METALLICA's official web site has been updated with the following message:

"A few months ago our own Kirk Hammett hinted at a new METALLICA project that's 'not really 100 percent a METALLICA record.' While Kirk may have jumped the gun a little (and has since been properly punished with a series of push-ups!), we are more than proud to announce that we have just completed recording a full-length album that is a collaboration with none other than the legendary Lou Reed.

"Ever since we had the pleasure of performing with Lou at the 25th anniversary of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame at Madison Square Garden in October of 2009, we have been kicking around the idea of making a record together. Some of you astute Bay Area residents may have picked up news of recent Lou Reed sightings in the greater San Francisco area and we have indeed been working at our home studio at [METALLICA headquarters in San Rafael, California] on and off over the last few months. In what would be lightning speed for a METALLICA-related project, we recorded ten songs during this time and while at this moment we're not exactly sure when you'll hear it, we're beyond excited to share with you that the recording sessions wrapped up last week.

"A true innovator and easily one of the most influential songwriters, musicians, and performers in rock music history, Lou's work with the VELVET UNDERGROUND and as a solo artist has such an enduring quality that he has long been revered and respected by us and many of our peers. We can't wait for you to listen to the finished record, so as we like to hear ourselves say around here, keep watching this spot for updates . . . we'll be back with more details as they come together."

Florida metal titans TRIVIUM will release their new album, "In Waves", on August 9 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to 2008's "Shogun" was recorded primarily at Paint It Black Studios in Orlando, Florida (with only the drums having been tracked at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida) with the production/mixing team of Colin Richardson (MACHINE HEAD, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, SLIPKNOT, FEAR FACTORY) and Martin "Ginge" Ford, along with engineer Carl Bown.

TRIVIUM exploded onto the global metal scene with its Roadrunner debut album, "Ascendency" (2005), which was certified gold in the U.K. (and earned the band the 2005 "Best New International Artist" honors in Kerrang! magazine). Extremely young at the time and with songwriting and musicianship far beyond their years, the band toured with giants of the metal world, including IRON MAIDEN, SLIPKNOT, METALLICA, HEAVEN & HELL and many more. Over the course of those years and albums — including 2006's "The Crusade" and 2008's "Shogun" — the band honed their skills even further, while sharpening their vision for the band and its music. In the words of vocalist/guitarist Matt Heafy, this new album is the culmination: "'In Waves' to us… is TRIVIUM. 'In Waves' is the music, the artwork, the videos and the live show; they are all part of an interconnected whole. There's no question about it, in our eyes, that this is the most complete project we've ever done. We think we've finally made the record that we’ve always strived to make."

While the tracks boast the guitar-driven edge that fans have come to love and expect from the band — pushing some of the tracks even further in their heaviness and aggression — the visual and lyrical world that "In Waves" inhabits is overall a fantastic leap forward for the band. Inspired as much by contemporary film and visual art as by the band’s love of heavy music, all of the imagery — including album art, videos, stage sets and web properties — take TRIVIUM into territory that few bands have the confidence, or vision, to visit. The visuals create the special world of "In Waves" where the entire album package will take the listener on a journey where the destination may not have even been decided yet, much less known. It's a wide, open road and one littered with darkness and other curiosities. The visual project was collaborative effort between the band and a team of select artists. The band and their artists created a new, unique and wholly original set of visuals that are like a graphic novel come to life.

The video for "In Waves" will premiere this Friday at AltPress.com in the U.S. and on NME.com in the U.K. The band appears but does not perform in the clip.

There is a unifying theme to "In Waves", but it's not a concept album by any means. Heafy continued, "The album is not a concept record, but there is a certain theme to all of the visuals and sonically and visually it all ties together. We are very proud of what we’ve accomplished with 'In Waves' and we are excited to share it with everyone."

"In Waves" track listing:

01. Capsizing The Sea
02. In Waves
03. Inception Of The End
04. Watch The World Burn
05. Dusk Dismantled
06. Black
07. Built To Fall
08. Caustic Are the Ties That Bind
09. A Skyline's Severance
10. Forsake Not the Dream
11. Chaos Reigns
12. Of All These Yesterdays
13. Leaving This World Behind

The "In Waves" cover artwork can be seen below.

A two-disc special edition will also be available. It features five bonus tracks, plus a DVD with a 40-minute, behind-the-scenes documentary, as well as an exclusive concert filmed in a warehouse located in Orlando, Florida, which is the band's stomping grounds. This concert features the first performances of tracks from "In Waves", along with TRIVIUM classics.

