UK's Metal Hammer magazine flew to Helsinki to interview Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM recently to get the lowdown on their new album, "Blooddrunk". Frontman Alexi Laiho and keyboard player Janne Wirman were on hand to spill the beans.

1. Hellhounds On My Trail

Alexi: It isn't literally about beasts from the pits of Hell chasing you. It's about stupid things that youve done in the past that come back to haunt you. Whatever. At the end you still don't give a fuck!

Janne: Musically, it has become one of my favourites. In rehearsals you dont really hear his (Alexi) vocals but after everything got put together I became a fan of the first song.

2. Blooddrunk

Alexi: It's about being addicted to spilling your own blood. When I was younger, ten years ago I used to cut myself and all that shit. It's not necessarily just about cutting yourself but about other things you do to yourself and you don't know why. That's the theme of the album.

Janne: It is the first song since our debut album that has that triplet thing, so it feels really fresh musically.

3. LoBodomy

Janne: This is the most difficult to play. It's very aggressive. It's kind of progressive and all that shit.

Alexi: The whole song is super fucking angry. It's got that vibe to it: "These guys are super fucking pissed off!"

4. One Day You Will Cry

Janne: That was one of my favorites from the beginning.

Alexi: Same here. It's very melodic and so forth but it's also like a punch in the face. Especially with this song, I'm really happy with the vocals. It came out like world music! (starts laughing)

Janne: Compared to some of our other stuff, it's almost like pop music! But it's cool.

5. Smile Pretty For The Devil

Janne: It's based on a female character we know and that's all I can say! Is it about sexual perversion? I wish.

6. Tie My Rope (new version)

Janne: We didn't have that much interest in doing this song because we'd already recorded it once for this Bam Margera compilation "Viva La Bands Vol. 2". Even though it's a good song, it feels like there is no challenge left.

Alexi: But I definitely feel that the new version is better.

7. Done With Everything, Die For Nothing

Alexi: It was nothing but trouble this song. We went through a million riffs and a million fucking arrangements and it always sounded like fucking shit no matter what we tried to do. And then we finally got it down but even in the studio it was a fucking drag. It was always missing something. Even after recording it we had to go back to it and change it again. But then finally we got the new chorus and it all fell into place.

Janne: Before that it sounded like a parody of black metal!

8. Banned From Heaven

Alexi: This is my favorite to play. It is our slow song. It's like an old-school death metal ballad! It's very melodic, it's got a lot of rhythm and bass riffs on it.

9. Roadkill Morning

Alexi: We never had any extra songs, we put everything on the album but this time around we did actually have ten songs but we joined two of them together to become "Roadkill Morning" the last song on the album about having a hangover. When you get up and you feel like you've been hit by a truck. Luckily, the two songs had a similar kind of rhythm!

"Blooddrunk" is scheduled for release in Europe on April 7, 2008 via Spinefarm Records (two days later in Finland). The CD was recorded and produced by Mikko Karmila at Petrax and Finnvox studios in Finland during October, November and December 2007, except vocals, which were recorded by Peter Tägtren, and keyboards, which were recorded by Janne Wirman at Petrax studios, Finland, during October, November and December 2007. The CD was mixed at Finnvox by Mikko Karmila in November 2007 and it was mastered at Finnvox by Mika Jussila in December 2007.

MOTÖRHEAD is scheduled to enter the studio this week to begin recording the follow-up to 2006's "Kiss of Death". A late spring/early summer release is expected.

"Kiss of Death" entered the national album charts in the following countries: Germany: #4, Norway: #9, Sweden: #13, Austria: #20, Switzerland: #26, U.K.: #45, Denmark: #53. The CD was recorded at the Paramount studios in Los Angeles with Cameron Webb, who also worked with the group on 2004's "Inferno". The album includes guest appearances by POISON guitarist C.C. Deville and ALICE IN CHAINS bassist Mike Inez.

Rockster.tv recently conducted an interview with MOTÖRHEAD drummer Mikkey Dee. Watch the 13-minute clip at this location.

SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser has issued the following update:

"Didn't stop at all these past holidays, working like crazy to finish my [solo] album [entitled 'Hubris I & II'] and finally now is being mixed. I'm very pleased with the result so far 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.

"The release date will depend when the mixing will be done.

