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Archived news 2004

January 2003

King Diamond have finished writing 12 songs for their next studio album, "The Puppet Master", tentatively due in October through Metal Blade Records.

According to the band's official web site:
"King wrote nine songs this time and finished writing the music for those songs about two weeks ago. (King Diamond guitarist) Andy (LaRocque) contributed three songs. So most likely there will be 12 songs on the album. However there is a slight possibility a short instrumental song might make it on the album. That is not confirmed at the moment."

"This time there will be no typical intro but an intro song which will be around two minutes (long) and is entitled 'The Sailor' which ends with the words 'Let The Show Begin' before kicking in with the (title track)."

"The new songs sound very aggressive but still have a lot of theatrical elements in it," King said. "Expect a lot of double kicks in the songs I wrote."

Also included on the album will be "a very sad, sad song (probably entitled 'So Sad'), which has very intense guitar playing on it," according to the web site.
"King also said drummer Matt Thompson contributed a guitar riff on one of the songs.
In addition, on one of the songs, 'The Little Drummer Boy' theme is used. Further news is that Andy will arrive on February 27th in Dallas where he and King will start recording the songs. (King Diamond bassist) Hal Patino will arrive about three weeks later."

Iron Savior is the latest band to have been confirmed for the Blind Guardian Open Air festival, which is scheduled to take place on June 13-14 at BGS Open Air Arena in Coburg/Bamberg, Germany.

The complete list of artists currently set to appear at the event is as follows:

Blind Guardian will headline the festival on both evenings with two different sets, which will be chosen by the fans via the group's official web site.

Full Strike, the project by Hammerfall guitarist Stefan Elmgren, ex-Lost Horizon vocalist Niclas Jonsson, and ex-Crawley bassist Chris Savage Goldsmith, are in the final songwriting stages for their second fullength album, which are scheduled to be recorded in the spring for a late summer release through Spitfire Records.

In may, Wolf will enter the Abyss Studio in Sweden to record their third fullength album.

Guitarist Michael Schenker has quit UFO again.

The official statement announcing Schenker's departure from the group reads as follows:
"Michael Schenker quits UFO. Michael gives back his 50% so they can tour (without Michael Schenker). Be aware if you buy a UFO concert ticket — it will be without Michael Schenker!
Don't be fooled again."

Furthermore, UFO bassist Pete Way has announced plans to embark on a solo tour of the U.S. with a backing band that will include former UFO guitarist Paul Chapman.

Confirmed dates so far are as follows:
Feb. 23 - Parma, OH @ The Revolution
Mar. 15 - Barrington, IL @ Penny Road Pub

Florida power metallers Kamelot have recruited former Yngwie Malmsteen keyboardist Mats Olausson to handle the keys during the group's upcoming tour in support of their current "Epica" release.

Sonata Arctica are soon to release their 3rd fullength album.
That will happen on 17th of March in Europe, and the albumcover is now official, and looks like this:

Tracklist so far(not in right order):

Abandoned, Pleased, Brainwashed, Exploited Broken The Cage Champagne Bath Draw Me Gravenimage The Misery The Ruins of My Life Silver Tongue Victoria's Secret

Crystal Eyes has been working hard the past months to sort things out for the future, and soon their 4th fullength album is ready to hit the stores.

Lately they have signed a multi record deal with the Swedish record company DMP Sweden, and they have practically finished recording the new album Vengeance Descending except for a few keyboardparts, and what is remaining is now the mixing.

The eleven songs are - in alphabetical order:

Child Of Rock Dream Chaser Heart Of The Mountain Highland Revenge, Metal Crusade, Mr. Failure Oblivion In The Visionary World The Beast In Velvet The Wizard’s Apprentice Vengeance Descending

Two very prominent vocalists are making a few guest appearances on the album.
Those are Gerd Salewski, who we are familiar with from his work with Chroming Rose, and the mighty Daniel Heiman from Gothenburg’s premier metal act Lost Horizon.

Axel Rudi Pell is currently in the process of composing songs for his new album. This is what we can read on his website:
"For the year 2003 no concerts or touring are planned. Axel is busy writing new songs, which will be recorded some time in late Summer. The next studio CD will be out not before January 2004 with a European tour following in February / March 2004 and some Summer 2004 festival appearences."

Breaking news straight from the mastermind of Falconer, Stefan Weinerhall:

"FALCONER and vocalist Mathias Blad have parted ways!
The reason was clashes of schedules, FALCONER wanted to give the "liveactivity" a serious try and take all chances they could get. The schedule Mathias´ musicals have didn´t make that easy to go through with.
So the choice was to continue with him and thereby maybe not being able to tour after the next album. The second choice was to get a new singer losing a trademark of the band but being able to take the chances when they come. Cease the day, as they say.

There are no hard feelings between us, we just had different priorities. Mathias wanted to do what he had worked and strived for, for years. The rest of FALCONER wanted to take the opportunity to experience something new and different.
Mathias is not 100% out of the picture, but is planned to appear as backing vocalist on future recordings.

The new vocalist is called Kristoffer Göbel, also in the band DESTINY.
He is not a Mathias-wannabe but has his own style, which also gives the band a chance to evolve. Apart from that, the band has more new members!

Also new in the band are the former sessionmusicians Anders Johansson (guitar) and Peder Johansson (Bass). They have played with the band for a year now so why not take them in as real members. New album!

The new album is to be recorded in May at Los Angered studio once again. This time it will be a concept album but fear not dear fans, it will not be one of those weird “hard to listen to” concept albums. The music is mostly as it has been but with one lyrical story throughout the whole album. After the release of the new album FALCONER will finally do a proper tour in Europe at least. We understand that some of you think that the originality of FALCONER is gone now with Mathias out of the picture. We see it as a fresh wind with Kristoffer. They are both great singers, but different.

FALCONER thank Mathias for the time in the band and wishes him the best of luck in the future with his career."

John Arch, former front man of the ever-popular progressive rock band Fates Warning, has just signed a solo deal with Metal Blade Records. The solo EP will be approximately 25 minutes in length and will embrace the talents of the amazing musicians John Arch on vocals, Jim Matheos on guitar, Joey Vera on bass, and Mike Portnoy on drums. The title of the forthcoming EP is “A Twist of Fate”.

Here is what John Arch had to say when asked about his thoughts on his latest project since his departure from Fates Warning 15 years ago.
"I think the music has a good feel to it. There are a lot of lements of the old Fates present but it doesn't sound retro 80's thanks in part to the newer recording technology but also the combined influences of Jim, Mike and Joey."

As for the title of the EP any Fates Warning fan will notice the irony but it is more than just a twist on words. The title also refers to genetic strands that have to do with who you become...your fate.

"The fans who take the time to read through the lyrics should find them challenging but yet brutally honest at times. The lyrics are somewhat personal but I have a feeling everyone can relate at some level. I hope fans new and old will like it. The guys are now completing the final recordings and when it is expect nothing short of sheer genius from these master musicians!”

Nightwish are set to enter the studio in November/December to record the follow-up to last year's "Century Child" CD, due before the summer 2004. The band have also confirmed that they will play just one Finnish festival this summer. Appearances at other summer festivals across Europe are also possible.

Nightwish, whose "Century Child" CD was certified platinum in Finland, performed two shows in Germany last week with astounding success. Over 7,000 people turned up at the band's gig in Oberhausen and over 5,500 in Munich. "(The Munich gig) was maybe our best show ever," Nightwish keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen stated right after the concert.

Nightwish's next release will be an as-yet-untitled DVD, due on May 26 through Spinefarm. The group's second DVD collection, it will consist of 12-14 tracks of music, including promo videos and various self-recorded live tracks, and about 60 minutes of behind-the-scenes material.

Grave Digger have set "Rheingold" as the title for their upcoming CD, due on May 26 through Nuclear Blast Records. According to an official press release from the band:
"The concept is following the Saga of the Nibelungs. We worked out 'The Ring Of The Nibelungs' from Germany's famous composer Richard Wagner. The record is split in four parts as there are: Rheingold, Valkyrie, Triumph-Glory-Agony and Twilight of the Gods. (These) are the four operas of the 'Ring Of The Nibelungs'. It's a very mystical story based on the old German saga of the Nibelungs. We worked also with some melody lines of the operas. The music includes all typical Grave Digger trademarks like simple and epic melody lines, aggressive vocals, guitars like chainsaws and a pounding rhythm section. You will see Dwarfs, Nymphys, Maidens, Giants, Swords, Dragons, Heroes, a golden Treasure, Liars, Murderer and of course Love, Death and Agony appear in the lyrical concept.

'Rheingold' will have 10 songs and an intro. The digipack will have one more song based also on the concept story. It's not a cover version!"

"Rheingold" was recorded at Principal Studios near Muenster, and was produced by The Resetti Brothers and Grave Digger frontman Chris Boltendahl.

Switzerland's Gotthard have completed work on their new studio album entitled "Human Zoo", due on Feb. 24.

The CD, which marks the first time the group have worked without longtime collaborator, songwriter/producer Chris Von Rohr (ex-Krokus bassist), was produced by Marc Tanner (Fiona, The Calling).

The complete track listing for the album is as follows:
01. Human Zoo
02. What I Like
03. Have A Little Faith
04. Top Of The World
05. Janie's Not Alone
06. Still I Belong To You
07. One In A Million
08. No Tomorrow
09. First Time In A Long Time
10. Where I Belong
11. Long Way Down
12. What Can I Do

The never resting composers and masterminds Luca Turilli and Alex Staropoli are already working on a new Rhapsody album.
They define it as the most "cinema oriented" album ever., and the new album is scheduled for early autumn 2003.

Swedish In Flames will be going to Denmark during May and start the work on the follow-up to their last effort "Reroute To Remain".
The album is scheduled to be out in the beginning of 2004.

Angel Witch has reformed with the following lineup: Kevin Heybourne (Angel Witch), Jon Torres (Angel Witch, Warning SF, Ulysses Siren, Laaz Rockit), Tom Hunting (Angel Witch, Exodus), Lee Altus (Heathen).
The band is writing a new album and plans to tour this summer.

Crematory is currently testing out new material and considering an eventual comeback after recently recording a cover of Metallica's "One" for the album 'A Tribute to the Four Horsemen'.

HAMMERFALL will film their hometown show in Göteborg, Sweden on February 20th for an upcoming DVD. The group, who are currently touring Europe with MASTERPLAN and NOSTRADAMEUS, will be presented at the gig with gold albums for sales in excess of 30,000 copies of their new album "Crimson Thunder" in Sweden.

HELLOWEEN have set May 5th as the release date for their as-yet-untitled new album, which is currently being mixed by producer Charlie Bauernfeind at Mi Sueño studio in Tenerife, Spain.
The CD is being described in an official press release as "a real back-to-the-roots album".
In related news, Mickey Dee (Motorhead, King Diamond) will play drums on the album as Mark Cross could not complete all recordings on the album due to contracting the malicious (EBV) Epstein-Barr virus also known as Mononucleosis.

After "Spirit Of Freedom", TARAXACUM are working on a new album called "Rainmaker". The band completed their line-up and hired a second guitar player: Danny Klupp (ex-HAGGARD). Tobias Exxel (EDGUY), Rick Mythiasin (ex-STEEL PROPHET), Ferdy Doernberg (AXEL RUDI PELL) are entering the studio in February.
The band will play a few live shows in February/March this year, and the release of the new album is scheduled for fall 2003.

Finland's Nightwish are being sued by arranger/conductor Riku Niemi over unpaid fees Niemi claims are owed him for his work on the group's platinum-certified "Century Child" release.

Nightwish keyboardist/mastermind Tuomas Holopainen, who wrote the bulk of the material on the album, claims that the whole thing is the result of a misunderstanding and that only a verbal agreement existed contract between the band and Niemi.
"I have nothing against Riku, and I'm greatly disappointed that our co-operation has ended like this," Holopainen said. "I hope that we will reach the final resolution of this matter soon."

In related news, Nightwish bassist Marco Hietala (ex-Sinergy) is currently writing the last pieces of music and lyrics for the upcoming album from his old group, Tarot.
The band, which consists of Hietala on bass/vocals, his brother Zachary on guitar, Janne Tolsa on keyboards, and Pecu Cinnari on drums, never officially broke up and have managed to play at least a couple of live gigs ever year.
The group's follow-up to 1998's "For The Glory of Nothing" is due in late spring.

Spain's TIERRA SANTA are hard at work on their new album entitled "Indomable". The release is scheduled for February 2003.

STRATOVARIUS has begun work on "Elements Part 2".
On January 13th Timo Kotipelto will start recording the vocals for the band's next studio album "Elements Part 2", which will be released in January 2004.

German power metallers PRIMAL FEAR have announced "a very special show" for their fans in Bochum, Germany on April 17th at the Matrix. The band will perform "a very special song list, including some PRIMAL FEAR classics, some very rare PRIMAL FEAR tracks and some special cover tunes".

UK Melodic Power Metal band POWER QUEST have been confirmed to appear at the 2003 BLOODSTOCK Festival on Friday August 29th! The band will be kicking off proceedings at 6:30pm.
Their new fullengthalbum Wings of Forever has now been released and is already available online at www.alicesrecords.com, www.hellionrecords.de , www.arisemetal.com , www.metalmerchant.com

Swedish power metallers ZONATA have parted ways with singer Johannes Nyberg and keyboardplayer John Nyberg and are currently seeking replacements.
If you live near Borås, Sweden and are interested in auditioning for the group, contact the band at: niclas.ka@telia.com

Marty Friedman (guitar), Jeff Scott Soto (vocals), Rob Rock (vocals), Kee Marcello (guitar) and Mattias IA Eklund (guitar) are among the guests appearing on the sophomore full-length album from Sweden's LAUDAMUS.
The as-yet-untitled effort, which was recorded in Costa Mesa, California, is due in the spring.

SONATA ARCTICA have set "Victoria's Secret" as the first single off their upcoming full-length album "Winterheart's Guild" due on February 22nd in Japan and March 17th in Finland.
The single itself will precede the album on February 17th. "Winterheart's Guild" features a guest appearance by keyboardist Jens Johansson on four cuts.

VIRGIN STEELE concert at The Downtown in Farmingdale, Long Island on December 21st was recorded for an upcoming live CD/DVD, due in late 2003. The band's set list for the three-hour performance was as follows:

Invictus, Life Among The Ruins, Voice As Weapon, Conjuration Of The Watcher, From Chaos To Creation, Twilight Of The Gods, God Of Our Sorrows, Vow Of Honour/Defiance, Dust From The Burning, A Token Of My Hatred, Vox Intro / Crown Of Glory, When The Legends Die, Thy Kingdom Come-Intro, Guitar Solo, Great Sword Of Flame, A Symphony Of Steele, The Wine Of Violence, In Triumph Or Tragedy, Return Of The King, Flames Of Thy Power, Drum Solo, I Will Come For You, Kingdom Of The Fearless, A Cry In The Night/Don't Close Your Eyes (Acoustic), "Marriage Theme" Into "Veni Vidi, Vici", Noble Savage & The Burning Of Rome.

AT VANCE are finishing the work on their new album. They are currently working together with Achim Köhler (Primal Fear) at the House Of Music studios.

Legendary Fates Warning vocalist John Arch has signed a deal with Metal Blade Records - he is currently working on an EP on which he will be backed by Jim Matheos (guitar), Joey Vera (bass) and Mike Portnoy (drums)

Susperia has split with Nuclear Blast and are in heavy negotiations with several record labels.

Lacuna Coil will regretfully be unable to participate in the upcoming "4 Absent Friends" tour with Opeth, Paradise Lost, and Tapping The Vein due to the untimely processing of their immigration paperwork.

MORIFADE will enter Los Angered Recording in Gothenburg on January 20th, 2003 with producer Andy LaRocque to begin recording their as-yet-untitled third album, due in late spring/early summer through Hammerheart.

Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain is reportedly working with ex-Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson and ex-Anthrax guitarist Dan Spitz on a new, as of yet unnamed project.

Danil Bar has replaced guitarist Nick Savio in White Skull, who left the band as the result of "musical differences".

The movie This is Spinal Tap was selected as one of 25 new additions to the National Film Registry - the registry now contains 350 films that have been chosen to be preserved by the United States’ Library of Congress.

Top

February 2003

Rolf Munkes - former member of Vanize, and current member of Empire - has joined the german band Majesty. They will start the work on a followup to their last album Sword And Sorcery this spring.
Some live dates for the summer will be announced later this this weekend.

In additional news, releasedate for Empire's new album Trading Souls in Europe is 21st of April through Lion Music.

Current Empire line-up:
Tony Martin (Ex Black Sabbath) - Vocals
Neil Murray (Ex Whitesnake) - Bass
Rolf Munkes - Guitars
Gerald Kloos - Drums
Don Airey (Deep Purple) - Keyboards

Tracklist
1. One In A Million
2. Pay Back Time
3. Teenage Deadhead
4. Big World, Little Man
5. You
6. Perfect Singularity
7. Wherever You Go
8. Did You Ever Love Me
9. Comin' Home
10. Back In The Light

Axel Rudi Pell will join an orchestra at a live show at the Zeche Bochum, Germany on April 29th to play 4-5 classics (including Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water") live with them. Axel will be the only musician with an electric instrument on stage that night. Also appearing at this show will be Doro who will perform a couple of her own songs and some more surprise guests.

The management around Axel want to point out that this is in general the only liveappearance that the band will do this year. They are currently writing songs for the next studio album which is supposed to be released in early 2004.

This week in London at the High Court in the Strand, in a landmark decision for the music industry, Mr Justice Laddie found in favour of Biff Byford the lead singer of metallegends Saxon, in a case involving previous band members Graham Oliver and Steve Dawson, who registered the name Saxon for themselves in 1997 without the knowledge of Mr. Byford. Mr Justice Laddie ruled that Oliver-Dawson had registered the name in bad faith. Saxon's decisive victory over former members Oliver-Dawson is well timed as it coincides with the bands 25th anniversary celebrations.

Finnish melodic metal band Altaria, the band featuring Sonata Arctica guitarist Jani Liimatainen, have set an April 28 European release date through AOR Heaven sub-label Metal Heaven Records for their debut album, "Invitation".

The CD, which was mixed at Helsinki's Sonic Pump Studios by Nino Laurenne, will contain the following track listing:
01. Ravenwing
02. Innocent
03. Wrath Of A Warchild
04. House Of My Soul
05. Unicorn
06. History Of Times To Come
07. Fire & Ice
08. Immordal Disorder
09. Kingdom Of The Night
10. Here I Am
11. Emerald Eye

Another metalfestival is planned on swedish ground. It goes under the name Gates of Metal, and the lineup surely does look appealing:

Nightwish, Iced Earth, Gamma Ray, Kreator, Freedom Call, Lost Horizon, Arch Enemy, Iron Saviour, Merciless, Wolf, Stormwarrior, Norther.

The festival takes place over one day, the 2nd of August - same weekend as Wacken Open Air - and the amount of tickets are limited to a number of 5000.
Hurry, hurry.....

www.gatesofmetal.nu

The Swiss legends Celtic Frost are currently working on their next album, that have the workingtitle "Probe". They don't have a contract with a label yet, so they have financed the recordings themselves.

Tracklist so far:

01. November
02. Lore
03. Totgetanzt
04. Patriarch
05. The Dark
06. Human Dirt (formerly "Wanker God")
07. Requiem (Part III: Winter)
08. Seed of Tranquility
09. Leaves and Hunger
10. The Dying I
11. Transfixed
12. Forsaken

Sadly enough, we are now reached by the news that Dark Moor officially have split up due to personal problems and disagreements.

Helloween have finalized the track listing for their new album, "Rabbit Don't Come Easy", due on May 5 through Nuclear Blast Records.
The album will be released in a jewel case and there will be a limited edition in a very special digipack available, including the bonus track "Far Away".
The first single off the album, "Just A Little Sign", will be released on April 7.

The track listing and songwriting credits for the album are as follows:
01. Just A Little Sign (Andi Deris)
02. Open Your Life (Sascha Gerstner)
03. The Tune (Michael Weikath)
04. Never Be A Star (Andi Deris)
05. Liar (Markus Grosskopf)06. Sun For The World (Sascha Gerstner)
07. Don't Stop Being Crazy (Andi Deris)
08. Do You Feel Good (Michael Weikath)
09. Hell Was Made In Heaven (Markus Grosskopf)
10. Back Against The Wall (Andi Deris)
11. Listen To The Fly (Sascha Gerstner)
12. Nothing To Say (Michael Weikath)

B-sides/Possible Bonus Tracks:
01. Sheer Heart Attack (Queen cover)
02. Fast As a Shark (Accept cover)
03. Far Away (Markus Grosskopf)

According to the band's official web site, former drummer Mark Cross played on two of the tracks, his replacement Stefan Schwarzmann (ex-Accept/Running Wild) played on the B-sides, and Motörhead's Mikkey Dee played on all of the rest. The track "Do You Feel Good" is a track originally written for the "Dark Ride" (2000) sessions, but was never used.

In a lengthy interview posted on Helloween's official web site, guitarist Michael Weikath discusses the album title, the drummer change, and the musical direction of the new CD, among other topics.

You can read the full interview here.

After touring like crazy in 2002 (all over Europe, Japan and three times in the US) Swedish Melodic Death Metal leaders Arch Enemy just finished the pre-production for their new (still untitled) studio album in Sweden. Producer Andy Sneap (Machine Head, Napalm Death, Kreator, Nevermore etc.) who already worked on the band's previous album album "Wages Of Sin" came over to their rehearsal room and was already blown away by the early demos.
Since 10th February the band is now working in Andy Sneap's Backstage studio in Derbyshire/UK where they will stay for one month to nail down a new heavy masterpiece.

Michael Amott in his own words:
"What can I tell you about the new songs? Lots of HEAVY riffs and COOL parts, the melodies and hooks are the strongest we've come up with so far in our career I believe. Lyrically it's heavier too...raw and real. And yes, there's some ultra-sick guitar shit going on too...otherwise it wouldn't be Arch Enemy, right? For us, It's a matter of picking up were we left off with "Wages Of Sin" and just pushing ourselves to be 100% better!!! (Not that easy, we raised the bar pretty damn high on the WOS album!). Keep an eye out for lots of studio reports, pics and demented ramblings from various band members with various degrees of cabin fever (on www.archenemy.net) ...we are about to embark on a new mission..."

The tentative release date for the album is July 2003 through Century Media Records.

German metallers Rage have set "Soundchaser" as the title for their next studio album, which they plan to record in April at VPS Studio in Hamm. "Soundchaser" will be mixed and mastered in May by producer Charlie Bauerfeind at Mi Sueno studio (owned by Andi Deris of Heloween) in Tenerife, Spain. A late summer release is expected.

Swedish/German melodic power metallers Dionysus, featuring the voice behind guitarist Luca Turilli's solo work, Olaf Hayer, and ex-Sinergy drummer Ronny Milianowicz, are tentatively planning to record their new album in late spring for a fall release through AFM Records. According to Ronny:
"The second album will include 'Paradise Land' and also the continued story of 'Bringer of Salvation' called 'Bringer of War', an ultra-heavy song that will make your ears bleedmand your trousers wet of happiness! The lyrics to this song (were written by my) longtime friend Joacim Cans, the singer of Hammerfall. Check out their new pre-production of their musical called 'The Conspiracy' at Metalheartmusic.com.
A lot of people emailed us and asking why 'Paradise…' didn't end up on 'Sign of Truth'. Since we only had three weeks in Germany for the recordings, (Edguy singer/producer) Tobias Sammet and we thought it's kind of complicated song to record and that s not so good if you don t have so much time in the studio, so basically the reason was time..."

U.D.O. are now in the middle of the mixing of their upcoming liveDVD, that is due for release around summertime. Their new studioalbum will be released in oktober/november this year, and the next tour will start probably in South America and US.
The European Tour will start in january 2004.

Bathory's new album, "Nordland II", will be released on March 31 in Europe and April 28 in North America through Black Mark Records. Both "Nordland" albums will be released on double vinyl.
In other news, Black Mark will re-release the group's albums in the classic vinyl format on Feb. 24. All LPs will be re-mastered and will include an enhanced original layout and sheet of full lyrics in full color.

The records set to be reissued are the following:
"Bathory" (1984), "The Return…" (1985), "Under the Sign of the Black Mark" (1987), "Blood Fire Death" (1989), "Hammerheart" (1990), and "Twilight of the Gods" (1991).

On the 11th of Feb. Timo Tolkki entered the Finnvox Studio together with Mikko Karmila to begin the mixing of some of the upcoming tracks to the followup on the newly released album - Elements Part 2.
Some of the songs that are ready for the album are " Alpha&Omega", "I Walk to My Own Song", "Awaken the Giant", "Liberty", "Season of Faith´s Perfection", "I´m Still Alive", "Dreamweaver".

The album is due for release somtime during October 2003.

The rumours and speculations that have been going around that Stefan Schwarzmann have replaced Mark Cross as new drummer in Helloween have now been confirmed by Schwarzmann himself when the magazine SRM interviewed him in the bands studio on Teneriffe.
He will be replacing Mark and will be a permanent member in Helloween. Schwarzmann will also quit in the thrashband Paradox so he can devote all his time to Helloween.

Gamma Ray have spent the past few weeks mixing their live album, "Skeletons In The Closet", for a tentative late April release through Sanctuary/Noise Records.

"The live recordings sound fantastic!" said Gamma Ray mainman Kai Hansen. "I'm really glad that we decided to do this live album. It's going to be a fantastic document of some really special concerts!"

"We've been working on (the album) for too long now!" joked Hansen. "We started in mid-December, but we had a number of technical problems right at the beginning that have delayed things a bit. We were first all big smiles when the two hard drives the shows were recorded on arrived a while before Christmas. It was a bit sad then that it was impossible to open anything on them! We tried all repair software known to mankind, and only sighed with relief as a computer specialist we consulted managed to fight his way through and open the files at last. We lost about three weeks because of that. We wanted to have the album out in late March, but now we've had to push the release back to late April."

