Acclaimed Swedish prog-metal band ANDROMEDA will release their third album, "Chimera", in Japan on January 21, 2006 via Marquee/Avalon. A release date for North America, Europe and the rest of the world will soon be announced.
ANDROMEDA's debut album, "Extension of the Wish" (2001), was re-released in Europe via New Hawen/Century Media. The new version features vocals by new singer David Fremberg, a new mix and two bonus tracks,
Chimera" track listing:
01. Periscope 02. In the End 03. The Hidden Riddle 04. Going Under 05. The Cage of Me 06. No Guidelines 07. Iskenderun 08. Inner Circle 09. Blink of an Eye
Finnish metallers NORTHER have lined up the following dates in February/March:
Feb. 25 - Kuopio, FIN - Henry´s Pub Mar. 10 - Helsinki, FIN – Tavastia
As previously reported, NORTHER have set "Till Death Unites Us" as the title of their new album, due on January 25, 2006 via Spinefarm. A single, entitled "Scream", will precede the album before the end of the year.
"Till Death Unites Us" track listing (in no particular order):
01. Scream 02. Throwing My Life Away 03. The End of Our Lives 04. Evil Ladies 05. Drowning 06. Die 07. Everything 08. Alone In the End 09. Norther 10. Omen 11. Fuck You 12. Wasted Years
NORTHER's last release was an EP, entitled "Solution 7". The band's third full-length album, "Death Unlimited", was issued last year through Spinefarm Records.
Drakkar has set a March 3, 2006 release date for the new album from Finland's LORDI, entitled "The Arockalypse". The CD will feature guest appearances by former ACCEPT frontman Udo Dirkschneider (on "They Only Come Out at the Night") and ex-KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick (on "Snowing in Hell").
"Udo has my absolute favourite heavy metal voice," said LORDI leader Mr. Lordi. "I saw U.D.O. on the 'Animal House' tour in 1998. I was there in the first row, and since that I've been to every single U.D.O. and ACCEPT gig in Finland. His voice has influenced me a lot. I'm sure that some fans may have noticed how I sometimes desperately try to imitate his singing style," Mr. Lordi laughed.
Regarding Bruce Kulick's appearance on the CD, LORDI guitarist Amen said, "We are all huge KISS fans, so to co-operate with a legend like Mr. Kulick is the greatest honor we could get! I remember when I was a kid and I saw KISS's video 'Who Wants to Be Lonely' where Bruce Kulick is playing a solo in a shower. Well, of course I wanted to be like him! Me and my friends went to my parents' garden, and while the others spurted water all over me I was playing a guitar — it was a lot of fun! This is something I never could have imagined, even in my wildest dreams. To play guitar on the same track with Bruce Kulick is just unbelievable."
"Without KISS, we wouldn't have our little band", added Mr. Lordi. "I grew up in the '80s, and I grew up with KISS with Bruce in the group. So, for me personally in some way, Bruce Kulick is the 'real' lead guitarist of KISS! Also, KISS's musical influence on LORDI comes primarily from the Eighties lineup."
Sweden's KATATONIA have set "The Great Cold Distance" as the title of their seventh full-length album, due on March 13, 2006 via Peaceville Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Viva Emptiness" was recorded at Fascination Street studios in the outskirts of Örebro, Sweden and was mastered at the Cutting Room in Stockholm.
"The Great Cold Distance" track listing:
01. Leaders 02. Deliberation 03. Soil's Song 04. My Twin 05. Consternation 06. Follower 07. Rusted 08. Increase 09. July 10. In The White 11. The Itch 12. Journey Through Pressure
A single, "My Twin", will precede the album on February 13. The single, which will be available for paid download on February 6, will feature the following track listing:
01. My Twin (Single Edit) 02. My Twin (Opium Dub) 03. Displaced 04. Dissolving Bonds
Download an audio sample of "My Twin" and view the album/single artwork (plus new band photo) at ' .
Among prog-metal lovers, the Sarasota-Bradenton band CRIMSON GLORY is semi-legendary, a rival to QUEENSRŸCHE and TOOL — especially in Europe, where its out-of-print albums are highly sought collectors' items.
