BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's "The Poison - Live At Brixton" DVD will be released in the U.S. on December 19 via Trustkill. The disc, which was issued in Europe this past Monday (Oct. 30), captures the band's sold-out show in front of over 4,000 people at London's legendary Brixton Academy on January 28, 2006 (filmed with over 15 cameras), along with over an hour of bonus material, including the band's videos so far, EPKs and documentaries edited to songs from both "The Poison" and the "Hand Of Blood" EP, plus a behind-the-scenes look at the band performing at the Download Festival and the Metal Hammer Awards in the U.K. this summer. There are also eight mini episodes, which form part of Bullet TV and were edited from footage shot by the band themselves over the last 12 months on the road. As well as all that, there are lyrics to all tracks performed at Brixton Academy, and a photo gallery from the show. The audio was mixed by the legendary Colin Richardson (producer of "The Poison") and mastered in both stereo and 5.1 by Ted Jensen (METALLICA)

Norwegian death metallers Blood Red Throne have been working in Jailhouse studio for the last 2 days on a pre production for the new album due out on Earache early 2007.

70% of the material is written and the band started pre production to test both the studio and the two new members, Anders Haave (drums) and Vald (vocals).
4 songs have been recorded so far and the band is extremely pleased with both the material and the sound.
"This time, we aim for a more classic Death Metal sound, ala Gorguts "Considered Dead" / Suffocation "Despise the Sun" kind of sound. We have grown tired with the over-produced and fully triggered drum kits that so many bands use today, besides we have taken a slightly new direction with our music and the analog and dynamic sound fits the music better. We have also chosen a different approach to the recording process of the instruments. We are very pleased with the outcome of the 4 songs and cant wait till the actual album recording starts, hopefully sometime in December".

Some working titles of the forthcoming songs: "Rebirth in Blood", "Come Death" and "No New beginning".

Century Media Records has posted a trailer for the ICED EARTH "Alive in Athens" DVD (cover) at this location.

ICED EARTH's first and only live album, "Alive in Athens", was recorded at two sold-out shows on the nights of January 23 and January 24, 1999, at the Rodon Club in Athens, Greece. Originally released as a triple-CD and five-picture-vinyl set in summer 1999, "Alive in Athens" entered the German charts at No. 55 and stayed at No. 1 in Greece for two weeks, where it was quickly certified gold.

According to a Century Media press release, "Seven years after the release of 'Alive In Athens', a discovery was made when raw footage of the live show itself was discovered in a discontinued archive, and out of curiosity alone the footage was immediately converted to a modern tape format and examined. Although only three cameras were present at the show, the energy and atmosphere of the material was overwhelming, and only three of the 31 live songs ('Slave to the Dark', 'A Question of Heaven' and 'Iced Earth') were absent or unusable due to videotape changes of the camera team. Not having known that camera footage existed from such a legendary concert, the decision was made to share the material with the world in the form of 'Alive In Athens – The DVD'. The audio files have been re-mastered for 5.1 DTS surround sound to offer the best quality live feeling. While not as slick as the modern 16-camera, quick-cut DVD releases found today, the fact that fans can now share the visual experience of being at the show is one that will surely be rejoiced. Some backstage footage and a Jon Schaffer interview with the German music channel VIVA TV were also unearthed and added as part of this historical performance, leaving it without the standard bells and whistles but nonetheless delivering more than 2-½ hours of the best metal ever recorded live."

"Alive in Athens" DVD track listing:

01. Intro (01:53)
02. Burning Times (03:32)
03. Vengeance is Mine (04:07)
04. Dark Saga (03:30)
05. Last Laugh (04:15)
06. Cast in Stone (05:53)
07. Last December (03:28)
08. Pure Evil (06:16)
09. Desert Rain (06:29)
10. Dante's Inferno (16:20)
11. The Hunter (03:58)
12. Melancholy (Holy Martyr) (05:04)
13. Angels Holocaust (04:38)
14. Stormrider (04:45)
15. The Path I Choose (05:39)
16. Watching Over Me (05:12)
17. Diary (05:57)
18. Blessed Are You (05:08)
19. When the Night Falls (07:21)
20. My Own Savior (03:47)
21. Travel in Stygian (09:17)
22. Violate (04:38)
23. Stand Alone (03:23)
24. Brainwashed (05:43)
25. Disciples of the Lie (04:10)
26. I Died For You (05:01)
27. Prophecy (06:10)
28. Birth of the Wicked (05:44)
29. The Coming Curse (08:08)
30. Epilog (02:36)

