Norwegian black metallers ISKALD will release their third album, "The Sun I Carried Alone", on January 17, 2011 via Indie Recordings. The CD was mixed and mastered at 210 Studios in Berlin by producers Stamos Koliousis and Vangelis Labrakis.

Commented the band: "It has been quite a long process, starting back in August, but in the end it's all worth it. The sound is just what we hoped for and will represent what ISKALD really stands for now and in the future. We kind of melted 'Shades Of Misery' [ISKALD's debut album] and 'Revelations Of Reckoning Day' [the band's sophomore effort] together sound-wise to forfill our perfect sound. Music-wise, we continue down our dark musical path, introducing some new stuff and bringing back some old ideas. As for the song material in general, [we] would say that we have taken a huge step compared to the last ones, and there should be something in there for everyone."

"The Sun I Carried Alone" track listing:

01. Alucinor
02. Under the Black Moon
03. Natt utover Havet
04. Forged by Wolves
05. I Lys av Mørket
06. The sun I Carried Alone
07. Rigor Mortis
08. These Dreams Divine
09. Burning Bridges

Former DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy recently spoke to Classic Rock Prog magazine about his decision to quit the band he formed and led for 25 years. He said, "I'd be lying if I didn't say I am devastated [the rest of DREAM THEATER] chose to continue without me.

"After giving my heart and soul, blood, sweat and tears to the band for 25 years, I hoped they'd value me and our relationship enough to respect my need for us to take a little break. I am truly heartbroken over their decision. It also kills me that in the past the guys would never question or even debate my direction within the band. They always let me call the shots and always trusted my vision and guidance. Then, with such a huge and personal conflict, they disagreed with me for the first time — on the biggest decision of them all.

"On the surface, it may seem that life was great and full-steam ahead, but beneath the surface, there was a lot of friction and burn-out. We had one bandmember who would literally not even sit in the same room with the rest of us for years now. We'd only see him on stage or at meet-and-greets. Other members did a lot of complaining about the day-to-day stuff. These are obvious signs of wear and tear.

"Of course, in the wake of this split the guys have to pull together, so I'm sure they will surely look at these issues and change them. I'm just saddened they wouldn't wait for me to do it.

"Them choosing to move on without me it is ultimately going to seriously damage our relationship, as well as the legacy I spent so long building and protecting."

Portnoy, who is currently out with AVENGED SEVENFOLD as their touring drummer, previously said of his decision to quit DREAM THEATER, "Please believe me that it is not a hasty decision . . . it is something I have struggled with for the last year or so . . . After having had such amazing experiences playing with HAIL!, TRANSATLANTIC and AVENGED SEVENFOLD this past year, I have sadly come to the conclusion that I have recently had more fun and better personal relations with these other projects than I have for a while now in DREAM THEATER."

Portnoy added, "I love the DREAM THEATER guys dearly and have a long history, friendship and bond that runs incredibly deep with them — it's just that I think we are in serious need of a little break."

The drummer said that DREAM THEATER's "endless write/record/tour cycle for almost 20 years" was the main factor in his decision. He said he wanted a "break," not a "split," but that the band decided to move forward without him.

Portnoy added in a separate post on Facebook that his current gig with AVENGED SEVENFOLD had nothing to do with his departure from DREAM THEATER, writing, "They are just as shocked as you guys."

AVENGED recruited Portnoy to play on its new album, "Nightmare", following the death last December of the band's drummer, James "The Rev" Sullivan. Portnoy was Sullivan's favorite drummer.

DREAM THEATER said in its own statement, "All of us in DREAM THEATER wholeheartedly wish Mike the best on his musical journey. We have had a long and meaningful career together. It is our true hope that he finds all he is looking for, and that he achieves the happiness he deserves. He will be missed."

Australia's Faster Louder went backstage at a METALLICA gig this week to get up close and personal with the band's drummer, Lars Ulrich. Over the course of 15 very funny minutes, he talked about everything from the band's documentary, "Some Kind Of Monster", to why he is unashamedly the world's biggest U2 fan. A six-minute condensed version of the chat can be viewed below.

