Swedish art-rock behemoth CULT OF LUNA has finished recording its fifth full-length album at Tonteknik Studios in the band's hometown of Umeå. Eight songs were reportedly laid down for the effort, which "will see the band attempt to adapt its sound, welcoming a harsher and more primal element to its already complex approach," according to a press release.

Check out pictures from the recording sessions at this location.

CULT OF LUNA's new album is scheduled for a June release.

CULT OF LUNA was honored with a "P3 Guld" award (for the band's criticially acclaimed "Somewhere along the Highway" release) in January 2007 from Swedish radio station P3 in the "Best Rock/Metal Album of the Year" category.

STRATOVARIUS mainman Timo Tolkki has issued the following statement:

"It is time to stop the silence and announce what some of you have already been speculating. STRATOVARIUS is no more.

"Last October I told the guys that I am stopping the band and told them the reasons why.

"This letter is addressed to you, STRATOVARIUS fans, who have supported the band for so many years.

"I first thought that I would write just a very generelized, typical 'music business' statement that basically never says anything. Then I decided that you deserve to hear at least parts of the truth what has been going on behind the scenes so you will be able to understand my decision better.

"All the time, since Timo Kotipelto [vocals] and Jörg [Michael, drums] joined the band, there have been tensions and negativity flying around. This has been concentrating on me, Timo Kotipelto and Jörg.

"The reasons Jari Kainulainen [bass] was fired some years back were so absurd that I am not even try to explain them here. If I write a book one day, maybe then.

"Anyways, I think the seeds were planted already back then, something like 12 years ago. There were many confrontations, Jörg has been complaining to me about Timo Kotipelto and Timo Kotipelto complaining to me about Jörg. At a times it was a mess, although of course, it never would show outside to the fans.

"It is not my intention to disrespect Timo Kotipelto and Jörg here. They are both fundamentally good guys. Things just sometimes happen and relationships go to directions we don't want them to go. It's like a divorce, nobody wants it to happen but sometimes it is best for all so everyone can continue their own lives. Plus I want to tell how things have been behind the curtains. You always only see the good side anyway, you don't really know what is going on.

"We had amazing years, 14 records, 6 world tours with over a thousand shows all across the globe, 3 gold discs, a Finnish Grammy and almost 3 million records sold.

"I have arrived to my decision after careful, long and rational thinking of over a year and I know it is the right way for me. I just felt so bad being in STRATOVARIUS. Something was terribly wrong in there and nobody seemed to care.

"The countdown really started from the last STRATOVARIUS album in 2005. At that time the atmosphere in the band was extremely weird. I had spent most of 2004 recovering from my nervous breakdown in April 2004 when I was hospitalized. It was at this point when things started to change. Jens [Johansson, keyboards] supported me immensely during 2004 with his phone calls. We then did that 'Stratovarius' album, which I think is an awful album and went for the subsequent tour production. By that time it was apparent to me that things really were bad. Nobody seemed to care about anything. I had the idea to use projection screens and for that, you need to produce graphics. I planned those and basically the whole show. Nobody seemed to have any interest in it. It was more like, the less the better. The atmosphere at the rehearsals was awful. Lauri Porra [bass] who had just joined the band was wondering what is going on with this band. Jörg Michael came straight from SAXON to this tour wearing a SAXON shirt during most of the shows. His attitude for most of the tour was extremely arrogant, pretty much towards everybody. But especially towards me and Timo Kotipelto. And Timo Kotipelto's attitude towards me was lukewarm and polite, but I could sense the hostility. Of course, we as professionals put on very good shows but it was more craftmanship and rehearsed performance than a great united band playing emotionally from the heart.

"I think Timo Kotipelto was always very bitter about that he could not get his songs and/or lyrics on STRATO records. I did not understand this really 'cause he had/has his solo band where he could do what he wanted. It took me many years to learn to simply tell him that I don't like his songwriting and lyrics and that the main difference between me and him is that I am writing songs that end up being STRATO songs while he is trying to write STRATO songs that end up being KOTIPELTO songs, which means they belong on a KOTIPELTO record.

"It is not easy to say to someone that you don't like his music. You guys and girls dont like all music, neither do I. Neither does Timo Kotipelto.

"I am not anyone to tell what is good and what is bad music, but I do can tell what kind of music I like. And Timo Kotipelto's stuff just doesn't do it for me.