"Next Sunday, the 27th, I will be doing a presentation of my projects for 2008. On this show I will be playing some of the material from 'Hubris I & II' and I will be filming the whole thing and I will be posting the stuff [online]."

A two-disc set, "Hubris I & II" is tentatively scheduled for release in April via Holland's Mascot Records. The CD was recorded in part at A Voz do Brasil studio in São Paulo, Brazil.

MISERY INDEX is about to embark on a three-week headlining European tour. The Baltimore, MD quartet will be teamed up with DESPISED ICON and BENEATH THE MASSACRE, with guests MAN MUST DIE in mainland Europe and ANNOTATIONS OF AN AUTOPSY in the UK.

In other news, MISERY INDEX has been hard at work writing the follow-up to the band's Relapse debut, "Discordia". The group will put the finishing touches on the new material upon returning home from tour before heading to the studio in May to record with Kurt Ballou. The CD will be recorded in Salem, MA at Ballou's Godcity Studios.

MISERY INDEX recently released a split with MUMAKIL on Power It Up Records. Both bands recorded new and exclusive tracks for the split, which is available on CD and 7" vinyl.

Finnish metallers KALMAH entered the studio in October 2007 to begin recording their fifth full-length CD for an April 2 release. According to guitarist Antti Kokko: "Mixing is now done and album is ready for mastering. All in all the process was painless as usual. We recorded 3-4 weeks and mixed 1-2 weeks. Thanks for Ahti and Tico-Tico again! He did a great job as always. We are now figuring out the mastering place and right now we are heading for Sweden but nothing is confirmed. The album layout is on the way as well. We have done the promo shootings and set the basic idea for the cover and booklet."

KALMAH will embark on the Canadian "For The Revolution" tour in April. Support on the shows will come from Montrea's TALAMYUS. The dates are as follows:

Finnish female-fronted metal band AMBERIAN DAWN will release its debut album, "River of Tuoni", on January 30, 2008 via Suomen Musiikki. Another track from the CD, "Valkyries", can currently be streamed on the group's MySpace page.

Commented the band: "Our label, Suomen Musiikki, has defined AMBERIAN DAWN's music as fantasy metal, but as always, the genre borders are very thin and hard to define. Our music has definitely fantasy in its lyrics... but melody and rhythm are the key components."

"River of Tuoni" track listing:

01. River Of Tuoni
02. Wings Are My Eyes
03. Lullaby
04. Valkyries
05. Fate Of Maiden
06. My Only Star
07. Curse
08. Passing Bells
09. Sunrise
10. Evil Inside Me

AMBERIAN DAWN is:

Heidi Parviainen - Vocals
Tuomas Seppälä - Guitar and Keyboards
Kasperi Heikkinen - Rhythm Guitar
Tommi Kuri - Bass
Tom Sagar - Keyboards
Joonas Pykälä-Aho - Drums

LORDI mainman Mr. Lordi has recorded guest vocals for the track "The House Of 1000 Eyes" which will appear on DOMINATION BLACK's "Haunting" mini-CD, due in February 2008 via Violent Journey Records. The song is now available for streaming on DOMINATION BLACK's MySpace page.

"Haunting" (cover artwork by Jarkko Vanhalakka) track listing:

01. The House Of 1000 Eyes (feat. Mr.Lordi)
02. Shadow King
03. No More Again
04. A World Without Heroes (KISS cover)
05. Evil Has Found A Home

DOMINATION BLACK is:

Kari -A- Kilgast - Vocals
Teppo Heiskanen - Guitar
Ville Viren - Guitar
Lauri "Sir" Eerola - Bass
Juuso "Welder" Elminen - Synths
Juha Beck - Drums

DOMINATION BLACK's second album, "Dark Legacy", was released in Scandinavia in November 2006 via Poison Arrow (the rest of the world received the CD in January 2007).

DOMINATION BLACK's mascot, "Fearbringer", was created by Mr. Lordi.

PRIMAL FEAR bassist and SINNER mainman Mat Sinner has issued the following update:

"Well, we can announce one of the rare SINNER shows today and it's already around the corner. The band will appear on March 8th at the Komma, Esslingen/Germany to kick ass at the third Rock For One World Festival, a now traditional and established charity festival, organized by some close friends, including former SINNER drummer Ralf Schulz.

