Finnish traditional heavy metal act MANITOU, which features in its ranks members of OMNIUM GATHERUM, MALPRACTICE and KAIHORO, has announced plans to disband. The group explains in a statement, "We had some new rocking songs ready for the recording and we even had a new bad-ass keyboard player Mikko Reinamo on board. Too bad that we failed to get the recordings done due to the lack of motivation.

"12 years, three great albums and a big bunch of great gigs, ups and downs. A big thank you goes to all our friends, fans, co-operation partners and supporters, you know who you are!

"The good news are that Ismo [Laukkanen; bass], Antti [Laurén; guitar], Mikko and Markus [Vanhala; guitar] are already working together on a new still anonymous project, which will in a way continue the legacy of MANITOU with a new singer and drummer on board. More info coming soon on this case, so keep on checking the MANITOU MySpace page for updates on what's happening in the family.

"But we won't be leaving here quietly as we'll be still performing one last show and playing the MANITOU farewell gig at the mighty local Dark River Festival on August 7th at Honkala Ski Stadium in Karhula. So, be sure you won't miss this event as you really can't catch this later!"

MANITOU's third album, "No Signs of Wisdom", was released in July 2007 via Metal Heaven. The CD was recorded at SouthEastSounds Studio in Karhula, Finland with producer Teemu Aalto (OMNIUM GATHERUM, SINAMORE) and was mastered at Chartmakers. According to a press release, the new material appeals to fans of "IRON MAIDEN, QUEENSRŸCHE, ANNIHILATOR, DIO, TAROT, WHITESNAKE... Traditional heavy metal, that is!"

MANITOU released its second full-length album, "Deadlock", in March 2006 through Firebox.

A brand new OTEP track, "Rise, Rebel, Resist", is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page. The song comes off the Los Angeles-based group's fourth full-length studio album, "Smash the Control Machine", which is scheduled for release on August 18 via Victory Records.

"Smash the Control Machine" track listing:

01. Rise, Rebel, Resist
02. Sweet Tooth
03. Smash The Control Machine
04. Head
05. Numb And Dumb
06. Oh, So Surreal
07. Run For Cover
08. Kisses & Kerosene
09. Unveiled
10. UR A WMN NOW
11. Serv Asat
12. Where The River Ends
13. I Remember

Singer, songwriter, renegade Otep Shamaya says of the album, "The economic crisis is hitting every working family in this country. The album and its title track, 'Smash The Control Machine', will lay bare the greed and corruption that fostered this calamity, but will also focus on the undying spirit of the working class that always fights the good fight. The title is a line from a William S. Burroughs poem. It is my intention to create an album that serves every head of the hydra that is OTEP. From poetry, to politics, to shock and awe, to sex and righteousness, to standing up and fighting back. Like the mystical symbol of the Ouroboros (the sacred serpent swallowing its tail) all things will be brought back to circle."

Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH are streaming a brand new track, "Shemhamforash", on their MySpace page. The song comes off the band's ninth full-length studio album, "Evangelion", which is scheduled for release on August 7 in Europe via Nuclear Blast Records and August 11 in North America through Metal Blade. The CD was mixed at Miloco Studios in London, England by Colin Richardson, who has previously worked with MACHINE HEAD, SLIPKNOT, NAPALM DEATH and BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, among many others.

"Evangelion" track listing:

01. Daimonos
02. Shemaforash
03. Ov Fire And The Void
04. Transmigrating Beyond Realms Ov Amenti
05. He Who Breeds Pestilence
06. The Seed Ov I
07. Alas, Lord Is Upon Me
08. Defiling Morality Ov Black God
09. Lucifer

The digipack edition will include a bonus DVD with behind-the-scenes footage and expanded artwork.

"Shemhamforash"

(music and lyrics by Nergal)

Consumed By Tongues Ov Fire
Burning Like Phlegethon
Holy Gardens Reduced To Ash
Extinguishing Light Ov Hope
Bringing The End Ov The Days

Words Ov My Gospel Scattered
Sacrilegious Scorn Spat In Pale Creeds
Thin Is The Line Between Pure Being And Pure Nothing
My Sole Companion
Woe To Thee!

