On April 28, 2009, a brand new DVD from the Japanese experimental metal band DIR EN GREY will be made available through The End Records' mail order, The Omega Order. The DVD, entitled "Shinkiba", will be available as a Japanese import only, and in two versions — a standard edition, as well as a limited edition with an alternate cover and two bonus discs.

DIR EN GREY guitarist Kaoru comments: "Through this DVD you will see that DIR EN GREY is having a pretty solid run with things now. In the concert featured here, we only played a few songs from 'Uroboros', but the band already has a firm grasp on the world of 'Uroboros'. It'll be an interesting watch. It's different from our last DVD 'A Knot Of', so check it out!"

"Uroboros", the seventh full-length album from DIR EN GREY, sold around 6,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 114 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD debuted at No. 1 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Uroboros" was made available in four formats: digital album; CD jewel case; deluxe limited-edition CD digipak with bonus track and DVD; and 12" LP with a digital download card included.

RUSH's "Retrospective 3" greatest-hits package will be released on March 3 via Anthem/Atlantic.

The collection — available as both individual CD and two-disc CD/DVD set — features tracks culled from the legendary trio's two decades with Atlantic Records, spanning such acclaimed studio works as 1989's "Presto", 1991's "Roll The Bones", 1993's "Counterparts", 1996's "Test For Echo", 2002's "Vapor Trails", and 2007's "Snakes & Arrows". In addition, "Retrospective 3" features a previously unreleased live version of the classic "Ghost of a Chance", recorded live in Atlanta during RUSH's 2008 "Snakes & Arrows Tour", as well as two tracks — "One Little Victory" and "Earthshine" — newly remixed by the band's Alex Lifeson and master mixer Richard Chycki (AEROSMITH, MICK JAGGER, P. DIDDY).

The "Retrospective 3" DVD gathers the band's 10 stunning music videos during the Atlantic years, including clips for fan favorites such as "The Pass", "Roll The Bones", "Stick It Out", "Driven" and the Grammy Award-nominated "Malignant Narcissism". What's more, the DVD includes a trio of live videos filmed in Frankfurt, Germany during RUSH's 2004 "R30: 30th Anniversary World Tour", highlighted by a masterful performance of THE WHO's classic "The Seeker" (originally recorded by RUSH for 2004's "Feedback"). As an added bonus, the band has included a rare televised performance of the classic "Tom Sawyer" and an on-camera interview featuring all three members.

Audio clips are available at BarnesAndNoble.com.

"Retrospective 3" will reportedly fulfill the band's obligation to Atlantic Records. Although denied by a spokesman for RUSH in a statement to Classic Rock magazine, it has been rumored that RUSH is negotiating a future contract with Rounder Records, who released the "R30" DVD in 2005.

"Retrospective 3" track listing:

CD:

01. One Little Victory (remix)
02. Dreamline
03. Workin' Them Angels
04. Presto
05. Bravado
06. Driven
07. The Pass
08. Animate
09. Roll the Bones
10. Ghost of a Chance (live)
11. Nobody's Hero
12. Leave That Thing Alone
13. Earthshine (remix)
14. Far Cry

DVD:

01. Stick it Out
02. Nobody's Hero
03. Half the World
04. Driven
05. Roll the Bones
06. Show Don't Tell
07. The Pass
08. Superconductor
09. Far Cry
10. Malignant Narcissism
11. The Seeker (live)
12. Secret Touch (live)
13. Resist (live)

The cover artwork for "Retrospective 3" can be viewed here.

Germany's death metal and hardcore fusionists HEAVEN SHALL BURN filmed their September 12, 2008 concert at Gasometer in Vienna, Austria for their first official DVD. The band says, "This baby will be the coolest thing we ever did! Prepare for something special! We know, that many of you are keen to get hands on that baby soon — we got like a million mails asking about the DVD. More details, such as title, content, artwork, tracklisting and of course release date will be revealed very soon!"

