Norwegian newspaper VG is reporting that DIMMU BORGIR's 31-year-old frontman Shagrath (real name: Stian Tomt Thoresen) will marry actor Nicolas Cage's 41-year-old ex-girlfriend Christina Fulton in September. (See photo of the couple below.)

Fulton (web site) was involved in a romantic relationsip with Cage during the '90s, and they have a 17-year-old son named Weston.

The wedding ceremony will take place in Prekestolen, which is said to be one of the most fantastic sites in Norway. Tourists come from all over the world to see this incredible site with magnificent views.

"We chose to get married there, because it is a special place," stated Thoresen, who added that there will be plenty of guests.

Thoresen and Fulton met four months ago through one of the singer's associates. According to the couple, it was love at first sight.

Fulton, who is an actress, is best known for her role as "Nico", the lead singer of the VELVET UNDERGROUND in Oliver Stone's "The Doors". She has appeared in over 17 films, including Brian De Palma's "Snake Eyes", Abel Ferrara's "Dangerous Games" and the independent film "Lucinda's Spell", which earned her an award at Slamdance. She is currently developing her own reality television show, "The Single Mom Show".

Fulton made her directorial debut with the premiere of the documentary film "When Giants Collide", which received overwhelming critical acclaim for its depiction of wrestlers and the sport of wrestling.

In the coming years, the couple plans to split its time between the United States and Oslo.

Fulton recently visited Norway for the first time.

"I love Norway. It's so green and majestic here," she said.

Legendary British rock band URIAH HEEP will perform one of the most unusual shows of its illustrious career next week when it plays a free gig for the inmates of Rottenburg prison in Germany.

Housed in a former castle, the prison will also act as the location for the German launch of URIAH HEEP's first new album in ten years, "Wake The Sleeper".

The concert is being funded by the local city administration, the prison's director Wolfgang Willard announced last Wednesday in Rottenburg (District of Tübingen).

The band will play for one hour in front of about 500 prisoners, and actually had declined to receive a concert fee.

URIAH HEEP has been successful since the beginning of the 70s, with hits like "Lady in Black" and more.

"Considering the number of prisoners attending this gig, this can be considered a first", said Willard, who also emphasized the importance of such an event.

Vans has rolled out a shoe based on the IRON MAIDEN artwork for "The Trooper" from the band's 1983 album "Piece Of Mind". You can charge into battle and live to skate another day in this classic Sk8-Hi, featuring original artwork from the single's cover. Also available as slip-ons.

Vans is a Southern California-based manufacturer of sneakers, skateboarding shoes and other shoe types catering primarily to the skateboarder/surfer youth market.
First photo
Second Photo

Marie-Louise Gumuchian of Reuters reports: Dressed in his traditional brown robe, sandals and twirling the rope around his waist, 62-year old Friar Cesare Bonizzi is no ordinary heavy metal rocker.

But as guitarists around him grind out heavy notes, the long-white-bearded Capuchin, a former missionary in Ivory Coast, has no qualms bobbing his head and shouting lyrics about alcohol, sex, tobacco and life in general into his microphone.

Describing himself as a "preacher-singer", Bonizzi has been singing for over a decade, and last month wowed heavy metal fans at Italy's Gods of Metal festival, where he performed with his band FRATELLO METALLO (Metal Brother) alongside groups such as IRON MAIDEN.

Swedish death metal "supergroup" BLOODBATH will release its new studio album, "The Fathomless Mastery", on October 6 via Peaceville Records. The band described the upcoming CD as representing "nothing but hateful brutality." Promising its "most crushing production yet," the group's lineup on "The Fathomless Mastery" is the same as that on BLOODBATH's "Unblessing the Purity" mini-CD, which came out in March:

Mikael Åkerfeldt (OPETH) - Vocals
Martin "Axe" Axenrot (OPETH) - Drums
Anders "Blakkheim" Nyström (KATATONIA) - Guitar
Jonas Renkse (KATATONIA) - Bass
Per "Sodomizer" Eriksson (ex-21 LUCIFERS, GENOCRUSH FEROX) – Guitar

"The Fathomless Mastery" track listing:

01. At The Behest Of Their Death
02. Mock The Cross
03. Iesous
04. Wretched Human Mirror
05. Treasonous
06. Devouring The Feeble
07. Hades Rising
08. Slaughtering The Will To Live
09. Earthrot
10. Process Of Disillumination
11. Drink From The Cup Of Heresy

Check out the cover artwork by Dusty Peterson below.