"In Waves" special edition track listing:

01. Capsizing the Sea
02. In Waves
03. Inception of the End
04. Dusk Dismantled
05. Watch the World Burn
06. Black
07. A Skyline's Severance
08. Ensnare the Sun*
09. Built To Fall
10. Caustic Are the Ties That Bind
11. Forsake Not the Dream
12. Drowning In Slow Motion*
13. A Grey So Dark*
14. Chaos Reigns
15. Of All These Yesterdays
16. Leaving This World Behind
17. Shattering The Skies Above*
18. Slave New World*

*Bonus tracks

Bonus DVD includes:

* In Waves (Live)
* In Waves (Documentary)
* "In Waves" Music Video

The band will spend the summer on their second go-round at the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. The band will leave the Mayhem Festival for a few days to play two very special European album-release shows — Friday, August 5 on the main stage at the legendary Wacken Open Air festival, and Saturday, August 6 as special guest to IRON MAIDEN at the O2 Arena in London.

Japanese rockers DIR EN GREY will release their eighth studio album, "Dum Spiro Spero", two years and ten months after "Uroboros", which garnered overwhelming support as the strongest and the maddest record resonating across the globe.

In our time when heavy rock music has become diversified, DIR EN GREY's deep and extensive, unique perspective is once again borderless, uncategorized. This record which encapsulates the band's present will not only secure tremendous support from the hardcore devotees, but will surely gain recognition from heavy rock fans, including guitar enthusiasts and Western-music-obsessed music fans.

There are 14 tracks, including "Hageshisa To, Kono Mune No Naka De Karamitsuita Shakunetsu No Yami" (featured on "Saw 3D" soundtrack), "Lotus", "Different Sense" as single-cut tracks in this album.

With the combination of world-noted engineers and the individuality of a Japanese-born and -bred band, this album will no doubt be the determining punch for DIR EN GREY.

DIR EN GREY will release "Dum Spiro Spero" as a standard CD, a double LP (both featuring the same 14 tracks) and a deluxe CD which will feature the two bonus tracks. Also available will be the limited edition bundle, which features:

* The deluxe version of the CD (with the two bonus tracks)
* The double LP
* Digital download of album
* An exclusive t-shirt design
* An autographed poster (while supplies last).

"Dum Spiro Spero" track listing:

01. Kyoukotsu No Nari
02. The Blossoming Beelzebub
03. Different Sense
04. Amon
05. "Yokusou Ni Dreambox" Aruiwa Seijuku No Rinen To Tsumetai Ame
06. Juuyoku
07. Shitataru Mourou
08. Lotus
09. Diabolos
10. Akatsuki
11. Decayed Crow
12. Hageshisa To, Kono Mune No Naka De Karamitsuita Shakunetsu No Yami
13. Vanitas
14. Ruten No Tou

Deluxe edition bonus tracks:

15. Rasetsukoku
16. Amon (symphonic version)

Fan-filmed video footage of CAVALERA CONSPIRACY's June 14, 2011 performance at Klub Stodola in Warsaw, Poland can be viewed below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Warlord
02. Torture
03. Inflikted
04. Thrasher
05. Sanctuary
06. Terrorize
07. Refuse/Resist (SEPULTURA cover)
08. Territory (SEPULTURA cover)
09. Genghis Khan
10. Killing Inside
11. Blunt Force Trauma
12. Ultra-Violent
13. The Doom Of All Fires
14. Troops of Doom (SEPULTURA cover)
15. Black Ark
16. Desperate Cry / Propaganda (SEPULTURA cover)
17. Target
18. Wasting Away (NAILBOMB cover)
19. Six Pack (BLACK FLAG cover)
20. Attitude (SEPULTURA cover)

Encore:

21. Roots Bloody Roots (SEPULTURA cover)

ADRENALINE MOB, the new band featuring former DREAM THEATER/AVENGED SEVENFOLD drummer Mike Portnoy, SYMPHONY X frontman Russell Allen, guitar virtuoso Mike Orlando (SONIC STOMP), bassist Paul DiLeo and STUCK MOJO/FOZZY axeman Rich Ward, will make its live debut on Friday, June 24 at The Hiro Ballroom (16th Street and 9th Avenue) in New York City. The group will play songs from its upcoming debut album as well as a few classic covers. Very limited tickets are available now at Ticketweb.com.