In other news, HEAVEN SHALL BURN has finished filming a new video for the band's cover version of the EDGE OF SANITY track "Black Tears", which appears on HEAVEN SHALL BURN's latest album, "Iconoclast" (2008). The clip is expected to make its online debut soon.

Capital Chaos's video footage of HEAVEN SHALL BURN's April 11, 2008 performance at The Boardwalk in Orangevale, California on April 11, 2008 can be viewed here.

"Iconoclast" entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 21. Artist extraordinaire an up-and-coming visionary for cutting-edge art Bastian Sobtzick created the artwork for the CD.

Italian hard rock band LACUNA COIL, which offers the dual vocals of male singer Andrea Ferro and female vocalist Cristina Scabbia, will release its much-anticipated new album, "Shallow Life", via Century Media Records on the following dates:

Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, Italy: April 17
North America, Spain, Portugal: April 21
Sweden, Finland, Hungary: April 22
U.K., France, Greece, Denmark, Norway, Rest of Europe: April 20

The "Spellbound"digital single will precede the album on the following dates:

Europe (except for U.K.): March 20
U.K./Australia: March 22

"Spellbound" is currently available for streaming on LACUNA COIL's MySpace page.

"Shallow Life" was recorded in September/October at NRG Studios in North Hollywood, California with producer Don Gilmore, who has previously worked with LINKIN PARK, TRAPT, AVRIL LAVIGNE, GOOD CHARLOTTE, THE VERONICAS, PEARL JAM, TRUST COMPANY and DURAN DURAN.

"Shallow Life" track listing:

01. Survive
02. I Won't Tell You
03. Not Enough
04. I'm Not Afraid
05. I Like It
06. Underdog
07. The Pain
08. Spellbound
09. Wide Awake
10. The Maze
11. Unchained
12. Shallow Life

AGUA DE ANNIQUE, the band led by former THE GATHERING singer Anneke van Giersbergen, performed a stripped down cover version of MOONSPELL's "Scorpion Flower" during the group's February 23, 2009 concert in Athens, Greece. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be viewed here.

MOONSPELL's original version of "Scorpion Flower", which appears on the band's latest album, "Night Eternal", features a guest appearance by Anneke.

AGUA DE ANNIQUE's setlist for the Athens concert was as follows:

01. Hyperdrive
02. Ice Water
03. Trail Of Grief
04. My Town
05. Beautiful One
06. Alone
07. Day After Yesterday
08. Sunken Soldiers Ball
09. Make It All New
10. My Girl
11. Scorpion Flower
12. Witnesses
13. Lost And Found
14. Digging The Grave
15. My Electricity
16. You Are Nice

As previously reported, Anneke van Giersbergen staged two unique shows earlier in the month — at the Melkweg in Amsterdam, Holland (Feb. 12) and at the Oosterpoort in Groningen (Feb. 13). At these intimate performances, Anneke shed some light on her compositions through personal stories. Anneke was also joined on stage by Sharon den Adel (WITHIN TEMPTATION), Niels Geusebroek (SILKSTONE) and singer-songwriter Marike Jager. These artists also perform on Anneke's new acoustic album, "Pure Air".

As well as acoustic versions of songs from her solo debut, "Air", Anneke's "Pure Air" album contains some great collaborations. Besides Sharon den Adel, Niels Geusebroek and Marike Jager, Anneke is joined by Danny Cavanagh (ANATHEMA), John Wetton (KING CRIMSON, ASIA) and Arjen Lucassen (AYREON).

Polish technical death/thrash metallers NEVER have posted a new song, "Questions Within", featuring a guest appearance by ARCH ENEMY frontwoman Angela Gossow. The track is expected to appear on NEVER's upcoming third album, "Back To The Front", due later in the year via Metal Mind Productions. According to the band, "We recorded two songs with Angela, two versions of each. The first version of both songs contains Angela's vocals only, the second one contains the romantic vocal duo of Angela and Seba [NEVER guitarist/vocalist Sebastian Synowiec]. It seems that on the regular release of 'Back To The Front' there will be the second version of 'Questions Within' and the first version of 'Painted Black'. The other versions probably will be used as a bonuses in the future."

