NAPALM DEATH bassist Shane Embury has issued the following update:

"Busy times ahead indeed. Finally started working on a project with Mick Kenney of ANAAL NATHRAKH last week, which is sounding pretty insane and will be out on the Feto Records label towards the end of the year.

"Had a great rehearsal with some of the guys from BRUJERIA on Saturday in preparation for our forthcoming London show and Italian dates, and right now have the man himself — Dan Lilker — here at my house for a few days after his recent tour with BRUTAL TRUTH as we start writing and preparing songs for the third VENOMOUS CONCEPT album!

"Dan will be taking over the bass guitar duties while I will be steping into the guitarist position. Buzzo [MELVINS/FANTOMAS guitarist Buzz Osborne] will still be guesting from time to time and as his schedule sees fit. Bizzarely enough i have to speak with mad metal producer Russ Russell tommorow as he will be mixing the finally recorded second VENOMOUS CONCEPT album which will be out on Feto also this coming summer."

RUSH's brand new single, "Far Cry", is available for streaming in its entirety at rush.com. The track comes off the Canadian trio's new album, "Snakes & Arrows", due on May 1 via Anthem/Atlantic. Check out the album cover artwork at this location.

"Snakes & Arrows" track listing:

01. Far Cry
02. Armor and Sword
03. Workin’ Them Angels
04. The Larger Bowl
05. Spindrift
06. The Main Monkey Business
07. The Way The Wind Blows
08. Hope
09. Faithless
10. Bravest Face
11. Good News First
12. Malignant Narcissism
13. We Hold On

In a recent interview with Revolver magazine (web site), RUSH vocalist/bassist Geddy Lee stated about the upcoming CD, "It's hard to describe. It's big, it's bold, and I think it's some of the best work we've done in years. I'm really pleased with the quality of the songs, and there's lots of playing on it."

"Snakes & Arrows" promises to be the most organic-sounding RUSH effort in decades, having been influenced by their experience of making "Feedback", the band's 2004 EP of classic-rock covers.

KATATONIA's live performance from last year's Summer Breeze open-air festival in Germany will be released as a double-disc live album/DVD, entitled "Live Consternation", on May 28. The "super jewelcase" packaging will feature both the audio on CD and the show on DVD (including both 2.0 and 5.1 versions). The artwork was once again designed by Travis Smith and will close the visual concept for "The Great Cold Distance" phase. The track listing will be as follows:

01. Leaders
02. Wealth
03. Soil's Song
04. Had to (Leave)
05. Cold Ways
06. Right into the Bliss
07. Ghost of the Sun
08. Criminals
09. Deliberation
10. July
11. Evidence

Italy's DOPE STARS INC. has parted ways with Grace Khold (synths, samples, programming) due to "personal reasons." In addition, the band has announced the addition of guitarist La Nuit. According to a posting on the group's web site, DOPE STARS INC. will continue as a quartet, with Victor Love continuing to take care of all synthesizers and programming like he has done from the band's inception.

DOPE STARS INC.'s latest album, "Gigahearts", was released last November. The CD was produced by Victor Love and includes "11 tracks to kick your ass very bad but also to satisfy your desire of melodies and electronic exploration," according to a posting on the group's web site.

British gothic metallers PARADISE LOST have set "In Requiem" as the title of their 11th album, due in the U.K. on May 21 via Century Media Records. The artwork for the CD will be created by Seth Siro Anton, who was the artwork designer for the group's last album, "Paradise Lost".

Commented drummer Jeff Singer: "The whole process for 'In Requiem' has been very different to the experience of recording [the self-titled 10th album]. The last album was very much a case of 'go with the flow' as I came in very late with the writing pretty much finished. There were bits and pieces changed during pre production but it was about fitting in the right drum parts without much time to work on them and although I think it is a great album I didn't feel I had time to work with the songs and really create my feel.

"Being the 'newbie' at that time meant just keeping my head down and getting the job done. Two and a half years later and after touring with the band I felt a lot more settled, part of the unit and very much part of the creative process.

"It must be a year now since the first ideas were being sent across but it was around August that the first album pre-production took place. It was clear that the bar had been [raised] in terms of the performance that was needed and without putting too fine a point on it I had some hard work to do. I had four months of worry. Let's pull no punches here, love or hate PARADISE LOST, this is an iconic band and as the drummer I have to be a good representation of the band...and now I had been settled in for three years I had alot to prove! It was clear to me that as a band we were all a lot more focused and we rehearsed a lot harder for this album. Fact is that it shows and I genuinely can't wait for people to hear it.