In a March 2011 interview, Russell described ADRENALINE MOB as "a straight-up rock band with just rock songs — kind of like an edgy, modern kind of sound. It's not progressive or trying to be too metal or anything — it's just good, old crunchy rock stuff." He added, "I think it will be really well received by people who like to hear that kind of stuff. This is a new thing for Portnoy and myself, too. I've always done kind of done stuff with AYREON, but that's more of a vintage-y vibe, but nothing like this, which is kind of modern-sounding, almost like ROB ZOMBIE meets BLACK LABEL SOCIETY meets DISTURBED, [but] with [Ronnie James] Dio singing. It's all this kind of craziness. So it's definitely different and it's cool."

Speaking to MetalSymphony.com, Orlando stated about ADRENALINE MOB, "This band is not in the vein of SYMPHONY X or DREAM THEATER. It's more along the lines of, say, ROB ZOMBIE, GODSMACK, DISTURBED, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, SHINEDOWN… with Russell's absolute pipes from hell and Mike just outright killing it on the kit. The guitar is really rocking and has some pretty insane moments, but it's a song-oriented band and that's the most important aspect before anything." He continued, "Russell and I have an amazing writing chemistry together and he is one of my closest and dearest friends. It's an absolute pleasure to work with such a great talent as Russell on every level.' He added, "Mike is just unbelievable. His playing is beyond words at times. He's the utmost professional musician but also one of the nicest and coolest guys I have ever met and played with. It's an honor to call him my bandmate, to say the least, and I look forward to ripping it up every night out there with Mike and Russ and the guys!"

According to Nero of Arte Sonora, a Portuguese music and pro audio magazine, Peruvian drummer and percussionist Alex Acuña (pictured below) — who played with the fusion/prog jazz band WEATHER REPORT and performed/recorded with Elvis Presley, Peter Gabriel, THE CULT, Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea — makes a guest appearance on "Heritage", the new album from Swedish progressive metallers OPETH.

"Heritage" will be released on September 20 via Roadrunner Records. The CD was produced by OPETH vocalist/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt and was recorded earlier this year at Atlantis studios (formerly Metronome studios) in Stockholm. Mixing duties were handled by Steven Wilson (PORCUPINE TREE) and Åkerfeldt. Longtime collaborator Travis Smith also worked with Åkerfeldt to create, design and execute the album's artwork, which can be seen below.

"Heritage" will be released in several configurations that will certainly incite the interest of OPETH's legion of fans, known for their passion for collecting and collectibles. The album will be released as a standard version; as a special edition loaded with extras; as a box set exclusive to the Roadrunner and the band's own official Omerch webstore; and as a double LP. There is something for every OPETH fan, thanks to this variety of options.

Los Angeles thrashers WARBRINGER have completed work on their third album, "Worlds Torn Asunder", for a September release via Century Media Records. The CD was produced by Steve Evetts (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, SYMPHONY X, SEPULTURA, HATEBREED) and marks the recording debut of the band's new drummer, Carlos Cruz (HEXEN), who has "had a lot of input into the new material," according to a press release.

Commented frontman John Kevill: "With this record, we were trying to do two things — to make something that progressed in new directions from our previous work, but also to keep all the speed and intensity at the forefront. I really think we've pulled that off with this record.

"We have a great and diverse batch of songs. Musically I think we have songs on this record that move forward from the styles of both our previous records, and some that go in completely new directions that the band has never done before.

"We are really excited to put this record out. We are really trying to raise the bar with this one."

"Worlds Torn Asunder" track listing

01. Living Weapon
02. Shattered Like Glass
03. Wake Up... Destroy
04. Future Ages Gone
05. Savagery
06. Treacherous Tongue
07. Echoes From The Void
08. Enemies Of The State
09. Behind The Veils Of Night (instrumental)
10. Demonic Ecstasy

When legendary classic rockers BAD COMPANY performed at the historic British venue Wembley Arena in London on a beautiful April 2010 spring night, high-definition cameras captured the whole evening in all its glory. On June 28, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release "Live At Wembley" simultaneously on DVD, Blu-ray and CD, through its Eagle Vision and Eagle Records imprints.

There was magic in the air as all three original BAD COMPANY members — vocalist extraordinaire Paul Rodgers, guitarist Mick Ralphs and drummer Simon Kirke — are augmented by bassist Lynn Sorensen and guitarist Howard Leese. (Original bassist Boz Burrell died in 2006.)