It's been six years since the band released its last album, and 16 years since it performed with its classic lineup.
That will change in 2006, when CRIMSON GLORY celebrates the 20th anniversary of its first album with reissues of its back catalog, new releases of rare audio and video, and live performances, says founder/guitarist Jon Drenning.
"There's a tremendous amount of loyal fans around the world who love this band, and they're making it possible for this to happen, because they keep demanding moюre material from CRIMSON GLORY," Drenning said.
Drenning has reassembled original members Midnight (lead vocals), Ben Jackson (guitar) and Jeff Lords (bass). The drummer has yet to be announced.
The reunion will include:
Remastered reissues of the band's self-titled first CD, originally released in 1986, "Transcendence" (1988) and "Astronomica" (1999), all on Black Lotus Records. All will contain previously unreleased tracks; "Astronomica" may include Midnight's vocals for the first time and a new video shot at the pyramids in Egypt.
A DVD featuring never-before-released live footage, including a 1989 concert at the Manatee Civic Center.
An anthology box set, "Valley of Shadows, Kingdoms of Light".
Live performances at various European festivals.
The band also plans on recording an all-new album for 2007, backed by a tour.
All this begs one question: Will CRIMSON GLORY once again don the face masks synonymous with its name?
"Being that it's part of our history, I think we will to some degree," Drenning said. "Maybe for (concert) encores, we'll put the masks back on."
According to the official DIO fan club newsletter, DIO will be working on a new album in January/February and going back on the road sometime in March for an extended South American tour. The band will resume work on the new CD in April/May, with plans to complete the album by the end of the year. The band's management has also confirmed that DIO will be making several European festival appearances during June, July and August. No U.S. tour plans for 2006 have yet been announced.
The current DIO touring lineup includes guitarist Doug Aldrich (WHITESNAKE), who has been filling in for an injured Craig Goldy since early October. Craig was previously said to have hurt his arm while touring Russia and was trying to continue to play the shows on painkillers, but was eventually forced to leave the trek.
Aldrich's sole studio recording with DIO came in the shape of 2002's "Killing the Dragon", after which he toured with the group before leaving to join the touring lineup of WHITESNAKE.
CADAVERIA, the Italian band featuring former OPERA IX vocalist Cadaveria and ex-OPERA IX drummer/NECRODEATH vocalist Marçelo Santos (a.k.a. Flegias), have finished writing ten new songs their third album, tentatively due next year via Scarlet Records. The recordings for the new CD will begin in early 2006.
CADAVERIA's sophomore album, "Far Away From Conformity", was released in early 2004. The follow-up to 2002's "The Shadows' Madame" was recorded and mixed at Capitan Woofer Studio in Italy and was mastered at the Mastering Room in Sweden.
The cover artwork for the upcoming IN FLAMES album, "Come Clarity", has been posted online at ' .
As previously reported, "Come Clarity" will include a free bonus DVD featuring the band performing the album in full in a rehearsal room, akin to what METALLICA did with initial versions of their "St. Anger" album. In addition, one of the album's songs — "Dead End" — features the vocals of Swedish singer/songwriter Lisa Miskovsky.
"Come Clarity", is scheduled for a February 7, 2006 North American release through Ferret Records. The CD will be issued in Europe on February 6, 2006 via Nuclear Blast Records.
The follow-up to 2004's "Soundtrack to Your Escape", "Come Clarity" was mixed at Tonteknik studio in Umeå, Sweden and is "the best one we've ever done," according to IN FLAMES guitarist Jesper Strömblad. A video for the album's opening track, "Take This Life", was shot late last month with director Patric Ullaeus (DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL).
