERING) Jonas Renkse (KATATONIA) Bob Catley (MAGNUM) Jorn Lande (MASTERPLAN) Floor Jansen (AFTER FOREVER) Steve Lee (GOTTHARD) Magali Luyten (VIRUS IV) Ty Tabor (KING'S X) Simone Simons (EPICA) Liselotte Hegt (DIAL) Phideaux Marjan Welman Wudstik Arjen Lucassen
Instrumentalists:
Arjen Lucassen: Guitar, Keyboards, Synths, Bass Guitar, Programming Tomas Bodin (THE FLOWER KINGS): Keyboards Derek Sherinian (PLANET X): Keyboards Joost van den Broek (AFTER FOREVER, STAR ONE): Keyboards Michael Romeo (SYMPHONY X): Guitar Lori Linstruth (ex-STREAM OF PASSION): Guitar Ed Warby (GOREFEST): Drums Jeroen Goossens (FLAIRCK): Flute Ben Mathot (DIS): Violin David Faber: Cello
Calgary, Alberta, Canada-based metallers DIVINITY recently flimed a video for the song "Plasma" with director Doug Cook. Check out pictures from the video shoot at ' .
"Plasma" comes off the group's debut album, "Allegory", due on March 28 via Nuclear Blast Records.
Check out audio samples at ' .
DIVINITY is:
James Duncan - Guitars Brett Duncan - Drums Sacha Laskow - Lead Guitars, Vocals Nick Foster - Bass, Vocals
Holland's Sworn Records has announced the signing of the Ukrainian dark metal act CAPITOLLIUM.
According to a press release, "CAPITOLLIUM were formed in the year 2000 in Lviv. They have to date released four albums on Eastern European labels. Their upcoming album, 'Bloodfall of Flesh', will be their first with global distribution.
"The album features nine tracks of symphonic dark metal, most comparable to a mix of SEPTIC FLESH and more black metal-orientated bands such as ROTTING CHRIST and DIMMU BORGIR. The album furthermore features female backing vocals performed by a professional opera singer!"
"Bloodfall of Flesh" is scheduled for release in May. A preview MP3 is available on the ' .
Finnish melodic metallers SONATA ARCTICA have scheduled the following summer festival appearances:
An audio sample of the new MIDNATTSOL song "Northern Light" is available ' . The track comes off the group's forthcoming second album, entitled "Nordlys" (translated: Northern Light), which will be released via Napalm Records on the following dates:
Boston-based hardcore/metal band BURY YOUR DEAD will release its new self-titled album on March 18 via Victory Records. The band recently returned to Florida's Audiohammer Studios, the exact facility where their previous release, "Beauty and the Breakdown", was recorded. BURY YOUR DEAD also brought back producer Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, GOD FORBID), continuing with the theme of tradition. BURY YOUR DEAD drummer Mark Castillo previously stated, "All I have to say is the new BURY YOUR DEAD isn't what people are going to expect. You really have to hear this."
PAIN, the Swedish band featuring HYPOCRISY mainman Peter Tägtgren, is currently on the road in Europe as the support act for NIGHTWISH. The band has launched a ' where the bandmembers promise to "keep you updated with news and share whatever happens during the tour. Everything you read or see on this blog is exclusively uncensored. Similarities with now living persons is total coincidence."
CHILDREN OF BODOM's video for the new single "Blooddrunk" can be viewed ' . The clip, which was produced by Katapult Filmproduktion, was shot in the former Nazi barracks in Krampnitz in the vicinity of Berlin, Germany, where the Russian army was stationed before the German reunion.
Norwegian melodic metal band PICTURES OF PAIN will enter Black Dimension studios at the end of February to begin recording its debut album. The CD will contain eight tracks and will be produced by Stein Sund, who has previously worked with THRONE OF KATARSIS and THUNDRA, among others.
Austrian symphonic metal band EDENBRIDGE will release its sixth studio album, "MyEarthDream", on April 25 via Napalm Records. ' was created by Anthony Clarkson, who has previously worked with BLIND GUARDIAN, among other artists.
Wilmington, North Carolina-based rock/post-hardcore band HE IS LEGEND has parted ways with guitarist Mitch Marlow and replaced him with Worth Weaver (FRIENDS FOR HIRE). Marlow left the group after accepting an offer to join the recently reunited FILTER.
"21", the new video from Swedish metallers WITHIN Y, can be viewed ' . The clip was directed by Dino Medanhodzic (guitar player in CARNAL FORGE and SOULBREACH) from Arboga, Sweden.
Swedish melodic black metallers SIEBENBÜRGEN have announced the addition of guitarist Joakim Ohlsson and vocalist Lisa Bohwalli Simonsson to the group's ranks. This 22 year-old-female from Stockholm "just amazed SIEBENBÜRGEN with her vocal performance, resulting in a full membership in the metal act," according to a press release.