"We recorded the shows at Barcelona and Strasbourg. We're using parts of both shows, some songs are taken from here and some from there. Actually, most of it is taken from the Barcelona show, and about three or four numbers are from Strasbourg. I must admit it is pretty laborious to mix recordings made at different venues — we had the same recording engineers and the same recording gear at both shows, but the house itself always adds to the sound. On an album, you obviously want to have the feel like this was all done on the same night, and adjusting all the bits and pieces needed for this are a pretty long road. It's fun work though, and it will definitely be worth the wait!"

Primal Fear is told to have entered the studio for the final mix of theb upcoming DVD, "The History of Fear". Estimeted time for release is the end of this year.

Following can be read on Doro's website:
"Hi Fans, as you all know DORO's DVD will soon be released. As an extra special highlight the producers want to add an interview with our Queen and they ask us, the fans, to send in some questions!! Just write down what you always wanted to ask DORO and send it to Produzenten! All the questions will be collected and will be given to DORO during the production of the interview. Please help to create a very interesting and informative interview!! We are looking forward to your questions, guys!!"
Surf in on www.doro.de for more information.

Metal Blade Records will release the second album by Cydonia, entitled "The Dark Flower" on the 7th of April.
Most of you should remember the band from their self-titled debut album Metal Blade released two years ago!

This second album is told to offer a kind of Metal leaning to the Thrash of the Bay Area, with some hints of electronic keyboard and some melodic power penetrative elements; everything is characterised by aggressive guitar rhythms, incisive bass and drum parts, energetic guitars and by vocal lines capable of alternative strong and melodic sounds.

Compared to the previous album, some changes took place, not only in the musical direction, but also in the line-up of the band:
Pete Daniels is the new rhythm guitarist and Stefan Ray the new drummer. The other musicians, Trevor O'Neal on bass and Steve Sguario on lead guitar, have already played on the debut album.
The music is crowned by the vocals of singer and band leader Dan Keying.

Chinchilla has just finished recordings for their fourth album "Madtropolis" in the House Of Music Studios, Germany. Produced by the band and Achim Köhler, Chinchilla managed to record eleven songs of pure joy that range from melodic ballads to pure and powerful Heavy Metal!

The band got visited in the studio by legendary ex-MOTÖRHEAD guitar player Fast Eddie Clarke who played an awesome solo for the song "When The Sand Darkens The Sun".
"We got in touch with him during our tour with Paul Di Anno", Chinchilla guitarist Udo Gerstenmeyer explains.
"By the end of last year we just sent him an e-mail with our request and he was straight in for it. It was so easy. Eddie is such a nice guy and the solo he played is awesome!"


Here´s the complete tracklisting:
1. A DANCE WITH THE DEVIL
2. BATTLE OF THE WORLD
3. HEADLESS FOOLS
4. HEAVY METAL
5. MADTROPOLIS
6. MONEY RULES EVERYTHING
7. OUR DESTINY
8. SATELLITE
9. THE ENTIRE WORLD
10. TURN AROUND THE MAGIC TABLE
11. WHEN THE SAND DARKENS THE SUN

Since last years tour with Demon, Chinchilla have a new line-up:
Thomas Laasch: Vocals
Udo Gerstenmeyer: Guitar
Josh Häberle: Bass
Criss Schwinn: Drums
Artur Diessner: Keyboards, Backing Vocals

"Madtropolis" is going to be released in Europe the 5th of May through Metal Blade Records.

German melodic metallers Edguy are putting the finishing touches on their live album, tentatively due in April through AFM Records. According to vocalist Tobias Sammet, "the live album is gonna (consist of) two (2) discs, (with a running time of) over 100 minutes (and) with a 40-page photo booklet documenting the ('Mandrake') tour, featuring 150 pictures (of the band) onstage, backstage, sightseeing, drinking, soundcheck(ing), travelling, etc. Fans can follow us everywhere in this booklet. I really hope that people will appreciate that!"

Silent Force, the progressive metal band featuring ex-Royal Hunt singer D.C. Cooper, have set "Line of Attack" as the tentative title for their third full-length album, due later in the year.
The follow-up to 2001's "Infatuator", which will be recorded at House of Audio studio in Karlsdorf, Germany with producer Dennis Ward (Angra, Pink Cream 69), will include 14 tracks.
"The pre-productions are already done, and we are very happy with the material", the band said in a statement posted on their official web site.

Seven Witches, the band featuring former Savatage guitarist Jack Frost, Armored Saint/Fates Warning bassist Joey Vera, and Helstar singer James Rivera, have set an April 9 American release date through Sanctuary Records for their fourth album, "Passage To The Other Side".
The CD will surface in Europe on March 25.

The complete track listing for "Passage To The Other Side" is as follows:
01. Dance With The Dead
02. Mental Messiah
03. Johnny
04. Apocalyptic Dreams
05. Fever In The City
06. Betrayed
07. Last Horizon
08. Natures Wrath
09. Wasted (Def Leppard Cover)
10. Passage To The Other Side

UK's Power Quest have been confirmed to appear at the BloodStock Festival on Friday August 29th. The band will be kicking off proceedings at 6:30pm.
For more details: www.bloodstock.uk.com

In additional news, Power Quest are currently looking for a new guitarist - someone who is into the melodic power metal scene and has strong rhythm and lead playing ability (and can play the current album of course). They are looking for someone UK based who is able to rehearse in London at least 2 or 3 times a month (usually a Friday) 2003 will be a very busy year with Bloodstock, other shows and a new album to come and a possible European tour in September/October.
If you are up for it or know anybody who might be please send a CD, biography etc. to the following address:
Power Quest, 115 Vine Road, Southampton, Hampshire, SO16 5TD, UK, or visit http://power-quest.co.uk

Swedish thrashers The Crown, recently rejoined by original vocalist Johan Lindstrand, have booked studio time at Gothenburg's Studio Fredman for the recording and mixing of their forthcoming album, tentatively due in early September.

The band will enter the studio on May 5 and should be "all done" by June 15.

Among the tracks set to appear on the group's as-yet-untitled CD are the following:
01. No Tomorrow
02. Face Of Destruction/Deep Hit Of Death
03. Are You Morbid?
04. Cold Is The Grave
05. Kill 'Em All
06. Natashead Overdrive
07. Dawn Of Emptiness
08. Crown Of Thorns

According to bassist Magnus Olsfelt:
"This time we are heading for the ultimate and so far it sounds very promising. The new material is pretty diverse but in general the songs have more POWER. Hard-hitting and straight forward, with more natural flow. So that the energy and force comes straight back to you."

Ballistic is the new band of Tom Gattis who wrote Metal history with his earlier bands Deuce, Tension and especially Wardog.

Tom shares some of the best musicians around him to make Ballistic a high quality band. Rikard and Chris should be known to any metalhead from their other band Jag Panzer.

The line-up reads as follows:
Rikard Stjernquist-Drums
Chris Broderick-Guitar
Tim O'Conner-Bass
Tom Gattis-Vocals, Guitar

The group are set to begin work on their self-titled debut full-length CD at a Phoenix studio in March with longtime co-producer John Herrera before travelling to Germany to mix the effort with Achim Köhler.

Here´s a quote of Tom Gattis about all this:
"I have to say that I am very excited to be back on Metal Blade and back in the metal world. The BALLISTIC demo released in 2001 did very well, and since then, with two members of Jag Panzer joining the two former members of Tension, the new music will be taken up even further. The material will be as fast and un-compromisingly heavy as ever, but with such a potent line-up the musicianship will be truly amazing. I can say that right now, it sounds like a cross between old Exodus and Forbidden, with Steve Harris-like bass parts and, of course, Broderick's amazing leads. Of course all this will culminate in us getting back to Europe to play for the best metal fans in the world! Metal is life!"

Tracklist:
1. COLLISION COURSE
2. WATCH ME DO IT
3. CORPSE STACKED HIGH
4. THRESHOLD OF PAIN
5. UNDEFEATED
6. THE DISSECTION / INTO THE SEVER CHAMBER
7. GONE BALLISTIC
8. BLOODBATH
9. CALL TO ARMAGEDDON
10. SILENT KILLER
11. CALL ME EVIL
12. LOUD IS GOD

Related links: www.gattismetal.com

Germany's Stormhammer have parted ways with drummer Django. According to the band's official website, Django "decided to quit Stormhammer. In the past, we disagreed a lot about how things could be done and how fast things could be done. We lost a very good drummer. All the best of wishes".
A replacement has yet to be announced.

Logar's Diary are going to start the recordings for the next CD hopefully by the end of February.

Amorphis frontman Pasi Koskinen's "black/dark metal" project Ajattara have completed work on their new album, "Kuolema" ("Death"), for a March 24 release.

The full track listing for the album is as follows:
01. Antakaa Elää (Let Me Live)
02. Surman Henki (The Ghost Of Death)
03. Haureus (Fornication)
04. Huoran Alla (Under The Whore)
05. Ikiyössä (In The Eternal Night)
06. Musta Leski (Black Widow)
07. Sielun Särkijä (Crusher Of Soul)
08. Kituvan Kiitos (Praise Of The Lingering)
09. Helvetissä On Syntisen Taivas (Sinner's Heaven Is In Hell)
10. Rauhassa (Serenity)

"Kuolema" was recorded in November 2002 at Savonlinna's Sundi Coop Studio by Tuomo Valtonen and was mastered at Helsinki's Finnvox Studio by Mika Jussila (Stratovarius, Children Of Bodom).

Sweden's Dimension Zero, the band featuring In Flames guitarist Jesper Strömblad (on bass), ex-In Flames axeman Glenn Ljungström, ex-Marduk vocalist Jocke Göthberg, Luciferion/Diabolique drummer Hasse Nilsson, and Pathos guitarist Daniel Antonsson, have released several songtitles that are expected to appear on the band's next full-length album, "This is Hell", tentatively due in September/October through Regain Records.

Among the tracks slated for inclusion on "This is Hell" are:
01. This Light
02. Immaculate
03. Dimension Zero
04. Blood On The Streets

The upcoming CD — the band's first to feature Antonsson — will reportedly be "much harder than the previous Dimension Zero" material.
It is set to be recorded beginning on Feb. 10 at Phlat Planet studios in Gothenburg, Sweden with producer/In Flames frontman Anders Fridén.

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March 2003

The Italian power/speed metal band Highlord has just signed with Arise Records. The new album of the band will be released in 2004.

On February 14, Testament vocalist Chuck Billy underwent two surgeries to culminate his cancer treatment – both operations were a complete success, and Billy has now (for the second time) been given a clean bill of health and since he now can concentrate fulltime on the band for the first time inyears, the band is now back in action mode.
Testament is planning to play a lot of liveshows the next coming halfyear, and after that it is said to be very possible that a new studioalbum will see the light of day.

Queensryche and Dream Theater - the two prog metal giants - have plans to team up for a summer tour scheduled to begin in June.

This is the latest update on Iced Earth's website:
"Next week we begin recording drum tracks and the next IE is fully underway. We will be doing everything but the drums in my studio. The drums and the mix will be done in Tampa at Morrisound. Jim Morris and I will be flying to Prague to record the symphony in mid May as it stands right now. I’m very much looking forward to that. We are kicking around the idea of a full surround sound mix of Gettysburg on the DVD audio format as a bonus disc. We are checking on costs and all that fun stuff now to see if it’s possible. I’ve always wanted to do this and this epic is the perfect choice for it.

Another bit of news is that Larry Tarnowski will no longer be performing in IE. He will continue his studies and we wish him all the best for his future endeavors. There will be a few different guest appearances on the record for the solo’s and we will be deciding on a touring replacement in the near future. I’ll be making that decision after the recording and will let you know who it will be in the next few months.

Also, we will be auctioning off the IE drum kit for charity on ebay, but it will have to be after the recording due to my intense schedule.

My next post will most likely be after the recording is finished so until then take care and stay metal!
/Jon"

In the seemingly neverending story about Rob Halford's "join-or-not-join-Priest-again", we now learn that the ex-Judas Priest frontman has issued a statement dispelling the persistent rumors of a possible reunion with Judas Priest and placing much of the blame for the proliferation of false information about his activities on his former management company, Sanctuary Music Group.

More can be read on www.metalexpress.no.

Steel Attack's new album "Predator Of The Empire" will be released on the 7th of april in Europe. The band has got 11 impressive Heavy Metal Hymns and their new singer Dick is told to have showed his high quality voice in each track recorded. The new effort was recorded at Underground Studios and mastered by Peter In de Betou.
Jean Pascal Fournier has painted the cover artwork.

1-Predator of the Empire 2-Cursed Land 3-The Darkness 4-Point Of No Return 5-Heavy Metal God 6-The Holy Sign 7-Arise 8-Nightmare 9-One Way To Heaven One Way To Hell 10-Reality Unknown 11-Paradise (Japanese Bonus Track)

Dark Moor will continue their career with a different line-up. Elisa, Albert & Jorge has started a new band and Enrik García & Anan Kaddouri will go ahead with Dark Moor with new musicians.
The EP "Between Light And Darkness" will be released on 21th April.

News directly from the Primal Fear camp:
"To end up the net-rumours, yes it is true - we have an offer to join "The 2003 Metal Gods" tour through the US with Halford, Testament and all the others. We're just in negotitaions and consider our possibilities. Watch out for more serious news here on the official page in the next days!

The "History Of Fear" DVD will be mixed in April and the first editings of the picture parts are looking very promising. The DVD will be released in August 2003. In addition, we've decided to record the new album in October/November with a worldwide release planned for Feb 22nd 2004 and a forthcoming world-tour starting in March - interested bands in joining us on this tour should contact us!"

Iron Maiden have finished mixing five songs for the much-anticipated follow-up to 2000's "Brave New World", due later in the year through Sony/Columbia Records.

"Iron Maiden mixing is going well," Shirley - the man in charge of the mixing - wrote on his web site. "I hope to be done with the stereo mixes in the next two weeks, and then it's onto the 5.1 surround mixes, which are going to be very exciting and should be fun, although mixing Maiden is hard work and not necessarily the most fun mixing job in the world! I do, however, love my job, and wouldn't want to complain for even a second!"

Iron Maiden have yet to reveal any of the songtitles or a project album title for the forthcoming effort, the group's second since reuniting with vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith.
The European Leg of the band's "Give Me Ed… 'Til I'm Dead World Tour" is set to kick off on May 23 in La Coruna, Spain.

Chris Impellitteri has made a statement on the band's official website. It goes as follows:
"At the moment IMPELLITTERI are recording new music for the next cd, which is a new sound for the band. Fast, furious and a touch of opera. Chris has been talking with MAJOR producers to help give the band a new sound. Of course the shredding will continue.
And there may be a surprise or two!!!!!
On the concert scene IMPELLITTERI would like to play summer festivals. Hopefully the promoters will get their heads out of their a** and book us!"

Pretty Maids upcoming live release "Alive At Least" will be in the Danish recordshops in late April, and in all other countries on May 12th.
The band is working on several festival offers, but there are no actual club gig plans for this year.

Edguy's upcoming double live album "Burning Down The Opera" has been pushed back a week and the new date for the European release is set to June 2nd.

Tad Morose will enter the studio on the 12th of April to start the recordings of their yet untitled next album. The album will be recorded at Studio Soundcreation and will be mixed at the recognised and famous Studio Fredman, Gothenburg at the end of May. The band will also record the song Hail and Kill for the upcoming Manowar tribute album.

Italy's Domine is hard at work on new songs for their 4th album, with a tentative recording session at New Sin scheduled set for May. On their website, we can read:
"So far, the band has already rehearsed 5 new compositions. Titles are told to be Top Secret to avoid copycats running amok. The rest of the guys in the band (and roadies) comment on a few of the new songs as “different”…. but don’t worry, it’s still EPIC POWER METAL. No radical changes but a few new ideas in arrangments, melodies and structures. Songs go almost all over the 6 minutes, as usual.

Enrico says : “If you like Domine, Manowar, Iron Maiden, Queen, Jethro Tull, Virgin Steele and Thin Lizzy you will not be disappointed”. You will get a storm of the usual powerful EPIC METAL the band has become famous for. There will also be another tribute song in the style of “The Ride Of The Valkyries”. Well, actually 2 this time, we must keep our mouths shut for now. The band will also record 1 or 2 covers and everybody is starting to throw song titles. Main contenders are songs by Black Sabbath, MSG, Angel and Kansas."

In other news from the band, we learn that one of Enrico’s rings were stolen by a fan during the gig in Prato last October. At the end of the gig, Enrico was shaking hands and giving guitar picks to the guys in the first row when someone got hold Enrico’s hand, some picks and, maybe accidentally…a ring.

Enrico is very upset and kindly ask the guy to return the ring at this address:
DRAGONHEART C/O Audioglobe Via Volga 47 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI) Osmannoro.

The ring is a copy of “The One Ring” of “The Lord Of The Rings”. For this reason, we are nomore to expect anymore hand-shaking from Enrico….

Germanys power metallers Brainstorm has entered the House of Music studios in Winterbach/Germany to record the follow up to their extremely successful „Metus Mortis“ release of 2001. Scheduled for the 30th of June, “Soul Temptation” will be their “most diverse album ever…“ guitarist Torsten Ihlenfeld quotes. “Hard, catchy, powerful and maybe the biggest step for all of us. As we see it…the right step at the right time”.
Among the titles tentatively set to appear on the CD are the following: “Highs without lows”, “The Leading”, “Nunca nos rendimos”, “Doorway to survive” and “To the head”.

The first pressing of “Soul Temptation” will be released as a double-Digi-pack including the new CD (plus bonus track) and a special DVD, featuring the final show of their “Metus Mortis in Europe” tour at the Summer Breeze Festival (Germany). Additionally the DVD will include tons of bonus material!

Brainstorm will hit the road again to support Saxon on three shows in the beginning of April and also for the Blind Guardian Open Air and the Bang Your Head Festival. Besides that, the band is also working on the “Tempting Europe” - tour in the fall of 2003.

From the camp of Freternia we hear the following:
"Freternia's line-up is complete! Finally we've found the guitarist we've been looking for. His name is Niclas Karlsson whose amazing skills were last heard at Zonata's third album "Buried Alive".

Niclas will take part in the writing process from now on when we're pushing our sound to the next level."

Teemu 'Somnium' Raimoranta of Finnish Finntroll passed away during Sunday. The guitarist only reached the age of 26.

On Finntoll's website we can read:
"Our dear friend and guitarplayer passed away on sunday morning. This is a extremely heavy blow for us and everyone who ever knew this man. We hope that fans and the public won´t speculate, more information will be available when things calm down."

More can be read and condoleances can be placed on www.finntroll.net

Lost Horizon have today (March 14, around 7am) been in a single caraccident just outside Ullånger, Sweden on their way from Gothenburg to a gig in Umeå in the northern part of the country. Four of the bandmembers were hurt in the accident. One person was stuck in the minibus when the rescuepersonel came to the scene.
Their bus did - for a yet unknown reason - end up outside the road, and became heavily demolished.

The accident caused big trafficproblems, with a total stop in the direction north. Two of the bandmembers were taken to the local hospital, and two to a medical carecentre. The condition is not reported to be serious for either of them, but the immediate future is of course uncertain when it comes to liveperformances.

Paragon is soon about to start the recordings of their new album - "The Legacy" - and like the previous ones it is going to be produced by noone else than Piet Sielck of Iron Savior. The rumour is that the guys are keeping their level of pure metal songs, so another full metal strike can be expected.

Italian power metallers Rhapsody have signed on with Germany's SPV/Steamhammer Records after a four album deal with Limb Music, the group's official website states.
"Rhapsody have made a great name of themselves all over the world," said SPV Managing Director Manfred Schütz. "We intend to continue in the SPV tradition of worldwide support for our groups, and to bring Rhapsody's sound into the hearts and homes of all metal fans. We are also looking forward to working with Rhapsody's new management team who also represent Manowar." In the meantime, Rhapsody songwriters Luca Turilli (guitars) and Alex Staropoli (keyboards) are already hard at work on the follow-up to 2002's Power of the Dragonflame, which is described as more "cinema oriented" than previous work. The group expect to have the writing and recording, which will be handled by the band instead of longtime producers Sascha Paeth and Miro, sometime at the end of summer for a fall 2003 release. A single is rumored to land in August 2003 as a taster for the as-yet-untitled album.

In similar news, plans of releasing an album inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy have officially been scrapped due to copyright issues. Germany's Blind Guardian faced similar problems about writing an album based off the acclaimed fantasy novels.

Helloween’s forthcoming album, Rabbit Don't Come Easy, is due on May 5 through Nuclear Blast. The album will be released in a jewel case and there will be a limited edition digipack available which will include the bonus track, ‘Far Away’. The first single off the album, ‘Just A Little Sign’, (written by Andi Deris; a fast, traditional Helloween track sources say) will be released on April 7 in Europe. The tracklisting of the album is as follows: ‘Just A Little Sign’, ‘Open Your Life’, ‘Tune’, ‘Never Be A Star’, ‘Liar’, ‘Sun 4 The World’, ‘Don't Stop Being Crazy’, ‘Feels So Good’, ‘Hell Was Made In Heaven’, ‘Back Against The Wall’, ‘Listen To The Flies’, ‘Nothing To Say’.

Nightwish have set "End Of Innocence" as the title of their forthcoming DVD, due in June through Spinefarm. As previously reported, the DVD will consist of 12-14 tracks of music, including promo videos and various self-recorded live tracks, and about 60 minutes of behind-the-scenes material. No further information is available at this time.
In other news, Nightwish won two Emma awards (Finnish Grammys) at this past weekend's ceremony. The band were voted "Best Finnish Band" by the Finnish music fans and were awarded an "Export Emma", which is handed out to Finnish artists who have achieved the greatest level of success outside their home country. Nightwish are set to enter the studio in November/December to record the follow-up to last year's "Century Child" CD, due before the summer 2004.

On Elvenking's website we can read that on March 22nd the band will leave for Germany to begin the recordings of their long awaited new album.
Most of the recordings will take place in Gernhart Studio in Siegburg. There will be a second session in an Italian studio (still to be defined) where choirs, female vocals, string quartet and other stuff will be put on tape.

The final touch to the sounds will be given at House Of Music studio (Stuttgart) by Achim Kohler (Primal Fear, Brainstorm,...) who will be responsable for the mixing.

The cover will be done by the pagan artist Duncan Storr (who previously worked in the metal scenes doing marvellous paintings for Skyclad and Rage among the others). Title of the album as well as songs' names will be revealed later on.

According to AFM Records, the album won't be released before the end of the summer.

On Silent Force's website, we can read that the band has worked hard during the last few month and wrote 14 songs for the next album, currently holding the working title "Line of Attack". The recordings are told to start very soon.
The preproductions are already done and they are all very happy with the material.
"Line of Attack" will be produced by Denis Ward ( PinkCream69, Angra, Vanden Plas, Adagio ....) and the band.

Rockdetector.com has just released the new book "Rockdetector A-Z of Power Metal", which "documents the full scope of the world-wide Power Metal phenomenon, tracing the lineage of the bands that paved the way, the first 80s wave of bands, the stoic survivors and the new breed and the myriad of spider web like side projects. All with exhaustive, unique histories and detailed discographies."
The 512 pages of the book feature thousands of bands, and it also comes with a free CD with songs from bands such as Iced Earth, Nevermore, Metalium and many more.
The book is for sale on-line at Cherry Red. Prices are £16.49 for UK, £17.99 for Europe and £20.49 for the rest of the world.

Related links:
www.rockdetector.com/books.htm
www.cherryred.co.uk/books/powermetal.htm

Kimberly Goss of finnish power metal act Sinergy has been contacted by an author who was interested in telling her life story in an exclusive biography. After meeting with the biographer and having gotten the green light from the publishing company, the book deal has been set into motion! The biographer will chronicle the life and times of Kimberly, revealing many exclusive stories and facts about her life that she has never even spoken of in any interview.
The book will dig deep into her early childhood and go onward to tell about the struggles she's faced as a woman in the heavy metal business. You will read stories of child abuse, life growing up in America, her early years in the metal scene, her radical decision to leave her home country in an attempt to turn her passion for heavy metal into a career, exclusive stories about what is was like playing in her first bands and touring with them, the ugly side of the music industry, her personal life, the formation of Sinergy, and much, much more. The book will also feature many never before seen pictures from her childhood and of her adventures travelling throughout the world with various bands. The biographer also plans to interview many other people in Kimberly's life, past and present, friends and foes. In other words, you'll hear more than just Kimberly's version of the events chronicled in the book.

When asked about the book, Kimberly stated, "I'm so deeply honoured that they have shown interest in making my biography because I'm not even a REAL rock star *hahaha*! I'm nobody! They explained that this fact didn't matter, but they (the publishing company) feel that I have an interesting story to tell. I must agree on that point, and I think this will be a book that everyone can enjoy. Metal people, non-metal people, hobbits, aliens, monkeys, etc... If anything, it's just an interesting look into the roller coaster ride that is my life.
Tragedy, triumph, love, hate, and of course the whole, "sex, drugs & rock n' roll" thing. This book will have it all! It will be a TELL ALL book and I will NOT hold back on ANYTHING! I can guarentee that there will be many shocking stories revealed here, but I'm ready to vent it all out in this book! More importantly, I hope this book will have a strong impact on young girls that are pursuing a career in heavy metal. I dedicate this book to you ladies!"

This project has already begun, but will take a long time before it'll see the light of day. The book will first be published in Finnish, but is currently in negotiations to have a worldwide release in English.

In additional news, the band is currently working on their forth album to be released in the later part of this year.

German melodic power metal act At Vance will release their new album, "The Evil In You", on May 19 through AFM Records. In other news, the group will support Kamelot on their upcoming European tour beginning in late May.

Tourdates here.

Saxon will in June be doing the double again this year!
Gods of Metal in Italy on the 8th and the Rock Hard festival the same day!! To make it possible have chartered a private jet as they are on stage at 5pm in Italy, then they'll be driving to the airport and fly to Dortmund to headline Rock Hard at 10pm! They say: "It will be tight but we will do it!"