BLOODBATH released a live CD/DVD digipack entitled "The Wacken Carnage" on June 2 in Europe and June 24 in the U.S. via Peaceville. The package contains footage of the band's appearance at the 2005 edition of the Wacken Open Air festival.

"Velatum", the first video from the Austrian symphonic melodic metal band SERENITY, can be viewed below. The clip was shot in early July with director Robert Geir.

"Velatum" comes off SERENITY's new album, "Fallen Sanctuary", which will be released via Napalm Records on the following dates:

August 27 - Finland
August 29 - Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg
September 1 - Rest of Europe
September 9 – USA/Canada

The CD was mixed by Jacob Hansen (RAUNCHY, INVOCATOR), who "has provided a state-of-the-art sound for SERENITY's brilliant new offerings," according to a press release.

"Fallen Sanctuary" track listing:

01. All Lights Reversed
02. Rust Of Coming Ages
03. Coldness Kills
04. To Stone She Turned
05. Fairytales
06. The Heartblood Symphony
07. Velatum
08. Derelict
09. Sheltered (By The Obscure)
10. Oceans Of Ruby
11. Journey's End (limited-edition bonus track)

SERENITY's debut album, entitled "Words Untold & Dreams Unlived", came out in April 2007.

Wenn man über das schreiben soll, was gestern in Polen passiert ist, sucht man lange nach den richtigen Worten, denn man muß und will doch vor allem anderen deutlich machen, daß es sich lediglich um die Resultate ideologischer Auswucherungen einiger weniger Individuen handelt, nicht aber um das Gedankengut eines ganzen Landes.

Zu aller erst jedoch möchte ich an dieser Stelle aber zum Ausdruck bringen, daß es uns unendlich Leid tut, daß wir gestern nicht für euch spielen konnten. Wir alle hatten uns sehr auf das Konzert gefreut ...

Sicher sind unsere Arbeit und meine Botschaften nicht immer leicht zu verstehen, und man kann ja auch nicht gerade behaupten, daß ich es Lesern wie Hörern gerade leicht mache, aber eins sollte doch aus meinen Worten stets klar und deutlich hervorgegangen sein: ...

Wir sind weder Schwarzmagiere noch Satanisten. Wir glorifizieren oder unterstützen derartiges Gedankengut zudem in keinster Weise. Ich hoffe dieser Punkt ist hiermit ein für allemal und in aller Deutlichkeit geklärt!

Ich sehe die Welt sicherlich sehr kritisch und bin außerdem oft erschüttert über die Dinge, die da draußen geschehen, aber im Endeffekt haben die religiösen Fanatiker, die die Stromzufuhr zum gestrigen Konzert in Klodzko durchtrennt haben und somit ein ganzes Festivalereignis zerstörten, meine Skepsis am menschlichen Verstand erneut untermauert und in meinen Augen lediglich ihre Intoleranz und Unfähigkeit in der heutigen Welt zu leben und zu Kommunizieren zum Ausdruck gebracht.

Ich respektiere Gläubigkeit und Religion. Das beteure ich stets. Ich denke jedoch, daß die Basis eines jeden Zusammenlebens nur dann gewährleistet ist, wenn dieser Respekt gegenseitig vorzufinden ist.

Wir lassen uns jedoch von derartigen Ereignissen in keinster Weise einschüchtern oder verjagen. Wir werden wieder nach Polen kommen, um dort für viele treue Fans unsere Musik live zu präsentieren, und am Ende muß doch vor allem eins klar sein: Nur wer spricht, dem kann geholfen werden. Sprecht mit uns, und ihr werdet sehen, wieviel uns Toleranz und Gleichberechtigung bedeutet.