Bonus:

31. Iced Earth Backstage (04:21)
32. Jon Schaffer in Athens (03:26)

Total running time: approx. 171 min

Candlelight Records has set a January 23 North American release date for CROWBAR's "Live: With Full Force" DVD. Filmed at the popular German open air festival of the same name, "Live: With Full Force" was captured on CROWBAR's world tour supporting their 2005 release "Lifesblood for the Downtrodden". The live performance DVD also includes candid backstage footage plus the band's second (and previously unavailable) promotional video for "Lifesblood for the Downtrodden" album track "Slave No More".

"Live: With Full Force" track listing:

01. Self-Inflicted
02. I Am Forever
03. The Lasting Dose
04. Burn Your World
05. New Dawn
06. High Rate Extinction
07. Planets Collide
08. All I Had (I Gave)
09. Slave No More (video)

CROWBAR is planning a series of dates in 2007 while continuing work on new material for their next album (expected early 2008).

French metallers HEAVENLY have posted their video for the song "Spill Blood on Fire" at this location. The track comes off the group's fourth album, "Virus", which is scheduled for release in France on November 13 via XIII BIS Records.

"Virus" was released in Japan in September. The complete track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. The Dark Memories
02. Spill Blood On Fire
03. Virus
04. The Power & Fury
05. Wasted Time
06. Bravery In The Field
07. Liverty
08. When The Rain Begins To Fall
09. The Prince Of The World
10. The Joker
11. Spill Blood On Fire (Japanese Version)

HEAVENLY's third album, "Dust to Dust", was released in January 2004 through Sanctuary/Noise Records. The follow-up to 2001's "Sign of the Winner" was mixed by Sascha Paeth and was described by the group as "more heavy metal and more symphonic" than the band's previous efforts.

Glasgow-based modern metallers MENDEED have revealed the track listing for their new album, "Dead Lived By Love", due in the spring via Nuclear Blast Records. It is as follows:

01. Burning Fear
02. The Fight
03. The Dead Live By Love
04. Fuel The Fire
05. Gravedigger
06. Our War
07. Blood Brothers
08. Through Dead Eyes
09. Reload 'N' Kill
10. Take Me As I Am
11. It's Not Over Yet
12. Thirteen

Anneke van Giersbergen, the female singer of Dutch art-rock band THE GATHERING is making another guest appearance on an album this year. After she already contributed vocals to two tracks on NAPALM DEATH's "Smear Campaign", album she does the same on the upcoming album by WETTON/DOWNES called "Icon II – Rubicon". "To Catch a Thief" (MP3 sample) and "Tears of Joy" are the two songs in which she duets with John Wetton of KING CRIMSON and ASIA fame.

"Icon II – Rubicon" is scheduled for release in Europe on November 10 via Frontiers Records. More information is available at this location.

Wetton and Downes are busy with two bands at the same time. They just finished a U.S. tour with the original line up of ASIA — John Wetton (bass & lead vocals), Geoff Downes (keyboards), Steve Howe (guitars) and Carl Palmer (drums) — and will continue for a couple of shows in the U.K. soon.

THE GATHERING will play three dates in Turkey at the end of November and will be touring in Holland from December 1 until the end of January in support of their well-received "Home" album that was released earlier this year.

Although there has been no official confirmation by the band or the label, Dutch female-fronted symphonic metal outfit AFTER FOREVER appears to have inked a new deal with Nuclear Blast Records. An AFTER FOREVER page on the Nuclear Blast web site has been launched and is expected to be updated soon with details of the band's upcoming studio album, tentatively due in early 2007.

AFTER FOREVER's last album was "Remagine", which came out in 2005. The follow-up to 2004's "Invisible Circles" was recorded at Excess studio in Rotterdam, Holland and was mixed by Sascha Paeth and Philip Colodetti at the Gate studio in Wolfsburg, Germany.

