Famous Ukrainian doomers AUTUMNIA posted such message on their official web-page: "We are proud to announce the name of our forthcoming album, so the name is ‘By the Candles Obsequial’, and we also want to present the track list of this album: 1. Increasing the Grief Terrestrial 2. With Wailing and Lament 3. Bitterness of Loss 4. ...And the Life Dies Away ... 5. In Loneliness of Two Souls We’ve recorded all musical parts at A.N.G. Studio. And the material waits for mixing and mastering, it will be performed also at A.N.G. Studio. Besides constant bembers of Alexander Glavniy’s(guitars, keyboards, samples) and Vladislav Shahin’s(vocals), several new musicians were invited to perform in new album. So, they are Anna Dobridneva (vocals), you could hear her voise on MOURNFUL GUST’s album "She's My Grief" and Yuriy Baygush (piano and synthesizer effects)"
Count Raven are re-releasing 'Storm Warning'(1990), 'Destruction of the Void'(1992), 'High on Infinity'(1994) and 'Messiah of Confusion'(1996) on Cyclone Empire. The albums were originally released by Hellhound Records and have since then become sought after rarities. 'Storm Warning' and 'Destruction of the Void' will be released on October 14th and 'High on Infinty' and 'Messiah of Confusion' will be out November 11th. All four albums will contain bonus material. Count Raven are also working on a new album, to be released some time 2006.
Norwegian black metallers CREST OF DARKNESS have posted the following update on their official web site:
"Some of you might now that Ingar [Amlien, vocals/bass] has joined his old bandmates from CONCEPTION to play a few reunion concerts this autumn. Because of this, and the fact that it has been pretty silent around CREST OF DARKNESS the latest months, some people are wondering what's happening with CREST OF DARKNESS now? To make it clear: Ingar is giving his 'dark child' CREST OF DARKNESS the highest priority also in the future!!! He has, of course, laid quite a lot of work into CONCEPTION when they have prepared themself to their 'comeback,' but all through the summer CREST OF DARKNESS has worked with new material to their forthcomming album. CREST OF DARKNESS has also played a few selected conserts, and they are also going to make the live DVD, which has been planned for a while."
As previously reported, CREST OF DARKNESS have set "Give Us the Power to Do Your Evil" as the title of their fifth full-length album, tentatively due next year.
After releasing the first EP, Stormbringer, through Pale Moon Records, TODESBONDEN is getting ready to release the first full length, which will be recorded between the end of this year and the beginning of 2006. The choosen title is Ghost of a Crescent Moon, and it will be produced by Markus Stock (Empyrium, Noekk, The Vision Bleak) and released through the german label Prophecy Productions.
TODESBONDEN is an atmospheric doom band which features the singer Laurie Ann Haus (Autumn Tears, Rain Fell Within, Ephemeral Sun, Nest, Garden of Shadows) and mixes the melancholy of doom metal with elements of classic, celtic and renaissence music.
Samples taken from the EP Stormbringer, are available at www.todesbonden.com
Veteran German thrashers DESTRUCTION have uploaded their video for the track "The Alliance of Hellhoundz" at their official web site. Check it out at Destruction.de.
"The Alliance of Hellhoundz" comes off the group's latest CD, "Inventor of Evil", available now in Europe on AFM Records. The CD will receive a North American release on October 25 via Candlelight Records.
DESTRUCTION tapped nine different world-renowned metal singers from all different heavy metal styles to make a guest appearance in their track "The Alliance of Hellhoundz". The guest musicians are as follows:
Biff Byford (SAXON) Doro Pesch Shagrath (DIMMU BORGIR) Björn "Speed" Strid (SOILWORK) Paul Di'Anno (ex-IRON MAIDEN, KILLERS) Messiah Marcolin (CANDLEMASS) Mark Osegueda (DEATH ANGEL) Peter "Peavy" Wagner (RAGE) Peter Tägtgren (HYPOCRISY, PAIN)
Commented DESTRUCTION bassist/vocalist Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer, "The all-star song 'The Alliance of Hellhoundz' will make metal history: from Paul Di'Anno to Messiah, we'll have the best metal singers in ONE fuckin' song!"
