U.K. epic progressive metallers BIOMECHANICAL are currently putting the finishing touches on their new album, "Cannibalised", with legendary producer Chris Tsangarides (JUDAS PRIEST, BLACK SABBATH, THIN LIZZY) at Ecology Rooms in Kent, England. The group's bassist, Jon Collins, has issued the following update:

"John K and Chris Tsangarides were recording Chris Webb's solos when a strong smell of electrical fire started to fill the room. Right after that, smoke started coming out of the desk's power supply and it eventually caught fire! Chris ran out of the main room and grabbed the fire extinguisher. Thankfully it was put out straight away. Just a few more minutes and the whole thing would go up in flames! Just a small glitch…"

Both the band and the studio tapes are safe and sound. BIOMECHANICAL will re-enter the studio and continue recording "Cannibalised" in a few weeks.

"Cannibalised" is slated for a September 21 release in the U.K. The U.S. will receive the album later this fall.

CHILDREN OF BODOM bassist Henkka T. Blacksmith has issued the following statement regarding the reports that the band was planning a 10th anniversary celebration in Helsinki, Finland in November:

"Just letting you know; it's soon 10 years since [CHILDREN OF BODOM's debut album] 'Something Wild', but unlike the rumors say, we are not gonna have any 10 years anniversary party this fall.

"The newspapers, yellow press, took Alexi's [Laiho, guitar/vocals] words the wrong way. He had said that we thought about it some time ago and it would be cool to have this kind of thing, BUT we have no time and we NEVER WERE supposed to have time to arrange anything. All of our time is going to be dedicated to rehearsals and studio. That's why arranging a party/show/whatever is NOT possible.

"This rumor that got started in some newspaper has gone too far, so we don't want people to be disappointed or anything. I only heard about the whole thing when I read it in the paper, so there you go."

CHILDREN OF BODOM is tentatively planning to enter the studio in October to recording its new album for an early 2008 release. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Tie My Rope" (which was recorded in May for Bam Margera's "Bam Margera Presents…Viva La Bands, Vol. 2" compilation), "Roundtrip 2 Hell And Back" and "Pretty For The Devil".

Danish thrashers HATESPHERE have issued the following update:

"We still have a few festivals to go before we start our insane fall program. We have a couple of headliner shows here and there, and then we will play main support for mighty BEHEMOTH in Poland. And then we have been confirmed as support for DIMMU BORGIR and AMON AMARTH throughout all of fuckin' Europe. Gonna be a blast! Thanks to DIMMU BORGIR and Direct [Management] for giving us the chance. Check the live section for the new dates.

"Our new video clip for 'Drinking with the King of the Dead' is finished. It should be on our site as soon as we get our own copy from the director."

Legendary vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH) will release a new anthology via Sanctuary on September 3 in the U.K. Titled "Voice of Rock - This Time Around: An Anthology 1970-2007", the two-CD set will contain the following tracks:

01. Medusa (TRAPEZE)
02. You Are The Music (TRAPEZE)
03. Sail Away (DEEP PURPLE)
04. Holy Man (DEEP PURPLE)
05. You Cant Do It Right (DEEP PURPLE)
06. Gettin Tighter
07. La Cut Off
08. I Found A Woman
09. Muscle And Blood (HUGHES/THRALL)
10. Reach For The Sky (GARY MOORE)
11. No Stranger To Love (BLACK SABBATH)
12. So Much Love To Give
13. Burn (Live)
14. Coast To Coast (Live)
15. Coffee And Vanilla
16. I Don't Want To Live That Way Again
17. The Way It Is
18. Curse
19. Double Life
20. Midnight Meditated
21. Can't Stop The Flood
22. Don't Let It Slip
23. Secret Life
24. Dark Star
25. Soul Mover
26. Dopamine (IOMMI/HUGHES)
27. Steppin On
28. Justine
29. Song For You (Previously Unreleased)

German power metallers ANGEL DUST have issued the following update:

"The new album will be called 'VII', which is quite obvious. The seventh album will released in 2007. A exact date is not certain yet; the recordings are making very slow progress."