"I'm, like, the hugest U2 fan — I would borderline call myself a groupie, actually," Lars can be heard saying during the interview. "Playing with U2… I would fucking play on the parking lot. They're one of the only other bands that are still functioning after 30 years, just like we are, and I feel a lot of kinship in what they do and I just really admire and appreciate… They're really inspiring to me. I love their music, I love their way of reinventing themselves, and I love their way or thinking big and small. And it sort of works on all levels."

As previously reported, METALLICA has posted an explanation online of the now-infamous "beachball incident" that occurred during the band's November 11 concert in Sydney, Australia. Video footage showed guitarist Kirk Hammett kicking a large black beachball off the stage, which in turn knocked a little girl who standing onstage into the pit. The footage of the incident spread quickly across the Internet, although it was clear from the video that the whole thing was accidental.

The band wrote, "Some of you will have seen on YouTube (or read in some reports) that Kirk knocked a small child offstage by kicking a beachball at her. That little lady is the daughter of the stage manager and dressing coordinator, who are fortunate to travel as a family on this tour. She was thoroughly enjoying watching the beachballs drop from the rafters, Kirk was thoroughly enjoying kicking the beachballs off the stage and back into the crowd as has been done every night on the tour, and neither of them saw the other. The poor wee one happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She wasn't hurt. She didn't go 'flying several feet into the audience.' And Kirk and she remain good buddies."

The band's statement added, "It's very cool that everyone showed concern and support though, so we just wanted to say 'it's all good' and thanks for asking."

METALLICA's current run through Australia and New Zealand will complete the two-year touring cycle behind the band's 2008 album, "Death Magnetic", although the band may do some touring in 2011 and is confirmed to headline Rock In Rio next September.

METALLICA will release a nine-track live EP recorded in Nashville, titled "Live At Grimey's", on November 26.

RATT singer STEPHEN PEARCY will be hitting the studio soon to start work on his fourth solo release.

Pearcy says: "Expect the unexpected, It's time to pull out all the stops on this one, no fuckin' around. We've got more then enough material, and the material is ass kicking"!

There's a couple songs that should of been on "Infestation" that's for sure, stubbornness and politics prevented that. But there's a reason for everything. I've been writing songs the last year to this day, you can never have enough music.

I'm going to work the songs up at Fred Coury's (CINDRELLA) studio, and yes, hopefully he'll be drums on as much of the new music as I can get. My partner in grime; Erik Ferentinos, from my solo band and I have written plenty of songs for the BATTERING RAMM project, so were good to go. I'd also like to get a song with Carlos (Cavazo, who co wrote 'Eat Me Up Alive' and 'Best Of Me' with Pearcy for Ratt's Infestation) in there. It's all about the best solo music I have, and songs for Battering Ramm right now. We'll have some great players all over the new CD!

Hopes are to take the same players on tour next year.

With new management, I've got a full plate at the moment for 2011, and wouldn't have it any other way at this time."

Texas-based, mythological occult metal band ABSU will join the mighty IMMORTAL on their return to the U.S. for six shows early next year. The dates, announced earlier this week, will mark the first live performances for ABSU since the Scion Rock Fest in March of this year; the band completing two headline tours in 2009 to support the release of their sixth studio album, titled "Absu".

Drummer/vocalist Proscriptor notes, "We feel extremely privileged to have been invited to participate on IMMORTAL's 'All Shall Fall' U.S. tour in February 2011. Even though it is only a six-date tour, it's a colossal one for ABSU to be performing with our former labelmates of many years. We had the opportunity to share the stage with Immortal over eight years ago and this will be a very good experience for us."