In addition to Gossow, "Back To The Front" will feature a guest appearance by UNSUN/ex-VADER guitarist Maurycy "Mauser" Stefanowicz.

Hengelo, Netherlands-based death/thrash quintet DEVIOUS has entered the studio to begin recording its new full-length album, "Vision", due laer in the year via Deity Down Records. The follow-up to 2007's "Domain" is being engineered by Frank Klein Douwel and is scheduled to be mixed by producer Jochem Jacobs (TEXTURES) at the Split Second Sound studios, Netherlands.

DEVIOUS' current lineup is as follows:

Guido De Jongh (guitar)
Frank Schilperoort (drums)
Arnold Oude Middendorp (vocals)
Wouter Huitema (guitar)
Daniel Centiago (bass)

Tim Finan of Telegraph.co.uk reports: A court in Brittany in northwest France heard yesterday how four members of a fanatical black metal anti-Christian sect went on alcohol fuelled rampages smashing ancient granite crosses in cemeteries and torching a 16th century chapel classified as an ancient monument.

With a satanic bible in the boot of their car and using a tourist guide to pilgrimage sites they selected holy places of worship where they claimed Catholic saints had raised ancient Celtic pagan monuments replacing them with Christian churches and chapels.

They scrawled satanic symbols and inverted crosses on premises they defiled — all in the name of their sect, True Armorik Black Metal.

The Court heard how two of the group all aged in their twenties were members of a black metal music group, the words in their songs glorified Hitler as the new anti-Christ and invoked scenes from "The Silence of the Lambs".

YNGWIE MALMSTEEN will release two DVD's via Rising Force Records on March 24 — "Live Animal" and "Live In Budokan".

According to Amazon.com, "Live Animal" (running time: 80 minutes) captures Yngwie Malmsteen's 1998 performance in Brazil in front of a captivating and energetic crowd. Tracks on this performance include: "Resurrection", "Facing The Animal", "Rising Force", "Bedroom Eyes", "Far Beyond The Sun", "Like An Angel", "Braveheart", "Seventh Sign", "Trilogy Suite", "Never Die", "Black Star" and "I'll See The Light".

Never before released outside of Asia, "Live In Budokan" (running time: 107 minutes) captures Yngwie Malmsteen's performance in Tokyo, Japan. Selections from this performance include: "Toccata", "Never Die", "Bedroom Eyes", "Rising Force", "Bad Blood", "Forever One" and many, many more.

As previously reported, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN will release an all-instrumental acoustic album, "Angels Of Love", which will contain rearrangements of his ballad songs played on acoustic guitar and string and choir arrangements only. It is a masterpiece showing the tender, delicate version of his classic songs as well as a new composition. A March 10 release via Rising Force Records is expected.

"Perpetual Flame", the new album from Malmsteen, has sold 13,200 copies in the United States since its October 2008 release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Hardcore metal leaders HATEBREED will release their long-awaited new covers album, "For The Lions", in Europe on May 11, 2009 via Century Media Records. Due in the U.S. on Tuesday, May 5 via E1 Music (formerly KOCH Records), tis new release is the follow-up to the band's #1 Billboard-charting DVD "Live Dominance", which came out last September.

The songs on "For The Lions" were carefully selected by HATEBREED to represent a panoramic view of some of their favorite artists and greatest musical inspirations. Having completed the album in 2008, the band felt their work wasn't done yet and just returned to the studio with original guitar player Wayne Lozinak to record additional tracks for the album. The four new covers are among the most bludgeoning the band has yet to record. They are "Ghosts Of War" (SLAYER), "Supertouch/Shitfit" (BAD BRAINS), "Thirsty" (BLACK FLAG) and "Suicidal Maniac" (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES).

"For The Lions" was produced, engineered and mixed by long-time band associate Chris "Zeuss" Harris.