ANGEL DUST guitarist Bernd Aufermann (also of RUNNING WILD) previously stated about the material that is slated to appear on the follow-up to 2002's "Of Human Bondage", "I'm VERY satisfied with the way the guitar will approach in the music and the material is, in my opinion, the best we've ever written."

"VII" will feature the following tracks:

1. Before My Fall
   
2. Shoot The Needle
   
3. Marching – Stampeding
   
4. Alien Man
   
5. One More Time
   
6. Street Of Iron Will
   
7. Consumed
   
8. Fear No Evil
   

ANGEL DUST 2007 is:

• Dirk Assmuth (drums)
  
• Bernd Aufermann (guitar)
  
• Christian Pohlmann (bass)
  
• Steven Banx (keyboard)
  

Finnish brutal/technical metallers DE LIRIUM'S ORDER have posted two new songs — "Ebola Instinct" and "Extermination Network" — on their MySpace page. The tracks come off the group's sophomore album, "Diagnosis", due in Finland on August 8 via Shadow World Records. The CD was recorded at Studio Perkele and contains "a spectacle of varying pieces of death and thrash metal which can be only minorly compared to the previous releases," according to guitarist/songwriter S.M. NekroC. "The new stuff really kicks ass as I really made it in a way I always have been yearning to do. The melody of sickest kind will be merged into the rhytms of complex death metal as it has always been the key idea behind DE LIRIUM'S ORDER."

"Diagnosis" track listing:

1. Diagnosis: Deranged
   
2. Extermination Network
   
3. Ad Infinitum
   
4. Panzram
   
5. Drowned in the World of Delirium
   
6. Ebola Instinct
   
7. To Walk with the Dead
   
8. Thy Flesh Consumed
   
9. Abducted
   
10. Incarnated Solvent Abuse (CARCASS cover)
    

Norwegian symphonic black metallers DIMMU BORGIR have announced plans to shoot a video for the song "The Sacrilegious Scorn". The clip will be release before the start of the band's European tour this fall.

In other news, DIMMU BORGIR's music is featured in the current trailer for the movie "Stardust". Watch it at this location.

As previously reported, drummer Tony Laureano (NILE, ANGELCORPSE) will play more shows with DIMMU BORGIR this summer/fall following the recent announcement that the band's regular drummer drummer Jan Axel von Blomberg (a.k.a. Hellhammer) had broken his arm. "Aside from the Wacken and Metal Heart festivals in August, I will also be doing their European tour, which runs from September 23rd to November 6th," says Laureano.

Laureano sat behind the kit for DIMMU BORGIR in June at the Graspop Metal Meeting and Hell City festivals in Belgium and Norway, respectively. He previously played with DIMMU BORGIR as a session drummer at Ozzfest 2004 after the group's then-skinsman, Danish drummer Reno Kiilerich (PANZERCHRIST, EXMORTEM, VILE), was unable to obtain a U.S. work visa in time to join the band on the road.

As previously reported, artist extraordinaire Joachim Luetke has posted the complete range of his artwork for DIMMU BORGIR's "In Sorte Diaboli" CD at his web site. Check it out at this location.

DIMMU BORGIR's latest album, "In Sorte Diaboli", has sold around 40,000 copies in the United States since its release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The album premiered with 14,000 units — more than double the 6,400 opening-week number achieved by its predecessor, "Death Cult Armageddon", which came out in September 2003 and landed at position No. 169 on The Billboard 200 chart.

