Hupogrammos (guitars, vocals, bass, keyboards, archaic instruments) and Sol Faur (guitar), who recently announced their departures from NEGURA BUNGET, the Romanian band that incorporates elements of black metal, progressive metal, folk metal and dark ambient, have released the following statement:

"Our aim is to shed light on the recent developments in relation to NEGURA BUNGET. We also want to prevent further abuse of the name NEGURA BUNGET and our past activities. Our decision should be well understood and fans and media have a right to be correctly informed of the current development. We owe this to the public and NEGURA BUNGET itself. There is no intention to turn this into a personal issue between us and our former drummer Negru. We do not wish to create a public scandal, but a line has been crossed and it is time now to stand up and fight for what we believe in.

"With the last 'official' NEGURA BUNGET statement, things went too far. The selfish and greedy acts of a single person are doing too much harm. We cannot accept how our issues were presented to the world. In truth our gesture to step aside from the band was generated by the selfish behavior of our drummer Negru and by his lack of ability to connect, to work in a team as well as by his lack of honesty.

"We initially intended to remain silent on the reasons of our split. We all agreed to end our joined work and to release a simple and unspectacular statement to the press in order to prevent our personal animosity to become part of the story. It was agreed by all that none of the members would use the name 'NEGURA BUNGET' ever again in the future since the band as an entity was comprised by all three of its members. Negru's act of making a public statement that is completely different from what has been agreed upon proves once more a total lack of respect for the other members of our and his own band. It proves his honor to be questionable as his acts are serving only his personal interest.

"Our own statement, which we had sent to Negru for approval and adjustment, looked like this:

"'After fifteen years of experience in the metal scene, NEGURA BUNGET decided to end its activity. Negru will continue with his own project called DIN BRAD, while Hupogrammos and Sol Faur will continue the direction of the band under a different name that will be announced at a later date. The band would like to thank everybody, who supported and believed in NEGURA BUNGET and invites you to follow our further musical activities.'

"Unfortunately, we did not have the chance to see his final statement before it was sent. We were unable to change or to prevent it from becoming public in that form. Being in charge of all the logistic part of our work (i.e. all our contacts, our MySpace page, our official website, our newsletter and activities of Negura Music), Negru was entitled to send our statement to the media and to the public. However, he didn't consult us before posting a statement that did not care about our opinion, even though his statement makes believe this was a mutual decision.

"We think that it would have been much more natural, peaceful and wise decision, if he would have simply continued his musical activities under a new name or under the name 'DIN BRAD.' In this regard, we would like to express our deepest regret and disappointment that two of our guest musicians, whom we collaborated with during the last years, accepted to join his sham. Nevertheless, we consider it to be very inappropriate for them to continue performing songs that were composed by those members leaving the band.

"It is truly sad to see that the band is now becoming a personal business for our former drummer. He never was and he will never be NEGURA BUNGET by himself. If this is the spiritual endeavor which he is talking about, then this is a serious insult to the very name of NEGURA BUNGET and an unforgivable contradiction to the cultural and spiritual concepts that NEGURA BUNGET was standing for during all these years. It means an injury to us, the past members that dedicated 15 years of their lives to support and sustain an elevated path. It means an injury to anybody, who believed in what we were doing and maybe most of all it is a wounding of Spirit and Transcendence, the path that NEGURA BUNGET was honored to dedicate its very existence to.

"We, Sol Faur and Hupogrammos, who have composed nearly all music and written the lyrics of and for NEGURA BUNGET herewith, declare that this band is dead. Any continuation of it just means a sham and a fake in our eyes."

Negru's "new" version of NEGURA BUNGET consists of the following musicians:

Corb - Guitar/Vocals
Spin - Guitar
Gadinet - Bass
Inia Dinia - Keyboards
Ageru Pamanatului - Vocals/Pipes/Percussions/Xylophone
Negru - Drums/Percussions

Danish hard rock veterans PRETTY MAIDS have issued the following update:

"PRETTY MAIDS are currently negotiating new recording deals for Europe and Asia. The band intend to start recording new material in the autumn and a new album is set for release early spring 2010. We will continue to update you on the process as soon as there's anything new.

"On Friday, May 29, PRETTY MAIDS will make their first appearance in a string of summer dates on the Jelling Festival (Denmark). The keyboards for these dates will be handled by John Brandt who is standing in for Morten Sandager, who can not take part in the summer gigs for various reasons. However, Morten Sandager will return to the fold later this year."

PRETTY MAIDS' "comeback" album, entitled "Wake Up To The Real World", was released in November 2006 via Frontiers Records. Singer Ronnie Atkins stated about the CD, "The new record has all the trademarks a good PRETTY MAIDS album should have, and that's the overall combination of good melodies and strong guitar riffs. But the key word, as far as I'm concerned, is it's gotta be melodic: whether it's the heavier and faster tracks or the more ballad/AOR-oriented kind of stuff; in other words 'good songs', and I think the album has got that!"

PRETTY MAIDS is a legendary hard rock/heavy metal combo from Denmark founded in early 1982 by Atkins and guitarist Ken Hammer.

After 10 studio albums, two EPs, one "best of" collection and two live albums, the band in 2002 celebrated its 20th anniversary with the release of the album "Planet Panic", followed by a successful European tour. But at the end of the same year they decided to take a long break from recording and touring.

Finnish rock cello quartet APOCALYPTICA has released a statement condemning the "illegal use" of the band's song "Path" in a TV and Internet commercial in the Czech Republic. (See the commercial in question here.)

The group states: "APOCALYPTICA always supports minorities, stands up for human rights, respects every human being, no matter their colour, ethnic background or religion, worldwide.

"APOCALYPTICA also supports the idea of a united Europe and the European Union.

"We hope it is a clear statement that we would never allow the Czech republican party Národní Strana to use any of our music. The fact is, we were never asked if they could use our material.

"Beside the fact that we are mortified by the illegal use, Národní Strana has contravened the law with the owners of the rights for the song 'Path' in Czech Republic, who are Universal Music Publishing and Universal Music.

"Both companies will start legal proceedings against the party now."

APOCALYPTICA scored its first No. 1 rock radio hit in November with "I Don't Care", the latest single from the band's sixth studio album, "Worlds Collide". The disc has sold 233,000 copies in the U.S. and marks the group's first significant success in this country in APOCALYPTICA's 15-year career. Paavo Lotjonen told The Pulse of Radio that their newfound recognition has been worth all the effort. "It's been really amazing, all the success we have got," he said. "Of course it has taken a lot of work and we have given our heart to this. But I feel that it's been worth that and we have reached something new."

"I Don't Care" features guest vocals from THREE DAYS GRACE frontman Adam Gontier.

SLIPKNOT's Corey Taylor contributed vocals to the CD's first single, "I'm Not Jesus".

Night Of The Vinyl Dead has released MY DYING BRIDE's "The Dreadful Hours" on double vinyl with a gatefold cover, limited to 500 hand-numbered copies.

The album, which was originally released on CD in 2001 via Peaceville Records, features the following track listing:

Side A:

01. The Dreadful Hours
02. The Raven And The Rose

Side B:

01. Le Figlie Della Tempesta
02. Black Heart Romance

Side C:

01. A Cruel Taste Of Winter
02. My Hope, The Destroyer

Side D:

01. The Deepest Of All Hearts
02. The Return To The Beautiful

For more information, click here.

"For Lies I Sire", the new album from MY DYING BRIDE, was released on March 23 via Peaceville Records. The follow-up to 2006's "A Line of Deathless Kings" was recorded with longtime producer Mags.

In an interview with Blissfulviolet of Beyond The Dark Horizon, MY DYING BRIDE vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe stated about the band's ninth studio album, "Naturally, we think it's our best work to date and has a sort of 'new-meets-old' sound; the violins giving a nod to our past and the new riffs and vocals showing the way forward. It is quite possibly the most depressing thing we've created to date, and all the more wonderful for it."

Asked how he feels the new CD differs from MY DYING BRIDE's last studio album, "A Line of Deathless Kings", Aaron replied, "Would you believe it, it's even darker? I've pushed the vocals further, finding more melodies, as have the guitars, and, of course, the violin has added a deep range of feeling. It's quite a fresh, melodic sound despite being utterly despondent."

Legendary Chicago doomsters TROUBLE are hard at work on material for the band's long-awaited new album, "The Dark Riff", tentatively due later in the year. The group states, "Everything is moving along nicely in the writing stage. Bruce [Franklin; guitar] and Rick [Wartell; guitar] have brought some massive, killer riffs to the sessions that are sure to please ANY TROUBLE fan.

"The sessions are proving to be a very creative environment, and are spawning the band's creative juices where every last riff seems to get heavier than the last.

"As of this date the music for fourteen songs is complete. The vocals are coming in a bit at a time and sounding incredible.

"The band seems to be clicking on all cylinders now, and there's no end in sight.

"This is definitely going to be worth the wait!"

A previous post on the group's web site stated: "As you can tell by the [new album's] title, IT'S HEAVY! The band is resorting to the root of what made TROUBLE in the first place and what they are best at, DOOM! This will no doubt be the heaviest TROUBLE release since the mid-'80s when they crushed the masses with what is now known as 'Psalm 9' and 'The Skull'."

TROUBLE's recently released live album, "Live In L.A.", was recorded in Los Angeles and is available at NewTrouble.com.

"Live In L.A." track listing:

01. Intro
02. RIP
03. The Sleeper
04. Touch the Sky
05. Plastic Green Head
06. The Eye
07. Simple Mind Condition
08. Mr. White
09. Endtime
10. Troublemaker
11. End of My Daze

Glendale, Arizona extreme metallers JOB FOR A COWBOY will release their highly anticipated sophomore album, "Ruination", on July 7 via Metal Blade Records. The 10-song follow-up to 2007's "Genesis" was tracked at AudioHammer studios in Sanford, Florida with producer Jason Suecof (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, DEVILDRIVER, TRIVIUM) and will be mixed by Fredrik Nordström (DIMMU BORGIR, ARCH ENEMY, IN FLAMES).

The cover artwork for "Ruination" has been unveiled and is available for viewing here. The striking, quasi-conceptual piece was designed by Brent Elliott White and takes its inspiration from JOB FOR A COWBOY frontman Jonny Davy's album lyrics and concepts.

"The ideas involved with the new album branch off from our last record, 'Genesis', but are more politically based," states Davy. Topics addressed by the album’s schema revolve around modern-day worldwide dilemmas and controversial issues including "propaganda in the mainstream media and television, humanitarian rights of Northern Korea, the modern genocidal government of Nubia, the use of torture in American military tactics, overruling by world governments and police states/martial law."

Dave Fortman, a member of UGLY KID JOE, who has also worked with artists such as MUDVAYNE, EVANESCENCE, and SLIPKNOT, began mixing the new ANTHRAX album, "Worship Music", late last week in a New Orleans studio. The album, now set for a fall release, is the band's first studio effort in six years and marks the recording debut of new lead vocalist Dan Nelson.

Commented Fortman, "In 1986, I saw two shows at Jed's in New Orleans that changed my life, one of those was ANTHRAX. Not long after, I packed up and headed out to make a career in music. Twenty-three years later, it's an absolute pleasure and an honor to work with these guys. They are and always have been one of the great forces in metal."

According to ANTHRAX — longtime members Scott Ian (rhythm guitar), Frank Bello (bass), Charlie Benante (drums), and Rob Caggiano (lead guitar). and Nelson — confirmed tracks include "Vampires", "Crawl", "The Devil You Know", "The Giant", "Fight 'em 'Til You Can't" and "Earth On Hell". The album was produced by Caggiano and ANTHRAX.

"I've always looked at the songs we write like our kids," admitted Scott Ian. "And you wouldn't want to let just anyone take care of your kids, right? Dave is helping us raise really f**king heavy kids."

From the band's point of view, having a true and personal understanding of the music you're mixing is the most important thing, and even more important with "Worship Music" as none of the ANTHRAX members would be present during the mixing process. "Dave Fortman not only understands the music, he lives it," added Benante. "I was so happy when he sent over the first mix, it was all there, it was as if he put himself behind the kit, the mic, the bass. He listens to the song and sees what the song needs, and then he starts building it. We're all confident that Dave will dial it all in and make a monster for us. Like us, Dave worships music, and we like that."

ANTHRAX heads to Europe in June to play a series of major summer rock festivals, then returns to the U.S. to headline the first night of the third-annual, four-day Rocklahoma festival on July 9 in Prior, OK.

Two thousand and nine marks the 25th anniversary of ANTHRAX's debut release, "Fistful of Metal". To celebrate, Megaforce Records released a limited-edition (only 2,000 copies were made) vinyl release of the album last week, on May 12, 2009. The package is spread over three 10-inch records in a tri-fold die cut jacket, and includes the group's 1985 EP, "Armed and Dangerous". The "Fistful of Metal" vinyl limited edition reissue retails for $39.98 and is available at ANTHRAX's official web site, Anthrax.com, Amazon.com and record stores across the U.S.

Santa Barbara, California's DEVILDRIVER will release its fourth full-length album, "Pray For Villains", on July 14 via Roadrunner Records. The effort — which will also be made available as a special-edition CD/DVD package featuring three bonus tracks, a behind-the-scenes DVD and expanded artwork — was recorded at Edge of the Earth studios in Los Angeles with producer Logan Mader (FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, GOJIRA, DIVINE HERESY).

The track listing for the album is as follows:

01. Pray For Villains
02. Pure Sincerity
03. Fate Stepped In
04. Back With A Vengeance
05. I've Been Sober
06. Resurrection Blvd.
07. Forgiveness Is A Six Gun
08. Waiting For November
09. It's In The Cards
10. Another Night In London
11. Bitter Pill
12. Teach Me To Whisper
13. I See Belief

Bonus Tracks (special edition):

14. Self-Affliction
15. Dust Be The Destiny
16. Damning The Heavens
17. Wasted Years

Disc Two - DVD (special edition):

01. "Making-Of" Documentary
02. Interviews

DEVILDRIVER filmed a video for the title track of the new album on April 9 with director Nathan Cox (QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, MARILYN MANSON, LINKIN PARK).

The "Pray For Villains" track is available for free download at this location (e-mail sign-up required).

Commented vocalist Dez Fafara: "The 'Pray For Villains' artwork [see below] is based on the title track on the record. The chorus goes, 'They pray for villains when their heroes let them down.'

"The concept of the villain saving the day — when all else fails, you turn your eyes towards the badass that gets the job done. Not the clean-cut guy — often big-talking, slowacting, lacking in spirit and conviction!

"I needed something graphic to tie into the hero/villain idea.

"I, personally, have been collecting owls for some time and the owl in many different cultures is seen as both the hero and villain. In Ireland, an owl that enters a house must be killed at once, for if it flies away it will takes the luck of the house with it. In Australia, aborigines believe bats represent the souls of men and owls the souls of woman. Owls are therefore sacred in their culture because your sister is an owl and the owl is your sister. For the Aztecs, one of their evil gods wore a screech owl on his head and in the Celtic culture, the owl is the sign of the underworld. So, the owl was the obvious choice as I wanted to feel as connected to the artwork as I do to the music and also give DEVILDRIVER another icon to work with and even further define us a band!"

DEVILDRIVER will headline this summer's "Thrash And Burn Tour", which will kick off on July 22 and run through August 30. A European tour with BEHEMOTH and GOJIRA will follow in October.

DEVILDRIVER recently re-signed with Roadrunner Records after previously issuing three full-length albums through the label. In addition, the band has secured a new management company in the shape of Davis Entertainment Group.

METALLICA's James Hetfield has spoken to Classic Rock about loneliness, his relationships and the drug habits of his band-mates in one of his most revealing interviews ever. The full, warts-and-all interview will be published in their forthcoming issue, on sale May 27.

In this excerpt, the METALLICA frontman speaks about how he dealt with loneliness in his adolescence and how METALLICA became his family after he felt so distanced from his own.

Classic Rock: Were you shy back then?

Hetfield: Very. I was very withdrawn, wasn't really trusting of the world whatsoever because of what had gone on as a child. Then the drinking helped me break out of that a little bit but at the end of the day it was worse. I'd dig a deeper hole for myself.

Classic Rock: Was there a feeling that metallica became your family?

Hetfield: Yes, yes. There's no doubt. I was searching for people that I could identify with. I couldn't really identify too much with my family and, basically, as a child it disintegrated right in front of my eyes. There's a part of me that craves family and another part of me that just can't stand people. At the end of the day I feel like this lone wolf but, you know, I do feel that I need family, but not all the time.

As the creators of a live release that is considered to be one of the all-time great concert recordings in the realm of heavy metal (1979's "Unleashed In The East"), whenever British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST announce a new live album, metalheads worldwide instantly take note. And on "A Touch Of Evil: Live" (due for release in July 2009 via Sony Music and Epic Records), the mighty PRIEST — which includes singer Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis — doesn't disappoint. Focusing primarily on fan-revered album cuts (all previously unreleased in live form on CD), "A Touch Of Evil: Live" features absolutely scintillating renditions of such PRIEST gems as "Riding On The Wind", "Beyond The Realms Of Death", "Dissident Aggressor", "A Touch Of Evil", "Eat Me Alive", and the set-closing "Painkiller". Also of note are the first live album appearances of standouts from PRIEST's critically acclaimed 2008 concept double disc, "Nostradamus" ("Death" and "Prophecy").

Recorded by Martin Walker and Brian Thorene during JUDAS PRIEST's mammoth 2005 and 2008 world tours, "A Touch Of Evil: Live" also marks the first PRIEST album that producer Tom Allom has worked on since 1988 (co-producing along with the band). It was such Allom-produced albums as the aforementioned "Unleashed In The East", as well as "British Steel" and "Screaming For Vengeance" (among others) that made PRIEST not only one of the premier metal acts, but one of the leading global rock acts.

"A Touch Of Evil: Live" track listing:

01. Judas Rising
02. Hellrider
03. Between The Hammer & The Anvil
04. Riding On The Wind
05. Death
06. Beyond The Realms Of Death
07. Dissident Aggressor
08. A Touch Of Evil
09. Eat Me Alive
10. Prophecy
11. Painkiller

California deathcore masters SUICIDE SILENCE will release their new album, "No Time To Bleed", in North America on June 30 via Century Media Records (one day earlier internationally). The CD was recorded with acclaimed producer Machine (LAMB OF GOD).

The European version of "No Time To Bleed" will be made available with an alternate cover, which can be viewed below.

"No Time To Bleed" track listing:

01. Wake Up
02. Lifted
03. Smoke
04. Something Invisible
05. No Time To Bleed
06. Suffer
07. …And Then She Bled
08. Wasted
09. Your Creations
10. Genocide
11. Disengage

REBELSTAR, the Dutch old-school hard rock band featuring former AFTER FOREVER drummer André Borgman, has posted a new song called "Permanent Disaster" on the group's MySpace page. REBELSTAR says, "[This track] is a taste of what's to come on our first album. We're done writing and the recording is set to take place in the next two months."

REBELSTAR states in its official bio, "Whereas some bands wish to stay underground, REBELSTAR sees it as their ultimate goal to bring hard rock back to the masses, ready to chant our songs at stadium level."

REBELSTAR is:

Serge Naberman: Vocals/Guitar
André Borgman: Drums
John Aponno: Bass
Martijn Niggebrugge: Guitar

Jackson Rathbone, the teen heartthrob from "Twilight", has reportedly agreed to play Varg Vikernes (a.k.a. Count Grishnackh) — the former BURZUM mastermind who is currently serving a Norwegian prison term for the August 1993 murder of MAYHEM guitarist Oystein Aarseth (a.k.a. Euronymous) and setting fire to three churches — in the upcoming movie "Lords Of Chaos".

Based on Michael Moynihan and Didrik Soderlind's book of the same name, the film depicts true events and revolves around the black metal sub-culture that spawned a wave of murders and church arsons across Norway in the early 1990s.

Making his English-language debut with "Lords Of Chaos" will be hot Japanese director Sion Sono.

Stuart Pollok of Los Angeles-based Saltire Entertainment, Ko Mori of Eleven Arts and Oh Jungwan of Korea's Bom Productions are producing the film, which starts shooting in Norway in mid-September.

Three years ago, plans had been underway to make the book into a film. However, the producers lacked funding at the time.

Now, however, with funding underway, producer Pollok is in Cannes to promote the project.

Why did you choose to make this film?

"It is a fascinating topic, a great visual world to depict, and a fun portrayal of Norway," Pollok told Dagbladet.no. "Black metal is possibly the largest cultural export of Norway in the past twenty years."

In his manuscript to Norway's Hans Fjellestad, Pollok revealed that the film will be based on actual events.

It will be a story of youth and youthful energy, said Pollok, but he emphasised that the film will fall under the teen film category, and that it will be a psychological horror film.

The events that came to pass are interesting and fascinating, said Pollok.

Pollok confirmed to Dagbladet.no that he will also be casting Norwegian actors.

Svein Andresen of Film Camp, which is responsible for the Norwegian recording locations and production, stated "What happened has been widely known to the public for a long time, and is now known worldwide. This was a gang that declared war on society. Actually, it is not surprising that Norwegian filmmakers have picked up on this piece of history."

Rathbone plays Jasper in Summit's "Twilight" series and is currently shooting the lead role in M. Night Shyamalan's $140-million "The Last Airbender" for Paramount Pictures.

In a 2004 statement posted on the Burzum.org web site, Vikernes slammed the "Lord Of Chaos" book as "a pool of mud," insisting that "the vast majority of all the statements made in this book are either misinterpretations; taken out of context; misunderstandings; malicious lies made by enemies; a result of ignorance; extreme exaggerations; and/or third-hand information at best. This includes the statements attributed to me!" He went on to say, "This book serves only one single purpose and that is to create a myth around my name and to mystify me. If that was their objective they have indeed succeeded with their work. Well, the book seems to have served one other purpose too. The authors have managed to fill the heads of a generation of metal fans with lies. What could have been a righteous revolt has been made into some pathetic, embarrassing, brain-dead, impotent and traditional poser-culture best exemplified by bands like DIMMU BORGIR — and indeed VENOM!"

Swedish hard rockers EUROPE recently shot a video for the title track of their forthcoming album, "Last Look At Eden", with director Patric Ullaeus (DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, IN FLAMES) of Revolver Film Company. The band says, "We chose to work with Patric after seeing his work with IN FLAMES, amongst others."

"Last Look At Eden" is tentatively due in September. The CD's first single will precede the full-length CD in late May/early June. More details, including the track listing will be made available soon.

EUROPE has just released its "Almost Unplugged" live album in the U.S. The CD features a recording of the band's January 26, 2008 concert at Nalen in Stockholm. The band performed songs from its latest album, "Secret Society", along with some of its classic hits. The show was broadcast live over the Internet on the official EUROPE web site.

"Secret Society" was released in the U.S. on November 7, 2006 via Sanctuary Records.

GODSMACK has begun work on the material for the band's follow-up to 2006's "IV" which debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Artisan News Service caught up with GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna to get his thoughts on the direction the new album is taking.

"It's gonna be really heavy," he said. "I mean, it's very aggressive. I'm not really sure; it's very premature right now. Right now we just finished one track for the Crüe Fest this Summer. But as far as the whole record goes, I think it's going to be a lot more in your face. I don't think there's going to be any 'Voodoo's or 'Serenity's on this one. We decided to go balls out!"

After holding auditions for the last few months, pioneering British black metal band VENOM has announced the addition of drummer Danté to the group's ranks.

Commented VENOM frontman Conrad "Cronos" Lant: "We had a fantastic response. There were many great players to choose from, but at the end of the day I wasn't looking for someone who could just play the songs, I wanted somebody who was really hungry to be in the band for all the right reasons, and Danté also has all the right qualifications."

VENOM is now in rehearsals with Danté and will be recording demos for the next album over the coming weeks, as well as planning future shows.

Drummer Antony "Antton" Lant (who is also Cronos' brother) announced his departure from VENOM in April. He told BLABBERMOUTH.NET at the time, "I have left for various reasons and would like to concentrate on my own band called DEF-CON-ONE.

DEF-CON-ONE's 10-track CD "Blood Soaks The Floor", is available from the band's MySpace page.

"Hell", the latest album from VENOM, was released in North America in September 2008 via Universal Music Enterprises.

VENOM is planning to release a special-edition version of its "Black Metal" album later this year. According to the band, the new set will contain bonus tracks and a DVD of the "7th Date of Hell" video of VENOM performing live at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, England in 1984.

On October 22, 2008, a two-album Japan-only cardboard sleeve reissue series from VENOM was made available via Universal Music featuring the following LPs:

* "Welcome To Hell" (1981)
* "Black Metal" (1982)

Each cardboard sleeve reissue features the high-fidelity SHM-CD format (compatible with standard CD players).

Gary Graff of Billboard.com reports that LINKIN PARK is hard at work on its fourth album, which will likely come out in 2010 according to co-frontman Mike Shinoda.

"It's moving," Shinoda tells Billboard.com. "I feel like we've been writing a lot. I'd say we've got about half the music done, though I shouldn't say halfway because who knows how long the next batch of songs will take. But all the material's just kind of coming together, and every week we meet up and assess the situation and for the rest of the week we just go and work on whatever we find exciting."

Shinoda says the group has decided on a producer but is not revealing that yet. He expects "an interesting transition" in the sound from 2007's "Minutes to Midnight", especially since singer Chester Bennington's upcoming solo project, DEAD BY SUNRISE — due out this fall — "is much more of a rock album," leaving the door open for LINKIN PARK to experiment with other approaches.

Danish extreme metallers ILLDISPOSED entered AB Studio in Aarhus, Denmark earlier this spring to begin recording their next CD, tentatively due on August 29 via Massacre Records. According to guitarist Jakob Batten, "Everything is now recorded for the new album and we'll send it over to the Fredman Studio in Sweden at the end of the week. Bo [Summer, vocals] and I will go there next week to mix it with Fredrik Nordström.

"All recordings have been running smoothly and the result is quite stunning. The working title of the album is 'Songs Of Hate And Depression', but it might be changed later on.

"As you might have read earlier, we're headlining the MTV Headbangers Ball Tour in September/October here in Denmark, so that tour will be the Danish release tour."

11 tracks will appear on the new ILLDISPOSED LP (out of a total of 16 that were completed during the songwriting sessions), which will be available as a jewel case CD, limited digipack with bonus material and strictly limited box set with exclusive t-shirt. The group says, "We guarantee you won't be disappointed!"

Varg Vikernes (a.k.a. Count Grishnackh), the former BURZUM mastermind who was convicted of murdering MAYHEM guitarist Oystein Aarseth (a.k.a. Euronymous) in August 1993 and setting fire to three churches, is a free man.

"I can confirm that I have been released from prison," Vikernes told Norway's Dagbladet.

Although his parole application was denied four times — most recently in September 2008 — Vikernes received word in February that he would be released after serving almost 16 years in prison. He was finally allowed to leave a couple of weeks ago, according to Dagbladet.

"I will have to report [to the parole officer] for one year — initially every two weeks, and then once a month," Vikernes said.

For the past couple of years, Varg had been allowed to leave the prison regularly to walk around Tromsø, Norway (where the prison is located) and visit his family.

Last year it was reported that case workers at the Justice Ministry feared that Vikernes would be unable to adjust to life on the outside after his years in jail.

"I'm ready for society — and I have been for many years," Vikernes told Dagbladet last July. "I have learned from my mistakes and become older. Now I just want to be together with my family."

He added, "My mind has never been in prison; I think all the time about what I should do on the day that I am released.

"I have barely seen my son since he came into the world. Even though I hear his voice on the phone almost every day, it is very tough to not be present while he is growing up.

"I miss my family. And I look forward the day that I could work on my farm, create music, write books and be with the wife and kids around the clock — and live a normal life.

A photo of Varg Vikernes's new home in Bø, a municipality in the county of Telemark, Norway, can be viewed below (picture courtesy of Varden.no). Vikernes purchased the farm sometime last year and is planning to spend most of his time on the property with his French wife and son, both of whom had already been living at the home for quite some time.

"As I respect others, I want others to respect me," Varg told Varden.no last summer. "We are really quite ordinary people, and we do not want any more attention than anyone else."

Jackson Rathbone, the teen heartthrob from "Twilight", has reportedly agreed to play Vikernes in the upcoming movie "Lords Of Chaos".

Based on Michael Moynihan and Didrik Soderlind's book of the same name, the film depicts true events and revolves around the black metal sub-culture that spawned a wave of murders and church arsons across Norway in the early 1990s.

Making his English-language debut with "Lords Of Chaos" will be hot Japanese director Sion Sono.

Stuart Pollok of Los Angeles-based Saltire Entertainment, Ko Mori of Eleven Arts and Oh Jungwan of Korea's Bom Productions are producing the film, which starts shooting in Norway in mid-September.

In a 2004 statement posted on the Burzum.org web site, Vikernes slammed the "Lord Of Chaos" book as "a pool of mud," insisting that "the vast majority of all the statements made in this book are either misinterpretations; taken out of context; misunderstandings; malicious lies made by enemies; a result of ignorance; extreme exaggerations; and/or third-hand information at best. This includes the statements attributed to me!" He went on to say, "This book serves only one single purpose and that is to create a myth around my name and to mystify me. If that was their objective they have indeed succeeded with their work. Well, the book seems to have served one other purpose too. The authors have managed to fill the heads of a generation of metal fans with lies. What could have been a righteous revolt has been made into some pathetic, embarrassing, brain-dead, impotent and traditional poser-culture best exemplified by bands like DIMMU BORGIR — and indeed VENOM!"

Varg's new home see here.

Several Polish tabloids are reporting that Adam "Nergal" Darski, the 31-year-old guitarist/vocalist of extreme metallers BEHEMOTH, has been photographed (1, 2, 3) stepping out with 25-year-old Polish pop singer Doda (real name: Dorota Rabczewska).

In 2000, at the age of 16, Rabczewska became the vocalist of the Polish rock band VIRGIN. She posed nude for the Polish edition of Playboy magazine in December 2005 and October 2007. She was also featured in the CKM adult magazine several times, which reportedly caused some controversy in Poland.

In 2007, Doda left VIRGIN to begin a solo career. Her first solo album, which came out that same year, was certified gold the day before its official release. Her sophomore CD, titled "Diamond Bitch", was certified double platinum in Poland in 2008 for sales in excess of 60,000 copies.

In a 2005 interview with Metal Warrants, Darski was asked if his beliefs in Satanism were true or if they were just geared towards the genre of music BEHEMOTH plays. "It's not that we're Satanic for the sake of being Satanic," he replied. "Satanism is more like being. . . I don't like labeling things or myself. Or categorize a certain genre. I'm sorry for the Christians 'cause they already did it. Being Satanic is just being on a secular level. Having a discussion with certain kind of people. With my friends and people who are spiritual in connection, we don't really speak on a Satanic level. We are far above that. We don't need to do that. Satanism is more or less like a weapon. And it's very material. It's so much easier to live the Satanic way just so you can deal with the people of the world. . . I would say it's sort of a way of respect to ourselves. Our nature. Our listings. . . Satanism is a weapon. Or a tool to make your life easier for the here and now. That's just one of the levels I deal with."

Metal Mind Productions has set a July 6 European release date (August 11 in North America via MVD) for the reissues of four albums from the veteran Dutch death metal act SINISTER — "Cross The Styx" (1992), "Diabolical Summoning" (1993), "Hate" (1995) and "Bastard Saints" (1996). The reisues will be digitally remastered using 24-bit technology and released on golden discs. Each digipack title is limited to 1,000 copies.

"Cross The Styx" bonus tracks:

13. Barbaric Order (live)
14. (Enslaved The Weak Intro) (live)
15. Enslaved The Weak (live)

"Diabolical Summoning" bonus tracks:

09. Into The Forgotten (live)
10. Bleeding Towards The Wendigo (live)

"Hate / Bastard Saints" bonus tracks:

15. Men Down (live)
16. Afterburner (live)
17. Altruistic Suicide (live)
18. The Grey Massacre (live)

All bonus tracks were recorded live at Stodola Club in Warsaw on August 24, 2006.

Sonic Cathedral webzine recently conducted an interview with former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen. An excerpt from the chat follows below.

Sonic Cathedral: This is your first time touring solo [without NIGHTWISH] in the United States. What made you decide to come out here finally?

Tarja: You know, this is my third try, I think, already to come here, so I'm actually really, really happy it finally came true. My wishes were fulfilled. You know, I have lots of followers here in the United States and they have been supporting me a lot in my solo career as well as in my previous career with NIGHTWISH. So it has been really marvelous to get their support and now it's very important for me to give my best for them. Back to them somehow. This gratitude that I have.

Sonic Cathedral: Speaking of NIGHTWISH, you were let go in a very bad public way. It's been a few years since the letter and you seem much happier now. How have things been for you after going through that experience?

Tarja: Well, many things have changed. Actually, the whole career as a solo artist is radically different than being a member of a band. I mean, everything is different. The whole organization around me. I have to be deciding more things on my own. I mean, there is so many things. Also the responsibility that I'm carrying on my own is, of course, very different than before. But the thing is that I have learned so many things. Every day is such a different day and I'm also writing songs on my own today so I'm really happy to be able to do that. To have that sort of freedom to explore what is inside of my soul and my heart. Then let people hear that. What's really there. That has been a really beautiful thing.

Sonic Cathedral: So you're doing a lot more writing. What is it like to be more involved in that process rather than just being the singer?

Tarja: Of course it gets more personal. That's what it all is. I mean, it gets really personal and, you know, it's just very rewarding. I have to be so honest with the music today; that's because I believe in that. I don't know if this is a very naive thought in a way, but I believe if you are honest with the music then people can reach the message easier and the music touches them. I mean, music is the emotion for me and that's all about it. I want to deliver emotions for the audience. For the listeners. That is it. That's the beauty in it. It's so lovely to be a musician. It's a privilege today to be an artist.

Sonic Cathedral: You have a second album you have been working on called "What Lies Beneath".

Tarja: Yes.

Sonic Cathedral: How has that been coming along and when can we expect it?

Tarja: Well, I have quite many songs already. (Laughs) Actually I wrote around 20 songs already which are not all going to be the album, of course. (Laughs) Otherwise I need to make a double album again. (Laughs) But, I mean, that there are lots of good songs. Kind of a same continuance process from "My Winter Storm" to the next one but the radical difference is the variety of songs that will be offered but more or less radical with the heavier guitars and with overall heavier songs. Then also some moody sounds...So I still want to keep on the same line but make a radical difference to the songs even more than "My Winter Storm".

