Norwegian singer Vibeke Stene (ex-TRISTANIA, Photo#1,Photo#2) has shot down reports that she has joined NIGHTWISH as the replacement for Tarja Turunen.

Yesterday, Finland's biggest tabloid, Ilta-Sanomat, published the rumors that Stene accepted the job as new vocalist for the Finnish symphonic metal band.

However, according to Stene, "That is not true. I would not want to sing for NIGHTWISH," she told the Norwegian newspaper VG.

Stene believes that it might not be a coincidence that the rumors have surfaced around the time of the release of the new TRISTANIA album.

According to Vibeke, TRISTINIA's record label asked her a year ago if it was OK for them to put out the rumor that she was going to take over the singer slot in NIGHTWISH. This was in order to generate interest in TRISTANIA, which Stene quit three weeks ago "due to personal reasons."

However, "I said no," says Stene.

The only public information about the new vocalist that has come out of the NIGHTWISH camp so far has been offered by the group's manager, Ewo Pohjola (a.k.a. Ewo Rytkönen) of King Foo Entertainment. "She is getting along very well with the guys," he said. "She is very talented, clever and sweet."

The cover artwork for the upcoming "Black Sabbath: Live At Hammersmith Odeon" CD has been posted online this. Due on May 1 via Rhino Handmade, the collection features Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice getting hot one December night in London during SABBATH's 1981 tour for "Mob Rules". Previously unreleased, the concert spotlights SABBATH as they storm through 14 of the Dio-era's best including "Neon Knights", "Heaven And Hell", "Children Of The Sea" and "Country Girl". The band also performs several pre-Dio classics, including "Paranoid", "Children Of The Grave" and a white-hot version of "War Pigs". The album will be available from Rhino Handmade as an individually numbered limited edition of 5,000 copies, available only at www.rhinohandmade.com for a suggested retail price of $19.98.

"Black Sabbath: Live at Hammersmith Odeon" track listing:

01. E5150
02. Neon Knights
03. N.I.B.
04. Children Of The Sea
05. Country Girl
06. Black Sabbath
07. War Pigs
08. Slipping Away
09. Iron Man
10. The Mob Rules
11. Heaven And Hell
12. Paranoid
13. Voodoo
14. Children Of The Grave

All selections previously unissued

Swedish melodic death metallers DARK TRANQUILLITY have posted their video for the song "Focus Shift" on YouTube.com. The clip was directed by Roger Johansson, who previously worked with the group on the "Lost to Apathy" and "The New Build" videos from the 2005 release "Character" [2005]. The "Focus Shift" video will be featured on the limited-edition version of the upcoming DARK TRANQUILLITY album, "Fiction".

Due in April via Century Media Records, "Fiction" was mixed by the acclaimed Tue Madsen (HIMSA, THE HAUNTED) and encompasses all of the elements on which the band built their career: thought-provoking lyrics, shredding guitar work, captivating melodies and sheer brutality. This offering is perhaps best compared to a modern-day version of the group's revered classics "The Gallery" and "The Mind's I", only with more intensity behind it.

VADER entered Hertz Studio in Poland on March 15 to re-record 25 of the best songs from their entire discography for a 25th anniversary release, to be issued in 2008. The set will also include a DVD containing tons of bonus features, such as archival recordings, live shows, video clips and other special material.

Commented frontman Piotr "Peter" Wiwczarek: "Me and Daray [drums] arrived to the Hertz Studio on 15th March to start recordings of an album, which is very special indeed. This is gonna be 25 songs taken from VADER's early records. We [are focusing] mostly on 'The Ultimate Incantation', 'De Profundis', 'Black to the Blind' [and] 'Litany' [albums], [and] also [the] mini albums released in between.

"2008 [marks 25 years since] VADER took its name and started to exist as a band...

"With such unusual material we'd like to enjoy the anniversary and close up the early days of VADER to the newest generation of our die-hard fans. For the first time, the songs from such differently produced records will be available on one album. All the songs we will [record] from scratch, so they'll sound more fresh [but will] more or less [be] re-arranged. Of course, we're gonna put some never-before-released very old stuff but... this is 'top secret' at the moment. Interesting might be also guests from world's metal scene, who will appear on the album on various songs. They are our friends and brothers-in-arms, who already made a lot for metal. What can I add is that we plan to do special edition of the album, including video shots from very early days or photo album with never released old picturies specially chosen for this anniversary release.

"Lotsa work, lotsa memories... but first of all — a lot of total massacre from over two decades of creation of unholy metal madness!!!!"