DESTRUCTION recorded "Inventor of Evil" with producer Peter Tätgtren (HYPOCRISY, PAIN), V.O. Pulver (GURD) and their live engineer Franky Winkelmann at studios in Germany and Switzerland. The mix was done by Tätgtren at the Abyss Studios in Sweden.
Guitarist/vocalist Ares of Norwegian "dark metallers" AETERNUS has posted the following message on the group's official web site:
"AETERNUS are now mixing [the new album] “HeXaeon”. We'll be working every night and so far the drums are more or less done. Things are going well and as for now, we see or have no obstacles delaying the release."
The follow-up to 2003's "A Darker Monument", "Hexaeon" was recorded at Grieghallen Studios in Norway and was once produced by Eirik "Pytten" Hundvin, who has previously worked with ENSLAVED and MÖRK GRYNING, among others. A demo version of the new track "What I Crave" can be downloaded at this location.
AETERNUS recently acquired a new session guitarist by the name of Dreggen.
Norwegian black metallers SATYRICON have posted the following message on their official web site:
"Sorry for not keeping touch lately, but we've been busy working! We are in middle of pre-production for our new album and we will start recording October 17th in Puk Studio in Denmark where we did most of 'Volcano'. We aim to finish the album in January followed by a late spring release. This means we should be ready to do a big festival run throughout the summer and hit the clubs in the fall. Things change and they can change fast too in this industry, but this is what we plan to do as it looks now. We'll keep you posted about this and other projects we are working on too, throughout the fall."
Blood Legacy will be recording new material later this year for their final release entitled 'Solitude And Damnation' before going to permanent hiatus. The bands main songwriter and founder Jason McMurtrey had this to say -
"Currently we are putting a lot of time into the efforts of our new band Divine Nightmare, I feel a little more comfortable with where I’m at with this band at this time in my life and the efforts have been going great. We may return down the road to Blood Legacy but we aren’t really sure when. We cannot give thanks enough to all of our great fans over the last ten years. We love you all so much. Thank you for so much great doomed commitment! Cheers!!"
Jason will also be concentrating efforts towards a new Long Since Dark album with partner Mark Clausen so doom fans can be on the lookout for that as well.
STRATOVARIUS' latest, self-titled effort has entered the national album charts in the following countries:
#4: Finland #37: Sweden #88: France #94: Switzerland
"Stratovarius" was released in the U.S. on September 13 via Sanctuary. A video for the album's first single, "Maniac Dance", was shot on April 15 in Helsinki by director and guitarist Timo Tolkki's old schoolmate Antti Jokinen (BEYONCÉ, WYCLEF JEAN, KORN, MISSY ELLIOT, NIGHTWISH, SHANIA TWAIN, CELINE DION).
OPETH's new album, "Ghost Reveries", has entered the Swedish national chart at position No. 9 (the group's previous midweek chart position — after two days of sales — was No. 4). The group's updated "Ghost Reveries" first-week chart positions around the world are now as follows:
#9: Sweden #11: Finland #21: Norway #35: Australia #38: Netherlands #39: Germany #57: Canada #62: United Kingdom #64: USA #72: France #84: Denmark
As previously reported, OPETH's video for the track "The Grand Conjuration", featuring a special guest appearance by STRAPPING YOUNG LAD drummer Gene Hoglan, has been posted online at ' .
EDGUY's new EP, "Superheroes", has entered the German Media Control single chart at position No. 25. This marks the third highest single chart entry for record label Nuclear Blast after NIGHTWISH and MANOWAR. In Switzerland, the EP debuted at No. 52 on the official chart.
Commented EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet: "I can't tell you how happy I am. We are an out-of-vogue band for the run-of-the-mill kids today, we get bashed all the time for doing things our way — and no way but OUR way — and yet: You help us crushing all the obstacles that stand in our way to prevent us from entertaining you and having great fun ourselves. Sometimes it's hard to be a different band. This band is a freak that goes against the flow and is prepared and determined to take a lot of stick. But it's worth it, and it feels even greater to know that there are thousands of like minds, freaks outside, who know exactly what it's like and who are with us! No major TV support, no major radio support and still a hit single! YOU ROCK!!! THANK YOU!!! Now let's go out and have a ball..."
The "Superheroes" EP features a special guest appearance by former HELLOWEEN frontman Michael Kiske.