AFTER FOREVER's former record label, Transmission Records, recently issued a two-disc compilation album containing the best songs from the band's first ten years of existence, plus previously unreleased material, non-album tracks, alternate takes, rarities and previously unreleased remixed versions. The set, which includes collaborations with such guest musicians as Sharon den Adel (WITHIN TEMPTATION), Arjen Lucassen and Damian Wilson (AYREON) and Marco Hietala (NIGHTWISH), entered the Dutch national album chart at position No. 69 upon its release in June.

Finnish death/thrash metallers DEATHCHAIN have re-signed with Dynamic Arts Records. Production of the group's third CD has already begun under the title "Cult of Death". According to a press release, "on the upcoming album, DEATHCHAIN dwells into the darker sound of death/thrash metal." Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Incantations Of Shub-Niggurath", "Serpent of the Deep", "Deathammer", "In the Crypt of Vengeance" and "Witchstorm".

Dynamic Arts Records released DEATHCHAIN's previous albums "Deadmeat Disciples" (2003) and "Deathrash Assault" (2005). During November and December 2005, DEATHCHAIN travelled through 13 countries and did 25 shows alongside DESTRUCTION and CANDLEMASS.

DEATHCHAIN's last CD, "Deathrash Assault", entered the official Finnish chart at position No. 18.

Finnish black metallers CATAMENIA have posted the following message on their official web site:

"To prevent the annoying speculations of how things went in European tour and why Tero [Nevala, keyboards] is not anymore in the band, we decided to make an official statement regarding the situation.

"When finishing the Russian tour, Tero informed at the train station of St. Petersburg he won't continue to the European tour with us, but he'll go back to Moscow. We do not know the exact reason for this, but we have seen how things turned out — he simply followed our Russian promoter there. Thank you for these years and good luck in the future, Tero.

"European Tour: Managers from XXXXXXX Productions/Romania were totally rip-offs and did not care about bands at all from the start. They broke every paragraph in the contract, but still we continued the tour for the sake of the fans and local promoters. Managers did not provide us decent breakfasts, meals and not even water. We had to sleep in a really small bus, guitars broke down cause of the madman drivers, one night spent in a parking lot in Switzerland waiting another bus to come 'cause the previous one broke down near Milan which caused that everyone of us got really sick. After the last show we went to Budapest where there should have been hotel provided from 24th to 27th of October as agreed, but guess what — NO! They just left us there, broke the promise and contract so we had to pay everything ourselves."

CATAMENIA's latest album, "Location: COLD", was released in August via Massacre Records.

Frontiers Records has announced the signing of DOKKEN for the release of a brand new studio album in 2007.

DOKKEN's upcoming CD, tentatively titled "Lightning Strikes Again", will be "a classic DOKKEN style release, something that all the fans have been asking for," says Don Dokken. "We hope to be done with the production of the record within January 2007, so that we can plan a full European tour for the summer time!"

DOKKEN's latest CD, "Hell to Pay", was released in July 2004 via Sanctuary. The recording lineup on the album was as follows: Don Dokken (vocals), Jon Levin (guitar, ex-WARLOCK), Barry Sparks (bass, TED NUGENT, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, MSG) and Mick Brown (drums).

Don Dokken recently completed work on a solo album, entitled "Solitary". Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Someday", "Sarah", "Never Forget", "Meadows", "Ship of Fools" and "Everything". Check out audio samples

Chicago dark metal act NOVEMBERS DOOM has set a February 20, 2007 release date for its new album, "The Novella Reservoir" (The End Records). The album artwork and an MP3 of the song "Drown the Inland Mere" can be found here .

The follow-up to 2005's "The Pale Haunt Departure", "The Novella Reservoir" was recorded with Chris Djuricic, mixed by Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH) and mastered by James Murphy (TESTAMENT, DEATH).

Commented singer Paul Kuhr: The only way to describe 'The Novella Reservoir' is natural progression. With each CD we release, we evolve in style. This time, we took a step forward in speed and aggression, while maintaining the same sound we've had over all six CDs. 'The Pale Haunt Departure' was so well received, we knew writing the follow up would be a challenge, and I feel we've successfully created a worthy release."

