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 ' .
Moscow (Russia) based thrash metal band ZATMENIE have recently stated that Edgar, a famous violin player, will be guesting on the band’s upcoming album. Edgar has just finished recording solo for a track “Za Toboy” (Russian for “Reaching For You”) and accepted his participation in album’s release party, tentatively due later 2005 or early 2006.
Pavel Mikheev (guitar/vocals): «We and Edgar have a very similar point of view regarding things all around. We like to do something different and unusual. He’s a perfectly skilled musician and he has precise touch on our music. Trying to comprise the Oriental vibe with our song, he has succeeded in everything. Result is absolutely great!..»
At the moment ZATMENIE are finishing recording their brand new album. Mixing will follow soon.
Russian metallers HOSTILE BREED have finished the recordings of their first Russian-language album "Uzory Shramov - Zakony Voiny". The recordings were made on Moscow Sound studio with sound enginere Sergei "Lazar". Mastering will be handled by DD.Ehrlich (SLIPKNOT, AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE, CREMATORIUM...)
The release of CD is expected in autumn 2005 through independent label Kapkan Rec..
DARZAMAT will visit the East Europe area again. After successful tour through Russia, the band is going to play for Ukrainian fans. Within the confines of "Semidevilish"promotion, DARZAMAT will turn up in Kiev, Rovno and Luts'k. The negotiations about Uzghorod are in progress.
"Semidevilish" was released in East Europe in May this year, thanks to CD-Maximum.
The band will play also on Fit of Rage Festival in Czech Republic on 20th August and on S-Hammer Metal Fest in Italy on 3rd September. There will play also bands like: ENTOMBED (Sweden), VOMITORY (Sweden), THE DEFACED (Sweden), MACABRE (USA) and INHUMATE (France).
ANGTORIA, the new Swedish/British orchestral/metal band formed by female singer Sarah Jezebel Deva (CRADLE OF FILTH, THERION, MORTIIS), Chris Rehn (ABYSSOS) and Tommy Rehn (MOAHNI MOAHNA), have signed a three-month management deal with Fortress Music and Artist Development. To further enhance this development, a completely new cover design for the demo has been made, along with new wallpaper and banner design.
ANGTORIA are currently in the studio making a pre-production recording of the rest of the songs that will be included on the group's upcoming debut album. A full-length MP3 of the ANGTORIA demo track "Six Feet Under's Not Deep Enough" has been made available for download at '
ANGTORIA last summer completed a five-song "industry-only" demo at Virtual Symphony Studios in Sundsvall, Sweden and are currently seeking a record deal.
We uploaded the picture gallery from the fest Metal Heads' Mission. You can find it at ' . Extended report/review and some other great news, connected with the fest, to be soon.
WOLVERINE have announced a low key Swedish show where they will be airing new tracks from the band's recently completed and tentatively titled new album 'STILL'.
August 20th - SODERHAMN (SWE) - Busstorget
The band will also appear once again at Progpower Europe 2005
October 2nd - BAARLO (NL) - Sjiwa (www.progpower.com)
The band recently posted this message on their website:
"WOLVERINE have just finished recording at Spacelab Studio in Germany. The album was produced by Oliver Philips, Christian "Moschus" Moos and Wolverine. It will be mixed at the end of August and mastered soon after that. Hopefully we'll have it out on Elitist / Earache Records in October/November sometime".
"Before we started the recordings we announced a running order of the songs that has now been updated. This is because we wrote an acoustic song while we were in the studio. The track is called "Hiding". The entire band feels that 'STILL' is an amazing album. We can only hope that you'll feel the same way. We do of course hope to be able to go out and promote it live as much as possible. More news on this later".
'STILL' TRACKLIST:
1. A house of plague 2. Bleeding 3. Taste of sand 4. Nothing more 5. Sleepy town 6. Liar on the mount 7. Hiding 8. This cold heart of mine 9. And she slowly dies
Long-running German thrashers DESTRUCTION have announced the following worldwide release dates for their new album, "Inventor of Evil":
Europe – August 22 via AFM Records Japan – August 24 via King Records South America – September 30 via Laser North America – October 25 via Candlelight Records
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.