Norway's THEATRE OF TRAGEDY have inked a deal with Germany's AFM Records. Last Friday, the band and label met in Hamburg to discuss their future. The gothic metal act are currently working on their new album and have most of the material already completed. Musically, the band are promising a return to their early sound.
"If you want, you can consider this album as a kind of follow-up to [1998's] 'Aegis'," drummer Hein Frode Hansen said of the new album's musical direction. "For us this was a very natural way right now."
THEATRE OF TRAGEDY's as-yet-untitled new album will be the group's first to feature singer Nell (THE CREST), who replaced Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull (currently in LEAVES' EYES) in early 2004. A March 24, 2006 release is expected. Download audio samples of two demo songs recorded last year: "Fade" (' ), "Seven" (' ).
Vocalist Stefan Hertrich (DARKSEED, BETRAY MY SECRETS, SHIVA IN EXILE) has launched a new project dubbed SPI-RITUAL. The group will record its debut mini-CD in late September. Entitled "Pulse", the disc will include five tracks (with a total running time of approximately28 minutes) and will feature several guest musicians, including Yana Veva of THEODOR BASTARD, Gaby Koss (ex-HAGGARD), Dr. Christian Raetsch (Germany's leading ethnopharmacology book author) and Kajuyali Tsamani (director of the Foundation of Shamanic Investigations in Columbia).
After his award-winning soundtrack/world album, "Ethnic", (SHIVA IN EXILE, 2004), Hertrich is attempting once again to combine ethnic elements with metal like in his project BETRAY MY SECRETS (1999). "Pulse" will be released by Hertrich's new label, Listen&Think Publishing, and will also be licensed to Russia, where it will be made available in a special edition, including a multimedia section with a dark ethnic background bonus track and a possible video clip (not 100 percent confirmed).
"This CD won?t be a religious or ideologic guide for metal fans and it doesn?t represent any religions or ideologies in any way," Hertrich told Russian Darkside. "It might be an offer for metal fans who are interested in different ways of understanding the aesthetics of arts from distant cultures, embedded in our familiar metal construct. I think this album could provoke even more, maybe a sensibility for things that are not taught in school or TV, but this is completely up to the listener. The main goal of this CD simply is to be enjoyed — with the option to provoke more than that."
The German release is scheduled for November. An official Russian release date has not yet been announced.
9/11, the Judgement Day and the End Of Ages, a new release from Griffin Music sets the world aflame. The CD re-release of ODOR MORTIS "Spasi i Otsosi" will feature completely new artwork and unleash the fury of pure satanic black metal.
Tracklist:
1. World's Agony 2. Bomb The Herd! 3. Under The Legions Ram 4. Blood Path 5. Onto The Knives! 6. Hatred 7. You - Victim 8. Ave, The Satan's Name!
German thrashers KREATOR will re-release their latest album, "Enemy of God", in early 2006 in the DVD-Audio format, featuring very high quality, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, plus additional video material (including animation) and footage of KREATOR appearing on various TV shows.
Commented KREATOR mainman Mille Petrozza: "'Enemy of God' is our best-produced album thus far. But it will sound even more brutal in this special Dolby Digital edition."
In addition to the extra footage mentioned above, the DVD-Audio edition of "Enemy of God" will include a fan-created music video for the song "Dying Race Apocalypse". Fans are encouraged to film and create their own clip and send it to this address:
SPV GmbH Mark Kewitsch Brüsseler Str. 14 30539 Hannover Germany
The best entry will become part of the official DVD-Audio edition of "Enemy of God" and the winner will receive 1000 euros. Other prizes include 33 KREATOR fan packages. The deadline for registration is mid-October. All video clips should be completed and submitted by mid-November.
Czech Republic-based death metallers PANDEMIA have uploaded their video for the track "Riven" at ' .
"Riven" is the title track of PANDEMIA's third album, available in the U.S. and Europe via Metal Age Productions. The band recently returned form an extensive six-week tour of South America, where they played 23 shows in six countries in support of "Riven".
Norway's SOLEFALD have finished recording the first part of their new saga, which is based on Viking mythology and history, entitled "Red for Fire, Black for Death".
