Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen has issued the following update:

"We have been rehearsing with the band in Monterrey, Mexico for couple of days. Everything went perfect with the help of the local promoter and some friends. And we are ready to rock tonight! It was really nice to meet the people of the band again and to see how well Kiko [Loureiro, guitar] has understood my music and the spirit of it. I am truly happy to have him on board and it seems that the rest of the people are happy too. This is the beginning of one of my dreams getting real. I have been waiting my Latin American tour for several years and it feels really fantastic to be able to perform like this on my own. I am a very lucky girl… The sun is shining in Monterrey and I am sure that tonight will be a very 'hot' show."

Check out pictures at this location.

MIND ODYSSEY, the German metal band featuring RAGE guitarist Victor Smolski, has completed work on its new album at Yellow Prison studio in Berlin with Mario Le Mole and Dan Udhen (PANDEA, ex-MIND ODYSSEY) at the helm. According to a posting on Smolski's web sute, the new CD is "an absolutely interesting development of a progressive style with a new sound."

MIND ODYSSEY's new studio album is expected in the fall via Napalm Records. Napalm will also re-release the group's complete back catalog with brand new artwork.

MIND ODYSSEY's fourth studio album, "Signs", came out in 1999. A"best-of" collection was issued earlier in the year via MO Entertainment.

DREAM EVIL, the Swedish melodic metal band featuring acclaimed producer Fredrik Nordström (DIMMU BORGIR, IN FLAMES, HAMMERFALL) on guitar, will release its first live DVD/CD, "Gold Medal In Metal (Alive & Archive)", at the end of August/early September (depending on the territory) via Century Media. The live DVD was recorded at the on November 25, 2006 show in the band's hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden by acclaimed director Patric Ullaeus of the Revolver Film Company (IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR, KAMELOT, etc.) and the cover artwork for this release was created by Seth (PARADISE LOST, EXODUS, MOONSPELL). The double CD (with a playing time of over two hours!) and the special DVD version (playing time of the DVD is over 100 minutes and both audio CDs are included in this package as well) are a complete guide into the vaults of DREAM EVIL and "a trip to the core of true metal at its very rockin' best," according to a press release. The bonus disc ("Archive") features over an hour of previously unreleased and rare material, including plenty of Japanese bonus songs from the recording sessions for "The Book Of Heavy Metal" (featuring former band members Gus G. on guitar and Snowy Shaw on drums) and earlier albums, some outtakes from the band's latest studio opus "United" and three brand new studio tracks recorded especially for this release in 2007.

"Gold Medal In Metal (Alive & Archive)" DVD+2CD:

Gold Medal Disc – DVD (100:45):

Live Maerd (67:45)

01. United
02. Blind Evil
03. Fire! Battle! In Metal!
04. In Flames You Burn
05. Crusaders' Anthem
06. Back From The Dead
07. Higher On Fire
08. The Prophecy
09. Made Of Metal
10. Heavy Metal In The Night
11. Let Me Out
12. The Chosen One
13. The Book Of Heavy Metal
14. Chasing The Dragon
15. Children Of The Night

Video Clips (14:16)

* Fire! Battle! In Metal!
* Blind Evil
* The Book Of Heavy Metal
* Children Of The Night

Interview (18:44)

Silver Medal Disc – "Alive" CD (67:00):

Audio live-album with same track listing as "Live Maerd" DVD section.

Bronze Medal Disc – "Archive" CD (63:36):

01. Dominator (3:23) *
02. Fight For Metal (3:52) *
03. December 25th (4:16) *
04. Pain Patrol (3:14) **
05. Lady Of Pleasure (3:27) **
06. Chapter 6 (4:03) ***
07. Gold Medal In Metal (3:11) #
08. Point Of No Return (3:52) ##
09. The Enemy (3:15) ***
10. Hero Of Zeroes (4:30) ###
11. Bringing The Metal Back (3:43) #
12. Betrayed (4:01) +
13. Evilized [unplugged] (4:56) +
14. Dragonheart (3:35) ++
15. Take The World (4:09) +++
16. Crusader's Anthem [demo] (4:03) °
17. Touring Is My Life [live] (1:56) °°