"Inventor of Evil" (view cover here) track listing:
01. Soul Collector 02. The Defiance Will Remain 03. The Alliance of Helloundz 04. No Man's Land 05. The Calm Before the Storm 06. The Chosen Ones 07. Dealer of Hostility 08. Under Surveillance 09. Seeds of Hate 10. Twist of Fate 11. Killing Machine 12. Memories of Nothingness
Bonus tracks (digipack):
13. We are the Road Crew (MOTÖRHEAD cover) 14. The Alliance of Hellhoundz (Schmier vocals only) video clip + wallpapers
Japanese version bonus tracks:
13. Eternal Ban (re-recording) 14. The Alliance of Hellhoundz (karaoke version)
BLIND GUARDIAN singer Hansi Kürsch has posted the following message on the group's official web site:
"Here is a short update about what is going on at the moment: Frederik [Ehmke, new BLIND GUARDIAN drummer] did some kick-ass drum arrangements for the new songs and now Oliver Holzwarth has started working on the bass arrangements. At the same time André, Marcus and I are fixing final arrangement issues but basically we have finished the biggest part of composing. We are going to start the production for the new album somewhere during the last days of August. As you can imagine everyone is highly motivated, excited and of course ready to go."
BLIND GUARDIAN's "very rough" schedule for the next months:
Late August - End of November: *Recording [and] mixing of the first single *Video shoot
December 2005/January 2006: *Mixing
February/March 2006: *Promotion *Release of the first single
April/May 2006: *Release of the album and warm-up shows
June – August 2006: *Warm-up shows *South America *Japan *Release of the second single
September – October 2006: *Europe
November 2006: *Japan *Australia
December 2006 – February 2007: *USA, Mexico and Canada
8THSIN, the new project led by IT (a.k.a. Tony Särkkä; WAR, ABRUPTUM, OPHTHTALAMIA, VONDUR), have finalized the track listing for their sophomore album, "Angelseed & Demonmilk", tentatively due in October. The follow-up to last year's "Sinners Inc." (Black Lodge Records) will include a special guest vocal appearance on one track by Peter Tägtgren of PAIN/HYPOCRISY.
According to a posting on the group's web site, "this recording enjoys a full five-man line-up, which wasn't the case of the first album, 'Sinners Inc.' and therefore will in both sound and feeling be very different from the first recording. Here we venture deeper into the mysterious and profound mind of IT, a continuing journey through the cycles of life and death, ending up with the second part of 'The Eight Sins'."
"Angelseed & Demonmilk" track listing:
01. A Sleepover at the Feeling of Death 02. Liars 03. Demons 04. Irreligious 05. Nocturnal 06. Templo Mayor 07. Angels 08. Humans without Disguise 09. Black Widow 10. Angelseed & Demonmilk 11. The Eight Sins, Part 2
As previously reported, 8THSIN recently posted an outtake from the "Sinners Inc." recording sessions at their official web site. The track "The 11th Commandment", which was left off the album due to "legal issues," can be downloaded at ' .
8THSIN's debut album, "Sinners Inc.", was recorded and mixed at Sin Studios by Michael Bohlin and was mastered at Polar Studios by Henrik Jonsson. The group's "Sometimes & Othertimes" video (directed by Ira Bohlin), taken from the "Sinners Inc." album, was finished in April.
SKYCLAD guitarist and mastermind Steve Ramsey suffed a serious shoulder injury in a recent accident, causing the postponement of their previously announced European tour from October until February 2006. It is not presently clear if SKYCLAD'S appearances at the Rocktown Festival in Bebra-Breitenbach, Germany, and at the Dominion Festival in Hull, U.K. will be affected by this cancellation.
Danish power/prog metal band ANUBIS GATE will release their second album, "A Perfect Forever", on September 20 via Locomotive Music (one day earlier internationally). The follow-up to 2004's "Purification" was produced by Jacob Hansen (RAUNCHY, INVOCATOR) and will feature cover artwork by Mattias Noren.
"A Perfect Forever" track listing:
01. Sanctified 02. Kingdom Come 03. Future without Past 04. Curfew 05. Children of the Pauper King 06. Approaching Inner Circle 07. The Wanton Blades Of Lust 08. Epitome of Delusion 09. Endless Grief 10. A Perfect Forever
Swedish "gothic metallers" BESEECH have uploaded their animated video for the song "Innerlane" at Beseech.net (available in both Windows Media and Quicktime formats).
"Innerlane" comes off the group's upcoming CD, "Sunless Days", due in Europe on September 5 via Napalm Records (September 27 in the U.S.).