The set list is packed with every major hit, fan favorites and seldom-heard deep album cuts. The DVD and Blu-ray includes a band interview.

BAD COMPANY burst upon the rock 'n' roll scene in 1973, and was immediately dubbed a super-group by fans and press alike, as its members all came from very successful popular bands: FREE (Rodgers and Kirke), MOTT THE HOOPLE (Ralphs) and KING CRIMSON (Burrell). They lived up to the hype for nine straight years with a string of six soulful hard-rocking albums. After a four-year break, they got back together minus Rodgers (who had formed THE FIRM with Jimmy Page). Rodgers returned in 1999.

"Live At Wembley" DVD and Blu-ray track listing:

01. Can't Get Enough
02. Honey Child
03. Run With The Pack
04. Burnin' Sky
05. Young Blood
06. Seagull
07. Gone, Gone, Gone
08. Electric Land
09. Simple Man
10. Feel Like Makin' Love
11. Shooting Star
12. Rock And Roll Fantasy
13. Movin' On
14. Ready For Love
15. Bad Company
16. Deal With The Preacher

CD track listing:

01. Can't Get Enough
02. Honey Child
03. Run With The Pack
04. Young Blood
05. Seagull
06. Gone, Gone, Gone
07. Electric Land
08. Simple Man
09. Feel Like Makin' Love
10. Shooting Star
11. Rock And Roll Fantasy
12. Movin' On
13. Ready For Love
14. Bad Company
15. Deal With The Preacher

Former WARRANT frontman Jani Lane has posted the following message on his official web site:

"I am currently planning to spend summer with family and continue writing and recording with Keri Kelli (ALICE COOPER) and Dito Godwin (producer: NO DOUBT) for myself and other artists. I'm excited and feeling very creative! I hope to have something out by fall and hit the road with a new lineup this winter.

"Thanks to all the friends/fans for being patient and supportive.

"I will be putting up some of the best 'Jabberwocky' recordings I have on this site. I even am considering re-recording a few for the new project. [Between 1997 and 2000, demos of Lane's solo material began surfacing on the Internet, with some bids on eBay reaching an estimated $100.00 per copy. The project, titled 'Jabberwocky', represented a significant musical departure from Lane's previous work. The CD has never been officially released. — Ed.]

"I really can't wait for everyone to hear what I've been up to… see you all soon!!!

"PS… possible record deal in the works and writers deal… more info to come!"

Singer Julie Westlake is now officially back in the saddle and leading the new revamped charge of her band HYDROGYN.

After months of uncertainty surrounding the band because of her health, the green light has been given to Julie and the rest of the band to proceed ahead.

HYDROGYN had a great outing with the "Judgement" release in October 2010 but due to Westlake's health, the band only played one show to support it. After careful consideration, it was decided to scrap the support of the release due to Julie's illness and the length of time the project had been out. In place of that will be a new release and a double support of "Judgement". Due in November, the new product is yet unnamed but the process of recording has already started.

For this release, things will change up a bit as far as production. For the past two albums, guitarist Jeff Westlake has handled the production, engineering, mixing, etc., to go along with the writing and song prep. Jeff said he wanted a chance to just worry about the songs on this release with limited production going on from his end. Enter the team of Anthony Dura and Patrick Liotard (who co-wrote the song "Alone" on "Judgement"). Anthony and Patrick are stepping in and teaming up with Julie and Jeff for this project, not only from a production standpoint but also in the creation of the project itself.

"I love these guys and what they bring to the table," says Julie. "To be able to turn to them and have a new team in the mix for the entire process with fresh ideas and a great perspective as well is just priceless. We were all introduced by our French team at Musiconlights (Mike Jublin) back in 2007 and as time has gone on, we have gotten to know each other. The working part of the relationship is just a natural progression for us all and takes some pressure off Jeff for a change."

In addition, John C. Lawrence, who brought in the song "Too Late" for "Judgement", is also being enlisted again for some co-writing. "I love some of the stuff he has to offer and also he and Jeff have been friends for a very long time so it just seems natural to have him involved," says Julie.

We totally expect to be done recording and wrapping the CD up musically in mid-summer, then a holiday break for a couple weeks and then back to mixing and mastering late summer," said Jeff Westlake. In the meantime the band said they will be getting the artwork together and finalizing the new U.S. deal along with management.