VOIVOD drummer Michel "Away" Langevin has told MTV.com that he recently finished remastering the band's 1986 album, "Rrröööaaarrr!", and editing a bonus DVD that will accompany the re-release of the LP in the fall. The package will be filled with live and demo recordings that were sold in the '80s via the band's Iron Gang fan club; fan-recorded footage, including the group's first U.S. show, an opening gig for VENOM; rare archival photos; and cassette recordings dating back to 1980. "I found an early tape of Piggy doing an avant-garde collage of sounds that's very good, so that will be a bonus on 'Rrröööaaarrr!' as well," he said.

The "Rrröööaaarrr!" reissue will be followed early next year by reissues of 1987's "Killing Technology" and 1988's "Dimension Hatröss", which will be similarly equipped with bonus DVDs. After the first batch of reissues come out, Langevin plans to work on reissues of 1991's "Angel Rat" and 1993's "The Outer Limits". He's negotiating to put out 1989's "Nothingface" as well but is running into some red tape.

"We had a deal back then where it was distributed by MCA in America and Noise in Europe," Langevin said. "And right now that's causing some logistical issues that we need to settle before I can start thinking about that."

Langevin also plans to begin work on a box set of VOIVOD's '90s catalog, much of which featured Eric Forrest on vocals. As if that's not enough VOIVOD to shake a psychedelic stick at, next year Langevin will assemble two proper VOIVOD DVDs, "D-V-O-D-2" and "D-V-O-D-3", to follow up 2005's "D-V-O-D-1". These discs will feature the professionally filmed material lacking from the album-reissue bonus DVDs.

According to the Saffron Walden Reporter, former IRON MAIDEN guitarist Dennis Stratton is among a team of musicians putting on a gig for charity in The Victory in Saffron Walden, England later this month.

The guitar maestro is playing a special gig in the pub's garden on Wednesday July 25 at 7:30 p.m., with fellow musicians Paul Price-Smith, Kase, Tommy Dunn and Fred Harris.

Stratton said: "Last year we held a gig like this in The Victory. It was so successful, we thought we'd do another one this year. In fact, we may well do a series of charity gigs."

The band, which does not usually play together and should produce a sound that blends together many influences, will be playing acoustic sets.

The gig at The Victory on Little Walden Road will start around 7:00 p.m. Entry will be £5 on the door, and all proceeds will go to the St Nicholas Hospice in Bury St Edmunds.

TESTAMENT members Chuck Billy (vocals) and Eric Peterson (guitar) have commented on their new deal with Nuclear Blast Records.

"We are very happy that we are signed to one of the best metal labels in the world. It's a great feeling that we are in a house that will not crumble," said Billy.

"This is going to be our best record to date, and it will be the essence of what TESTAMENT is," added Peterson. "Nuclear Blast is the perfect label for us. They eat, breathe and sleep metal. I am excited also because a lot of my favorite bands are on Nuclear Blast, giving us the opportunity to be labelmates with them. Finally we are coming home!"

The group will enter the studio late summer/early fall to record its long-awaited new album for a March 2008 release.

Original TESTAMENT members Alex Skolnick (guitar), Billy, Greg Christian (bass), and Peterson, along with new drummer Nick Barker (ex-DIMMU BORGIR, CRADLE OF FILTH), have finished writing more eight or nine songs for the group's long-awaited follow-up to 1999's "The Gathering".

Dark Essence Records has announced the signing of Norwegian avant-garde metallers VULTURE INDUSTRIES. The label will release the band's debut album, titled "The Dystopia Journals", on September 10. According to a press release, the CD features eight tracks of "highly innovative metal and is expected to carry the band further down the path of critical acclaim."

Featuring former members of TAAKE and ENSLAVED, VULTURE INDUSTRIES has earned great critical acclaim in Norwegian and international press for its demos "The Enemy Within" and "The Benevolent Pawn". The latter recording got 9 out of 10 points in both Terrorizer magazine and Norwegian webzine HeavyMetal.no.

After choosing classically trained American coloratura soprano Jennifer Sowle to sing the leading character in his "classic rock opera," STRATOVARIUS guitarist/mainman Timo Tolkki has chosen the second singer for his third solo album. He is Heikki Pöyhiä from Finnish band TWILIGHTNING.

