According to The Pulse of Radio, DEFTONES bassist Chi Cheng remains in a coma following a November car accident but has now been moved to a different hospital for long-term care, according to a new post on the band's MySpace page. The post stated, "Chi remains in a coma, and as of this morning there's been no significant change in his condition. Last week he was moved out of the Intensive Care Unit and transferred to a brain rehabilitation hospital in Northern California. The hospital specializes in the care and management of traumatic and non-trauma related brain injuries with a team of highly skilled therapists, nurses and consultants. He's in great hands. Please continue to pray for our brother, and thank you all for your love and support."

Cheng was gravely injured in a November 3 car crash in northern California and has not regained consciousness since.

His mother Jeanne has continued to post updates about his condition, writing last month that his vital signs had remained stable and that he had shown enough signs of brain activity for doctors to remove monitors from his skull.

Cheng is 38 years old and is a poet as well as a musician. He released a CD of his poetry called "The Bamboo Parachute" in 2000.

Cheng has been a member of DEFTONES since its formation in 1988. The band released its debut disc, "Adrenaline", in 1995 and scored a platinum record with 2000's "White Pony".

The group has been recording its sixth album, "Eros", with a spring 2009 arrival in the works.

Legendary Swedish doom metallers CANDLEMASS have completed work on their new album for an early 2009 release.

Commented bassist/songwriter Leif Edling: "We've worked on [the CD] all autumn and it feels really good that it is completed. The sound is superfat, heavy as hell, and very organic/dynamic at the same time. Our friend Chris [Laney; RANDY PIPER, ZAN CLAN] has done a great job mixing it!! I personally think this album is the best one of the three we have released in the new millennium, easy!! It is bigger, better, louder and a bit more mature, I must say!! It is our 'Heaven And Hell', hehe. And if you guys behave and eat your vegetables, we just might be able to add a couple of sound bits on the C-MASS site. Maybe the wait for the release in May next year will be easier. Check this page sometime before X-mas. The only thing that pisses me off is the fact that we can't call it 'Hammer Of Doom', after one of the songs on it. A brand new stupid festival in Germany calls themselves that! Who spilled the beans??? Well, well… the album absolutely KILLS and we will surely come up with a suitable name for it."

Fan-filmed video footage of CANDLEMASS performing at the Sweden Rock Cruise, which was held October 9-10, can be viewed here and here.

CANDLEMASS has been confirmed for next year's Bloodstock Open Air festival, set to take place August 14-16, 2009 at Catton Hall in Derbyshire, England.

"Lucifer Rising", the new EP from CANDLEMASS, in October entered the Greek International Repertoire Chart at position No. 31.

"Lucifer Rising" includes two brand new tracks — "Lucifer Rising" and "The White God" — plus re-recorded version of "Demon's Gate" live in the studio. As a bonus, you get an audio recording of most of last year's gig from Athens, Greece: "At The Gallows End", "Solitude", "Emperor Of The Void", "Devil Seed", "Under The Oak", "Mirror Mirror", "Of Stars And Smoke", "Black Dwarf" and "Samarithan".

CANDLEMASS' last CD, "King of the Grey Islands", was released June 22, 2007 via Nuclear Blast Records.

German power metallers PRIMAL FEAR entered the studio on November 28 to begin recording their new album, "16.6", due in early 2009 via Frontiers Records.

The group's bassist Mat Sinner has issued the following update:

"Henny [Wolter] has finished most of his guitar parts and left the studio earlier today. He will be probably back in early January for the final fills and backing vocals! Dennis [Ward, producer] is editing some drum parts at the moment and I'm waiting for him to finish up his work, to play the sixth bass guitar track on a song called 'Soar'. Ralf [Scheepers] delivered his lead vocals for 'Riding The Eagle' and 'Night After Night'. Cool shit! Everybody is totaly satisfied about the outcome so far and the peaceful and creative cooperation in the studio. Our longtime friend Bomber joined us yesterday in the studio for filming a 'Making Of 16.6.' for Bomber TV and did some nice shots and interviews. We will post the first part of our 'making of' during the next days on My Space!"