"I do have to say that I think he has written many great songs as well during his solo career. Plus he probably would say the same things about my songwriting. We are just very different. He has a very different sense of humor than I have.

"Maybe the weirdest thing in STRATO was that we never really were friends in the band. I visited Timo Kotipelto in 12 years perhaps 5 times. To me Jens was the closest in the band and lately Lauri Porra, who is a wonderful guy. But none of use was really ever real friends. It might be surprising to you but that is the truth.

"The tour continued and Jörg's drum roadie told me drunk that Jörg is leaving the band after the tour but he is doing the tour 'cause 'he is a businessman.' I guess you could say that Jörg's attitude pretty much culminated what he said to me in Seattle on that tour. He told me that he thinks the band is over. We tried to record, third time, a live DVD in Sao Paulo but could not use the shootings because we played so badly. It was just plain awful. Although we rocked lot of crowds on that 120-date world tour, still the overall vibe was very much like 'going to work.' Not for me though. Not still at that point. But it felt to me that nobody's heart was in the band and it was just for the money.

"The tour came and went, we survived and Jörg didn't leave the band. But it was the weirdest tour I have ever done. Very successful, but still it felt like forcing something. It was not fun. It was sad.

"The next thing I had in mind was to write a really fresh good old fashioned power metal album in the vein of 'Visions'. I felt our fans deserved it and I felt it was the right thing to do. This was the infamous 'RR' album. The songwriting was flowing and the songs sounded really nice and melodic and very much like old STRATO. I was all the time on my toes because of the situation in the band and I was anticipating difficult recording sessions.

"Anyways in late 2006 we completed a demo tape containing 10 brand new songs. I wasn't too happy about the demo, but it did serve its purpose, to present the songs to the record company. I then booked 12 days from Sonic Pump studio in Helsinki for March 2007. This was the weirdest session I had ever had. Jörg was all the time talking about that we have to get the 'Visions hunger' back, although I don't think he himself had that hunger. Nobody had. The session was nothing like the recording sessions before. Nobody had rehearsed the songs really and everything sounded pretty awful. I tweaked the drum tracks for a week and gave up. It was around this point when I really was starting to think why am I keeping this alive when it's so difficult. I remember how much time, energy and money we put to 'Elements 1'. There was nowhere to go after that anymore without just repeating the past. I do know that Timo Kotipelto didn't like that album at all, which yet again shows the difference between him me. It doesn't mean that he has to like it of course, but to me 'Elements 1' represents the peak of the STRATO evolution and perhaps I should have stopped the band already then.

"Last year, 2007, was the turning point for me in many ways. I felt better, but regarding STRATO I felt worse. There were fights about everything, even about trivialities, which really annoyed me. A lot of fights. A lot. I had to use a lot of energy to try to get merch to Stratoshop, which was on the shoulders of Jörg and Timo Kotipelto, because there was no merch for people to order but still they were ordering cause the items were on the page. The SSL certificate that proves the site is secure was expired a year ago, I tried to get that fixed, could not do it because I wasn't authorized to do so. The most popular items from the shop were sold out and Jörg refused to print more. I could not understand any of the things that were going on. At the same time, I was having more fun than in years with my rock opera 'Saana'. When I was making that, I realized what was lacking in STRATO: the enthusiasm, creativity and fun. It wasn't like that in years. 'Saana' gave me hope that there still could be something new for me to learn at this age and it gave me a whole new world of things and a start for something new. Plus I knew I had some really cool new metal songs in the works.

"We did have 8 festival shows during 2007 and it was then, when I was standing on stage in Wacken, Germany before 45,000 metalheads when I fully realized that this band is over. I remember clearly playing those same old songs we had played so many times before and a feeling came to me that told me: this band has no soul anymore. I looked around and I felt like I am part of a play that has a script or machine and that there is nothing fresh and exciting happening anymore. The band sounds awful. Nobody's heart was in it. It was just the same old song. Jörg worked at this point full time in artist production company doing tour managing and he was working at Wacken too. He literally came to play from production office and returned there after. Everybody was polite, on the surface, but there was no friendship, all I could sense were the underlying tensions of relatioships that had come to an end. I had felt during that year that the band existed only for one reason and that was the money. I had felt that this was the main motivation what kept Jörg and Timo Kotipelto in the band still despite of the underlying tensions. While standing on Wacken stage to my absolute horror, I understood that also for me that had now become a reality. I was keeping this alive for money. It was then when I decided that I must stop the band.

