SONS OF SEASONS, the new progressive/symphonic metal band led by keyboardist/guitarist Oliver Palotai (KAMELOT, DORO), has inked a deal with Napalm Records. The group's debut album, "Gods Of Vermin", is scheduled for release in early 2009.

SONS OF SEASONS is:

Oliver Palotai (KAMELOT, DORO, BLAZE) - Keyboards, Guitar
Daniel Schild (BLAZE) - Drums
Luca Princiotta (BLAZE) - Guitar
Jürgen Steinmetz - Bass
Henning Basse (METALIUM, FIREWIND) - Vocals

Formed in January 2007, SONS OF SEASONS was launched as a "melting point" for all of Oliver Palotai's skills, as a musicians, composer and producer.

The group's first singer, Tijs Vanneste (OCEANS OF SADNESS), proved to be a great musician, but the band's future touring plans didn't fit the tight working schedule at his job, resulting in his departure. However, some of the songs on SONS OF SEASONS' debut album are said to have been inspired by his ideas.

A bus which was transporting members of DISTURBED's crew ran off the side of Interstate 95 in Florence County, South Carolina after blowing a tire last Thursday (July 31). The vehicle coasted off the shoulder and slid down an embankment before coming to a stop.

Photos of the damage the bus sustained in the crash can be found on tthe blog of Maddie Leiren, the daughter of DISTURBED's guitar tech, who was traveling with the crew at the time of the accident.

At least eight people were on the bus at the time. One person was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries and no band members were on board, bus driver Fred Huffman said.

DISTURBED is currently touring the U.S. as part of this summer's Rockstar Energy Mayhem festival also featuring SLIPKNOT, DRAGONFORCE, MASTODON, SUICIDE SILENCE, AIRBORNE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, 36 CRAZYFISTS, MACHINE HEAD, BLACK TIDE, THE RED CHORD and WALLS OF JERICHO.

Former MORBID ANGEL and NOCTURNUS drummer/vocalist Mike Browning has issued a statement regarding what is being billed as a reunion of the "classic lineup" of NOCTURNUS, set to take place in Europe this fall. In a post to to the comments section of BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Browning writes, "I want to be totally up front and honest with everyone that the original lineup will not be touring. My band AFTER DEATH will be doing the tour as NOCTURNUS, we WILL be playing at least 7 of the 10 songs on 'The Key' [NOCTURNUS' classic 'The Key' album] as well as a couple of old MORBID ANGEL songs done the way they were originally written on 'Abominations of Desolation'! Mike Davis was asked and he didn't want to do the tour as he and I were the ones who wrote pretty much everything on 'The Key'. Lou [Louis Panzer, keyboards] and Sean [McNenney, guitar] were not asked to do this. What people will see will be a show that no one else can faithfully perform containing old NOCTURNUS and MORBID ANGEL material that I either wrote or co-wrote. And it will be done the way it was meant to be written and performed, not some contrived 'rock star' version! The tour will be from October 13-27, 13 shows only to be done in Europe because of these U.S. trademark restrictions from the former members who did indeed steal the name and band I created back in 1988."

UK epic doom metallers SOLSTICE will release "Only the Strong", a two-LP collection of more than 90 minutes of unreleased material, demo recordings (among others the legendary "Drunken Dungeon Sessions") and a couple of rare songs recorded between 1991 and 2001 on September 1 via Iron Kodex Records. Completed by an extensive booklet with the band's biography written by Rich Walker, many anecdotes and loads of rare photos, this will be an absolute must-have for followers of the band and disciples of "poser-crushing epic doom metal" all around the world.

The package will include:

* 2 LP, more than 90 minutes of playing time
* 350g heavy gatefold sleeve
* 20-page booklet with the band's biography, written by Rich Walker, and loads of rare photos, flyers and info on the legendary demo tapes
* exclusive black-andwhite artwork by Dimitar Nikolov (AMULANCE, STEEL ASSASSIN)
* 425 copies on pitch-black vinyl
* 100 copies on grey-white marbled vinyl

ONE MAN ARMY AND THE UNDEAD QUARTET, the Swedish band featuring former THE CROWN vocalist Johan Lindstrand, has posted an audio sample of a new song, "Cursed By The Knife", on the group's MySpace page. The track comes off the band's third album, "Grim Tales", which is scheduled for release in October/November via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at the Black Lounge Studios in Avesta, Sweden with producer Jonas Kjellgren (SCAR SYMMETRY).