The band is in the process of laying down the following 14 tracks for the new CD (working titles; in no particular order):

01. Six Times Dead (16.6)
02. Smith & Wesson
03. Soar
04. Riding The Eagle
05. Black Rain
06. Lightning
07. Time
08. Night After Night
09. Killbound
10. Don't Fuck With My Life
11. No Smoke Without Fire
12. The Exorcist
13. Torn
14. Scream

Check out photos from the studio at this location (free MySpace registration required to view photos).

PRIMAL FEAR earlier in the year parted ways with guitarist Stefan Leibing and replaced him with Magnus Karlsson (ALLEN/LANDE, STARBREAKER).

The band's latest album, "New Religion", last year landed on the Swedish chart at No. 67. It also entered the German chart at No. 60. The CD was released in the U.S. on January 29 via Locomotive/Ryko. Guest musicians on the album include Kai Hansen (GAMMA RAY, ex-HELLOWEEN) and Simone Simons (EPICA).

According to U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine, industry insiders suggest that hugely infuential '90s alt-metal band FAITH NO MORE is planning to return next year. Kerrang! understands that a number of U.K. venues have been placed on hold for shows from the band next spring, while U.K. festival appearances are rumored to follow in the summer. Founding bassist Bill Gould played down the speculation, telling Kerrang! "If anything like this were to happen, it would have to come from the band, and I haven't spoken with any of them in over a year. So as far as I know, there isn't anything to talk about, and I'm pretty sure that if you were to contact [Mike] Patton [vocals], he would tell you the same thing."

Despite several years of vigorously denying claims the band would reform, Mike Patton seems to have softened in recent months. In an interview with the Artisan News Service in January, he said "I wouldn't rule it out. I don't think we need to reform the band, but maybe there's other things we could do together."

According to Metal Portal, BEHEMOTH mainman Adam "Nergal" Darski has filed a libel lawsuit against the head of the All-Polish Committee for Defence against Sects, Ryszard Nowak. Nergal claims that Nowak slandered him in an interview with Gazeta Swietojanska (watch interview in two parts below), repeatedly calling the BEHEMOTH frontman a criminal.

Darski is demanding a written apology from Nowak, to be published in Gazeta Wyborcza, one of the Poland's biggest daily newspapers, and three thousand zloty (approximately $1,000), which Nergal plans to donate to the animal shelter Ciapkowo in Gdynia. Nowak, on the other hand, says that he has no intention of apologizing to Nergal, explaining that this would give all musicians worshiping Satan the green light to do as they please while performing on stage — to burn crosses, destroy the Bible or just offend Christians. "I'd rather go to prison," Nowak says.

The first hearing in the case was held this past Monday (December 8) in Gdansk Court. However, the process has been postponed to March 11, 2009. Nergal's lawyer, Maciej Szudek, has asked for more time in order to prepare a response to Nowak's arguments.

Nowak registered an official complaint with the authorities in Poland regarding a BEHEMOTH concert that took place in September 2007 in the Polish city of Gdynia that included the destruction of a Bible by Darski. During a break in the show, Nergal apparently called the Catholic Church "the most murderous cult on the planet" before tearing up the Bible, stating, "they call it the Holy Book, I call this the book of lies. Fuck the shit, fuck the hypocrisy." (Fan-filmed video footage of the Bible-tearing incident can be viewed below; watch around the 45-second mark.) In February of 2008, an investigation into the matter was launched by the Gdynia Public Prosecutor's Office, only to be terminated three months later.

Nowak is no stranger to controversy, having previously compiled a list of artists who allegedly "promote Satanism" through their music and distributed it to various Polish officials in an attempt to get the artists banned from performing in Poland.

Nergal previously stated about Nowak's efforts to get BEHEMOTH banned from performing in the group's home country, "I am shocked; this must be some kind of joke. We've been touring around the whole world — United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Russia — and we've not had any problems anywhere. I am surprised that we are being judged by our appearance and that no one even took the time to contact us and ask us what our music is all about. Other than that, come on — there are enough serious matters to be dealt with in Poland! The authorities would be better off spending their time on things that really need to be improved and taken care of."