"So it was during this show, I decided that it's over. I was still thinking about everything but I felt that for my future, it was the only logical thing to do. I did not want to fire Timo Kotipelto and Jörg because they are and have been as much part of STRATO as I have been and it would not be fair to the fans. I then decided that it is best to lay rest what is already dead. I informed guys by email in October 2008 about my decision and explained in detail my reasons hoping they would see my points and agree what is real. Only Jens and Lauri answered. Timo Kotipelto and Jörg did not even answer to that mail. Jens understood my decision, Lauri did not. I understand him, he got a taste of what it is to be in a succesful rock band touring the world. It is not easy to give that up. He did fail to see my side of the story. That Timo Kotipelto and Jörg did not comment anything really speaks for itself. I did want to finish the STRATOVARIUS saga with style and naive as I am, in February 2008 I wrote a mail to the band and proposed that we would say goodbye to our fans with style and do one more tour. I won't go into details here, but this time I did get a response from Timo Kotipelto and Jörg. I wished them well and wrote back that I can see there cannot be any more tours with this band because of the hostile reactions. So that was that. I felt good about my decision, but not good that out of legal reasons I have had to wait for this announcement for so long.

"Then I thought that since I have all these great songs in my hands, I wanna put these out somehow. So I contacted a few friends, we laid the basic tracks in the same place where the STRATO 'RR' session had taken place a year ago and it was just flowing. There was happiness. There was energy. The songs sounded great. My friends Michael Kiske and Tobias Sammet agreed to sing on the album. I decided to form a new band called 'REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE' which would continue the legacy of STRATOVARIUS. In this first album I just wanted to release these songs finally so I did not have time to search for a permanent line up. I am now, so if you are interested, drop me a mail!

"The album comes out 6.6.2008 through Frontiers Records.

"I am excited and happy…for the first time in years. I can hardly wait what the destiny has in store for me with my new band, projects, songwriting. I am living a very creative times. I have my production company and I am doing lots of different projects and not only metal but basically anything that moves me.

"First I would like to, despite of all, thank Jörg, Timo Kotipelto, Jens, Jari, Lauri, Tuomo, Antti and Jyrki for these 22 years. It was a quite a ride. I wish Jens, Timo Kotipelto, Jörg and Lauri the very best with whatever they decide to do in their life and success with it.

"Last but most importantly, I want to thank you STRATOVARIUS fans for your love and support and for the great life. We will be seeing each other in some ways, somewhere. You will always remain in my heart."

Finnish "fantasy metal" band BATTLELORE has entered Sound Supreme Studios in Hämeenlinna, Finland, with producer Janne Saksa to begin recording its fifth album, tentatively titled "The Last Alliance".

According to the grup, "Within the next four weeks, BATTLELORE will record and choose up to 9-10 songs from their material to be on this fifth voyage through Middle Earth. The album will then be mixed and mastered by the legendary Dan Swanö.

"The new material is bigger, better and more epic with a few surprises such as the use of Tomi's [Mykkanen] clean vocals. The band itself describes the new songs as a beautiful combination of 'Sword's Song' and 'Evernight', where all the typical musical elements of BATTLELORE are combined in a new and also unexpected way.

"Needless to say, the whole band is very enthusiastic and exited to be recording these songs.

"Prepare for the album of a lifetime; this one will not disappoint you!"

Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "The Last Alliance", "Exile The Daystar", "Daughter Of The Sun", "Third Immortal" and "Voice Of The Fallen".

Former STRATOVARIUS mastermind Timo Tolkki's new project REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE will release its debut album, "New Era", on June 6 via Frontiers Records. According to a press release, the CD "is 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.

"Timo called a few friends for the recording sessions and the album features all the lead vocals from such legends as Michael Kiske [HELLOWEEN] and Tobias Sammet [EDGUY, AVANTASIA], along with Timo's blistering lead guitar lines and melodic power metal anthems that made him one of the pioneers of the style and trademark performers of the style. REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE witnesses a rebirth, a new era for Timo Tolkki and his music."