* Brand new, exclusive and previously unreleased studio tracks from 2007.
** Japanese bonus tracks from "United" album. Unreleased elsewhere.
*** Japanese bonus track from "The Book Of Heavy Metal" album. Unreleased elsewhere.
# From "The Book Of Heavy Metal" sessions. Previously unreleased.
## From "The Book Of Heavy Metal" sessions. Previously only released on the "The First Chapter" CD-single.
### From "The Book Of Heavy Metal" album sessions. Previously only released on the "New Found Power" compilation CD
+ From "Evilized" sessions. Previously only released on the "Children Of The Night" MCD.
++ Previously only released on the "Children Of The Night" MCD and on the Japanese version of the "Dragonslayer" album.
+++ Previously only released on the Japanese version of the "Children Of he Night" MCD.
° Previously unreleased rough demo version of a song later to appear on the "The Book Of Heavy Metal" album.
°° Previously unreleased song in a radio-studio live-session version.

"Gold Medal In Metal (Alive & Archive)" 2CD:

Audio-only release including the previously mentioned Silver and Bronze discs. Two CDs for the price of one!

European release dates:

Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux: Friday, August 22
Spain, Portugal: Tuesday, August 26
Sweden, Finland, Hungary: Wednesday, August 27
Greece: Monday, September 1
Italy: Friday, September 5
France: Monday, September 8
UK, Denmark, Norway, Rest Of Europe: Monday, August 25

The newest entry into the Earache Classic Series is CATHEDRAL's breakthrough classic "The Carnival Bizarre". This is the album that made CATHEDRAL into the legends they are today. By combining their doom metal sound with stoner rock and further experimental elements, the band hit upon a formula that would elevate them up above every doom/stoner band of their day.

On this special Earache Classic Series edition of "The Carnival Bizarre", which is due on August 19, you get the tried and true original album containing favorites like "Vampire Sun", "Hopkins (The Witchfinder General)" and "Utopian Blaster" (featuring a guest appearance by BLACK SABBATH and HEAVEN AND HELL riffmaster Tony Iommi). In addition, you will also get a bonus DVD, "Our God Has Landed", featuring one of CATHEDRAL's earliest recorded shows from the 1992 "Gods Of Grind" tour and eight music videos spanning the band's nearly decade-long Earache career.

Boston, Massachusetts-based up-and-coming "shred" guitarist Todd Seitz has issued the following update on the recording sessions for the debut album from his STYGIA project:

"I'm about to get Mike Vescera a few tracks to start recording vocals. I've written rough melodies in which Mike will improve or fine tune what I've done. Mike LePond has also started to learn a few tracks. He played just a small sample on the phone and it sounded awesome. Bass shred madness. I'm excited to be making progress and hope to have the guitar tracks done pretty soon. The album will be called 'Divine Allegiance'. There will also be a 15-16-minute epic track with the same title. I've decided to do a total of nine songs instead of eight. Macaluso was nice enough to record the last song on very short notice. It ended up sounding quite bad ass. Some wicked blast beats... ha ha. Drummers, be prepared!"

Recording lineup for the debut STYGIA album:

Todd Seitz (STYGIA) - Guitar
Michael Vescera (ex-LOUDNESS, ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) - Vocals
John Macaluso (ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, ex-ARK, ex-TNT) - Drums
Michael LePond (SYMPHONY X) - Bass
Michael Pinella (SYMPHONY X) - Keyboards
Hank Shermann (MERCYFUL FATE, FORCE OF EVIL, DEMONICA) - Guest Guitar Solo

The band intends to do some live performances after the LP release.

ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante has issued the following update:

"Lemme have an iced venti americano with six pumps of vanilla and leave room for cream. This has been repeated from my mouth daily throughout the summer; how do I say this in Japanese?

"I am going to Japan and Korea; I am psyched! I think everyone knows that Japan is one of my favorite places to play. If it was closer to the USA, I would move there. The people, the food, the way they package your scone (that sounds weird), the toys, the gear, the electronics, I could go on. It's an awesome place. This will be the first time playing there with Dan [Nelson, vocals] in the band, he is going to shit himself! I am very EXCITING!

"We will be playing a bit of everything, old and new and a surprise or two. Dan, Frank [Bello, bass] and Rob [Caggiano, guitar] have this great samurai sword dance that they will do at the start of the show, it's very Cirque du Soleil... oh shit, that was a surprise...DAMN!