"Amortean", the fifth album from Finnish atmospheric doom metallers SILENTIUM, has had its release date pushed back to the end of January. The cover artwork for the CD can be viewed here.

SILENTIUM's new album was recorded at a studio in central Finland with the multi-talented mainman of WALTARI, Kärtsy Hatakka. The band previously stated about the new material, [We have] some major surprises reserved for [our] loyal fans, who have been more than patient in the wait for the new album. All the Silentians agree that the new material is the most impressive up to date! Prepare yourselves for a massive music experience. This fall, SILENTIUM will be back, more powerful than ever!"

"Amortean" track listing:

01. Leave The Fallen Behind
02. The Messenger
03. A Knife In The Back
04. The Fallen Ones With You Tonight
05. My Broken Angel
06. The Cradle Of Nameless
07. Storm Sight Solicitude
08. Embrace The Storm
09. La Fin du Monde

"Dead Silent", the latest video from SILENTIUM, can be viewed here. The track comes off the group's "Seducia" album, which was released in January 2006 via Dynamic Arts Records. The CD was the sequel to the "Frostnight" single, which came out in October 2005. According to a Dynamic Arts press release, the album "delivers bombastical, cold atmospheres" with a total running time of 48 minutes.

"Seducia" was the group's first full-length release to feature vocalist Riina Rinkinen, who joined the group in July 2004.

SANCTIFICATION, the Swedish death metal band featuring current/former members of GOD AMONG INSECTS, IN BATTLE and SOULDRAINER, has posted the title track of its upcoming album, "Black Reign", on the group's MySpace page.

SANCTIFICATION recently announced its new lineup consisting of Tomas Elofsson (guitar) and Markus Edvardsson (guitar) alongside three 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
* Tony Westermark (SOREPTION) – Drums

SANCTIFICATION has been confirmed for next year's installment of the House Of Metal festival, set to take place February 27-28 in Umeå, Sweden.

SANCTIFICATION entered Abyss studio in Sweden on July 7 with producers Tommy and Peter Tägtgren to begin recording "Black Reign". The CD was mixed by Peter and 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)

Check out photos from the recording studio at this location.

SANCTIFICATION recently inked a deal with the Singapore-based label Pulverised Records.

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

The acclaimed history of Finnish symphonic metal superstars NIGHTWISH, "Once Upon a Nightwish: The Official Biography 1996-2006", will soon be available in a new, improved English edition through North American publisher Bazillion Points. Pre-orders are being accepted now for books shipping with limited metal badges on December 31.

In this remarkably revealing official biography, author Mape Ollila charts the rise from village student project to global stardom, gaining unprecedented access not just to the members of NIGHTWISH past and present; but also their families, their loyal and lewd crew, their peers, their critics, and countless other insiders from the NIGHTWISH adventure. The book lays bare the creative firepower and personal demons of songwriter Tuomas Holopainen; the unique talents and traits of guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, drummer Jukka Nevalainen, and bassist Marco Hietala; and the true reasons behind the 2005 departure of vocalist Tarja Turunen — in the band's words and hers.

Along the way, the band struggles with religious protesters, fortune-tellers, naked crew members, health problems, shady promoters, out-of-control fans, and the growing pains of an ever-steeper rock star learning curve. Happily ever after or not, these unique Finnish personalities are brought to life in this journey. For longtime fans and newcomers seeking the backstory of how NIGHTWISH came to where they are today, this is rare public airing of the mysteries that exist... Once Upon a Nightwish.

The 352-page paperback has been revamped by Bazillion Points from earlier Finnish editions, and features extensive corrections, with 32 pages of rare color images dating back to the dawn of the band, and a complete list of international concert appearances from the entire Tarja Turunen era, all on exquisite 100gsm paper with a glossy folding cover.

Jyväskylä, Finland-based melodic metallers DARK THE SUNS have issued the following update:

"Our second full-length album, 'All Ends in Silence', is now ready! We recorded guitars and keyboards in our home studio and drums, bass and vocals were recorded in Studio Watercastle. The whole album is also mixed in Watercastle by Arttu Sarvanne and mastered in Finnvox Studios by Mika Jussila. This upcoming album is going to be released by Firebox Records in the spring 2009! We are going to release one web single from 'All Ends in Silence' album around December 21, so check out our home pages then!"