At My Command:
Let The Blood Ov The Infants Flood The Streets Ov Bethelehem!

O Ye Ov Little Faith
With Ethics Rotten In A Moral Cage
Dead Meat Thrown Down To The Worms
To Feed Religious Tumor
Corrupting Marrow Ov Repugnant Swirl

At My Command:
Let The Blood Ov The Infants Flood The Streets Ov Bethelehem!
At My Command:
Let The Heads Ov Samaritan Pave My Ways!

Shemhamforash!!! [End of lyrics]

According to BEHEMOTH: "The Shemhamphorasch is an epithet for a 216-letter name of God discovered by medieval kabbalists in the book of Exodus by reading the letters of three verses in a specific order. The name is composed of 72 groups of three letters, each of these triplets being the name of an angel or intelligence. According to the magical tradition, King Solomon evoked 72 demons, confined them in a bronze vessel sealed by magical symbols, and obliged them to work for him. These demons are catalogued in various magical grimoires, most notably in Lemegeton, which gives descriptions of their powers, appearance and manner, as well as instructions for controlling them. These demons are shadows of the 72 angels of shemhamphorasch. Using their names and sigils, we are able to call on the various demons for various favors. Regardless of our opinions on subjectivity or objectivity of such a phenomenon, despite of our interpretative model of their existence, be it ontological (magicko-religious) or epistemological (magicko-scientific), certain things do happen. Demons and angels enable us to categorize life experience and to face it more consciously. Our life and art is not about providing you with ideology and persuade different 'isms.' It is a battle field for opposite forces, pangs of childbirth whose name will be Perfection."

British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST have issued the following update:

"Due to a longstanding commitment made prior to him joining PARADISE LOST, Adrian [Erlandsson, drums] will be unable to perform with the band at the Alternavigo Festival in Vigo, Spain on August 7. So for one night only, former member Jeff Singer will occupy the PARADISE LOST drum stool. Jeff's return for this show not only allows everyone to honor their prior commitments but gives Jeff a chance to say 'goodbye' to the loyal PARADISE LOST fans in style. This will be the band's final summer show before they kick-off their European tour on October 30 at King Tut's in Glasgow."

PARADISE LOST is streaming a new song, "As Horizons End", on its MySpace page. The track comes off the band's new album, "Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us", due on September 28, 2009 in Europe and October 6, 2009 in the U.S. via Century Media Records.

Video footage of MACHINE HEAD guitarist Phil Demmel collapsing on stage on Saturday (July 25) during the band's blistering set at the Sonisphere festival in Pori, Finland can be viewed below. Although Phil had to be helped off stage, he quickly regained consciousness and issued an apology to the fans "for cheating them of their last song." He told Team Sonisphere a short time later, "I feel I short-changed the fans and really want to make it up for them. Thanks for all the concern."

This is not the first time Phil — who suffers from a rare condition called cardiogenic syncope (which means that the heart sometimes fails to pump enough blood to the brain, resulting in the sufferer blacking out) — has collapsed on stage. MACHINE HEAD was forced to cancel the last two shows of its European tour with SLIPKNOT last December after Demmel blacked out during the second-to-last song of the band's set in Sheffield, England.

In a February 2009 interview with HeadbangersBlog.com, MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn stated about Demmel's previous collapses, "It had been happening a bit on this last tour, most dramatically in Paris where, for no apparent reason, at one in the afternoon, he collapsed face first into a wooden table and broke two glass ashtrays on his chest and had to go to the hospital. For the most part, none were public or onstage, so they weren't publicized, but we're very concerned, worried, and a little scared about what's going on. It's confusing. And because it's so random, frankly, it seems dangerous. The doctors he's been seeing, in my opinion, haven't been doing enough, and the advice they've given him is ridiculous. But he seems to be feeling good, and it hasn't happened since then, which is a great sign. He's working to change his habits and to be a little healthier (eating, exercise, stretching) but other than the first few days out, his habits haven't really changed much."