... und wie sagt Prof. Dr. Hans Joachim Meyer, der Präsident des ZdK (Zentralkomitte der deutschen Katholiken), auf www.zdk.de so schön:

"Als Christen sind wir dazu aufgerufen, aus unserem Glauben heraus unsere grundlegenden Werte in die Gestaltung der Welt einzubringen, solidarisch zu sein mit den Menschen unserer Zeit. Wir sind Teil der Gesellschaft und identifizieren uns mit ihr. Wir stehen ihr aber auch in kritischer Distanz gegenüber. In dieser Distanz werden christliche Freiheit und das Wissen um eine Wirklichkeit, die irdisches Dasein übersteigt, deutlich. Im Dialog untereinander und mit allen Menschen, die die Überzeugung von der Unveräußerlichkeit der Würde eines jeden Menschen teilen, wollen wir nach Wegen suchen, wie wir dem Auftrag zur Solidarität gerecht werden können."

... und nun fragen wir uns doch wohl zu Recht, wo diese Solidarität und Würde gestern geblieben ist! Einen Dialog habe ich wohl auch verpaßt, denn eine kritische Distanz läßt sich bekanntlich nur so überwinden.

Herzliche Grüße an all die Menschen, die tiefer blicken, welchem Glauben oder welcher religiösen oder spirituellen Gesinnung sie auch immer angehören mögen, denn letztendlich legen nicht nur Deine Worte ein Zeugnis über Dich ab, sondern vor allem Deine Taten.

Euer Adrian

Former STRATOVARIUS mastermind Timo Tolkki has issued the following update on his current band REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE:

"So we are getting together early September to make some demos, pics and videos. Also in September we will open the website which will include videos and interviews from the demo sessions. We will re-record some 'New Era' [REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE's recently released debut album] songs and some STRATOVARIUS songs as well and you can listen to them as streaming versions from the website. Also we will give you one totally new track as high-quality MP3 that you can download for free from the upcoming website. Things are definitely moving on very nicely."

REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE recently signed a four-album deal with JVC Victor in Japan for the territories of Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, India, Mongolia, Indonesia, East Timor, Thailand, Malaysia, The Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma and Singapore. The negotiations for the other territories are still in progress.

JVC Victor has released all STRATOVARIUS records in Japan since 1992.

REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE will embark on a South American tour in early December. The band intends to return to play more shows to South/Central/ North America after the new album has been released and after its European and Asian tour dates.

REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE's current lineup includes keyboardist Mike Khalilov, Brazilian drummer Bruno Agra and Brazilian singer Gus Monsanto (ex-ADAGIO).

"New Era", the debut album from REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE, is described in a press release as "a masterpiece of melodic power metal, taking the listener straight back to the 'Visions'-era STRATOVARIUS. In fact, 'New Era' is the album that was meant to be the next STRATOVARIUS album." Guest musicians on the CD include Michael Kiske (vocals; HELLOWEEN), Tobias Sammet (vocals; EDGUY, AVANTASIA), Pasi Rantanen (vocals; THUNDERSTONE), Mirka Rantanen (drums; THUNDERSTONE) and Pasi Heikkilä (bass; 45 DEGREE WOMAN).

Finnish metallers OMNIUM GATHERUM will release their fourth album, "The Redshift", on September 22 in Europe and October 14 in the U.S. via Candlelight Records. An e-card for the CD can be accessed at this location.

"The Redshift" was recorded at Sound Supreme Studios in Hämeenlinna, Finland with Janne Saksa and SouthEastSounds studio in Karhula with Teemu Aalto. The CD was mixed at Unisound Studio in Örebro, Sweden by Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, HAIL OF BULLETS, NOVEMBERS DOOM).