"In other news, the songwriting for SINNER's new album, 'Crash & Burn', is in full swing. A first songwriting session with Henny Wolter was unbelievable creative and we wrote some cool stuff, with a smile on our faces and a great foundation for more forthcoming sessions. Klaus [Sperling, drums] and Christof [Leim, guitar] are writing too at the moment. Next week, my friend Igor Gianola (U.D.O. etc.) is coming to my studio, because we have some cool ideas for the new SINNER album and I'm writing with Ronny Milianowicz and company again. The target is loud and clear — the new SINNER album and the first for AFM Records will be a steaming, rocking and very traditional heavy rock album! We plan to start the recordings in late March for a September 2008 release! Later this month In addition, I will record some bass tracks for Alex Beyrodt's [SILENT FORCE axeman and touring guitarist for PRIMAL FEAR on the last European trek] first solo album!

"And as you think, there's a well-deserved break for PRIMAL FEAR after three months of touring, you're wrong. As promised earlier, we're working hard on our ten-year anniversary tour, called '10 Years Of Metal'. It will be around one week with very special concerts, a special setlist and a big party! As all Metal Commando dudes asked us — yes, there will be a show in Reichenbach again! Stay tuned for more information and updates soon!"

A new MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP (MSG) song, entitled "I Want You", is available for streaming at this location. The track comes off the group's new album, "In the Midst Of Beauty", tentatively due in April. The CD will feature returning MSG singer Gary Barden, drummer Simon Philips (THE WHO, TOTO), bassist Neil Murray (BLACK SABBATH, WHITESNAKE) and keyboardist Don Airey (DEEP PURPLE, OZZY OSBOURNE).

Michael Schenker's UK tour this past summer was cut short due to a "multitude of events beyond the band's control, including Michael's," according to a posting on Schenker's MySpace page.

Schenker's final gig in the UK took place on August 3 in Stourbridge, U.K. when Michael ended up calling off the concert after only a handful of songs.

"The Legacy – 17 Years of Extreme Epic Metal", a double "best-of" collection from the Italian "extreme epic metal" act STORMLORD, will be released on February 22 through Scarlet Records. The first CD contains 13 songs spanning the band's 17-year career as of one of Europe’s most respected metal merchants, including the rare EP "Under the Sign of the Sword", originally released in 1997. The second CD contains a full live show recorded in Montreal on June 14, 2006 during the band's Canadian tour.

"The Legacy – 17 Years of Extreme Epic Metal" track listing:

Disc 1: The Legacy Of Medusa

01. Where My Spirit Forever Shall Be (first version – 1998)
02. I Am Legend
03. Under The Boards (192, M. A.)
04. Dance Of Hecate
05. The Curse Of Medusa (first version – 2000)
06. Wurdulak
07. The Oath Of The Legion
08. Xanadu (A Vision In A Dream)
09. The Gorgon Cult
10. Under The Samnites' Spears
11. Under The Sign Of The Sword
12. Riding The Sunset
13. The Scarlet Kingdom

Disc 2: Live In Quebec City - June 14, 2006

01. The Torchbearer
02. Dance Of Hecate
03. Wurdulak
04. I Am Legend
05. The Oath Of The Legion
06. Under The Boards (195, M.A.)
07. The Gorgon Cult
08. Xanadu (A Vision In A Dream)
09. Where My Spirit Forever Shall Be
10. The Curse Of Medusa
11. Raining Blood
12. Kingdom Of The Shades (live in Rome 2000)

STORMLORD is currently writing material for its fourth album. "What we hold in our hands is the most epic-sounding stuff since our debut, 'Supreme Art of War', even if the references to our most recent albums will not be missed," the band previously stated. "We guess you can label it extreme epic metal at its best."

German progressive dark metallers DARK SUNS will release their fourth album, "Grave Human Genuine", on February 25 via Prophecy Productions. According to a press release, the CD's "unconventional title was chosen with care and purpose, as it represents the three characteristic elements of this work: 'Grave' signifies darkness, the sinister force, and the inevitable fate. 'Human' is synonymous with the music's inherent soul-depth, while 'Genuine' means 'real' or 'authentic' and hence refers to DARK SUNS' uncompromising approach to music."

