Montreal-based metallers VENGEFUL have issued the following update:

"We finished recording drums on November 20th as planned, Mr. Donaldson (CRYPTOPSY, BENEATH THE MASSACRE) is currently editing the tracks.

We recorded some extra songs this time around including one MORBID ANGEL and a CROWBAR cover song to match the two sides to our next album. Other songs that were recorded are: 'Still', 'Consumed' and 'Skinned'.

As we said before, expect a lengthy release.

Guitar tracking starts next week, we're trying to wrap things up before "the fucking holiday season".... let's not get started on this subject. Then we'll be left with the sweet stuff like acoustic guitars, percussions, guitar solos and the part where we get to scream.

We're still waiting for the footage from the TOWARDS DARKNESS/Vengeful/SALVATION, as soon as we get it we'll post something from it, we really had a good time and we wanted to share it with you out there."

Norwegian metallers SUSPERIA have teamed up with former DIMMU BORGIR keyboardist Mustis (real name: Øyvind Mustaparta) to compete to represent their country in the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest.

Commented SUSPERIA frontman Athera (real name: Pål Mathiesen): "We are not afraid to lose credibility. A competition needs variation. We know how good our music is, with great melodies, energy and hooks in the songs. With this in mind, we want to let the big masses discover our music, and enjoy our hidden treasures."

SUSPERIA has released five albums and one EP, and has toured extensively in Europe. In addition, they were the first Norwegian metal band crack the Top 20 on the official single chart in Norway with their "Devil May Care" EP. Musically, they have evolved from playing what people used to define as black metal to pursuing a more traditional heavy metal/hard rock direction with clean vocals. "It is natural to develop and have new approaches," Athera states.

SUSPERIA was formed in 1999 and has had the same lineup throughout its existence. With the reintroduction of Mustis — who actually played synth on a SUSPERIA demo recording back in 1999 — a new aspect has been added to the band's sound. They are currently discussing a potential collaboration for a new album as well.

Commented Mustis: "It has been very inspiring to gather with SUSPERIA. Since Elvorn and I established our first band already in 1995 as kids, then meeting Memnock and knowing Tjodalv from my early days in DIMMU BORGIR, it felt very natural to sit down and start to be creative again together with my old friends.

"I don't think keyboard is for just any kind of metal band or band in general, but SUSPERIA have the open mind for this and the right elements for sure, and we agree that it can come something really good out of this.

"We made a killer song together that's going to be performed at the Norwegian Eurovision!!

"I really can't wait to perform again with a band that in a very dynamic way lift each other's instruments and Athera's amazing vocals all together."

Happinet Pictures has issued a new DVD+CD set, OZZY OSBOURNE - Speak Of The Devil 1982 Live Concert, available now in Japan via CDJapan.

A brief description reads: Live DVD release from Ozzy Osbourne including tracks 'Over The Mountain', 'Mr. Crowley', 'Crazy Train', 'Revelation', and more for 13 songs total. Limited edition includes bonus CD with live audio.

Tracklisting:

'Over The Mountain'
'Mr. Crowley'
'Crazy Train'
'Revelation (Mother Earth)'
'Steal Away (The Night)'
'Suicide Solution'
'Goodbye To Romance'
'I Don't Know'
'Believer'
'Flyin' High Again'
'Iron Man'
'Children Of The Grave'
'Paranoid'

According to Kerrang! magazine, SLIPKNOT/STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor will release a Christmas single entitled "X-M@$" on December 12 in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.

"It's actually a song that I wrote four years ago just for a laugh," Taylor tells Kerrang! "But when I played it for all of my friends they were like, 'This is fucking brilliant'. For some reason my manager forgot that I'd written it, but then a few months ago he found the song and immediately went, 'We gotta release this in time for this Christmas', and I was like, 'Why the fuck not?'"

Taylor 's book, "Seven Deadly Sins", is tentatively due in March 2011 via Da Capo Press. it is described as "Corey's story, told through the prism of the seven deadly sins." His years of excess eventually made him sit down and start to think about what it was to "sin" and whether "sinning" could — or should — be recast as a good rather than bad thing. Yes, Corey's hurt people, and done bad things, but if sin is what makes the man, then can it ever be wrong? This isn't a straightforward memoir, this is Corey's no-holds-barred story told through his own unique philosophy, honed through years of the craziest and most hedonistic excess in rock.

STONE SOUR, AVENGED SEVENFOLD and HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD will join forces for "The Nightmare After Christmas" tour in January/February.

STONE SOUR's third album, "Audio Secrecy", was released on September 7 and debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard album chart, selling 46,000 copies in its first week of release.

SLIPKNOT drummer Joey Jordison has told Billboard.com that the band has already begun work on material for a new studio album — the group's first since the May 2010 death of SLIPKNOT bassist Paul Gray.