"The Redshift" track listing:

01. Nail
02. A Shadowkey
03. Chameleon Skin
04. No Breaking Point
05. The Return
06. Shapes And Shades
07. The Redshifter
08. Greeneyes
09. The Second Flame
10. Song For December
11. Distant Light Highway

Check out the album artwork below (artwork created by Olli Lappalainen).

"A New Beginning", the new video from Canadian metallers THREAT SIGNAL, can be viewed below. The clip was shot on April 10 with award-winning film director RT of 235 Films. The track comes off the group's debut album, "Under Reprisal", which was released in North America on August 22, 2006 via Nuclear Blast Records.

THREAT SIGNAL recently uploaded a demo version of a new song, entitled "Beyond Recognition", on the group's MySpace page.

The band's vocalist Jon Howard has joined forces with FEAR FACTORY members Christian Olde Wolbers (guitar) and Raymond Herrera (drums) in a new group called ARKAEA.

ARKAEA is scheduled to enter the studio to begin recording its debut album. The CD promises to be as pummeling as anything the team of Olde Wolbers and Herrera has ever written.

"A Certain Death", the new video from the Milwaukee, Wisconsin metalcore act MISERY SIGNALS, can be viewed below. The clip was directed by David Brodsky, who has previously worked with THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, ALL THAT REMAINS and HELMET, among others. "We filmed our scenes in a burnt down hotel in a abandoned town in upstate New York," explained vocalist Karl Schubach. "It was definitely condemned, I don't know how they got us in there, but it was dark, dirty with gutted wood beams, blackened walls and if you weren't careful, you could fall into the basement that was flooded with some kind of liquid." Guitarist Ryan Morgan added, "It's a pretty abstract video, so you have to focus on the visual elements to figure out what's going on."

The song comes off the Milwaukee, Wisconsin metalcore act's third full-length album, "Controller", due on July 22 via Ferret Music. The CD was recorded with producer Devin Townsend (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, DARKEST HOUR, SOILWORK) and is the group's second to feature vocalist Karl Shubach.

"Controller" track listing:

01. Nothing
02. Weight of the World
03. Labyrinthian
04. Parallels
05. Coma
06. A Certain Death
07. Set in Motion
08. Ebb and Flow
09. Reset
10. Homecoming

Woodbridge, Virginia-based power metal band FORGOTTEN REALM — which consists of David Fefolt (VALHALLA, HAWK, MASI) on vocals, Matthew Mills on guitar, Brian Sanders on bass, and Rhino (MANOWAR, HOLYHELL) on drums — has released its debut album, "Power and Glory", via Sonic Age Records. The CD was recorded at Saltmine Studios in Mesa, Arizona and features "10 metal anthems" and a cover of the RAINBOW classic "Man on the Silver Mountain".

"Power and Glory" track listing:

01. Path To The Fire
02. Time
03. Heart Turned To Stone
04. Mountain Of Dreams
05. Eyes Of My Soul
06. Shattered Horizons
07. Forgotten Realm
08. On Wings Like The Eagles
09. Forged In Steel
10. Freedom Calls
11. Man On The Silver Mountain

Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers 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.

A five-minute trailer for the DVD can be viewed below.

The band's most ambitious staging to date, Black Symphony was a unique concert at Rotterdam's Ahoy Arena on February 7, 2008. Sold out months in advance, the show featured WITHIN TEMPTATION performing to 10,000 fans with the 60-piece Metropole Orchestra and a 20-voice classical choir, as well as on-stage stilt performers, costume changes, and an array of stunning pyrotechnic and lighting effects. The colossal production extended to Europe's largest video screen (a massive 400 sqm), reaching across the entire width of the stage, and 14 full HD cameras. Special guests on the night included Keith Caputo (LIFE OF AGONY), Anneke van Giersbergen (ex-THE GATHERING), and George Oosthoek (ORPHANAGE).

In addition to the Rotterdam concert, a plethora of bonus content and extensive behind the scenes footage will be included. Although full details will be made available at a later date, it is likely to feature the band's 2007 year-end show at the Beursgebouw in Eindhoven, of which one highlight was an exclusive acoustic set.