Other musicians that reportedly appear on "New Era" include Pasi Rantanen (vocals; THUNDERSTONE), Mirka Rantanen (drums; THUNDERSTONE) and Pasi Heikkilä (bass; 45 DEGREE WOMAN).

In the latest issue of Finland's Soundi magazine, Tolkki states about the CD, "The [REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE album] contains more or less 'Visions'-style [STRATOVARIUS' acclaimed 1997 release] power metal. Michael Kiske, Pasi Rantanen, Mirka Rantanen, Pasi Heikkilä and Tobias Sammet have recorded their parts. But if there are any live performances, the lineup won't be the same. I have been thinking of asking Jens [Johansson, STRATOVARIUS keyboardist] and Lauri [Porra, STRATOVARIUS bassist] to join me for this."

Regarding the band's name, Timo says, "On the album, there's one song with this title, and Frontiers suggested it to be the band's name too. I thought it was good idea."

When asked if he will perform any STRATOVARIUS songs with REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE, Tolkki replies, "Well, what do you think? Of course. I can play my songs with whomever I want."

HAMMERFALL guitarist Stefan Elmgren has issued the following statement:

"I have decided to leave HAMMERFALL. The reason is that I have been offered a job as a pilot within an airline.

"My interest in aviation has been growing very strong, and now I feel its time for me to take a step and be a pilot on a professional level.

"We have been discussing the possibility of combining the work with HAMMERFALL and both me and the rest of the band realized that it would be very hard indeed.

"It has been a great journey with lots of great memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

"I would like to give a big thanks to all the wonderful fans; it's has truly been a pleasure to meet and perform for you all during these 11 years.

"I still love to play the guitar so you might hear from me again someday somehow.

"I would like to wish who ever is taking my place and the rest of the band good luck in the future."

HAMMERFALL has yet to announce a replacement guitarist.

HAMMERFALL singer Joacim Cans will appear on the Swedish TV show "Så Ska Det Låta" on April 4.

The cover artwork for the new album from Danish modern metallers RAUNCHY, entitled "Wasteland Discotheque", can be viewed at this location. Due in Europe on June 30 (July 8 in North America) via Lifeforce Records, the CD will feature the following track listing:

01. This Blackout is Your Apocalypse (intro)
02. Somewhere Along the Road
03. The Bash
04. Warriors
05. Straight to Hell
06. Welcome the Storm
07. Wasteland Discotheque
08. Somebody's Watching Me
09. A Heavy Burden
10. To the Lighthouse
11. Showdown Recovery
12. The Comfort in Leaving

Commented singer Kasper Thomsen: "Lars' [Christensen, guitar] artwork is stunning as hell, very original and not the usual metal artwork you'll see these days, but still in the tradition of what we're all about and known for, hence the album title too."

Thomsen previously described the new material as "dirty, melodic, thrashy, epic, melancholic and... drum roll... heavy. We are experimenting a lot this time around, with vocals, arrangements and musical expression, but we're not gonna change radically — don't worry! But as a wise man once said: there's no point in writing the same record twice, right?"

RAUNCHY's last album, "Death Pop Romance", was released in 2006 through Lifeforce Records.

GONEMAD, the South Florida-based band featuring PRO-PAIN members JC Dwyer (drums) and Marshall Stephens (guitar), has released its fourth album, "Subtle". The CD is available online at Amazon.com, Napster and Rhapsody.

"Subtle" track listing:

01. Last Week
02. Sorrow Can Swim
03. Simple Shove
04. Pure
05. Beefneck
06. Free
07. Ya Got It
08. Bulldozerbutterfly
09. Please Admit It
10. Spoonfed

Since its formation in 1996, GONEMAD has successfully completed many tours of the East Coast, initiating a loyal core of fans and continually spreading its sound throughout the heavy music scene.

Paving the way for "Subtle" were the band's previous releases, "Planet 9", "Curse the Day", "Step Up" and "Impact".

ONE MAN ARMY AND THE UNDEAD QUARTET, the new Swedish band featuring former THE CROWN vocalist Johan Lindstrand, has set "Grim Tales" as the title of its third album, due before the end of the year via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD will be recorded beginning on June 1 at the Black Lounge Studios in Avesta, Sweden with producer Jonas Kjellgren (SCAR SYMMETRY). Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Misfit With A Machine Gun", "Dominator Of The Flesh", "Cursed By The Knife", "Make Them Die Slowly", "The Frisco Reaper" and "Saint Lucifer".