"Come Clarity" track listing:
01. Take This Life 02. Leeches 03. Reflect The Storm 04. Dead End 05. Scream 06. Come Clarity 07. Vacuum 08. Pacing Death's Trail 09. Crawling Through Knives 10. Versus Terminus 11. Our Infinite Struggle 12. Vanishing Light 13. Your Bedtime Story Is Scaring Everyone
Eight dates have been announced for IN FLAMES' upcoming North American headlining tour in support of their highly anticipated new album, "Come Clarity". Support at the shows will come from Orlando's TRIVIUM, California's DEVILDRIVER and Greensburg, Pennsylvania's ZAO. The dates are as follows:
Jan. 25 - Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre Jan. 26 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues Jan. 27 - San Diego, CA - Soma Jan. 28 - Los Angeles, CA - Avalon Jan. 30 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theatre Feb. 01 - Seattle, WA - Showbox Feb. 03 - Salt Lake City, UT - Salt Air Pavilion Feb. 04 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre
More dates will be announced soon
The extended trek will represent IN FLAMES' first North American dates since their main-stage appearances as part of Ozzfest 2005 and will kick off the band's most extensive touring on the continent in their decade-plus history. IN FLAMES are currently in the midst of a three-week U.K. tour alongside MOTÖRHEAD.
AFTER THE STORM: charity inheres in the rich. Is this postulate unquestionable? I don’t think so. Some of the best-known progressive rock musicians made their contributions on a benefit album for the Survivors of Hurricane Katrina produced by NEARfest Records. The album will soon be available for sale but in the meantime have a look at its tracklist: Disc One: 13. ECHOLYN: 15 days 14. HAPPY THE MAN: Ibby it is 15. FM: Random Harvest 16. CAMEL: After all these years 17. Mike Keneally: Time table 18. SPOCK’S BEARD: Shining star 19. IQ: Chemical Rain 20. KRAAN: Silver buildings 21. MOSTLY AUTUMN: Ghost in dreamland 22. IZZ: My river flows 23. NEKTAR: Phazed by the storm 24. Sean Molone: Grace
Disc Two: 13. KANSAS: Song for America 14. THE FLOWER KINGS: A king’s prayer 15. WOODENHEAD: Buzz beat 16. DJAM KARET: The shattering sky 17. Neal Morse: Sleeping Jesus 18. THE MUFFINS: Essay R 19. CARAVAN: Love song with flute 20. Änglagård: Gånglåt från Knapptibble 21. LITTLE ATLAS: On and on 22. A.A. Lucassen: Pools of sorrow/not over you 23. CALIFORNIA GUITAR TRIO: Zundoko bushi 24. PENDRAGON: Sou’ by sou’west
Some news from on the work on Operation Mindcrime II: Geoff is recoding vocals now, with the other singers joining in soon. The band is confirming the singer who plays Dr. X by the end of next week. I think you'll be surprised, he is VERY well known and respected. Rumour has it that Rob Halford, frontman for Judas Priest, has been chosen to play the role. Look's like we will just have to wait and see!
Power/Progressive Metal band Vindex signs on for the release of their full length debut Power Forge. Hailing from Slovakia, Vindex delivers their brand of pure power metal laced with progressive elements driven by twin neo classical guitars. What makes Vindex unique is the voice of vocalist Ludek Struhar who could be a dead ringer for Accept vocalist Udo Dirkschneider. Power Forge contains 11 tracks of brain crushing metal sure to please fans of Grave Digger, Accept, UDO, Edguy, and Stratovarious. Release Date January 2006.
Veteran Swiss hard rockers KROKUS have parted ways with drummer Patrick Aeby. Patrick's departure "was amicable and the whole KROKUS family sincerely wishes him the best of luck for the future," reads posting on the group's web site. A replacement drummer has yet to be announced. KROKUS recently spent time in the studio working on the follow-up to 2003's "Rock the Block", tentatively due in early 2006. The group's current lineup includes frontman Marc Storace, Mandy Meyer (guitar), Dominique Fave (guitar) and Tony Castell (bass).
Belgian black metal pioneers ANCIENT RITES have inked a deal with Season of Mist. The band are currently at Spacelab studio in Germany recording their long-awaited follow-up to 2001's "Dim Carcosa" under the guidance and supervision of veteran producers Oliver Phillips and Christian Moos. The album will most likely be released before the summer of 2006, after which ANCIENT RITES — now a septet since the return of former members Domingo Smets and Raf Jansen last year — will once again play live to spread their new music. Concerts all over Europe and the U.K. are currently being negotiated and arranged, so expect the band to be out there in full blast next year.