"At this point I have to mention Rhys [Fulber, producer]. He is a really strong part of the team and is with you all the way. He bolstered me up big time and was totally confident and positive with regard to my performances. This is incredibly important to us delicate flowers that they call musicians....alright drummers! We concentrated very much on getting a great drum sound (thanks Gretsch and Sabian) and trying to get a perfect take during recording as opposed to edits or drop-ins. We also worked harder on tempos to make sure each song had a better flow and it really shows.

"One thing that made me laugh was Nick [Holmes, vocals] mentioning that he and Greg [Mackintosh, guitar] were in the studio, in adjacent rooms all day sending insults on Messenger...it is totally true LOL!!

"So what can you expect? Very heavy, very dark and lots of double bass drums..."

KATATONIA's brand new video for the song "July", shot and directed by Charlie Granberg, has been posted online at YouTube.com.

Commented Granberg: "It's basically a perfomance video. But I wanted the feeling of the band playing in a very rough, abandonded or even bombed out house, in an extremely warm country like Mexico or somewere in the middle east. Dark on the inside, but with sunbeams searching their way through the dust, hitting the bandmembers here and there. I really wanted the feeling of the outside world being so much better and brighter than the place the band is in. The biggest challenge with this video I think, was that I wanted to use really warm and grainy colours, wich is kinda rare in this type of music, but at the same time wrap it in a gloomy, apocalyptic feeling. But I think the balance is there and I'm happy the band liked it so much."

In other KATATONIA news, Peaceville has pushed the release date of the physical "July" CD single to April 9, but pre-orders are now being taken from Snapper Music. The digital download was released on February 26 and can be purchased from iTunes, Napster, Sonicstage and Emusic. In addition to the title track, the single includes a brand new/previously unreleased song called "Unfurl", a remix of "Soil's Song" by Krister Linder, and the video for "July",.

EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet is currently working on the third installment of his solo project AVANTASIA. The album is being produced by Sascha Paeth, who also played the rhythm guitar on the CD. The drums were laid down by KISS/ALICE COOPER drummer Eric Singer and the bass is being handled by Tobias himself.

Commented Sammet: "I can't tell you how happy I am to be able to do this. There is so much creativity in the studio and the material sounds so great. There is so much variety — we got fast songs, mid-tempo songs, a few ballads. There are modern elements, epic elements, classic elements. There's no limits [to] our creativity and I feel blessed that I am allowed to work with the most talented sidekicks I could ever dream of."

The new AVANTASIA album will be a concept album featuring different singers singing different characters in a story. But the concept itself won't be a sequel to the first two AVANTASIA albums.

AVANTASIA's last release was the two-part epic called "The Metal Opera" (issued in 2001 and 2002), which featured an impressive array of guest vocalists playing the various characters of the opera, including Michael Kiske (ex-HELLOWEEN), David DeFeis (VIRGIN STEELE), Sharon Den Adel (WITHIN TEMPTATION), Kai Hansen (GAMMA RAY), André Matos (ANGRA, SHAAMAN), Timo Tolkki (STRATOVARIUS), Rob Rock (WARRIOR), and others.

Dutch metallers GOREFEST have posted the following message on their official web site:

"We're well into our first week of recording the follow-up to 'La Muerte'. In this week all drum tracks have been recorded. Our drummer Ed [Warby] was on a roll and laid down all those brutal and demanding parts with breath taking ease. We shot some handy cam footage of the drum takes which you can find in the media section of this site. Ed like a fish in the water behind his new Sonor kit, bashing away on those beautiful Amedia cymbals.

"Monday Tue Madsen was over to make drum sounds and on Tuesday we made guitar and bass sound. Next Monday we will start with recording the rhythm guitars and bass guitar. If all goes well, this will take about a week and a half. After that it’s time for extra bits and pieces and the solos. In April JC will go over to the Antfarm studio in Denmark, where the mixing will take place, to record vocals."

GOREFEST's latest CD, "La Muerte", was released in October 2005 via Nuclear Blast Records.

"The Serpentine Offering", the lead-off track from DIMMU BORGIR's upcoming album "In Sorte Diaboli", will be available for digital download at iTunes.com beginning March 30.