The follow-up to last year's "Drama", "Sunless Days" was recorded at StudioMega in Varberg, Sweden and is set to include a a cover of the DANZIG track "Devil's Plaything" as well as a re-recording of the song "Manmade Dreams" (on the digipack version only) from BESEECH's second album, "Black Emotions".
"Sunless Days" track listing:
01. Innerlane 02. The Outpost 03. A Bittersweet Tragedy 04. Everytime I Die 05. Devil's Plaything (DANZIG cover) 06. Lost 07. Last Obsession 08. Emotional Decay 09. Restless Dreams 10. The Reversed Mind
The digipack version of "Sunless Days" will also include:
Century Media Records has set an October 18 release date for the new album from OLD MAN'S CHILD, entitled "Vermin". The follow-up to 2003's "In Defiance of Existence" was recorded at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden and contains eight new songs plus a re-recording of the old track "Born of the Flickering" (which originally appeared on the 1996 album of the same name).
Commented OLD MAN'S CHILD guitarist Galder (also in DIMMU BORGIR): "I have done an 'ill-natured...' method on this album so every instrument is done personally except for the [drumming], which [was handled] by the Danish [drummer] Reno Kiilerich [DIMMU BORGIR, EXMORTEM, VILE], who, by the way, did a killer job behind the drums. So all in all I must say I'm very happy with the album."
Century Media Records has announced the worldwide signing of Belgian death/grinders ABORTED.
"It's been a very hectic, intense and heavy year for ABORTED," says founder and lead vocalist Sven De Caluwe. "Yet a year in which we have done tons of amazing things, went to amazing places and met a lot of cool new people. One of those amazing things is being signed to a label we believe will be able to lift this band to new heights. They believe in us 200 percent and are going to help us take the next step in our careers."
Norwegian symphonic black metal masters DIMMU BORGIR have extended their record deal with longtime label Nuclear Blast Records. The group's next release will be a revamped version of their "Stormblast" CD, which originally appeared in 1996. The CD was re-recorded earlier in the year, augmented with bonus tracks and produced by Peter Tagtgren (HYPOCRISY). A November 7 release is expected.
DIMMU BORGIR are scheduled to begin writing material for their next studio album this fall for a tentative late 2006 release. The CD, which will feature a guest appearance by MAYHEM's Hellhammer on drums, will be "a full story/concept album," according to a posting on the group's web site.
ONE MAN ARMY AND THE UNDEAD QUARTET, the new Swedish band featuring former THE CROWN vocalist Johan Lindstrand, have set "21st Century Killing Machine" as the title of their upcoming debut album, due in early 2006 via Nuclear Blast Records. The band are scheduled to enter Bohus studio on September 10 to begin recording the CD.
"21st Century Killing Machine" projected track listing:
01. Killing Machine 02. Public Enemy No. 1 03. No Apparent Motive 04. Devil on the Red Carpet 05. Behind the Church 06. Hell Is for Heroes 07. The Sweetness of Black 08. When Hatred Comes to Life 09. Bulldozer Frenzy 10. Branded by Iron 11. So Grim So True So Real 12. Mary's Raising the Dead
ONE MAN ARMY AND THE UNDEAD QUARTET is:
Johan Lindstrand (ex-THE CROWN) - Vocals Valle Adzic (IMPIOUS) - Bass Mikael Lagerblad – Lead Guitar Pekka Kiviaho – Rhythm Guitar Marek Dobrowolski (RECLUSION) – Drums
ONE MAN ARMY AND THE UNDEAD QUARTET had previously recorded a promotional CD, entitled "When Hatred Comes To Life", at Deadline studios with engineer Valle Adzic.
MORTIIS releases his first ever DVD entitled 'SOUL IN A HOLE' on September 26th.
'SOUL IN A HOLE' contains a full live set filmed during MORTIIS' mammoth seven-week European tour in support of 'THE GRUDGE' album released last year.
It also includes MORTIIS' unparalleled videography to date with clips shot as far afield as Death Valley, New York and London plus never seen before interview footage including MORTIIS speaking candidly about the recording process, live shows and the reason for the mask!!