The complete track listing of the new TIAMAT album, "Amanethes", which is scheduled for release on April 18 via Nuclear Blast Records, is revealed. The CD was once again produced at Woodhouse Studios in Germany with Siggi Bemm.
SLAYER was honored with a Grammy in the "Best Metal Performance" category in the pre-telecast ceremony at the 50th annual Grammy Awards, which are being held tonight (Sunday, February 10) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. SLAYER was nominated for the track "The Final Six", from the band's 2007 limited-edition "Christ Illusion". The song, written by SLAYER's vocalist/bassist Tom Araya and guitarist Jeff Hanneman and produced by Josh Abraham, is a chilling look at an hypothesized end of the world. The track made its debut last July as the "Single of the Week" on MySpace where it has since accumulated some 750,000 plays, an astounding number for a song that received no commercial airplay.
Swedish/German extreme metallers ARCH ENEMY have scheduled two shows in Russia in April. Vocalist Angela Gossow comments, "We are very excited to meet our Russian fans! We have heard a lot of crazy stories about YOU — and we sincerely hope they are all true!"
Disc 1 (The Dark Side):
SCUM, the Norwegian/American project featuring Samoth (ZYKLON, ex-EMPEROR), Bard G. Eithun (a.k.a. Faust) (ex-EMPEROR), Happy Tom (TURBONEGRO), Casey Chaos (AMEN) and Cosmocrator (MINDGRINDER), has had its 2005 debut album, "Gospels for the Sick", made available on limited-edition vinyl.
Dutch metallers WARMASTER have inked a deal with Dutch Metal Records. The group's long-awaited debut CD, "First War", will be released on March 24.
Century Media Records has set a February 22 German release date for "Slave to the Dark", a comprehensive box set featuring all 14 CDs plus a DVD covering the band's years as a Century Media recording artist. The set includes the following titles:
"We Rock", the new video from Finnish metallers NORTHER, can be viewed ' .
Awake/Strong will release a hardcore compilation, entitled "Music by People Like Us", on March 25. In the vein of the classic compilations, "Music By People Like Us" is a time stamp of where hardcore is now. The legends that are still going, such as AGNOSTIC FRONT, SICK OF IT ALL, and MADBALL, to the new crop like WISDOM IN CHAINS, EVERYDAY DOLLARS, and BLACKLISTED (28 bands in total), are featured, all with an unreleased or previously released song. Inlay contains write-ins from people all over the world with their thoughts or stories for each band.
Swiss folk metal band ELUVEITIE is streaming its new album, "Slania", in its entirety on the ' . Due in Germany on February 15 via Nuclear Blast Records, the follow-up to 2006's "Spirit" is "the perfection of the first album, but still there is enough room to give some new influences a chance," according to a press release. 'Expect nothing less than a masterpiece of hellish heavy folk metal with an 'x' factor!"
HeavyMetalSource.com conducted an interview with Matt DeVries and Rob Arnold of CHIMAIRA on February 2, 2008 at The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts. ' .
Finnish folk/pagan metal band MOONSORROW will release a new EP, entitled "Tulimyrsky" (Firestorm), on March 26 through Spinefarm Records. The track listing for the CD is as follows:
Chicago-area psychedelic black metal group NACHTMYSTIUM has posted a new song, entitled "Your True Enemy", on the band's ' . The track comes off NACHTMYSTIUM's new album, "Assassins", due this spring via Candlelight Records in Europe and Century Media in the rest of the world. According to the band, "the [recording] session [for the new CD] was the perfect combination of productive and destructive, and the proof is the music itself."
Finnish progressive metallers ADAMANTRA have posted the song "Shattered" on their ' . The track comes off the group's debut album, which was recently mixed by Mikko Mustonen (best known for his work with NORTHERN KINGS, a band consisting of members of NIGHTWISH and SONATA ARCTICA, among other groups).
Polish avantgarde/metal band ETERNAL DEFORMITY will release its next album, "Frozen Circus", on February 29 via Code666. The CD will be distributed by SPV in Germany and Aural Music in all other territories.
"01011001", the new rock opera from AYREON — the brainchild of Dutch guitarist/composer Arjen Lucassen — has entered the Dutch "alternative chart" at position No. 1 and the overall Dutch album chart at No. 2 — the highest Dutch chart positions so far for any AYREON release! The album also entered the German album chart at number 18, which is the highest ever for AYREON and for any InsideOut Music release. It also entered the Swedish album charts at number 54, and the French charts at number 90 — again the band's highest positions ever in those countries.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada-based metallers DIVINITY recently flimed a video for the song "Plasma" with director Doug Cook. Check out pictures from the video shoot at ' .
Holland's Sworn Records has announced the signing of the Ukrainian dark metal act CAPITOLLIUM.