"Red for Fire: An Icelandic Odyssey Part 1" will be released through Season of Mist, worldwide before the end of 2005 and will quickly be followed by "Black for Death: An Icelandic Odyssey Part 2" in early spring 2006.
"Part 1" features guest appearances by electronica singer Aggie Frost Peterson on the songs "Sun I Call" and "White Frost Queen", and by Jörmundur Ingi, the ancient supreme Godi of Iceland (an Ásatrú priest), who reads the poem "Lokasenna" (an argument between gods) on the last track of the album. The previously announced guest appearance by Garm of ULVER will be featured on "Black for Death".
SOLEFALD's new effort, a "true Viking metal album," according to its authors, is being produced by Borge Finnstad (MAYHEM, ARCTURUS, etc.).
As SOLEFALD previously stated, "We were experimental when everybody was trying to be as basic as possible. Now that we feel we've said what we had to say in this field, and now that everybody is experimenting one way or another, this is our attempt at being true."
Italian experimentalists EPHEL DUATH have recently completed work on the highly anticipated follow up to "The Painter's Palette" at Studio 73 in Ravenna, Italy.
Guitarist DAVIDE TISO has been in touch to let you know more about "Pain Necessary To Know"
"I'm so happy to announce you that our new album "Pain Necessary To Know" is ready. I have the master in my hand and the artwork on my PC!
"After two years to compose and five months to record, mix and master, you can easily understand my so excite state of mind
"The sound is fat and circular but at the same time so cutting. It's brilliant but dirty. There's desert and smelling water. Probably there's Zappa too!
"We've also finalized the artwork. Dirty water with medusas in the background. Medusas are perfect to symbolise the title of the album. You can't say you know a medusa if you have not felt around your body a sign of its touch. You can't say you have the slightest idea of what is the better life for you if you don't have around your thoughts the signs of pain. In my opinion pain is necessary to know. Only through a lot of different pains I've come to understand what is better for me...To play music!
"We've also changed some of the running order.
"Pain Necessary To Know"
1. New Disorder 2. Vector, third movement 3. Pleonasm 4. Few stars, no refrain and a cigarette (instrumental) 5. Crystalline Whirl 6. I killed Rebecca 7. Vector 8. Vector, second movement (instrumental) 9. Imploding
"Buy your copy and control yourself. Later my friends, in the next days we'll try to choose from the album a sort of single to offer you as an MP3.
Davide Tiso
"Pain Necessary To Know" is released on Elitist / Earache on October 17th
LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE are currently writing material for their seventh album, which they hope to begin recording in October for an early 2006 release via Napalm Records. A single will precede the album in January.
As previously reported, LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE recently parted ways with rhythm guitarist Christian Freitsmiedl after the completion of their German tour with THE 69 EYES. Replacing Christian in the band's lineup is Tony Berger. The band's latest CD, "Ave End", was released in June 2004.
WITHIN Y, the Swedish melodic death metal band featuring former GARDENIAN drummer Thim Blom, will enter GBG Sound studio late next week to begin recording their as-yet-untitled sophomore album. "We will start with the drums, as usual, and hopefully we can give you a hint on how Thim's doing in a little video clip in a week or two!" the band write on their web site.
WITHIN Y recently announced the addition of guitarist Niknam Moslehi to the group's ranks. Moslehi joins the band as the replacement for Niklas Almen, who left the group late last year.
Finnish melodic death metallers AMORAL have uploaded two sound samples from their upcoming sophomore album, "Decrowning" as the title of their sophomore album, due on November 21 via Spikefarm Records (a division of Spinefarm). The CD was mastered on August 4 at Finnvox studios by Mika Jussila.
"Decrowning" (view cover ' ) track listing:
01. Showdown (' clip) 02. Lacrimal Gland 03. Decrowning (' clip) 04. Tiebreaker 05. Drug of Choice 06. Denial 101 07. Control Cancer 08. Raptus 09. Warp 10. Bleeder
The band also recorded a cover of MÖTLEY CRÜE's "Wild Side" for future use.
Drummer Diego "Grom" Meraviglia (HORTUS ANIMAE, ex-DOOMSWORD) has officially quit ANCIENT. As of today, Meraviglia is no longer part of the cult extreme metal band's lineup. "I decided to end my official envolvement with ANCIENT for a number of reasons," Diego said in a statement. "It has been a nice and rewarding five years, full of great experiences and I wish to thank all the other guys in the band and all the great fans, but I have reached a point in my career where I simply feel I need to move on. There were profound professional differences as well between me and the rest of the band and that convinced me it was time to quit."