On the subject of the new album's musical direction, the press release adds, "DARK SUNS don't merely pick up where the successful predecessor, 'Existence' (2005), left off, they present themselves as many-facetted as never before. A clear nod to doom, complex polyrhythms, unusual and diverse instruments and, last but not least, drummer Niko Knappe's characteristic yearning vocals comprise the album's cornerstones. The variety of sounds stretches from angular metal riff attacks via atmospheric ambient soundscapes and techno reminiscences to avant-garde influences — despite this complexity, an accomplished musical mosaic of enormous expressiveness. Exciting nuances are created by the incomparable bass of PAIN OF SALVATION's long-time member Kristoffer Gildenlöw, and DISILLUSION's Schmidt's guest vocals in 'Flies In Amber'."

The album will be released as a limited-edition digipack CD with a bonus track and as a normal jewel-case edition.

"Grave Human Genuine" track listing:

01. Stampede
02. Flies In Amber
03. Thornchild (sample)
04. Rapid Eyes Moment
05. Amphibian Halo
06. The Chameleon Defect (sample)
07. Free Of You
08. Papillon
09. 29 *

* Bonus track on the limited digipack edition

Check out the "Grave Human Genuine" artwork at this location.

Members of TWILIGHTNING, LULLACRY and MALPRACTICE have joined forces in a brand new Finnish band called ROCK. The group will enter Astia studios in Lappeenranta, Finland in February to begin recording its debut album.

According to a press release, "ROCK is at the moment composing and writing killer songs for all of you who like to rock, party and have a blast. To them it is all about the great emotions that make us all feel good. We know you will agree, and if you survive the small shock there will be when you hear them for the first time, then we are gonna definitely have a party where YOU are invited…"

ROCK is:

Heikki Pöyhiä (TWILIGHTNING) - Vocals
Sami Vauhkonen (LULLACRY) - Guitar
Tone Pulkkinen (FORGE) - Guitar
Anssi Kippo (producer for CHILDREN OF BODOM, NORTHER) - Bass
Toni Paananen (MALPRACTICE, REVERSION) - Drums

Poland's Metal Mind Productions will re-release the first CRIMSON GLORY albums — the self-titled debut and the follow-up, "Transcendence" — on February 4 in Europe (April 15 in the U.S. via MVD). Each remastered limited-edition digipack title (limited to 2,000 copies) will include a bonus track ("Crimson Glory" will come with the extra cut "Dream Dancer" while "Transcendence" will include a remix of the song "Lonely") and will be made available on golden disc, digitally remastered using 24-bit technology.

As previously reported, former and current CRIMSON GLORY vocalists Midnight and Wade Black will join forces on several upcoming projects.

Black will sing on Midnight's upcoming MIDNIGHT "M2" album. Black has also revealed that Midnight will perform a series of acoustic shows and that he will join Midnight on stage for several songs. They will also perform together with their solo bands, MIDNIGHT and DISASTERPEACE.

Wade Black returned to front CRIMSON GLORY in January 2007 after original singer Midnight was arrested in Sarasota, Florida and charged with "DUI [driving under the influence] with .20 [blood-alcohol level] or higher or having a passenger under 18" years of age, according to a police report.

Black sang on CRIMSON GLORY's 1999 "comeback" CD, "Astronomica".

BLABBERMOUTH.NET can exclusively reveal the track listing for the upcoming reissue of DEATH's classic 1995 album "Symbolic", due on April 1 via Roadrunner Records. The remastered LP will include the original album tracks plus several previously unreleased, ultra-rare, mostly instrumental demo recordings that were completed in early 1994 with the lineup of Chuck Schuldiner (guitar), Gene Hoglan (drums) and Steve DiGiorgio (bass). The package will also come with brand new liner notes written by longtime metal journalist Don Kaye.

"Symbolic" reissue track listing:

01. Symbolic
02. Zero Tolerance
03. Empty Words
04. Sacred Serenity
05. 1,000 Eyes
06. Without Judgement
07. Crystal Mountain
08. Misanthrope
09. Perennial Quest

Demo/Pre-Production Recordings:

10. Symbolic Acts (original "Symbolic" title) (instrumental)
11. Zero Tolerance (instrumental)
12. Crystal Mountain (instrumental)
13. Misanthrope (instrumental)
14. Symbolic Acts (original "Symbolic" title) (with vocals)

* Tracks 10-13 recorded March 1994:

Chuck Schuldiner - Guitar
Gene Hoglan - Drum Programming
Steve DiGiorgio - Bass

* Track 14 recorded January 1994:

Chuck Schuldiner - Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drum Programming

"Symbolic" has sold just under 50,000 copies in the United States in the 12 years since its release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

English progressive doomsters THE PROPHECY have issued the following update:

"THE PROPHECY will be appearing at a number of local shows with Northern Ireland metal heroes HONEY FOR CHRIST. The last show at the Snooty Fox in Wakefield will be played in aid of cancer research so make sure you come along for a top night out!