WITHIN TEMPTATION is looking forward to supporting the legendary IRON MAIDEN in London this month. For the first time ever, WITHIN TEMPTATION will also take to the stage in Israel, the Ukraine, and Greece this year, before closing 2008 with some exclusive seated shows in The Netherlands and Belgium.

NEVERLAND, the collaboration between Turkey's progressive power metal band DREAMTONE and Greek artist Iris Mavraki, will have a special edition of its debut album, "Reversing Time", released in Turkey at the end of July via AFM/Ghostwall Records. This package contains:

* 10 songs from the original "Reversing Time" album
* European limited-edition bonus song "Once Again This Life"
* Demo versions of "To Lose the Sun" and "Reversing Time"
* 24-pages redesigned booklet with special photography and bandmember comments
* Special CD packaging
* Optional versions with/without NEVERLAND t-shirts

Pre-orders will be available at the end of July through the www.dreamtone.net "Merch Shop."

Reunited '80s melodic heavy rock band DRIVER — featuring powerhouse vocalist Rob Rock (IMPELLITTERI, JOSHUA, WARRIOR, AVANTASIA, AXEL RUDI PELL) and acclaimed guitarist/producer Roy Z (BRUCE DICKINSON, HALFORD, JUDAS PRIEST, SEBASTIAN BACH, ROB ROCK, TRIBE OF GYPSIES, HELLOWEEN) — will release its debut album, "Sons Of Thunder", on September 26 via Metal Heaven.

DRIVER issued a widely circulated five-song cassette EP demo in 1990 that garnered the band a dedicated worldwide following as well as attained cult status as one of the most underrated hard rock acts of its time. Since then, Rock and Roy Z have forged ahead to garner long successful careers in the music business. 2008 saw the reunion of the band which resulted in the recordings of the aforementioned CD.

DRIVER is:

Rob Rock - Vocals
Roy Z - Guitars
Reynold "Butch" Carlson - Drums
Ed Roth - Keyboards
Aaron Samson - Bass

"Sons Of Thunder" track listing:

01. Titans of Speed
02. I'm a Warrior (mp3 clip)
03. Fly Away
04. Heart's on Fire
05. Sons of Thunder
06. Never Give Up (mp3 clip)
07. Change of Heart (mp3 clip)
08. Dark World
09. Winds of March
10. Only Love Can Save Me Now
11. Tears That I Cry
12. I Believe in Love

Former GREEN CARNATION vocalist Kjetil Nordhus has issued the following update:

"Been in Italy now for almost two weeks. After experiencing a heat shock on my arrival, I am slowly getting used to the new temperatures. I am hanging in there — in half tempo.

"The first few days were spent in Rome, and after that I found myself a very nice spot in the outskirts of the city. Very countryside-ish. Perfect for me. Here I can read all day, stay by the pool if I want, create music or lyrics, or simply hop on the bus to Rome if I feel I need that.

"The result of the first two weeks all by myself in Italy is something like this:

* Sketches to six new songs
* Sketches for lyrics on two songs

"The songs are being developed day by day, and they reach from the very quiet and tender, to what (in my head) is going to sound very, very massive.

"I've had enough of Italy-all-by-myself quite soon, and yesterday I booked myself a flight from Rome to Dublin. I'm going Wednesday week, to stay at a friends place in Dublin. Hopefully there will also be time for some trips within Ireland — a country I love so much. My friend has a home studio, and I will use the daytime (when he's at work) to work with my songs, and maybe do some jamming with him during the evenings (when we're not down the pub).

"I'll be staying in Ireland until the beginning of August, and the TOM WAITS gig in Dublin on July 31st is going to be a fantastic end of my little summer-of-2008-adventure."