"For The Lions" track listing:

01. SLAYER - Ghosts of War
02. CRO-MAGS - It's The Limit
03. SUICIDAL TENDENCIES - Suicidal Maniac
04. SEPULTURA - Refuse/Resist
05. METALLICA - Escape
06. BAD BRAINS - Supertouch/Shitfit
07. MISFITS - Hatebreeders
08. D.R.I. - Evil Minds
09. MADBALL - Set It Off
10. SICK OF IT ALL - Shut Me Out
11. BLACK FLAG - Thirsty
12. NEGATIVE APPROACH - Sick Of Talk
13. CROWBAR - All I Had I Gave
14. MERAUDER - Life Is Pain
15. AGNOSTIC FRONT - Your Mistake
16. JUDGE - Hear Me
17. OBITUARY - I'm In Pain
18. SUBZERO - Boxed In

Candlelight Records has announced the signing of England's ANAAL NATHRAKH. The popular extreme metal duo are currently in the studio working on its new album, "In The Constellation Of The Black Widow", for a summer release. Vocalist V.I.T.R.I.O.L. says, "Candlelight have shown a strong belief in ANAAL NATHRAKH and looking at some of the acts on their roster both past and present it seems they are capable of backing up their good intentions. With their help, we hope we can finally get the planet cracked in half."

Commenting on the new album, V.I.T.R.I.O.L. states, "'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.

Swedish black/death metallers THE LEGION, who feature in their ranks former MARDUK drummer Emil Dragutinovic, have unveiled the cover artwork and track listing for their third album, "A Bliss to Suffer". Due on April 27 through Listenable Records, the CD was entirely produced by the bandmembers themselves at Art Decay Studio during a series of sessions in 2007 and 2008 an "displays the relentless speed and severe brutality of previous efforts blended together with strangely atmospheric and epic elements, taking the lethal concoctions to new heights," according to a press release. The band says, "Vocalist [Lars] Martinsson is back as a permanent member after commitments elsewhere, and celebrates the return with a never-ending row of ghastly shrieks all through the album."

"A Bliss to Suffer" track listing:

01. Shining Redemption
02. Call Of The Nameless Black
03. A Toil Beneath The Skin
04. Blood, Be Gone!
05. A Curse For The Dead
06. The Luring Depths
07. The Inimical
08. Man-Beast
09. The Reaping Of Flesh And Blood

THE LEGION released its sophomore album, "Revocation", in February 2006 via Listenable Records.

Long-running German death metallers RESURRECTED have set "Fierce" as the title of their sixth album. The CD was recorded in part at Catacomb Productions and will be mixed starting on March 27 at Soundlodge Recording in Rhauderfehn, Germany with Jörk Uken (GOD DETHRONED, OBSCENITY). The cover artwork (see below) was created by Plamen Kolev from Memories From Tomorrow. Songtitles set to appear on the album include "Perverse Consecration", "Divine Masturbation" and a cover version of MORBID ANGEL's "Day Of Suffering".

RESURRECTED's fifth album, "Endless Sea of Loss", was released in October 2006 via Morbid Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Blood Spilled" was recorded at Soundlodge Studio in Germany and was mastered at Megawimp Mastering Studio in Berlin.

"New Messiah", the new video from ARTIFACT, the Norwegian band featuring former SIRENIA guitarist Björnar Landa, can be viewed below. The clip features a special guest appearance by TRISTANIA singer Mariangela Demurtas.

ARTIFACT released its debut album, "The Only Salvation", in June 2008 via Spiralchords. According to a press release, "The Only Salvation" is "a multifaceted adventure that blends dark rock, metal and industrial elements in a remarkably strong way. Juicy riffs, crunchy synths and huge choruses amalgamate with varied atmospheres which pend between aggressive volcanos ('Dead Eyes', 'New Messiah') and emotional, thoughtful beauty ('Scapegoated & Demonized')."