Furthermore, Biff Byford has released the following update through the band's official web site:
"Oliver Damson — we won the court case on all points and they lost and will have to pay the costs, which are considerable. If any of you see any adverts, posters, CDs or anything that you feel is giving the impression that it is us that is being advertised for concerts, please take a photograph or a copy and send it to (our official webmaster). We will then forward it to our lawyers - an example would be them using the 'Killing Ground' red background with a black Saxon logo and Oliver Damson in very small print compared to the Saxon logo.

Well that's all for now, oh I forgot - we have started writing the new album!

Keep the faith,
"Biff Byford"

Heavenly's third album, scheduled for release in september on Sanctuary/Noise Records, will be mixed by Sascha Paeth (Rhapsody, Shaman, Kamelot, Luca Turilli, etc.)

The recording had begun already. Drums were recorded in Hannover, in Ferdy Doernberg's studio. The band is now in their own studio in the south of France, recording the rest of the album. Bass is done, and work on the guitars has begun. This third effort is going to be a concept album. Meanwhile, guitarist Fred Leclercq and bassist Pierre-Emmanuel Pélisson will take some time off studio to attend the second Hard Rock awards night in Paris on April 6th.

The death toll from one of biggest disasters in rockhistory - the tragedy at the Great White concert a few weeks ago - rose to 98 after a woman who had been hospitalized died from her burns, according to the Associated Press.

Sunday morning, 51 people remained hospitalized in Rhode Island and Massachusetts with injuries suffered in the Feb. 20 fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick.
33 were in critical condition.

In additional news, a writer named Ernesto Cienfuegos working for the netbased newssource Aztlan Communications Network, are writing a column about the happenings and claim tat it was Satan himself that was present that night and started the fire himself. In the article we can also "learn" that most heavy metalband are worshippers of satan, and that their fans are no strangers to murder and rape in the name of Satan....

Read more here: http://aztlan.net/96burn.htm

Stratovarius have no intention of touring behind their upcoming "Elements Part 2" release, according to a statement from guitarist Timo Tolkki. The follow-up to their current "Elements Part 1" CD, which has just been completed, is tentatively scheduled for release in October, but may end up getting pushed back, according to Tolkki.

"I think 'Elements Part 2' is a bit more straightforward compared 'Part 1'," Tolkki has said. "And there are more faster songs this time, I guess."

Wolf will enter legendary Abyss Studios with producer Peter Tägtgren(Dimmu Borgir, Pain, Hypocrisy) in June. They will make a short break in the recording for BW & BK Festival in Ohio, US. The album will be released during fall 2003 in sync with touring and a killer videoclip. It is told that the new album will be even heavier in your face Heavy Metal than the two previous. The cover artwork will again be done by Holm(Mercyful Fate, King Diamond). The only thing that is decided yet is that it should be a lot of fire included in the painting.

Iced Earth mastermind Jon Schaffer has posted the following update to the band's official web site, icedearth.com, regarding their new album:
"We will begin recording around the first week of April. I am very happy with the way things are going. I've never felt so good and excited about a record before, this will really be a special one.

A while back I was working on a song called 'Gettysburg' and it was a nice piece of music but it really wasn't giving me what I felt I needed to tell the story of what went on there 140 years ago. It's nearly impossible in 5-6 minutes of music. So around Super Bowl weekend I scrapped the original idea and started writing what I hope will be the biggest and best epic I've ever written. It has, without a doubt, been the most challenging subject matter and emotionally taxing undertaking that I've ever tackled. It will be just about 30 minutes long and told in 3 parts, one for each day of the battle. It will be called 'Gettysburg (1863)' but will consist of 3 songs entitled 'The Devil to Pay', 'Hold at all Costs', and 'High Water Mark'. I will be hiring the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra to perform on it, as well as a few parts on a couple of other songs. I am working on string sections and the other symphony parts now and finishing up lyrics on it and on some of the other tunes.

Here are some more titles, these are pretty much final. 'Declaration Day', 'When the Eagle Cries', 'The Reckoning (Don't Tread On Me)', 'Greenface', 'Red Baron/Blue Max', 'Attila', 'Waterloo', 'Valley Forge', 'A Gift or A Curse?' and 'Hollow Man'. This release will take up nearly every available minute on the CD format, because you deserve it!"

More here: www.icedearth.com

Angra, Sepultura and Talisman are the latest bands confirmed for Sweden Rock Festival.

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April 2003

Dark Moor has a new singer, his name is Alfred Romero, the new line-up of the band will be completed in the next weeks. Their next album will be recorded at New Sin Studios in August to be released in November 2003.

Axenstar will start the recording of their second album "Far From Heaven" at Underground Studios (Steel Attack, Zonata, Freternia) in the next days. The album will be released in November.

Vhäldemar has just finished the songwriting of their second album, and the band is planned to enter into studio soon.

Taraxacum, the group featuring former Steel Prophet vocalist Rick Mythiasin, Edguy bassist Tobias Exxel, drummer Franky Wolf, ex-Haggard guitarist Danny Klupp and Rough Silk/Axel Rudi Pell keyboardist Ferdy Doernberg, are continuing work on their sophomore album, "Rainmaker", due in the fall through MTM-Metal Records.

"Eggi and I are back in the studio hard at work on my vocals, and I must inform you it's brutal!" Rick writes on the band's official web site. "My pipes are getting the workout of my life! These new songs will have many layered vocal harmonies and hooks that will be infectious! I don't want to sound like I'm boasting, but I am amazed at what I am producing with my voice. This is what I have always wanted to do, but was never given the opportunity to do. It's a lot of work and sometimes frustration, but thank God for Eggi and Norman's patience with me. I'm going to be here in Germany another extra 3 weeks to ensure that this will be the best vocal performance of my career!"

Brainstorm have finalized the tracklisting for their upcoming Power Metal crusher „SOUL TEMPTATION“!
1. Highs Without Lows
2. Doorway To Survive
3. The Leading
4. Nunca Nos Rendimos
5. Fading
Trinity Of Lust:
6. Shiva´s Tears
7. Fornever
8. Soul Temptation
9. Dying Outside
10. To The Head
11. Rising

The lim. edition (Double Digi Pack) of „Soul Temptation“ will also feature the bonustrack „Amarillo“ and a free Live DVD, recorded live at the Summer Breeze Festival 2002 (five cameras, Dolby surround 5.1).

Here´s the final tracklist of the DVD:
1. Metus Mortis (Intro) (“Metus Mortis” / 2001)
2. Blind Suffering (“Metus Mortis” / 2001)
3. Crush Depth (“Ambiguity” / 2000)
4. Shadowland (“Metus Mortis” / 2001)
5. Voices (“Unholy” / 1998)
6. Checkmate in Red (“Metus Mortis” / 2001)
7. Liar´s Edge (“Hungry” / 1997 )
8. Hollow Hideaway (“Metus Mortis” / 2001)
9. Under Lights (“Metus Mortis” / 2001)

Italian power metallers Labyrinth have signed a deal with Century Media Records. The group will issue their fourth full-length album, simply titled "Labyrinth", on June 30. "Labyrinth", which features artwork by Travis Smith (Nevermore, Opeth, Jag Panzer, etc.), was recorded by Giovanni Spinotti and William Novati at Noise Factory Studio in Milano, Italy and mastered by Jürgen Lusky at House of Audio studio in Germany. According to an official press release, the album "offers 10 flawlessly executed new tracks of aggressively melodic metal in its purest form and should leave none of the band's loyal fans unimpressed." The complete track listing for "Labyrinth" is as follows: The Prophet, Livin' In A Maze, This World, Just Soldier [Stay Down], Neverending Rest, Terzinato, Slave To The Night, Synthetic Paradise, Hand In Hand, When I Will Fly Far.

Return To The Sabbat, the British band fronted by former Skyclad singer Martin Walkyier, are currently negotiating with promoters from Holland, Belgium, Serbia, Ireland and the U.S. in an attempt to bring their unique brand of "blasphemous pagan metal" mayhem to territories outside their home country.
In other news, Walkyier's brand-new side project The Clan Destined are in the process of writing "innovative, fresh material which should be ready to demo in the very near future," according to Walkyier's official web site. "The new project The Clan Destined is very much still in its embryonic stages," Martin told Digital Metal recently.
"So far it's myself, and Iscariah, formerly of Immortal, and Jay Graham from Skyclad want to be on board. We are looking for a guitarist, and keyboard player, as well as recruiting for guest musicians. What were trying to do right now is put a handful of good songs together. We don't actually have a definite line-up yet, were just trying to focus on writing right now. The material written so far can be described as good songs... heavy, but with some melody to it," he added.
"Right now its quite melodic, how heavy it would be would depend on how it's mixed. Seeing as we haven't recorded anything yet, it's hard to say. It's like with the old Skyclad songs we would write a song on an acoustic guitar but when we recorded it for an album it might be one of the heaviest songs we did. Right now it's still very early on and we are just writing some melodies riffs and lyrics."

Mascot Records signs Michael Schenker Group and the release of the new album entitled “Arachnophobiac” is scheduled to hit the shops in mid-June. “Arachnophobiac” is told to be an uncompromising, true to form, heavy metal tour de force featuring Schenker’s imitable guitar signature that has made him a household name with guitarists throughout the world.
Schenker is joined by an incredible line-up of musicians including powerhouse Chris Logan, drummer Jeremy Colson (Marty Friedman, Steve Vai) and legendary bassman Stu Hamm (Joe Satriani, Steve Vai). “Arachnophobiac” raises the bar to a new level and hits right between the eyes with a blend of classic and aggressive hard rock songs and is full of the kind of performances MSG fans have come to expect.

The first recording sessions for Elvenking's new album are completed. "We had a wonderful experience in Germany, we worked with fantastic people and what we can hear till now sounds great! On April 27th we will hit the studios again, here in Italy for a fast session of choirs, additional vocals and strings, then we will fix things for the mixing", the band states on their website.

News straight from the camp of Manticora:
"Hi there, we hope you all enjoyed the Easter holidays. We have spent the 5 days of rest to begin demo'ing some of the new songs. Drums have been recorded for 4 tracks, and right after our mini European tour, we will begin to add the rest of the instruments/vocals, for a demo that will provide us and the people involved around the band a guiding line for what will come, when we record our next album (hopefully later this year). 2 songtitles are ready: "Velvet Ice" and "The Wild Swans At Coole". The latter, is a poem by W.B. Yeats, that we have put music upon."

Crystal Eyes has posted the song Highland Revenge from their forthcoming album Vengeance Descending for download on their website. Click here to visit.

San Francisco melodic metallers Vicious Rumors have written over a dozen new songs and are planning to enter the studio in July and September to record for their next album, tentatively due in late 2003.

The band has also been asked to return to Italy for a short tour this May. Guitarist Geoff Thorpe said, "We have so many friends and have had great times in Italy! I can't wait to bring the full power of the band back to the incredible fans this year!" The band, who recorded a CD and DVD of their entire Wacken Open Air 2002 performance, are tentatively scheduled to embark on a European tour in August. Exact cities and dates will be announced soon.

Nuclear Blast records will release the new Destruction album on the 29th of September. Their first offical DVD should also be on the market at the end of this year.
The tracklist for the new album Metal Discharge is as follows:
The Ravenous Beast
Mortal Remains
Metal Discharge
Savage Symphony of Terror
Made to be Broken
Desecrators of the New Age
Vendetta
Rippin´ the Flesh apart
Fear of the Moment
Historical Force Feed

Metalium have started to record their 4th conceptalbum at the Tornado Studio Hamburg, working title is "In League As One - Chapter Four"

The line up of the musicians remained the same than on previous output "Hero Nation Chapter Three", and once again Lars Ratz himself will be responsible for a Heavy production. Release will be world wide in Fall 2004.

Warner Music is releasing a Dio Anthology 2CD set available May 27 from Rhino Records. This anthology covers the space of time from Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, to his solo years in Dio. The release of this collection coincides with the release of EagleVision's DVD of "Dio's Evil or Divine", due May 20. The Dio Anthology, "Stand Up and Shout" contains over 2 1/2 hours of music with 29 songs, some live.

In a statement from their manager Jonas Hagström, we learn that swedish metallers Zonata is no more. Last week the band decided to call it a day, but they keep some doors open, because - as they say: "someday in the future it would be cool to do one more album", but at the moment the guys are concentrating on basic life really.

Three brand new Helloween tracks — "Just A Little Sign", "Never Be A Star" and "Do You Feel Good" — have been posted online in streaming Real Audio at: http://www.nuclearblast.de/events/helloween/index.htm All three songs come off the group's forthcoming full-length CD, "Rabbit Don't Come Easy", due on May 12 through Nuclear Blast Records. A video for the track "Just A Little Sign" can also be viewed at http://www.nuclearblast.de/media/video/NB_1043.ram.

In a report directly from the Lost Horizon camp, we get to know that most things are alright with the guys now after the unfortunate trafficaccident some weeks ago on their way to a gig in the northern part of Sweden. Drummer Christian Nyquist will be trying to play live for the first time since the happening on the 13th of April in Sandviken, Sweden.
His own words about this fact: "Damn, how awesome it feels to play again... !!! Weeks of held back Metal is pouring through my veins and are just waiting to explode in a maxed out consert or two!"
His shoulder that were injured during the incident is now as it seems fully recovered, but as a backup Mats Karlsson, that has been a temporary replacement during the recent Spain-tour and some Swedengigs, will be there if Nyquist's shoulder or neck will start protest during a running concert. Karlsson is reported to have performed an outstanding job on the Spaintour, where he had only 4 days to learn the songs before the tour began.

No member or tourcrew are reported to suffer from any consistant condition after the accident, except for some amount of muscleache that will last for some time ahead, and an amputated toe.

Veteran German hard rockers The Scorpions are taking a little break before entering the studio to record their new studio album, tentatively due in early 2004. Several producer names have been mentioned as possible collaborators on the group's next effort, including Bob Rock (Metallica, The Cult), Rick Parashar (Pearl Jam, Nickelback, Blind Melon) and former hard rock singer Max Martin (Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Pain, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard).

"We've converted the back lounge of a bus into a studio so we can get some ideas and record a little bit," guitarist Mathias Jabs told Toronto's Now earlier this year. He didn't reveal anything else about the record except that it'll be classic rock, even if it might be hard to get radio play for it.
"We are classic rock, and most radio stations don't play that. But a lot of things are changing, so you never know."

Vocalist and mastermind Dan Swanö has announced that he will revive the legendary death metal act Edge Of Sanity, and he has further revealed that he will be collaborating with Black Mark to release the album ‘Crimson II’.

Gamma Ray have pushed back the release date of their double live album, "Skeletons In the Closet", from the end of May to August 25.
The mixing of the album is not yet complete owing to the late delivery of the unmixed audio masters from the mobile studio in Spain. The initial problems occurred during the live recording process at which, it was later discovered, the two recording machines were not linked for a large part of the show and therefore not synchronized. As well as this some of the audio files were "lost".
Subsequently, it has taken two engineers a long time to recall the "lost" files and re-align the machines so the recording machines were running in tandem and an unmixed master could be produced. Until this laborious process was complete the mixing of the album could not commence.
Rather than "rush" the mixing and deliver what the band would consider to be a sub-standard album to the fans, the decision has been made to move the release date back to allow more mixing time and so compensate for the severe technical difficulties suffered initially.
Gamma Ray would like to apologize to their fans for the delay in the release of the album and ask for their patience and hope they can appreciate that these technical problems were not of their making.

Axel Rudi Pell will appear live at the classic metal night at the Zeche Bochum, Germany on April 29th with an orchestra. But note, that this is not as show by the complete Axel Rudi Pell band. Axel alone will appear on stage for 4-5 songs as special guest at this event. German rock shouter Doro and some more special guests also will perform on some songs at this event.

King Diamond guitarist Andy LaRocque has just returned home to Sweden after completing recording his tracks for the group's new album, titled "The Puppet Master". The CD, which is tentatively scheduled for release in late October, will include a bonus DVD or CDR of King Diamond telling the story of "The Puppet Master".
As King describes it, this album is going to make the hairs stand up on the back of listeners neck. "The rules of censorship are being thrown out the window...this is going to be the rawest story/album we have ever done." King was also quick to point out that "if you are into horror, you're definitely going to get it with this album!"

Finland's Nightwish will enter the studio on October 27 to begin recording the follow-up to last year's "Century Child". The band will once again use their own studio in Kitee to record the drums, bass and keyboards/synths, while the vocals and guitars will be recorded at Helsinki's Finnvox facility.
Nightwish hope to complete the recordings by the end of March 2004 and issue the as-yet-untitled effort in early June.
"I am definitely feeling some pressure with regards to the songwriting for the new album, I won't even try to deny that," said Nightwish keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen. "But I have already written one very good track, so I'm not worried. I've gotta say that I have to write a bit faster in the coming months if I'm going to write everything before the studio sessions."
With regards to the musical direction of the upcoming effort, Holopainen said, "I can no longer go to our web site to check the discussion forums anymore. It's pretty confusing reading everyone's opinions on what the new album should sound like. I think I've already heard about a hundred different opinions on the subject, from 'They should sound like the first album' to 'They should only have ballads," laughed Tuomas.

German power metallers Metalium have commenced the songwriting process for the follow-up to last year's "Hero-Nation Chapter III", tentatively due in late 2003 through Massacre Records. "The boys gathered in the past weeks to listen to the songs (as you should know meanwhile al musicians in Metalium are writing music...) and arranging as well as pre-produce the stuff," according to the band's official newsletter. "Next week they will finally start with Mr. Ehre on drums for the real take of '... — Chapter Four'. As birdies told... the ones who heard some of the demo stuff confirmed: 'the stuff is f.....g heavy'" and a bit 'more driving' than 'Hero-Nation'. But don't worry, the Metalium-typicals are always present as usual."

In related news, Metalium bassist Lars Ratz was recently asked by ex-Uriah Heep keyboardist Ken Hensley to appear on his upcoming CD, due later in the year. "As a huge Uriah Heep fan, Lars agreed, of course, and feels very honored to be part of the Ken Hensley solo CD this way," states the newsletter.

Halford have officially parted ways with bassist Ray Riendeau and have replaced him with former Lizzy Borden four-stringer Mike Davis.

Davis was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and had reportedly played in Ozzy Osbourne's band for a week until he "got booted due to politics and other miscellaneous issues." Mike had also spent time playing with Dogma, the former band of ex-Ozzy guitarist Joe Holmes.

Former Europe guitarist Kee Marcello has completed work on a new solo studio album, "Melon Demon Drive", due later in the year. In addition to Marcello, the album features contributions from drummer Snowy Shaw (King Diamond, Dream Evil, Memento Mori) and bassist Klatuu.

U.D.O.'s forthcoming DVD will come in a special package containing a bonus live CD.
"When the 'Live From Russia' [live album] was released, a lot of people were asking for the Accept classics on it, but our concept for that album was to record only U.D.O. classics, and those songs that Accept never released live," the band said in a statement posted on their official web site. "But those people will be satisfied very soon...".

The DVD is due for release in August.
In other news, and as previously reported, U.D.O.'s new studio album is tentatively set for an October/November release and will be supported by a world tour, which will kick off in South America and the U.S. A European tour will begin in January 2004.
U.D.O. — who are fronted by former Accept singer Udo Dirkschneider — will appear at this summer's Bang Your Head (Germany) and Gods Of Metal (Italy) festivals.

News from the Nocturnal Rites camp:
"Hi y'all, as far as we know our touring duties are wrapped up for this record. There might be a few shows this summer, but that's it. Right now we're focusing 100% on writing new songs. We'll try and record as soon as we feel we have an even better album than last time...and hopefully, with our musical masterminds, that won't take too long."

Power Quest have signed a two album deal with UK based recordlabel Now and Then Records, and the recordings for their album will begin on June 11th at Thin Ice studios and will be released through Now and Then/Frontiers.

Morifade will begin mixing their third album, "Domination", on April 14 for an early summer release through Hammerheart Records. The follow-up to last year's "Imaginarium" was recorded at Los Angered studios in Gothenburg and Monogram studios in Stockholm.

Bonfire are busy writing and recording songs for their next studio album, tentatively due in August. A world tour in support of the as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2001's "Strike X" will begin in October.

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May 2003

German melodic metallers Edguy have set "Mysteria" as the working title for their next studio album, tentatively due in early 2004 through AFM Records. "We'll have some great surprises for you, so stay tuned," Edguy frontman Tobias Sammet wrote on the band's official web site regarding the new material."Musically it's gonna sound like Edguy (what else?!), epic, heavy, melodic... But there will be some little new elements, For example, one of the new elements is gonna have 70 heads and is called the 'Babelsberger Filmorchestera'. This is Germany's biggest movie-score orchestra, a real symphonic orchestra which is plays soundtracks for movies, but which has already worked with some bands, e.g. The Scorpions... It was a dream of mine to work with a real orchestra instead of keyboards all the time. But don't be afraid, we're not gonna do a boring or even -worst case- 'mature' classic-meets-rock album as some may be afraid of. It's gonna be heavy and it's gonna be just supported by the orchestra. No Vivaldi ballerina shit for men in pink tights, but an epic piece of 'Braveheart' metal... :) Sounds pathetic, but that's exactly the way I should describe it." Edguy, whose last CD, "Mandrake", was released in 2001, will issue their first-ever double live album, "Burning Down The Opera", on June 2 through AFM Records.
"We can't wait to hear [the fans'] opinions about it and especially the reactions of [their] performance on the album," Sammet wrote. "Be sure that the whole thing is more than just an alibi-live-disc-in-between. Imagine the raw, energetic kick-ass live versions of our studio albums and you may know what to expect from the stuff. Plus we have included a picture booklet with all the lyrics and more than 150 pictures from the tour. You'll see more than some of us dudes would probably want you to :) Lately many people kept asking why we don't play more live shows to support 'Burning Down The Opera', or maybe even a tour. We can't tell you how much we miss touring. We have even started chewing off our toe-nails because of the boredom! The band is in a great shape right now and there is a great spirit and mood in the rehearsing room amongst us. And I think this will get us even more hungry for our next 'real' tour. And besides this, I think we have a good reason not to tour these days: We are right now writing and arranging material for the next studio album, probably being released early 2004."

In other news, Sammet has been tapped to sing on the forthcoming album from Aina, the new project spearheaded by acclaimed German producer Sascha Paeth (Kamelot, Angra, Rhapsody). Sammet will reportedly appear on at least one song — an as-yet-undisclosed track that was previously meant to include the vocals of former Helloween and current Supared frontman Michael Kiske.

The Aina debut, which is said to have "nothing to do with heavy metal," is expected to surface in late 2003 through an as-yet-undetermined label.

Rob Rock, former Impellitteri frontman, has pushed back the projected release date for his second solo album, "Eyes Of Eternity", to June 23 through Germany's Massacre Records. The CD will receive a Japanese release on July 21 through JVC/Victor Entertainment.

The CD, which was produced, arranged, and mixed by Roy Z. (Halford, Bruce Dickinson, Helloween), will contain the following cuts:
01. Bridge to Infinity*
02. Rock the Earth
03. Conquerors Hymn
04. Stranglehold
05. Fields of Fire
06. You Know
07. Eyes of Eternity
08. The Everlasting
09. Rage of Creation
10. The Hour of Dawn
11. Children of the Wasteland*

*Japan Bonus Tracks

All songs on the album were written by Rob Rock and Roy Z. Guest appearances on the epic 12-minute song "The Hour of Dawn" include classic guitar solos from Roy Z., Gus G. (Dream Evil, Firewind), Tom Naumann (Primal Fear), Carl Johan Grimmark (Narnia), Rick Renstrom, Jeff Kollman (Glenn Hughes), Jack Frost (Seven Witches, ex-Savatage), Howie Simon (Tamplin, Jeff Scott Soto), Jimi Bell (Wayne), and Axel Rudi Pell. "The Hour of Dawn" also includes keyboard solos from Mistheria and Alex Argento. "Rock The Earth" includes additional backing vocals by Sean Peck (Cage).

The dates are set for the recording of the new, yet untitled Wolf third album. They will enter Abyss Studio on June 18, and the album is due to be released early October later this year.

German melodic black/death metallers Suidakra have finalized the work on their sixth CD, "Signs For The Fallen", due in Europe on July 28 through Century Media Records. The album was once again produced by Andy Classen (Krisiun, Die Apokalyptischen Reiter, Holy Moses) at Stage One Studios in Bühne, Germany.

Veteran Canadian thrashers Annihilator have parted ways with vocalist Joe Comeau (ex-Overkill, Liege Lord) and have replaced him with Vancouver-based newcomer Dave Padden.

Annihilator mainman Jeff Waters says : "Joe and I had a difference of opinion on an issue (not of a musical nature) that just couldn't be resolved mutually. We will miss Joe and we did some great songs/CDs together, but the band, management, label and I were quite aware, and in agreement, that this change had to happen. New guy is Dave Padden from Vancouver. Killer voice. Basically, a guy of extremes: super clean voice and super raunchy/dirty voice. A lot of attitude. What 'til' ya see him live this summer!
An added bonus is that he brings the average age of the band DOWN! Hehe! I think he is 26! New CD will kill. Hey, weren't you guys and gals expecting a change soon??? It seems to be in the blood."

Annihilator recently issued a double live CD, titled "Double Live Annihilation", through Germany's AFM Records. A new studio album is tentatively set to surface in September.

According to Newsweek, the american military have found a way to make iraqi prisoners of war to talk. They are using hardrock as a way of torture.
The method is told to be very effective. Most iraqians have never heard Heavy Metal, and when they are exposed to long and intensive sessions of loud, pounding metal, almost everyone starts to cooperate.

"They can't take it. After 24 hours the brain and the bodyfunctions have decreased so much that their ability to resist is knocked out. Than we step in and talk to them", says sergeant Mark Hadsell to Newsweek.
Even childrens songs on a high volume suits perfect as brainwash, which is something Mark Hadsell have experianced himself.
During his education he was forced to stand for 45 minutes, and listen to the purple dinosaur Barney singing the song "I love you".
- "That is something I never want to go through again", says sergeant Mark Hadsell.