KAMELOT ready to continue their ascension to the pinnacle of metal royalty. After their biggest and most successful releases "The Black Halo" and the critically acclaimed "One Cold Winter's Night" metal pioneers KAMELOT return with another studio masterpiece; "Ghost Opera" will be KAMELOT's third release via SPV/Steamhammer Records.

"Ghost Opera" was recorded and mixed at Gate Studios and Pathway Studios in Wolfsburg, Germany with producers Sascha Paeth and Miro. Artwork was handled by Mattias Noren with contributions by Alexandra V. Bach, Liliana Sanchez and Derek Gores. A limited-edition digipack version of the CD will include the bonus cut "The Pendulous Fall" along with a bonus DVD containing the video for the album's title track, "Ghost Opera", shot by director Ivan Colic of Serbia's Icode Team as well as the making of the "Ghost Opera" video. The Limited Edition will contain a special extended booklet as well.

Ghost Opera Limited Edition Digipak

"Ghost Opera" track listing:

01. Solitaire
02. Rule The World
03. Ghost Opera
04. The Human Stain
05. Blucher
06. Love You to Death
07. Up Through the Ashes
08. Mourning Star
09. Silence of the Darkness
10. Anthem
11. EdenEcho
12. The Pendulous Fall (limited edition bonus track)

KAMELOT's guitarist Thomas Youngblood states: "We are very excited about the new tour and album release this year. Ghost Opera is full of new and varied elements for us and the fans. This will be our most ambitious stage
show ever as well."

In good KAMELOT tradition "Ghost Opera" includes an array of guests, exotic instruments and dives into new musical territory. "This is certainly another leap forward for Kamelot, with what I think is our best, most exciting and important production to date." says KAMELOT vocalist Khan.

KAMELOT's current lineup is as follows:

Khan - Vocals
Thomas Youngblood - Guitars
Glenn Barry - Bass
Oliver Palotai Ц Keys
Casey Grillo - Drums

Kamelot's World Tour 2007-2008 kicks off this Spring March 29th in Europe.

12.05. RUS-Moscow - Tochka Club

SOILWORK vocalist Björn "Speed" Strid is putting the finishing touches on the lyrics for the band's upcoming album, due later in the year via Nuclear Blast Records.

"I have started my two weeks of decadence, getting drunk and write lyrics... that's usually how i do it and it usually works just fine," he writes on the group's web site. "I have some finished songtitles. Thought I might as well share them with ya... We have 'Your Beloved Scapegoat', 'Light Discovering Darkness', 'The Snare Broken' and 'The Pittsburgh Syndrome' so far... Hmm, curious to see the reactions on that last songtitle..."

SOILWORK recently announced the addition of guitarist Daniel Antonsson (DIMENSION ZERO, PATHOS) to the group's ranks.

The vocals on the new CD will be produced by STRAPPING YOUNG LAD mastermind Devin Townsend, who previously worked with the band on 2002's "Natural Born Chaos".

SOILWORK's last CD, "Stabbing the Drama", is available now on Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Figure Number Five" was recorded at Fascination Street studios in Örebro and Dug-Out Productions in Uppsala, Sweden with producer Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, IN FLAMES, STUCK MOJO).

Guitarist Peter Wichers left SOILWORK in December 2005 to pursue a career in producing.

Swedish melodic death metal band ZONARIA has a posted a live video for the song "The Last Endeavor" at YouTube. The clip was shot during the group's recent appearance at the Shadow Of Metal festival in their hometown of Umeå, Sweden.

ZONARIA's debut CD is tentatively due in September via Pivotal Rockordings. The album was mixed by Jonas Kjellgren at his Black Lounge Studios (SCAR SYMMETRY, SONIC SYNDICATE, CARNAL FORGE) in Avesta, Sweden.

ZONARIA's video for the song "Rendered in Vain" will be featured in the video game The Darkness.

Dutch/Norwegian goth metal band IMPERIA has posted its new song "Raped by the Devil" to the group's MySpace. The track comes off the band's sophomore album, "Queen of Light", due on March 23 via Massacre Records. The follow-up to 2004's "The Ancient Dance of Qetesh" contains 13 tracks and is "heavier and more varied" than its predecessor, according to a press release. "There are fast and powerful metal songs, slow ballads, heavy songs as well as a lot of serious guitar leads and oriental keyboards. It is a diverse album with crystal clear sound!" The album will be released in two versions: as a regular CD in a jewel-case and as a limited-edition digipak. The digipak version will feature a "making of 'Queen of Light'" video documentary as a bonus.