Swedish melodic progressive death metallers SCAR SYMMETRY will release their new album, "Dark Matter Dimensions", in October via Nuclear Blast Records.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. The Iconoclast
02. The Consciousness Eaters
03. Noumenon And Phenomenon
04. Ascension Chamber
05. Mechanical Soul Cybernetics
06. Non-Human Era
07. Dark Matter Dimensions
08. Sculptor Void
09. A Parenthesis In Eternity
10. Frequency-Shifter
11. Radiant Strain
12. Pariah

Petter Karlsson wasn't only taking care of the drums in THERION for over four years. He was also a singer, guitarist, head composer, co-producer and recording engineer on the band's 13th album, "Gothic Kabbalah", considered by many to be the best THERION album to date.

Over 200 shows later, it was time to create something of his own. He quit THERION and in the year 2008 he started HOLOCOASTER, an exciting, new project, and began composing new material.

Commented Petter: "The last year I've received hundreds of mails from fans begging me to come up with something new .This is the first time I've ever been able to put 110% effort, commitment, blood and tears into my music without any compromises."

TORTURE DIVISION, the new Swedish death metal project featuring guitarist Lord K. Philipson (THE PROJECT HATE, GOD AMONG INSECTS, ex-LEUKEMIA), bassist/vocalist Jörgen Sandström (VICIOUS ART, THE PROJECT HATE, ex-ENTOMBED, GRAVE) and drummer Tobias "Tobben" Gustafsson (VOMITORY), will enter the studio today to begin recording a new demo featuring the next three songs to be completed by the all-star lineup. Entitled "Evighetens Dårar", the recording will be the first part of the band's second demo trilogy and it will feature the songs "Heretics! Now!", "Eld Och Plågor" and "Traumatic Inhuman Severance". The demo will once again be mixed by Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, NIGHTINGALE, BLOODBATH).

TORTURE DIVISION's first demo trilogy — which was previously available for free download via the band's web site — was released on vinyl on April 6 via Vic Records. As previously reported, the recordings were also made available in CD format through Abyss Records. Entitled "With Endless Wrath We Bring Upon Thee Our Infernal Torture", the effort contains the band's "Suffer The Shitmass" seven-inch EP as bonus tracks.

U.K. experimental black metallers THE MEADS OF ASPHODEL will have their "The Early Years" album released next month via Godreah Records. This release focuses on the Metatron/Jaldaboath (a.k.a. James Fogarty of EWIGKEIT) years (1998-2001). The whole concept of the band sprung from this lineup. The CD features tracks from all three demos — "The Bemoaning of Metatron", "Metatron and the Red Gleaming Serpent", and "The Watchers of Catal Huyuk" — plus unreleased "Jihad" session demos and other obscure tracks. The disc will be distributed via Shellshock.

"The Early Years" track listing:

01. Angel Whore (1998)
02. Book of Dreams (1998)
03. The Gleaming Red Serpent (1999)
04. Just another time to Kill (1999)
05. Pale Dread Hunger (1999)
06. Rise in Godless Hell (1999)
07. Give me Fire [GBH] (1999)
08. Neurodeliri [BULLDOZER] (2000)
09. Bound Alive (2000)
10. Bleed for Me (2000)
11. Calling All Monsters (2000)
12. Paradise (2001)
13. Another God in another Place (2001)
14. Ogs Last Stand (2002)

According to RollingStone.com, Eddie Van Halen is said to be on the mend after undergoing surgery to treat increasing pain in his left hand.

"During the last leg of our tour, I started developing pain in my thumb and my pinky. I didn’t think much of it at the time," the guitarist says. "It got progressively worse to the point that about three months ago I wasn’t able to play at all. My pinky and my thumb were totally locked up and felt like there was something broken."

Van Halen sought out specialists in Düsseldorf, Germany, who initially began treating the guitarist for arthritis, but soon discovered a bone spur, twisted tendon and a cyst in the joint of his left thumb.

DOWNSPIRIT, the German/Swiss blues/metal-oriented band formed by SYMPHORCE/ex-FREEDOM CALL guitarist Cedric "Cede" Dupont, will enter the studio in November to begin recording its debut album for an early 2010 release. The group says, "It's going to be a killer!"
Prior to entering the studio, DOWNSPIRIT will play several shows in Germany and Switzerland in September. More information is available on the band's MySpace page.