Dio have finalized the track listing for their upcoming first-ever live DVD, "Evil Or Divine", due on July 1 through Eagle Vision (a division of Eagle Rock Entertainment). "Evil Or Divine", which was recorded on Dec. 13, 2002 at Roseland Ballroom in New York City and was directed by Ken Botelho for Century Productions, not only includes the full, unedited concert from that evening, but also contains an extensive interview with Ronnie, backstage scenes and the video for "Push", featuring Tenacious D.

The complete track listing for "Evil Or Divine" is as follows:

01. Killing The Dragon 02. Egypt/Children of the Sea 03. Push 04. Drum Solo 05. Stand up and Shout 06. Rock and Roll 07. Don't Talk to Strangers 08. Man on the Silver Mountain 09. Guitar Solo 10. Long Love Rock and Roll 11. Lord of the Last Day 12. Fever Dream 13. Holy Diver 14. Heaven and Hell 15. The Last in Line 16. Rainbow in the Dark 17. We Rock + Bonus Material: Interview, Photo Gallery, Behind The Scenes Footage, "Push" video

Spain power metallers Dark Moor have announced the addition to the group's ranks of vocalist Alfred Romero and second guitarist Jose Garrido.

Dark Moor's last release was the "Between Light and Darkness" EP, which contained four newly-recorded tracks and four previously-unreleased numbers ("Dies Irae" (orchestral version), "The Mistery Of Goddess", "The Shadow Of The Nile" and "The Fall Of Melniboné").

The collection, which marked the band's first effort without keyboardist Robert Peña de Camus, was issued last month through Arise Records.

Rhapsody's drummer Alex Holzwarth will be sitting in for Thomas Stauch on all Blind Guardian's upcoming livedates as Stauch is suffering from ongoing problems with nerves in his hand.

Axenstar has finished the recording of all drums, background guitars & bass. The band has just recorded some of the vocals & this week they will
start with lead guitars and Keys. The album is being recorded at Underground Studios (Sweden) & the mastering will be done with Peter In de Betou.

Canada's Eidolon have finalized the track listing for their next Metal Blade release "APOSTLES OF DEFIANCE", which promises to be their heaviest and most diverse record yet. Guitarist Glen Drover reveals more. "It is no secret that we have evolved with each record, and this will certianly continue with A.O.D. - This is the most excited we have ever been about making a new record, and once the metal masses hear the new record, they will understand our excitement!!!! We will be mixing the record in early July, then send it to Andy Larocque in Sweden to master the record and hand it over to Metal Blade for an October 2003 release."

The tracklisting is as follows:
1. SCREAM FROM WITHIN
2. VOLCANIC EARTH
3. DEMORALIZED
4. TWISTED MORALITY
5. THE TEST
6. THE WILL TO REMAIN
7. APOSTLES OF DEFIANCE
8. PULL THE TRIGGER
9. APATHY FOR A DYING WORLD

Metal Blade has signed - according to themselves - one of the best Power Metal bands worldwide - the Underground kings Rival. Any metalhead on this planet should have heard from this band over the last three years. Rival already released a full-length album and a mini-CD and is ready for the next big step. “We are very pleased and excited to announce that the members of Rival are now under contract with Metal Blade Records. We have been working on new material and plan on entering the studio early this summer. This new disc and future releases will be available exclusively through Metal Blade Records. Thank you to all who helped in making this possible for us.”
Rival and Metal Blade is looking forward to a possible fall 2003 release.

Finnish metallers Nightwish have finalized the contents of their upcoming DVD, "End Of Innocence", due on May 26 through Spinefarm, and according to nightwish.com, the DVD will contain the following:

1. "End Of Innocence" documentary
- The history of Nightwishby Tuomas and Jukka
- Total running time around 150 minutes!
- Features shitloads of the footage from their tours all over the world from the very beginning to the Century Child World Tour

2. Music clips
- 01. End Of All Hope *
- 02. Dead To The World *
- 03. 10th Man Down *
- 04. Slaying The Dreamer *
- 05. Over The Hills And Far Away *
- 06. Sleeping Sun *
- 07. Over The Hills And Far Away (promo)
- 08. Bless The Child (promo)
- 09. End Of All Hope (promo)

* live from Summer Breeze festival 2002, 5.1 sound

3. Photo Gallery

4. Interview for MTV Brazil in 2003

As previously reported, Nightwish will enter the studio on October 27 to begin recording the follow-up to last year's "Century Child". The band will once again use their own studio in Kitee to record the drums, bass and keyboards/synths, while the vocals and guitars will be recorded at Helsinki's Finnvox facility.

Nightwish hope to complete the recordings by the end of March 2004 and issue the as-yet-untitled effort in early June.

Ratt guitarist Warren DeMartini has officially joined Dio as the band's new touring guitarist. Warren replaces Doug Aldrich, who has spent the past few months touring with the reunited Whitesnake.

DeMartini's first appearance with Dio will take place as part of the group's upcoming North American tour with Iron Maiden and Motörhead, which is set to kick off in late July.
During an online chat conducted in February, Aldrich alluded to a possible scheduling conflict between his upcoming Whitesnake touring activities and the touring/songwriting sessions with Dio, potentially jeopardizing his status in the latter band.

"Ronnie is at the moment working on the story for the next record and I was hoping to write with him for that record at some point, but these (Whitesnake European) dates just came up and I don't know what is going to happen with that (right now)," Aldrich said.
"I am not sure exactly what the future holds with Dio at the moment, but I love working with Ronnie and the band, and I hope to work with him again when schedule permits," he added.

Danish metallers Iron Fire have parted ways with guitarist Søren Jensen and have replaced him with Jeff Lukka. "Søren decided to quit the band, as he didn't feel it was moving at the pace he had hoped," the group said in an official statement.

Ironfire have spent the past few weeks at Nifilheim Studios recording and mixing their brand new demo. 11 "breathtaking tracks" were reportedly laid down, "ranging from heavy mid-tempos to full-force tracks." The group, who issued two full-length albums through the Sanctuary/Noise label, are hoping to release the follow-up to 2001's "On The Edge" later in the year.

Steel Prophet have announced the addition to the group's ranks of vocalist Nadir D'Priest (ex-London, D'priest). D'Priest replaces Rick Mythiasin (currently in Taraxacum), who left the group last July due to "musical and personal differences". "Nadir's vocal power fits right in with the Steel Prophet sound, and his delivery of the older material is without a doubt up to par with what fans expect from Steel Prophet," the band stated in an official press release.

Also on the Steel Prophet front, the group have added a guitarist in the shape of Pete Skermetta, who steps into the band after Jim Williams left in late 2002. The band recently signed with Denmark's Intromental Management and are currently seeking a new record deal having fulfilled their contract with Nuclear Blast.

News from Dark Tranquillity on their upcoming live DVD:

"We have now seen a Beta copy of it and are pleased to inform that the final result has surpassed all expectations. Everything looks and sounds fantastic, and the people at Metal Mind Productions have done a truly excellent job with making the presentation as slick and professional as possible.

Apart from the full length show recorded in Krakow last October, the disc will also include extensive live bootleg footage, promotional video clips, interactive biography, an in-depth interview with vocalist Mikael Stanne and lots of other goodies. Dolby digital 5.1 surround sound? But of course!"

An exclusive online preview clip of the live action will be posted on the Dark Tranquillity website soon.
Dark Tranquillity will headline the three-day Pressure Festival at Funbox Amalie in Essen, Germany on Saturday, June 28th. Other bands set to appear the weekend of June 27th - 29th include Naglfar, Amon Amarth, Carnal Forge, and Hatebreed.

Christer "Krunt" Andersson from Swedens Tad Morose let us know that the band is currently spending time in Studio Soundcreation recording their next album, "Life In A Lonely Grave". They´ve just started laying down the vocals and it will be mixed in Studio Fredman in Gothenburg in the end of May.

It is told to sound like a pretty typical Tad Morose album - just a bit more of everything, compared to Matters Of The Dark. Reservations go out for the title of the album - that might change before release.

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June 2003

Rhapsody is proud to announce that on August 2, 2003 they will be riding triumphantly into the studio to begin the production of the new album. Alex Holzwarth is ready to kick the mighty skins as strong and powerful as possible. So you may expect the most majestic and powerful drums you have ever heard! For the first time these recording sessions will be filmed to bring you the most interesting moments with the band in the studio. Rhapsody is also very proud to announce that their infinite passion and true love for their music and fans will bring about a production that will surpass all previous by adding a full orchestra and choir, to let the epic Rhapsody Hollywood metal be more beautiful and brilliant than ever.

UK based melodic power metallers Power Quest are currently at Thin Ice studios recording the follow up to their critically acclaimed debut album "Wings of Forever", titled "NeverWorld". Once again Karl Groom (Threshold guitarist)is handling production duties. The mix will take place at Mastertone studios under the watchful eye of Pete Coleman (Queensryche, Paradise Lost).

Recording began on June 11th and is scheduled to run until July 18th. So far, drums are recorded and now it is the turn of bass and rhythm guitars. Some keyboards have also been recorded by Steve Williams during the breaks between Andre recording drum tracks. The band are also putting together a multimedia feature to be included on a limited edition release of the album.

Watch out for some guest appearances, notably from Edenbridge vocalist Sabine.

News from the Crystal Ball camp:

“Hi folks! Now we're definitively done with the "Virtual Empire-tour" and we've just entered Stefan Kaufmanns studio, near Cologne. The final show with Krokus at the Volkhaus in Zürich was certainly a dignified conclusion of the tour. (We played more than 60 shows in 11 month). A big thank you to everyone who supported us on our way! We are convinced that the following album "HELLvetia" will be the best so far, and we are already looking forward to play it live for you.”

An in-depth interview with former members of the U.K. grindcore/death metal pioneers Carcass is set to be exclusively posted at Earache.com at 5:00 p.m. U.K. time (12:00 noon EST) on Friday, May 30. Some interesting news will reportedly be revealed during the legendary band's first interview in five years. One of the standout extreme metal bands of the end of 80's, Carcass gained notoriety for their liberal use of medical terms in their lyrics and song titles. The band ended on a down note prior to the release of 1996's "Swansong" following a switch to a more conventional metal sound and extensive history of record company problems. Three of the members went on to form the apparently short-lived Blackstar, while guitarist Bill Steer formed a stoner rock band by the name of Firebird. Another ex-member, guitarist Michael Amott, has since made a mark for himself with both Arch Enemy and Spiritual Beggars.

Former Death touring guitarist and current Millenium axeman Ralph Santolla has officially joined Iced Earth as the group's second guitarist. Santolla replaces Larry Tarnowski, who left the group earlier in the year in order to continue his studies. Santolla reportedly plans to keep working on new Millenium material and has recently welcomed singer Todd Plant back into the fold for the band's future releases.

Iced Earth are currently on the lookout for a new frontman following the departure of Matt Barlow earlier in the month. A new album, titled "Glorious Burden", is due before the end of the year through SPV/Steamhammer Records.

Silent Force will enter House of Audio studio in Karlsdorf, Germany on June 20 with producer Dennis Ward (Angra, Pink Cream 69) to begin recording their third album, "Line Of Attack", for a late 2003 release. "Line Of Attack" is the follow up to 2001's "Infatuator", which garnered rave reviews and was followed up by European tours with Angra and U.D.O. and an appearance at the sold-out ProgPower USA show in Atlanta, Georgia. "We went through a difficult year," the band write on their official web site. "It started with the flipped disc of drummer Andre Hilgers' back during the German tour with U.D.O. He had a successful operation, but it took half a year 'till we could enter the rehearsal room to start working on the new album. Then this stupid bottle of champagne exploded in his hand and cut a tendon on his left hand... and for another few weeks we had been paralyzed. For a few months, we didn't have any accidents anymore... and worked our asses of to write the best material ever. 'Line Of Attack' will be very melodic, fast and powerful... WATCH OUT for a release by the end of the year."

Impellitteri have commenced work on the follow-up to last year's "System X" with producer Greg Reeley, who is best known for his work with Fear Factory and Machine Head, among others. According to the band's official web site, the new disc sounds "big" and "will be a surprise to all the fans of Impellitteri." A late 2003 release is expected.

Blind Guardian have issued this statement:

"As most of you probably know for the release of "Live" there was going to be a special third CD with outtakes from various shows. Unfortunately it wasn't possible to include this CD with the normal release of the double CD set. Therefore the band has decided to make this material available for download via the Internet.

Since the quality of this material is lower than that of the official CD release it has been decided to release it here in mp3 format. Two formats are available: 128kbps and 256kbps encodes. The whole 52 minute CD is included in one mp3 file so as to preserve the running order and to make sure people listen to it in the way Blind Guardian has intended. The 128kbps encode is roughly 50MB large and the 256kbps 100MB."

To know how to download click in the link: http://www.blind-guardian.com/center.php3?page=torrents/outtakes.html.

Canada's Eidolon have finished all tracks for their forthcoming record - Apostles of Defiance - Drummer, Shawn Drover gives the latest info's...." As of today, we are completely finished the recording aspect of the new record, which clocks in somewhere between 55-60 minutes, if memory serves me. This is the most aggresive record we have made thus far - period!!!! yet it is still diverse in style, as we cover quite a bit of heavy metal ground - even more so than we did on " Coma Nation " ,certainly in the vocal departement, but it was called for, really - you just can't sing melodic over a sick speed metal part of a song, so Pat sang more aggressive in these parts. of course there is still plenty of melodic parts - thats part of who we are - we just really tried to infuse as many different elements of metal as possible - I believe we have succeeded in spades!!!!! The mixing process will begin on July 4, Followed by mastering by Andy Larocque in Sweden. If all goes smoothly, we hope to present the new record personally to Metal Blade in Germany when we perform at Wacken, for an October 13 release."

Jaggernaut, the group featuring former Hammerfall drummer Patrik Rafling and Full Strike frontman Niclas Jonsson, are in negotiations with "several major record labels" about a possible record deal, according to the group's official web site. Jaggernaut have also entered into a partnership with Meta 4 Music. Meta 4 Music will provide legal management, control of publishing and responsibility of all productions concerning Jaggernaut's future recording material.

The definitive release date for Saxon's long awaited DVD is July 21 and it will be a double DVD.

Content DVD 1: W:O:A Concert 2001
Content DVD 2: Various videos and interviews

Run Time DVD 1: approx. 110 min
Run Time DVD 2: approx. 105 min

Spain's top power metallers Dark Moor have announced the addition to the group's ranks of vocalist Alfred Romero and second guitarist Jose Garrido. Dark Moor's last release was the "Between Light and Darkness" EP, which contained four newly-recorded tracks and four previously-unreleased numbers ("Dies Irae" (orchestral version), "The Mistery Of Goddess", "The Shadow Of The Nile" and "The Fall Of Melniboné").

The collection, which marked the band's first effort without keyboardist Robert Peña de Camus, was issued last month through Arise Records.

Dreamaker is a new band on the metalscene, and the band begins when three former members of Dark Moor left the band. Elisa C. Martin (vocals) Albert Maroto (guitar) and Jorge Saez (drums) decide to create Dreamaker, a new band where they can represent all their own ideas. The band start their searching to complete the line-up and Matías Sosa (guitar) is the first new member in the band. The band received some offers from bass players and finally Carlos Peña is now the bass player of Dreamaker. Roberto P.Camus (he left Dark Moor in June 2002) shows their interest into be in the band and he completes the current line-up. The band have decided to sign with Arise Records. Their first album will be recorded at Sonic Pump Studios (Finland) in September.

Dreamaker consist of:

Elisa C.Martín - Vocals
Albert Maroto - Guitar
Jorge Saez - Drums
Matías Sosa- Guitar
Carlos Peña -Bass
Roberto P. Camus - Keyboards

Guitarist Craig Goldy will rejoin Dio for the group's summer European festival shows and the six-week North American tour with Iron Maiden and Motörhead.

Ratt guitarist Warren DeMartini, who was previously announced to have joined Dio as the band's new touring guitarist, is said to have pulled out of the gig for "personal" reasons.

Goldy, a member of Dio between 1986 and 1988 and then again in 1999-2001 during the making of the "Magica" album and the subsequent world tour, is believed to be a temporary replacement for Doug Aldrich, who has spent the past few months touring with the reunited Whitesnake. Goldy's last stint in Dio ended in late 2001 due to pressures resulting from his full-time job managing a limo company.

Matt Barlow has decided to leave Iced Earth. He is presently going to school in order to obtain his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration. When he has received his degree, he intends to follow with a career in law enforcement administration.

The whole message, and an additional message from Jon Schaffer can be read on www.icedearth.com

Wiz is a new excellent Heavy Metal band from Sweden featuring Freddy Persson (vocals) and Jake Fredén (guitar) from the wellknown metal act Nostradameus, and they have recently signed with Arise Records.
The band will record their album in September at Gain Studios to be mixed at Fredman Studios.

Vhäldemar will soon enter into Rock Studios for the recording of their second album.

Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson took the band’s headlining performance at the Download festival as an opportunity to announce the long-awaited details of their new album. Iron Maiden are currently performing on their 'Give Me Ed...Til I'm Dead' Tour, headlining dates throughout Europe and the USA. The new album, entitled 'Dance Of Death', is the band's thirteenth studio album and is due for release in September 2003. Work began on the album late in 2002 when Iron Maiden reconvened from a break to start putting the album together. They teamed up again with producer Kevin Shirley who co-produced their last album, ‘Brave New World’ with Steve Harris. The album was recorded and mixed at Sarm Studios in West London during the spring. Kevin Shirley has been even more impressed working with Iron Maiden this time round. 'The band are so in sync with each other – it’s incredible. There is very little friction in the studio, and the sessions couldn't have been any more fun and productive, and they rock so fucking hard too! It all augers well for the finished product, and whatever period in Maiden's history is your favourite, I doubt whether they've all played as together as this before. “In the Zeppelin tradition of ‘Tight But Loose’, this is a band which moves - pushing the beat, pulling it back, and that's real rock! No click tracks, no ProTools computer tightening and manipulation - what you hear is what they play. I'm just saying it like it is, and Maiden are the last and the best of the naturally moving rock bands.” Vocalist Bruce Dickinson is equally as pleased with the results on ‘Dance Of Death’. “I think ‘Brave New World’ was only a stepping stone to what we have managed to achieve on this record for everyone. Recording this album was almost like being back when ‘Number Of The Beast’ was recorded in that the speed and the energy that went into the writing and recording was phenomenal. Everything has come together on this album and I think everyone that hears this record will be moved in different ways from the epic sound of songs like ‘Paschendale’ through to the more heavy tracks like ‘Rainmaker’ and ‘Montsegur’. This album will open a lot of eyes and ears to the world or Iron Maiden.'

The full track listing is -

1. Wildest Dreams
2. Rainmaker
3. No More Lies
4. Montsegur
5. Dance Of Death
6. Gates Of Tomorrow
7. New Frontier
8. Paschendale
9. Face in The Sand
10. Age Of Innocence
11. Journeyman

The 11 tracks represent the work from all band members including for the first time drummer Nicko McBrain on the track 'New Frontier'.

More can be rad on www.ironmaiden.com.

Suidakra have finished working on their new studio album, titled "Signs For The Fallen". The album was recorded at Stage One studios in Germany and produced by Andy Classen. It is scheduled for a July 28th release through Century Media.

The latest addition to Metal Blade Records roster is Shining Fury out of Lucca, Italy. The band was formed in 2000 as a vision of drummer Ross Lukather who wanted to form a new band with young and talented musicians from his area – soon he had the right people by his side: Tommaso Pellegrini (guitar) and Alessandro Cola (bass), topped by singer Francesco Neretti who proved his skills already in Athena. The vision of the band was (and still is) to create fast and melodic songs (the kind of music that makes you bang your head!). In the beginning of 2003 Shining Fury welcomed Francesco Chelini – to be responsible for the second guitar and to make the sound heavier. In the studio Shining Fury will be joined by a good friend and skilled player: Oleg Smirnoff (ex-Eldritch) who will add his psychotic keyboards to the songs to reach a higher form of depth. Metal Blade is very confident about the future of Shining Fury. “We know the market is flooded with Italian Power Metal bands, but the demo the band sent was better than 99 % of all that stuff. It really blew us away – we had no other choice but signing them straight away! Their debut album will be like a fresh breath of air”, says a spokesperson of the label.
The band comments the future collaboration as well: “Shining Fury is very proud and very happy to have the attention from Metal Blade. We will start the recordings for our debut album these days and should be finished by the end of June. Be prepared for a fast and heavy album! Thanks to all the people who supported us until now!”
No release date has been set yet, but a fall 2003 release is expected.

Guitarist Mike Wead (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond) has teamed up with longtime friends Snowy Shaw (King Diamond, Dream Evil, Notre Dame), Sharlee D'Angelo (Mercyful Fate, Arch Enemy, Witchery) and Simon Johansson (Memory Garden, Abstrakt Algebra) in a brand new band called Firegod. A singer for the project has yet to be announced.

"I'm more than thrilled to be joined by some of the guys I consider to be the most creative and talented in Scandinavia," Wead said in an official statement. "Me and Simon (have) been working really hard for almost two years writing and demoing something like 40-45 tracks... These tracks will be the perfect frame for what I'm sure will become a concept album that will stand out among the rest! People (who are) into our older bands as well as our current ones will not be disappointed!"

Firegod expect to record a full-length album later in the year for a tentative early 2004 release.

Sweden based metallers Dream Evil, the band featuring acclaimed producer Fredrik Nordström (Hammerfall, In Flames, Dimmu Borgir, Spiritual Beggars, etc.) and drummer Snowy Shaw (King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Memento Mori, Notre Dame), have announced plans to release a mini-CD containing previously unreleased songs and a video clip of "Children Of The Night".

Power Quest will return to Thin Ice studios on June 11th to begin recording "Neverworld", the follow up to "Wings of Forever". Tracking is scheduled to be completed on July 18th with a further two weeks set aside for mixing. Among the tracks set for inclusion are "Neverworld (Power Quest part II),
"Sacred Land" and "When I'm Gone"

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July 2003

Finnish neo-classical metallers Stratovarius have finalized the track listing for their new album, "Elements Part 2", due on October 27 through Nuclear Blast Records.

"Elements Part 2" was produced by guitarist Timo Tolkki and mixed by Mikko Karmila at Finnvox Studios. All music and words for the album were written by Timo Tolkki, except for "Ride Like The Wind", which was penned by keyboardist Jens Johansson.

The album, which will once again feature artwork by Derek Riggs, will contain the following songs:

01. Alpha & Omega
02. I Walk To My Own Song
03. I'm Still Alive
04. Season Of Faith's Perfection
05. Awaken The Giant
06. Know The Difference
07. Luminous
08. Dreamweaver
09. Liberty
10. Ride Like The Wind (Japanese bonus)

Australia's Pegazus are set to begin pre-production for their new album in October/November, with the full studio album sessions tentatively planned to start by the end of this year, according to the band's official web site. "If all goes well with times and schedules, we hope to have a new album out and released worldwide sometime in the early part of 2004."

Silent Force, the band featuring ex-Royal Hunt singer D.C. Cooper, have parted ways with Inside Out Music America.

"While we have the greatest respect for the talent in this band, it has proved to just not be the right fit for our roster," Inside Out Music America Managing Director Jim Pitulski said in an official statement. "In the spirit of fair play we felt that the best thing to do for all was to allow them to pursue other options that may be more advantageous to them. We wish Silent Force all the best in the future."

Silent Force are currently recording their third album, "Line Of Attack", with producer Dennis Ward (Angra, Pink Cream 69). The follow up to 2001's "Infatuator" is due before the end of the year.

German metallers Rage have posted two songs from their upcoming "Soundchaser" CD in Real Audio format at the SPV Records web site. Check them out:

01. War Of Worlds
02. Great Old Ones

Majesty, now featuring former Vanize guitarist Rolf Munkes, have begun recording their sophomore full-length album at Roxx studios in Pulheim, Germany under the watchful eye of producer Stefan Kaufmann (former Accept drummer, current U.D.O. guitarist). Majesty mainman Tarek Maghary (guitars, keyboards, vocals) has posted the following studio report to the group's official web site: "Hail! I would like to keep you up to date here about the production of our new album, because it is very important for us that you all participate on the magic of the development of our songs, because we make this album for you! After we had been occupied in the last months with the pre-production, which was done in the Steelpride studios, the time had come to start the production. On 9th of June drummer Michael Graeter and I drove to the Roxx studio to begin with the drum recordings. We decided to record there, because Stefan Kaufmann knows how a loud and wild heavy metal album has to sound. Listen to the last releases of U.D.O., and you know what I mean.

After we had unloaded our equipment in the studio, Stefan and we drove to the village, where our hotel was, which is about 3 KM away from the studio. There we visited a little pub in order to enjoy a few beers. "We then were able to use the entire next day for setting up the drums and the microphones and I already can tell you, that the sound will blow you away because it is loud, pounding and clear. That proves once again, that as a band you should always take your time to set up your drum-kit and the drum microphones. In the next days Michael hammered in the new songs I have to tell you, it surprises me each time, with which precision and thundering force Michael plays. Each tone is exactly where it belongs and that makes a pounding sound, when it comes to the final mix. So that's it for the first time. I will keep you up to date about the further process of the production. Next thing to come will be the recording of the bass and the guitars and I'm really looking forward to the beginning of August, when our fan club members (All Hail Majestic Metalheads) will sing in the backing shouts."