These upcoming performances will mark the first time that ABSU will appear live as a trio. Proscriptor comments, "I am here to announce that guitarist Aethyris McKay has decided to quit ABSU and has recently relocated to Oslo , Norway to join PANTHEON I. Working with Aethyris for the past three years has been a prosperous experience and I have the utmost respect for him as my comrade and a superlative musician. He assisted me in resurrecting the band from its hiatus stage and I truly thank him for helping me recast the spell of 'mythological occult metal.'"

IMMORTAL with ABSU U.S. tour:

Feb. 19 - Gramercy Theater – New York, NY
Feb. 20 - Sonar – Baltimore, MD
Feb. 21 - Mr. Small's Theatre – Pittsburgh, PA
Feb. 22 - Bottom Lounge – Chicago, IL
Feb. 24 - The Summit Theatre – Denver, CO
Feb. 26 - Backstage Live – San Antonio, TX

After completion of the dates with IMMORTAL, ABSU will enter the studio to begin recording its new album, titled "Abzu". The recording will be the second of a three-part series. Proscriptor reveals, "This recording will feature our signature sound in maniacal fashion. Now, we're appending dirtier elements of psychedelia and fusion characteristics. Lyrically, it will descend deeper into Enki's lower world as well the Enochian Magic(k) System. I can tell you this album will definitely not be a "natural progression" from previous releases, but a feat of metaphysical conquest and murkiness."

Projected track listing of "Abzu" (in no particular order) is:

01. Circles Of The Oath
02. A Song For Ea
03. Skrying In The Spirit Vision
04. The Waters – The Denizens
05. Warren Of Imhullu
06. Earth Ripper
07. Ontologically, It Became Time & Space
08. Vita Janua Mortis

Long-running, female-fronted German thrashers HOLY MOSES have issued the following update:

"The year 2010 is not ended now, but we like to take the chance to give you a short overview.

"After the real successful shows in Finland, at Kaltenbach Open Air in Austria, and the really great shows with DORO at Landau Germany and at very great Bloodstock Open Air in U.K., the band is taking a live playing stop right now. But we are not sleeping. We are working on new songs, and we started up to arrange old-school classics of HOLY MOSES in a new structure.

"We will be back in the studio for an new HOLY MOSES album in spring 2010 at Absurd Studio Hamburg.

"From December 2011 until December 2012 we will have our 30-year anniversary with HOLY MOSES, and we are preparing us right now for this great event.

"Our contract with Wacken Records had ended in 2010 and we are dealing right now with different companies for the release of the new album and our first DVD in HOLY MOSES history.

"The first shows for summer 2011 are already booked and we will release this dates in the upcoming weeks in December.

"We will play only special shows starting up in 2011 around the whole world, to celebrate the 30th years anniversary of HOLY MOSES.

"We want to thank you already for that, because without you, our fans, HOLY MOSES would not exist for 30 years. Thanks for all your support also in 2010 and with a lot of power and energy we will start into 2011."

Although rumors keep circulating about further shows from AVANTASIA — the project led by EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet — in 2011, a statement on Tobias' official web site makes it clear that after AVANTASIA's December world tour, there will be no more tours or festival appearances from the project apart from the Wacken Open Air show in August 2011.

Commented Sammet: "In 2011 we will not play any show except from the Wacken show, due to commitments that we all have with our individual main bands. That's why we are very happy about having found a time frame to bring the show on stage in December. 'The Metal Opera Comes To Town' world tour 2010 will be a special event that will be neither repeated nor continued. That's why we'll play as many songs as possible and make it a special experience for us as much as for our fans. Because we are not naive enough to believe that this lineup will ever get the chance to share the stage again after the forthcoming tour."