Two more acts are confirmed for next year's installment of the Bang Your Head!!! festival, set to take place June 23-24, 2006 in Balingen, Germany.
Besides legendary Bay Area-band EXODUS, who have just released the highly acclaimed 'Shovel Headed Kill Machine', the event's organisators added Rock veterans FOREIGNER to the festival-lineup as well. The band of guitarist Mick Jones, who was joined recently by vocalist Kelly Hansen and rhythm section Jason Bonham (son of late LED ZEPPELIN-drummer John Bonham) and Jeff Pilson, will perform an exclusive headlining-show. It will be the only appearance of FOREIGNER at an European open air-event that year.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows so far (10 more acts to be confirmed):
EUROPE FOREIGNER Y&T RIK EMMETT (playing an evening of TRIUMPH-music) JON OLIVA'S PAIN EXODUS FLOTSAM AND JETSAM LEATHERWOLF COUNT RAVEN VICTORY L.A. GUNS POWERWOLF
Strings Attached will be realized live on stage with the ICSQ, the critically acclaimed string quartet featured on the album. Attila, MAYHEM legendary frontman will join us for a mini MAYHEM set. The show will take place on December 27th at the Theater club in Jaffa (Israel). Doors open at 21:30.
Southern German Metal outfit RAWHEAD REXX are in the studio and started the preproduction of the follow-up to their last release „Diary in black“. Songwriting efforts turned out to be very futile: Right now, the band has composed about 30 songs to choose from.
According to singer Jürgen Volk, the material will stand in the tradition of the band’s first release published back in 2002, that impressed both press and fans with its rough, energetic and US-Metal orientated sound (and a quite gory cover artwork that was actually banned in their homecountry). As drummer Dany Löble has left the band last year to join HELLOWEEN, Volk and his companion Face will recruit a session musician for the upcoming recordings. The yet untitled album will tentatively be released in summer 2006.
Sweden's DARK TRANQUILLITY have uploaded a live video clip of "The Wonders at Your Feet" and half of "Zodijackyl Light", shot at the group's concert in Gran Canaria on October 1. "The sound and picture quality isn't the best, so it's for die-hards only, but the atmosphere is present in spades," the band write on their web site. Check it out at this location (Windows Media, 18 MB).
DARK TRANQUILLITY will be embarking on a European headlining tour beginning in late November in support of their latest effort, "Character" (released in January 2005). After supporting KREATOR on their European tour in spring 2005, a trip to the U.S. and numerous festival appearances, the sextet will be headlining this time, with support from thrash/metalcore hybrid CHIMAIRA, HATESPHERE and BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE.
World renowned Dutch act THE GATHERING entered the studio today (November 21, 2005) to commence work on their ninth studio album.
For this recording the band has built a professional homemade studio inside an old church in the small town of Maurik, located in the south of Holland. With the help of producer Attie Bauw (producer of the band's 1998 effort, "How to Measure a Planet?") the band plans to work there for a month before heading to Bauw's studio to mix and master the music.
Comments singer Anneke van Giersbergen about the constructed studio and working with Bauw again: "We built our own studio there because we wanted to do something different and create a new atmosphere. As for working with Attie Bauw, he is a very inspirational man with great ideas and we were very anxious to work with him again.
"I like being in the studio especially because we are then together for a vast period of time as a group and we create something entirely new. It's always amazing to participate in this process and to finish with a brand new album. That sense of accomplishment is truly wonderful."
She adds, "We would hope to see the album get released sometime in March (on Psychonaut Records in Europe, The End Records in North America). We plan to start touring in March and come over to tour in South America and the U.S.A. once again."
In February van Giersbergen gave birth to her first child, a boy named Finn. The singer welcomes the changes being a mother brings to her and her songwriting.