Grom's collaboration with ANCIENT may continue, both live and in studio, but only on a "session" basis. Meraviglia will be concentrating on his "session drummer" career as well as his numerous other projects, including extreme-metal-gothic-prog band HORTUS ANIMAE. Grom is also evaluating several offers for an eventual new "main band."
Finnish melodic metallers REQUIEM have completed work on their third album, "Requiem Forever", for an October 24 release via Scarlet Records. The CD was mastered at Chartmakers studios in Helsinki, Finland, by Svante Forsbäck (STRATOVARIUS, RAMMSTEIN) and will feature artwork by Carlos Del Olmo (SOILWORK, TERROR 2000, AGENT STEEL, THE DEFACED).
"Requiem Forever" track listing:
01. Possessed by Power 02. Hold On 03. Shadowhunt 04. Violate 05. Painting the Wind 06. Invincible Enemy 07. Vindictive Heart 08. The Tower 09. Nightfall – Omnicida 10. Sleepless Nights 11. Gods of War 12. Light No More (demo) (Japanese bonus track)
Former IRON MAIDEN/WOLFSBANE frontman Blaze Bayley spoke to Blazefans.com prior to the band's show at Belgium's Izzefest festival on September 3 about BLAZE's forthcoming album and DVD. "The new album is planned for May 2006 along with the DVD coming a bit later featuring three exclusive songs and documenting the work on the new album," he said. "The new album will be very different from 'Blood & Belief'. 'Blood & Belief' is my favorite album because the vocals are perfect and sound like on a live album. I would like to keep it up this way for the new album. We did a LONG preparation for 'Blood & Belief' and spent a very SHORT time in the studio. Studios are so boring and uninspiring. They are not creative enough for a metal band, they are only for pop bands and stuff like that who like to spend most time in studios."
BLAZE's current lineup consists of the following:
Blaze Bayley – Vocals Oliver Palotai – Guitar Luca Priciotta – Guitar Christian Ammann – Bass Daniel Schild - Drums
New album of ARCONA "Vo Slavu Velikim!" is recorded. Album includes 14 tracks with total playing time appr. 1 hour. Musicians have been working on album for 2 months. It will be released in October through Sound Age label.
Musicians, who took part in album recordings: Masha 'Scream' - voice, choruses, screaming, keyboards, tambourine, vargan, acoustic guitar (4) Sergei 'Lazar' (Rossomahaar) - guitar, solo guitar, acoustic guitar, 12-strings acoustic guitar, choruses, shoutings, growling Ruslan 'Kniaz' (Rossomahaar) - bass Vlad 'Artist' (Rossomahaar) - drums, percussions Vladimir Cherepovskiy (Mervent) - gaita, din whistle, low din whistle, sopilka, vargan (11, 6), drymba, prosvirelka, okarina, dvodentsivka, jolomiya Iliya 'Wolfenhirt' (Svarga) - voic, choruses, shoutings Igor 'Hurry' (Svarga) - accordeon Alexei 'Nightbird' (Alkonost) - screaming Andrei Karasev - violin
Track list: ARCONA - "Vo Slavu Velikim!" 1. Intro (Kolomyyka) 2. Skvoz' Tuman Vekov 3. Rus' Iznachalnaya 4. Vo Slavu Velikim! 5. Po Syroy Zemple 6. Tuman Yarom 7. Zov Bitvy 8. Vedy Proshlogo 9. Velykden' 10. Gnev Vremen 11. Na Svarogovoy Doroge 12. Vyydy, vyydy, Ivanku... 13. Vosstaniye Roda 14. Sila Slavnykh
CATHEDRAL, the immortal legends of extreme doom metal from Britain, lead by vocalist and mastermind Lee Dorrian, are releasing a new album through Nuclear Blast, entitled "The Garden of Unearthly Delights", which is scheduled on the 26th of September. The song "Upon Azrael's Wings" from the upcoming album is available ' (Real media format).