Video footage of IRON MAIDEN's June 11, 2011 performance at the Czech Republic edition of the Sonisphere festival on the old military airbase at Bozi Dar Airport, Milovice (30 km from Prague) can be viewed below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Satellite 15... The Final Frontier
02. El Dorado
03. 2 Minutes to Midnight
04. The Talisman
05. Coming Home
06. Dance of Death
07. The Trooper
08. The Wicker Man
09. Blood Brothers
10. When the Wild Wind Blows
11. The Evil That Men Do
12. Fear of the Dark
13. Iron Maiden

Encore:

14. The Number of the Beast
15. Hallowed Be Thy Name
16. Running Free

Baltimore, Maryland's MISERY INDEX has inked a deal with the French label Season Of Mist.

Commented bassist/vocalist Jason Netherton: "Needless to say, we are very excited to start working with Season Of Mist and to join an exceptional roster that includes many of our favorite bands.

"We will commence later this year to writing the next album, and with luck will enter the studio in 2012.

"Thanks to everyone who helped us get to where we are today, and cheers to Season Of Mist for supporting us in our present and future endeavors."

Swedish progressive metallers OPETH made their live debut with keyboardist Joakim Svalberg (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, GLENN HUGHES) at the 10th annual Bonnaroo Music And Arts Festival on June 10, 2011 on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, 60 miles south of Nashville.

Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

When asked by the Artisan News Service how playing Bonnaroo was different to performing at European festivals, OPETH vocalist/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt said, "It's very similar to European festivals. It's strange that there's not more festivals in the United States like this, as far as I'm concerned. But yeah, it was lovely. Good hospitality."

OPETH's setlist was as follows:

01. The Grand Conjuration
02. Face Of Melinda
03. The Lotus Eater
04. In My Time Of Need
05. Master's Apprentices
06. The Drapery Falls
07. Hex Omega

Fan-filmed video footage of QUEENSRŸCHE's June 11, 2011 appearance at the Sauna Open Air festival in Tampere, Finland can be viewed below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Get Started
02. Damaged
03. I Don't Believe In Love
04. A Dead Man's Words
05. Hit the Black
06. NM 156
07. Screaming In Digital
08. Walk In The Shadows
09. Silent Lucidity
10. Jet City Woman
11. Empire
12. Eyes Of A Stranger

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach has set "Kicking & Screaming" as the title of his new solo album, due on September 27 via Frontiers Records. The CD was produced by Bob Marlette (BLACK SABBATH, SHINEDOWN, ATREYU, FILTER) and features young virtuosic guitarist Nick Sterling and drum pro Bobby Jarzombek (HALFORD, RIOT, ICED EARTH). The follow-up to 2007's "Angel Down" was mastered at Precision Mastering in Los Angeles with Tom Baker.

Commented Bach, "I could not be happier with my new album, 'Kicking & Screaming'. The songs, performances and sound quality are beyond what I could have ever imagined. This is my best record yet and I can't wait for all of you to crank it!"

The "Kicking & Screaming" album cover will be created by artist Richard Villa. According to Sebastian, it will feature "the hottest model in the land" — presumably referring to his new girlfriend, 25-year-old model Minnie Gupta — "and reflect the lyrics as well as the brutality of the music. It's gonna be rock 'n' roll to the 9th degree album — very heavy, cool, trippy and nightmare-ish."

Liechtenstein-based gothic metallers ELIS have released the following statement regarding the recent departure of their singer Sandra Schleret (pictured below):

"It's now a couple of weeks since the announcement of Sandra's departure. We want to take the opportunity, to say a few words about that and give you a quick view to the future of ELIS.

"We knew that it wouldn't be easy to go on with ELIS after [former ELIS singer] Sabine's [Dünser] death [Sabine suffered a cerebral hemorrhage on July 7, 2006 during rehearsal and passed away the following day in hospital. — Ed.] and therefore we needed a strong personality as our new singer. We found this person in Sandra and it felt like we have sought and found each other. We played great concerts and tours and we created a brilliant record, 'Catharsis', in which we've put a lot of heart blood and personal feelings. But as time [went] by, Sandra's and our interests moved in different directions and it became more and more difficult to find a common denominator. So we weren't very surprised as Sandra told us that she [was considering] leaving the band. We talked for a long time and came to the conclusion that it would be the best for all to part ways.