Swedish "Viking metallers" THYRFING have issued the following update:

"After a decade in the band, both Thomas Väänänen [vocals] and Henrik Svegsjö [guitar] have decided to leave THYRFING. They have informed us that they lack the motivation needed for another album. We have split ways on good terms, and would like to thank them for all these great years. With this being said, we hereby welcome Jens Rydén to the band as new vocalist. Jens is best known as founding member and ex-vocalist of NAGLFAR and recently also for his one-man army PROFUNDI. We all feel very enthusiastic about bringing new blood into the band and it will be very interesting to write and compile the next THYRFING album together. For the time being we will go on with one guitar player, and time will tell what happens to the second guitar position…"

THYRFING's fifth album, "Farsotstider" (in English: "Times of Plague"), was released in November 2005 via Regain Records. The follow-up to 2002's "Vansinnesvisor" (Hammerheart Records) was recorded at EMI Studio in Stockholm with producer Henrik Edenhed (LAMBRETTA, THE SOUNDS).

ATROCITY are working together with the Schorndorf Symphony Orchestra near Stuttgart for upcoming following up album of the Werk 80 release.

Alex Krull: "The long preparations and the recordings have been hard work but it was very worthwhile! The present output sounds fantastic and on this way I would like to thank all parties for the assistance!"

The recordings will be finished the next couple of days.

Moreover ATROCITY have engaged a choir for the production of the long
expected WERK 80 follower. The choir recordings will be done in April. Further
news will follow.

You can find pictures of the recording session in the gallery.

San Francisco Bay Area thrashers TESTAMENT are currently offering a new "bootleg" in DVD format for sale in the "Merch" section of the group's official web site. "Live at the Independent" (view cover here) was filmed earlier on January 27, 2007 at The Independent in San Francisco, California by Walter Morgan of Deadly Embrace Productions and features the following track listing:

01. The Preacher
02. New Order
03. The Haunting
04. Electric Crown
05. Trial by Fire
06. DNR
07. Three Days in Darkness
08. True Believer
09. Practice What You Preach
10. The Legacy
11. Into the Pit
12. Over the Wall

The video is available for $18.00 in the U.S. or $23 overseas (+ $5.00 shipping & handling in U.S., $8.00 shipping & handling overseas).

AMAZING JOURNEY — a tribute to THE WHO, featuring drummer Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER), guitarist Paul Gilbert (MR. BIG, RACER X), bassist Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, DAVID LEE ROTH, TALAS) and vocalist Gary Cherone (VAN HALEN, EXTREME), has just released a DVD and CD of its May 31, 2006 concert at the B.B. King Blues Club & Grill. The complete track listing is as follows;

01. Baba O'Riley
02. Sister Disco
03. Substitute
04. Pictures Of Lily
05. I Can See For Miles
06. Young Man Blues
07. A Quick One While He's Away
08. Bargain
09. Behind Blue Eyes
10. The Real Me
11. Love Reign O'er Me
12. Overture
13. It's A Boy
14. 1921
15. Amazing Journey / Sparks
16. Eyesight To The Blind
17. Christmas
18. The Acid Queen
19. Pinball Wizard
20. Tommy Can You Hear Me?
21. There's A Doctor
22. Go To The Mirror
23. Smash The Mirror
24. I'm Free
25. Tommy's Holiday Camp
26. We're Not Gonna Take It
27. Who Are You
28. Won't Get Fooled Again
29. My Generation

DVD Special Features:
* 2.0 Stereo and 5.1 Surround Sound
* Five additional bonus tracks and backstage footage from the Whittier, CA show (May 27, 2006)

NME.com reports that the iconic famous double neck guitar used by LED ZEPPELIN star Jimmy Page will be manufactured again after 36 years.

The guitarist has teamed-up with Gibson to replicate his original EDS-1275 which he used throughout the 1970s.

Up to 25 limited-edition replicas have been designed, each of which will feature Page's signature on the rear of the headstock, plus a certificate of authenticity signed by the guitarist.

It will also come with a LED ZEPPELIN DVD box set and a copy of a private interview with Page.

"After knowing that 'Stairway (To Heaven)' was going to have to be recorded live and the fact it was recorded with 12 strings acoustic and electric, I needed something which could reflect the pacing of that song," said Page of his decision to use the unlikely looking instrument. "That song dictated the fact that I played the Gibson double neck and from then on it became iconic."

Only 25 replicas will be made available from March 18 at a retail price of $33,500. A further 250 vintage Original Spec Signature Double Necks are also being made available which will not feature the signature on the headstock, and cost between $10,000 and $12,000.