"The Dead End", the new mini-CD from DARK THE SUNS, entered the official chart in the band's home country at position No. 16. The effort was recorded by Juha Kokkonen at Nightmare Workshop and Arttu Sarvanne at Studio Watercastle. It was mixed by Arttu Sarvanne and mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios.

"The Dead End" track listing:

01. The Dead End
02. Take This Pain
03. Episode 666 (IN FLAMES cover) *
04. When Love And Death Embrace (HIM cover)

* Featuring BEFORE THE DAWN's Tuomas Saukkonen

DARK THE SUNS' debut album, "In Darkness Comes Beauty", was released late last year via Firebox Records.

Finnish/Swedish symphonic metallers NIGHTWISH will release a new MCD and DVD in March. Titled "Made In Hong Kong (And Various Other Places)", the MCD was recorded during the ongoing "Dark Passion Play World Tour" and it includes a bonus DVD with material from Israel and South America, directed by Ville Lipiäinen. More information will be made available soon.

NIGHTWISH issued a digital-only collection of demos and B-sides titled "The Sound of Nightwish Reborn", on September 2. This release, which clocks in at nearly 70 minutes of music, retains "must-have" status for all NIGHTWISH diehards, since it includes a bevy of exclusive material, such as demo versions of songs from the "Dark Passion Play" sessions that were recorded prior to singer Anette Olzon joining the band and that feature Marco Tapani Hietala handling the vocals, as well as B-sides.

Guitarist Pontus Norgren (HAMMERFALL, ex-THE POODLES, TALISMAN, GREAT KING RAT) will make a guest appearance on the new album from German melodic hard rock masters JADED HEART. Pontus has also written a song for the follow-up to 2007's "Sinister Mind", which is being recorded with producer Chris Lausmann (RAILWAY, AFFAIR, FRONTLINE, BONFIRE) for a tentative laet spring/early summer release. According to drummer Axel Kruse, "There will be 11-12 songs on the new record. The style is perfectly in line with what we have done on 'Sinister', but… just better!"

"Sinister Mind" was released in the U.S. on February 12 via Locomotive Records. According to a press release, "the sound on the album is definitely heavier and more in your face, still keeping intact the elements that has created the recognizable and well-known JADED HEART sound. Production was handled by some of the most [in-demand] guys in the German hard rock scene: Michael Voss (MAD MAX, VOICES OF ROCK), Chris Lausmann (ex-BONFIRE, VOICES OF ROCK) and Dennis Ward (PINK CREAM 69) and you can definitely hear a sound that has the 'million-dollar-bucks' trademark!"

"Sinister Mind" was released in Europe in October 2007 via Frontiers Records.

Norwegian powerhouse vocalist Jorn Lande — who performs under the name JORN — entered the studio in November to begin recording his new solo album, tentatively due in June 2009 via Frontiers Records. The follow-up to this year's "Lonely Are The Brave" CD — which entered the national chart in Norway at No. 28 and Sweden at No. 42 — will be mixed in February.

As previously reported, Frontiers Records will release of the long-awaited JORN DVD, "Live In America", in Europe on January 23, 2009.

"Live in America" is a documentation JORN's first-ever concert in the USA, at the ProgPower USA VII festival in Atlanta, where he performed as a headliner on September 16, 2006. The incredible set saw Jorn run through a wide selection of songs taken from his solo albums, collaborations and a mindblowing WHITESNAKE medley.

Jorn Lande cut his teeth with such internationally renowned acts as MASTERPLAN, ARK, MILLENIUM, VAGABOND and THE SNAKES. He has also established himself with his own band under the name JORN, releasing seven increasingly successful solo albums. "Live In America" is a visual testament to Jorn's capabilities as an entertainer and to the incredible power and strength of his now-legendary shows and a perfect complement to the CD release which came out in September 2007.