Sonic Cathedral: So you're going to stay in the heavy metal genre for this one?

Tarja: Yeah, of course. Of course. Come on. (Laughs) It's part of me. But you know part of me. (Laughs)

Former KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch has told Noisecreep that he is fully happy with his decision to leave the band in 2005 and has not considered a return to the group that made him famous. "If I ever felt God lead me back to KORN for some reason, I'd go," he said.

Welch will launch the first solo U.S. tour this month in support of his debut album, "Save Me From Myself", which was released September 9 on his Driven Music Group label. Later this summer, Welch will appear on the main stage at the Cornerstone Festival in Bushnell, Illinois on July 2, and in Las Vegas at the 20,000-seat Thomas & Mack Arena in August (exact date and billing to be announced May 1). More tour dates will be announced in the coming weeks.

Welch's backing band will consist of the following musicians:

Scott Von Heldt (guitar)
Ralph Patlan (guitar)
Michael Valentine (bass)
Dan Johnson (drums)
Brian Ruedy (keyboards/programming)

Head is very excited about hitting the tour circuit again. "I did my first show in Phoenix last weekend and it was nuts," he told Noisecreep. "Besides the normal crowd, the promoter bused in a bunch of drug-addicted kids that lived on the streets and you could see them change right before your eyes. They were jumping up and down. At the end of the show, we all shouted together like an army, 'Jesus Christ, change me. Make me a new person.'"

Head also shared the story of overcoming drug addiction with the crowd before launching into the title track. "That was emotional and there were a lot of tears," he recalled. "Overall, it's a very draining experience, with kids jumping up and down, sweating, crying, hugging and screaming for change. It's like a huge heavy metal party with God."

"Save Me From Myself" sold 7,800 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 63 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released on September 9 through Driven Music Group (distribution by Ryko/Warner Music Group), the label Welch co-founded with music execs Greg Shanaberger and Mark Nawara.

"Save Me From Myself" was produced by Head, who recorded the music off and on for the past two years in Phoenix, Arizona. It features renowned musicians Tony Levin (PETER GABRIEL, DAVID BOWIE) and Josh Freese (A PERFECT CIRCLE, NINE INCH NAILS), and was mixed by Ralph Patlan and Bob Clearmountain. It's a testimony of Head's life as he battled with drug addiction and leaving KORN, and finding spirituality.

A new SEVENTH ANGEL track titled "Chaos Of Dreams" is available for streaming on the group's MySpace page. The song comes off the reformed British metal band's new album, "The Dust of Years", which will be made available in on June 23 as a deluxe digipack via Bombworks Records. Artwork (see here) was handled by Matt Vickerstaff of Darkwave Art, who has previously worked with MY DYING BRIDE and MY SILENT WAKE.

SEVENTH ANGEL's first album since the release of "Lament for the Weary" was recorded at Priory studios in Birmingham with producer Greg Chandler.

SEVENTH ANGEL's current lineup is a mixture of the early and final lineup of the band before it split in 1992:

Ian Arkley (MY SILENT WAKE, PARAMAECIUM, CENTURY SLEEPER, THE OTHER WINDOW, ASHEN MORTALITY) - Vocals Guitar
Tank (SUK MUNKY, FREEKSPERT) - Drums
Simon Bibby (FIRE FLY, EXORIA, AMARANTH) - Guitar
Mark Broomhead (FIRE FLY, EXORIA, DETRITUS) - Bass

Each member of SEVENTH ANGEL has been on his own musical and spiritual journey since the split, and the reformation has produced a band of increased depth and maturity, with all the musical intensity that made SEVENTH ANGEL such an international success.

Before its split, SEVENTH ANGEL produced two highly acclaimed internationally released studio albums and continued interest in the band prompted the release of early demos and live recordings in 2005. Throughout its career, SEVENTH ANGEL was the focus of much media attention within the music press and beyond, having appeared on the BBC, Channel 4 and featured in the Daily Telegraph.

Santa Cruz, California-based progressive hardcore/death metallers ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS have completed work on their new album, "Portals", for a July 14 release via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded by Zack Ohren (AS BLOOD RUNS BLACK, ALL SHALL PERISH) and features 11 glorious grinders like "My Cup's Half Empty" and "Violence in Fluid - Triceratops".

According to a press release, "Portals" sees ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS "in new form, now using only one vocalist instead of their previous two-singer attack. The presence of the one vocalist serves to sharpen the band's straight-ahead metal attack and more importantly creates a cohesive album the flows perfectly from start to finish."

ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS will headline the No Care Ever Tour in June/July. On the Canadian leg, direct support will come from labelmates THE AGONIST along with appearances by APFP, CHELSEA GRIN, ATTILA and EXECUTE THE SINNER. SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY will provide direct support in the U.S., with KNIVES EXCHANGING HANDS, ATTILA and FELL SILENT also appearing on the bill.

ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS has just completed the European Thrash & Burn tour. Drummer Garin Rosen comments: "This whole tour is a dream come true. Finally coming to Europe and watching kids that can't speak a word of English singing along to every word. I can't wait to come back and bang my head with the crazy Europeans yet again!"