"I got to know Heikki when I mixed their debut album and I really loved his versatile vocals immediately," says Tolkki. "I also saw him live and he was just as good. He has a very powerful voice, but he can also sing very softly when needed, and his character, like all the characters on this album, is very challenging for the singer, since they each portray a lot of different human feelings".

Tolkki continues: "This project will challenge the form and content of 'rock opera.' My aim has been to create something totally new and yet maintain the best parts from traditional rock opera and opera. I did not want to just compose 10 songs, come up with some quick story and invite seven famous metal singers and call that a 'rock opera.' I have spent a lot of time choosing the vocalists and that has been a very difficult job, because each and every one of them is unique, although they are not big names. The whole concept is quite unique… more about that later."

"Saana - Warrior of Light" will be released late 2007/early 2008 and will contain an exclusive bonus DVD with videos, interviews and lot of extras.

Timo Tolkki is still searching for vocalists for both "Saana" and for other projects his production company Goldenworks is preparing. Anything from opera to pop to whatever is welcomed. If you are interested and you think you've got what it takes, then send two MP3s, two photos (including one full-body shot) and a little bio about yourself to: goldenworks@elisanet.fi.

British doomsters ESOTERIC have completed writing and arranging material for their fifth album and are preparing to enter the studio to record the CD. The album will contain seven songs, spanning over 100 minutes, and will be released on double-CD format through Season of Mist.

In other news, plans are in motion to release a 10xLP box set through Aesthetic Death Records in the coming months. This will include all of the songs from the first four albums and will be the first vinyl release from the band.

ESOTERIC's most recent album, "Subconscious Dissolution into the Continuum", was released in June 2004 via Season of Mist.

The new project featuring SEPULTURA founding members Max (guitar, vocals) and Igor Cavalera (drums) alongside vocalist Joe Duplantier (bass) of the French progressive death metallers GOJIRA and SOULFLY guitarist Marc Rizzo has launched its official MySpace page. Tentatively dubbed INFLIKTED (a name which may or may not stick due to countless bands that have had similar-sounding monikers over the years), the group is currently recording its debut album in Los Angeles with producers Dirty Icon (Logan Mader [ex-MACHINE HEAD, SOULFLY] and Lucas Banker). A late 2007 release via Roadrunner Records is expected.

Metal Hammer writer Jerry Ewing spoke to SOULFLY/ex-SEPULTURA Max Cavalera about his new collaboration with his brother Igor (ex-SEPULTURA).

In a recent interview with Metal Hammer magazine, Max stated about the project, "It's a real metal/punk thing. Anyone who knows SEPULTURA will know we were pioneering in terms of introducing metal fans to bands like DEAD KENNEDYS, working with Jello Biafra before he did anything with anyone else in metal. I love metal but me and Igor also love hardcore and punk, so it's coming from that mentality. . . [It's] very punk, very hardcore, but also metal too. You'll hear stuff and you'll know it's coming from songs like 'Arise' and 'Beneath The Remains'. I've even done some death metal stuff 'Morbid Visions'-style which I haven't done for ages. Everyone was into it and it was such fun to record that shit. And we did fun stuff like a POSSESSED cover, 'The Exorcist', but we did it in a more punk style."

Professionally filmed video footage of CHIMAIRA's performance at this year's Graspop Metal Meeting, which took place June 22-24 in Dessel, Belgium, has been posted at YouTube.

An eight-minute video interview with CHIMAIRA frontman Mark Hunter, conducted by Finland's Get In The Pit magazine at this year's Provinssirock festival (June 15-17) in Seinäjoki, Finland, has been posted at this location.

CHIMAIRA will team up with SOILWORK, CALIBAN and SONIC SYNDICATE for the "Eastpak Antidote" European tour this fall.