"Blending old blues roots with a modern, downtuned guitar-feel, [DOWNSPIRIT's] songs are a mixture of typical bluesy '80s hard rock and a contemporary metal sound, which also includes some electro loops," according to a press release.

DOWNSPIRIT is:

Steffen Lauth - Vocals
Cédric "Cede" Dupont - Lead Guitars
Axel "Aki" Reissmann - Rhythm Guitars
Sven Rakowitz - Bass
Sebastian Dunkel - Drums

The management for legendary heavy metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio (HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW, DIO) has released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET:

"It has come to [our] attention that a band calling themselves DIO are advertised in Pollstar under Ronnie James Dio as playing Zomerpop festival in Netherlands on Sept 5/6. This is not Ronnie James Dio or anything to do with DIO. This is a trademark name. This is very misleading for the DIO fans."

The Zomerpop date has since been removed from Ronnie James Dio's concert listing on Pollstar. However, "DIO" is still being advertised as taking part in the event on the festival's official web site.

"Dio" is the alias of the 21-year-old Dutch rapper Diorno Braaf. Born in Amsterdam in 1988, he grew up without a father and mainly lived on the streets. Influenced by Notorious BIG, Jay-Z and Eminem, he started to write songs and rap in 2004.

For more information on the rapper who calls himself "Dio," visit www.diomusic.nl.

The track listing has been revealed for the upcoming 10th anniversary reissue of SLIPKNOT's self-titled major label debut, due out on September 29. The CD/DVD set will feature all-new digipack packaging and a total of 25 songs, including the original album plus several previously unreleased cuts and demo tracks. The DVD portion of the set was created, like all the band's previous DVDs, by percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan and will contain "tons" of behind-the-scenes and early live footage.

CD (cover) track listing:

01. 742617000027
02. (Sic)
03. Eyeless
04. Wait And Bleed
05. Surfacing
06. Spit It Out
07. Tattered & Torn
08. Purity (Bonus Track)
09. Liberate
10. Prosthetics
11. No Life
12. Diluted
13. Only One
14. Scissors
15. Eeyore
16. Me Inside (Bonus Track)
17. Get This (Bonus Track)
18. Spit It Out (Hyper Version) (Bonus Track)
19. Spit It Out (Stamp You Out Mix) (Bonus Track)
20. (Sic) (Molt-Injected Mix) (Bonus Track)
21. Wait And Bleed (Terry Date Mix) (Bonus Track)
22. Wait And Bleed (Demo) (Bonus Track)
23. Snap (Demo) (Bonus Track)
24. Interloper (Demo) (Bonus Track)
25. Despise (Demo) (Bonus Track)

DVD:

"Of The Sic: A Decade Come And Gone": A short film by M. Shawn Crahan giving a peek into the surreal and complex time around the release of SLIPKNOT's debut album. Plus director's commentary, never-before-seen live concert.

Music videos:

* Spit It Out
* Wait And Bleed
* Wait And Bleed (Animated Version)

Crahan told The Pulse of Radio a while back how he goes about putting together the pieces for the band's DVDs. "I look for the thing that makes me taste and smell and gets me excited, you know," he said. "I look for those things to start it off, and once I have a few of those, then I get going. And then the plot goes from there."

The DVD will also include a commentary track from Crahan.

A "super deluxe" box set version of the re-release will come in packaging that resembles a safety deposit box, containing a T-shirt, patch, collectible cards, key chain, beanie and a note from singer Corey Taylor.

There's no word yet on the price of the deluxe version or how many copies will be available.

The original album was released on June 29, 1999 and has sold over 1.5 million copies.

MASTERLAN, the melodic power metal band led by former HELLOWEEN guitarist Roland Grapow, has released the following statement:

"After months of rumors and speculations, it is now official: [Norwegian singer] Jorn Lande will once again join forces with his old bandmates and work on what is expected to be yet another MASTERPLAN masterpiece.