Tracklist for MORTIIS is as follows:
MORTIIIS LIVE FROM THE HACKNEY OCEAN, LONDON September 24th 2004
01. Intro 02. Broken Skin 03. Way Too Wicked 04. Marshland 05. The Worst In Me 06. Monolith 07. Gibber 08. Decadent And Desperate 09. Parasite God 10. The Loneliest Thing 11. Asthma 12. The Grudge 13. Smell The Witch 14. Mental Maelstrom 15. Le Petite Cochon Sordide
Music Videos 01. Parasite God 02. Mental Maelstrom 03. The Grudge 04. Decadent And Desperate (Absentia)
Bonus Material MORTIIS interview 'The Grudge' TV advert 'The Grudge' EPK Picture gallery
'SOUL IN A HOLE' is released on September 26th on EARACHE
Danish wrecking crew EXMORTEM will unleash their new expanded line up for a series of dates through August and September including a headling slot on Friday night, August 19th of this years Jalo Metalli Festival in Finland, which will be taking place 19th and 20th of August in Oulo.
The two day festival will also feature ATAKHAMA, BRUSSEL KAUPALLINEN, DEATHBOUND, DEATHCHAIN, DE LIRIUM'S ORDER, EMBRAZE, FOR MY PAIN, LAMBS, LORD BELIAL, MACHINE MEN, MALICIOUS DEATH, NATIONAL NAPALM SYNDICATE, OMNIUM GATHERUM, SICKNOTE, SWALLOW THE SUN and WRATHAGE, with LORD BELIAL handling headlining duties on the Saturday.
German "dark Satanic metal band" MYSTIC CIRCLE have parted ways with drummer Necrodemon. "There is no bad blood betwenn the bandmembers," reads a posting on the group's web site. "Necrodemon left the band for doing his own studio. MYSTIC CIRCLE has already a new drummer that is a full member of the band. Necrodemon will produce the new MYSTIC CIRCLE album. The band will enter the studio for the new album right after the MARDUK tour in the middle of September 'till the end of October 2005."
As previously reported, MYSTIC CIRCLE have set "The Bloody Path of God" as the title of their seventh full-length album, tentatively due in early 2006 via Dockyard 1, the new company formed by Dirk Putzke, Christine Stephan (both ex-Sanctuary/Noise Records) and Piet Sielck (IRON SAVIOR).
Polish death metallers VADER have posted the following message on their official web site:
"The MCD 'The Art of War', containing four brand new tracks plus two intros (both made by Siegmar from VESANIA) and a videoclip, is ready to release. For the first time in the band's history, there's a song entirely written by Mauser! The band recorded also a bonus track for the Asian version of the album, it's called 'Die!' (the song from their very rare, old demo tape, 'Live') and Peter sang it in the original, Polish-language version! Another worth underlining issue is production, this time the band entrusted the entire matter to well-experienced producers — Slawek and Wojtek Wieslawscy known from Hertz Studio, who were charged not only with the engineering, but also with mixes and mastering."
"The Art of War" will be released via Sweden's Regain Records.
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. 
Moscow (Russia) based thrash metal band ZATMENIE have recently stated that Edgar, a famous violin player, will be guesting on the band’s upcoming album. Edgar has just finished recording solo for a track “Za Toboy” (Russian for “Reaching For You”) and accepted his participation in album’s release party, tentatively due later 2005 or early 2006.
Russian metallers HOSTILE BREED have finished the recordings of their first Russian-language album "Uzory Shramov - Zakony Voiny". The recordings were made on 
BLIND GUARDIAN singer Hansi Kürsch has posted the following message on the group's official web site:
Swedish "gothic metallers" BESEECH have uploaded their animated video for the song "Innerlane" at Beseech.net (available in both Windows Media and Quicktime formats).
Norwegian symphonic black metal masters DIMMU BORGIR have extended their record deal with longtime label Nuclear Blast Records. The group's next release will be a revamped version of their "Stormblast" CD, which originally appeared in 1996. The CD was re-recorded earlier in the year, augmented with bonus tracks and produced by Peter Tagtgren (HYPOCRISY). A November 7 release is expected.
MORTIIS releases his first ever DVD entitled 'SOUL IN A HOLE' on September 26th.
Danish wrecking crew EXMORTEM will unleash their new expanded line up for a series of dates through August and September including a headling slot on Friday night, August 19th of this years Jalo Metalli Festival in Finland, which will be taking place 19th and 20th of August in Oulo.
Polish death metallers VADER have posted the following message on their official web site: