MASTERPLAN, the band led by former HELLOWEEN guitarist Roland Grapow, has commented on a news story that was published in the latest issue of the long-running Dutch rock/metal magazine Aardschok which claimed that singer Jorn Lande had rejoined the group.

A post on the official MASTERPLAN web site reads as follows: "In the coming days some official news regarding the new singer will be posted here. The band is very sorry for the long waiting but things could not be done differently... thanks for your patience!

"Concerning the message from Aardshok magazine, it doesn't come from the band and we have to mention that it is not true that Jorn left the band because of [now-former MASTERPLAN drummer] Uli [Kusch]."

Finnish folk metallers KORPIKLAANI will release their sixth album, "Karkelo" (English translation: "Pleasure" or "Party"), on June 26 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Petrax studio in Hollola, Finland.

The track listing for the album is as follows:

01. Vodka
02. Erämaan Ärjyt
03. Isku Pitkästä Ilosta
04. Mettänpeiton Valtiaalle
05. Juodaan Viinaa
06. Uniaika
07. Kultanainen
08. Bring Us Pints Of Beer
09. Huppiaan Aarre
10. Könnin Kuokkamies (bonus track; digipack)
11. Vesaisen Sota
12. Sulasilmä
13. Kohmelo

Nergal (BEHEMOTH), Karl Sanders (NILE) and Obsidian C (KEEP OF KALESSIN) will make guest appearances on "Romulus", the debut album from EX DEO, the new band led by KATAKLYSM frontman Maurizio Iacono. Nergal will appear in the song "Storm The Gates Of Alesia", singing a very famous Caesar quote; Sanders laid down a ripping solo in the song "The Final War (The Battle Of Actium)" which deals with Antony and Cleopatra's defiance of Octivian in Egypt, and Obsidian C will lend a majestic and melodic solo to the track "Cruor Nostri Abbas".

Commented Maurizio: "It's an honor for me that such talented musicians and friends lended their art for a couple songs on this album. I only asked a few selected people that had involvement with history through their music and related to this band's concept , so I salute them for contributing to Rome's rise and they shall be amply rewarded for it."

EX DEO will make its live debut this September/October on the special edition of Europe's biggest pagan/folk metal tour, Paganfest. Co-headlining throughout will be Finland's KORPIKLAANI and Germany's DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER. Additional support will come from Sweden's UNLEASHED, United Kingdom's ALESTORM and Canada's BLACKGUARD. Special appearances will be made by Finland's MOONSORROW and Norway's EINHERJER on select dates.

"Romulus" is scheduled for release on June 19 (Europe) and June 30 (North America) via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded with producer (and KATAKLYSM guitarist) Jean-Francois Dagenais (MISERY INDEX, DESPISED ICON, MALEVOLENT CREATION).

"Romulus" track listing:

01. Romulus
02. Storm the Gates of Alesia
03. Cry Havoc
04. In Her Dark Embrace
05. Invictus
06. The Final War (Battle of Actium)
07. Legio XIII
08. Blood, Courage and The God's That Walk The Earth
09. Cruor Nostri Abbas
10. Surrender The Sun
11. The Pantheon (Jupiter's Reign)

A video for the CD's title track was filmed last month with renowned director Stanimir "Staca" Lukic (MOONSPELL, KAMELOT, DEATHSTARS, TYPE O NEGATIVE) in Belgrade, Serbia. Maurizio says, "The setup was extremely pro. Stanimir and Ivan did such an amazing job and paid attention to every single detail. To recreate Rome and the story of Romulus and Remus was a big challenge, but I think we nailed it and the ideas behind it are incredible. Expect an epic feel, like the movie '300' for the texture... A big thank you to all the film crew and the actors!"

According ot BANG Media International, IRON MAIDEN will start work on its next album this year. The group hopes to have a new album out and be back on tour in 2010.

Guitarist Adrian Smith told BANG showbiz: "At the end of the year we'll be writing again, rehearsing and recording at the beginning of next year. Then we'll be back out on the road again next year. Kevin Shirley [producer] will be working on it with us and we'll probably be doing it somewhere where we've done a lot for recording in the past."

The next IRON MAIDEN album will be the band's fifteenth studio record, and they face a challenge to follow up their last effort, 2006s "A Matter of Life and Death" which was received well critically and saw the band tour playing the whole album.

Speaking at the premiere of the band's documentary film "Iron Maiden: Flight666", Adrian added: "There's always a bit of pressure to follow up the last album, in a way it's good because it motivates you.

"We never get complacent; we always try our best for our own sake as much as anything else. As far as pressure for another album, we just do what we do - we've been doing it long enough now, we know what we're doing [laughs]"

"Deep Unknown", the new video from Finnish melodic metallers STRATOVARIUS, can be viewed below. Also available is behind-the-scenes footage from the video shoot.

"Deep Unknown" comes off STRATOVARIUS' forthcoming studio album, "Polaris", which will be made available in Europe on May 21 via the band's new label partner Edel under the new imprint earMUSIC outside of Asia and the band's longtime record company in Asia, JVC.

The group's first CD since the departure of guitar player and main composer Timo Tolkki will feature the following track listing:

01. Deep Unknown (Matias Kupiainen/Timo Kotipelto)
02. Falling Star (Lauri Porra/Lauri Porra)
03. King of Nothing (Jens Johansson/Jens Johansson)
04. Blind (Jens Johansson/Jens Johansson)
05. Winter Skies (Jens Johansson/Jens Johansson)
06. Forever is Today (Lauri Porra/Lauri Porra)
07. Higher We Go (Timo Kotipelto, Matias Kupiainen/Timo Kotipelto)
07. Somehow Precious (Timo Kotipelto, Matias Kupiainen/Timo Kotipelto)
09. Emancipation Suite Part I: Dusk (Lauri Porra/Lauri Porra)
10. Emancipation Suite Part II: Dawn (Lauri Porra/Lauri Porra)
11. When Mountains Fall (Lauri Porra/Lauri Porra)
12. Second Sight (Matias Kupiainen/Timo Kotipelto)

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine has left a new audio update at TheLiveLine.com, a service launched by the guitarist/vocalist that enables musicians to connect to their audience over the phone.

"Great week; we're getting a lot of stuff done," he states about the recording process for MEGADETH's new album. "I was singing on [a new song called] '1320' again today. Did a lot of work on the choruses and Chris [Broderick, MEGADETH guitarist] has been playing his butt off.

"There's one particular song that he was doing an acoustic solo on, a flamenco part, and I told him, 'Dude, you have got to slow down!' [jokingly] He was playing so fast...".

Listen to Dave's entire message at TheLiveLine.com or call Dave on his TheLiveLine number at (866) 597-6342.

Tentatively due in September via Roadrunner Records, MEGADETH's forthcoming LP will be the group's first with Chris Broderick, who replaced Glen Drover at the end of 2007.

The recording process for MEGADETH's twelfth studio album began on January 7 at the band's own Vic's Garage studio in San Marcos, California.

The CD is once again being helmed by British producer Andy "Undie" Sneap (ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE, EXODUS, MACHINE HEAD), who worked with MEGADETH on the band's last album, "United Abominations", which came out in May 2007 via Roadrunner.

New MEGADETH songtitles include:

* 1320
* Bite the Hand That Feeds
* El Pistolero Solo (working title)
* How the Story Ends (working title)
* Nothing Left to Lose But My Mind
* The Hardest Part of Letting Go
* This Day We Fight

TESTAMENT, KREATOR, ANTHRAX, DESTRUCTION, SODOM and OVERKILL are among the featured bands on the "Thrash 'Til Death" compilation, due on May 15 via Germany's AFM Records.

The track listing for the double-CD set is as follows:

CD 1:

01. TANKARD - Stay Thirsty
02. OVERKILL - What It Takes
03. KREATOR - Impossible Brutality
04. DESTRUCTION - D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N.
05. LAAZ ROCKIT - Brain Wash
06. DEATH ANGEL - Sonic Beatdown
07. SQUEALER - The Sources Of Ignition
08. PRESIDENT EVIL - Deathcar Racer
09. EXODUS - Riot Act
10. LEGION OF THE DAMNED - Legion Of The Damned
11. HOLY MOSES - World In Darkness
12. PARADOX - Second Over Third By Force
13. TESTAMENT - More Than Meets The Eye
14. DEW-SCENTED - Cities Of The Dead
15. MANTIC RITUAL - One By One
16. PERZONAL WAR - Two Borders
17. VOIVOD - No Angel
18. WARBRINGER - Combat Shock
19. HEADHUNTER - Parasite Of Society

CD 2:

01. SODOM - Agent Orange (live)
02. HOBB'S ANGEL OF DEATH - Jack The Ripper
03. NUCLEAR ASSAULT - Critical Mass (live)
04. TOXIK - Heart Attack
05. FORTE - Inhuman
06. LIVING DEATH - Die Young
07. ONSLAUGHT - Let There Be Death (live)
08. DESTROYER - Australian & Antichrist
09. DEMOLITION HAMMER - .44 Caliber Brain Surgery
10. HEATHEN - Hypnotized
11. ANNIHILATOR - Alison Hell (live)
12. MEKONG DELTA - Innocent
13. ANTHRAX - Indians
14. EVILDEAD - Welcome To Kuwait
15. WHIPLASH - Thrash Til' Death

Boston, Massachusetts-based hardcore/metal band BURY YOUR DEAD will release its new album, "It's Nothing Personal", on May 26 via Victory Records.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Hurting Not Helping
02. Without You
03. Broken Body
04. The Great Demonizer
05. Dead End Lovesong
06. Swan Song
07. Lakota
08. The Forgotten
09. Lion's Den
10. Legacy of Ashes
11. Closed Eyes
12. Enough

Marilyn Manson recently filmed a video for the track "Arma-Goddamn-Motherfuckin'-Geddon" with director Delaney Bishop.

Bishop is a filmmaker and photographer based in Los Angeles. He has directed music videos for JURASSIC 5, CUT CHEMIST and ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK. Delaney has also worked on a twenty-minute short entitled "The Death of Salvador Dali" featuring Manson's ex-wife Dita Von Teese, a project which broke new ground in new media, as the film was made available for download through iTunes.

"Arma-Goddamn-Motherfuckin'-Geddon" is the first single from Manson's upcoming album, "The High End Of Low". The CD is due out on May 26 and is his first with longtime bassist Twiggy Ramirez since 2000's "Holy Wood".

Manson has also posted the album artwork online. The cover is a rather subdued, eerily lit photo of the singer with a glowing necklace around his head.

The official track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Devour
02. Pretty As A Swastika
03. Leave A Scar
04. Four Rusted Horses
05. Arma-Goddamn-Motherfuckin'-Geddon
06. Blank And White
07. Running To The Edge Of The World
08. I Want To Kill You Like They Do In The Movies
09. WOW
10. Wight Spider
11. Unkillable Monster
12. We're From America
13. I Have To Look Up Just To See Hell
14. Into The Fire
15. 15

Epicus Records, the label owned and operated by the Norwegian power metal band GAIA EPICUS, is putting together a tribute album to HELLOWEEN and GAMMA RAY. Four acts have already confirmed their participation in the project:

GAIA EPICUS (Norway)
TREASURE LAND (Sweden)
ARMORY (USA)
BURN UNIVERSE (Italy)

Interested parties can e-mail contact@epicusrecords.com.

Vocalist Georg Neuhauser of Austrian symphonic melodic metallers SERENITY has issued the following update:

"At the moment, we're just writing new songs and the results so far are amazing. Thomas [Buchberger; guitar] really created some great basics and right now I'm adding some new vocal lines and choirs.

"We're looking forward to the show in Prague on May 9th and this week there'll be a big surprise for all our fans, especially in Germany... But I can't tell you more at the moment! So stay tuned!!"

SERENITY was recently forced to cancel several shows on its European tour with KAMELOT and DELAIN after Georg Neuhauser came down with "a bad flu with all infections you can imagine."

According to a posting on the Deep Purple Appreciation Society web site, the anniversary re-releases of WHITESNAKE's "Slip Of The Tongue" (20th anniversary) and "Slide It In" (25th anniversary) albums are now planned for second week of June 2009. Both are the combined CD/DVD type now favored by EMI and come in nice digipacks. The DVD content is also generous, with a mix of promos and live tracks. An expanded edition of WHITESNAKE's recent studio album, "Good To Be Bad", is also planned.

"Slide It In" CD contains:

* Both U.S. and U.K. mixes of all tracks plus one live song (20 tracks total)

"Slide It In" DVD contains:

* Guilty Of Love (promo clip)
* Slow An' Easy (promo clip)
* Love Ain't No Stranger (promo clip)
* Guilty Of Love (Donnington 1983)
* Love Ain't No Stranger (Starkers In Tokyo)
* Give Me More Time (BBC TV Top Of The Pops 19/1/84)
* Love Ain't No Stranger (Live... In The Still Of The Night)

"Slip Of The Tongue" CD contains:

* Regular album plus:

* Now You're Gone (U.S. Remix)
* Fool For Your Loving (The Vai Voltage Mix)
* Slip Of The Tongue (Live At Donnington 1990)
* Kittens Got Claws (Live At Donnington 1990)

"Slip Of The Tongue" DVD contains:

* Fool For Your Loving (promo clip)
* Now You're Gone (promo clip)
* The Deeper The Love (promo clip)
* The Deeper The Love (Starkers In Tokyo)
* Sailing Ships (Starkers In Tokyo)
* Judgement Day (Live... In The Still Of The Night)
* Slip Of The Tongue (Live At Donnington 1990)
* Kittens Got Claws (Live At Donnington 1990)

Longstanding death metal heavyweights DYING FETUS have entered Wright Way Studios in Baltimore, Maryland with producer Steve Wright to begin work on the follow-up to 2007's "War Of Attrition". A September release via Relapse Records is expected.

Commented DYING FETUS founder/guitarist John Gallagher: "We're stoked about starting the recording for the new DYING FETUS album. Sean, Trey, and I have put more time and energy into writing this record than any of our previous records, and it will show when we deliver the most brutal DYING FETUS album ever recorded this fall. This record will be devastating."

DYING FETUS will take part in the 2009 Summer Slaughter Tour alongside labelmates NECROPHAGIST and ORIGIN, as well as SUFFOCATION, ENSIFERUM, DARKEST HOUR and many more. The four-week trek will kick off on June 5 in Baltimore. DYING FETUS will also headline the first day of this year's Los Angeles Murderfest as well as appear at Austria's Kaltenbach Festival.

"Storm", the new video from SANCTIFICATION — the Swedish death metal band featuring current/former members of GOD AMONG INSECTS, IN BATTLE and SOULDRAINER — can be viewed below.

Comments the group: "In this video, as on the album Emperor Magus Caligula from the legendary DARK FUNERAL appears and the film team that is behind it is called Standard Film Team from Umeå, Sweden. The video was filmed during one day in April in Östersund, Sweden."

"Storm" comes off SANCTIFICATION's new album, "Black Reign", which is scheduled for release in May via the Singapore-based label Pulverised Records.

The group's current lineup consists of Tomas Elofsson (guitar) and Markus Edvardsson (guitar) alongside two session members. It is as follows:

* Magnus "Masse" Broberg (a.k.a. Emperor Magus Caligula) (DARK FUNERAL) - Vocals
* Tomas Elofsson - Guitar
* Markus Edvardsson - Guitar
* Andreas Mellkvist (OLTUED) - Bass

"Black Reign" was recorded at Abyss studio in Sweden on with producers Tommy and Peter Tägtgren and was mastered by Dan Swanö.

"Black Reign" track listing:

01. Thirst For Blood
02. Black Reign (feat. Peter Tägtgren, Emperor Magus Caligula)
03. Raw
04. Eternal (feat. Peter Tägtgren)
05. Hear This
06. Dead Forever
07. Flesh, Bone And Skin
08. Trucido Christianese
09. Storm (feat. Emperor Magus Caligula)

The group's debut album, "Misanthropic Salvation", was released in 2003 through Remission Records.

Finnish folk-influenced melodic metallers ENSIFERUM have posted the first in a series of video clips documenting the recording sessions for the band's fourth album, due on September 9, 2009. Watch it at this location.

"As you might know, ENSIFERUM started recording [our] fourth album on April 13. Album is recorded/produced by Tero Kinnunen (NIGHTWISH, AMORPHIS) and Janne Joutsenniemi ('Victory Songs' producer). Album will be mixed by Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, SENTENCED, AMORPHIS).

"As usual, there will be lot of session folk musicians but there will also be some surprises. We will update track list later but we can reveal that there will be seven songs plus intro and a cover song featuring a very special guest. Album will be released 9.9.09 [September 9, 2009] and after that band will start tour which will reach lands near, far and beyond."

ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian has revealed via a posting on his MySpace page that the band will begin mixing its first new studio album in six years, "Worship Music", the first week of May. "We're gonna give birth to a really heavy baby," he writes.

ANTHRAX will bring its brand of New York metal to Oklahoma when it kicks off the third annual, four-day Rocklahoma festival set for July 9-12 in Pryor, Oklahoma. ANTHRAX will headline the festival's July 9 opening night.

ANTHRAX's Rocklahoma festival appearance will be in support of "Worship Music", scheduled for an October release, and the May 12 release of the limited edition, three-record vinyl reissue of the band's first album, "Fistful of Metal", which originally came out twenty-five years ago. "Worship Music" will mark the studio debut of Dan Nelson who joins long-time members Benante and Scott Ian (rhythm guitar), Frank Bello (bass) and Rob Caggiano (lead guitar).

The Rocklahoma festival will be ANTHRAX's only North American concert appearance until they launch their own major trek here later this year.

Former THE GATHERING singer Anneke van Giersbergen played a six-song acoustic set during her April 3, 2009 in-store appearance at Plato in Utrecht, Netherlands.

Her setlist was as follows:

01. Beautiful One
02. Yalin
03. Sunny Side Up
04. Scorpion Flower (MOONSPELL cover)
05. My Electricity
06. Jolene

Finnish folk metallers KORPIKLAANI will release a new single, "Vodka", in late May via Nuclear Blast Records. It will be made available in the following formats:

* "Vodka" (Single) - Finland only (May 27)

CDS (Finland)

01. Vodka
02. Juodaan Viinaa

* "Vodka" (Single) (May 29)

Digital Single

01. Vodka
02. Juodaan Viinaa


"Vodka" (Single) (May 29)

* 7" Picture Vinyl

Side A:

01. Vodka

Side B

01. Juodaan Viinaa

HYPOCRISY, the Swedish extreme metal band led by guitarist/vocalist Peter Tägtgren (also of PAIN), has issued the following update:

"As you know Peter has been busy touring with PAIN during the first half of this year. But in between the tours, vocals [for the new HYPOCRISY album] have been recorded. Three songs are finished with vocals so far. Ten more to go until the final mixing will begin.

"The plan was to be finished with the album in the first quater of this year and to release it in the summer. But we're very sorry to let you know that it's not gonna happen. During the recording process we realized that we would't make it in time. We don't want to stress just to get it out, because this album is going to be the best we've ever done! We're going to make a new release plan with our record company and the album will be out later this year. The cover for the album is already decided but before we make it offical we would like to set the title for it. There are still some work to do but we'll let you know how it's going.

"We can't wait for it to be released and finally go on tour again!"

Nuclear Blast Records has set a May 22 release date for "The Miskolc Experience", the new CD/DVD from Swedish progressive/experimental metallers THERION.

The set's description reads as follows: "After the phenomenal last studio album 'Gothic Kabbalah' (2007), easily THERION's most stunning effort since 'Theli', and the follow-up live CD 'Live Gothic' (2008), THERION mastermind and only remaining founding member Christofer Johnsson decided to go for a rather special project: the band's appearance at the remarkable and renowned International Opera Festival in Miskolc, Hungary in 2007 was taped on and off stage to preserve a truly unique classic metal event for the THERION fanbase! The first part — dubbed 'Classical Adventures' — features some of Christofer's favourite composers (especially his all-time fave, Wagner) and does completely without guitars or any metal instrumentation whatsoever. Just orchestra and choir. Part two, 'Therion Songs', delivers exactly that: finest THERION material performed by the band, a huge orchestra and choir. Rounding off 'The Miskolc Experience' is an entertaining documentary which gives insight in the complicated organisation and the no less complicated execution with all ups and downs for the involved crew and musicians.

"'The Miskolc Experience' is the testimony of the brilliant Johnsson/Niemann/Niemann/Karlsson THERION lineup which Christofer Johnsson decided to dissolve in late 2008. This chapter of THERION is closed, a new era is about to begin — and THERION will soon open the book once again!"

DVD + CD track listing:

Part 1 - Classical Adventures: (44 min.)

01. Clavicula Nox
02. Dvorak: Excerpt from Symphony no. 9
03. Verdi: Vedi! le fosche notturne spotigle from Il Trovatore
04. Mozart: "Dies Irae" from Reqiuem
05. Saint-Saens: Excerpt from Symphony No. 3
06. Wagner: "Notung! Notung! Niedliches Schwert!" from The Ring
07. Wagner: Excerpt from the Overture from Rienzi
08. Wagner: Second part of "Der Tag ist da" from Rienzzi
09. Wagner: First part of "Herbei! Herbei!" from Rienzi

Part 2 - Therion Songs: (66 min.)

01. Blood Of Kingu
02. Sirius B
03. Lemuria
04. Eternal Return
05. Draconian Trilogy
06. Schwartsalbenheim
07. Via Nocturna
08. The Rise Of Sodom And Gomorrah
09. Grand Finale

Bonus Features (DVD only):

* Documentary (20 min.)
* Therion Goes Classic – Bucharest (16 min.)

According to NME.com, drummer Lars Ulrich revealed in a new interview that METALLICA fans used to ask the band to sleep with their girlfriends.

Speaking in the new issue of our sister title Uncut, out this week, the drummer explained that early in the band's career they often received the strange request.

"In the early days in America back in the mid-'80s, people would often ask us to fuck their girlfriend," Ulrich recalled. "The first time it happened to me, we were opening for Ozzy [Osbourne] in 1986 and I was slightly taken aback. But you realize people were serious and you say to yourself, 'So now I'm fucking your girlfriend, are you round the corner, whacking off? Are You taking pictures? Where do you fit into all this?'

"It's pretty depraved shit, and it's hard to wrap your head around that when you're fucking someone else's girl. It's not a good thing to ask a band to do, right?"

Frontiers Records has set a June 5 European release date for European release of THE LOU GRAMM BAND's self-titled album.

Powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Lou Gramm can be heard each and every day, all over the world, on radio, iPods, CD players, television commercials, music videos, and of course... jukeboxes. Gramm — the former lead vocalist and co-writer of the multi-platinum band FOREIGNER — has become the voice of a generation. Among the most distinctive and powerful voices to emerge from rock and Top 40 radio, Lou Gramm is also a successful solo artist in his own right and remains one of the most recognizable performers in music today.

Lou Gramm, the vocalist on 20 Top 40 singles, which continue to drive sales of nearly 80 million albums worldwide, exploded onto the international music scene with FOREIGNER on the chart-topper "Feels Like The First Time" in 1977. The stats are impressive: eight Top 5 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and five Top 5 albums on the Billboard album chart in the U.S. alone plus a solid history of chart entries in several European territories and Japan.

Now, nearly three decades after the debut of FOREIGNER and chart-topping success as a solo artist, Lou Gramm returns with "The Lou Gramm Band", a powerful new CD featuring his own unique brand of rock 'n' roll.

"The feeling is wonderful and liberating, to be able to once again record an album of songs that I really care about, with my brothers and my friends making up the band," says Lou. The band is formed by Gramm's brothers Ben and Richard on drums and bass, respectively, with Andy Knoll on keyboards and Don Mancuso on guitars.

"I've always tried to be down to earth lyrically and write songs through experience and with emotion," continues Lou. "Musically, I am really fortunate enough to have creative and expressive musicians around me. When I hear a guitar or keyboard riff from my brother Richard, Don or Andy, a story begins to form lyrically and melodically and the band and I work these ideas. Sometimes very painstakingly, until we have the bare bones of something that we can be proud of."

"The Lou Gramm Band" track listing:

01. Baptized By Fire
02. Made To Be Broken
03. Willing To Forgive
04. That's The Way God Planned It
05. (I Just Wanna) Testify
06. So Great
07. Redeemer
08. Single Vision
09. Rattle Yer Bones
10. You Saved Me
11. It's Not Too Late (bonus track for Europe)

Check out audio samples at this location.

Whether they are rocking out on classics like "Hot Blooded" or "Jukebox Hero", rolling out a new extended groove on Gramm's massive solo hit "Midnight Blue", or bringing to life "So Great" and "Baptized By Fire" from their new self-titled CD, Lou and his band have been pleasing enthusiastic audiences with a show that captures the essence of Gramm's talent.

"We would love to tour Europe and the rest of the world playing both new songs and select songs from my thirty-year career," says Lou.

According to Denmark's Antenna magazine, Danish thrashers ARTILLERY have set "When Death Comes" as the title of their fifth album, due in Europe in June and in Japan in July via Poland's Metal Mind Productions. The CD was recorded at Medley Studios in Copenhagen with producer Søren Andersen (guitar player in Oliver Weers' solo band) at Medley Studios in Copenhagen. A video for the song "10,000 Devils" was shot this past Thursday and will be unveiled when the album is released.

"When Death Comes" track listing:

01. When Death Comes
02. Upon My Cross I Crawl
03. 10.000 Devils
04. Rise Above It All
05. Sandbox Philosophy
06. Delusions Of Grandeur
07. Not A Nightmare
08. Damned Religion
09. Uniform
10. The End
11. Refuse To Live - Part II
12. Warhead
13. Chaos Ride

"Refuse to Live - Part II", "Warhead" and "Chaos Ride" are bonus tracks that will appear on the Japanese and/or digipack versions of the album.

"When Death Comes", "10,000 Devils", "Damned Religion" and "Uniform" (which previously appeared on ARTILLERY's 1991 demo "Mind Factory", as did "Delusions of Grandeur") have already been performed live, and the band has promised to play "Upon My Cross I Crawl" this Friday when they share the stage with KONKHRA at Forbrændingen in Albertslund, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Regarding the band's producer choice, guitarist Michael Stützer previously said, "We don't wanna use the same producers like all the other Danish metal bands and Søren has done the production of metal newcomer OLIVER WEERS' new record."

Metal Mind Productions released "One Foot in the Grave, The Other One in the Trash" on June 16, 2008 in Europe and August 5, 2008 in the USA (via MVD). According to a press release, the DVD features "a fantastic gig the thrash veterans gave at Metalmania Festival 2008. The outstanding guitar play of brothers Stützer, charismatic Carsten Nielsen's powerful drums and the uncompromising thrash energy of Søren Adamsen's voice ruthlessly hammered their way into the hearts of the headbangers assambled on that occasion. ARTILLERY launched a veritable blitz, bombarding their fans with a skull-breaking selection of some of the best songs from their entire discography, including great thrash metal masterpieces like 'By Inheritence' and 'Khomaniac'!" The DVD also includes many great bonus features, such as extra video material: "Allergic to Knowledge" (video clip), "Terror Squad" (video clip), "The Almighty" (bootlegged at The Rock, Copenhagen, 2008), MISSING LINK – "Lobotomized" (video clip), plus interview with Michael Stützer, interview with Morten Stützer and Carsten Nielsen and more. The release is also available in a limited edition — including a CD with songs recorded at the Metalmania Festival.

Italian metallers SLOWMOTION APOCALYPSE have finalized the track listing for their third album, "Mothra", due later in the year via an as-yet-undetermined record label. The CD was recorded at Planet Red Studios in Richmond, Virginia with producer Andreas Magnusson (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, THE AGONY SCENE, SCARLET, DUFRESNE, BECOMING THE ARCHETYPE, SPITFIRE, TWELVE TRIBES) and features a guest appearances by Myke Terry from BURY YOUR DEAD and Matthew Rudzinski from KILLWHITNEYDEAD. It was mastered by Alan Douches (CONVERGE, MISFITS, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, HATEBREED, MASTODON) at West West Side Music in New Windsor, New York.

"Mothra" track listing:

01. Caterpillar
02. Forever, Works Just In Songs
03. In Full View of Heaven
04. Me, Kate and Other Bastard Sons of My Generation
05. Stash
06. What a Rockin' Heavy Metal Get-Up, Dude!
07. Dim Shape in a Black Hole Life
08. Gamera Part. 1: Death Worship Era
09. Gamera Part. 2: The So Called Northern Half
10. Haiku

The group says in a statement: "'Mothra' represents a new step in our life as a band, a new shape for both our sound and our songwriting and it's our most sick and experimental album so far. It will surprise you!

"All artwork will be worked out by visionary artist Seldon Hunt (NEUROSIS, MELVINS, ISIS, KK NULL, EPHEL DUATH, etc.).

"We're currently unsigned and we'll soon chose a label to release the album. If interested, contact us at info@slowmotionappocalypse.com."

SLOWMOTION APOCALYPSE last fall parted ways with guitarist Ivan Odorico and replaced him with Manuel "Sean" Giannella (DAYSHINE RISING). According to SLOWMOTION APOCALYPSE, "he is a very talented guitar player and he is the perfect consolidating link between what we have recorded until today and the new stuff we're going to release in the future."

SLOWMOTION APOCALYPSE released its second album, "Obsidian", in April 2007 via Scarlet Records. Recorded by Riccardo Pasini (EPHEL DUATH, THE SECRET, REPRISAL) at Studio 73 and by Ettore Rigotti (DISARMONIA MUNDI) at dB Studio and mixed and produced by Ettore Rigotti, the CD features guest vocals by the mighty Tomas Lindberg (ex-AT THE GATES, THE GREAT DECEIVER), Gianluca "GL" Perotti (ex-EXTREMA) and Claudio Ravinale (DISARMONIA MUNDI).

Vocalist/bassist Alex Camargo of Brazilian death metal veterans KRISIUN was interviewed earlier this week by Andrew Haug of Triple J's "Full Metal Racket" (based in Australia).

Christopher Porter of Washington Post's Express Night Out recently conducted an interview with Alex Camargo. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On the band's longevity:

"Motivation is the key. We started this thing and we wanna finish it. We still have a passion for what we do. It's been a challenge, especially when you're playing extreme music, but as long you're motivated, we're good to go. Whenever we start feeling tired and miserable, we'll know it's time to go home, time to quit. But up to now, we still feel motivated, and the passion for what we do is the reason we press on."

On KRISIUN being a family project:

"With bands, I know how hard it is to keep the lineup, keep the ideas flowing together. But whenever we have problems, we clear it out right away. We're not turning our backs to each other and walking away. We have issues like any other band, but we solve the problems right away. The music is our passion,and we pretty much have the same ideas and tastes."

"Sometimes you just get tired of seeing those guys, but it's no big deal. The touring thing, you have to be ready. You have to understand people's qualities and faults, and we 're all a bunch of human beings, so it's about understanding each other. Sometimes we get on each other's nerves, but we go for it no matter what."

On the success of fellow Brazilian extreme-metal gods SEPULTURA and KRISIUN's decision to cover SEPULTURA's "Refuse/Resist" on the "Southern Storm" album (hear audio below):

"We're proud of those boys. We're not friends or anything, but we respect those guys. They opened the doors. We felt like it was time to pay tribute to the band. Most people would expect us to play an early song from SEPULTURA — more like a fast track — but we wanted to bring that atmosphere when they were pretty big — just as big as METALLICA or SLAYER in '96, '97. We feel a bit sad with what's going on [with SEPULTURA] these days. I don't think they're playing as good of music as they used to."

Candlelight Records has set a June 2 release date for "Revelations Of The Black Flame", the new album from Norwegian black metallers 1349. The CD artwork can be viewed here. As with both "Hellfire" (2005) and "Beyond the Apocalypse" (2004), the new album was recorded at StudioStudio Nyhagen in Bøverbru, Norway, and was co-mixed by none other than Tom Gabriel Fischer of CELTIC FROST.

"Revelations Of The Black Flame" track listing:

01. Invocation
02. Serpentine Sibilance
03. Horns
04. Maggot Fetus…Teeth Like Thorns
05. Misanthropy
06. Uncreation
07. Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun
08. Solitude
09. At The Gate…

1349 released its third studio album, "Hellfire", in the U.S. in October 2005 via Candlelight Records. The CD was supported by a North American tour with CELTIC FROST.

England's extreme metal duo ANAAL NATHRAKH will release its new album, "In The Constellation Of The Black Widow", on June 29 via Candlelight Records. A limited-edition vinyl version of the effort will be made available the same month via Feto Records (the label run by NAPALM DEATH's Shane Embury and ANAAL NATHRAKH's Mick Kenney). A digital single entitled "More Of Fire Than Blood" will precede the full-length CD via iTunes on June 6.

ANAAL NATHRAKH vocalist V.I.T.R.I.O.L. previously stated about the band's new material, "'Constellation' will be faster, more insidious, more ominous, more musically dextrous and wilder than ever before. The album will feature a curve ball guest appearance from Zeitgeist Memento of Mexican extremists REPUBLIKA."

Formed in 1998, ANAAL NATHRAKH has recorded five full-length albums, with the most recent one, "Hell is Empty and All the Devils Are Here", released in 2007 via Feto Records (co-owned by member Mick Kenney and NAPALM DEATH's Shane Embury). Based in Birmingham, the band sonically fuses traditional black metal with elements of industrial, grindcore, and early-day death metal resulting in a one-of-a-kind soundscape that has earned it high acclaim from media and fans around the globe.