Commented Lindstrand: "Today we entered the rehearsal room to start jamming on some new songs together. We began with four songs out of ten and it felt great. I mean, we've had the songs 95% finished for a while now but this was the first time we played and messed around with them as a band. We will continue to work really hard with all ten tracks to get that extra punch in the face and bring a new level to them compared to what they sounded like on demo. I know that you will love this album. No experiments — just great, raw and powerful death thrash."

Finnish hard/glam rockers NEGATIVE will release their fourth album, "Karma Killer", in their home country on May 7. Release dates for other territories will be announced soon.

"Won't Let Go" is the first single from the new album, showcasing the band's natural progress; there are fresh elements in the mix, but the song still sounds like NEGATIVE.

"Karma Killer" was produced by Mikko Karmila who has previously worked with Finnish heavyweights NIGHTWISH and CHILDREN OF BODOM.

"Won't Let Go" will be posted on NEGATIVE's MySpace page on Wednesday, April 2.

NEVERMORE guitarist Jeff Loomis is currently recording his solo album at the famous Robert Lang Studios in Richmond Beach, Washington with Grammy Award-winning producer/engineer Neil Kernon (NEVERMORE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, DEICIDE). They have been in the studio since Saturday, March 22 and have just completed the drum tracks with Mark Arrington (ex-NEVERMORE).

Video footage of Jeff Loomis shredding it up earlier this month at the Schecter booth at the Musikmesse Frankfurt 2008 fair in Frankfurt, Germany can be viewed below (courtesy of "MaryJana666").

NEVERMORE is currently working on material for the follow-up to 2005's "This Godless Endeavor", tentatively late 2008/early 2009 via Century Media Records.

NEVERMORE last year parted ways with guitarist Steve Smyth due to "personal and business differences."

During Smyth's time away from the touring circuit (Smyth was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure in 2006 and hadn't toured with the band in over a year), NEVERMORE had been utilizing the services of longtime session guitarist Chris Broderick (JAG PANZER, now in MEGADETH).

Swedish black metallers SHINING have issued the following update:

"Due to [drummer] Jarle Byberg's current situation, we have decided that we cannot go ahead with merely him in our ranks. This has nothing to do with him leaving URGEHAL last week or anything like that, but he simply hasn't got time enough to tour as much as we do, nor spending month after month in the studio. Therefore, we have now decided to let Rickard, who accompanied us on the 'Thank God For Niklas Kvarforth' tour last year, become a permanent member of SHINING."

SHINING recently tapped GORGOROTH's King Ov Hell (real name: Tom Cato Visnes) to play bass on the band's upcoming sixth studio album, entitled "Tillbaka På Ruta Ett" (Back to Square One). The CD will be recorded at The Slaughterhouse studios with producer Rickard Bengtsson beginning on April 28.

"Tillbaka På Ruta Ett" is tentatively due late 2008 via Osmose Productions. The LP will contain six songs and will feature "six different vocalists," according to a press release.

SHINING has yet to find a replacement for bassist Phil A. Cirone who left the band last year.

The group's latest album, "V - Halmstad", was released in North America on June 26, 2007 via Osmose USA/The End Records.

SHINING filmed its controversial February 3, 2007 concert at Diezel in Halmstad, Sweden for an upcoming DVD, entitled "Fy Fan För Livet!" In addition to the live footage, the disc will consist of a two-hour "road movie" and the promotional video for the new song "Låt Oss Ta Allt Från Varandra". SHINING's setlist spanned the band's entire career and the show featured guest appearances by members of MAYHEM and CARPATHIAN FOREST.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich has commented on the band's headlining appearance at this year's Reading and Leeds Festivals, which will happen, as usual, in England over the August Bank holiday weekend — from Friday, August 22 to Sunday, August 24.

"Alongside the hallowed turf of Castle Donington there is no place in the UK that is more historic or more of an honor for METALLICA to play than at Reading," Ulrich told Kerrang! magazine. "Back in the day when I was first tripping on music, I'd look at the line-up and see bands like IRON MAIDEN, UFO and WHITESNAKE headlining, so for us to be asked to come back yet again and stand at the top of the pile so to speak is an absolutely tremendous gift from the organisers. It's just such an absolutely incredible thing to be a part of.