Danish metallers PYRAMAZE have issued the following update:

"After auditioning some really good singers during the last couple of months, we have finally found a new band brother — none other than singer extraordinaire Urban Breed (ex-TAD MOROSE) has joined our ranks, and we are all very excited. Urban is well known for his powerful voice, stage presence and great diversity. We welcome Urban into the band, and we hope that our fantastic fans will approve of this choice too. Trust us when we say there's no one better to fill out the big shoes left by his predecessors. To those of you who do not know Urban yet, I would like to encourage you to check out the MP3s in the news section of Pyramaze.com — this is just a little taste of what Urban sounds like. Please note — the songs are NOT new PYRAMAZE songs, but material from Urban's past recordings."

Urban Breed comments: "I am very pleased to join ranks with the great guys and talented musicians of PYRAMAZE. I'm looking forward to the challenge of filling those big shoes and working with these guys live and in the studio. I think we have a lot to offer each other, and I hope PYRAMAZE fans are as excited as we are to hear us working together."

PYRAMAZE's "Immortal" album was released in the U.S. on June 24 via Locomotive Records. Handling the vocals on the record was ICED EARTH singer Matt Barlow.

"Immortal"'s vocal sessions were helmed by producer Jim Morris, who has worked with ICED EARTH on the group's last few releases. The CD was mixed by Jacob Hansen (RAUNCHY, INVOCATOR, MERCENARY).

Barlow originally joined PYRAMAZE as the replacement for Lance King who left the band in November 2006.

PYRAMAZE will support fellow Danes VOLBEAT on five shows in Denmark in November.

Long-running Irish rock band THERAPY? has tapped Andy Gill to produce and mix the group's forthcoming 12th album, tentatively due in early 2009 via Demolition Records.

Gill is a founding member and guitarist for the English rock group GANG OF FOUR, considered among the most influential post-punk bands. Gill also produced much of GANG OF FOUR's output, and albums for many other artists, including the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, THE JESUS LIZARD, THE STRANGLERS, THE FUTUREHEADS, MICHAEL HUTCHENCE, KILLING JOKE and THE YOUNG KNIVES.

According to a press release, "Versions of new [THERAPY?] songs like 'The Head That Tried To Strangle Itself', 'Low Winter Sun', 'I Told You I Was Ill' and 'Mingusisyphus' illustrate the classic mix of intense instrumentation and dark pop that has made THERAPY? internationally renowned. Whilst most of their '90s peers have been content to follow the options of rehash/reform/rollover, the UK trio have always carved their own unique musical furrow bolstered by a formidable live reputation and a stream of chart hits."

A compilation of THERAPY?'s various BBC recordings was released in February 2007. It was available exclusively on iTunes for two weeks, and then through all good download stores.

THERAPY?'s latest album, "One Cure Fits All", was released in April 2006. The follow-up to 2004's "Never Apologise Never Explain" was produced by Pedro Ferriera, who had previously worked with COLOUR OF FIRE, THE DARKNESS and TOKYO DRAGONS, among others.

Swedish multi-instrumentalist Snowy Shaw (THERION, DREAM EVIL, KING DIAMOND, MERCYFUL FATE, MEMENTO MORI, NOTRE DAME) has just finished laying down the drum tracks for the debut album from EYES OF NOCTUM, the California-based band fronted by actor Nicolas Cage's 17-year-old son Weston (MySpace page). The CD recordings are currently proceeding at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg with acclaimed producer Fredrik Nordström (DIMMU BORGIR, IN FLAMES, HAMMERFALL). Norwegian drummer Hellhammer (MAYHEM, DIMMU BORGIR) also made a guest appearance on three tracks.

Weston introduced DIMMU BORGIR from the stage at the April 16, 2008 concert at The Grove in Anaheim, California.

Florida metallers TRIVIUM have tapped Colin Richardson (SLIPKNOT, MACHINE HEAD, FEAR FACTORY, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, NAPALM DEATH) to mix their new album, "Shogun", which is scheduled for release on September 30 via Roadrunner Records. The CD is currently being mixed in London, with Jeff Rose and Martin "Ginge" Ford assisting on engineering duties.