"The band continue to finalise the tracks for the new CD. The band have provisionally booked in to Priory Studios in Sutton Coalfields."

THE PROPHECY last fall posted a pre-production track from the band's forthcoming album, "Into the Light", on the group's MySpace page. The song, entitled "Dont Forget", was played at dates on their recent European tour.

After a five-year absence, France's CELESTIA returns with its long-awaited sophomore album, entitled "Frigidiis Apotheosia: Abstinencia Genesiis", due out in January via Paragon Records in America, and Apparitia Recordings in Europe. This follow up to 2002's "Apparitia: Sumptuous Spectre" will continue on in CELESTIA's tradition of dark romantic and melancholic black metal. This time enhanced with a more intellectual and personal approach.

"Frigidiis Apotheosia: Abstinencia Genesiis" track listing:

01. She's Dead (Valse Funeste de Decomposition)
02. A Plaintive Cry Merely Echo
03. Admirable Eros Abstraction
04. A Regrettable Misinterpretation of Mournfulness
05. Death of the Lizard Queen (Necro PhaanthasmA)
06. Morbid Romance (ArcanA VI Revisitae)
07. The Seed of Negation (AbnegativiA Rejections)
08. Frigidiis Apotheosia (Dormant rests of Raped NecrosiA)

DEFTONES has set "Eros" as the title of the band's sixth studio album, tentatively due later in the year. Frontman Chino Moreno recently told UK magazine Kerrang! that the songwriting for the CD is coming along much faster than it has in the past. Moreno said, "We've certainly taken our time on the last few records but this one has happened very quickly. We got off tour and took a month off. Then we went into the studio and wrote a lot of music very quickly...The most important thing we had to do was to break our habits and change the way we've done things for the last few years."

Moreno explained that the band took much longer to come up with material in the past because "everyone was working separately. We would record our parts and then email them out without actually seeing each other...This time, we were all together and that really helped."

The band's last CD, "Saturday Night Wrist", came out in October 2006 and its creation nearly resulted in the band's demise. But Moreno said, "Our working relationship is better than it's ever been before. As a result, everything has improved -- our friendships and our lives. We're all really happy now."

As for the direction of the new record, Moreno hinted, "The songs are definitely weird...there's a lot of atmosphere and a lot of soundscaping."

German dark/symphonic gothic metal band ATARGATIS has announced the addition of guitarist Maximilian Schulz to its ranks. Schulz joins the band as the replacement for Ernst "Azmo" Wurdak, who left ATARGATIS at the end of last year in order to return, in his words, to "no-compromise underground music."

ATARGATIS' latest CD, "Nova", features a guest appearance by Matthias Hechler (Matze) from the German gothic metal heroes CREMATORY.

Released on November 16 via Massacre Records, the CD was recorded and produced at the Helion Studios (DARKSEED, EQUILIBRIUM) in Munich, Germany. The complete layout and design was created by Katja Piolka (PRIMAL FEAR, RAGE, LEAVES' EYES, DESTRUCTION). In addition to the cover design, the band worked with Katja Piolka on their newest promo pictures.

"Nova" contains ten songs, including a cover of ARMY OF LOVERS' "Crucified". The CD is also available in digipack format (including two exclusive bonus tracks).

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford recently spoke to UK's Metal Hammer magazine about his aspirations to one day make a "black metal" record. "Oh, yeah, some day I'd love to, but it's all about finding the time," he said. "I'm metal 24-7. Ihsahn [guitarist/vocalist of Norwegian black metal legends EMPEROR] has been a good friend of mine for many, many years and we've had conversations about trying to do something together. A few of the DIMMU BORGIR guys are also urging me to try. So if I did give it a go, it would be with guys of that calbre. I'll be honest, I love that music but I've no idea what venturing into that territory might sound like. Ihsahn's attitude is, 'So why not have a go?' And he's absolutely right. That's what life's all about. What's the point of staying in your safe little comfort zone?"