"The Novella Reservoir" track listing:

01. Rain
02. The Novella Reservoir
03. Drown the Inland Mere
04. Twilight Innocence
05. The Voice of Failure
06. They Were Left to Die
07. Dominate the Human Strain
08. Leaving This

Liechtenstein-based romantic gothic metal band WELTENBRAND has announced the addition of drummer Mario Jahnke to the group's ranks. "Adrian [Büchel] had to leave the band because of chronological problems," WELTENBRAND writes on its web site.

WELTENBRAND released its fifth album, "The End of the Wizard", in August via Napalm Records. The CD was issued as both a regular jewel case and a limited-edition digipack, including two bonus tracks. The follow-up to 2001's "In Gottes Und des Teufels Namen" introduced female vocalist Dina Zambelli, who recently replaced Simone Villamar following Simone's and husband Stefan's split from the band.

ROCK STAR SUPERNOVA, the band featuring Tommy Lee (MÖTLEY CRÜE), Jason Newsted (VOIVOD, ex-METALLICA) and Gilby Clarke (ex-GUNS N' ROSES) and vocalist Lukas Rossi, will release its self-titled debut album on November 21 via Burnett/Epic Records. The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. It's On
02. Leave the Lights On
03. Be Yourself (and 5 Other Cliches)
04. It's All Love
05. Can't Bring Myself To Light This Fuse
06. Underdog
07. Make No Mistake... This Is the Take
08. Headspin
09. Valentine
10. Social Disgrace
11. The Dead Parade

Audio samples of all 11 songs that are set to appear on the CD can be found at the Sony Music Store (upper right-hand corner).

Reunited British thrashers SABBAT will release remastered versions of their first two albums — "History of a Time to Come" (1988) and "Dreamweaver" (1989) — sometime next year via Sanctuary. "We've made a small bit of progress on this one," stated guitarist Andy Sneap. "I've been speaking to Sanctuary about reissues, and it looks as though we are doing remastered versions of 'History' and 'Dreamweaver', with a few bonus bits if possible. They (Sanctuary) have the multi-tracks to the first album and the live show in Berlin from the video, so again, possiblities there, and the BBC also has the session we did digitally archived."

As previously reported, a brand new photo of the reunited SABBAT has been posted online at this location

Floridian death metallers DEICIDE have just completed filming of live concert footage in Chicago for their forthcoming DVD, slated for a February 2007 release in the U.S. and January 2007 in Europe. The upcoming disc will mark the band's first live DVD release with guitar-shredding duo Jack Owen (ex-CANNIBAL CORPSE) and Ralph Santolla (ex-ICED EARTH, DEATH).

DEICIDE recently issued its first full-length live DVD, "When London Burns", to critical acclaim. The band's brand new brutal offering, "The Stench of Redemption", was released in August via Earache Records. The follow-up to 2004's "Scars of the Crucifix" was recorded at Morrisound in Tampa, Florida and marks the first recording with the new DEICIDE lineup following the departure of the Hoffman brothers.

After spending nearly one year in the studio the shooting stars ("Newcomer of the Month" of both Orkus and Sonic Seducer music mags) Victor Love, Grace Khold, Alex Vega and Darin Yevonde a.k.a. DOPE STARS INC. are back with a brand new masterpiece abounding with intense emotions.

How the most general perceptions and ideas may provoke the most fervid emotions is the theme of "Gigahearts": a study of autosuggestion. All or nothing: this can be the absolute love, the love in an empty space. The album burns its complete story in the flames of passion. It is not -like so often- about love driving somebody insane but about insane notions of love. It is loss and desperation, alienation, isolation, loneliness, love and finally death.

However, DOPE STARS INC. have remained completely faithful to their sound and again managed to find the balance between different genres. The electrified sound of "Gigahearts" captivates us once more by bringing forth a unique combination of melodies and a substantial production. Harsh drums and sepulchral electronic sounds meet heartbreaking guitars and culminate in sombre pop songs for eternity. This emotional rollercoaster is crowned with the sometimes melodic, sometimes aggressive vocals of frontman Victor Love.

One smash hit is followed by the other and every single one of them finds its way to our heart and brain- slowly but inevitably. DOPE STARS INC. prove once more that they are the new generation of Goth. It can't get any better!