"I remember playing the festival back in '03 and getting the chance to close down Reading, and that was such a massive feeling to carry around," he added. "The fact that they've asked us to come back and do the same thing again is absolutely huge in my eyes. We headlined Wembley last year, did Download the year before, and so playing Reading and Leeds just seemed like the obvious thing to do. In my eyes it's still one of the biggest and most monumental music festivals in the world, and with bands like SLIPKNOT and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE playing I'm sure it's going to be one of the best line-ups that people have seen in quite a while."

Ulrich said fans can expect to hear some new material from their forthcoming ninth studio album.

"We're psyched to play some new songs," he laughed. "In fact, if we don't, then I give people permission to come and find me and slap me across the face! We're certainly planning on rolling out some of the new songs for the first time, but right now our focus is on finishing the record. As soon as that's out of the way, we'll be hitting the rehearsal room and getting to grips with playing these bastards live!"

"Rule the World", the new video from American/Norwegian melodic metallers KAMELOT, can be viewed below

KAMELOT guitarist Thomas Youngblood recently stated about the clip, "We were all floored by the final outcome. It was great to get back to Belgrade to shoot and hang out with the creative team there. The video will certainly be one if not the best video we have ever done. The graphics and visuals are amazing and it was fun to see my character on the screen this time as a bad guy."

KAMELOT has just reissued its classic "Ghost Opera" album under the title of "Ghost Opera - The Second Coming", enhanced with lots of interesting features. The album was released as a double CD limited-edition slipcase design. This sophisticated and comprehensive package includes the CD featuring all the songs from the regular album, plus ten additional live tracks recorded live in Belgrade Serbia during the band's 2007 world tour, the bonus tracks "Seasons End", "Pendulous Fall", "Epilogue" and the remix of "Rule The World". The two videos for "Human Stain" and "Memento Mori" (live) are included, and on top of that, the package features new artwork and a comprehensive booklet.

Des Moines, Iowa-based metal giants SLIPKNOT have offered the first glimpse (sort of) at the new series of masks which the band will don on the upcoming Rockstar Energy Mayhem festival, set to kick off July 9 at the White River Amphitheatre in Seattle.

Check out the new photo on the splash page of the band's official web site.

When asked if the "new look" was in fact an April Fools' Day joke, an unnamed executive with the initials "M.C." at the band's record label, Roadrunner Records, assured BLABBERMOUTH.NET that it is "100% real."

According to HMV.co.uk, Roadrunner Records has set an August 11 UK release date (one day later in the U.S.) for the much-anticipated new SLIPKNOT album. The as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2004's "Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)" is being recorded with producer Dave Fortman, who has previously worked with MUDVAYNE and EVANESCENCE.

In the latest issue of Finland's Soundi magazine, STRATOVARIUS mainman Timo Tolkki reveals that he has formed a new band called REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE, which is believed to have been the working title of the now apparently aborted new STRATOVARIUS album. The group's debut CD — which will feature guest appearances by Michael Kiske (vocals; HELLOWEEN), Pasi Rantanen (vocals; THUNDERSTONE), Mirka Rantanen (drums; THUNDERSTONE), Pasi Heikkilä (bass; 45 DEGREE WOMAN) and Tobias Sammet (vocals; EDGUY) — is tentatively due this summer via Frontiers Records.

Says Tolkki: "The [REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE album] contains more or less 'Visions'-style [STRATOVARIUS' acclaimed 1997 release] power metal. It will come out pretty soon, maybe already in June. Michael Kiske, Pasi Rantanen, Mirka Rantanen, Pasi Heikkilä and Tobias Sammet have recorded their parts. But if there are any live performances, the lineup won't be the same. I have been thinking of asking Jens [Johansson, STRATOVARIUS keyboardist] and Lauri [Porra, STRATOVARIUS bassist] to join me for this."

Regarding the band's name, Timo said, "On the album, there's one song with this title, and Frontiers suggested it to be the band's name too. I thought it was good idea."

When asked if he will perform any STRATOVARIUS songs with REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE, Tolkki replied, "Well, what do you think? Of course. I can play my songs with whomever I want."