In an update on Power Quest's website we can read the following: "Tracking is now complete at Thin Ice studios! We are all pretty tired but the rough monitor mixes sound amazing! Mixing begins on July 22nd at Mastertone studios with Pete Coleman at the helm. The album will be mastered by Graham Woodcock. Thanks to Karl Groom, Clive Nolan and Richard West for engineering the project and their guest appearances.Thanks also to Sabine Edelsbacher (vocals) and Julie Laughton (Cello and flute). We'll be updating the picture gallery very soon with more images from the studio! Latest studio news is that all drums, rhythm guitars, keyboard orchestration and lead vocals are now complete! Guitar solos will be completed today and backing vocals will begin. Remaining bass parts will be finished over the weekend and then the remainder of the bv's and guest appearances will happen next week. The album cover has been decided upon and we hope to be able to bring you a preview very soon!"

The tracklisting for the upcoming album is as follows: NeverWorld (Power Quest part II), Edge of Time, Well of Souls, For Evermore, Lost Without You (featuring Sabine Edelsbacher), When I'm Gone (lead vocal Alessio Garavello), Into the Light, Temple of Fire, Sacred Land, Find The Way To The Top, When I'm Gone ( lead vocal Sabine Edelsbacher). In additional news, the band have also posted a video of the song Glory Tonight from the debutalbum Wings Of Forever on their website. Download it here.

Deep Purple keyboardist Don Airey (ex-Ozzy Osbourne, Rainbow, Black Sabbath) will make a guest appearance on the forthcoming album from Germany's Metalium, "In League As One - Chapter Four", tentatively due in late 2003 through Massacre Records. The follow-up to last year's "Hero-Nation Chapter III" will reportedly contain the longest song of Metalium's career — an as-yet-unnamed 13-minute epic that includes a "very unusual" middle section featuring Metalium bassist Lars Ratz on fretless bass.

Iron Maiden have posted their forthcoming single, "Wildest Dreams", in Windows Media format at this location. "Wildest Dreams" will receive its first U.K. radio play on the BBC Radio One "Rock Show" on Tuesday night (July 22). The song comes off the band's upcoming CD, "Dance Of Death", due on September 9 through Columbia Records.

Swiss melodic metallers Crystal Ball have set "Hellvetia" as the title for their fourth full-length album, due on November 3 through Nuclear Blast
Records. The follow-up to last year's "Virtual Empire" is currently being mixed at Roxx studios in Pulheim, Germany with producer Stefan Kaufmann (Accept, U.D.O.). "Everybody agrees that this will be the best Crystal Ball album ever!", the band write on their official web site.

Edguy report through their website, www.edguy.nu, that they have entered the studio to begin recording their next release, Mysteria, due out through AFM in 2004.

Ironfire have posted the following band update via their website, www.ironfire.com: “Starting yesterday (July 18), the band is having a little "summer break", and when we rejoin around the 5th of August, we hope to have the rest of the photos from our photo session earlier this year, that we'd like to share with you all. Also, when we return with the new photos, we'll give all you hungry eared people three free songs to download, from our last demo. On the live side of things, we have two as of yet unconfirmed gigs that should take place in the start of September, in Albertslund hosted by Club Black Moon, and in early October at TEX. More info on this when we have things sorted out. See you all again soon.”

In the beginning of 2004 Blind Guardian are planning to release their first live DVD. They filmed both of the gigs at the Blind Guardian Open Air during the summer and the members are told to be very satisfied with what they have seen so far. The plans are to release a double DVD with the second disc to contain material from Wacken Open Air, the Rock Hard festival and a gig in Stuttgart. Apart from livematerial the DVD will probably include a minidocumentary about their own festival and some private footage from A Night At The Opera tour.

In additional news, the band say that they probaly will start writing on new material in September, and might enter the studio in December 2004, but for now they can only speculate in that a new album might be release around the autumn 2005.

Demons & Wizards, containing Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian) and Jon Schaffer (Iced Earth), have been writing new material during the past year, and they hope to be able to work on that during the next coming months and they say that a new release might be ready and available during the spring 2004. Singer Hansi Kürsch let us know that "the ones that liked the first album is going to love this one, cause it is better."

A false rumor is spreading across the internet, where Metallica is told to sue the band Unfaith "over what they feel is unsanctioned usage of two chords Metallica has been using since 1982 : E and F". Satirical online magazine ScoopThis.com was responsible for concocting the unbelievable tale, which has been picked up but later removed by several legitimate and major news outlets.
Check out the FAKE story from what is told to be "MTV.com" and "Metallica.com".

Guitarist Wojtek Lisicki (a.k.a. Transcendental Protagonist) has announced his departure from Sweden's Lost Horizon due to "personal reasons." The rest of the band will reportedly carry on as a five-piece and have no immediate plans to seek a replacement.

The band ensures that the planned gigs will not be effected at all by this, and the shows will be run like normal. More news will be posted as soon as it is available.

German metallers Rage have revealed the cover artwork (designed by Joachim Luetke) and the tracklisting for their new album "Soundchaser"."Soundchaser" is due on September 29 through SPV/Steamhammer Records. The follow-up to last year's "Unity" was recorded in April at VPS Studio in Hamm, Germany and was mixed and mastered by producer Charlie Bauerfeind at Mi Sueno studio (owned by Andi Deris of Helloween) in Tenerife, Spain.

The complete track listing for "Soundchaser" is as follows:

01. Orgy Of Destruction (Intro) 02. War Of Worlds 03. Great Old Ones 04. Soundchaser 05. Defenders Of The Ancient Life 06. Secrets In A Weird World 07. Flesh And Blood 08. Human Metal 09. See You In Heaven Or Hell Falling From Grace Part I & II: 10. Wake The Nightmares (feat. Andi Deris) 11. Death Is On Its Way

Rage will embark on an short "unplugged" tour in the fall. Exact dates and venues will be announced soon.

After more than 12 years apart Judas Priest and original lead vocalist Rob Halford have reunited for a global live concert tour in 2004. The definitive Judas Priest lineup of Rob Halford, lead guitarist Glenn Tipton, lead guitarist K.K. Downing, bassist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis are back. The original band members have been re-establishing their personal and professional relationships since 1999 along the way sparking hundreds of reunion rumors. Several exciting projects, in addition to the 2004 world tour, are in the early planning stages. The long-awaited reunion of Judas Priest and Halford will thrill fans around the globe, and once again provide them with the opportunity to see and hear the band that defined Heavy Metal as we know it today.

Judas Priest rose from the gritty, working-class steel town of Birmingham, England, and became one of the biggest bands in the world. Judas Priest are considered the groundbreaking inventors of true Heavy Metal music. From their debut release 'Rocka Rolla' through monumental albums such as 'Sad Wings of Destiny,' ''Sin After Sin,' 'Stained Class,' 'Hell Bent For Leather,' 'Unleashed in the East,' 'British Steel,' 'Screaming for Vengeance,' 'Defenders of the Faith' and 'Painkiller,' titanic songs like "Victim of Changes," "Sinner," "Exciter," "Hell Bent for Leather," "Living After Midnight," "Breaking the Law" and "You've Got Another Thing Comin' '' were born. Judas Priest defines and epitomizes both sonically and visually the Heavy Metal genre.

Next year's reunion tour will also celebrate the band's 30th anniversary. Judas Priest and Ripper Owens, who replaced Halford, have parted amicably by mutual agreement. The band is very grateful for Ripper's work in helping them to continue to bring Judas Priest's music to their millions of fans and they expect big things for him in the future. Halford remarks: "He's been very understanding and very cool with the whole thing." Furthermore, he says: "All the grace, majesty and power you experienced with Judas Priest is about to happen again. We want to go out there and slay people, and have them walking out of the building going, `Oh my God!'"

Judas Priest expect to begin work on new material in September and will embark on a lengthy world tour to promote their next CD, due in late 2004.

Updates will be posted regularly at www.judaspriest.com

Hammerfall is currently working on the final details for the live releases they have planned this year. The CD audio is being mixed in Studio Fredman by Fredrik Nordström and guitarist Stefan Elmgren right now, and in two weeks the 5.1 mix for the DVD will take place. The band is also preparing some bonus material, but nothing has ben revealed about that yet.

German melodic metallers Edguy have completed the songwriting sessions for their new album, "Mysteria", and have entered the studio to begin recording the CD for an early 2004 release through AFM Records.

The follow-up to 2001's "Mandrake" will feature a musical direction that has been described by vocalist Tobias Sammet as "epic, heavy, (and) melodic," and will include a collaboration with the German film orchestra Babelsberg (Scorpions) on an as-yet-undisclosed track.

The guitarist of Children Of Bodom, Alex Kuoppala, played his last gig at the Tuska Metal Festival last weekend in the COB rank. Kuoppala's decision to leave the band doensn't have any disagreements between other members, as the split up happened under the good terms.

The replacement of Kuoppala will be announced later. COB won't cancel upcoming gigs and the next gig will be played according to the plans in Moscow on the 16th of August.

According to Ronnie James Dio, the band will start working on the material for the next album, most likely a double CD, as soon as the US tour with Iron Maiden is over. He expects the writing to take around six months, but of course, at this stage no definitive dates can be set. This can be seen a confirmation that the next Dio album will continue from Magica's footprints, as it's working title is Magica 2&3.

Ring Of Fire vocalist Mark Boals (ex-Yngwie Malmsteen) has issued the following band update through his website (http://www.markboals.com):

“Hello to all my friends all over the world! I am very happy to make two very important announcements about a new keyboardist and a new label for Ring Of Fire in Japan! I am telling you, my friends who visit the website here, first, before anyone else knows!
1. First, I want to officially announce the newest addition to my band Ring Of Fire, the amazing keyboardist Steve Weingart! He is very well-known here in Los Angeles and elsewhere as a classically-trained killer genius on piano, synth, and organ with lightning fast fingers and amazing sounds! It took a long time to decide from so many, many great musicians who wanted the job. (Thanks so much to all the talented keyboardists who sent us their CD's, etc!!!!) It was very difficult to choose just one when we heard them all play so very good, but when we heard Steve, we knew he was the one! The chemistry of the band is perfect now, and we are all so exited about making the new album! 2. My second announcement is both exiting and bittersweet, as we simultaneously bid a fond farewell to our friends at our label of the last few years, Marquee/Avalon, and at the same time say hello to an exiting new relationship with King Records, which will release our newest album. We had a good run with Marquee Inc, but we felt that the timing was right to make a fresh start with our new album and new line-up. King Records and I will issue an official press release shortly.

Thanks for listening and supporting us, and watch out for the new album, it's gonna be a killer!!!
Peace, Mark Boals.”

Morifade have set Domi<>nation as the title of their forthcoming album due out through Hammerheart soon. The full track listing is as follows: ‘Parallels’, ‘A Silent Revolution’, ‘The Second Coming’, ‘Words I Never Speak’, ‘Clarity (Fragments of a Dream)’, ‘Panopticon’, ‘The Rising’, ‘Erase’, ‘Memorys End’, ‘Lost Within A Shade’ (Video track). The first run of the album will be in digipack format with bonus material. A japanese version will also be released with even more bonus material.

Paragon have finalized the track listing for their new album, "The Dark Legacy", due on July 28 through Remedy Records. According to Paragon bassist Jan Bünning, the forthcoming CD will feature a "sound and also songs (that) are more basic and almost like our live sound." Paragon will issue a limited-edition picture 7" in June, featuring a different version of "Eye Of The Storm", the group's cover of Saxon's "To Hell and Back Again", and a live version of "Reign Of Fear", recorded in Barcelona, Spain on the band's European Tour with Gamma Ray.
The follow-up to last year's critically-acclaimed "Law Of The Blade" CD will contain the following cuts:
01. The Legacy
02. Mirror Of Fate
03. Breaking Glass
04. Black Hole
05. Eye Of The Storm
06. Maze Of Dread
07. The Afterlife
08. Green Hell
09. Back From Hell
10. Into The Black (digipack bonus track)
11. Metal Invaders (Japan bonus track)

The producer Piet Sielck says about the album, "it won't dissapoint those of you, who are into straight forward powermetal."

Kamelot has signed a new worldwide deal with SPV/Steamhammer Records. The band is coming off their very successful headliner tour of Europe and Japan in support of their latest release "Epica". Their unique style of Power Metal, combined with one of the most explosive live performances around, has brought Kamelot into the forefront of the Metal scene. According to Kamelot’s guitarist Thomas Youngblood, "We are very pleased to join SPV, they are committed to Metal and to Kamelot. I look forward to great things happening with the union between Kamelot and SPV. We are already working on new songs and very excited about returning to the studio soon."

Drummer Didier Almouzni has officially left British melodic speed power metallers Dragonforce. The group, who released their debut album, "Valley of the Damned", through Sanctuary/Noise Records earlier this year, will be utilizing the services of temporary replacement Christian Wirtl (of Swedish power metal band Soul Source) during their appearance at Sweden Rock festival this weekend. According to the group's official web site, "Christian only has two days to learn all the songs, and the first time he will play with Dragonforce will be on stage at Sweden Rock! Due to the extreme short notice any rehearsals are not possible, but trust us, he is easily fast and good enough! We would like thank him for helping us out by taking this daunting task in such short notice. Cancelling the show was never an option and we hope you'll all enjoy the show with whatever may arise due the circumstances beyond our control!".

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August 2003

Norway's Theatre Of Tragedy have parted ways with longtime frontwoman Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull. "Having worked together for almost ten years, we have now reached a point where we find ourselves with differences of opinion that cannot be bridged, and completely incompatible sets of ideas for the band's further development," the group said in an official statement. "The rest of the band will continue working with full force under the name Theatre Of Tragedy, and sees this as an opportunity for further musical experimentation and evolution. This also involves finding a new, permanent, female singer, although not necessarily a replacement for Liv. Let it be said that there is no animosity from the band towards Liv, and we wish her all the best with her work." As previously reported, Liv Kristine has teamed up with members of the German band Atrocity (fronted by Liv's husband Alexander Krull) in a brand new group called Leaves' Eyes. Leaves' Eyes recently spent time at Alex's Mastersound studios in Germany recording their first original songs, to be released in early 2004.

Update: The news that Theatre Of Tragedy has decided to exclude their female singer from all future cooperation with the band came as a big surprise.

This is Liv Kristine's first official statement: "I'm totally surprised and shocked by these news, which I received via internet. Until now, nobody from the band has called me personally to inform me about their decision. I have only received an e-mail saying that I'm excluded from the band. I feel betrayed and deceived by my own band members. This decision was NOT made by me, and I am not going to let our fans down!"

Alice Cooper's new album, The Eyes Of Alice Cooper will be released through Spitfire on September 23rd. Besides Alice, the band will include the following line up: Eric Dover (guitar), Ryan Roxie (guitar), Eric Singer (drums) and Chuck Garric (bass). The album that is produced by Mudrock will include a tracklisting such as this: Detroit City, What Do You Want From Me?, Love Should Never Feel Like This, Spirits Rebellious, Novocaine, Man Of the Year, Bye Bye Baby, Be With You Awhile, I'm So Angry, Between High School and the Old School, This House is Haunted, Backyard Brawl and The Song That Didn't Rhyme. The UK version of The Eyes Of Alice Cooper, will be released in four versions with different artwork, the difference will consist of a different color on Alice's eyes: green, purple, red and yellow.

Germany's Rebellion, featuring former Grave Digger members Uwe Lulis (guitar) and Tommi Goettlich (bass), have officially parted ways with drummer Randy Black (Annihilator). The split, which was announced on the band's web site, came about as a result of Black's decision to join fellow German power metallers Primal Fear, thereby leaving him little time to focus on his other projects. Rebellion, who claim they found out about Black hooking up with Primal Fear through fan postings in the guestbook section of their web site, are currently seeking a replacement drummer. All interested parties can contact the band at uwe@rebellion.st.
The group, who released their second album, "Born a Rebel" (Drakkar Records/BMG) in April, are tentatively planning on embarking on a headlining tour in the fall.

Emil Norberg, the guitarist of Persuader, says that on September the 16th they will start recording the new album in Hamburg with Piet Sielck behind the controls. The album will feature nine new songs and maybe one instrumental if there is time. It will as expected be released on Noise International sometime early 2004 if everthing goes as planned.

Live Damage is the title of the first DVD-release from Swedish band Dark Tranquillity. The main feature is a live show that was recorded at Krzemionki Studio TVP in Kraków, Poland October 7th, 2002. In order to make this DVD a lot more special Dark Tranquillity have added a lot of extra and bonus features like:

- bootleg songs recorded at Zeche Carl, Essen, Germany - November 13, 2002 - bootleg songs recorded at Gagarin Club, Athens, Greece - October 20, 2002 - bootleg songs recorded at La Locomotive, Paris, France - November 19, 2002. - 2 Videoclips (Monochromatic Stains, ThereIn) - Fully animated menu - Interview with vocalist Mikael Stanne (28 minutes) - A lot of Bootleg songs from Essen, Athens & Paris - Video Clips - Band biography and individual members' profiles - Discography - Photo gallery - Art gallery - Desktop images - Web links - Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound

Total running time of this outstanding DVD release is approx. 195 minutes and is set for release September 29th.

Nightwish will enter the studio on October 27 to begin recording the follow-up to last year's "Century Child". The band will once again use their own studio in Kitee to record the drums, bass and keyboards/synths, while the vocals and guitars will be recorded at Helsinki's Finnvox facility. The group hope to complete the recordings by the end of March 2004 and issue the as-yet-untitled effort in June 2004.

German power metallers Primal Fear will be premiering a brand new song, "Sea Of Flames", during their upcoming European festival tour. They will release their long awaited DVD, The History Of Fear, on September 29th, featuring: their full Wacken 2001 performance; an October 2002 show filmed in Stuttgart, Germany on the "Black Sun" tour; a lot of concert and festival footage; and all of the group's promo video clips, as well as footage of their Brazilian tour (Dec. 2002). The 160-minute DVD will come in a special package that will include a bonus 45-minute live CD. Primal Fear’s next studio album will tentatively be recorded in October/November with a worldwide release planned for Feb. 22, 2004. A world tour in support of the album will kick off in March 2004.

Symphorce are confirmed as the very special guest on the forthcoming Grave Digger “Rheingold-Tour” tour through Germany, Switzerland and Austria in January 2004. Around the same time the band (feat. Brainstorm singer Andy B. Franck and Freedom Call guitarist Cede Dupont) will release it´s brand new studio effort “Twice Second”.

Legendary guitarist Uli Jon Roth (ex-The Scorpions) will issue his long-awaited guitar concerto, titled "Metamorphosis", on September 18 through Nippon Crown Records in Japan. A European release will follow soon after.

German power metallers Paragon have parted ways with guitarist Claudius Cremer and have replaced him with Günny "Gunman" Kruse from the Irom Maiden cover band Powerslave. "Because of his studies, Claudius moved to Darmstadt which is about 600 kilometers away from Hamburg and over the last month it became clear that he couldn't put too much effort into the band, and also rehearsals became more and more a pain in the ass because of the distance," bassist Jan Bünning wrote on the band's web site. "Because of the increasing pressure at the university and living 666 kilometers away from my bandmates, we decided that I quit as guitarist and the band used the opportunity of the summer break to work in the new guitarist, Günny, who already had represented me the last two gigs," Claudius added in a statement. "I thank all who supported me the last seven years and wish Paragon all the best for their future plans!"

The recordings for the new Axel Rudi Pell album is scheduled to begin on September 28th, for a tentative release in early 2004.

The Storytellers new album is recorded and ready. It was mastered at Polar Studios and is told to sound awesome, according to the band themselves. In a couple of days some new material from the new album will be made available for download on their website. The album title will be Tales of a Holy Quest.

The titles of the included cuts are as follows: Voices from The Past, Seed of Lies, Conviction, A Holy Quest, Words Out Of Greed, Chamber of Torture, The Mass, Blinded Eyes, When All Hope Has Faded, Trails of Blood, …and Still They Speak.

Sinergy guitarist Roope Latvala has stepped in to replace Alexander Kuoppala in Children Of Bodom, who recently quit the band for personal reasons. Latvala is not a full time member (as yet); he has simply agreed to fill in until the end of the Hate Crew Deathroll tour, which winds up at the end of the year.

Motörhead will be inducted into the Hollywood Rock Walk of Fame on September 1 at 2:00 p.m. The Rock Walk is located at 7425 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood, California.

In a statement on Primal Fear's website we can read the following: "Dear Fans, due to musical differences Primal Fear and Klaus Sperling decided to part ways in the future. Primal Fear and Klaus Sperling are very sorry about this step, especially with regard to their true fans that surely would have wanted to keep the band as the winning team as they were! But there are internal decisions sometimes that an outer person will find hard to understand where band members just can´t cope with an active state. Especially in music, where it comes to a creative process like composing and forming an unique vision together, inner tensions may grow and become a disturbing part of the art and make it unable to continue. At this point it is the better way to follow separate visions. Primal Fear and Klaus are parting ways in friendship and mutual understanding. We wish Klaus the best of luck and success for his upcoming musical plans and future! The new drummer of the Metal Commando is Annihilator drummer Randy Black. We will start the recordings for our new album in late September, tentatively titled “Primal Fear – In Metal”, at the House Of Music studios. The songwriting is completed and we promise to keep our faith in metal and we will work hard to deliver the best album of our career. The new album will be released worldwide by Nuclear Blast and JVC (Asia/Japan) on Feb 23rd 2004 – the “In Metal” worldtour starts on March 3rd in Europe with special guests Brainstorm.
Your Metal Commando - Ralf, Stefan, Tom & Mat"

Finland's Sinergy will enter the studio on February 1 for at least six weeks to begin recording their fourth full-length album, tentatively due in June 2004 through Nuclear Blast Records. "Me and guitarist Alexi Laiho, also in Children Of Bodom spent the first two days I was back in Finland showing each other new riffs we had, and then we started rehearsing with the band a few days ago," Sinergy singer Kimberly Goss wrote in a recent online posting. "Let me tell you, I'm soooooooo pleased with what we have so far! I can't wait for everyone to hear it! The lyrics I've written so far on this next album are not as dark as they were on [last year's] 'Suicide By My Side', but there won't be any lyrics about flowers and rainbows either. [laughs] And definitely no lyrics about elves, kings, swords, battles, thunder or steel. [more laughs]. We're gonna try some cool new things that we've never done before, like for instance putting a bass solo somewhere in at least one song (or maybe even two or three, who knows?). So it would be two guitar leads and a bass lead all back to back. It should sound killer since our new bassist can do with a bass what Alexi and Roope(Latvala, also in Children Of Bodom) can do with a guitar! So basically we'll be writing and rehearsing new material whenever Children Of Bodom is having breaks from the rest of their tours this year. Then in January we'll do some non-stop rehearsing just before entering the studio. Speaking of studio, we haven't decided where we'll record yet, but we've been exploring many options and we'll make a decision by the end of August."

U.D.O.’s website (udo-online.de) report that the band’s management are currently working out details for a European tour to take place in January/February 2004. The band’s upcoming live CD/DVD will be titled Nailed To Metal. The DVD will feature over 60 minutes recorded live on the 2001 Russian tour, and 10 videos.

The finished version of Iron Maiden’s ‘Wildest Dreams’ video is now available at www.ironmaiden.com. The video directed by Howard Greenhalph (Muse, Soundgarden), will appear on Maiden's first DVD single in full 5.1 audio glory. Maiden release the single on September 1st. The track is taken from their forthcoming album Dance of Death, due out on September 9th through EMI.

Nocturnal Rites bassist Nils Eriksson has issued the following band update via their official website, www.nocturnal-rites.com:

“Yo, we're getting more and more songs done and finally hearing the new record take shape. In my ears it sounds pretty much like we've always done...maybe just a tad better :) Melodic simplicity in strange chaos and confusion. In other words, the Nocturnal Rites grand design. We hope to be in the studio putting this on tape late this fall. Should be fun - if everything goes well. Talk soon people, Nils.”

Nocturnal Rites new album is tentatively due out in early 2004 via Century Media.

Seven Witches website, www.sevenwitches.net, reports that the band will return to the studio in September to begin recording the follow-up to Passage To The Other Side. Touring should begin in early 2004.

As previously reported, Seven Witches founder Jack Frost has been hard at work on a solo effort, for Noise Records, prior to commencing on the next Witches platter, slated to begin recording later this year. For this initial solo foray, Frost has aligned himself with an interesting group of coconspirators, in and outside the metal realm. The material on the still untitled disc is said to be a departure from his previous output, as a look at the roster would indicate. Frost handles all the guitars, and a few vocals.

Impellitteri's as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2002's "System X", which is currently being recorded with producer Greg Reely (Fear Factory, Machine Head), will apparently mark a significant musical departure from the band's previous neo-classical offerings.

Mainman Chris Impellitteri says, "The record at this point is the best record Impellitteri have done. We sound completely fresh and energetic. The music has a lot of the new Swedish metal scene vibe. It is heavy heavy! Greg Reely is helping us with the sound of the record. Imagine bands like Fear Factory, or Disturbed, or Soilwork or even Slipknot, with technical guitar solos. So far so good!!"

As previously reported, the forthcoming CD will not feature a return appearance by vocalist Graham Bonnet (MSG, Rainbow), who sang on "System X". The band are said to be considering several candidates for the singer slot and expect to make a decision very soon. A late 2003 release is expected.

Stratovarius vocalist Timo Kotipelto has completed the songwriting process for his second solo album with only "some lyrics left to be written," according to a post on his web site.Timo will enter the studio in September to begin recording the as-yet-untitled follow-up to last year's "Waiting For The Dawn" album, due in early 2004 through Century Media Records. The recording lineup for the album will be more or less "the same" as that on the debut, which featured contributions from Mike Romeo (guitars, Symphony X), Roland Grapow (guitars, Masterplan/ex-Helloween), Arjen Lucassen (guitars, Ayreon), Sami Virtanen (guitars, Joe Doakes), Jari Kainulainen (bass, Stratovarius), Mirka Rantanen (drums, Tunnel Vision), Gas (drums, H.I.M.), Janne Warman (keyboards, Children Of Bodom) and Mikko Harkin (keyboards, Sonata Arctica). Stratovarius' new album, "Elements Part 2", is due on October 27 through Nuclear Blast Records.

Rage have been confirmed as the opening act for Helloween's upcoming European tour, which is scheduled to kick off on October 20. A Rage headlining tour will follow in December.