DVD contents:

01. We Brought The Angels Down
02. Blacksong
03. Duke of Love
04. Are You Ready
05. Cold Sweat
06. Drum Solo
07. Out To Every Nation
08. Guitar Solo
09. Straight Through The Heart
10. Godless And Wicked
11. Soulburn
12. Devilbird
13. Perfect Strangers
14. Gonna Find The Sun
15. WHITESNAKE medley: Come On / Sweet Talker / Crying In The Rain / Here I Go Again / Give Me All Your Love

Israel's "holy project" AMASEFFER has issued the following update:

"We are happy to announce the shooting/editing of two documented video clips for two songs taken from our debut album, 'Exodus - Slaves for Life'. The chosen ones are: 'Slaves For Life' and 'The Burning Bush'. Both videos will be directed by Israeli Tal Engelstein (founder and singer of heavy rock band 195DB). Clips will have two versions: edited short version and full length as they appear in the album. It is not yet decided if we will release them both simultaneously or separately. An announcement regarding that will be posted by our record label, InsideOut Music/SPV, once the videos are done, hopefully in a month or so."

A widget for "Exodus - Slaves for Life", featuring guest appearances by Mats Levén (KRUX, ex-THERION, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN), Angela Gossow (ARCH ENEMY) and Kobi Farhi (ORPHANED LAND), is available below.

"Exodus - Slaves for Life" is the first in a trilogy about the history of the people of Israel as portrayed in the Old Testament.

Hanan Avramovich (guitars), Yuval Kramer (guitars) and Erez Yohanan (drums) offer a unique mixture of progressive metal and epic Middle East-influenced orchestral film score parts played by a full symphony orchestra. All lead vocals were sung by Levén.

The album was recorded and mixed by Markus Teske (VANDEN PLAS, ABYDOS) and the artwork was created by Mattias Norén (EVERGREY, KAMELOT, EPICA).

"Exodus - Slaves for Life" was released on June 6 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland; June 9 in the rest of Europe; and June 24 in North America.

The title track, "Slaves for Life", is available for streaming on the band's official web site. According to the group, "this is the opening track from our first part of a trilogy recounting the Bible story of Moses and the Exodus from Egypt. On the first album of the trilogy we pick up the story right from the slavery period in Egypt when the new Pharaoh enslaves and oppresses the Israelites with forced labour. This is what we tried to emphasize on this song, the cruelty and ruthless power of the cold hearted Pharaoh and on the other hand the Israeli slaves desperate cry for deliverance!"

"In light of recent comments regarding Whitesnakes current live tour we felt it necessary to offer a technical explanation for Mr Coverdale's microphone technique, which appears to be responsible for initiating various threads online on the subject of playback, here are some comments from Bradley Johnson Whitesnake's very highly regarded Front Of House engineer...

"It is the goal of every front of house engineer to provide the best quality audio to as many ticket purchasing patrons as possible. The factors that have a direct influence on this include: room acoustics; type, size and quality of the PA system: performance of the musicians: stage volume of the backline gear; even temperature and humidity. I work extremely hard to accommodate David's mic technique. I endeavour to make every syllable and nuance of his vocal heard no matter how far the microphone strays from the sweet spot. Getting a vocal mic audible over a juggernaut guitar rig when it is three feet from a singers mouth is no small task... Some nights I win, some nights i do not... As far as running tracks live... ludicrous."

For those of you that interpret and confuse the strength and technique of Mr Coverdale's vocal (combined with the abilities of our front of house
engineer) for playback are very much mistaken.

(Whitesnake Management November 24th 2008)"

Steve Rowe of the Australian Christian metallers MORTIFICATION has issued the following update:

"I have completed all the pre-production for the new [MORTIFICATION] album. This month I will be recording all the bass guitar tracks and doing the first proper run at the vocal parts. I will add to these in March when we record the body of the album. I have built a strong foundation for the recordings with Warren Hammond, the engineer at Penny Drop Studio where we are recording the new MORT opus.

"For the first time in 18 years, MORT is finally getting some attention in the Mediterranean. As already mentioned last month, I did an interview with Kerrang! Spain that should be available this month. I also just completed an interview with Rock Hard Italy. This is major media in these countries. The interviews have mainly been in relation to the 'Live Humanitarian' DVD that is out now on Nuclear Blast Records.

"Sales of the DVD continue to be strong and it is getting some killer reviews!"

MORTIFICATION's twelfth studio album, "Brain Cleaner", was released in 2004 through the Rowe Productions label. The follow-up to 2002's "Relentless" was described at the time as "the heaviest project the band has recorded in 10 years" and was said to be "a lot more of a death metal/grind-orientated album but with plenty of power and thrash metal mixed in to keep it interesting and multi-dimensional."

HORNED ALMIGHTY — the Danish black metal band featuring current members of EXMORTEM and former members of KOLDBORN — has set "Contaminating the Divine" as the title of its third album. The CD was recorded with Jacob Bredahl (LAST MILE, ex-HATESPHERE) at Smart'n'Hard Studios.

The tentative track listing for the album is as follows:

01. Vile Works of Witchcraft
02. Contaminating the Divine
03. Death of the Soul
04. A Satanic Salutation
05. Litany for the Sick
06. The Doctrine Supreme
07. Manifestation of his Glory
08. Day of Purification
09. The Serpent Tempter

Check out the cover artwork below.

The album will be released on CD, digipack and limited gatefold LP with extras for vinyl fanatics. All versions will be released by Obscure Abhorrence Productions and Art of Propaganda in late January/early February.

IN FLAMES, OPETH and BURST have been nominated for a P3 Guld award from Swedish radio station P3 in the "Best Rock/Metal Album Of The Year" category. IN FLAMES is also up for the "Best Band Of The Year" honor. The winners will be announced on January 17, 2009 during a live awards ceremony broadcast from the Scandinavium Arena in Gothenburg, Sweden.

P3 Guld nominees in the "Best Rock/Metal Album of the Year" category are as follows:

OPETH - "Watershed"
IN FLAMES - "A Sense Of Purpose"
BURST - "Lazarus Bird"
HENRY FIAT'S OPEN SORE – "Mondo Blotto"
PASCAL – "Galgberget"

Bassist Geezer Butler has told the unofficial BLACK SABBATH web site Black-Sabbath.com that he has finished laying down his tracks for the new album from HEAVEN AND HELL — the band featuring BLACK SABBATH members Ronnie James Dio (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Butler and Vinny Appice (drums). The group's first LP since SABBATH's "Dehumanizer" (1992) is being recorded at Rockfield studios in Wales, England (where "Dehumanizer" was also recorded) for an early 2009 release via Rhino Records. According to Butler, he is going to be filming some sort of "making-of" documentary, although it is unclear if that footage will appear on the disc, or as a DVD extra.

Swedish black metallers VANMAKT have finalized the track listing for their second album, "Ad Luciferi Regnum" (rough translation: To the Kingdom of Lucifer), due in early 2009 release via Pulverised Records. The CD was mixed at Necromorbus Studio (WATAIN, SETHERIAL) with Tore Stjerna. The band says, "it sounds awesome! Even better than we expected!"

"Ad Luciferi Regnum" was recorded at EPM Studios with producer Björn Lindgren. A late 2008/early 2009 release via Pulverised Records is expected.

"Ad Luciferi Regnum" track listing:

01. The Second Key
02. Brethren Of Lucifer
03. Endless Myth
04. Re-Incarnating Hatred
05. Ad Luciferi Regnum
06. Id XIII Inferni
07. The Ascension
08. Beneath The Moor
09. Written In Blood

"Death Dies Hard", the new video from the Swedish industrial goth metal band DEATHSTARS, can be viewed below. The song, which is currently being streamed at this location, comes off the group's third album, "Night Electric Night", which will be released on January 30, 2009 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD, which was mixed at Toytown studios in Stockholm, Sweden with Stefan Glaumann, will be released in a deluxe package called "Gold Edition" featuring bonus tracks as well as a bonus DVD featuring six video clips, "making-of" footage and more. The "Gold Edition" will be released as a digibook with new cover artwork (see below).

Commented guitarist, songwriter and producer Emil "Nightmare Industries" Nödtveidt: "This album is the very mirror of our last years and our struggle through this time up until now. It deals with a whole spectrum of emotions, but without losing that straightforward nerve of raw dark feverish rock music a la DEATHSTARS. Even though the songs vary more now, from the ripping 'Night Electric Night' to the seriousness in 'Via the End', which I wrote the very night I found out about my brother's suicide [Emil's brother was DISSECTION frontman Jon Nödtveidt — Ed.], it holds an honest consequence right through the album."