Finnish metallers KALMAH have posted the title track of their fifth full-length album, "For the Revolution", on their MySpace page. Due on April 2 via Spikefarm Records, the CD's cover artwork was designed by former SENTENCED drummer Vesa Ranta, who was also responsible for the artwork of KALMAH's previous album, "The Black Waltz".

"For the Revolution" was recorded at Tico Tico studio in Kemi, Finland with producer Ahti Kortelainen and was mastered at the Cutting Room in Sweden.

"For the Revolution" track listing:

01. For the Revolution
02. Dead Man's Shadow
03. Holy Symphony of War
04. Wings of Blackening
05. Ready for Salvation
06. Towards the Sky
07. Outremer
08. Coward
09. Like a Slave

KALMAH will embark on the Canadian "For the Revolution" tour in April. Support on the shows will come from Montrea's TALAMYUS.

KALMAH's last CD, "The Black Waltz", entered the Finnish national album chart in March 2006 at position No. 38. The follow-up to 2003's "Swampsong" marked the group's recording debut with keyboardist Marco Sneck (POISONBLACK).

Vocalist Martin Schönherr of Swedish death metallers DERANGED has issued the following update:

"Sad news… A couple of weeks ago Rikard Wermén [drums] decided to leave the band. He’s been handling all of the band's correspondence (as well as any other matters concerning the band) the last 15 years and told us that he basically was fed up and didn't want to do that any longer and therefore decided to leave the band. He's been doing a really great work and has always managed to squeeze in time to handle the band's business. He also said numerous times that he will stay and do whatever shows that was booked but wouldn't handle any correspondence and the likes, and even said if we managed to get a tour later this year, he would stay for that as well in case we hadn't managed to get a new drummer. Fair enough, and we thank him eternally for that… Now, Johan Axelsson [guitar] said that he didn't want to do the booked shows and wanted to split the band up ('coz of reasons unknown) which leaves me and Tomas Ahlgren [bass] no other choice then hereby say that we can't play the [previously announced European festivals plus the Maryland Deathfest in the U.S.]. Therefore DERANGED are from now on split up."

DERANGED's seventh full-length album, "The Redlight Murder Case", was released last month via Regain Records. Drummer Rikard Wermén previously stated about the CD, "It is the best musical work we have so far accomplished under the name DERANGED. It's brutal and insane, and will hopefully leave you dead with a broken neck in the pit."

LACUNA COIL's male singer Andrea Ferro recently answered a number of questions submitted by the group's fans via the EmptySpiral.net web site regarding the songwriting process for LACUNA COIL's forthcoming album. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

EmptySpiral.net: So, how's the new music coming along then? How's that creativity?

Ferro: "So far, we've been in an amazing creative mood. We really have this flowing creativity that we didn't expect, because we took a break after all the touring and the shows and then we just waited a bit before we met again in the practice room just to, you know, clear the air, the mind and change a bit of your lifestyle, don't live the same situation every day. So we just try to live our lives and solve all the situations we have back home, you know, pay all the bill… family and everything. And then, after the Christmas break we met again and started working [on] some ideas, like the first ideas for songs that Marco [Coti Zelati; bass] and Maus [Biazzi; guitar] came up with, and just start going to the practice room. We basically wanna do something different. We try also to change a bit of the process of the songwriting."

EmptySpiral.net: Has anything in particular inspired you with the music that you've put together so far?

Ferro: "Yeah, as I say we've tried to change a bit the way of working compare to the past. For example, when we did the 'In a Reverie' album, we were all jamming, finding ideas and work the songs in the practice room all together. Then, for example, 'Unleashed Memories' and 'Comalies', we started to work more on the PC. Marco, or Maus, they were writing songs on the computer and pass it to me and Cristina [Scabbia; vocals] and then we just get back our ideas. Only when we had more or less a complete song we were going to the practice room and rehearse all the songs together then fixed all the parts and roles and write the lyrics. So this time around, we wanted to get back to jam all together in the practice room but that didn't really work out for us, because we were just not used anymore to jam for hours and then come up with ideas. There are too many elements now in our music to do that, so we tried again to work with the computer and then decide we would work the vocals together in the rehearsal place — me, Marco and Cristina especially — and then the rest of the guys for the music and arrangements. Basically we are all finding some ideas back home, then work the structure of the song in the practice room. Like… go there and let everybody listen your ideas, then decide which part fits the chorus, or fits the bridge or the verse, then re-arrange it together, and this way so far the vocals have been much more fluent and consistent compared to the past; we didn't just incorporate some parts but we tried to build it together and give it a good flow. So we have basically changed the approach. The more we work the more the songs sounds very…tight. The music is very fluent."