"Korea will be a first for ANTHRAX; we have never played there before. I am looking forward to this. I know it's going to be a very big show, I am ready!

"We're entering the studio in October to start recording. We wanted a Halloween vibe. I wanna do my drum tracks dressed like Ringo."

Swedish melodic death metal band WITHIN Y has posted the following message on its web site:

"We will soon start the recording of our new album, sometime during September/October, if everything works out as it should. We have a bunch of new killer songs and we want to give you a little peek on what's going on, so please check back every once in a while during the summer, and you'll soon have a demo version of a new WITHIN Y track on your computer!"

WITHIN Y in April recruited drummer Erik Hagström as the replacement for the Thim Blom (ex-GARDENIAN).

Blom left the group in December 2006, claiming that "pain in [his wrists]" made it impossible for him to "perform at the top of [his] abillity and to do what it takes to play at this level."

The National newspaper has published a guest column from Mark LeVine, Professor of Middle Eastern history, culture and Islamic Studies at UC Irvine and author, most recently, of "Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam" (Three Rivers Press/Random House). An excerpt follows.

"I was not a metal fan growing up. Sure, I had been into the great late 1960s and early 1970s groups from which metal had emerged — JIMI HENDRIX, CREAM, DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH, and LED ZEPPELIN. But I came of age at the moment that MTV took over, and the brand of metal that grew up with it — 'hair' or 'glam' metal, epitomised by groups such as MÖTLEY CRÜE, POISON and QUIET RIOT — seemed more about debauchery than building on the foundations of the ur-generation of heavy rock.

"Indeed, while most of my friends either moved into hip-hop or tried to be the next Eddie Van Halen, there was something about the music of those seminal bands which drew me backwards in time: towards the blues, classical music, and, while I couldn't at first put my ears on it, what I gradually realised were the Arab roots of rock 'n' roll.

"The more deeply I delved into music, the more I understood the powerful links between black American music, hard rock and music from around the Muslim world, especially the Middle East and Africa. That same realisation also drove me to spend a decade getting a doctorate in Middle East studies.

"Yet despite working with many Middle Eastern artists as a musician and researcher, I was shocked when I first heard about the metal scene while celebrating a friend's birthday in Fes, Morocco. If there could be such a thing as a Heavy Metal Islam, I thought, then perhaps the future was brighter than most observers of the Muslim world imagined less than a year after September 11."

Read the entire article from The National.

MEMORY GARDEN — the Sweden-based band featuring former ABSKTRAKT ALGEBRA guitarist Simon Johansson — has unveiled the cover artwork for its new album, "Carnage Carnival". Check it out below.

"Carnage Carnival" will be released on September 15 via Vic Records. The video for the CD's title track, which was shot in March 2007 with director Owe Lingvall of Village Road Film, can be viewed below.

Simon previously stated about the upcoming CD: "We are for the first time working with the Hungarian artist Hjules and he [is] just awesome. The artwork for this one will for sure be something out of the ordinary. Hjules has worked with artists like ANNIHILATOR, DESTRUCTION, GRAVE DIGGER, NIGHTINGALE etc. in the past."

"Carnage Carnival" track listing:

01. Carnage Carnival
02. The Bitter End
03. Nameless
04. The Beast Within
05. Beggars Anthem
06. A Dark Embrace
07. Dominion
08. Endless Fear
09. Another Night
10. The Downfall

MEMORY GARDEN recently announced the addition of NECRODHALIA bassist Johan Fredrikson to the group's ranks.

MEMORY GARDEN is:

Stefan Berglund - Vocals
Simon Johansson - Lead Guitar
Anders Looström - Guitar
Johan Fredrikson - Bass
Tom Björn - Drums

Guitarist Waclaw "Vogg" Kieltyka of the Polish extreme metallers DECAPITATED — whose brother, DECAPITATED drummer Witold "Vitek" Kieltyka, died on November 2, 2007 in a Russian hospital from injuries sustained in a road collision — has issued the following update:

"I would like to take the time to inform everyone interested in knowing about the status of the band. As you probably know, I have been pretty quiet about the whereabouts of the band and the future and I’d like to inform you that we are on indefinite hiatus for now. I feel that it is too early to continue or try to continue without Vitek and/or Covan [DECAPITATED singer Adrian Kowanek, who was also hurt in the accident] at this particular moment.