CHIMAIRA is taking part in the third edition of the Sounds of the Underground tour alongside GWAR, SHADOWS FALL, EVERY TIME I DIE, NECRO and JOB FOR A COWBOY, among others.

Metal Mind Productions will re-release four albums from long-running Italian thrashers BULLDOZER — "The Day of Wrath", "The Final Separation", "IX" and "Neurodeliri" — on August 13 in Europe and October 8 in North America. Each title will be made available in a new digipack edition on golden disc, digitally remastered using 24-bit technology, limited to a hand-numbered 2,000 copies, and featuring bonus tracks.

* "The Day Of Wrath" bonus track: "Fallen Angel"
* "The Final Separation" bonus track: "Another Beer (It's What I Need)"
* "IX" bonus track: "The Derby (AC Wild+Labyrinth)" (live in Tokyo)
* "Neurodeliri" bonus track: "Dance Got Sick - Part One"

VOODOO GODS, the project featuring current and former members of such bands as MORBID ANGEL, MANOWAR and BEHEMOTH, will release its debut EP in August.

According to the group's official bio, VOODOO GODS was founded under the name SHRUNKEN HEAD in Tampa, Florida in early 2001 by Alex von Poschinger, Tony Norman (ex-MORBID ANGEL, MONSTROSITY, TERRORIZER) and Seth Van De Loo (SEVERE TORTURE). In early 2006 VOODOO GODS was joined by Hiro (DIES IRAE, SCEPTIC, DECAPITATED, VIRGIN SNATCH) on guitar and Nergal (BEHEMOTH) on vocals. Earlier this year the band was joined by bass guru Jean Baudin (NUCLEAR RABBITS, ELEMENT OF SURPRISE), Mike Browning (MORBID ANGEL, NOCTURNUS, ACHERON) on additional vocals and guitar legend David Shankle (MANOWAR) on lead guitar.

VOODOO GODS' material is described as "metal, with influences from death and thrash metal. Most of the lyrics deal with voodooism and spirits of nature, as well as the effects done by Christianity and colonialism. VOODOO GODS are a band and not a side project. VOODOO GODS are an ancestral musical system of worship and ritual practices, were gods are born and honoured along with the veneration of ancient and recent ancestors, who earlier ruled the same tutelary gods. This band shares metaphysical conceptions based on a dual cosmological machinery of art. You could describe VOODOO GODS as: 'The serpent under whose auspices gather all who share the faith' and music is the vehicle for the expression of the serpent's power. Their music is an expression of spirituality, of connection with divinity and the spirit world!!!!"

VOODOO GODS is:

David Shankle - Guitar
Hiro - Guitar
Nergal - Vocals
Mike Browning - Vocals
Jean Baudin - Bass
Seth Van De Loo - Vocals
Alex Voodoo - Drums

Italian/Norwegian industrial black metal band ABORYM has parted ways with guitarist Nysrok Infernalien.

"We wish Nysrok the very best in all aspects of his life," mainman Malfeitor Fabban said in a statement, "but both me and Bård Faust [a.k.a. Bård G. Eithun; drums] would really like to write and compose new material without him, due of many personal and private problems regarding him and his approach to our way of working, living and thinking, problems we don't like to share with people and journalists. Nowadays we're working hard on new material in order to record a new album in 2008. New fresh meat will be involved in the band."

Added Faust: "Both Fabban and I are eager on starting on the next album and I am pretty sure the Italian mastermind is coming up with some superb and twisted music as always."

ABORYM's last CD, "Generator", came out in February 2006 via Season of Mist.

Australian progressive metal band VANISHING POINT has finished recording and mixing its new album, "Where Truth Lies", for a late 2007 release via Dockyard 1. The follow-up to 2005's "Embrace the Silence" was once again recorded with Endel Rivers at Palm studios in the band's hometown of Melbourne. Mastering duties will be handled by legendary Mika Jussila (STRATOVARIUS, NIGHTWISH, SONATA ARCTICA) at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland.