STRAPPING YOUNG LAD guitarist Jed Simon has issued the following update on his TENET project:

"I'm back to Vancouver next week for the balance of March. During that time I'll be putting the 'finish' on the TENET album. There is ton of work to do, so I hope to get it all done in time! I don't think I'll have much time to visit many of my friends, cuz I'll be holed up at the studio with Shaun Thingvold getting it done. We have to have at least one good drinking session though, or else I'll go crazy.

"[Drummer] Adrian [Erlandsson; ex-CRADLE OF FILTH] and [guitarist] Glen [Alvelais; ex-TESTAMENT, FORBIDDEN] are close to finishing their respective parts, and they are stunning to say the least.

"Who's playing bass? Me. That should be interesting live, maybe I can get one of those double neck guitar/bass thingamajigs for live. Maybe I should call Derek Smalls, he might need a gig...then again, probably not! We'll have someone soon, rest assured."

Simon recently uploaded three demo tracks from his TENET project at the official TENET MySpace page. Check out the songs "Indulge Me", "Unnameable" and "Crown of Thorns" at this location.

TENET's debut album, "Sovereign", is tentatively due later in the year via Century Media Records.

STRAPPING YOUNG LAD's latest CD, "The New Black" was released in July 2006 via Century Media.

Multinational metalheads POWERWOLF have completed work on their second album, "Lupus Dei". Mixed at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden, the album features an incredibly powerful and heavy sound.

"The songwriting was a truly emotional process. I have never been that dedicated to any piece of music in all my life so far," vocalist Attila Dorn reflects. In the end the band had written ten brand new tunes carrying on where "Return in Bloodred" left off. Songs such as "We Take It From The Living" or "Prayer In The Dark" feature all trademarks of typical POWERWOLF songs adding both more melodic density as well as pounding heaviness and more epic moments than ever before.

Paying tribute to the spiritual feeling of the album, POWERWOLF recorded parts of the CD in a chapel built in the 12th century. "It was haunting. Recording in a church can not be compared to any studio situation. You can breathe history in such a place and it was definitely the most inspirational surrounding we could have chosen for the creation of this album," guitarist Matthew Greywolf explains. "On the title track as well as on 'In Blood We Trust' we even worked with a 30-piece classical choir, which was amazing."

"Lupus Dei" track listing:

01. Lupus Demonae (Intro)
02. We Take It From The Living
03. Prayer In The Dark
04. Saturday Satan
05. In Blood We Trust
06. Behind The Leathermask
07. Vampires Don't Die
08. When The Moon Shines Red
09. Mother Mary Is A Bird Of Prey
10. Tiger OF Sabrod
11. Lupus Dei

POWERWOLF is:

Attila Dorn – Vocals
Falk Maria Schlegel – Organ
Charles Greywolf – Bass & Rhythm Guitars
Matthew Greywolf – Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Stéfane Funèbre - Drums

"Lupus Dei" will be released on May 4 in Germany/Austria/Switzerland and May 7 in the rest of Europe via Metal Balde Records.

German symphonic gothic metal band ATARGATIS, which features in its ranks female singer Stephanie Luzie (DARKWELL), will enter Hellion Studios (DARKSEED, EQUILIBRIUM, SYCRONOMICA) in Munich in May with producer Seref A. Badir to begin recording its new abum for a late 2007 release via Massacre Records. According to the band, the follow-up to 2006's "Wasteland" will probably be called "Nova" and will once again be a concept album. The new CD "is going to be even more epic, even heavier and even more powerful" than its predecessor, according to the group. Female violinist Tialupa will once again play the violin on the new album, as will several guest musicians that have yet to be announced.

"Wasteland" was mixed and mastered at Alex Krull's (ATROCITY, LEAVES' EYES) Mastersound studios, and it featured guest appearances by Stefan Hertrich (DARKSEED) on vocals, Moritz Neuner (LEAVES' EYES, ATROCITY, DARKWELL) on percussion and treble flute, and Susanne Zisky, formerly of the Junge Sinfonie Berlin, on the violin.

Minneapolis symphonic metal band AESMA DAEVA, which features in its ranks current THERION touring singer Lori Lewis, has released its fourth album, "Dawn of the New Athens". The CD, which features a reworked version of the song "Artemis" and the previously "censored" "Mozart aria 'D'oreste", was helmed by Grammy Award-winning producer Neil Kernon (NILE, NEVERMORE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, AKERCOCKE). Touring for the album should start around late fall, pending Lori's availability and the health of guitarist Earl Root, who recently underwent treatment for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma cancer for which he was diagnosed back in 2000.