ARTIFACT is a band from the city of Stavanger on the west coast of Norway, formed in late 2002. The band consists of Landa, vocalist Tor Arne Fassotte of THIS NEGATIVE KARMA, guitarist Pål Evensen who programs and writes most of the music, and drummer Svein Harald Kleppe who has played in a number of bands, ranging from black metallers CARPATHIAN FOREST to prog rockers SEA OF DREAMS and MAYAH.

Norway's MADDER MORTEM will release its new album, "Eight Ways", in Europe on May 18, and in North America on June 16 via Peaceville Records.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Formaldehyde
02. The Little Things
03. Armour
04. Resolution
05. A Different Kind Of Hell
06. Riddle Wants To Be
07. Where Dream And Day Collide
08. The Flesh, The Blood And The Man
09. Get That Monster Out Of Here
10. Life, Lust & Liberty
11. All I Know
12. The Eighth Wave

The band says, "We're also working on two music videos for the new album. The release dates and details for these will be published later."

Dutch "atmospheric doomsters" OFFICIUM TRISTE have issued the following update:

"Last weekend we recorded four songs for our upcoming 15th anniversary CD. We recorded at the Get Rhythm studio where we rehearse as well. Things went really well. Since some news spreaded via our label concerning this CD we'll give you some more details.

"The CD will contain: 'No Hope' (brand new song), 'Divinity' (re- recorded version of the song originally on 'The Pathway'), 'My Charcoal Heart' (acoustic version featuring our driver/merchandiser Simone on mandolin), 'Love Like Blood' (KILLING JOKE cover), plus remastered versions of the songs of our split MCD with COLD MOURNING from '98 and our first 7" EP, 'Mountains Of Depressiveness', from '96.

The album is called 'Charcoal Hearts - 15 Years of Hurt'.

"Next weekend we will enter Excess studios in Rotterdam to do the mixing and mastering."

OFFICIUM TRISTE's fourth full-length album, "Giving Yourself Away", was released on May 28, 2007 via Displeased Records. The CD was recorded at Excess studio in Rotterdam, Holland.

Finnish folk metal band FINNTROLL has issued the following update:

"You may have noticed that there aren't any shows booked for us so far, but this doesn't mean that we won't play at all this year. We just decided after the Heidenfest tour that we will have half a year off from playing and be concentrating on writing a new and the best FINNTROLL album so far, also working on the DVD is a priority.

"We have now got the chance to start from a clean slate and so we will do. All gigs will be handled by ourselves for the time being, which means that if you have a festival/show/tour that you want us to play on, please be kind send your request to the following email: finntrollbooking@gmail.com. Every offer will be considered!"

KINETIK CONTROL, the Finnish band featuring members of HAVOC UNIT and SIN:DECAY, will enter the studio in May with producer Peter Tägtgren (PAIN, HYPOCRISY) to begin recording its sophomore album for a late 2009 release. Tentatively titled "Only Truth Remains", the follow-up to last year's "Lack Of Divine Inspiration", will be completed in August.

KINETIK CONTROL's video for the song "Vanguard Of The New World", which debuted on No. 1 on both the Finnish single chart and download chart, can be viewed here.

According to the band's official bio, KINETIK CONTROL is "a manifestation of electronic turbulence, metallic mood swings and melancholic mindscapes. The old saying 'opposites attract' is definitely the case with Tweak and Dexter, two creative individuals with a completely different social and spiritual background. Even if there is contrast in the two individuals' personalities, there is something unexplainably strong and mystical about their collaboration. Together they form a team whose musical force is appalling. Call it cosmic unison or anything else dim, the music speaks for itself and is far from superficial. The ability to combine electronic elements with pop sensibility and a twist of metal, completely in their own terms, honors all music styles — yet creates a distinctive and recognizable original sound. Instead of hanging onto a narrow musical spectrum, Tweak and Dexter have decided to reach for the stars. Their music has no limits or boundaries; nothing is sacred or forbidden in their little world. So expect the unexpected! It is too early to say how far their vision will take them, but as surely as the sun shines and the night falls, Tweak and Dexter will not be able to stop their musical hallucinations or their critical view of the surrounding world. And now and in the future, that will result in gigantic atmospheres and powerful emotive music."