"Yet again we had to decide if we should go on with ELIS and how it should look like. We agreed to give it one more try, but with a fresh start. We felt that a cut has to be done, to leave the past behind and move forward into the future.

"We found a great new singer and are writing new songs right now.

"Our goal is to enter the studio by the end of this year to record a new album. We also are rehearsing regularly, to get ready for the stage as soon as possible.

"We want to thank Sandra for the good times we had and wish her all the best for her personal and musical future!"

Legendary grindcore act TERRORIZER has inked a deal with the French label Season Of Mist. The band's new album is in its final stage of production and will be unleashed in early 2012.

TERRORIZER's 2011 lineup includes Commando (a.k.a. Pete Sandoval) who remains dug into position on drums, blasting out armor-piercing beats and defending his territory as one of the most brutal drummers alive.

Wolf (a.k.a. Anthony Rezhawk), the vocalist on the previous TERRORIZER album release, "Darker Days Ahead", returns for his second menacing oration of dark politicized prophecies about the apocalyptic near future.

The new TERRORIZER lineup also features David Vincent (MORBID ANGEL) on bass, ready to continue the onslaught he began with TERRORIZER's debut album masterpiece, "World Downfall".

On guitar, it is the great honor of Katina Culture (RESISTANT CULTURE) to shred in place of the late Jesse Pintado, who's still felt to be in the band in heart and spirit. She's attempted to do justice to Jesse's frantic-yet-precise tornado of riffing while adding her own style to the mix of sonic wreckage.

Commented TERRORIZER: "We are happy to team up with Season Of Mist for the worldwide release of the next TERRORIZER album. We are currently finishing the recordings and expect to mix down the record after the summer. We are also determined to finally bring TERRORIZER on tour all over the globe next year to support the album’s release."

TERRORIZER 2011 is:

Wolf (a.k.a. Anthony Rezhawk) - Vocals
Katina Culture - Guitar
David Vincent - Bass
Commando (aka Pete Sandoval - Drums

Jamey Jasta of HATEBREED and KINGDOM OF SORROW will release his debut solo album, simply titled "Jasta", on July 26 via eOne Music. The CD will be made available in Europe one day earlier through Century Media Records.

"Jasta" track listing:

01. Walk That Path Alone
02. Mourn The Illusion
03. Screams From The Sanctuary
04. Nothing They Say
05. Anthem Of The Freedom Fighter
06. Something You Should Know (feat. Phil Labonte of ALL THAT REMAINS)
07. Set You Adrift
08. Enslaved, Dead or Depraved (feat. Randy Blythe of LAMB OF GOD)
09. With A Resounding Voice (feat. Tim Lambesis of AS I LAY DYING)
10. The Fearless Must Endure (feat. Zakk Wylde of BLACK LABEL SOCIETY)
11. Heart Of A Warrior (feat. Mike Vallely)
12. Death Bestowed (feat. Mark Morton of LAMB OF GOD)

According to Variety.com, NIGHTWISH's much-anticipated musical "Imaginarium" is one of the projects which have received grants from the Finnish government institution called the Finnish Film Foundation. The movie, directed by Stobe Harju, about an old man on his deathbed who glimpses a childhood dream in which he refuses to grow old, and fights aging with his imagination, will get $575,000 toward its $3.7 million budget.

The Finnish Film Foundation grants support for professional Finnish film production. The Foundation's goal is to promote high-quality, versatile and unique Finnish film. The support can be granted for feature-length, short and episodic fiction, documentary, animation and children's films.

The production support is granted for the writing of a film script, development of a film project, the actual production of a film and for the marketing and distribution of the film in Finland. The Foundation also grants post-release support on the basis of a film's total attendance.

If all goes well, NIGHTWISH's "Imaginarium" album will be released in early 2012, to be followed by the movie at some point further down the line. The first single off the album as well as the trailer for the film should arrive well before the end of 2011.

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST have issued the following update:

"We would like to clarify a situation that seems to be confusing a few people out there.

"When we issued our press release to announce the farewell tour, we stated that it was the last major world tour for JUDAS PRIEST. Nothing has changed — we didn't say it was the end of the band or that we were going to retire or the band was going to break up... just that it would be the last major world tour we would be doing, which is still the case.

"We have plans for a new album (which we have already announced in an earlier press release), plus possible future releases, and we would still consider doing the odd live show — if it is something special or for a great cause — but no more world tours."