Hammerfall's Oscar Dronjak injured himself badly in a motorcycle accident last night outside Gothenburg, Sweden. He will undertake surgery today (Monday) at Sahlgrenska hospital, where he was taken in an ambulance after the incident. The vocalist of the band, Joacim Cans, got to hear about the happenings yesterday by Oscar himself."– He called at half past nine in the night and told me that he had been involved in a trafficaccident. I am not sure, but it seems like he has collided with a car that made a leftturn", says Joacim. In swedish newpapers we can read that, according to the Uddevalla policeforce, the guitarist drove into a car in front of him that were about to make a left turn. "- He was lucky. These kind of accident often demand a death toll", says the policeofficer in charge of the scene. In the hit the guitarist broke his leftarm in 2 places, both the under- and upperarm. There is also a risk that he has injured his elbow. Furthermore he has cutting wounds in both the face and on the body. "– He was very lucky since he didn't get either a concusion, nor any injuries to the neck. The risk of that is big in this kind of mc-accidents", says Cans. The band is now looking at a cancelled summertour, with gigs at festivals in their hometown Gothenburg as well as in Malmö and in England that has to be postponed. "– The air has gone out of completely now. This is a really sad situation – we had really looked forward to this festival in Gothenburg", says Joacim.

Symphorce is about to record a new album. Andy B. Franck is still not ready to relax after the huge success of the last Brainstorm album “Soul Temptation”, as he together with Cede, Markus, Dennis and Sascha will enter the House Of Music studios in Winterbach / Germany in September to record the brand new Symphorce album “Twice Second”! “No more mistakes” quotes Franck, “we´ve worked very hard for this new album, and it will surprise many out there! Everything you´ve missed on “phorcefulAhead” … everything you love on old school and modern metal stuff - it´ll be on “Twice Second”!” Together with Achim Köhler (Brainstorm, Primal Fear), the band will record such tracks like “FALLEN…”; “IGNORED BY THE SYSTEM”; “TWO SECONDS TO LIVE” and “TURN AWAY”.

“Twice Second” will be released in January 2004.

Roland Grapow is told to (as of yet unconfirmed) in an interview have said that a special project will be released when Masterplan have done the second album, (in 2 years). It will contain no other persons than Michael Kiske, Kai Hansen and Roland Grapow which until than will write 4 songs each. (12 songs on the album). Markus Grosskopf will handle the bass and Uli Kusch the drums.

We will have more news on this as soon (if) something is confirmed.

Wyrd is the title of the long-awaited Elvenking new album. There is no official release date yet. "Wyrd" has been completely recorded and the band is waiting to enter House Of Music studios to mix the album with producer Achim Kolher. More info and details about the new album will be revealed soon. The complete tracklist of the songs recorded for the new album is as follows (the songs are not in a specific order):

A Poem for the Firmament
Another Haven
Disappearing Sands
A Fiery Stride
Jigsaw Puzzle
The Losers' Ball
Moonchariot
Midnight Circus
Pathfinders
The Perpetual Knot
The Silk Dilemma
Waves of Infinite Skies

A couple of the songs listed will be used as bonus tracks for the different editions of the album.

German melodic gothic metal band Crematory, who split up in 2001 after a successful, decade-long career, have officially reformed and are preparing to enter the studio to record a new studio album, tentatively titled "Revolution". The follow-up to 2000's "Believe" is scheduled for release on March 1, 2004 through Nuclear Blast Records. "THE COMEBACK IS PERFECT!" the band write on their official web site. The wait is over!!!!! The never ending belief of the fans in Crematory is finally rewarded!!! Crematory will come back!!! After a three-year hiatus, Crematory has determined to give the fans what they craved for. The comeback! After a sufficient break the individual members of the band realized that something substantial was missing in their life. The music! The music that installed Crematory as Germany's leading Gothic Metal band and made many fans elated in the end. The new songs have been recorded in rough versions and are currently being finalized with the finishing touches before Crematory enter the studio to complete the new album. The release is set for March 1, 2004. The new album with the working title 'Revolution' will be distributed again worldwide by Nuclear Blast. And a revolution is what this new masterpiece will be because Crematory have intensified their successful musical style even further and furnished it with highly interesting elements. Believe in you and especially in Crematory!"

Tim "Ripper" Owens is the new singer in Iced Earth.

The rumours that we´ve been hearing about Tim Owens replacing Matthew Barlow as vocalist in Iced Earth turned out to be accurate. Barlow that decided to leave Iced Earth to obtain his Bachelor´s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration with the intention to follow with a career in law enforcement administration forced the band to cancel shows and left the band without a singer while the new album was about to be recorded.

Owens that just recently parted ways with Judas Priest for their reunion with Rob Halford can now be found as a member of Iced Earth handling the vocals on the upcoming album The Glorious Burden. The recordings of the album is completed and in the meanwhile until it is released samples can be found on www.icedearth.com from these three songs: The Reckoning, Hollow Man and Red Baron/Blue Max. The Reckoning is also the first track to be relased as a single. According to the band board on Iced Earth´s website Jon Schaffer let us know that "the album isn´t just done, it rules!"
Further on he also tells that he never has been more pleased in all of his years of recording, and that it came out the way it was supposed to be.

The album will be released by SPV, and so far no date has been given for the release of The Glorious Burden as well as the single The Reckoning.

Falconer have finished the recordings for their third album „The Sceptre Of Deception”! Here´s the news we just got from mainman Stefan Weinerhall: “This album is a concept album about greed, falseness and megalomania in the 13 hundreds in Sweden. It is based upon a true story. Actually, a concept album to me is always a bit hard to listen to and sort of strange with all those short "who cares songs" between the real ones. This one is not like that, but is a normal Falconer album with some more variations and unexpected turns. Well, the fact that we´ve changed the singer makes it not 100% a "normal" Falconer album. I can promise a lot of guest appearances and that alone makes the album more varied. We are so very satisfied with the album since the last year has brought so many new things to the band like more members, livegigs and the feeling of "a real band". Now we can´t wait to get the album out and get out there and promote it live!”

The tracklist for “The Sceptre of Deception”:
1 The Coronation
2 Trail Of Flames
3 Under The Sword
4 Night Of Infamy
5 Hooves Over Northland
6 Pledge For Freedom
7 Ravenhair
8 The Sceptre Of Deception
9 Hear Me Pray
10 Child Of Innocence

This third Falconer album will be released on the 6th of October through Metal Blade Records.

Canada's Eidolon have completed their latest slab of molten metal - "Apostles Of Defiance". Drummer Shawn Drover gives the latest info. "This is our ultimate heavy metal statement we have made as a band, period!!!! We have really busted out balls to make sure this record is the best we could possibly make it to be - we are very pleased with the outcome! The people who dig our music know that our music cannot be digested in just 1 listen, and with A.O.D it is even more diverse and twisted than ever before!!! Once again, we have everything from full-blown 100 % speed metal, to slow crushing tunes, more progressive/weird/atmospheric stuff and two 10 minute epic tunes – in other words, a very twisted record! To me, it is extremely boring and predictable to make the same record over and over - of course there is nothing wrong in doing that – it is just not something that interests us at all .We really strive to always make sure that we improve with each record, in terms of musical performance, production, everything - believe me, "Apostles Of Defiance" will melt your face – I personally guarantee this!”

Here´s the complete tracklisting of “Apostles Of Defiance”:
· scream from within
· volcanic earth
· twisted morality
· demoralized
· the test
· the will to remain
· apostles of defiance
· pull the trigger
· apathy for a dying world

The limited first edition will contain the following bonus stuff:
- The complete “Zero Hour” album (with a few Zero hour-era band pictures). This album has been out of print for a long time.
- video clip for "Coma Nation"!

Apostles Of Defiance will be released on the 6th of October through Metal Blade Records.

U.K.-based cult doom rockers Cathedral have signed a deal with Nuclear Blast Records. The group's follow-up to last year's "The VIIth Coming" is tentatively due in early 2004. Cathedral were previously signed to Dream Catcher Records in Europe and Spitfire Records in the U.S.

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September 2003

Aina's Days Of Rising Room, a metal opera from the hands and minds of Robert Hunecke-Rizzo, Amanda Somerville, Miro and producer Sascha Paeth, will be released in November through Holland's Transmission Records. Among the guests set to appear on the album, that will be released as a double album plus DVD made up of three parts, are the following:

Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath), Candice Night (Blackmore's Night), Tobias Sammet (Edguy, Avantasia), Marko Hietala (Nightwish), Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween, Supared), Andre Matos (ex-Angra, Shaman), Jens Johansson (Stratovarius, ex-Yngwie Malmsteen), Thomas Rettke (ex-Heavens Gate), Olaf Hayer (Luca Turilli), Damian Wilson, Simone Simons (Epica), Emppu Vuorinen (Nightwish), Thomas Youngblood (Kamelot), T.M. Stevens (Steve Vai, Tina Turner), Derek Sherinian (ex-Dream Theater), Erik Norlander (Lana Lane).

Dionysus, the Swedish/German melodic power metal act featuring the voice behind guitarist Luca Turilli's solo work, Olaf Hayer, and ex-Sinergy drummer Ronny Milianowicz, are in the final phase of the recording sessions for their new album, tentatively due in February 2004 through AFM Records. The CD, which is being recorded at Studio Kuling in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Moberg (Katatonia, Lambretta, Crystal Blue), will likely be titled "Anima Mundi" (Latin for "The Soul of the World"). Dionysus' debut album, "Sign Of Truth" (2002), was recorded at Rhön Studios in Fulda, Germany with producer Tobias Sammet (Edguy) and was mixed at Area 51 studios by Tommy Newton (Helloween, Victory).

U.D.O. frontman Udo Dirkschneider recently spoke to Spain's Metal Soldiers about the possibility of an Accept reunion at some point in the not-too-distant future. "Personally we're really good friends, but we decided to try a different way for our music," he said. "I can say that U.D.O. is a successful band. For me, it's a bit of a risk to pursue a reunion, maybe we will make some shows, an album... Nobody knows what can happen. It is a risk, and I don't think it would work for me, but I'm sure it would work for the fans. We stay in contact, we're good friends, without problems, but to work again together...? What can I say? I'm happy with U.D.O., I have former Accept drummer Stefan Kaufmann with me, and he's very important for the band."

U.D.O. are currently working on their new studio album, tentatively due before the end of the year through AFM Records.

About two weeks ago while gardening at his home, legendary metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio had a pretty bad accident. As something fell over in the garden, he apparently tried to catch it, and in doing so, his thumb was severed off. Doctors were able to re-attach it, and Dio is reportedly doing fine.

According to a posting at their website, Primal Fear have confirmed Devil’s Ground as the name of their forthcoming album, due out on February 23rd, 2004 through Nuclear Blast in Europe and North America and in Asia and Japan by JVC/Victor. The posting read as follows: “Only three days and the recordings will start! Everything is prepared - the story behind the album will be posted here first and soon.The band will be working on the following tracks: ‘Metal Is Forever’, ‘Suicide And Mania’, ‘The Healer’, ‘Visions Of Fate’, ‘Colony 13’, ‘Heart Of The Brave’, ‘Sea Of Flames’, ‘In Metal’, ‘Wings Of Desire’, ‘Soulchaser’, ‘Sacred Illusion’. "There is a mystery cover version, the posting added, which can be appear somewhere as a bonus track." A videoclip will be shoot probably for the track ‘Metal Is Forever’, in mid-November. The Devil's Ground world tour kicks off in Europe in March with special guests Brainstorm and Rob Rock's Rage Of Creation.

Finland's Nightwish have begun the final preparations for the recording of their new album, tentatively due in June 2004 through Spinefarm Records. "The band will lock themselves at the studio where they'll spend about a month practicing and arranging the songs for the new album," according to post on the group's web site. The band will once again use their own studio (Caverock) in Kitee to record the drums, bass and keyboards/synths, while the vocals and guitars will be recorded at Helsinki's Finnvox facility. 13 new songs and one cover version will be recorded during the sessions, which are expected to be completed by the end of March."

Dio's "Sacred Heart" concert video from 1986 is scheduled to be reissued on DVD in February 2004 through Warner Strategic Marketing. Featured on the disc will be bonus footage including interviews with current band members Ronnie James Dio, Craig Goldy, Simon Wright and Jimmy Bain. The band will reportedly discuss the "Sacred Heart" tour, the recent "Stand Up and Shout: Dio Anthology" CD release and the group's forthcoming album.

Steve Williams, mastermind of Power Quest, has joined forces with gothic power metallers Mercury Rain and will be working with the band in a recording/writing capacity on the forthcoming album St. Matthieu.

In related news, we can read in an update of Power Quest's website that new drummer in the band is Gavin Ward, who replaces Andre Bargmann that left the band due to the age old "musical differences" reason.
In the band's own words: "We all felt that Gav did such a great job last week and fully deserves the job full time! Welcome aboard mate! Well, we all returned home after the tour yesterday and what a week it was. 5 highly enjoyable shows up and down the country, culminating in an amazing weekend at the Bloodstock festival. We would like to thank everyone who came along to offer their support at all the gigs and it was great to see so many familiar faces in the front row at Bloodstock. Special mention to drummer Gavin Ward who did an outstanding job on the back of 2 weeks to learn the material and 6 hours rehearsal with the band. Anyone wondering why we only had one guitarist for the shows....well our other guy (who was standing in anyway) just never turned up to rehearsals and finally bottled it on the lunchtime before the Underworld gig.....his loss I reckon! We also had a car broken into in Bradford and had £500 of merchandise stolen. Apologies to anyone who couldn't get a shirt at Bloodstock. Please email us if you want one and we'll get some more ordered for you."

The Japanese release date for the new album Neverworld is October 22nd.

Finnish metallers Insomnium are completing work on their sophomore album, tentatively due in early 2004 through Candlelight Records. "The mixing will be finished during this week and the mastering will take place somewhere in the next month," the band write on their web site. "We will update these pages soon and add studio diary and some pictures from the session, but first we have to take few week break and just relax. We really need to get our minds away from this long and stressing effort and concentrate for a while to our studies and day jobs. After that we have more energy and strength to keep on going. So all you need is little patience. For a second matter we don't have any albums left ourselves so you can't order the debut [2002's 'In The Halls Of Awaiting'] any longer through us. Instead we suggest you to go http://www.firebox.fi or http://www.cdon.com Those two are also cheap and fast alternatives! However we have still T-shirts left in all sizes, so don't hesitate to mail us (insomnium@hotmail.com) and ask advices for ordering!"

Sweden's Opeth have been invited to perform in Jordan in November. If the gig goes ahead, it will mark the first time a metal band has played in Jordan. In additional news, Opeth are expected to enter the studio in late 2004 to record the follow-up to "Deliverance" and "Damnation", tentatively due in early 2005.

Danish metallers Ironfire have split in two "due to overwhelming musical differences," according to a post on the band's web site. "Vocalist Martin Steene and guitarist Mads Andersen will continue Ironfire as you know it. And guitarist Jeff Lukka, bassist Jose Cruz and drummer Steve Mason are pursuing new musical pastures. Unable to get out of a contract with Tex, Martin and Mads will be playing the Tex gig on the 10th of October with a quickly assembled backing band featuring, Martin Slott (ex-Ironfire, Urban Cowboys), Jens from Sons Of Tomorrow on drums, and Bent (Urban Cowboys) on bass."

Ironfire spent the early months of 2003 at Nifilheim Studios recording and mixing a promotional CD, which was being used to procure a new record deal. The group, who issued two full-length albums through the Sanctuary/Noise label, are expected to release the follow-up to 2001's "On The Edge" in 2004.

In a new section on Axel Rudi Pell's website where he answers questions from fans, we can read the following as answers to questions about the upcoming album and future touring: "The next album will have less ballads and more straight ahead songs but no really extremely fast songs" and "We`re working on a possible european tour for next year which hopefully will include Spain too. As I always said, it depends on the record sales in each country and if the offers of the local tour promoters will be acceptable".
As answer to the question about which of his own albums he holds as the favourite, he says: "Favourite at the moment is Oceans Of Time, but the next one will be even better than that !"

In an update on Primal Fear's website we can read the following: "We will start with the recordings for our new (yet untiteled) album on Sept 30th - about some comments on the net: we don't need contracts in the band regarding recordings & touring. We don't need a cage to lock up our drummer. He is a free grown up man and he can speak & decide for himself. I'm sure he will! The new Primal Fear album will be released on Feb 23rd 2004 by Nuclear Blast Records and in Asia & Japan by JVC/Victor. The world tour kicks off in early March in Europe. In May we plan to come back to South America and home-country no.2 "Brazil" - we plan to play Japan & Korea after this - no plans for the US & Canada yet, but indeed some summer open airs incl the just confirmed Bang Your Head open air!"

Dimmu Borgir breaks the Nuclear Blast sales record by selling 6,352 copies of the latest album Death Cult Armageddon in the U.S. during its first week of release. That made the album land at position No. 169 on The Billboard 200 chart. This sales figure stands as the largest first-week SoundScan number ever achieved by a Nuclear Blast/Century Media recording artist.

The following studioreport has just been posted by Tobias Sammet on Edguy's website: "Hey you savage fuckers! Friends, I just thought I'd better drop you some news about the new album and how the recordings are going. Well, the work is going great, I just have to underline how relaxed everything is in the studio. The spirit and friendship between us is so cool, and during the last tour we had even grown tighter together as friends. And I swear, you will hear that on every single note on the album! I do not wanna blow our own trumpets too much (to avoid any edgay rumors). I do not blow trumpets at all! But for female interests: Watch out for the 'Blow Tobi's Trumpet!' contest coming soon! But I guess this album is gonna be our strongest in so many terms. Felix, for example, has matured into one of the best drummers in this genre. His playing is so well, it's hard to believe, how good he has become during the last 24 months. It is an honor to be in a band with such a drummer! And together with Eggi the rhythm section is so heavy, groovy and so tight. We have by far the best rhythm section sound ever, and so is the guitar sound. Not to forget about the orchestra, which makes the songs so mighty. As I said before, this isn't Vivaldi on speed for grown up men in pink tights or Prince Adam uniforms. This is Wagner!

Songwriting wise we didn't give a shit about rules, we just wrote metal songs. Perhaps we're gonna change the album title, although 'Mysteria' fits well and sounds good to me, we think it maybe sounds too predictable and too obvious. The album is not one of a million fantasy-opera-metal-albums, it is a shitfucking rocket, if you know what I mean... So it has to be more dirty! What about 'Hellfire Club'? Yes, sounds strange, but I think you know that it is gonna be bombastic and epic anyway, so we should underline the new one because of its spontaneity, roughness and the heavy fucking metal attitude in it. I am the happiest man on earth! Early next year you'll know why! Can't say anything about the release date of the album as we haven't signed a deal yet. Those record company bastards just don't come up with the money to make us filthy stinking rich, hahaha... Seriously, as soon as we have signed a deal we'll let you know and you can expect the album January 2004. I gotta go to the studio now and have a coffee while listening to Dirk and Jens play some leads. Stay tuned, I am gonna come up with some news about and titles of single songs soon.

Friends, I am so happy and proud and thankful to be in this band and this album will show you all why I have plenty of reasons to be. And then we'll tour, I'm gonna bother Felix with stupid jokes and we'll have some beers and a lot of fun and... Well, see you all then"

Timo Tolkki, guitarist and mainman of finnish metallers Stratovarius, has been forced to close down his website due to numerous personal attacks against him and his forum. More can be read on www.tolkki.com.

Bassist Joey Vera (Fates Warning, Armored Saint, Seven Witches, Engine) has posted the following message on his official web site: "Sorry for such a delay in an update (as if you've all been waiting with bated breath), but it took me longer than expected to get back into normal life here (whatever that means!). Once I got to a place where I could get my usual 7 hours of sleep, I began plans for the next projects. During this process, Fates was asked to do the second leg of the Queensryche tour (which just started last week) but because of scheduling conflicts and several other obstacles, we unfortunately had to turn it down. Incidentally, I saw the show last weekend and it's killer. The guys even venture into a short acoustic set which is cool. My only complaint, no Mind Crime stuff. But I hear they are changing the set almost daily so I suggest checking them out! Meanwhile it's to the writing table for Fates. A new record, that is. Currently I am mixing a live record for Metal Blade. It's a live recording from a show they put on at the Palace in Hollywood, CA celebrating 20 years in the biznuss. The bands featured are Vehemence, Cattle Decapitation, Engine (yes, Ray Alder and myself), Lizzy Borden, Armored Saint (yes, me again!) and Cannibal Corpse. The live record which I should have done by the end of this week, should be coming out sometime in early 2004. I think a DVD with live footage will accompany the record as a bonus disc. I'll let ya know when I get more details! I'm also putting together material for a forthcoming new DVD for Armored Saint. With the help of the other guys we will put together a bunch of live videos from the Symbol of Salvation tours and our reunion Revelation tours as well. This is still untitled and should be out also early next year. I'll keep you posted on that as well. Enough rambling..... I'm back to work!"

Former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach has revealed the details of his new band, Bach Tight 5. Joining Bach in the new group are guitarist Adam Albright (ex-Skinlab, Dopesick), bassist Cheeze (Black Bone, Dead Tight 5), guitarist Randall X Rawlings (Dead Tight 5), and drummer Mike Dover (Dead Tight 5).

Says Bach: "Adam is from Oakland California & Cheeze & Randall X & Mike are all from Memphis Tennessee. We have been writing / rehearsing / recording every day all day & the next CD I put out will be a true rock 'n' roll statement straight from the heart I can guarantee you that. We are about to go on tour with one of my all time favorite bands Twisted Sister & also we will play with the one & only Alice Cooper at the legendary Beacon Theater in New York City! CYA soon on the road I can't wait!"

Impellitteri have announced that Curtis Skelton (Speak No Evil) is officially their new singer. Speak No Evil released two records through Abrupt/Universal Records: 1999’s self-titled effort and the 2001 followup, Welcome To The Downside. Impellitteri continue to work on the followup to 2002’s System X (which featured legendary singer Graham Bonnett). "The record at this point is the best record Impellitteri have done,” leader/guitarist Chris Impellitteri stated recently. “We sound completely fresh and energetic. The music has a lot of the new Swedish metal scene vibe. It is heavy heavy! Greg Reely (producer) is helping us with the sound of the record. Imagine bands like Fear Factory, or Disturbed, or Soilwork or even Slipknot, with technical guitar solos. So far so good!"

While Seven Witches guitarist Jack Frost works on his upcoming solo album for Noise Records, singer James Rivera has reunited with his old Helstar bandmate Eric Halpern (guitars) and Symphony X bassist Mike Lepond for a new project called Distant Thunder.

Seven Witches will return to the studio in September to begin recording the follow-up to Passage To The Other Side. Touring should begin in early 2004.

Swedish melodic metallers Nostradameus will be entering Roasting House studios in Malmö, Sweden on November 10 to begin recording their fourth album, due in early 2004 through Germany's AFM Records.

Nostradameus' last studio album, "The Third Prophecy", was released in January.

Children Of Bodom (www.cobhc.com) have issued the following warning to fans regarding a bootleg recording that is circulating:

"There is a dangerously real looking bootleg out there, "live" recording from our show in Frankfurt. The live album called Hatecrew Crossing Europe 2003, has been recorded without us knowing about it, and without our permission. Sound quality is really bad but the cover looks quite real. Do not support organized rip off, and it is really not worth paying for!!!"

Dream Theater's new album, Train Of Thought, is tentatively scheduled for release on November 11th 2003.

The tracklisting is as follows:
As I Am
This Dying Soul
Endless Sacrifice
Honor Thy Father
Vacant
Stream Of Consciousness
In The Name Of God

Train Of Thought is produced by John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy, engineered by Doug Oberkircher and mixed by Kevin Shirley.
Dream Theater's 2004 World Tour will kick off in Manchester, England on January 16th, 2004.

Stratovarius singer Timo Kotipelto will be releasing his second solo album in early 2004.

Guitarists Michael Romeo (Symphony X) and Roland Grapow (Masterplan) are due to reprise their roles from Waiting For The Dawn, Kotipelto's first solo shot, with Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon) Janne Warman (Children Of Bodom) also set to make an appearance.

German thrashers Kreator will enter the studio in May 2004 to begin recording their new album, tentatively due late next year through SPV Records. The band are currently preparing for the "Art Of Noise Part 2" tour (also featuring Nile, Vader, Amon Amarth and Goatwhore), which is scheduled to kick off on October 1 in Houston, Texas. After that, the band will head over to South America to play 10 to 15 shows. Exact cities and dates will be announced soon. In addition, Kreator have just confirmed headlining appearance in Bucharest, Romania on December 13.

Kreator's last studio album, "Violent Revolution", was released in 2001.

The release date for the forthcoming King Diamond CD "The Puppet Master" is set for October 21st for both Europe and the USA. The CD will also contain a bonus disc of King telling the story of The Puppet Master in full make-up. As King describes it this album is going to make the hairs stand up on the back of listeners neck. "The rules of censorship are being thrown out the window...this is going to be the rawest story/album we have ever done." King was also quick to point out that "if you are into horror; you're definitely going to get it with this album!" The Puppet Master is expected to be considered one of King's goriest and most extreme stories yet. The following tour will be made with Entombed, Nocturne, and Single Bullet Theory. This is the first time King Diamond has toured the US since the release of House of God.

Finnish melodic power metallers Thunderstone have commenced the mixing process for their sophomore album, "The Burning", at Finnvox Studios with Mikko Karmila (Nightwish, Children Of Bodom).

The follow-up to last year's "Thunderstone" was recorded at Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki with producer/guitarist Nino Laurenne and will include the following cuts, among others:

01. Until We Touch The Burning Sun
02. Mirror Never Lies
03. Break the Emotion
04. Drawn To The Flames
05. Side By Side
06. Forth Into The Black
07. Tin Star Man

A late 2003/early 2004 release through Nuclear Blast Records is expected.