For "Shogun", TRIVIUM chose not to record in the familiar environs of their home state of Florida. Instead the band headed to Nashville, Tennessee to work with producer Nick Raskulinecz (RUSH, FOO FIGHTERS, STONE SOUR). The result is a monolithic album that crystallizes the band's sound and showcases TRIVIUM's finest elements. Vocalist/guitarist Matt Heafy is thrilled with the album, saying, "We made a cohesive, epic metal album that combines all of the ingredients of everything we feel we have ever done 'right' musically, while adding a new direction that the music called for. We had so much fun creating this album and hope our fans feel that energy when they listen."

"Shogun" track listing:

01. Kirisute Gomen
02. Torn Between Scylla And Charybdis
03. Down From The Sky
04. Insurrection
05. Into The Mouth Of Hell We March
06. Throes Of Perdition
07. He Who Spawned the Furies
08. Of Prometheus And The Crucifix
09. The Calamity
10. Like Callisto To A Star In Heaven
11. Shogun

TRIVIUM reportedly wrote around 40 songs last year and demoed the best 15 or so before commencing the new LP recording sessions. "When we went in, we thought, 'Hey, these songs are good enogh for the album already,' but we've overhauled almost everything," Heafy told Revolver magazine. "Nick has encouraged us to explore so many new ideas that we never would have thought of."

In a previous interview with Revolver, guitarist Corey Beaulieu stated about the upcoming CD, "We want to capture the best ingredients of everything we've done. Each song has a little bit of everything, going between something heavy and then melodic, and then back to something heavy. So it has a really interesting balance. On 'The Crusade', Matt did almost all singing, so this time we're bringing back some of the screaming that's on [2005's] 'Ascendancy'."

SANCTIFICATION, the Swedish death metal band featuring current/former members of GOD AMONG INSECTS, IN BATTLE and SOULDRAINER, entered Abyss studio in Sweden on July 7 with producers Tommy and Peter Tägtgren to begin recording its sophomore album for a fall release. The CD will be mixed by Peter and mastered by Dan Swanö. Guest musicians on the album include Secthdeamon (ZYKLON, MYRKSKOG), Masse (a.k.a. Emperor Magus Caligula; DARK FUNERAL).

Commented the group: "The music is done and Peter is at the moment working on the drum tracks and the guitars in his studio. At the same time we are recording the vocals in the other studio. Everything is going just fine and we hope to be done in a a few weeks."

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.

DEEP PURPLE keyboardist Don Airey's previously announced European tour in support of his recently released solo album, "A Light In The Sky", has been cancelled "due to Don's busy touring schedule with DEEP PURPLE," according to Airey's record label, Mascot Records. The trek will be rescheduled, says the label.

For "A Light In The Sky", Airey gathered together a different set of collaborators (though Laurence Cottle of Sting/ Eric Clapton/ Brian Eno/ Bill Bruford fame once again contributes precision bass-playing), though naturally Don provides the record's central creative thrust — an entertaining mixture of instrumental and vocal songs, from the "Bladerunner"-style "Ripples In The Fabric Of Time" to the hook-laden hard rock of "Shooting Star".

METALLICA kicked off the second leg of its summer 2008 European tour earlier tonight (Wednesday, July 16) at the Bergenhus Castle in Bergen, Norway.

The group's setlist was as follows:

01. Creeping Death
02. For Whom The Bell Tolls
03. Ride The Lightning
04. Leper Messiah
05. The Unforgiven
06. Breadfan
07. …And Justice For All
08. Bleeding Me
09. No Remorse
10. Master Of Puppets
11. Damage Inc.
12. Nothing Else Matters
13. Sad But True
14. One
15. Enter Sandman
--------------
16. Last Caress
17. So What?
18. Seek And Destroy

Reactivated British thrashers ONSLAUGHT have issued the following update:

"Just to let you all know, ONSLAUGHT will now begin work on writing the follow-up album to last year's thrash assault 'Killing Peace'. First track was written and completed early last year, but now over the next few months we will forge ahead to write the remaining slabs of 666% pure thrash. We have a choice of three titles for the new album and all of the basic song outlines are firmly in place...