VANISHING POINT recently announced the addition of drummer Christian Nativo to the group's ranks. "Previous to VANISHING POINT I have been playing in Melbourne metal band PTB (POWERS THAT BE) and doing freelance/session work for bands all around Melbourne and Interstate," Nativo wrote on VANISHING POINT's web site. "I feel extremely honored to be playing music with such a talented group of musicians and I look forward to meeting you all on the road and at the shows."

VANISHING POINT's latest opus, "Embrace the Silence", was released in Europe in May 2005 through Dockyard 1.

Dutch female-fronted symphonic metal band AFTER FOREVER has posted a video diary documenting its recent trip to the Masters Of Rock festival, which took place July 13-15, 2007 in Vizovice, Czech Republic. Click here to check it out.

AFTER FOREVER's June 15, 2007 concert at Bibelot in Dordrecht, Holland was scheduled to be filmed for the "Discord" promotional video, to be used primarily for the American market, as well as for an upcoming DVD/video release. No further details are currently available.

AFTER FOREVER will embark on a North American tour in October.

AFTER FOREVER's video for its new single, "Energize Me", has been posted online at YouTube.com. The clip was shot in February in Amsterdam, Holland. The "Energize Me" single was released on March 23, featuring the songs "Energize Me" (radio edit), "Energize Me" (album version), "Sweet Enclosure" (non-album track).

AFTER FOREVER's new self-titled album was released in Germany on April 20 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Gary Graff of Billboard.com reports that KORN frontman Jonathan Davis told reporters yesterday (July 18) the band has started work on what will likely turn into a full set of cover songs in the future.

"We've already done, like, 'Love My Way' from PSYCHEDELIC FURS," said Davis. "We've done 'We Care a Lot' from FAITH NO MORE [and NINE INCH NAILS'] 'Head Like a Hole'. Those are already recorded. We just gotta get in and do some more."

Davis said that he, guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer and bassist Reggie "Fieldy" Avizu "keep writing down covers" they'd like to record. Davis' current wish list includes PRINCE's "Erotic City", OZZY OSBOURNE's "Diary of a Madman" and DEBBIE DEB's "Lookout Weekend" as done by LISA LISA & CULT JAM. The group previously covered RADIOHEAD's "Creep" for its "MTV Unplugged" album that came out in March.

There's no word yet if KORN's version of MORBID ANGEL's "God of Emptiness", recorded during the sessions for their 1999 CD, "Issues", will appear on the forthcoming covers set.

New tracks by IN FLAMES, VIKING SKULL, CHILDREN OF BODOM, CLUTCH and CKY, taken from the forthcoming "Viva La Bands, Vol. 2" album, are available for streaming on VLB Radio at this location.

In his position as one of the world's leading pop culture icons and most acclaimed action sports athletes, Bam Margera has made it his mission to expose an entire generation of his peers to some original high-energy music through his "Viva La Bands" album and tour series. Brought to you by Ferret Music and Filthy Note Records, "Viva La Bands, Vol. 2" will hit stores on September 4, 2007 to show us all how it's really done!

The CD features exclusive tracks, written and recorded for the CD/DVD combo from some of Bam's favorite acts like CLUTCH, IN FLAMES, CKY, CHILDREN OF BODOM, VIKING SKULL and VAINS OF JENNA. A U.S.-exclusive track from SHINY TOY GUNS and music from other faves like GWAR, THE SOUNDS, DIMMU BORGIR and KILL HANNAH also appears on the killer compilation. The full track listing for the 20-song album is displayed below.

Bam is as excited for the release as fans around the world will be… "I'm so fucking psyched that some of my favorite bands recorded exclusive songs this time around! CLUTCH and IN FLAMES fucking rock and my brother Jess did a sick CKY remix. Obviously THE SOUNDS are one of my favorite bands — my wife even insisted that they play our wedding. I also sent the first band I signed, VAINS OF JENNA, into the studio to record a new track for the record."