"Regarding Covan. He's recovering now and needs all the time in the world to comeback to a normal life. So I want to wait for him, so we could both decide what the future will hold for DECAPITATED.

"I definitely want to keep on playing and touring as it's very important for me to keep on playing music. While we have this break with DECAPITATED, I'd like to mention that I'm open to explore options regarding joining or touring as a session player. Given the seriousness of the project, I could work on dedicating as much time as possible to it.

"I also want to express my respect for everyone who has supported the families of Vitek and Covan on any kind of way since the accident.

"Thank you so much!"

Portuguese metallers HEAVENWOOD have scheduled the following record-release shows for their third album, "Redemption":

Nov. 22 - Casa da Música – Porto, POR
Nov. 29 - Cine Teatro de Corroios – Lisbon, POR

"Redemption" was mixed at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with Jens Bogren (OPETH, SOILWORK, AMON AMARTH). The initial recording sessions for the CD took place at Ultrasound Studios with Daniel Cardoso and Ricardo Dias.

Watch video footage from Fascination Street Studios below.

"Redemption" is scheduled for release due in September via Recital Records. The CD features guest appearances by ANNIHILATOR guitarist Jeff Waters (in the song "Bridge To Neverland"), FIREWIND guitarist Gus G. (in the track "One Step to Devotion") and singer Tijs Vanneste of the Belgian progressive metallers OCEANS OF SADNESS (in the song "Obsolete").

"Redemption" track listing:

01. Me & You
02. Obsolete (with Tijs Vanneste)
03. Slumber
04. Her Scent In The Spiral
05. Fragile
06. One Step To Devotion (with Gus G.)
07. Take My Hand
08. Bridge To Neverland
09. Foreclosure
10. 13th Moon

After the departure in 2004 of main songwritter and guitarist Ricardo Dias, HEAVENWOOD went on a lengthy hiatus. Now Ricardo Dias has returned along with new drummer Luiz Ferreira (ex-SECRECY from Portugal).

HEAVENWOOD is:

Ernesto Guerra - Vocals
Ricardo Dias - Guitars and Vocals
Bruno Silva - Guitar
Hugo Pires - Session Bass Player
Daniel Cardoso - Session Drummer

Guitarist Leon Kemp of the Welsh metallers ANTERIOR has issued the following update:

"Myself and Nixon [guitarist Steven Nixon] have been working on some new material for the past few weeks, getting some ideas together and have started putting together the songs for the second ANTERIOR album. We'll be hard at work for the next few months till we get some ripping tunes together, the stuffs already sounding awesome (but I'm obviously gonna say that!)

"We'll probably be hitting the studio to record the album around November /December /January, depends when the tracks will be ready because we really don't want to rush the songs."

ANTERIOR's debut album, "This Age of Silence", was released last year via Metal Blade Records.

Polish extreme metallers DARZAMAT have set "Solfernus' Path" as the title of their new album, tentatively due next year. The follow-up to 2005's "Transkarpatia" (Metal Mind Productions in Europe, MVD in the USA) will include the following songs:

01. False Sleepwalker
02. Vote for Heresy
03. Final Conjuration
04. Pain Collector
05. Gloria Inferni
06. Solfernus' Path
07. Lunar Silhouette
08. King of Burning Anthems
09. Chimera
10. A Mesmeric Séance

Commented vocalist Flauros: "For the first time in our band's history, we've decided to create a concept album. It is a certain sort of novelty for us, yet we've had such an idea in our minds for a long time now. The coherent story, which is to be told by both the lyrics and the music, is a hell of a greater challenge than composing ten pieces in the similar stylistics. As the action proceeds, the music must 'react' accordingly and suitably. It is as if a screenplay, which is to attract the viewer in an interesting way."

He continued, "The story contained on the record takes place in a mysthical set, indeed, which is created by the mansion of countess Josephine von Kuchmeister, the inspiration for which was the Villa Caro in Gliwice and the palace in Plawniowice. The action of 'Solfernus' Path' takes place at the beginning of XXth century. The main character is a medicine student who undergoes a spiritual transformation. He goes beyond the carnal world and he notices the 'other side.' Everything is dressed in fairy-like climate, full of the occult 'keys.' Nothing is obvious, nothing here is predictable.