According to a press release, "Night Electric Night" is about DEATHSTARS' "lives and their experiences, their personal issues and the action/horror drama which represents the manic environment that the band exists within. It deals a lot with reflections of situations right then and there."

"Night Electric Night" track listing:

CD:

01. Chertograd
02. Night Electric Night
03. Death Dies Hard
04. Mark Of The Gun
05. Via The End
06. Blood Stains Blondes
07. Babylon
08. The Fuel Ignites
09. Arclight
10. Venus In Arms
11. Opium

Bonus Tracks: (only on limited gold edition)

12. Night Electric Night (Skinny remix)
13. Via The End (piano version)
14. Night Electric Night (feat. Adrian Erlandsson)

DVD:

Clip Selection:

* Death Dies Hard
* Virtue To Vice
* Blitzkrieg
* Cyanide
* Syndrome
* Synthetic Generation

Bonus Material:

* Making of "Death Dies Hard"
* Making of "Virtue to Vice"
* Making of "Blitzkrieg"
* Making of "Cyanide"

Includes screensaver and wallpapers

Picture LP in gatefold:

Side A:

01. Chertograd
02. Night Electric Night
03. Death Dies Hard
04. The Mark Of The Gun
05. Via The End
06. Blood Stains Blondes

Side B:

01. Babylon
02. The Fuel Ignites
03. Arclight
04. Venus In Arms
05. Opium

According to a posting on the RUSH fan site Power Windows, the release date of RUSH's forthcoming "Retrospective 3" CD/DVD has once again been pushed back — this time to February 24, 2009.

"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" (cover) 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)

NEMHAIN, the UK-based band featuring AT THE GATES/ex-CRADLE OF FILTH drummer Adrian Erlandsson and his wife, Morrigan Hel (a.k.a. Amber England), will release its debut album, entitled "From the Ashes", in February 2009. The CD was recorded and mixed over a three-week period in April at Studio Fredman in Hyssna, Sweden

The track listing is as follows (not final):

01. Ana
02. Clear My Eyes
03. Dirty Weekend
04. From the Ashes
05. Girls Like Honey
06. Heroin Child
07. Jane Doe
08. Mr. Bronson
09. Never Dies
10. Reptile
11. Second Skin
12. Speed Queen
13. The Filth And The Fury

Amanda Somerville, the American singer-songwriter and vocal coach who was tapped to replace EPICA vocalist Simone Simons on the band's North American tour with SYMPHONY X due to Simons' health issues, has released her long-awaited new solo album, "Windows".

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Mayday
02. Point of Safe Return
03. Moth
04. My Song For You
05. Get Me
06. Inner Whore
07. Out
08. Carnival
09. Clean
10. Sometimes *
11. All That I Am
12. Windows

* Bonus song (only available on the physical CD)

METALLICA's "Death Magnetic" and GUNS N' ROSES' "Chinese Democracy" are among the Top 25 best album covers of 2008 as selected by the readers of Rolling Stone magazine.

The Top 20 covers on the list are as follows:

01. THE KILLERS - Day & Age
02. THE MARS VOLTA - Bedlam In Goliath
03. FLEET FOXES - Fleet Foxes
04. METALLICA - Death Magnetic
05. COLDPLAY - Viva la Vida
06. NINE INCH NAILS - The Slip
07. DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE - Narrow Stairs
08. THE RACONTEURS - Consolers of the Lonely
09. OASIS - Dig Out Your Soul
10. OF MONTREAL - Skeletal Lamping
11. KINGS OF LEON - Only By The Night
12. THE CURE - 4:13 Dream
13. KANYE WEST - 808s & Heartbreak
14. GIRL TALK - Feed The Animals
15. NAS - Untitled
16. GUNS N' ROSES - Chinese Democracy
17. MUDCRUTCH - Mudcrutch
18. MY MORNING JACKET - Evil Urges
19. BEN FOLDS - Way To Normal
20. LIL WAYNE - The Drought Is Over, Part 6