AVANTASIA has scheduled the following dates:

Nov. 30 - Switzerland - Pratteln, Z7
Dec. 01 - Switzerland - Pratteln, Z7
Dec. 03 - Germany - Lichtenfels, Stadthalle *
Dec. 04 - Germany - Kaufbeuren, All Karthalle *
Dec. 05 - Sweden - Stockholm, Arenan
Dec. 08 - Japan - Tokyo, Shinagawa Stella Ball
Dec. 10 - Mexico - Mexico City, Circo Volador
Dec. 13 - Brazil - Sao Paulo, CTN
Dec. 15 - Argentina - Buenos Aires, [venue to be announced]
Dec. 18 - Germany - Fulda, Esperantohalle *
Dec. 19 - Germany - Essen, Grugahalle *
Aug. 06, 2011 - Germany - Wacken, Wacken Open Air

Alex Landenburg (pictured below; AT VANCE, ANNIHILATOR, MEKONG DELTA) has commented on his new gig as the stand-in drummer for STRATOVARIUS after the band's regular drummer, Jörg Michael, was diagnosed with cancer and had his entire thyroid removed.

"I will be stepping in for Jörg Michael on the first part of the upcoming tour with HELLOWEEN," Alex said. "Being a longtime fan of the band myself (I bought [1995's] 'Fourth Dimension' as a 14-year-old kid), this is, of course, exciting for me.

"Sadly, the circumstances — as you can read in the statement from [STRATOVARIUS keyboardist] Jens Johansson — are terrible. Jörg has cancer.

"I feel honored to have been chosen to step in for Jörg on this part of the tour and I will do my best to deliver great shows to the STRATOVARIUS fans.

"I'm sure Jörg will be back soon and just like anybody else I'm mostly looking forward to seeing STRATOVARIUS from besides the stage with Jörg behind the drums again!

"OK, all for now... gotta go back to learning some new songs!

"See you on the road."

HAIL! — the supergroup featuring vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, BEYOND FEAR) and guitarist Andreas Kisser (SEPULTURA) alongside a rotating list of musicians, including drummers Paul Bostaph (TESTAMENT, SLAYER, EXODUS, FORBIDDEN) and Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, AVENGED SEVENFOLD); and bassists James Lomenzo (MEGADETH) and David Ellefson (MEGADETH) — has issued the following update:

"We are working hard on putting together a new DVD that will capture our history and spotlight all our live shows, special guests and exclusive behind the scene looks at our travels, rehearsals, soundchecks, interviews, meet-and-greets, etc.

"We are looking for all video footage and photos that anybody might have so if you want the chance to have it included, please contact us at kingabba@aol.com and let us know what you have so we can check it out. You have all been the main reason we have done HAIL! and we want to include a special fan section as a way of saying thank you for all your love and support."

In April 2010 it was announced that SLIPKNOT bassist Paul Gray had joined HAIL! He was supposed to replace the group's original member, David Ellefson, who was unable to take part in HAIL!'s current touring activities due to his renewed collaboration with MEGADETH.

Subconscious Lobotomy, the debut album from now defunct Swedish death metal band CENTINEX has been re-released through Memento Mori.

A statement reads: official CD re-release of the long out-of-print and very sought-after debut album by the legendary Swedish band, originally released in 1992. The release features a new layout designed by Eduardo M and a retro-interview with Mr. Martin Schulman himself conducted by Eduardo de Leon Alejo (Supposed To Rot Magazine). The release includes the Under the Blackened Sky (1993) and Transcend the Dark Chaos (1994) demo tapes as bonus for a total running time of over 60 minutes of sheer and unadulterated Swedeath.

Subconscious Lobotomy tracklisting:
'Blood On My Skin'
'Shadows Are Astray'
'Dreams Of Death'
'Orgy In Flesh'
'End Of Life'
'Bells Of Misery'
'Inhuman Dissections Of Souls'
'The Aspiration'
'Until Death Tear Us Apart'
'Cranial Dismemberment' *
'Only Slices Remains' *
'Torn Within' *
'Transcend The Dark Chaos' **
'Thorns Of Desolation' **
'Eternal Lies' **
'At the Everlasting End' **

* taken from the Under the Blackened Sky demo tape (1993)
** taken from the Transcend the Dark Chaos demo tape (1994)

BUDGIE singer/bassist Burke Shelley recently underwent emergency surgery, causing the band to cancel their European Tour.