Commented Lindstrand: "The album is completely done. All that remains to do is all up to the company to complete, such as booklet, promotion and stuff like that. We are extremely happy with the result. Jonas has made our sound even heavier than before and our songwriting is also taken to the next level. It's brutal, melodic and a big fuckin' punch in your face. . . So we really hope that you will dig this new album as much as we do and don't forget to come see us on the UNLEASHED/KRISIUN/ARMY tour beginning on 14th of November."

"Grim Tales" projected track listing (in no particular order):

01. Misfit With A Machinegun
02. Cursed By The Knife
03. Saint Lucifer
04. Bastards Of Monstrosity
05. Dominator Of The Flesh
06. A Date With Suicide
07. Make Them Die Slowly
08. Bonebreaker Propaganda
09. The Frisco Reaper
10. Death Makes It All Go Away

Trustkill Records has set a September 9 release date for a "best-of" collection from the Los Angeles hardcore/metal act TERROR entitled "Forever Crossing The Line".

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. One With The Underdogs
02. Push It Away
03. Strike You Down
04. Life And Death
05. Always The Hard Way
06. Keep Your Mouth Shut
07. Overcome
08. Out Of My Face
09. All For Revenge
10. Spit My Rage
11. Lost
12. Last Of The Diehards
13. Lowest Of The Low
14. Back At You (unreleased)
15. Dead End (unreleased)
16. Better Off Without You (live in London)
17. Lowest Of The Low (live in London)

Dutch female-fronted goth rock band WITHIN TEMPTATION will release its next single, "Forgiven", on August 29. The track listing is as follows:

01. Forgiven (Single version)
02. Forgiven (Album version)
03. The Howling (Live in Eindhoven Nov. 2007)
04. Hand Of Sorrow (Live in Eindhoven Nov. 2007)
05. The Heart Of Everything (Live in Eindhoven Nov. 2007)

Check out the cover artwork below.

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.

AVALANCHE, the new project featuring Olof Mörck (NIGHTRAGE, DRAGONLAND), Jake E (ex-DREAM EVIL, DREAMLAND), Andy Solveström (WITHIN Y, EVILDOER, CIPHER SYSTEM) and Morten Lowe Sorensen (THE ARCANE ORDER, SUBMISSION), has posted a third song, "Director's Cut", on the band's MySpace page.

IN FLAMES bassist Peter Iwers and EVERGREY keyboardist Rickard Zander are among the guest musicians who will appear on the upcoming AVALANCHE album, tentatively due in early 2009.

Mörck previously stated about the band: "AVALANCHE has for long been an idea between me and Jake E to break out of the mold of our past projects and create something new and fresh entirely and to give room for ideas not appropriate for the other acts and projects we are part of. The result is an onslaught of soaring melodies, heavy riffing and guttural screams from the netherworld, a result of having three singers in the band; Jake E on clean vocals, cabaret virtuoso Elize on female vocals and Andy on screams. The result is a quite distinct sound, especially combined with the music itself that draws upon influences from a varied spectrum of genres, all to create a thrilling experience for the listener. Another defining feature of AVALANCHE is the idea of a collective — everyone from superstars of the industry to just generally talented people will lend their unique skills to AVALANCHE on the coming album. This, however, won't stop AVALANCHE from being a tour de force in live shows and tours, since the core of this metal machinery is based primarily on the regular members. This project has just taken off, but we're quite excited to show you what we have so far, and a lot more will come in a very near future."

TESLA will release the "Gold" collection of "digitally remastered hits" on August 26.

The track listing is as follows:

Disc One:

01. Cumin' Atcha Live
02. Ez Come Ez Go
03. Modern Day Cowboy
04. Gettin' Better
05. Rock Me To The Top
06. Little Suzi
07. Hang Tough
08. Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)
09. Lazy Days, Crazy Nights
10. The Way It Is
11. Love Song
12. Love In Vain +
13. I Ain't Superstitious ++
14. Rock The Nation ++
15. Signs Live
16. Paradise Live
17. Children's Heritage ++
18. Cotton Fields ++

+ Previously unreleased
++ Non-LP single b-side

Disc Two:

01. Edison's Medicine
02. Call It What You Want
03. Song & Emotion
04. What You Give
05. Mama's Fool
06. Try So Hard
07. A Lot To Lose
08. The Ocean
09. Last Action Hero
10. Steppin' Over
11. Into The Now
12. Heaven Nine Eleven
13. Caught In A Dream
14. Thank You

QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS will release their new album, "The Cosmos Rocks", in Europe on September 15 and the U.S./Canada on October 14 via EMI.