German hard rock singer Doro Pesch (ex-Warlock) has been named "sexiest woman of the year" by the prominent Czech rock magazine Spark. The award was presented to the vocalist during her concert in the Czech Republic on June 27.

Parts of the Metal Covenant staff can only agree to this decision.....

Sweden's Morifade have finalized the track listing for their third album, "Domi<>nation", due on September 1 through Hammerheart Records.
The follow-up to last year's "Imaginarium" was recorded at Los Angered studios in Gothenburg and Monogram studios in Stockholm.

The complete track listing for "Domi<>nation" is as follows:

01. Parallels 02. A Silent Revolution 03. The Second Coming 04. Words I Never Speak 05. Clarity (Fragments of a Dream) 06. Panopticon 07. The Rising 08. Erase 09. Memorys End 10. Lost Within A Shade

"Domi<>nation" will be released first as a limited digipack featuring bonus material. A Japanese version will also include additional extra tracks. All three versions will contain an enhanced portion featuring a video for the song "Lost Within A Shade".

Joey Belladonna and his new solo band have recorded the music for 11 new songs, to be included on Beladonna's third full-length album, tentatively due in early 2004. "The music has been completed, with Joey laying down all the drum tracks," reads a post on Belladonna's web site. "He is currently putting finishing touches on the vocals and getting ready to mix the album."
The as-yet-untitled follow-up to 1998's "Spells Of Fear" (DeRock Records) will include a musical style described by the singer as "straight ahead... I mean, I hate to use the term metal, hard rock, rock. It's hard to categorize. It's going to be heavy but not ultra-heavy or frantic and busy. It's straight up. Vocally, I still have that same vibe. I really haven't tried to change anything. I've never believed in trying to chase something that's in favor."

After more than 4 years, Thy Majestie leave Scarlet Records team and they are looking for a new record deal. They are now working on the last two songs of the new album that will be an historical concept based on Joan of Arc.

On Pegazus' website we can now read the following:"The PEGAZUS - 9th Anniversary Show on August 16 turned out to be a truly great night with lots of fun and loud decibels of true Heavy Metal!!! Special Guest on the night was original PEGAZUS vocalist Justin Fleming, who got up on stage and sang 'Apache Warriors' and also did a cool duet with Rob Thompson on the anthemic 'Metal Forever'.Another guest (the 12th man) with the band, playing drums all night was roadie/stage hand Bernie Goldstein, who handled the position absolutely great and like a true pro, considering we'd only had a few rehearsals with him the two weeks before the actual birthday show. Unfortunately, Robbie Stoj has had to pull out of any playing commitments for the time being, due to a sustained injury in his left hand. It's been a recurring problem for him over the past 12 months. He is seeing some specialists at the moment and the news at this point is not looking very good, as the general doctor's opinion is for him to maybe have a section of one of his fingers amputated to ease the pain and discomfort he has been dealing with for such a long time. This is not great news and would most likely leave Robbie with no choice but to give playing drums a rest for a few months, at least till his hand is pain-free and feeling better. In the meantime, Bernie will be playing with us as a temporary stand-in drummer! Our next Live show and most likely last one for 2003 is scheduled at the HeadBangers Ball 2 Festival, which PEGAZUS will once again headline on Saturday 20th September at the Central Club, 293 Swan St, Richmond.

At this special event, we will be recording our show for a forthcoming Live Album. After four (4) studio albums, covering so many true PEGAZUS Warrior anthems, we felt that this would be a great opportunity for us to capture the bands raw energy and magic as a Live band! With so many fan favorites being played in the setlist of our on going 'Thunder from Down Under OZ Tour 2003', what better way for all our true fans and friends from all around the world to experience PEGAZUS Live......just crank it up LOUD and it's as if you were there at the show! :o) The album will feature 13 Live Tracks plus 3 Bonus Tracks which are rare demo versions of songs from 'The Headless Horseman' album sessions. We also plan to capture the show on film/video camera's for a possible Live DVD / VHS release too? The confirmed title is of course taken from the band's current tour name, 'PEGAZUS - Live Thunder Down Under'! An official release date is not yet confirmed but it does look like it could be out sometime in November, this year. Soon after the release of the Live album, the band is scheduled in November to start recording some Demos of NEW songs for our next full-length studio album.

We will be working very hard for the rest of this year and early into next year, to come up with another dose of KILLER Heavy Metal tunes and album for you guys......stay tuned and keep on banging!"

Kamelot guitarist Thomas Youngblood has posted the following message to the band's official web site:

“At the moment we are still working on shows for Dec/Jan, we wanted to take a short hiatus due to bassist Glenn Barry's new baby coming this month. I do not want to announce anything until we have confirmation. Also, I am going to the Norwegian countryside in October for the first part of the songwriting sessions for the new album. We were not sure whether the next album would be a non-concept release but after long discussions we all agree that the yet untitled release will be the 2nd part of 'Epica', we are excited about finishing the 2nd part story line for 'Epica'. It was important for us to write the music fresh with new ideas and influences. Expect another level from 'Epica 1'!"

Kamelot's forthcoming CD will be the group's first for the SPV/Steamhammer label following a lengthy stint with Noise/Sanctuary Records.

According to a posting at their website, In Flames drummer Daniel Svensson “has finished laying down the drums on all tracks. In a couple of weeks the band will enter the studio again to record everything else and finalize the upcoming CD.”

The new album will be released in March or April of 2004. In Flames are still looking for a deal for the album as the band's contract with Nuclear Blast is up.

In an update directly from the bandmembers of Dark Moor themselves we get to know the following: Hello! Our fourth album "Dark Moor" is finished!!! We have been a month working at New Sin Studios in Italy with the producer Luigi Stefanini & I think we have recorded the best album in our career. We have got a clean production with heavy guitars & the orchestral arrangements sound better than ever, mainly the strings. We were searching for a new dimension in our sound/music & we are sure that "Dark Moor" shows new elements which makes this album very special for us. Our fans don´t must be afraid ´cos our style has not changed but obviously, we must try to offer different things in our music and we know "Dark Moor" will be what you expect from us. Alfred Romero, the new singer, has showed us why he is the perfect singer for the band, he can sing in very different ways & his voice has given us the chance to arrange our songs without limits. Dark Moor has been recorded with numerous guest musicians for the backing vocals such as the Valcavasia choir, the young female Castelfranco choir, Mamen (Arwen) and the special guest singer Beatriz Albert who has recorded some lead parts in the track "Dark Moor" and she also recorded the track "The Mysterious Maiden"as lead singer. This alternative version (the album will contain the track recorded by Alfred Romero) will appear in the single "From Hell"which will also contain "The Sea"(non included in the album) & the track "From Hell". Alfred, Jose & I also recorded the backing vocals. The album will be mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox & we´ll have the final result in a couple of weeks. "Dark Moor" will contain 11 tracks & will be released on 24th November.
Thanx to all people for their support!
Enrik García (Dark Moor)

This is the new line-up of the band: Enrik García (guitar), Anan Kaddouri (bass), Alfred Romero (vocals), José Garrido (guitar) and Andy C. (drums).
"Dark Moor" tracklisting: 1. A Life For Revenge 2. Eternally 3. The Bane of Daninsky, The Werewolf 4. Cyrano of Bergerac 5. The Sea (Ulysses) 6. From Hell 7. Overture (Attila) 8. Wind Like Stroke (Attila) 9. Return For Love (Attila) 10.The Ghost Sword (Attila) 11.The Dark Moor

Vhäldemar will record their second album "I Made My Own Hell"in September at Rock Studios, and the mastering will be done by Piet Sielck at Powerhouse Studios in Germany. J.P. Fournier (Edguy/Avantasia) has painted the cover artwork. "I Made My Own Hell"will represent an evolution in the Vhäldemar´s sound. These are the titles of some tracks: "I made my own hell", "No return", "Moonlight (intro) + I will rise my fist", "Old king´s visions (part II)", "Dreamer".

A brand new Stratovarius track, titled "I Walk To My Own Song", has been posted online in MP3 format at their website www.stratovarius.com. I Walk To My Own Song comes off the Finnish neo-classical metallers' forthcoming CD, Elements Part 2, due on October 27 through Nuclear Blast Records.

The album will contain the following songs:

01. Alpha & Omega 02. I Walk To My Own Song 03. I'm Still Alive 04. Season Of Faith's Perfection 05. Awaken The Giant 06. Know The Difference 07. Luminous 08. Dreamweaver 09. Liberty 10. Ride Like The Wind (Japanese bonus)

Elements Part 2 was produced by guitarist Timo Tolkki and mixed by Mikko Karmila at Finnvox Studios. All music and words for the album were written by Timo Tolkki, except for Ride Like The Wind, which was penned by keyboardist Jens Johansson. According to vocalist Timo Kotipelto, "Stratovarius will not do ANY touring for Elements Part 2. We might do some summer festivals next year but we/I can't confirm anything yet."

Axenstar releases their second album "Far From Heaven"in November. The album was recorded at Underground Studios and mastered by Peter In de Betou (Amon Amarth, Hypocrisy). The band has got an excellent production and the album contains 10 tracks of first class melodic power metal. In November, the band will play 3 shows in Spain with Red Wine and Dreamaker.
"Far From Heaven" tracklisting: 1. The Descending (intro) 2. Infernal Angel 3. Bling Leading the Blind 4. Don´t Hide Your Eyes 5. Far From Heaven 6. Abandoned 7. Children Forlorn 8. Death Denied 9. Blackout 10. Northen Sky

Former Savatage and current Seven Witches guitarist Jack Frost has finalized the track listing for his solo effort, Raise Your Fist To Metal, due in October through Noise/Sanctuary Records.

The final track listing for Raise Your Fist To Metal is as follows:
01. Stay
02. The Chase
03. Brotherhood of Lies
04. What's Left
05. The Man I Am
06. Nippin at your Ear
07. What I Say
08. Fight Fire with Fire
09. Slow Burn
10. Lack of Communication

An MP3 sample of the opening track Stay can be downloaded at www.sevenwitches.net. Raise Your Fist To Metal features Jack doing all the guitar work and some vocals. Guest musicians slated to appear on the CD are as follows:

Drums:
Gonzo (Armored Saint, Life After Death)
Johnny Dee (Doro, Britny Fox)
Bass:
Mike Duda (W.A.S.P.)
Joey Vera (Armored Saint, Fates Warning, Seven Witches, Engine)
Billy Childs (Britny Fox)
Vocals:
Harry Hess (Harem Scarem)
Rob Rock (Impellitteri, Warrior, Axel Rudi Pell, Project Driver)
David DeFeis (Virgin Steele)
Bobby Lucas (Exhibition, Overlord, ex-Seven Witches)
Joe Comeau (ex-Annihilator, ex-Overkill)
Steve Braun (Azra, ex-Siloam)

Frost, who recently signed a new endorsement deal with GMP guitars, also appears on the new Rob Rock release, Eyes of Eternity.

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October 2003

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November 2003

Dio reports that the material for the new record is coming along nicely, and if all goes as planned, the band should be ready to start recording sometime in January 2004.

German melodic gothic metal band Crematory, who split up in 2001 after a successful, decade-long career, have been forced to postpone the release date of their much-anticipated comeback album, "Revolution", after keyboardist Katrin Goger gave birth to her daughter two weeks prior to the expected due date. As a result, the band have halted the recording sessions for the new album and the CD's previously announced release date (March 1, 2004) will not be kept, according to an official press release. However, since more than half of the album is already finished, Crematory have decided to release a single in advance on the originally scheduled album — a little consolation for the fans. The CD will contain the single- and album-version of "Greed", a cover version of Metallica's "One" and a ballad named "Farewell Letter" as well as the video clip for "Greed", which was wrapped only a few days before Katrin's daughter Janina was born. "Greed" will be released on March 1 worldwide through Nuclear Blast Records. The full-length album, "Revolution", will follow later in 2004.

Hansi Kürsch, singer in Blind Guardian, has completed work on about 9 songs for the next Demons & Wizards album. Jon Schaffer, guitarist and mainman of Iced Earth, says in a statement on their website that: "I sent him them earlier in the year and he's sending them my way very soon. He's been so busy that he just started working on them about 5 weeks ago. We do plan to get together after I've healed up and do some work in the 'Dungeon.' I'm really looking forward to it — we always have a great time together and the magic is sure to flow. I'm sure we will create an awesome record that will far surpass our debut, and it was pretty killer! I expect we will unleash the new one later next year." In related news, this is what he has to say about the new Ice Earth album soon due for release: "First, as you all know by now, the CD release has been delayed to early January. I know this has upset many fans and I wasn't happy about it myself, but when the label explained their reasons I couldn't argue with them. Because of the fact that we had to re-record the vocals and re-mix the record it pushed everything back and the label would have had to perform a miracle to do their job properly. It takes time and a lot of organization to release a priority record and they just wanted to do the best job possible, so as I said, I couldn't really argue the point."

Joacim Cans - singer in swedish Hammerfall - will release his solo debut in April 2004 under the moniker CANS. Entitled Beyond The Gates, the album will feature the following band lineup: Mat Sinner (vocals/bass - Primal Fear, Sinner), Mark Zonder (drums - Fates Warning, Warlord), Stefan Elmgren (guitar - Hammerfall) and "Metal" Mike Chlasciak (guitar - Painmuseum, ex-Halford).

Anthrax are going to re-record the fans all-time favorite songs from Fistful Of Metal, Armed And Dangerous, Spreading The Disease, Among The Living, State Of Euphoria, and Persistence Of Time live in the studio. The outcome of that is going to be entitled Metallum Maximus Aeternus and this is the story in the band's own words: "We've posted all the tracks from said albums and you’ll vote and tell us which songs you want us to do. We really want to know what you boys and girls are feeling. I’ve never been a big fan of doing a live record (I think Live: The Island Years blows) but this idea has changed my mind about it. Just the five of us in a room ripping, it’s going to be intense. It will be like when we first wrote these songs and started playing them for the first time. Except now the songs have evolved after years of playing them live to where I wish they were when we first recorded them. Like good whisky, they’ve aged wonderfully. And now you’ll hear them with John Bush. The way I always imagined them in the first place. So cast your votes my friends. It’s going to be so fucking metal. Hence the title." Vote at www.anthrax.com.

Stratovarius guitarist Timo Tolkki has posted the following message online regarding the band’s internal crisis:
"I am in the process of talking seriously with each bandmember about the future of Stratovarius. There are lots of rumours circling around and this statement is issued to clear some of those. The band is in a severe crisis at the moment. Looking back now, it is very clear to me why the situation has catapulted into crisis. I have my own way to lead Stratovarius and since being in this band since '84 (almost 20 years) I have had a very clear vision about the musical direction of Strato. To put it short and simple, this is my band. I decide what Stratovarius sounds like. Stylists might decide how Stratovarius looks like. I don't give a fuck about that though, I love music and we are not some fucking Backstreet Boys. We eat metal and shit chains. Before some of you start shouting 'dictator', I would like to tell you that we have always shared the income from the band equally. Everyone gets the same from all income. I can tell you many bands when it's not like this. Up until very last weeks I though things were fine, there have been arguments, but nothing fancy. At this point I feel that my vision of where to take Stratovarius next is threatened. Along with many other things, which I cannot tell you due to legal reasons. Let me just say this: when the things get so heated that some people in the band enter into fistfight, then something is wrong, wouldn't you agree?

I am talking with singer Timo Kotipelto and bassist Jari Kainulainen here in Finland at the moment and next week I fly to New York to talk to keyboardist Jens Johansson. Then I fly to Germany to talk to drummer Jörg Michael. And then I have to think. So you guys have to wait for some more time for some more news. At this point it seems 95% sure that 3 bandmembers have to leave. I really hope I can work things out with them, but if not, then they will have to go. And to those who say I should leave Stratovarius I say, hmmm well, perhaps it's better that I don't say anything, so I just say, 'Fuck Off!' I am not leaving anywhere, we just signed this new deal and I am going to continue writing new songs and there will be more albums, no matter what the line up will be. Stay tuned for more..."

Keyboardist Jens Johansson has offered the following comment via the group's official message board regarding the status of the band's lineup: "Within the band we made the agreement that guitarist/mainman Timo Tolkki will decide who plays in the band, I mean on the records, live etc. I actually drew up the agreement myself, so that none of us would be able to entertain any illusions of 'hijacking' the band by a democratic majority vote or something. To me, I think this is a useful arrangement, I would say even if I get booted out as a result, believe it or not! I am a man of principles. And anyone is free to leave on their own volition too, of course. It's a band, not a concentration camp, like Yngwie used to say. I can assure you, nobody feels like leaving voluntarily. But what goes on in the hearts and minds of Finns is sometimes difficult to detect. Especially if they don't answer their phone!!!! If Timo wants to have new people in the band I would of course be very sad, because I quite enjoy working with these guys. But there is nothing I can do about how people feel. Either musically or about other things. Timo is a stubborn guy, or he wouldn't have gotten this far!"

The Dutch power/thrashmetal band Septuagint is going to make a videoclip in 2004 for the titletrack of their promo single 'Meditation Among Demons'. For that they ask metalfans throughout the world for their ideas by doing a contest. It is very simple: just mail your idea how the Septuagint clip should look like to the band, and the three best ideas will be rewarded with CD's and T-shirts. And of course the best idea will also be made! You can mail your ideas until the 31st of Januari 2004, the result will be put online at the Septuagint website at the 16th of Februari. You can also find more information about the contest there: http://www.septuagint.nl/contest.htm. If you don't know Septuagint yet, or haven't heard the promo single, you can order it for free! All you have to do is mail your address to info@septuagint.nl.

German power metallers Iron Savior have set "Metalizer" as the title for their follow-up to 2002's "Condition Red". The CD, which is currently being recorded at Karo studios in Brackel, Germany, is tentatively due in early 2004 through Noise Records.

London based extreme power metallers DragonForce have started work on the follow up to their debut album 'Valley Of The Damned' released earlier this year. The majority of the recording is taking place at Thin Ice Studios, Virginia Water, Surrey, England with producer Karl Groom, while all the guitars are being recorded at Herman Li's own private studio in West London. Herman Li (guitars), Z.P. Theart (vocals), Sam Totman (guitars), & Vadim Pruzhanov (keyboards) have now been joined by new bassist Adrian Lambert, and drummer David Mackintosh (also with Bal-Sagoth). Guitarist Herman Li says"We are working hard every day in the studio, and I can tell you that the new album will exceed the boundaries of melodic, speed power metal." The new, as yet untitled album will be released on the Noise Records label on March 22nd 2004.

Sweden's Wolf have posted the following update on their official web site: "Watch out guys and girls, here's some Wolf news for you, finally. The new album is finished at last. Why has it taken so fucking long you might ask? Well, to make a long story short, it's been rough times for the Wolf label. A lot of energy and focus that should have been on heavy metal had to be put into boring shit like finances and management issues. But all that's sorted out now, and things are looking wicked good. So, to the main course then. Once again the band recorded with Hypocrisy mainman Peter Tägtgren in the Abyss studio. The production is obviously excellent, in fact, it sounds better than ever before. The album contains 10 tracks and presents a new side to Wolf: the Eastern Europe á la -81 side. The boys have been way down in the Polish coal mines, digging for devil tunes. Now they offer us a dish so soaked with concrete dust you just have to have six-pack of lager to go with it. The album is entitled 'Evil Star' and will be released in Scandinavia through MNW/No Fashion on the 24th of February, 2004. It will be released in Europe, South America, Russia, Japan and the US on license around the same date. Not all titles are decided just yet but here are the ones that are: 'Evil Star', 'Transylvanian Twilight', 'Devil Moon', 'The Beat of Black Wings' and 'Exciter'. Later this fall there will be both a video and a singles release. Early next year there will also be a new vinyl 7" out for the die hard fans to grab. Ok, that's it for now. Don't drink and drive and STAY METAL!!!"

Elvenking have completed the pre-mix of their upcoming album "Wyrd" and it's now time to enter the very final stage. All the tracks have been cleaned and the three different recordings (in the 3 different studios used for the album) have been put together. On December 1st Elvenking together with producer Achim Köhler will begin mixing "Wyrd" in House of Music studios in Winterbach (Germany) where the wall of sound for the elves' new pagan opus will be created. Very soon an official release date will be set.

Heavenly's third album, "Dust To Dust", is due on January 12 through Sanctuary/Noise Records. The follow-up to 2001's Sign Of The Winner, which is being described by the band as "more heavy metal and more symphonic" than the group's previous efforts, was mixed by Sascha Paeth (Angra, Rhapsody, Kamelot). The complete track listing for Dust To Dust is as follows:

Chapter I 01. Ashes To Ashes... 02. Evil 03. Lust For Life 04. Victory (Creatures Of The Night) Chapter II 05. Illusion Part I 06. Illusion Part II (the call of the wild) 07. The Ritual 08. Keepers Of The Earth 09. Miracle Chapter III 10. Fight For Deliverance 11. Hands Of Darkness 12. Kingdom Come 13. ...Dust To Dust

Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson has rejected as false a report published in the Swedish daily newspaper Aftonbladet which quotes him as saying that the band will stop touring in five years. During an interview with Berlin's heavy metal show "Stahlwerk" on Radio Fritz Tuesday (Nov. 18), Dickinson commented on the report, saying "We never said that we'll stop touring. Read the press release on our web site. We just said that we we'll stop being on the road for months and months. Of course there will be Iron Maiden gigs in the future. That's how rumors get started."

Sweden's Veni Domine have posted the following message on their web site: "There's still a light far down the tunnel, the tunnel that seemed so dark for such a long time. Nothing definitive yet but the band are still alive and kicking and as long there's light there's hope. There's been rumors out that the band might split, and of course, at times, we've considered that an option, to pull the plug on something that wouldn't move anyway or anywhere. For 16 years we fought the good fight and are not willing to give up without knowing that there was no more left to do. So please, bear with us a while longer as time will work in our favor this time, we pray anyway. See ya all at the Sudscene, Oslo for the Nordicfest 2003 the coming weekend. We have some pretty heavy 40-45 minutes to share....guess we'll have the shortest setlist anyway :) Godbless and come prepared."

Full-length live performances by Nightwish, Gamma Ray (the Skeltons In The Closet set), Freedom Call and Lost Horizon, recorded at this summer's Gates Of Metal festival in Sweden, are currently being offered in streaming video via the Hultsfred TV web site at this location.

(Highly recommended by the Metal Covenant staff.....)

Hammerfall vocalist Joacim Cans has collaborated with Dionysus/ex-Sinergy drummer Ronny Milianowicz on three songs for Cans' forthcoming solo album. At the moment, Joacim is working with Swedish pop singer Marcus Öhrn on additional material for the CD, which is expected to surface in April 2004. Other musicians expected to make an appearance on the album include bassist Mat Sinner (Primal Fear, Sinner), drummer Mark Zonder (Fates Warning), and guitarists Stefan Elmgren (Hammerfall) and Metal Mike Chlasciak (Halfors, Painmuseus).

Cans and Milianowicz have spent much of the past four years writing an epic musical called "The Conspiracy". In addition, Cans has contributed lyrics to the song "Bringer Of War", which is set to appear on the sophomore Dionysus album, "Anima Mundi", due on January 19, 2004 through AFM Records.

Nightwish recording engineer Tero "TeeCee" Kinnunen has posted the following studio report at the band’s official website: “Howdy ho!!! Greeting from our new studio! It has been a month full of work and fun since we started to work with the new Nightwish album in these facilities. As a result of the demo recordings we now have twelve new songs and Tuomas still has couple of new songs on the way. Everything went on as scheduled and everybody did their part as a good ole "MetalHead" should. Some of the takes were so good that they will probably end up being on the final album as they are. (Especially Tarja and Marco did their vocal parts so well that such a spontaneous performances can hardly be expected again...). Despite all this there is still plenty of work to be done. That's why we ended up postponing the drum recordings for a week. Lucky for us it was ok both for Karmila and Finnvox schedules. So even at the moment Yucca and Tuomas are rehearsing and giving the songs and arrangements their final touch. The songs are the best Nightwish has ever had so we all have plenty of expectations!!! Also the guys know this and the enthusiasm in NW-camp is easily sensed and smelled...So the demo did its job and left everybody really hungry and anxious to get to do the final performance for the actual album!!"

Kamelot have written 5 new songs for the next album, the follow-up to critically acclaimed Epica. Some of the working titles (that may change on the album) are – March of Mephisto, Nothing Ever Dies and Serenade. The new songs are reported to range from very Heavy to fast and they have worked on a new ballad. The album, that will be the second part of the Epica story is expected early 2004, their first through SPV/Streamhammer.

This is an official Announcement by Globalartists Inc., Circle II Circle's management:

Monday, November 10 2003
Due to some recent changes in the CircleIICircle camp we would like to assure everyone of our fans and business partners that Zak Stevens / CircleIICircle will be touring with Saxon and Doro in December for this years "best tour package" for 2003! These shows will be extremely exciting to see and Zak / CircleIICircle have some great suprises for all the European fans! "CircleIICircle will now take it to another level." Also,... CircleIICircle will start recording it's 2nd record at Morrisound Studios in mid Jan 2004 for an early April release. Jon Oliva and Chris Caffery will be co writing with Zak once again ... and a very special guitarist will be debuted on this cd. Zak is currently looking at a HUGE spring touring schedule for next year,.. including many great summer festivals, leading up to a fantastic fall schedule currently in the works. CircleIICircle is stronger than ever and ready to bring great music and great performances to all the fans everywhere. We wish everyone great success! And we'll see ya soon!
CircleIICircle

The original voice of Riot, Guy Speranza, passed away Saturday morning (Nov. 8) at a Florida hospital after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 47 years old. Speranza, who was often regarded as the best Riot vocalist, sang on the group's first three full-length albums — "Rock City" (1977), "Narita" (1979) and "Fire Down Under" (1981) — before being replaced by Rhett Forrester for the next two releases (Forrester himself left in the mid-'80s to pursue a solo career, only to be murdered on January 22, 1994 in Atlanta). He eventually moved to Florida and worked as an exterminator before being diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer last spring. Guy is survived by a wife and two daughters (aged 17 and 20).