The three-track North American version of the iTunes single will include an additional two songs NOT included on the album:

"The Serpentine Offering" - Video Edit
"The Heretic Hammer" - Instrumental Version, NORTH AMERICAN EXCLUSIVE

The European version of the three-track iTunes single will feature an exclusive instrumental version of "The Serpentine Offering" in place of the instrumental version of "The Heretic Hammer".

DIMMU BORGIR's new full-length album, "In Sorte Diaboli", will be released on April 24 in North America. The first concept album in the band's history, "In Sorte Diaboli" is set in medieval Europe. A short synopsis of the story and its characters will accompany the lyrics in the CD booklet.

"In Sorte Diaboli" was mixed at Studio Fredman by producers Fredrik Nordström and Patrik J. Sten. DIMMU BORGIR recorded the effort with the following lineup:

Shagrath - Vocals
Silenoz - Guitars
Galder - Guitars
I.C.S. Vortex - Bass & Clean Vocals
Mustis - Keyboards
Hellhammer - Drums

Brazilian thrashers SEPULTURA have finished filming the second video from their "Dante XXI" album, for the song "Ostia". The clip was shot this past Saturday (March 3) at a studio in São Paulo prior to the band's departure for their European tour. During the week, the video crew and the main actor shot the outdoor scenes in downtown São Paulo. The script, which adapts the story from the book "The Divine Comedy" to the modern days, was directed by Geraldo Moraes.

Check out pictures from the video shoot at this location.

A short video clip of SEPULTURA performing their classic track "Roots Bloody Roots" on Tuesday, March 6 at the Debaser Medis club in Stockholm, Sweden has been posted online at YouTube.com.

SEPULTURA completed its first North American tour in nearly four years in December. Support at the shows came from SWORN ENEMY, DIECAST and SUICIDE SILENCE. The trek marked the band's debut U.S. appearance with their new drummer, Jean Dolabella (ex-UDORA), who replaced founding member Igor Cavalera in June. Check out several video clips from the tour at YouTube.com.

Swedish power metallers MORGANA LEFAY will release their new album, "Aberrations of the Mind", on March 19 via Black Mark. The track listing is as follows:

01. Delusions
02. Make a Wish
03. The Rush of Possession
04. Depression
05. Caught in the Tread Wheel
06. Reflections of War
07. Face of Fear
08. Where I Rule
09. In Shadows I Reign
10. Aberration of Mind
11. Vultures Devouring
12. Over and Over Again

Check out the cover artwork at this location.

MORGANA LEFAY released a new single, entitled "Over and Over Again", on February 26 via Black Mark. Also included on the single was the new cut "Face of Fear". Check out audio samples at this location. Two more songs from the CD — "The Rush of Possession" and "Reflections of War" — are available for listening on the band's web site.

According to a press release, "Aberrations of the Mind" will contain "a new level of aggression while still maintaining the traditional MORGANA LEFAY sound. The album will also feature the debut of the band's new skinbasher, Pelle Åkerlind (BLOODBOUND, LEDNOTE).

The band is gearing up for the Rock at Sea festival, scheduled to take place on March 10, which also includes BUDGIE, KRUX, BULLET, HAIRY BONER, THE QUILL and several noted cover bands.

MORGANA LEFAY's latest album, 2005's "Grand Materia", was a concept CD about Nicholas Flamel, a 14th-century alchemist who supposedly lived on forever.

MORGANA LEFAY performed at the Chicago Powerfest 2006 in early April at Mr. Kelley's Music Box in Chicago Heights, IL.

GOBLIN keyboardist Claudio Simonetti has recorded a guest appearance on the forthcoming self-titled comeback album from Italian progressive death metallers SADIST, due in Europe in April via Beyond Productions/Masterpiece and in May in North American on Season of Mist. Simonetti contributes a special version of the instrumental track "Sadist", which previously appeared on SADIST's 1993 debut album, "Above the Light".

"Sadist" track listing:

01. Jagriti
02. One Thousand Memories
03. I Feel You Climb
04. Embracing the Form of Life
05. Tearing Away
06. Kopto
07. Excited and Desirous
08. Different Melodies
09. Invisible
10. Hope to be Deaf
11. Sadist

Italian prog-metallers DGM will release their fifth album, entitled "Different Shapes", in late May/beginning of June on Scarlet Records. The Japanese version of the album will include a bonus video track.

"Different Shapes" track listing:

01. New Life
02. The Alliance
03. Some Day, One Day
04. Unkept Promises
05. The Fallen Angel
06. Peace Of Mind
07. Frontiers
08. Signs Of Time
09. Close to You
10. A Man I’ll Never Be

Check out the cover artwork at StayMetal.net.