"The new album is already in the works and Jorn is right now in Roland Grapow Studios in Slovakia recording his vocals.

"The release date is not yet decided, but the album is scheduled to hit the market sometime in early 2010."

FEINDFLUG kicks up heels! It is no secret that FEINDFLUG are famous for their pumping and nerve-wracking concerts! But now everyone will know for sure that this is definitely no exaggeration. During the Amphi-festival in Colonia on 18th July, after only 40 minutes of the FEINDFLUG concert, 2 square metres of ceiling plaster crushed down the stage onto Banane and his keyboard. Fortunately, the plaster first crushed on a crossbeam and was smashed into pieces. These pieces crusehd on Banane´s head fortunately leaving only some scratches and bruises on Banane´s hand. The gig was immediately interrupted - the concert hall was closed after the organiser and the owner of the hall had observed the damage. The last concert, a Laibach gig, was performed with a two hours delay at the newly installed stage at the theatre - as well as all of the following indoor-program of the next day. Amphi rocks!

German progressive black metallers SECRETS OF THE MOON will release their new album, "Privilegivm", on September 11 in Germany and September 14 in the rest of Europe via Prophecy Productions. According to the band. The CD's cover art, which was designed by "France's best media artist" Metastazis, can be viewed below.

will be available in three different formats:

* First edition digipack CD, including the bonus track "A Million Suns"
* Limited gatefold double LP, including the bonus track "A Million Suns" and poster
* Limited luxus box featuring the digipack CD, two seven-inch singles with remixes by Esoteric, In Slaughter Natives, Melek-Tha and Inswarm plus one patch/armlet.

The album can be pre-ordered from the ProMedia Online Shop.

"Privilegivm" was produced by Markus Stock and was mastered by Peter in De Betou at Stockholm, Sweden's Tailor Maid Production.

"Privilegivm" track listing:

01. Privilegivm
02. Sulphur
03. Black Halo
04. I Maldoror
05. Harvest
Part I: I Forgive Myself
Part II: The Tree Of Life
Part III: Exsultet
06. For They Know Not
07. Queen Among Rats
08. Descent (instrumental)
09. Shepherd

A new BURNT BY THE SUN track entitled "There Will Be Blood" is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page. The song comes off the New Jersey-based hardcore/metal act's long-awaited new full length album, "Heart Of Darkness", which is scheduled for release on August 18 in North America and August 24 internationally via Relapse Records. It will be available on CD, limited edition LP, and a limited-edition deluxe CD/DVD set that includes all of the band's official music and live videos plus behind-the-scenes footage shot during the making of "Heart Of Darkness". Additional information on these different formats, including pre-order options, can be found here.

French experimental black metal masters BLUT AUS NORD have inked a deal with Debemur Morti Productions. The band is currently in the studio recording its new, vinyl-only album entitled "What Once Was..." to celebrate the group's return to the "underground realm." according to a press release.

BLUT AUS NORD's latest album, "Memoria Vetusta II - Dialogue With The Stars", was released on February 23. The band's singer/guitarist Vindsval stated about the conceptual sequel to 1996's "Memoria Vetusta", "This album is extremely important for us. This time you won't find any industrial sounds or disharmonies on the album."

"The Dethalbum II", the new album by DETHKLOK, the animated metal band from Adult Swim's "Metalocalypse", will be released on September 8 via Williams Street Records. The effort features 12 full-length tracks detailing DETHKLOK's exploits in murder, mayhem and all things brutal. Written by series co-creator Brendon Small and recorded alongside legendary drummer Gene Hoglan, "Dethklok: The Dethalbum II" will be released as both a standard edition and a two-disc deluxe edition on CD and digital download beginning September 8. Additionally, a limited edition vinyl of the album will be released in to local record shops on September 29.

The track listing is as follows:

01. Bloodlines
02. The Gears
03. Burn the Earth
04. Laser Canon Deth Sentence
05. Black Fire Upon Us
06. Deth Support
07. The Cyborg Slayers
08. I Tamper with the Evidence at the Murder Site of Odin
09. Murmaider II: The Water God
10. Comet Song
11. Symmetry
12. Volcano

The deluxe edition will include a bonus DVD with 52 minutes of never-before-released music videos featured in the 2008 DETHKLOK tour.