"The title Solfernus is of course not the main character of the story, but it's eminence grise. The character of Solfernus derives from the play 'Dalliance with Devil' written by the Czech dramatist Jan Drda. It is only a tiny inspiration, an impuls where one should not seek any similarities. Drda's play is grotesque and humorous, while our story is of a completely different character, much closer to Stefan Grabinski's horror short stories than to the ones of the Czech playwright."

DARZAMAT's new album will be produced outside Polish borders. However, this time it will not be Andy La Rocque from KING DIAMOND who'll sit at the mixing table, which was the case with "Transkarpatia". "We became friends with Andy, as he's not only a great producer and guitar player, but the increadible man as well," said Flauros. "All I can say now is that also this time he'll have something in common with our album. As far as the production is concerned, we wanted to try something new. We're convinced that we'll hit the spot! However, we'll say something about the details of our work in the studio when the time is right."

DARZAMAT released its first-ever live DVD, entitled "Live Profanity (Visiting the Graves of Heretics)", in North America in August 2007 via Metal Mind Productions (the DVD was released in Europe a month earleir). The disc was recorded at the 21st edition of the Metalmania Festival, which took place on March 24, 2007 in Katowice, Poland, and contains material comprised mostly of songs from the band's latest album, "Transkarpatia". Also included is the group's surprise performance of the song "Diabelski Dom" by the cult Polish metal band KAT, featuring a guest appearance by KAT leader Roman Kostrzewski. The DVD also includes additional footage from the Winternachtstraum Festival, which took place in February 2007 in Arnsberg, Germany, two unreleased tracks, video clips, and an interview with Flauros and Nera.

"Es Wird Schlimmer", the new video from Germany's DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER, can be viewed below. The song comes off the group's new album "Licht", which is scheduled for release on August 29 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD will be the group's first to feature new guitar player Lady Cat-Man, who replaced Pitrone in February 2008.

DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER previously stated about the upcoming album and new lineup, "Don't expect anything less than an absolute killer record! The sound is damn heavy, melodic and chock-full of surprises. Lady Cat-Man may look like an angel, but she's playing like the devil! Treat our metal sister real nice, she is part of the family now."

DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER's sixth album, "Riders on the Storm", was released in August 2006 via Nuclear Blast.

"The Comedown", the new video from the Sheffield, Yorkshire, England-based deathcore band BRING ME THE HORIZON, can be viewed below. The track comes off the group's new album, "Suicide Season", which is due on October 6 via Visible Noise (the CD will be available for digital download on September 29).

"Suicide Season" track listing:

01. The Comedown
02. Chelsea Smile
03. It Was Written In Blood
04. Death Breath
05. Football Season Is Over
06. The Sadness Will Never End
07. Sleep With One Eye Open
08. Diamonds Aren't Forever
09. No Need for Introductions, I've Read About Girls Like You on the Back of Toilet Doors
10. Suicide Season

Quebec, Canada-based technical death metal band BRIEF RESPITE has announced the addition of Peru-born Quebec-resident Roxana Bouchard as the group's new lead singer. According to a press release, "Roxana is well known on the Montreal music scene through her active work with Apocalypse Productions, as well as her music projects SOCIAL FICTION and VIRULYS. She boasts a strong stage presence and vocals that range from death and hardcore, to strong clean, all the way to classical and opera. All of which will be featured on the band's future work."

BRIEF RESPITE has been working on new material to follow up "Uneveness" (2007, Prodisk), to be released in 2009. Until then, Roxana will sing the band’s past classics during a series of gigs around the province. The group's next performance will be held in Montreal at Café Chaos on Saturday, August 30.

Christian Olde Wolbers (guitar) and Raymond Herrera (drums) alongside vocalist Jon Howard (THREAT SIGNAL) — is available below.

ARKAEA will release its debut album on March 3, 2009 via Koch Records. The CD promises to be as pummeling as anything the team of Olde Wolbers and Herrera has ever written.

Christian comments: "These songs were designed like the FEAR FACTORY songs that Raymond and I always wrote. However, we've been able to push the boundaries and go out of that context, while remaining heavy."