"It's already in motion," Jordison said. "It's definitely exciting. It's a little emotional, of course, but I think it's going to be really, really cool and I think it's gonna be a really, really great record because everyone's really involved in the process. . . It's going to be a little interesting, but I think it's gonna be a healing process for all of us. SLIPKNOT is not going anywhere. We're a family, and losing a family member sucks. You can't help that, but you need to move on, and I think that what we're gonna do might be the most powerful thing that we've ever created."

According to Jordison, SLIPKNOT has no plans to replace Gray and will remain an octet. On stage, however, "we'll have a bass player that's right next to me, to the right behind the stage, to lock in with me. But there's no one right now who will go on stage."

Swedish metallers BULLET will release their third full-length album, "Highway Pirates", on February 4, 2011. It will be issued on CD, LP and strictly limited-edition vinyl that will only will be available through the Sound Pollution mailorder.

On July 31 2009, BULLET drummer Gustav Hjortsjö was hanging around backstage at the Sävsjö Festival. Suddenly he noticed a familiar face in the crowd: SAXON's legendary singer Peter "Biff" Byford. Gustav was determined not to let this chance go missed. He approached Byford and explained that the singer just had to do a guest appearance on BULLET's next album. "Maybe," Byford replied. "What's the name of the album?" Gustav had no idea. BULLET was still touring in support of the "Bite The Bullet" CD and hadn't really thought a whole lot about the follow-up release. "But which song do you want me to appear on then?" Biff continued. In a state of panic, Gustav mumbled the first reasonably rock and roll-orientated title he could come up with: "Highway Pirates". A month later they met again, at the Skogsröjet Festival in Reijmyre. About 40 seconds into the brilliant hard-hitting title track, you can now hear Biff Byford's contribution: a wolf whistle.

BULLET is up for a new experience with the release of its third album. It is the first time the band has to live up to people's high expectations. This, however, is a natural consequence of the success that came with the group's previous effort, "Bite The Bullet". The album peaked at position No. 3 on the Swedish chart and was followed by a number of live appearances, including a support-act slot with AC/DC at the sold-out Ullevi stadium in Gothenburg.

"Highway Pirates" was mixed by Tobias Lindell, who has previously worked with such Swedish rock bands as EUROPE, MUSTASCH and HARDCORE SUPERSTAR. Their combined efforts have "succeeded in creating a sound that is retro and modern at the same time," according to a press release. "Hampus Klang's and Erik Ahlström's guitar sound is incredibly pure."

"Highway Pirates" track listing:

01. Highway Pirates
02. Back On The Road
03. Stay Wild
04. Blood Run Hot
05. Fire And Dynamite
06. Down And Out
07. Knuckleduster
08. Heavy Metal Dynamite
09. Citylights
10. Into The Night

KRIEG has partnered with Inferna Profundus Records to reissue "Patrick Bateman", the band's definitive black/noise statement from 2003. Based on Bret Easton Ellis' nihilistic novel "American Psycho", "Patrick Bateman" is close to fifteen minutes of the harshest and most feral material KRIEG ever set to tape. This reissue will feature a newly recorded bonus track in a (de)evolution of the spirit of the original recording as well as new packaging and linear notes from main member Imperial.

"Patrick Bateman" reissue track listing:

01. I
02. II
03. III
04. IV
05. V
06. VI (bonus track)

Die aus Portugal stammenden Dark/Goth Metaller von HEAVENWOOD werden ihr kommendes, bereits viertes Album mit den Titel "Abyss Masterpiece" Anfang 2011 veröffentlichen. Jetzt wurde die Finale Track List enthüllt.

"Abyss Masterpiece" Track List:

01. The Arcadia Order
02. Fading Sun
03. Like Yesterday
04. Winter Slave
05. September Blood
06. Sudden Scars
07. A Poem For Mathilde
08. Leonor
09. Burden
10. Goddess Presiding Over Solitude
11. Morning Glory (In Manus Tuas Domine)
12. Her Lament

Das neue SHADOWS' GREY Album "Bonjour Tristesse" kommt am 21. Januar 2011 in den Handel und heute wurde auch das "Bonjour Tristesse" Cover Artwork enthüllt.

"Bonjour Tristesse" Track List:

01. Cold
02. I search for your Hand
03. Hurt
04. Gone
05. Worlds Collapse
06. The Promise
07. Broken
08. Lust
09. Love is suicide
10. Farewell
11. Unlike
12. Scargod

Norwegian band VREID will release its fifth album, simply entitled "V", on February 7, 2011 via Indie Recordings.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Arche
02. The Blood Eagle
03. Wolverine Bastards
04. The Sound Of The River
05. Fire On The Mountain
06. The Others & The Look
07. Slave
08. Welcome To The Asylum
09. Then We Die

German power metallers LANFEAR have issued the following update:

"There's a lot going on. All music including solos and acoustic guitars is done.