13th Planet Records will release MINISTRY's "Rio Grande Dub" in June. The album will feature remixes by Clayton Worbeck and John Bechdel. Artwork for the CD was created by Lawton Outlaw.

"Rio Grande Dub" track listing:

01. Rio Grande Blood (Rio Grande Dubya Mix) (4:12)
02. Señor Peligro (La Zona Peligrosa Mix) (4:08)
03. Gangreen (Kiss Me Goodnight Mix) (3:35)
04. Fear Is Big Business (Weapons of Mass Deception Mix) (3:42)
05. Lieslieslies (Cognitive Dissonance Mix) (4:19)
06. The Great Satan (What Would Satan Do? Mix) (3:06)
07. Yellow Cake (Hexafluoride Mix) (4:22)
08. Palestin (72nd Virgin Mix) (5:23)
09. Ass Clown (Osama McDonald Mix) (3:31)
10. Khyber Pass (TX Bush Ranch Mix) (4:27)
11. Lieslieslies (Known Unknown Lies Mix) (3:55)

As previously reported, FEAR FACTORY frontman Burton C. Bell has recorded a guest appearance on the new MINISTRY album, "The Last Sucker".

Punk rock institution BAD RELIGION has set "New Maps of Hell" as the title of its follow-up to 2004's heralded "The Empire Strikes First", due on July 10 through Epitaph Records. The CD is being recorded at Grand Master Studios in Los Angeles, California with Grammy-nominated producer Joe Barresi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, WEEZER).

"New Maps of Hell" track listing:

01. New Dark Ages
02. Grains of Wrath
03. Fields of Mars
04. Germs of Perfection
05. Requiem
06. Submission Complete
07. The Grand Delusion
08. Honest Goodbye
09. Prodigal Son
10. Before You Die
11. Lost Pilgrim
12. Heroes and Martyrs
13. Dearly Beloved
14. New Chapter
15. Murder
16. 52 Seconds
17. Scrutiny

In support of the forthcoming disc, BAD RELIGION will headline the coveted main stage for the entire 2007 Vans Warped Tour this summer.

Graffin — who holds a master's degree in Geology from UCLA and a Ph.D. in Zoology from Cornell University, near his main home in Ithaca, N.Y. — is currently teaching Life Science 1: Evolution and Biodiversity. "When I was an undergrad and a graduate student at UCLA, I used to play and write with BAD RELIGION at night," the singer marvels. "Now, I'm back to that schedule as a professor."

Graffin also recently co-wrote a book with Arkansas history professor Preston Jones. Titled "Is Belief In God Good, Bad or Irrelevant? A Professor and A Punk Rocker Discuss Science, Religion, Naturalism and Christianity" (IVP Books), the tome catalogs the email correspondence between the two. Jones, a seminal punk fan, initially contacted Graffin by email, prompting the conversations that spawned the book.

Norwegian black metallers SATYRICON have issued the following update:

"We are looking to recruit a rhythm guitar player and a bass player for our live band, with immediate effect.

"You are a skilled musician with some touring experience. Your age is of no big concern, if you are good enough, you are good enough. However, you need to be relentlessly hungry and ambitious in your work with SATYRICON. SATYRICON is during touring cycles, a very time consuming effort and SATYRICON would be your number one musical priority. If you do not wish to re-locate to Oslo our nearby, you will have to travel and be available for rehearsal in Oslo whenever called upon. We will consider candidates from anywhere in the world. If you think you have what it takes, you will be invited to come jam with SATYRICON in Oslo as soon as possible. When e-mailing us, take your time to tell us a little bit about your musical background as a player and as a fan. Also include some information about your age, where you live, what you do etc. This is your chance — take it! E-mail us at musician@satyricon.no."

SATYRICON, 3 INCHES OF BLOOD, DAATH and ABIGAIL WILLIAMS are expected to team up for a run of U.S. dates in late April.

Finland's AMORPHIS spent the beginning of the year in the studio preparing its as-yet-untitled eighth album, due on August 29 in Finland and on August 31 in the rest of Europe via Nuclear Blast Records. As a first taste of the new material, a single will be released on June 27. The new CD was recorded at Sonic Pump studios in Helsinki, Finland. Mixing duties will be handled by Mikko Karmila (NIGHTWISH, STRATOVARIUS) at Finnvox studios.

Having recently made a phenomenal return to the pinnacle of the Finnish metal scene, AMORPHIS will be treating their Finnish fans to a mini-tour comprising four gigs in April. The Helsinki show is already sold out, but tickets to the Turku, Eura, and Jyväskylä concerts are still available.