"Christian and Ray have been writing together for many years, so the music does have a lot of FEAR FACTORY elements," adds Howard. "However, we've been open to trying different things. It basically fuses what I have been doing vocally in THREAT SIGNAL with driving FEAR FACTORY rhythms, along with some of our own experimentation. The idea behind the project is to be heavy, but maintain melody at the same time."

Howard has been a part of the FEAR FACTORY family ever since Olde Wolbers served as producer for THREAT SIGNAL's debut, "Under Reprisal". Given that connection, the chemistry was there the instant the band started playing together.

Touring activities are in the works in support of the record.

You can preview new music at www.myspace.com/arkaeamusic.

Guitarist Rune "Blasphemer" Eriksen played his final Norwegian concert with the legendary black metal band MAYHEM this past Wednesday (August 6) at the Øyafestivalen in Oslo.

A Norwegian-language interview with Eriksen conducted by Lydverket NRK prior to the Øyafestivalen performance can be viewed below. Also available is a chat with Thurston Moore, singer and songwriter of SONIC YOUTH, in which he discusses his appreciation for MAYHEM's music and his connection to the black metal genre.

Eriksen announced his departure from MAYHEM in April, explaining, "The main reason behind this conclusion lies in the fact that I simply don't see any future for me in the band anymore, at least not a future I'd like to participate in over the coming years. I've been playing my part in the band now for more than 13 years already, having composed, produced and released several albums with great vision, dedication and craftsmanship, to arrive at this crossroad of opposites. Sooner or later, all things comes to an end, and in my case, this circle is complete.

"For some of you this might not come as the biggest surprise, as I've clearly stated in several interviews that I was not sure what the next step would be. These 'hints' were partly rooted in the fact that our latest album fulfilled all of the expectations, visions and aspects of negativity that I felt I wanted to express with this band, and also, of similar importance, that I felt tired of both the touring aspects, amidst its turbulence and personal differences, and also my role in the band."

MAYHEM was honored in the "Metal" category at the 36th annual Spellemann awards (the Norwegian equivalent to the Grammy Awards) for their latest release, "Ordo Ad Chao". The largest and oldest Norwegian music awards show was held on February 2 at the Spektrum in Oslo, Norway and was broadcast live on the Norwegian channel TV2.

Vocalist Sharon den Adel of the Dutch symphonic metallers WITHIN TEMPTATION is featured on the new single from the Dutch trance DJ Armin van Buuren entitled "In and Out of Love". A video for the song featuring Sharon can be viewed below.

Sharon den Adel recently stated about her collaboration with Armin van Buuren: "About a year ago, we were approached by number 1 DJ of the world Armin van Buuren for a possible cooperation. Due to a lack of time, nothing could be produced or written. I'm always looking for a new challenge, and as you might know, I have a broad musical interest. Now [that] WITHIN TEMPTATION is starting with the creative process for the next album, I decided to contact Armin as well. By that time he was busy finalizing his new album 'Imagine', but he did send me one track. I started working on it and wrote lyrics and a melody line for the song. Then we recorded the song which resulted in 'In and Out of Love'. The song became one of his favorite tracks on the album."

WITHIN TEMPTATION will release a brand new double-DVD, titled "Black Symphony", on September 22. It will also be available as a double-CD and a special Blu-Ray disc.

OPETH frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt has issued the following update:

"Just got back from the two shows we did with [the Swedish death metal 'supergroup'] BLOODBATH! Great fun! We played at the Party.San festival in Germany and at the Pellavarock fest in Finland. I was really sick with the flu/sore throat and so was Axe [drummer Martin 'Axe' Axenrot, also of OPETH] so the two rehearsals we did for the shows was a drag, really! During the shows I had to blow my nose all the time, which probably isn't the best for death metal cred, but what the hell?

"The first show was pretty disastrous. The sound on stage was out of control and none of us could hear anything at all. Not a great show but fun nevertheless. They only gave us a 15-minute changeover so we didn't have time to do a proper line check. Loads of people there and I guess most seemed to enjoy themselves, but we really though it was horrendous, haha! The second one was way better...both me and Axe we're doing slightly better yet I still had to blow my nose all the time. It was a tight show with much better stage-sound yet a lot less people being a smaller festival in the woods.

"Our dress-code? Blood infested, mud caked, worn, torn shitty old t-shirts, black pants and some blood all over...the usual stuff.