"We're all real excited about making this album. We have our own studio set-up and a whole new outlook on how to make this next record a screaming fucking monster!!! With [new guitarist] Andy Rosser-Davies now in the band there's gonna be lots of fresh input and a slightly different slant to the SLAUGHT. He's a very aggressive player, very much like me, so the musical violence is gonna be increased considerably...with serious amounts of shredding!!!"

Due to popular demand, Back On Black Records recently released four ONSLAUGHT albums on vinyl (colored) complete with gatefold sleeves. The albums that were made available are: "Killing Peace" [2007], "Power From Hell" [1985], "The Force" [1986] and one purely for the fans of the embryonic ONSLAUGHT, a collection of early hardcore punk demos from 1983 entitled "Shadow Of Death".

ONSLAUGHT's latest album, "Killing Peace", was released in March 2007 via Candlelight Records. The CD was recorded at Backstage studio in Derbyshire, England with producer Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, MACHINE HEAD, ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE).

Metal Mind Productions released ONSLAUGHT's "Live Polish Assault" DVD in a special DVD+CD limited swing case edition on March 3 in Europe (May 13 in the U.S. via MVD).

"Self-Employed Chemist" — one of the highlights on NORMA JEAN's fourth album "The Anti Mother", due out August 5 on Solid State Records — is streaming now on the front page of Alternative Press magazine's web site.

Featuring separate collaborations with Page Hamilton of HELMET and Chino Moreno of DEFTONES, "The Anti Mother" marks NORMA JEAN's most melodic, heaviest and furious material to date. "We've never been this excited about anything we've done," says vocalist/guitarist Cory Brandan.

The Atlanta-based group re-teamed with producer Ross Robinson (SLIPKNOT, THE CURE, DEFTONES) and engineer Ryan Boesch to record "The Anti Mother". The resulting crushing and sonically adventurous 10-song offering easily achieves the artistic and creative high point of NORMA JEAN's career.

NORMA JEAN is currently debuting songs from "The Anti Mother" live to fans all summer long as main-stage headliners on the Vans Warped Tour. Expect the group to announce a fall U.S. tour soon.

NEVERMORE guitarist Jeff Loomis has posted a solo track called "Jato Unit" on his MySpace page. The song comes off Loomis' forthcoming solo debut, "Zero Order Phase", which is scheduled for release on September 30 via Century Media Records.

As a result of his invaluable contributions to NEVERMORE's trademark sound, Jeff Loomis has become one of modern metal's most recognizable guitarists and the source of many of the last decade's best riffs. Taking the classic techniques he learned from listening to legends like Jason Becker and Yngwie Malmsteen as a teen and applying his own ingenuity, he has managed to carve his own niche and create an instantly recognizable style. With the increased visibility, there has been a call by fans to record and release a solo album; an opportunity that has not presented itself with the busy schedule NEVERMORE has kept. Fortunately for those fans, the band has taken a well deserved break, leaving Loomis time to hit the studio himself to record ten blazing, instrumental metal tracks.

Robert Lang Studios played host to Loomis' first solo venture earlier this year with producer Neil Kernon and drummer Mark Arrington joining the fray. Arrington had been with NEVERMORE in 1993-94 to play on half of the songs that ended up on the band's self-titled debut, and Kernon recorded the first three NEVERMORE albums. So while there was a sense of familiarity, the reunion was refreshing and this spirit carried over into the songs themselves. Also contributing to the album are Ron Jarzombek (WATCHTOWER), who splits solos with Loomis on "Jato Unit", Pat O'Brien from CANNIBAL CORPSE on "Rage Against Disaster", celebrated jazz bassist and solo musician Michael Manring on "Cashmere Shiv", and Kernon himself playing a fretless guitar solo on the same track.

"Zero Order Phase" track listing:

01. Shouting Fire At A Funeral
02. Opulent Maelstrom
03. Jato Unit
04. Azure Haze
05. Cashmere Shiv
06. Race Against Disaster
07. Sacristy
08. Devil Theory
09. Miles of Machines
10. Departures

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)", on August 25 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.