DGM are also confirmed to take part at Gods of Metal 2007 festival, Italy’s biggest metal event, along with such celebrated acts as HEAVEN AND HELL, DREAM THEATER, BLIND GUARDIAN, DIMMU BORGIR, PORCUPINE TREE, SYMPHONY X and ANATHEMA.

Veteran San Francisco Bay Area metallers TESTAMENT have scheduled three dates in Russia in July. The details are as follows:

• Jul. 03 - Voronej, Russia - 100 Streams
  
• Jul. 04 - Saratov, Russia - Club Vostok
  
• Jul. 05 - Moscow, Russia - Apelsin Club
  

TESTAMENT singer Chuck Billy, bassist Greg Christian, and guitarists Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson, alongside ex-DIMMU BORGIR and CRADLE OF FILTH drummer Nick Barker, have finished writing six new songs for the group's long-awaited follow-up to 1999's "The Gathering". Tracking is scheduled to begin in June. "Working hard with Nick on some new ideas and some cool old-school styles [that are] coming together really killer," Peterson said in a statement. "It's been a long time coming," Billy added. "This new album is like a good wine: You throw in the grapes and crush."

Chicago's YAKUZA has posted an update from the recording sessions for the group's new album, "Transmutations", at this location. Also available on the band's MySpace page is new video footage, including the video for "Chicago Typewriter" as well as live material.

"Transmutations" is being produced by Sanford Parker (PELICAN, MINSK, RWAKE), who made a guest appearance on the band's last release, "Samsara". A late 2007 release through Prosthetic Records is expected.

YAKUZA began demoing new material on February 28 at Semifour Studios in the band's hometown. The band will continue previewing new material live April 8 with GENGHIS TRON and labelmates KYLESA as well as supporting GOATWHORE on Apr. 20. Frontman/saxophonist Lamont will also make appearances on March 15 for a SXSW showcase at room 710 at 8 pm in Austin, TX and will follow that up with a March 16 appearance at the Furniture Records showcase.

AFTER FOREVER guitarist/songwriter Sander Gommans has uploaded a song from his HDK project to his MySpace page. Entitled "Request", the track "is one of the more melodic ones with André Matos (ex-ANGRA, SHAAMAN, VIRGO) on vocals," says Sander. "[I] have to redo the grunts but I just wanted to give you a glimpse of this side of HDK. This song is about... MySpace."

HDK's musical direction was previously described by Gommans as "modern trash/death metal with a lot of melodic influences." The following musicians are currently involved with the project:

Sander Gommans (AFTER FOREVER) – Guitar, Vocals
Ariën van Weesenbeek (GOD DETHRONED) - Drums
Peter Vink (STAR ONE, AYREON) - Bass
Mike Scheijen (37 STABWOUNDZ) - Vocals
Patrick Savelkoul (CALLENISH CIRCLE) - Vocals
André Matos (ex-ANGRA, SHAAMAN, VIRGO) - Vocals

METALLICA has posted the following message on its official web site:

"Enough already with this announcing one show at a time B.S. . . . we've got four more to tell you about!

"First up, is Oslo, Norway on July 10th. Last time we were there is it was winter (Dec. '03). . . We're psyched to be playing outside in the summer, actually our first outside gig ever in Norway.

"We haven't been to Stockholm, Sweden in way tooooooo long . . . so it's very cool that we'll be back on July 12th to play at Stockholm Stadion for the second time. See how these things work ... 'cause the next show is in . . . Helsinki, Finland, July 15th, our eighth visit to Helsinki and again our second time at the Olympic Stadium. Yeah, there are a couple of days off in there . . . what to do, what to do?

"Last tidbit from tonight's update . . . a city we have only played once before, and site of one of the best and most intense shows in 'TALLICA history . . . Moscow on July 18th, this time at the Lushniki Stadium.

"They're all METALLICA shows, with of course a few cool opening bands that we'll let you in on as soon as all the details are sorted.

"We have a few more shows in the works, so we'll get back to you soon as they're confirmed . . . keep watching here."