Check out the cover artwork here.

Created by Brendon Small ("Home Movies") and Tommy Blacha ("Da Ali G Show"), the "Metalocalypse" television series launched in 2006 and is on its third season on Adult Swim. One of the most popular series on the cable network, "Metalocalypse" portrays DETHKLOK as a Norwegian band with unheard-of popularity, even ranking them as the seventh-largest economy on earth. In 2007, this phenomenal virtual success transformed into real-life success with the CD release of "The Dethalbum". Constructed of full-length songs only partially heard during the show's episodes, "The Dethalbum" took audiences by storm and has seen unparalleled success. Performed by a commanding assemblage of renowned metal musicians, the album debuted at No. 21 on The Billboard 200 and sold more than 33,000 copies within its first week, making "The Dethalbum" the highest-selling death metal album ever, with more than 270,000 copies sold to date.

This past spring, Alfred Music Publishing released the first-ever authentic guitar TAB songbook from DETHKLOK. Through a deal with Cartoon Network Enterprises, the global licensing and merchandising arm of Adult Swim, "The Dethalbum" guitar TAB songbook is available at local music retail stores, as well as online at alfred.com and www.williamsstreet.com for $22.95.

Alfred's album-matching folio features all 15 regular tracks plus the hidden "Metalocalypse" theme song in authentic guitar TAB transcriptions approved by the show's guitarist, composer, and creator, Brendon Small. Each songbook includes a free DVD, featuring a lesson from Brendon Small on how to play the theme song and an animated guitar lesson by the fastest guitar player alive, DETHKLOK's own Skwisgaar Skwigelf.

Intergalactic scumdogs GWAR have inked a European deal with AFM Records. The band's new album, "Lust in Space", will be released in Europe on August 21 (three days earlier, August 18, in North America via Metal Blade Records).

"Lust in Space" track listing:

01. Lust in Space
02. Let Us Slay
03. Damnation Under God
04. The UberKlaw
05. Lords and Masters
06. Metal Metal Land
07. The Price of Peace
08. Where is Zog?
09. Make a Child Cry
10. Release the Flies
11. Parting Shot
12. GWARnography *

* Bonus track available only when album is purchased as a download online

GWAR is streaming the song "Let Us Slay" on the band's MySpace page.

IRON LAMB — the new Stockholm, Sweden-based band formed by underground metal veterans Johan Wallin (GENERAL SURGERY, SCURVY, BOMBSTRIKE, ex-REPUGNANT), Grga Lindström (ex-REPUGNANT), Thomas Daun (DISMEMBER, ex-REPUGNANT, ex-INSISION) and Daniel Ekeroth (TYRANT, ex-INSISION, ex-DELLAMORTE, author of "Swedish Death Metal" book) — will release a seven-inch EP this fall via Greece's Nuclear Winter Records.

IRON LAMB will make its live debut on August 22 at Swahili Bob's Tattoo & Piercing studio's fourth annual party at Hornstull Strand in Stockholm. Also scheduled to appear are HENRY FIATS OPEN SORE and POISON IDEA.

Three of the band's demo tracks are available for streaming on the IRON LAMB MySpace page.

A press release states: "Tired of lame-ass '80s metal revival, weak MTV-whoring 'punk rock' and image-concerned rock 'n' roll, they have joined forces to threaten the scene with some lethal rock 'n' roll/punk, hailing the spirit of TRUE rock 'n' roll and punk rock, taking shape as a bastard son of early MOTÖRHEAD and G.G. ALLIN . . . This is the real deal, born and raised in the gutter and we're here to bring danger back into rock 'n' roll!"

The kings among minstrels, Corvus Corax, are back with a 20 year anniversary release. The influential pioneers of the medieaval music scene present a lavish DVD / 2 CD set ''Live in Berlin''. Like many fans of the German combo know, Corvus Corax should not only be listened but experienced and the best way to do this is to get a visual impression in addition to their impressive medieaval sounds recorded in 5.1 surround. The Boxset is beautifully packaged and contains over 125 minutes of live music, taken from their concert in the Passionskirche in Berlin and from their tour in China and Mexico of 2008. As bonus you get a documentary on the early years of Corvus Corax as well as a diashow with interesting footage.