A statement from Shelley reads as follows:
"I'd like to say sorry to all the Polish and Czech fans for the recent cancellation of the tour dates. This is because I became ill just before the tour began and had to have emergency surgery in Poland. I'm now recovering at home and I don't yet know what the future holds. Thanks to all those who supported me particularly the Polish surgeons. Thanks also to all those who sent messages and thanks to God the Father and Jesus Christ my saviour and the Holy Spirit."

Shelley was admitted to hospital after complaining of pains in his abdomen on Tuesday, November 9th in Wejherowo, Poland. A team of surgeons was quickly assembled to operate on the singer and bassist who was diagnosed as having a 6 cm aneurism of the aorta. Tests revealed that Burke’s aorta was leaking blood into the outer wall of the aneurism which could have burst at any time. He underwent a two hour 40 minute operation.

METALLICA's World Magnetic Tour, in support of the group's ninth studio album, Death Magnetic, which was released in September 2008 - officially kicked off in October 2008 in Glendale, AZ. By September 2010, the tour had reached North America, Europe, South America, Asia and Oceania. The tour culminated with three dates in Melbourne, Australia in late November 2010.

Metallica have issued the following tour summary:

"The World Magnetic tour crossed 45 countries, 143 arena shows, 34 festival shows, 29 stadium shows, 4 club/theater shows, three tv/radio shows, two hall of fame shows, 3790 songs, and not a single setlist was the same."

Silje Wergeland (vocals), Frank Boeijen (keyboards) and Marjolein Kooijman (bass) of Dutch/Norwegian rockers THE GATHERING played a short acoustic set yesterday (Saturday, November 20) at the Groene Engel in Oss, The Netherlands as a way of demonstrating against Dutch government's plans to slash arts funding. Video footage of the performance can be viewed below (courtesy of Jorg Kennis).

According to the BBC News, the Dutch government has pledged to cut 200 million euros ($274 million) from its arts budget over the next five years.

It has also approved plans to raise sales tax on theatre, cinema and concert tickets from 6% to 19%.

In Amsterdam, around 20,000 people gathered on Saturday afternoon on the Leidseplein to listen to music and give protest speeches against the proposed cuts.

WINTERSUN, the Finnish band led by former ENSIFERUM singer Jari Mäenpää, is continuing work on its long-awaited second album, tentatively titled "Time".

Commented Jari: "I've been working very hard with the synths and orchestrations and I can finally say that I'm feeling very positive about finishing this long and gruesome task by Christmas. So hopefully around the end of December I can finally start mixing the album. I still have a few vocal parts unfinished, but I will be singing them meanwhile I'm mixing.

"The only problem about the mixing is that my current computer gear simply cannot handle these insanely huge projects. And the other problem is that I have no money for new gear. So we have discussed about this problem with our label and management and they have agreed to help us with an advance to buy new and more powerful computer gear, but only if we agree to play a few shows and show people that WINTERSUN is still alive. So after carefully weighting all the different possibilies, we think we need to play these shows to help the completion of the album.

The shows will be for now:

* Metalfest (three shows)
* Metalcamp (one show)

"There's lot of work and preparation to do for these shows, 'cause we have to update our live gear as well, sort out technical difficulties and, of course, rehearse the songs. This will most likely affect negatively with the mixing schedule, so I can't give any predictions with that yet. I also need to try out the new computer gear first and see how it handles these projects. The software is still not 64-bit, so the 'infamous 4GB RAM limit' might also be a problem with the mixing, since these projects already eat about 3GB without any plugins. But I will do my best to overcome this challenge the fastest way I can.

"See you at the gigs! Who knows, we might even play one new riff… I mean song!"

Songtitles set to appear on "Time" include "Sons of Winter and Stars", "Land of Snow and Sorrow", "Time", "Fire", "One with the Shadows", "Storm" and "Silver Leaves".

The band previously described the upcoming album as containing "seven epic songs and quite long ones. It's a theme album. The music has some new dimensions, but has also the recognizable 'WINTERSUN style.'"