The DVD component to this rocking release contains almost an hour of never-before-seen Bam footage — a must-have for the 'Jackass generation!' Revealing what makes the DVD special, Bam adds, "I'm finding some of my best, unused footage for the DVD. Everyone keeps asking me for a CKY5 but I think this DVD might be the closest thing to that!"

"Viva La Bands" companion tour will be taking out some of Bam's favorite acts and is estimated to visit over 20 cities in the USA beginning in October 2007. Fans can also expect to see Bam and his friends at select shows.

"Viva La Bands, Volume 2" track listing:

01. CLUTCH - "King of Arizona" *
02. IN FLAMES - "Abnegation" *
03. CHILDREN OF BODOM - "Tie My Rope" *
04. CKY - "Rio Bravo" (Remix) *
05. THE SOUNDS - "Ego" (Alan Moulder UK Mix)
06. SHINY TOY GUNS - "Rocketship"
07. BLOODHOUND GANG - "Screwing You On The Beach At Night" *
08. GWAR - "War Is All We Know"
09. THE 69 EYES - "Shadow Of Your Love"
10. PRIESTESS - "Lay Down"
11. DIMMU BORGIR - "The Serpentine Offering"
12. KILL HANNAH - "Believer"
13. VIKING SKULL - "Blackened Sunrise" *
14. VAINS OF JENNA - "Enemy in Me" *
15. A LIFE ONCE LOST - "Firewater Joyride"
16. REVOLUTION MOTHER - "Come On"
17. MELODY CLUB - "Take Me Away"
18. THE THIEVES - "Vacant Thoughts"
19. MALEVOLENT CREATION - "Buried In A Nameless Grave"
20. GNARKILL - "Dico At The Piano Bar"

* Exclusive tracks

SODOM's new album, "The Final Sign of Evil", is scheduled for release on September 28 in Germany and October 1 in the rest of Europe via SPV Records. A North American release date has not yet been announced. The CD will feature re-recordings of the material from the German thrashers' classic first EP, "In the Sign of Evil", plus no less than seven bonus tracks, all of which were originally written during the "In the Sign of Evil" era or earlier but were never officially released. As a special bonus, the album will feature return appearances by the group's original drummer Chris Dudek (a.k.a. Witchhunter) and guitarist Josef "Peppi" Dominic (a.k.a. Grave Violator), both of whom were featured on the original 1984 EP.

The cover artwork for "The Final Sign of Evil", has been posted online at this location (artwork by Andreas Marschall). The band's webmaster Toto, who produced the effort, previously stated about the upcoming CD, "The official name is 'The Final Sign of Evil', and follows the plan to make the 'In the Sign of Evil' a complete album. So the seven additional tracks are not a real bonus, because they fulfill an album, like it should [have done] back in 1984."

"The Final Sign of Evil" track listing:

01. The Sin Of Sodom *
02. Blasphemer **
03. Ashes To Ashes *
04. Witching Metal **
05. Sons Of Hell *
06. Burst Command 'til War **
07. Where Angels Die *
08. Sepulchral Voice **
09. Hatred Of The Gods *
10. Bloody Corpse *
11. Outbreak Of Evil **
12. Defloration *

* bonus tracks
** songs which were on the original version of "In The Sign Of Evil"

Regarding how he got involved on the production side, Toto said, "Peppi heard a demo I produced with a side project which was founded by me back in 2003. A friend of mine (Frank Hübner, he's with me in the project and his neighbour) gave it to him. And after all they decided not to work with Harris [Johns] or Andy [Sneap], they decided to run a little test with me. So in spring 2006 we started a two and a half week pre-production. They were happy with the sound and after four weeks I got the call: You're the one. Of course, that was a dream! In the following month I started to watch nearly every rehearsal, learned the songs and rehearsed with Chris, when Peppi was on holiday. A real big thing for an old mid-Eighties SODOM fan! But believe me: It's real hard work!"