"Being a mother has changed a lot for me and obviously everything I do or go through will somehow end up in a lyric or a song, but I haven't written any mother-baby songs — yet!" she laughs. "My views on life are the same as before I had my baby boy, they are now just so much stronger. So if anything, my contribution to the band's music and the music we create together will be more powerful because of these new experiences."
In other recent news THE GATHERING just released their double-DVD, "A Sound Relief", in the U.S./Canada via The End Records. The two-disc set features a live concert the band recorded on May 23, 2005 at the famous Paradiso in Amsterdam, plus bonus extras like the band's own tour impressions caught on video, video interviews and a bonus disc showcasing a collection of beautiful 3-D animation clips.
Acclaimed Swedish prog-metal band ANDROMEDA will release their third album, "Chimera", in Japan on January 21, 2006 via Marquee/Avalon. A release date for North America, Europe and the rest of the world will soon be announced.
Sweden's KATATONIA have set "The Great Cold Distance" as the title of their seventh full-length album, due on March 13, 2006 via Peaceville Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Viva Emptiness" was recorded at Fascination Street studios in the outskirts of Örebro, Sweden and was mastered at the Cutting Room in Stockholm.
According to the official DIO fan club newsletter, DIO will be working on a new album in January/February and going back on the road sometime in March for an extended South American tour. The band will resume work on the new CD in April/May, with plans to complete the album by the end of the year. The band's management has also confirmed that DIO will be making several European festival appearances during June, July and August. No U.S. tour plans for 2006 have yet been announced.
CADAVERIA, the Italian band featuring former OPERA IX vocalist Cadaveria and ex-OPERA IX drummer/NECRODEATH vocalist Marçelo Santos (a.k.a. Flegias), have finished writing ten new songs their third album, tentatively due next year via Scarlet Records. The recordings for the new CD will begin in early 2006.
The cover artwork for the upcoming IN FLAMES album, "Come Clarity", has been posted online at ' .
AFTER THE STORM: charity inheres in the rich. Is this postulate unquestionable? I don’t think so. Some of the best-known progressive rock musicians made their contributions on a benefit album for the Survivors of Hurricane Katrina produced by NEARfest Records. The album will soon be available for sale but in the meantime have a look at its tracklist:
Some news from on the work on Operation Mindcrime II: 
Power/Progressive Metal band Vindex signs on for the release of their full length debut Power Forge. Hailing from Slovakia, Vindex delivers their brand of pure power metal laced with progressive elements driven by twin neo classical guitars. What makes Vindex unique is the voice of vocalist Ludek Struhar who could be a dead ringer for Accept vocalist Udo Dirkschneider. Power Forge contains 11 tracks of brain crushing metal sure to please fans of Grave Digger, Accept, UDO, Edguy, and Stratovarious. Release Date January 2006.
Belgian black metal pioneers ANCIENT RITES have inked a deal with Season of Mist. The band are currently at Spacelab studio in Germany recording their long-awaited follow-up to 2001's "Dim Carcosa" under the guidance and supervision of veteran producers Oliver Phillips and Christian Moos. The album will most likely be released before the summer of 2006, after which ANCIENT RITES — now a septet since the return of former members Domingo Smets and Raf Jansen last year — will once again play live to spread their new music. Concerts all over Europe and the U.K. are currently being negotiated and arranged, so expect the band to be out there in full blast next year. 
Two more acts are confirmed for next year's installment of the Bang Your Head!!! festival, set to take place June 23-24, 2006 in Balingen, Germany.
Southern German Metal outfit RAWHEAD REXX are in the studio and started the preproduction of the follow-up to their last release „Diary in black“. Songwriting efforts turned out to be very futile: Right now, the band has composed about 30 songs to choose from.
Sweden's DARK TRANQUILLITY have uploaded a live video clip of "The Wonders at Your Feet" and half of "Zodijackyl Light", shot at the group's concert in Gran Canaria on October 1. "The sound and picture quality isn't the best, so it's for die-hards only, but the atmosphere is present in spades," the band write on their web site. Check it out at this location (Windows Media, 18 MB).