The tracklisting of the new album:
01. Dearth AD 2005 02. Tree of Life & Death 03. North Berwick Witch Trails 04. Upon Azrael's Wings 05. Corpsecycle 06. Fields Of Zagara 07. Oro,The Manslayer 08. Beneath a Funeral Sun 09. The Garden 10. Proga - Europa (hidden track)
A new song entitled "Scrutinized" has been posted at Nuclear Blast's page from the swedish death metallers' HYPOCRISY upcoming album "Virus", scheduled on the 20th of September. The track can be downloaded ' (Real media format).
"Virus" track listing:
01. Intro (not named yet) 02. Warpath 03. Scrutinized 04. Fearless 05. Craving for Another Killing 06. Let the Knife Do the Talking 07. A Thousand Lies 08. Incised Before I've Ceased 09. Blooddrenched 10. Compulsive Psychosis 11. Living to Die
With a week of delay, we're really sorry to deliver this sad news: Voivod's guitarist Denis "Piggy" D'Amour died on the night of the 26th of august from advanced colon cancer.
Finnish thrashers BLOODRIDE give opportunity to download their latest mcd "Bloodridden Disease" for free from their homepages because the edition is sold out now. Go and get some ' .
Famous Ukrainian doomers AUTUMNIA posted such message on their official web-page:
Count Raven are re-releasing 'Storm Warning'(1990), 'Destruction of the Void'(1992), 'High on Infinity'(1994) and 'Messiah of Confusion'(1996) on Cyclone Empire. 
Norwegian black metallers CREST OF DARKNESS have posted the following update on their official web site:
Veteran German thrashers DESTRUCTION have uploaded their video for the track "The Alliance of Hellhoundz" at their official web site. Check it out at Destruction.de. 
Guitarist/vocalist Ares of Norwegian "dark metallers" AETERNUS has posted the following message on the group's official web site: 
Blood Legacy will be recording new material later this year for their 
STRATOVARIUS' latest, self-titled effort has entered the national album charts in the following countries:
EDGUY's new EP, "Superheroes", has entered the German Media Control single chart at position No. 25. This marks the third highest single chart entry for record label Nuclear Blast after NIGHTWISH and MANOWAR. In Switzerland, the EP debuted at No. 52 on the official chart.
Norway's THEATRE OF TRAGEDY have inked a deal with Germany's AFM Records. Last Friday, the band and label met in Hamburg to discuss their future. The gothic metal act are currently working on their new album and have most of the material already completed. Musically, the band are promising a return to their early sound. 
German thrashers KREATOR will re-release their latest album, "Enemy of God", in early 2006 in the DVD-Audio format, featuring very high quality, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, plus additional video material (including animation) and footage of KREATOR appearing on various TV shows.
Italian experimentalists EPHEL DUATH have recently completed work on the highly anticipated follow up to "The Painter's Palette" at Studio 73 in Ravenna, Italy.
LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE are currently writing material for their seventh album, which they hope to begin recording in October for an early 2006 release via Napalm Records. A single will precede the album in January.
WITHIN Y, the Swedish melodic death metal band featuring former GARDENIAN drummer Thim Blom, will enter GBG Sound studio late next week to begin recording their as-yet-untitled sophomore album. "We will start with the drums, as usual, and hopefully we can give you a hint on how Thim's doing in a little video clip in a week or two!" the band write on their web site.
Drummer Diego "Grom" Meraviglia (HORTUS ANIMAE, ex-DOOMSWORD) has officially quit ANCIENT. As of today, Meraviglia is no longer part of the cult extreme metal band's lineup. "I decided to end my official envolvement with ANCIENT for a number of reasons," Diego said in a statement. "It has been a nice and rewarding five years, full of great experiences and I wish to thank all the other guys in the band and all the great fans, but I have reached a point in my career where I simply feel I need to move on. There were profound professional differences as well between me and the rest of the band and that convinced me it was time to quit." 
New album of ARCONA "Vo Slavu Velikim!" is recorded.
A new song entitled "Scrutinized" has been posted at Nuclear Blast's page from the swedish death metallers' HYPOCRISY upcoming album "Virus", scheduled on the 20th of September. The track can be downloaded ' (Real media format).
We are very sad to announce, that the great musician, drummer of Polish death metal band VADER is dead.