FAITH NO MORE bassist Bill Gould has released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET:

"FAITH NO MORE has always stood out as some sort of unique beast; part dog, part cat — its music almost as schizophrenic as the personalities of its members. When it all worked, it worked really well, even if the chemistry was always volatile.

"Throughout our 17 years of existence, the mental and physical energy required to sustain this creature was considerable and relentless. Though amicable enough, when we finally split, we all followed paths seemingly destined to opposite ends of the universe. Yet during the entire 10 years that have passed since our decision to break up we've experienced constant rumors and requests from fans and promoters alike. Nevertheless, for whatever reason, none of us kept in regular touch, much less to discuss any possibilities of getting together.

"What's changed is that this year, for the first time, we've all decided to sit down together and talk about it. And what we've discovered is that time has afforded us enough distance to look back on our years together through a clearer lens and made us realize that through all the hard work, the music still sounds good, and we are beginning to appreciate the fact that we might have actually done something right. Meanwhile, we find ourselves at a moment in time with zero label obligations, still young and strong enough to deliver a kick-ass set, with enthusiasm to not only revisit our past but possibly add something to the present. And so with this we've decided to hold our collective breaths and jump off this cliff.... BACK, GOD FORBID, INTO THE MONKEY CAGE!!!

"We can only hope that the experience of playing together again will yield results erratic and unpredictable enough to live up to the legacy of FNM.

"Who knows where this will end or what it will bring up... only the future knows. But we are about to find out!"

FAITH NO MORE 2009 is:

Mike Bordin - Drums
Roddy Bottum - Keyboards
Bill Gould - Bass
Jon Hudson - Guitar
Mike Patton - Vocals

Patton's publicist told MTV News that FAITH NO MORE was playing in Europe only, with no North American dates scheduled.

The exact dates and countries have yet to be confirmed.

Although it was rumored that FAITH NO MORE would headline California's Coachella festival in mid-April, only Patton is performing at the event.

As previously reported, a source close to guitarist Jim Martin, who was in FAITH NO MORE from 1983 until 1993, told BLABBERMOUTH.NET that the axeman expressed interest in taking part in the reunion after being recently contacted by keyboardist Roddy Bottum and a member of FAITH NO MORE's management team, but that the band ultimately decided to utilize Hudson for the upcoming dates.

Martin left FAITH NO MORE in 1993 due to "internal conflicts" and was replaced by FNM singer Mike Patton's MR. BUNGLE bandmate Trey Spruance. Trey also exited soon after recording 1995's "King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime", just before the band was to begin a world tour. Spruance was replaced by Dean Menta, the band's guitar roadie. FAITH NO MORE's final studio CD, "Album of the Year", was released in 1997 and featured yet another new guitarist, Jon Hudson, who was a former roommate of Billy Gould.

Ruth Harrison of FemaleFirst recently conducted an interview with keyboardist/mainman Tuomas Holopainen of the Finnish/Swedish symhonic metal band NIGHTWISH. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

FemaleFirst: Hey Tuomas, how are things in the world of NIGHTWISH at the moment?

Tuomas: Well, actually, we are on a three-month break at the moment after the first leg of the tour finished last November in South America. The story continues on the 11 of March in London, from where we start our European tour and it goes right up until the end of September; so there are still five of six more months to go.

FemaleFirst: Wow, what a busy life... so what made you decide to record the latest DVD, "Made In Hong Kong (And Various Other Places)"?

Tuomas: It was actually an idea that came from the label, and to be honest, I wasn't the most happy person when I heard this idea, but it's going to be a long break between full-length albums so they thought we needed something new, and also to promote the European tour with a new release and since we don't have anything new in our hands, we decided to do this live EP which would have some additional stuff on. So that's why it ended up being "Made In Hong Kong (And Various Other Places)", because there is probably one song that's recorded in Hong Kong and the rest of the live songs are from around the world.

FemaleFirst: So how have the past two years been since Anette [Olzon, vocals] joined the band?