Last weekend Nuno (Miguel de Barros Ferndndes - vocals) started with the vocal sessions. He recorded 'Word Not Spoken', a very gloomy ballad and 'The Reverend', a groovy midtempo track with an unconventional outro and sinister lyrics.

He also did one third of 'Idiopathic Discreation', with over 7 minutes the longest track on the album. Rich in variety and maybe the most elaborate Lanfear composition until now. There's also a little John Arch homage to discover, hehe."

Lanfear are working on the follow-up to 2008's X To The Power Of Ten. Stay tuned for further updates.

DEVIL'S TRAIN, the new band featuring MYSTIC PROPHECY mainman/producer R.D. Liapakis, STRATOVARIUS drummer Jörg Michael and guitarist Lakis Ragazas, has announced the addition of bassist Jari Kainulainen to the group's ranks.

Kainulainen is a Finnish bassist who plays in the power metal supergroup SYMFONIA. He was previously a member of KILLING MACHINE, STRATOVARIUS and the progressive power metal band EVERGREY. Kainulainen plays Ibanez six-string basses and uses Ampeg amplifiers. He is influenced by Geezer Butler, Billy Sheehan, Cliff Burton and Steve Harris.

Commented Liapakis: "Jari is fully professional and has had much experience both in studio and in performing. His playing is the perfect missing part to complete the sound of the band as I pictured it when I first got the idea for DEVIL'S TRAIN as apart from his skilled playing he also enhances his performances with distinctive feeling and groove."

Having spent a month together on the road earlier this year as part of the "Polaris" tour, Liapakis and Michael decided to explore their common love of '80s hard rock/heavy metal by putting together an "old-school heavy/hard rock" band.

DEVIL'S TRAIN is a project Liapakis has been working on with Greek guitarist Lakis Ragazas for the past year and as soon as Michael heard it, he asked to become part of it as the group's drummer.

DEVIL'S TRAIN's as-yet-untitled debut album is being recorded at Prophecy and Music Factory studios and the production is being handled by Liapakis and Christian Schmid. A tentative early 2011 release is expected.

Commented Liapakis: "I am rock and roll down to my veins and I always had diverse influences in my music, a great part of which are expressed in the music I write with MYSTIC PROPHECY. However, the style of music I have been preparing for DEVIL'S TRAIN with Lakis Ragazas isn't the style that would fit MYSTIC PROPHECY and this is why I decided to initiate a side band. Luckily, other people with whom I have common musical background share my vice for rock 'n' roll and Jörg, as I found out when we toured together last January, is one of them. None of us is less of a member on our bands, we just want to have a rock 'n' roll party on the side!"

German hard rock legends the SCORPIONS have confirmed more worldwide live dates on their Get Your Sting And Blackout World Tour 2010/2011. The band's itinerary can be viewed below:

May
12 - St. Petersburg, Russia - Ledovi Dvorets (Arena)
14 - Rostov-On-Don, Russia - Dvorets Sporta DON
15 - Kazan, Russia - Tatneft Arena
17 - Krasnoyarsk, Russia - Dvorets Sporta Yarygina
19 - Khabarovsk, Russia - Platinum Arena
21 - Vladivostok, Russia - Rimsco Hall
23 - Novosibirsk, Russia - Dvorets Sporta Sibir
24 - EkaterinburgvRussia - Div Sport
26 - Moscow, Russia - SC Olympisky

June
17 - Oberursel, Germany - Hessentag
22 - Freiburg, Germany - Messe Freiburg
18 - Clisson, France - Hellfest
16 - Schweinfurt, Germany - Willy-Sachs-Stadion

HATETREND, a five-piece "groove machine" from Helsinki, Finland, will release their debut album, Violated, on February 16th, 2011 via Violent Journey Records.

The track listing for the CD — which contains "10 tracks of groovy death/thrash metal— is as follows:

'Free Yourself '
'BreakNeck'
'Borrowed Time'
'The Chemical Me'
'Violated'
'Ice Cold'
'This Is The Suffering'
'Disciple'
'Introducing Me'
'Weak'

Saskatoon-based thrash-death metallers UNTIMELY DEMISE have announced two live dates. Their schedule is as follows:




December
10 - The Fez - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (with WRATHED and ABSCISSION)
11 - The Royal Albert Arms - Winnipeg, Manitoba (with EVIL SURVIVES, PUTRESENCE, LAIKA, DISSOLUTION)

Untimely Demise have posted songs from their debut, City Of Steel, for streaming on their official MySpace page. Go to this location to check them out.

City Of Steel tracklisting is as follows:

'Virtue In Death'
'Hunting Evil'
'City Of Steel'
'Unmaker'
'Forger Of Belief'
'Streets Of Vice'
'Bloodsoaked Mission'