Circle II Circle, the new band fronted by former Savatage singer Zachary Stevens, is reported to have disintegrated over irreconcilable business-related differences, with Stevens currently standing as the sole remaining member of the group. The rest of the band — John Zahner (keyboards), Christopher Kinder (drums), Matt La Porte (guitars), Kevin Rothney (bass) and Shane French (guitars) — have posted the following message to Circle II Circle's official web site: "We are afraid that the rumors are fact. All members of the band have resigned, effective immediately. We considered ourselves a band of musicians and a band of brothers. We were family. However, 'C2C Inc.' didn't see us in the same light. They had every opportunity to make things right with us. But they sincerely feel that their 'business plan' is the right one for them. So the end result speaks volumes about that business plan. We have been told that the December European tour with Saxon and Doro will continue with all-new players. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the fans everywhere for their amazing support. Many of you gave your time, your money and your hearts to promote the success of the band, and the five of us are incredibly grateful for your generosity. The live reviews speak for themselves and it was a thrill and an honor to have performed this music for the fans around the world. That is something we will miss. But have no fear, a band like us must continue in some form. So keep your eyes and ears open,… we will be looking for you again soon. Goodbye for now!
Kevin, Matt, Shane, John, and Chris"

After we have been able to follow the work on Primal Fear's upcoming album through a good, frequent and detailed report on their website, we can read that they have finished mixing the album - "Devil's Ground".The following is the tracklist - not in the final running order:

1. Metal Is Forever (4.46) 2. Suicide & Mania (4.04) 3. Visions Of Fate (4.50) 4. The Healer (6.30) 5. Sacred Illusion (4.03) 6. In Metal (5.13) 7. Soulchaser (4.51) 8. Sea Of Flames (4.02) 9. Wings of Desire (6.45) 10. Heart Of A Brave (4.52) 11.Colony 13 (3.57) 12. Devil's Ground (1.52)

All songs are written by Sinner/Leibing/Naumann/Scheepers, except (5) by PF & Vinder. A surprise cover version of a classic metal track will appear on the limited european version and the version for Japan. The limited european version will include two 5.1 mixes of "Metal Is Forever" and "The Healer" in addition. The shooting for the first videoclip of the album (Metal Is Forever), will take place in early December. Devil's Ground was produced by Mat Sinner, co-produced by Primal Fear & Achim Köhler at the House of Music in Winterbach/Germany.

German melodic metallers Edguy have announced the details of their upcoming EP, "King Of Fools", due on February 2, 2004 through Nuclear Blast Records. The complete track listing for "King Of Fools" is as follows:
01. King Of Fools (3:30)
02. New Age Messiah (5:58)
03. The Savage Union (4:14)
04. Holy Water (4:13)
05. Life and Times Of A Bonus Track (3:23)

According to vocalist Tobias Sammet, "There will even be two orchestra songs on the EP...it's gonna be first-class stuff and some of the material is gonna be played live as well, so there is no B-side shit at all!" Only one of the songs from the EP will appear on Edguy's forthcoming full length album, "Hellfire Club", and according to Tobi, will be different than the version on the EP. "Hellfire Club" is due for release on March 15, 2004. The follow-up to 2001's "Mandrake", which includes a collaboration with the German film orchestra Babelsberg (The Scorpions), was produced by Edguy and Norman Meiritz, with additional assistance from Sascha Paeth (Rhapsody, Angra), who was responsible for the drum sound on the album. The final mix took place at the famous Finnvox Studios (Nightwish, Stratovarius) in Helsinki, Finland.

Guitarist Axel Rudi Pell’s official website has been updated with the following news:

Axel is currently in the studio recording the new album. We received the following statement from him this morning: "We`re in the middle of the recordings of the new album, Kings And Queens, which is produced by myself and co-produced, mixed and engineered by Germany’s legendary Charlie Bauerfeind (Helloween, Motörhead, Saxon, Blind Guardian, Halford). The line-up hasn`t changed, it`s Axel Rudi Pell (guitars), Johnny Gioeli (vocals), Mike Terrana (drums), Ferdy Doernberg (keyboards), Volker Krawczak (bass). At the moment Johnny is in Germany recording the vocal parts, before we carry on with some fill guitars and doing the mix. The album will be released in Europe at the end of February on the SPV label. Other territories will follow....We all are very excited about the new songs as it will feature some of the best material I ever wrote."

Europe, Scandinavia's biggest rockband ever is reuniting for a worldtour, new album and DVD.

The band - Joey Tempest, John Norum, Mic Michaeli, John Levén and Ian Haugland - have long talked about getting back together.
"After the first band jam in years it felt so right, like we've just been away for a lunchbreak", says Ian Haugland. Mic Michaeli adds "Also, touring has always been a big part for the band and we look forward to some hard work again". Their manager, Petri H. Lundén, founder/owner of the Gothenburg based artist management Talent Trust says "The market is absolutely crazy about the idea of Europe getting back together since they decided to split when they were still at the top of their game, which in itself is unique. We and the band made a set-up which made the reunion decision inevitable".
"Ever since we started there has been something magic about this band…" John Norum says. "The new stuff sounds fresh and hard but still with the typical Europe melodies in focus" says Joey Tempest, ".. and extremely organic" John Norum finishes.

"With my new project Einstein/Marcello management, co-operation with Revolver film, producing other acts through GEM music in addition to the work with my coming soloalbum this in itself is to much for me to cope with, let alone an Europe reunion" says Kee Marcello who has however promised to join the band on the forthcoming worldtour.
"To finally once again meet our fans throughout the world feels incredibly inspiring, its them that made us what we are today", comments John Levén.
Negotiations are currently in progress with recordcompanies regarding the release of the new CD and DVD, and promoters regarding the world tour.
The band currently declines any personal interviews due to heavy workload in writing and recording new material.

Doro will be releasing a double DVD on December 1st through SPV.
DVD #1 will feature a 100 minute live gig filmed in October 2002 containing several Warlock classics. The track listing is as follows: 'Hellbound', 'Always Live To Win', 'True as Steel', I Rule The Ruins', 'Burning The Witches', 'Save My Soul', 'Hellraiser', 'Love Me In Black', 'Für Immer', 'Fall For Me Again', 'East Meets West', 'Burn It Up', 'Fight', 'All We Are', 'Undying', 'Constant Danger', 'Chained', 'Ich Will Alles', 'Metal Tango'

DVD #2 will feature a career documentary, 18 live bootleg (video) tracks, and nine video clips.

German melodic metallers Mob Rules are in the middle of pre-production for their fourth album, tentatively due to be recorded in January for an April 2004 release through SPV Records. The band have completed nine brand-new tracks for the as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2002's "Hollowed Be Thy Name" and have another two or three song ideas in various stages of development. "The musicians promise to hand in a firework of splendorous melodies and gripping arrangements again," reads a post on the group's web site.

Stratovarius has signed a brand-new three-album deal with Sanctuary Records (parent company of Noise Records). The deal, which is said to be worth three million euros (approx. $3.5 million), was reportedly signed in elk's blood...

According to their website, Virgin Steele are back in the studio working on leader/vocalist David DeFeis' Barbaric-Romantic Movie Of The Mind - The Lilith soundtrack.“All is going quite well,” the band reports, “and apparently there is enough music recorded for at least two CD's. No word yet as to if this work will be released as a single, or a double CD set. In addition to the recordings for Lilith, the group is also working on another collection of songs based on The End Of The World. In yet another project, David & Edward (Pursino - guitars) are working on an album of acoustic songs. Meanwhile the Lilith Opera starts up again for another round of performances on New Year’s Eve. All dates to be posted shortly. As regards the video/DVD project it is still in the works for the coming year, along with a live album. What will be released first ... I have no idea! But stay tuned."

Contrary to any rumors the band is still all in one piece, with the same lineup. David DeFeis, Edward Pursino, Frank Gilchriest (drums) and Josh Block (bass) are preparing for the up coming Greek Concerts as well as several other dates. Apparently David DeFeis, is not the only workaholic in the group. Drummer extraordinaire Frank Gilchriest, has also been quite busy lately. He's been helping various friends out by doing session work on recordings with Riot, Gothic Knights and Holy Mother among others. And in addition both David and Frank took time out recently to play a rare one-off surprise Blues cover gig together. This gig also featured Pete from Riot on bass, and Tommy from Holy Mother on guitar.

Symphorce have finished their recordings for the upcoming new album "Twice Second". Guitarist Cedric “Cede” Dupont says: “I don´t know why and I don´t know how we made it, but we created our strongest and most powerful work ever. Forget about everything you´ve ever heard before … these new songs are so fuckin´ heavy! It´s a blast and every single note and line comes straight from our young and modern metal hearts!”

Wanted:
The Swedish thrashband Astral Carneval (Eskilstuna/Västerås) are letting us know that they are looking for a new drummer, since Janne decided to leave the band due to lack of interest. A rewiev of Astral Carneval latest recording can be found under the Promo/demo section on this site.
For further info visit them at: www.astralcarneval.com
And for contact: info@astralcarneval.com

Celesty will start the recording of their second album in October at Fantom Studios in Finland.

Asperity is a new signing on Arise Records which features Stefan Westerberg (Carnal Forge, ex In Thy Dreams) and Petri Kuusisto (Carnal Forge, ex In Thy Dreams). Their debut album will be recorded in Nov/Dec. 03 at Studio Black Lounge to be released in Febrary 2004.

In additional news from Arise Records we learn that Dreamaker have finished the recording of their debut album to be released in Febrary 2004, that Wiz have also finished the recording of their debut album to be released in Febrary 2004, that Red Wine has lost their drummer Jose Antonio Ramas that left the band some days ago and the band have started the search of a new drummer, and furthermore that Highlord have just finished the songwriting of their fourth album. The band will record it at New Sin Studios (Dark Moor, Labyrinth) in January 2004.

Top

December 2003

Kamelot guitarist Thomas Youngblood has posted the following update at the band’s website: “We are very pleased to tell you all that the writing sessions are going even better than expected. We have now completed eight new songs and cannot get the melodies out of our heads. A good sign for everyone. We just finished ‘March Of Mephisto’, this should be our heaviest song ever and a live classic. Also, we finished a beautiful ballad that will mostly be piano and a small string ensemble. A first for us as well. So we are always working on new twists to the Kamelot style we hope you all love. Our beloved producer Sascha Paeth will come to Florida after the New Year to begin preproduction and then the fun starts! Everyone here wishes you all a very Happy Holiday season and a Very EpicA New Year!"

Impellitteri mainman Chris Impellitteri has posted the following message to the group's official web site: "Our new album is done. The title is 'Pedal To The Metal'. This record will make your mouths drop!!!! It is by far the best music and recording we have done so far. It is heavy, classical, modern, technical, and of course, a lot of shredding on my guitar!!!! New singer Curtis (Skelton, ex-Speak No Evil) will amaze all. And the production will silence the most demanding critic. 'Pedal To The Metal' is the new album and sound of Impellitteri. I hope everyone gets the chance to get this record. Our first release will be in March in Japan, followed by Europe and then God-willing United States. We are thinking of releasing different versions for the different countries. The band will be shooting new photos soon. The band is filled with the attitude — do the music for the fans and F###% the suits. Get ready for one of the greatest albums you will hear. P.S.: I apologize for the hype, but this album is that good!!!!!!!"

Ian Parry, who fronted the Dutch progressive metallers Elegy over the later half of their eight album career (State Of Mind, Manifestations Of Fear, Forbidden Fruit and Principles Of Pain) has recently broke the news that the band has decided to call it a day.“We are trying to get a deal to do a farewell CD and tour,” he announced. “Maybe Sanctuary will do it (formerly Noise Records, from Berlin, who worked with Elegy in the past). We are discussing the possibility of the original guitarist (Henk van der Laars) to join us on tour." To date, the only North American show remains their appearance at the inaugural BW&BK 6-Pack Weekend, earlier this year. Outside of Elegy, Parry has busied himself with the multi-guest musician Consortium Project discs, the final part of the sci-fi trilogy, Terra Incognita, is currently available through Century Media Europe.

Scarlet Records reveals the following in a pressrelease: "We're proud to announce that Vision Divine new album will be released in Italy by Scarlet! The band is currently dealing for European and American release, Japanese release will be done through King Records. The new album titled 'Stream Of Consciousness' will feature an important change in the line-up. Former singer Fabio Lione will be replaced by Michele Luppi, an amazing talented voice that fits perfectly into Vision Divine music. A new start, a new breath and something very unique for this third album, a 'concept-story' based on one song (60 minutes long) divided in 14 chapters linked together. A journey through the human innerself with one aim: discover the real meaning of life. Prepare for a masterpiece release in April 2004!"

Fuse TV's metal program Uranium is trying to raise awareness about James Murphy’s cause and has posted a special page online at http://fuse.tv/content/specials/index.php?id=148. The former Death, Obituary, Testament, Disincarnate, Cancer guitar legend was diagnosed with a massive brain tumor in August of 2001. He has since had 70% of the tumor removed, but still needs tons of expensive medications which he cannot afford without assistance. As with most musicians, insurance is unaffordable or unavailable and the government has not offered much help if any. Hoping to raise awareness, Uranium has set up a web site with various interviews from bands who have been helping out James, including Jack Owen from Cannibal Corpse and Terry Butler and Chris Barnes from Six Feet Under. The page also includes a link directly to a donations page on James' web site. Every single penny donated will go directly to James and his cause.

German power metallers Primal Fear have been confirmed as direct support for Iced Earth on their upcoming European headlining tour. Opening the show at all dates will be Finnish melodic power metallers Thunderstone. In additional news, Brainstorm have accused Primal Fear of being "dishonest" about their decision to cancel their headlining tour of Europe (which Brainstorm were to be part of) in order to support Iced Earth. Read the statement here.

Dreamaker, the band formed by ex-Dark Moor members Elisa C. Martín (vocals), Albert Maroto (guitar) and Jorge Sáez (drums), will release their debut album, Human Device, in March 2004 through Arise Records. "Human Device should not be described as a Power Metal album", the band states in a pressrelease. "The unique style of Elisa’s voice is the bridge between Dark Moor and Dreamaker but Dreamaker prefers to offer a more direct music based on a powerful guitar sound and ambient keyboards, but persevering the good melodies in the vocal lines". Human Device will feature the following tracklisting: ‘Dream Machines’, ‘The Eye Of War’, ‘Nightmares Factory’, ‘Without Angels’, ‘Killing’, ‘Enemy’, ‘Forever In Your Arms’, ‘Alone Again’, ‘Welcome To My Hell’, ‘Eternal Love’, ‘Crystaline Eyes’ and ‘Awakening’.

The following is an excerpt from the latest statement from Timo Tolkki about the current situation in Stratovarius: "(...) I have received lot of interest from lots of different singers and drummers, some of them have been quite surprising and some of them are even singing/playing in quite big groups at this writing. Thank you for your interest. Also three female vocalists have sent me their tapes and I must say that 1 of them sounds unbelievably talented and she has the looks that kill as well. I hope I can give you some news about the replacements as soon as possible.(...)" Read the complete statement here.

Mille Petrozza of Kreator has posted the following statement on thier official website: "Dear friends. Just came back from Romania, very cool show, fantasitic audience ! This was definately the last show of the Violent Revolution tour and I want to thank all of you for making 2003 another great year in the history of the band ! In January we will start the rehearsals for the new record, Andy Sneap and his studio in Nottingham/UK is booked for May.
The new stuff sounds like a mix between Violent Revolution and Pleasure to Kill! Up to now, I have written 9 songs, some are allready aranged and ready to go, others are still fragments. There´ll be a couple of tunes that are longer than 7 minutes and have wicked parts an tempo changes, next to 4 minute songs full of hate and brutallity ! I am very exited about the new shit and can not wait to record it! After all the touring we´ve done for the last album, the band has grown to a strong unit, where each individual member is ready to give 200 % to bring you, what you deserve: the best and most violent Kreator record of all time ! A european tour through selected venues is scheduled for the end of 2004, also a return to the US is in the making. We´re working on a huge production for this, with tons of lights and sound and a setlist that will kill!!! Have a nice new years eve party and do not let the industry drag you into their commercial christmas terror !"

Mr. Christopher Lee - the grand seigneur of film and one of the most filmed actors in history will join the world famous symphonic metal band Rhapsody on their next CD. Mr. Lee is no stranger to music and recording studios as he is a classically trained opera singer himself. He will be providing a powerful narration on the forthcoming self produced CD of the Italian based group. Among other well known narrators and London actors, Lee will guide the listeners in the role of a king through a unique saga invented by Rhapsody's founding members Luca Turilli and Alex Staropoli. As a special surprise Mr. Lee's daughter Christina Lee will also appear in the part of a warrior princess. Incidentally this will mark the first time father and daughter will work together. This portion of the production will be handled by award winning producer Joey DeMaio. Not only known for his record production work with the group Manowar but he has also produced numerous rock groups, and has the distinction of producing epic narrations with the late Orson Welles. Production is set for the third week of December in the London Sanctuary Townhouse Studios. "It is a dream come true. We couldn't believe it when our management informed us that our hero Mr. Lee agreed to be part of our new CD. We are extremely thankful and honored that this outstanding legend of film and theatre has chosen to work with us", says Luca Turilli. "We believe Mr. Lee will definitely bring our vision and dreams to reality", adds Alex Staropoli. "It will be an honor to shake his hand for the first time." This CD will contain 10 new songs and almost 80 minutes of music, featuring grand epic, fast metal tracks and sonic landscapes with stirring narrative and will be the debut of a new style of Heavy Metal music created by Rhapsody known as Film Score Metal. After five critically acclaimed albums this new, yet untitled release is being recorded in four different studios in Europe with appearances by more than a dozen international guest soloists. Supported by the entire Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra from the Czech Republic as well as a 50 piece choir this new CD is told to set the world of Symphonic Metal on fire. The tentative release date on Magic Circle Music/SPV–Steamhammer has been set for May 2004.

Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson will get together with guitarist Roy Z in January/February 2004 for a songwriting session for a possible new Dickinson solo album, the singer revealed during a Dec. 2 signing session aboard a specially chartered Dublin-London flight filled with Maiden fans. Dickinson's last solo album, "The Chemical Wedding", was released in 1998. A two-disc "best of" set followed in 2001.

Former Theatre Of Tragedy singer Liv Kristine is currently involved with several projects. In addition to completing work on the debut album from Leaves' Eyes (which also features members of the German band Atrocity), titled "Lovelorn" (due on May 24, 2004 through Austria's Napalm Records), she has contributed lead vocals to the second Infinity album, the project of the Argentine musician Beto Vazquez, which will be released in Europe through Drakkar Records/BMG. Liv will also record guest vocals at Mastersound Studio in Fellbach, Germany for two other projects: the rock opera Genius "Episode II" together with such names as Eric Martin (ex-Mr. Big), Russell Allen (Symphony X), Jeff Martin (Racer X), Rob Tyrant (Labÿrinth), Mark Boals (ex-Yngwie Malmsteen), Daniel Gildenlöw (Pain Of Salvation), and Edu Falaschi (Angra), plus a Dead Can Dance tribute sampler with the Italian band Hortus Animae. Liv will sing the track "Summoning of the Muse" for the latter project.

The following is taken from Dream Evil's official homepage: "Hello Evil friends ! For some time we have been working on new songs... And on december 15:th we will enter Studio Fredman to record our third album. More info about this recordning will appear in this news section as it comes..Stay very Evil !"

Italy's Thy Majestie have announced the addition of vocalist Gabriele Grilli to the group's ranks. Gabriele, who went by the moniker Nightcomer when he appeared on the debut album from the epic metallers Doomsword, "is a great talent, with a powerful voice, melodic and theatrical that sometime is reminiscent of the best performance from Bruce Dickinson but with is own incredible personality," the band said in an official statement.

World Entertainment News Network is reporting that Ozzy Osbourne may never sing again after the horrific ATV accident this week which almost left him paralyzed. Osbourne broke six ribs, a collarbone and a vertebra in his neck after losing control of the vehicle in the grounds of his Buckinghamshire, England, estate on Monday. Doctors at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, south England, where Ozzy is being treated in intensive care, say the singer is making slow progress — but they fear he may never regain his voice. Medical director Dr. Dick Jack says, "He is not physically able to come off the ventilator yet. While he has got a tube in his throat he can't talk but, while awake, he has been making progress with people. His progress will be slow." When asked if the 55-year-old former Black Sabbath frontman will be able to speak once the tube has been removed, Jack responded, "We don't know."

Timo Tolkki of Stratovarius now reports that Timo Kotipelto and Jörg Michael are out of the band. After several emergency meetings, this move finds acceptance within the band. "I think this is the beginning of new era for Stratovarius and that the future looks bright and promising. I have composed some of my best songs during the last month", Timo Tolkki says to their website from his writing mansion next to the gulf of Finland. He promises that Stratovarius fans will be both surprised and amazed by the next album. According to Tolkki, he is currently talking to a German singer and a Finnish drummer about replacing Kotipelto and Michael, but he stresses that absolutely nothing is confirmed at this point. He adds that he is actively looking for replacements.

Flotsam And Jetsam drummer Craig Nielsen has posted the following message on the band's web site: "Sorry for not posting in a while... Actually the DVD is still in the hands of the company who filmed it, Ultrafilms. They have said no less that 6 different dates it was to be delivered to the label. They are a fairly hot company right now, and from what I can tell they have more work than they can handle for their size and this is maybe why it has been slow in getting wrapped up. They have had the master recording for over 3 months now and the latest date of delivery to the label was sometime next week. This has been very frustrating to the band, but from what they have told me personally, it is coming out great. As far as the Metallica tribute DVD, producer Bob Kulick has informed us that they have decided to release it through an as-yet-undisclosed label they are in the final stages of negotiation with, a label much bigger than the one it was originally intended for, Cleopatra. Flotsam still has the lead track on it, 'Damage Inc.', but of course that could change. Like I've said before, it came out better than I ever imagined... Singer Eric A.K. Knutson nailed it in less than 2 studio hours. The energy on it comes all the way across. As far as live shows, there isn't much point until the DVD is released, which at this rate looks to be at least late March."

U.D.O., the German band led by former Accept frontman Udo Dirkschneider, have set "Thunderball" as the title for their next studio CD, tentatively due in late February through AFM Records. The band are currently recording guitar solo and vocals tracks before producer (and U.D.O. guitarist/former Accept drummer) Stefan Kaufmann commences work on the final mix and mastering.

Jon Oliva, founding member and mastermind of Savatage, has recruited the former members of Circle II Circle (Matt Laporte - guitar, Kevin Rothney - bass, Christopher Kinder - drums, and John Zahner - keyboards) to perform a series of concerts showcasing his new solo material as well as classic Savatage songs, some of which have never been performed live on stage. Oliva, who debuted some of his new material at the Criss Oliva Memorial Concert back in October, is toying with the idea of taking this show on the road in the U.S. and possibly overseas. In addition, tentative plans exist for the band to return to the studio with Jon to record more tracks for his solo project.

Dream Evil will enter Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden on December 15 to begin recording their third album, tentatively due in early 2004 through Century Media Records.

Following is what Joey Vera of Armored Saint has issued in an update on his website: "Just a quick update on the progress on the new Saint DVD I'm working on: This new DVD will feature Armored Saint during the years 1991-2002. Mostly comprised of live bootleg videos from various tours, the total running program will be approximately an hour and 15 minutes. As of now I'm working on including 12 songs and various offstage foolishness interspersed throughout. The editing should be done in Mid December and I'll give out the complete track listing at that time. Also going to be included on the DVD's special features will be both production videos "Reign of Fire" and "Last Train Home", a bloopers segment of the band screwing up video program ID's, a special look at our really exciting soundchecks, A photo gallery and more which has not been confirmed yet. The yet untitled DVD should be out in late Spring 2004. That's about it for now; this has been taking most of my waking hours these days. More Later.... See Ya!"

Former Saigon Kick vocalist Matt Kramer has posted the following message on his official web site: "If you've been really, really, naughty this year, what I'm going to do on Christmas day, from Dec. 24 to Dec. 26, I'm changing my ways, and turning from the Grinch into Santa, and I'm giving away the entire 'War & Peas' album!!!! On mp3 format!!! Unedited!!!!! All songs!!! Really!!!! I figured who better to pirate me than myself? So everyone that comes to mattkramer.net can download the entire mp3 version of my debut solo disc!!!!! Can't be true? Come to MattKramer.net and get your gift old saint Matt is giving this Christmas!!! You know what? Fuck it !!! I'm going to put it back up on new years day also!!!!!! If you like it, get the real thing and order a CD. It will be a lot better quality than the mp3 version. And also it includes the artwork and lyrics. This is a promotion for M-Tunes. We will follow this with a more affordable downloadable album for sale at a reduced price from the CD price, which will include all artwork & lyrics. With no shipping charge!"

Stratovarius guitarist Timo Tolkki has posted the following message at the band’s official website: "After speaking with all the band members I am now traveling to Berlin to talk with the Sanctuary team about the future of Stratovarius. At this point I cannot say more about the situation. I am very sorry if my statements have offended someone. I have been under heavy pressure lately and my therapist has prescribed me some heavy antidepressants. They make it even more difficult for me to control my temper. I have received death threats, which has forced me to hire 2 bodyguards. They are both former military people with martial arts training. This is sad really, but what can you do? Anyway, I apologize once more if I have offended anyone with my comments. I hope you understand what kind of pressure we all are living in at the moment. I would like to say that things are not always what they seem. The music world can be very frustrating, largely due to legal and business matters. I hope I can tell you some news after returning from Berlin.”

Veteran german thrashers Destruction will be releasing their first-ever DVD in February, according to a post on the band's web site. The group are currently looking for video footage (old and new) for possible inclusion on the disc. All individuals that send in video material that ends up getting used on the DVD will get a free copy of the disc once it is released. A preview live clip of "Machinery Of Lies", taken from the forthcoming DVD, can be viewed in .mpg and Windows Media formats.
http://www.destruction.de

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