Tuomas: Interesting! Very rewarding and very exhausting as well. It has been the longest tour we have ever done, and it's been fantastic for most times, but there has been some bad times as well, as always. I think the only mistake we have done so far is the tour schedule last year was a bit too hard because when I was following the group at the end of the summer I could sense that the people were ready to go to a mental hospital so that is why this three-month break that we're on now is very well needed.

FemaleFirst: Are you just relaxing?

Tuomas: Pretty much, I went to Florida for two weeks to see Donald and Goofy and I've been doing some side projects just here and there, and have just been, you know, hanging around.

FemaleFirst: And is there any new material in the pipeline?

Tuomas: Not any time soon, I'm afraid, but I'm working on new material all the time and I actually feel like my head is exploding with new ideas. I pretty much have the concept of the new album in my head already but it's going to take a year before we start working on it full-time because we are not the type of band who can concentrate on two things at the same time. Right now we need to get this tour over with, then maybe take a little break and then start work on the new album.

FemaleFirst: Is there a particular process you go through when writing songs?

Tuomas: Well, I can only speak for myself but for me the process is almost the same every time; at first I always need to have the idea of what the song is about, for example a story or idea, I cannot just start jamming with the keyboard or the guitar to see what comes out. After I have a storyline in my head I have to think how to make the story come to life; "Is it a ballad?" or "is it a rock song?" Should I use a piano or acoustic guitar. When I get the song done, it is after that I write the final lyrics and then I recite the song to the rest of the band and we start writing.

BLOODBOUND, the Swedish melodic, heavy metal band featuring members from TAD MOROSE, MORGANA LEFAY, PYRAMAZE and STREET TALK has unveiled the cover art for its upcoming third full-length album, "Tabula Rasa".

"Tabula Rasa" will be released by Blistering Records in Europe on April 26 and in North America on April 21. Marquee/Avalon has set a March 25 street date for the Japanese market.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Sweet Dreams Of Madness
02. Dominion 5
03. Take One
04. Tabula Rasa
05. Night Touches You
06. Tabula Rasa Pt. II (Nothing At All)
07. Plague Doctor
08. Master Of My Dreams
09. Twisted Kind Of Fate
10. All Rights Reserved
11. A Year With Bloodbound (bonus video; limited digipack)

STRATOVARIUS keyboardist Jens Johansson has commented on the newly released song from REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE, the new band led by former STRATOVARIUS mastermind Timo Tolkki.

The title track of REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE's forthcoming album, "Age Of Aquarius", is available for free download at this location (MP3, 9.3 MB).

Commented Jens: "I am (thank God) not a professional music critic, but I sort of like it! It's not blatantly melodic or commercial, the melodies are little more complex than [Timo] normally makes them. Good lyrics. Guitar solo kicks ass. Will be really interesting to hear the rest of the album too.

"I think it's really good that it doesn't quite sound like STRATOVARIUS, since Timo Tolkki has stated many times he didn't want to be part of STRATOVARIUS any more."

Recorded over three months in Finland, "Age Of Aquarius" is scheduled for release on March 23 via Scarlet Records. It is described in a press release as "by far the darkest, heaviest and most symphonic album that Tolkki has ever been involved in."

"Hordanes Land", the legendary 1991 debut from Norwegian masters of progressive/experimental metal ENSLAVED, was re-released by Candelight Records on February 17. It was originall issued in 1993 as half of the EMPEROR / ENSLAVED split which has since gone on to become a historically important extreme/black metal release that helped define a whole genre.

The re-release features the original artwork and photos, in addition to private pictures from ENSLAVED's early career and in-depth liner notes by founding members Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson, providing a unique insight into the formative days of the band.

For the third time in five years, ENSLAVED was honored in the "Metal" category at the Spellemann awards (the Norwegian equivalent to the Grammy Awards). The largest and oldest Norwegian music awards show was held on January 24 at the Spektrum in Oslo, Norway and was broadcast live on the Norwegian channel TV2.