Look for the first plays of the new QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS single on UK radio next week:

* Radio 2: "Ken Bruce Show" next Monday, August 4 between 9:30 a.m. and noon. The track will then hopefully get more airs before going into playlist the following week.

* Virgin Radio: The track will be played from noon onwards that day (Monday, August 4).

Video footage of QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS performing a new song, "C-lebrity", on the April 4, 2008 edition of the UK's ITV "Al Murray's Happy Hour" can be viewed below. Other tracks on the new CD will include a "first" for a QUEEN album — a cover version. The remaining tracks are all newly written by May, Taylor and Rodgers during the late 2007/early 2008 recording sessions.

QUEEN's last studio album was "Made In Heaven", released in November 1995 and containing the last recordings with Freddie. The LP became the band's biggest selling studio album, with world sales in excess of 20 million.

QUEEN's "Greatest Hits 1" album has achieved the distinction of being the UK's biggest selling album of all time, having sold a staggering 5,407,587 copies in Britain alone (source: VH1/The Official UK Charts Company. November 2006).

So, it is finally time to reveal some of my works and ideas to you.
It has taken much longer than i expected due to other projects and happenings... but the wait is over.

Here you are, the first of my demo songs to be public on my MySpace page - "Flipping Gods".

The lyrics are about how humanity has changed religion and Gods over the years in order to serve their profits and wishes.
If we don't believe in a religion anymore, the Gods die and turn into myth, stories and historical dust.
The story is told by a God on the verge on getting cast out and forgotten by the people he once created and encouraged.

This is in deed a demo recording and there is much to be said about the production etc. But I had to draw the line somewhere and get on with it.

All instruments (drums, bass, keyboards, acoustic- and electric guitars) are played by me.
Main Vocals by: Wudstik (Ayreon, Solo)
Backing Vocals: Erna Auf der Haar (Ian Parry) and me
Solo guitar: Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation).

Feel free to down-load these demo songs, play it on you MP3-player, stereo, walk man... spread it to your friends and family, spread it through the internet etc. etc.
It's all OK by me... I mean... it's good promotion and the final version will sound so much better anyway... so... knock your selves out!!

According to a posting on the MySpace page of the long-running horror-inspired metallers NECROPHAGIA, a new release and tour is in the works for mid-2009. No further details are currently available.

NECROPHAGIA was recently rejoined by Opal Enthroned. She was a member of the band during the period when her now ex-husband Philip Anselmo (PANTERA, DOWN) was playing guitar for NECROPHAGIA.

Opal made her NECRO debut on the "Cannibal Holocaust" EP in 2001. She also worked with NECROPHAGIA mainman Frank "Killjoy" Pucci and Anselmo in the now-defunct raw black metal project VIKING CROWN.

Killjoy and Opal have both stated that the new alliance is extremely inspiring and will see them focusing on some "very, very horror-filled and even creepier tunes" for NECROPHAGIA (as well as two other projects that will be launched at a later date).

Montreal-based sympho/black/folk/power metal band PROFUGUS MORTIS will release a new six-song EP entitled "Another Round" on November 25 via Prodisk.

According to a press release, "Another Round" features "the most epic and folk-inspired PROFUGUS MORTIS material to date. The new CD is expected to outsell the band's debut, '…So It Begins', which sold 2,000 copies in Canada alone."

"Another Round" track listing:

01. This Round's On Me
02. Cinder
03. In Time
04. Scarlet To Snow
05. I Demon
06. The Sword

Japan's DIR EN GREY will release its new album, "Uroboros", on November 12. The album will be released in three editions; a standard edition, a limited edition and a deluxe edition. The standard edition will be released as a single-disc CD album, while the limited edition will include a bonus disc. The deluxe edition, a significantly more expensive release, will include two CDs, one DVD and two LPs, and will be available for pre-ordering only until August 17.

"The album will be stuffed with themes of 'guilt and reincarnation' as well as 'the past, present and future of DIR EN GREY,'" guitarist Kaoru explained back in May. "This will be heavier and darker than previous albums, with a sort of oriental and religious mood and connotations. We're experimenting with different sounds — we'd like to introduce a multitude of different instruments on this album."