There is hardly any other band that can claim to have freed one dark masterpiece after the other from the dust of time. GARDEN OF DELIGHT are distinctive and unique, even appearing extraterrestrial in a way yet deeply rooted in earthly myths and legends. Those who are willing to indulge in "Lutherion III" will experience a journey into the past: a time before time when gods and demons were competing for the grace of mankind.

Artaud's lyrics reflect a deep obsession with apocalyptic scenarios. This end of time mood carries you throughout the whole album and leaves you in a kind of intoxicated ecstasy in which you feel the power of darkness in every sound and every word just like a neophyte in a never-ending mass. The black web that "Lutherion III" weaves emerges as a detailed and sophisticated story about dogmata and sacrileges which is enthroned by the omniscient eye of the Illuminati!

Excellently produced, highly complex in music and content "Lutherion III" seamlessly ties in with GARDEN OF DELIGHT-classics such as "Necromanteion IV" and "Dawn". Those who loved the preceding albums will definitely love the new oeuvre of Germany's Goth band No.1!

"Lutherion III" comes as a limited, luxuriously-equipped double digipak with high-gloss poster, 12-pages booklet plus bonus CD including the complete single release "Illuminate", bonus tracks, multimedia part and the accompanying video. As a special gift there is an "Elucidation", a kind of introduction to "Lutherion III", in 6(!) different languages!

SOULGRIND, the Finnish band featuring former LULLACRY frontwoman Tanja "Whisper Lilith" Kemppainen (a.k.a. Tanya), has uploaded remastered versions of several songs from the band's early days (1992-1999) on its official web site. Also available for download is the song "Kalma", which the group has apparently had a lot of requests for.

In other news, SOULGRIND is currently rehearsing for its upcoming gigs. "The set is getting into shape," the band writes on its web site. "We shall include 13-15 songs into the set. It shall be intense."

SOULGRIND recently announced the addition of former FINNTROLL singer Tapio Wilska as its new bassist. The band's eighth album, "Pakana", was recorded at D studio and is scheduled for a February 2007 release. "Pakana" is the follow-up to "The Origins of the Paganblood", which was issued in January 2005 via France's Holy Records.

"Pakana" track listing:

01. Through the Gates of Desperation
02. The Soul of the Battle
03. Pakana
04. The Second over Tuoni's Realm
05. As Bronze May Be Much Beautified
06. Lost Gardens beyond the Sunset
07. Against the Grain
08. Northbound Reverend
09. The Path of Screams
10. Wheel
11. Frost Shines Blue

Check out the song "Through the Gates of Desperation" at the band's MySpace.

According to the band, fans can expect to hear "55 minutes of beautiful, dark, powerful and melodic metal."

SOULGRIND's current lineup features:

Azhemin (THY SERPENT) - Vocals
Ms W Lilith (ex-LULLACRY) - Vocals
Lord Heikkinen (TWILIGHT OPHERA, GLOOMY GRIM, FIERCE) – Guitar
Tapio Wilska (ex-FINNTROLL) - Bass
Agathon The Beast (GLOOMY GRIM) - Drums
TByte (TWILIGHT OPHERA) - Guitar

Legendary hard rock vocalist Graham Bonnet's (RAINBOW, MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, ALCATRAZZ, IMPELLITTERI) web site has been updated with the following message:

"We know that there is already a rumor about ALCATRAZZ circulating on the internet. Yes, we have to admit that there is a project to form new ALCATRAZZ involving Graham, Howie Simon (guitar), Glenn Sobel (drums) and Tim Luce (bass). The official name is ALCATRAZZ FEATURING GRAHAM BONNET, and it is not the reunion of the ALCATRAZZ perhaps you all know very well. Graham is truly hoping to tour Japan with this new band. When any activity of this project is confirmed, it'll definitely be on this page. So keep your fingers crossed!

"On a side note, Graham has been invited by Don Airey to join the recording of Don's new solo album and sing some tracks. Also, as for the ELEKTRIC ZOO recordings, the vocal tracks are now half way done. Rest assured that it is progressing.'

As previously reported, THE TAZ TAYLOR BAND —featuring Graham Bonnet —will play at Brick by Brick in San Diego on November 3. "It looks as though this show may be their only show this year, so don't miss this chance to see Graham singing those new tunes from the 'Welcome To America' album as well as his good old songs!" reads a posting on Bonnet's web site.