EmptySpiral.net: Do you think it will change the mood of the music? I mean, what kind of direction do you feel you are going with the music now?

Ferro: "Hmmm. That is not easy to say because every song we have done so far is quite different from the other ones. At the moment, we have a couple of more classical ballads — those are more in our style — and then we've got like two or three songs which are more rock-orientated — still heavy, but with a very fluent sound. It's more about the vocals than the music. And then we have another song which is more heavy, and has more focus on the arrangement and the instrumental parts. All the three types of songs we have at the moment are quite different."

The German branch of Nuclear Blast Records has set an April 11 release date for the "Beautiful Voices Vol. 3" DVD+CD combo featuring female-fronted rock and metal bands. It is the follow-up to the successful first and second parts in the series.

The "Vol. 3" details are as follows:

DVD track listing:

01. NIGHTWISH - Bye Bye Beautiful
02. LACUNA COIL - Within Me
03. XANDRIA - Save My Life
04. AFTER FOREVER - Energize Me
05. TRISTANIA - Equilibrium
06. SIRENIA - The Other Side
07. IN THIS MOMENT - Prayers
08. AUTUMN - Satellites
09. DELAIN - Frozen
10. DELIGHT - Divided
11. BIF NAKED - Let Down
12. THE VINCENT BLACK SHADOW - Broken
13. THE AGONIST - Business Suits and Combat Boots
14. LEAVES' EYES - Legend Land
15. QNTAL - Von den Elben
16. STREAM OF PASSION - Passion
17. FIREWIND - Breaking the Silence
18. DORO - live clip
19. EPICA - Never Enough

CD track listing:

01. NIGHTWISH - Amaranth
02. AFTER FOREVER - Discord
03. XANDRIA - Save My Life
04. EDENBRIDGE - Shine (single edit)
05. BEAUTIFUL SIN - Lost
06. DORO - Thunderspell
07. BIF NAKED - Abandonment
08. DELAIN - See me in a Shadow (single edit)
09. AUTUMN - Angel of Desire
10. THE VINCENT BLACK SHADOW - Ghost Train Out
11. IN THIS MOMENT - This Moment
12. SINERGY - The Sin Trade
13. SIRENIA - My Mind’s Eye
14. TRISTANIA - Destination Departure
15. THERION - Trul
16. ELIS - Phoenix from the Ashes
17. VISIONS OF ATLANTIS - The Secret
18. EPICA - Chasing the Dragon (radio edit)
19. LACUNA COIL - Closer

SYSTEM OF A DOWN singer Serj Tankian performed the song "Empty Walls" on ABC-TV's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on this past Friday's (March 28) episode. Watch the performance below.

As previously reported, Serj Tankian has been added to the lineup of this year's Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, scheduled for April 25-27 at the Empire Polo Field in Indio, California. With SCARS ON BROADWAY, the new band featuring SYSTEM guitarist Daron Malakian and drummer John Dolmayan, previously announced for the festival, speculation has started about whether the musicians will get together for a surprise SYSTEM reunion. The band has been on hiatus since the fall of 2006, with Tankian releasing his first solo album, "Elect the Dead", last fall. The SCARS ON BROADWAY debut is due out this summer.

Guitarist Chris Caffery (SAVATAGE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA) has revealed that this next solo album will include "a really cool metal cover of 'Get Up, Stand Up' by BOB MARLEY." He added, "It is actually a cool metal anthem!"

Other working songtitles set to appear on the CD include "House of Insanity", "Shame", "Fight The Fleas", "Sorry", "Schizophrenia", "Seasons Change", "Back's To The Wall", "Solitaire", "Winter in Hamburg" and "No Matter What".

The instrumental track "Schizophrenia" will contain "many guest solos," including those from Glen Drover (ex-MEGADETH), Jeff Loomis (NEVERMORE) and Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA).

Caffery plans to record the new album between May and July for an October release.

According to Chris, he will tour "a lot in 2009" in support of the new CD. Some shows will take place this year, but there will be "no serious touring."