"Sirens Roar", a new track from SIGNUM REGIS — the metal band founded by Ronnie König (also mainman of Slovak heavy metal band VINDEX) and featuring legendary vocalist Göran Edman (ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JOHN NORUM, GLORY) — is available for streaming at this location. The song comes off the group's self-titled debut album, which was mastered by Tommy Hansen (HELLOWEEN) at Jailhouse Studios in Denmark.

The CD, which came out in Japan late last month, will be released in the U.S. on August 26 and in Europe on August 29 via Locomotive Records.

According to a press release, the group's music sounds like "a unique mixture of classical metal acts like HELLOWEEN, MALMSTEEN and RAINBOW but still having its own sound."

"Signum Regis" track listing:

01. Fields Of Stars
02. All Over The World
03. Neverland
04. For Ever And A Day
05. Bright Days Of Glory
06. The Rain
07. Passionate Love
08. The Endless Road (bonus Japan)
09. Mountain Haze (instrumental)
10. Follow The Light
11. The Ten Thousand
12. Sirens Roar

Recording lineup:

Göran Edman - Lead And Backing Vocals
Ronnie König - Bass
Filip Koluš - Guitar
Ado Kaláber - Guitar
Ludek Struhar - Drums
Ján Tupý - Keyboards

METALLICA has officially set Friday, September 12 as the "worldwide" release date for its new album, "Death Magnetic". Assuming that the band has yet to announce separate release dates for the different parts of the world (since physical CDs are virtually never released on the same day "worldwide"), the September 12 date in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (where albums are traditionally issued on Fridays) would indicate that the album would arrive in the U.S. on Tuesday, September 16, with most of continental Europe getting the CD one day earlier on September 15.

Tuesdays are when almost all CDs are issued in the U.S.

METALLICA's new CD will be available to download for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock on the same day the album arrives in stores.

The band is offering the record for sale in numerous configurations, ranging from a digital-only release to a deluxe "coffin box" that will come with a bonus CD, a DVD, a T-shirt, guitar picks and other goodies.

"Death Magnetic" official track listing:

01. That Was Just Your Life
02. The End Of The Line
03. Broken, Beat & Scarred
04. The Day That Never Comes
05. All Nightmare Long
06. Cyanide
07. The Unforgiven III
08. The Judas Kiss
09. Suicide & Redemption
10. My Apocalypse

German axe hero AXEL RUDI PELL will release his new his eighteenth offering, "Tales Of The Crown", via SPV Records on the following dates:

October 24: Germany
October 27: Rest of Europe
October 28: U.S./Canada

According to a press release, "Tales Of The Crown" is a "haunting" studio album featuring ten brand-new compositions. "Our fans will get just the kind of songs they have come to know and expect from me and my band," says Pell, adding, "plus a few little innovations." Axel Rudi Pell is referring to the contemporary touch which some of his latest tracks feature, mainly in terms of rhythm. "But don't worry, these modern approaches are only gradual and don’t affect the typical flair of my songs."

"Tales Of The Crown" was recorded at Gelsenkirchen's Redhouse Studios by the tried-and-tested lineup consisting of Axel Rudi Pell, American vocalist Johnny Gioeli, keyboardist Ferdy Doernberg, bassist Volker Krawczak and drummer Mike Terrana. The album was produced by Axel Rudi Pell and sound engineer Charlie Bauerfeind, who also mixed the CD. Like its highly successful predecessor, the new LP's cover artwork was created by Colombian artist Felipe Machado Franco.

"Tales Of The Crown" track listing:

01. Higher
02. Ain't Gonna Win
03. Angel Eyes
04. Crossfire
05. Touching My Soul
06. Emotional Echoes
07. Riding On An Arrow
08. Tales Of The Crown
09. Buried Alive
10. Northern Lights

Swedish dark, melodic metal act EVERGREY will release its new album, "Torn", via the band's new label, Steamhammer/SPV on the following dates:

Germany: September 19
Rest of Europe: September 22
USA/Canada: September 23

There is an exclusive VIP pre-order package of "Torn" available at the official EVERGREY web site. The VIP package is only available from the band and it includes:

* "Torn" limited edition (includes bonus track)
* One T-shirt, specially made and only available with the VIP package
* One signed postcard
* One exclusive EVERGREY guitar pick

The packages will be sent early enough to make sure you have your package on the release date for your country. Price is 40 euros plus shipping, available worldwide.