Danish thrashers HATESPHERE have issued the following update:

"Home again after a fantastic tour in the U.K. with French metal hippies from GOJIRA and we are back to the writing of new material.

"We have five songs ready so far that we recorded for a small pre-production this weekend. It's gonna be some heavy stuff, I tell ya. We are going to record the album with Tommy Hansen, who did some amazing work on our previous albums, and at Smart'n'Hard with Jacob turning the knobs. Mixing will be done by our longtime friend Tue Madsen (since he started working with his majesty Rob Halford, he should be worthy for us hahaha). More songs are in the process, and it won't be long before we have all the material we need for the forthcoming CD. So far the release date is set for April 30th 2007, so save your money, boys and girlz!!

"In the past few months we have done everything possible to spoil recordings of other bands by squeezing in some guitar solos and vocals on new CDs by BORN FROM PAIN (Pepe), ABORTED (Heinz & Jacob), RAINTIME (Jacob) and ZERO MENTALITY (Pepe & Jacob). A big thanx to all the bands and friends for letting us fuck up their otherwise nice sounding CDs hahaha — we're so sorry...NOT!

"Jacob spent five days with Metal Hammer Germany as their tour guide in Denmark to show them around on the Danish metal scene. This will result in 8 pages of pure Danish Dynamite in the December issue of Metal Hammer which should be available around November 15th. Of course this means loads of HATESPHERE, KOLDBORN, BARCODE and loads of other Danish metal acts for all of you hungry metal heads.

Norwegian cult doom band FUNERAL has inked a deal with Tabu Recordings.

Following a three-year hiatus and a personnel reshuffle caused by bassist Einar Frederiksen's untimely passing in 2002, FUNERAL continue the doom-spreading crusade that once earned them the label of "most depressing band in the world" with their new album release, "From These Wounds", via Tabu Recordings on December 4 in Norway and January 29 in Europe.

Constantly challenging themselves musically not to bind their offerings to pure funeral doom (a subgenre spawned by their earlier recordings), FUNERAL — including original members Anders Eek and Christian Loos — discharged the opera-oriented female vocals of Hanne Hukkleberg in favour of Frode Forsmo's (MINAS TIRITH) more somber timbre.

FUNERAL's trademark — dusky riffs and languorous rhythms, coupled album, "From These Wounds", a more mature and earnest, even accessible feel to the proceedings.with an injection of more contemporary, sensuous vitality — give new

Recorded and produced by Kjetil Ottersen at Vektor Studio in Norway, "From These Wounds" — weaving melancholia-inducing riffs with sagacious lyrical content — makes the perfect companion during the forthcoming dark and grim months this year. Not for the faint-hearted.

STRATOVARIUS mainman Timo Tolkki (guitar) has issued the following update:

"I have written 11 new [STRATOVARIUS] songs and we are first going to demo them. This will be completed by the end of the year and we will enter the studio to record that actual album around February. [Timo Kotipelto, vocals] is releasing his third solo album around that time (and what I have heard, it sounds really great) as well and he has naturally promotional activities and I think he is also doing a tour during spring. STRATOVARIUS production will be ready sometime in the summer 2007 and depending on various different things, the album, entitled 'R...... R.......'), will be released in October 2007 or in the beginning of 2008 followed by a massive world tour.

"So all okay here, everybody's happy, the songs are great and we are looking forward to the new adventures."

In early 2006, Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH) gave a phenomenal show in Melbourne, Australia with JJ Marsh on guitar and Lachlan Doley on keyboards. The performance was captured and will be released on CD and DVD in 2007. Both will be for sale through Hughes' official e-store. The setlist was as follows:

01. Coast to Coast
02. I Found a Woman
03. This Time Around
04. Nights in White Satin
05. Last Mistake
06. This House
07. Frail
08. The Divine
09. This is How I Feel
10. Whiter Shade of Pale
11. Mistreated
12. Soulmover
13. Gettin' Tighter
14. You Keep on Moving

STRATOVARIUS frontman Timo Kotipelto has issued the following update:

"Just to let you know (if you happen to be in Finland these days...) that I am doing a couple of cover gigs with some of my friends. The band is called MR. C. Yesterday we played at On the Rocks, Helsinki and tomorrow (Saturday, October 28th we will play at Tulisuudelma, Vantaa, Finland). There will be another gig in Helsinki (December 1st, Memphis) and one in Lahti December 8th. A good friend of mine, Kimmo Blom, will sing some songs and then I will hit the stage. The songs are classic metal covers.