WINTERSUN's debut CD, "Jari Mäenpää", was released in September 2004 through Nuclear Blast Records.

STRATOVARIUS eine der erfolgreichsten Metalbands aus Finnland melden sich im Januar eindrucksvoll mit ihrem neuesten Studioalbum "Elysium" zurück. 2009 haben sie mit ihrem Album "Polaris" einen grandiosen Start mit dem neuen Gitarristen Matias Kupiainen hingelegt! Das neueste Meisterwerk der finnischen Band beinhaltet melodische, kraftvolle, frische und technisch hervorragend ausgearbeitete Hits und wird die Fangemeinde mehr als überzeugen können.

"Elysium" wird in vier Formaten erhältlich sein. Zur normalen CD wird es eine aufwendige Deluxe Edition mit Bonustracks im Digipak geben und auch Vinylfreunde kommen mit der "Collectors Edition" (CD + zwei exklusive Bonustracks auf 7") und der klassischen LP auf ihre Kosten.

"Elysium" Collectors Edition Track List:

Disk: 1

01. Darkest Hours
02. Under Flaming Skies
03. Infernal Maze
04. Fairness Justified
05. The Game Never Ends
06. Lifetime In A Moment
07. Move The Mountain
08. Event Horizon
09. Elysium

Disk: 2

01. Darkest Hours Demo
02. Under Flaming Skies Demo
03. Infernal Maze Demo
04. Fairness Justified Demo
05. The Game Never Ends Demo
06. Lifetime In A Moment Demo
07. Move The Mountain Demo
08. Event Horizon Demo
09. Elysium Demo

Disk: 3

01. 7"
02. A. Last Shore
03. B. Hallowed

"Swedish metal at its best!" and "The first legitimate successor of AT THE GATES' milestone 'Slaughter Of The Soul'" is what Germany's Metal Hammer magazine wrote back in the early to mid-2000s when NIGHTRAGE released their much-lauded albums "Sweet Vengeance" (2003) and "Descent Into Chaos" (2005) on Century Media Records.

Now, on "Vengeance Descending" you now have the chance to discover these albums on one double CD including detailed liner notes by Tomas Lindberg (AT THE GATES), Marios Iliopoulos, Fredrik Nordström (DREAM EVIL; producer of AT THE GATES, IN FLAMES, DARK TRANQUILLITY) and Gus G. (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIREWIND) as well as new artwork (see below) by Gustavo Sazes (ARCH ENEMY, THE CROWN, FIREWIND, DREAM EVIL). Also, exclusive to this release is a previously unreleased track named "Gallant Deeds" featuring lead vocals by Mikael Stanne from DARK TRANQUILLITY.

Stanne comments: "A long time ago my friend Marios asked me to sing on one of his songs for the next NIGHTRAGE album. Being a fan of his work and NIGHTRAGE, I, of course, agreed. The song was very different and very cool. So I was happy to do it. It didn't fit on the album though so this is the very first time you guys get to hear it. Hope you like it!"

Formed in 2000 by mastermind Marios Iliopoulos after the demise of EXHUMATION, NIGHTRAGE became one of the most sensational melodic death metal outfits after the millennium. Not only because of Iliopoulos' creative skills, but also because of a legendary lineup that easily deserves being labelled a melodic death metal fan's wet dream come true:

Both albums featured Tomas Lindberg (AT THE GATES) on vocals and renowned guitarist Gus G. (FIREWIND, OZZY OSBOURNE) whereas guest musicians included Tom S. Englund (EVERGREY), Fredrik Nordström (DREAM EVIL), Per M. Jensen (THE HAUNTED), Mikael Stanne (DARK TRANQUILLITY) and many more.

Lindberg states: "When I listen to these albums again today, I still sense this honesty, this sincere dedication that these songs portray — it was easy for me to feel creative in this atmosphere and great fun, too. It's one of my proudest moments when I sum up my career."