On the subject of how the re-recordings are turning out, Toto said, "Some of the old songs will sound a little bit different, because Chris decided to change some of the drum parts. But don't mind it, because the classic one will stay as a classic, no matter what we're doing. Some will love it, other may hate it, that's the normal way life goes.

"Peppi and me are working on the guitars and it's a hard job for him. The last time he has been in a studio was for the recordings in 1984 for the 'Sign of Evil'. For Chris it was similar. Chris made his last recordings in 1994 for a project called WITCHHUNTER which never been released. But both [have] done their very best. It's obviously that both had a hard [time] during the recordings."

THERION mainman Christofer Johnsson has issued the following update:

"I'm happy to announce that I've officially just prolonged the contract with Nuclear Blast Records for another five albums. Our souls now belongs to the innovative and dedicated little label from the village of Donzdorf [Germany], who through hard work and and honest dedication over the years have become the pearl of metal labels of all times. It's been 12 years since we signed with them and I look forwards to the upcoming 12 years."

THERION recently announced the departure of vocalist Mats Levén (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, KRUX, TREAT, AT VANCE) prior to the band's appearance at this year's Wacken Open Air festival in early August. His replacement in the group will be Thomas Vikström, who is best known to metal fans as the voice behind CANDLEMASS' "Chapter VI" album (1992).

THERION's latest studio album, the dual-disc "Gothic Kaballah", was released in North America on February 6 via Nuclear Blast Records.

According to The Gauntlet, RAMMSTEIN's management has dismissed as a hoax a press release that was issued on the band's behalf announcing the departure of singer Till Lindemann and addition of En Esch (KMFDM, PIGFACE, SLICK IDIOT) as his replacement. "[The news that Till would be leving the band following the completion of the band's new record] is not true and was not released by either band or management," a group representative said. "We have no idea where this comes from. The band is writing a new album at present."

En Esch (former KMFDM, Slick Idiot) has commented on the recent Rammstein hoax.

In a posting on the official SLICK IDIOT website, En Esch stated, "Since I have been contacted by many friends and acquaintances about the news that I'm the new singer of RAMMSTEIN, I think I need to set the record straight. Although it sounds interesting, it is not true. I'm working on new SLICK IDIOT material and am in the midst of mixing tracks for MONA MUR. RAMMSTEIN and I are and will stay friends and I wish them the best in their future endeavours."

DEAD TO THIS WORLD, the speed/thrash/black metal project led by former IMMORTAL bassist Iscariah, has issued the following update:

"So, the recording of the debut album is well in progress. All drums and guitars have been put down for nine tracks, and we will re-enter studio on the 27th of July for the remaining work. We hope to have this album out by November latest. The title for the album will be 'First Strike for Spiritual Renewance' and it will be out on CD, LP and picture disc. Also, I [Iscariah] can reveal that Jason Healey from the mighty ATOMIZER will contribute with some lyrics on this album, and let me tell you...it's supreme work as I expected! You just wait and see....there will definately be some talks and wonders around this release."

DEAD TO THIS WORLD's album is being produced by Bjørnar E Nielsen at Nielsen's Conclave Media Studios in Bergen.

Nielsen, who has produced albums by bands such as HELHEIM, SULPHUR, DEATHCON, AMPERA and VULTURE INDUSTRIES (of whom he is also a member), recently built a new studio with ENSLAVED members Herbrand Larsen and Arve Isdal.

DEAD TO THIS WORLD was originally founded by Iscariah (NECROPHAGIA, ex-IMMORTAL) as a solo project, but was expanded to a full lineup, releasing a three-track demo in 2005. Following the departure of their drummer, Iscariah recently announced that former GORGOROTH member Kvitrafn (SIGFADER, WARDRUNA, JOTUNSPOR, ex-SAHG) would be joining the band to record the new album. Tracks from the original demo can be heard on the band's Myspace Page