"I'm doing these gigs for fun and 'coz I love those songs. Of course the timing isn't perfect since I am supposed to be in the studio but I promised to do these months ago...

"Well, today Mikko Karmila will mix one of my new songs. It's supposed to be on one new Finnish movie that will has its premiere in January 2007. The rest of the songs should be mixed in a couple of weeks.

"Well, I still need to record some more vocals... :)"

Legendary Swedish doomsters CANDLEMASS have posted the following message on their official web site:

"You have heard the rumours and it is with a heavy heart we must make this official. The band have tried to solve the situation several times, but Messiah cannot be persuaded to sing on the new album. His attitude and demands are way too unreasonable. I'm very sorry about this, not surprised though.

"We have all been very disappointed with Messiah's behaviour during the previous years reunion, especially with his childish and undemocratic way to 'discuss' matters before the may recording at Polar in Stockholm. It's not cool when one person refuses to listen to other people, don't give a shit about his bandmates and demands special treatment. Sure, a little bit of primadonna vices is allowed in a band. But when it comes to the extent that it's 'my way or the highway' in every little discussion that comes up, it is not fun anymore. We like the thought of five equal metalheads playing together, having fun in the rehearsalroom, at gigs etc. That's the whole point of it if you ask us. Unfortunately negativity and stupidity have been dictating the rules for CANDLEMASS lately.

"We hope you all can understand how disappointed we are. And angry! Disappointed with the fact that a grown man can behave so badly towards others — his friends — and for such a long time. And so easily, when he doesn't get everything he wants, throws it all away. We're still in shock! We never thought it was possible for somebody in this great band to have such a bad attitude towards his bandmates!
We are also angry that we have bought the shit for so long. Been fucked over so much, so many times since the reunion 2002. It's really shameful!

"It only took a couple of gigs to understand that Messiah wasn't back to make friends, so we have fought hard to keep this together for you — our fans. It's been a rough ride, but when you stand in front of 200 or 2,000 or even 20,000 screaming fans it's worth all trouble.

"And yes, it was close that last album didn't include Messiah, but we made it happen because we love this music and we love that you guys love us!! But it was the last album with Messiah Marcolin on vocals. We can't deal with the big man anymore. Sorry!! We tried to reason with him before the recording of the new one but Messiah's behaviour was beyond the acceptable. Mr. Marcolin has been too much to take and the reasons behind his departure from CANDLEMASS are not very flattering for him. No details, sorry....too embarrassing...

"On the positive side (there is one!), this can make the band stronger and lead to something better. We don't stand and fall with Messiah Marcolin. We will look hard for a worthy replacement because we got a superb album recorded already. With the right voice it will kill!! We hope for a new start with CANDLEMASS, a band we love way too much to ditch because of one rotten apple!!"

As previously reported, Messiah Marcolin contacted BLABBERMOUTH.NET on April 28, 2006 to announce that he was leaving the band with no possibility of him rejoining. "We could not agree on how to do the new album," Messiah stated at the time while refusing to elaborate on his sudden exit.

CANDLEMASS' upcoming CD — a concept album about the road to ruin in the modern society — is being self-produced and will feature nine or ten tracks.

CANDLEMASS recorded four new songs with the help of producer Andy Sneap (NEVERMORE, ARCH ENEMY, MACHINE HEAD) in late February at the Polar studios. At the time, Leif Edling said of the material, "The songs are pretty much in the same vein as the stuff on the [self-titled 2005] reunion album, maybe a bit darker."

GMR Music recently announced plans to re-release the CANDLEMASS albums "Chapter VI" (1992) and "Dactylis Glomerata" (1998) as double remastered discs.

"Chapter VI" will include the "Sjunger Sigge Furst" EP as bonus tracks plus a live DVD disc and "Dactylis Glomerata" will contain an entire previously unreleased album. Each reissue will be sold for the price of a normal full-length CD.