Corvux Corax presents 20 years of medieaval music with ''Live in Berlin'', released at 31 july 2009 via Pica Music / Soulfood.

At last, Karjalan Sissit return after 4 years of relative silence with their most obscure and harshest work ever. Fucking whore society is an anger and Vodka fueled bombastic opus inspired by the world's psychopathic state. A revolt against the cruel and sickly ways of today’s society and a visceral and personal statement denouncing betrayal. Karjalan Sissit have masterfully expanded their signature sound with dense ambient passages and unsettling vocals all combined with their intensely unique orchestral passages, presenting us their best and most intense work yet. Produced by Peter Bjärgö (Arcana / Sophia).

Vagrant Records has set an October 6, 2009 release date for "Desperate Living", the fourth full-length from Southern California's HORSE THE BAND. The twelve-track set was recorded at White Buffalo Studios in Los Angeles with producer Noah Shain and includes several special guests.

"Noah really cared about helping us get exactly the sound and feel we wanted on the record," said keyboardist Erik Engstrom. "We also have incredible guests on the record like classical pianist Valentina Lisitsa. She plays a Prokofiev piece (composed 100 years ago after his best friend shot himself in the face with a pistol) at the end of 'Rape Escape', which is possibly the most powerful song we've ever written. I'm a huge fan of hers and this is the first recording of her playing this piece of music — it's absolutely devastating."

Other guests include Jamie Stewart of XIU XIU in a noise and sound design production role and contributing vocals on the track "Shapeshift", which was recently released on limited-edition 7" vinyl. K-SLAX, the mysterious underground rap sensation, guests on "Horse The Song", and Ed Edge, whom fans know as the band's occasional triangle player, appears on "Big Business". The title track features THE NUMBER TWELVE LOOKS LIKE YOU drummer Jon Karel.

HORSE THE BAND will be on the Never Say Die! club tour 2009 this fall and will be announcing their plans for a U.S. tour soon. The band's 2008 Earth Tour was self-booked, self-financed, and covered four continents and 45 countries in just three months.

HORSE THE BAND's debut album, "R. Borlax", was released in 2003 and was followed by "The Mechanical Hand" in 2005 and "A Natural Death" in 2007. The band has performed over 600 shows and toured with THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, THE FALL OF TROY, and BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, among others.

HORSE THE BAND is Nathan Winneke (vocals), David Isen (guitar), Erik Engstrom (keys), and Daniel Pouliot (drums)

"Desperate Living" track listing:

01. Cloudwalker
02. Desperate Living
03. The Failure Of All Things
04. Horse The Song (featuring K-SLAX)
05. Science Police
06. Shapeshift (featuring Jamie Stewart)
07. Between The Trees
08. Golden Mummy Golden Bird
09. Lord Gold Wand of Unyielding (featuring Lord Gold and His Purple Majesty)
10. Big Business (featuring Ed Edge)
11. Rape Escape (featuring Valentina Lisitsa)
12. Arrive

Progressive power metallers SHADOW GALLERY have finished recording their new album and are currently mixing the effort for a possible late fall release.

SHADOW GALLERY guitarist Gary Wehrkamp confirmed to Roadie Crew's Thiago Sarkis earlier this year that the band would carry on following singer Michael A. Baker's passing, with D.C. Cooper (SILENT FORCE, ex-ROYAL HUNT) filling in on at least one track on the band's upcoming album.

"Mike was very excited about the new SHADOW GALLERY songs compositions and was eager to sing them," Wehrkamp said in a January 2009 statement that was published at Solada. "Unfortunately, he left us before he could begin. There is a possibility that he did a quick demo of one song a few weeks before he died. As for the rest of the material, we will have to find a way to honor Mike, and his legacy, and we feel the best choice is to continue and finish this album. We will try to make it as good as it can possibly be."