"Torn" track listing:

01. Broken Wings
02. Soaked
03. Fear
04. When Kingdoms Fall
05. In Confidence
06. Fail
07. Numb
08. Torn
09. Nothing Is Erased
10. Still Walk Alone
11. These Scars

"Torn" was previously described by EVERGREY mastermind Tom S. Englund as a "modern mix of 'In Search Of Truth' and 'Recreation Day'." "The tracks are all guitar-oriented and very atmospheric," he said. "They have exactly the sound that our fans expect from us." According to Englund, the slightly more experimental direction of EVERGREY's previous release, "Monday Morning Apocalypse", has given way again to old strengths and virtues. "Two years ago we needed an album with a slightly different approach and an expensive producer, just to find out how that sort of thing works," he explained. "It was the right album at the time, but now we have returned to our typical trademarks." This is one of the reasons why the tracks on "Torn" were self-produced by Englund together with drummer Jonas Ekdahl. In addition, the band has a new bassist, Fredrik Larsson having been replaced by former STRATOVARIUS musician Jari Kainulainen.

MEGADETH's official webmaster Dave McRobb has issued the following update:

"So.... I was talking to my beloved master [Dave Mustaine] tonight on the phone and he wanted me to let you all know that things are moving along oh so well with the brand new studio! The project is in its initial phases... large warehouse type deal... slowly converting into part deluxe recording studio... pre-production... start recording new album in fall! Reminiscent of 'Evolver', wouldn't you say?! In fact we (yes, master Dave M and I) talked about filming aspects of the process and who knows, eh? Sure do love them 'fly-on-the-wall' recording DVD's don't we all?! (heh, no promises yet on that one but it was definitely talked about!). So ya, Dave is quite psyched about this studio and getting the band in, and everyone else involved to lay down some tracks and put out the next stellar MEGADETH album! Ahh yes, life is good."

MEGADETH's latest album, "United Abominations", was released in May 2007 via Roadrunner Records. The CD has sold around 160,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

England's most notorious and nefarious metal band CRADLE OF FILTH is gearing up to release its darkest, most dastardly album of all, titled "Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder", for Roadrunner Records on October 28. The 72-minute effort, which will have a special edition with an extra disc and bonus material, arrives just in time for Halloween, a holiday that fits CRADLE OF FILTH's blackened, ghostly aesthetic.

"Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder" is conceptual and is based on the well-documented, true-life fall from grace of a shadowy historical figure named Gilles de Rais, a wealthy French nobleman who was one of Joan of Arc's brothers-in-arms. He was best known, however, as a prolific serial killer who mixed prayers with his nightly murders as well as an aspiring alchemist. He was accused of a panoply of crimes, among them heresy, demonology and kidnapping. There's even an extreme fringe sect of historians who question de Rais' true status, with some convinced he was framed.

Regardless of viewpoint, leave it to CRADLE OF FILTH to dissect de Rais' biography, exploring subversive, inflammatory historical subject matter in its lyrics, taking an unjaundiced look at a controversial figure in European history, set to epic black metal music. The band profiled Hungarian countess Elizabeth Bathory, who attempted to preserve her youth by bathing in the blood of virgins, in the past and now moves forward by framing their latest album around the story of de Rais.

CRADLE OF FILTH's vocalist Dani Filth elaborated on the album's concept, saying, "By far this is our most extreme, dramatic and deeply disturbing album to date. The legend of Gilles de Rais has been given fresh, vampyrical life in this conceptual meisterwerk, swathed in pitch-black magic and a viciousness unsurpassed in the annals of CRADLE history. Screw what our detractors say, everyone who has heard this album has bruised their jaws on the pentagram-bejewelled floor."

"Godspeed On The Devil's Thunder" track listing:

01. In Grandeur And Frankincense Devilment Stirs
02. Shat Out Of Hell
03. The Death Of Love
04. The 13th Caesar
05. Tiffauges
06. Tragic Kingdom
07. Sweetest Maleficia
08. Honey And Sulphur
09. Midnight Shadows Crawl To Darken Counsel With Life
10. Darkness Incarnate
11. Ten Leagues Beneath Contempt
12. Godspeed On The Devil's Thunder
13. Corpseflower

Swedish melodic metal band HARMONY has posted more audio samples from its forthcoming EP, "End of my Road", on the group's MySpace page. Due on on August 11 through Ulterium Records, the EP contains three songs from the group's forthcoming album, "Chapter II: Aftermath" (due in the fall) as well as two tracks exclusive to this release.