"It was great times overall, I thought I'd be miserable being sick and being so busy with OPETH, I was on the verge of calling it off, but truly ended up having a great time.

"So, we'll go under the surface again now, but do check out the album once it's out....it's cool as....hell!"

Australia's THE ETERNAL will release its new album, "Kartika", in Finland on November 12 via Firebox Records. A release date for the rest of Europe will be announced shortly. "As for the rest of the world, we are currently negotiating the release in several different territories, so expect an update soon," the band writes on its web site.

The artwork for "Kartika" (see below) was created by Italian designer Diego Maniscalco at Unspire. The CD was mastered by John Ruberto at Crystal Mastering.

The first pressing of "Kartika" will come with a limited-edition bonus disc featuring unreleased demos & remixes; over 95 minutes of new material from THE ETERNAL.





The final track listing is as follows:

01. Silence (6.04)
02. Without Reason (4.47)
03. Lost Our Way (4.33)
04. Self Inflicted (3.59)
05. Blood (9.37)
06. A Pale Reflection (5.03)
07. Sunshine (4.02)
08. Illuminate (4.11)
09. Walk Beside You (4.55)
10. Kartika (2.30)
11. Means For An Ending (4.20)
12. Brighter Day (7.07)

Bonus Disc:

01. Frozen Sun (Unreleased demo) (6.16)
02. July (Unreleased demo) (6.09)
03. Inside The Grey (Unreleased demo) (4.29 )
04. Last Embrace (Unreleased demo) (5.02)
05. Inflicted Self (Self Inflicted Remix) (3.19)
06. Blood (Draconian Drone / Dark Insight Remix) (9.09)

According to the web site of the Belgian grind band AGATHOCLES, the group's bassist Tony Schepkens passed away on August 1, 2008 at the age of 35.

A posting on the site reads: "Best friend, radical hard head and mince core noise DIY militant. When the Earth trembes and shakes, we know you are making noise in Hell. When thunder and lightning strikes us, we know you are doing noise in Heaven."

AGATHOCLES recently spent time in the studio putting the finishing on its new full-length album, "Grind is Protest", for a fall release via Displeased Records. According to a press release, the new CD "will be even more brutal and in your face" than its predecessor, 2006's "Mincer".

"Carnival Of Disgust", the new video from Swedish metallers FALCONER, can be viewed below. The clip, which was shot at the medieval Vadstena castle on a windy and cold April day, "exceeds [all] expectations," according to a press release. The song comes off the band's new album, "Among Beggars And Thieves", which is scheduled for release later this month via Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded at Andy La Rocque's (KING DIAMOND) Sonic Train Studio in Varberg, Sweden. 13 songs were mixed during the sessions, including two bonus tracks for the LP's first edition.

"Among Beggars And Thieves" track listing:

01. Field Of Sorrow
02. Man Of The Hour
03. A Beggar Hero
04. Vargaskall
05. Carnival Of Disgust
06. Mountain Men
07. Viddernas Man
08. Pale Light Of Silver Moon
09. Boiling Led
10. Dark Ages (bonus)
11. Skula Skorpa, Skalk
12. Dreams And Pyres
13. Vi Sålde Våra Hemman (bonus)
+ Music Video

FALCONER guitarist Stefan Weinerhall previously stated about the upcoming CD. "The lyrics will all be about Swedish medieval life and episodes. Not a concept album really but still something in that direction. What I decided early on what that it wouldn't become 'Northwind Pt. 2'. 'Northwind' is as good as it can be, therefore we'll make things a tad different this time."

Long-running Seattle metallers METAL CHURCH have posted several audio samples from their new album, "This Present Wasteland", on their MySpace page.

"This Present Wasteland" is scheduled for release in Europe on September 26 via SPV Records. The CD's artwork, which was submitted by a fan via a MySpace contest, can be viewed below.

"This Present Wasteland" track listing:

01. Killing Space
02. War Never Won
03. Meet Your Maker
04. Crawling To Extinction
05. Mass Hysteria
06. Breath Again
07. Deeds Of A Dead Soul
08. The Prophet And The Madman
09. Beneath The Silence
10. Tales Of A Stalker
11. King Of Lies
12. In The Company Of Sorrow
13. The Perfect Crime

Swedish "death-rockers" HELLTRAIN — whose members have spent time playing with such acclaimed outfits as SCHEITAN, THE EVERDAWN, GATES OF ISHTAR, DEFLESHED, BATTLELUST, THE MOANING, and RAISED FIST — have posted another new song, Hear Them", on their MySpace page. The track comes off the group's second album, "Rock 'n' Roll Devil", which is scheduled for release in September via Jimmy Franks Recording Company. The video for the CD's title cut can be viewed below.