"Vengeance Descending":

CD1: "Sweet Vengeance"

01. The Tremor
02. The Glow of the Setting Sun
03. Hero
04. Elusive Emotion
05. Gloomy Daydreams
06. Macabre Apparition
07. In My Heart
08. Ethereal
09. Circle Of Pain
10. At The Ends Of The Earth
11. The Howls Of The Wolves
12. Gloomy Daydreams (Extended Demo Version) *

* Japanese bonus track of "Sweet Vengeance"

CD2: "Descent into Chaos"

01. Being Nothing
02. Phantasma
03. Poems
04. Descent into Chaos
05. Frozen
06. Drug
07. Silent Solitude
08. Omen
09. Release
10. Solus
11. Jubilant Cry
12. Reality Vs. Truth
13. Black Skies *
14. Gallant Deeds **

* Japanese bonus track of "Descent Into Chaos"
** Previously unreleased, featuring Mikael Stanne on vocals

THE INIQUITY DESCENT, the new extreme-metal project featuring vocalist Mathias "Vreth" Lillmåns of Finnish folk metallers FINNTROLL, will release its debut EP, "Trust The Serpent", on November 29. The CD was mastered at Nordic Audio Labs by Sami "Hannu" Koivisto and contains four songs (out of 11 that were recently tracked).

"Trust The Serpent" EP track listing:

01. Obedience Torn
02. Decimate, Disintegrate
03. Trust The Serpent
04. Asinine & Absurd

Swiss death metallers REQUIEM will enter Stage One studio in Buehne/Borgentreich, Germany December 6 with acclaimed producer Andy Classen (LEGION OF THE DAMNED, DEW-SCENTED, DISBELIEF, KRISIUN and many more) to begin recording the follow-up to last year's "Infiltrate... Obliterate... Dominate", titled "Within Darkened Disorder". The band states, "The songwriting process is finally finished. We are all looking forward to record this new 'monolith' with our well-known producer Andy Classen and the new lineup." The CD will be released in early 2011 via an as-yet-undisclosed German label.

"Within Darkened Disorder" track listing:

01. Echoes Of War
02. Feed The Greed
03. The Plague Without A Face
04. I Am Legion
05. Solemn Sacrifice
06. Within Darkened Disorder
07. Vicious Deception
08. Purified In Flames
09. Symbol Of Nine
10. Omnivore

Fan-filmed video footage of ENSLAVED's entire November 10, 2010 performance at the Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia can be viewed at Tyronehood.tv. A couple of the clips are available below.

"Axioma Ethica Odini", the eleventh studio album from ENSLAVED, sold around 1,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 16 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Axioma Ethica Odini" was released in Norway on September 20, in the rest of Europe on September 27 and in North America on September 28.

The CD's cover artwork was created by the Norwegian artist Truls Espedal, who has painted every ENSLAVED album cover since 2001's "Monumension".

"Axioma Ethica Odini" was made available as a special edition in gatefold seven-inch format with the entire album on CD and a seven-inch vinyl single as a bonus, as well as a regular jewel case and double vinyl. The bonus seven-inch single includes the songs "Jotunblod (Doom)" and "Migration".

ENSLAVED's eleventh studio album was recorded at three different studios in Bergen, Norway: 1) Duper; 2) Earshot (belonging to ENSLAVED members Herbrand Larsen [keyboardist/backing vocalist] and Ice Dale [lead guitarist]); and 3) Peersonal Sound (owned by rhythm guitarist/songwriter Ivar Bjørnson). It is the follow-up to 2008's "Vertebrae", which sold over 1,100 copies its first week of release in North America and debuted on the American Billboard Hard Music chart at No. 11 and on the Heatseekers chart at No. 49. In ENSLAVED's native country, "Vertebrae" entered the official chart at No. 20 and earned the band its third consecutive Spellemann award (the largest and oldest Norwegian music awards show, which is often referred to as the country's equivalent to the American Grammy Awards). "Vertebrae" also won Terrorizer magazine's coveted "Album of the Year" award for 2008.