"End of my Road" track listing:

01. End of my Road [single version]
02. Prevail
03. Alone [exclusive track]
04. Enter the Sacred [exclusive track]
05. Rain

Norwegian black/thrash metal band AURA NOIR will release its new album, "Hades Rise", on August 25 via Tyrant Syndicate, DARKTHRONE's Peaceville sub-label. "Hades Rise" follows on from where 2004's "The Merciless" left off. Undoubtedly the band's dirtiest and biggest hammer to the face to date, "Hades Rise" embraces the spirit of bands like VENOM to serve up an overdose of headpounding chaos. Recorded and produced by the band themselves in bassist/vocalist Apollyon's (real name: Ole Jørgen Moe) cellar studio, the album also contains guest appearances from Danny Coralles (AUTOPSY, ABSCESS) and the band's former guitarist Blasphemer (ex-MAYHEM).

01. Hades Rise
02. Gaping Grave Awaits
03. Unleash the Demon
04. Pestilent Streams
05. Schitzoid Paranoid
06. Death-Mask
07. Shadows of Death
08. Iron Night/Torment Storm
09. South American Death
10. The Stalker

Check out the "Hades Rise" mini-site www.peaceville.com/auranoir.

SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser will release his long-awaited solo debut, entitled "Hubris I & II", on October 6 via Holland's Mascot Records. A two-disc set, the self-produced effort was recorded in part at A Voz do Brasil studio in São Paulo, Brazil.

Kisser previously stated about the album, "I'm very pleased with the result and I'm excited to hear it all done. It was a long process, a learning process and a great experience. It's a musical journey trough the influences I had for last 15 years of my life and at the same time it's very different from everything I did so far."

"Hubris" comes from Greek word "hybris," which means "excessive pride, wanton violence."

Check out the "Hubris I & II" artwork below.

"Hubris I & II" track listing:

I:

01. Protest!
02. Euphoria/Desperation
03. Eu Humano
04. The Forum
05. Virgulândia
06. God's Laugh
07. R.H.E.T.
08. Em Busca Do Ouro
09. Lava Sky
10. A Million Judas Iscariotes

II:

01. Sad Soil
02. Worlds Apart
03. Breast Feeding
04. Page
05. Domenicana
06. Vivaldi
07. 0120
08. Armonia
09. Hubris
10. Mythos
11. O Mais Querido

Kobi Farhi, vocalist of Israel's ORPHANED LAND, has issued the following statement regarding the status of the band's highly anticipated follow-up to 2004's "Mabool" as well as the group's participation in the upcoming documentary "Global Metal", the new documentary from directors Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn of Banger Films ("Metal: A Headbanger's Journey"):

"We are happy to inform you that the writing process of our long-awaited album 'The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR' is about to end soon. We have more than 90 minutes of written music. We don't like to repeat ourselves, so do not expect a 'Mabool Vol. 2'! Of course, the female vocals and the oriental instruments will be there as always, but 'ORwarriOR' is different and I can say for sure that it is more extreme, powerful and less progressive. Still, like all our albums, it is ORPHANED LAND and you'll all notice that. Watch out for the first single, which is the opener of the album called: 'Sapari'. We are also doing the arrangements to finalise the artwork and dates for recordings and production later this year, and we are still looking for the right drummer to fill in for the album.

"On another matter, ORPHANED LAND appears in Sam Dunn's new documentary 'Global Metal', along with METALLICA, SLAYER, SEPULTURA, X JAPAN and more, the film is a journey which is exploring the metal scenes in some rather exotic regions of the world, like for example in Dubai, Indonesia, China, Israel etc."

According to a posting on legendary rock photographer Ross Halfin's official web site, Philip Anselmo (DOWN, PANTERA, SUPERJOINT RITUAL) has begun work on his autobiography. Anselmo apparently revealed the news to Halfin this past Sunday (July 27) following DOWN's performance in Istanbul, Turkey as the support act for METALLICA. "I walk to the dressing room and Phil grabs me for a hug while The Snake [SKID ROW guitarist Dave 'Snake' Sabo, who manages DOWN as part of the successful management company McGhee Entertainment headed up by Doc McGhee — Ed.] looks on with jealousy," Ross writes in the "Diary" section of his web site. "Phil tells me he's writing a book about his time doing what he does and it'll include his time in PANTERA."