HELLTRAIN's debut album, "Route 666", was released in 2004 via Nuclear Blast Records.

The band's lineup includes Pierre Törnkvist (vocals, guitar), Oskar Karlsson (drums, guitars), and Patrik Törnkvist (guitars, organ, piano, bass).

30-second audio samples of all the tracks that appear on the new SLIPKNOT album, "All Hope Is Gone", are available for streaming at the Nuclear Blast Musicshop.

In addition to the standard edition of "All Hope Is Gone", a special edition of the LP will be released featuring three bonus tracks, expanded artwork and a bonus DVD containing "Nine: The Making Of All Hope Is Gone" — a 35-minute documentary directed by SLIPKNOT percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan.

"All Hope Is Gone" track listing:

01. .execute.
02. Gematria (The Killling Name)
03. Sulfur
04. Psychosocial
05. Dead Memories
06. Vendetta
07. Butcher's Hook
08. Gehenna
09. This Cold Black
10. Wherein Lies Continue
11. Snuff
12. All Hope Is Gone

Bonus tracks:

13. Child Of Burning Time
14. Vermilion Pt. 2 (Bloodstone Mix)
15. 'Til We Die

U.D.O., the German band led by former ACCEPT frontman Udo Dirkschneider, celebrated its 20th anniversary by playing two special shows in Germany on April 30 in Solingen at Cobra and May 3 in Tuttlingen at Stadthalle. The three-hour Tuttlingen concert was filmed for a DVD and live CD, entitled "Mastercutor Alive" (see artwork below), to be released on September 26 on ZXY Music in three different formats:

* Double DVD including bonus material and double CD
* Single DVD without bonus material in digipack
* Double CD

Check out pictures of the Tuttlingen show on the band's official web site: Part 1, Part 2.





The projected track listing is as follows:

Disc 1:

01. Mastercutor
02. 24/7
03. They Want War
04. The Bullet And The Bomb
05. Midnight Mover
06. Vendetta
07. Mission No. X
08. Midnight Highway
09. The Wrong Side Of Midnight
10. Breaker
11. Guitar Solo
12. Princess Of The Dawn
13. One Lone Voice
14. Winterdreams

Disc 2:

01. Living For Tonite
02. Thunderball
03. Drum Solo
04. Man And Machine
05. Animal House
06. Metal Heart
07. Holy
08. Balls To The Wall
09. Fast As A Shark
10. Burning
11. Outro
12. I'm A Rebel

Bonus material:

* Road movie Russia tour (15 minutes)
* Road movie South America tour (15 minutes)
* Concert Belarus (30 minutes)

The DVDs will feature 5.1 Surround Sound.

On September 9, Orange County, California's AVENGED SEVENFOLD will release a DVD/CD package, entitled "Live in the LBC & Diamonds in the Rough" (see artwork below). The live DVD features the band's April 10 hometown show at the Long Beach Arena headlining the Rockstar Taste of Chaos tour, while the CD contains previously unreleased b-sides that were recorded during the making of "Avenged Sevenfold", plus various covers, and other never-before-heard material. The DVD was directed by Core Entertainment's Rafa Alcantara, who also worked on the band's critically acclaimed 2007 road documentary "All Excess".

The track-listing for "Live in the LBC & Diamonds in the Rough" is as follows:

CD:

01. Demons
02. Girl I Know
03. Crossroads
04. Flash of the Blade
05. Until the End
06. Tension
07. Walk
08. The Fight
09. Dancing Dead
10. Almost Easy (Remix)
11. Afterlife (Alternate version)

DVD:

01. Critical Acclaim
02. Second Heartbeat
03. Afterlife
04. Beast and Harlot
05. Scream
06. Seize the Day
07. Walk
08. Bat Country
09. Almost Easy
10. Gunslinger
11. Unholy Confessions
12. A Little Piece of Heaven