METALLICA "Sick of the Studio '07 Tour" dates so far:

Jul. 01 - Werchter, BEL @ Rock Werchter Festival
Jul. 03 - Athens, GRE @ Rockwave Festival
Jul. 05 - Vienna, AUT @ Rotundenplatz
Jul. 10 - Oslo, NOR @ Valle Hovin Stadion
Jul. 12 - Stockholm, SWE @ Stadion
Jul. 15 - Helsinki, FIN @ Olympic Stadium
Jul. 18 - Moscow, RUS @ Lushniki Stadium

Austrian/American "epic metal" band VISIONS OF ATLANTIS has uploaded audio samples of all 11 tracks that are set to appear on the group's upcoming album, "Trinity", due in May via Napalm Records. Check them out at this location.

"Trinity" was recorded at Dreamscape Studios and was mastered at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland. The CD's cover artwork was created by Anthony Clarkson, who has previously worked with BLIND GUARDIAN, HYPOCRISY and EXODUS, among others.

"Trinity" track listing:

01. At The Back of Beyond
02. The Secret
03. Passing Dead End
04. The Poem
05. Nothing Left
06. My Darkside Home
07. Wing-Shaped Heart
08. Return To You
09. Through My Eyes
10. Flow This Desert
11. Seven Seas

With regards to the album title, the band said, "Trinity stands for many things. For one, it is the third album (most obvious). There are also three new members, and three new influences in the music making. The band all agreed in June that would be the title and thus, worked from there. [In addition] the album is due out in March 2007 (third month)."

On the subject of the band's musical approach on the new CD, the group wrote, "Expect something different from this music, heavier music, mature and more introspective lyrics, grandiose symphonic parts, yet still keeping the band roots for writing songs that are accessible and sing-a-long-able."

"Trinity" will mark VISIONS OF ATLANTIS' first release since the addition of professional soprano singer Melissa Ferlaak from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ferlaak graduated with a master's degree from New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts in 2003 for vocal performance and has worked in the operatic field, most recently as Musetta in "La Boheme", and has been singing with AESMA DAEVA.

AMORPHIS guitarist Esa Holopainen guitarist has issued the following update:

"It's national celebration day. AMORPHIS has finished new album recordings and also today is the day of Kalevala. With the help of old and wise Väinämöinen, skilled smith Ilmarinen, adventurer-warrior Lemminkäinen, Louhi; the female ruler of Pohjola and the tragic hero Kullervo AMORPHIS aheads to new dimensions with upcoming album. We have put a lot of energy and emotion into this album and hopefully it will reflect to all you next August. Stay tuned and happy Kalevala day!"

AMORPHIS's new CD was recorded at Sonic Pump studios in Helsinki, Finland. Mixing duties will be handled by Mikko Karmila (NIGHTWISH, STRATOVARIUS) at Finnvox studios.

AMORPHIS' latest album, "Eclipse", was issued in a limited vinyl edition in a deluxe gatefold sleeve by Black Lodge Records under worldwide license from Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Far from the Sun" was recorded at Sonic Pump studios with engineer Nino Laurenne (THUNDERSTONE). The production duties were handled by the band and Marco Hietala (NIGHTWISH) for vocals. The mixing was taken care of by Karmila (who previously worked with the group on their "Am Universum" CD) at Finnvox in Helsinki.

Extreme metal titans VITAL REMAINS have returned with a vicious new slab of blasphemy that promises to strike fear in the heart of the masses. The much-anticipated new album, "Icons of Evil", was produced by the renowned Erik Rutan (CANNIBAL CORPSE, GOATWHORE) and is set for an April 3 release. This offering marks the group's second recording with Glen Benton (DEICIDE) on vocals. Founder Tony Lazaro (guitars) wrote the entire album and handled bass duties for its recording, while Dave Suzuki once again tracked all the drums and lead guitar parts.

"Icons of Evil" track listing (cover)

01. Where Is Your God Now
02. Icons of Evil
03. Scorned
04. Born To Rape The World
05. Reborn…The Upheaval of Nihility
06. Hammer Down The Nails
07. Shrapnel Embedded Flesh
08. 'Til Death
09. In Infamy
10. Disciples of Hell

Lazaro further describes the new effort: "A big thanks to Erik Rutan, who really worked us to near death in order to get us to deliver our best performances, which we think we did, without a doubt! We thought 'Dechristianize' was a tough album to record, but this effort proved us wrong. This album, hands down, sets the bar for death metal. We think our fans will soon agree without question that this is our 'Reign In Blood'."

Drawing from classic '80s metal bands such as VENOM, BATHORY, MERCYFUL FATE, MORBID ANGEL, DEICIDE and SLAYER, VITAL REMAINS based their survival through a DIY underground approach that earned them a rabid legion of fans. However, after four full-length releases the group's biggest break would come in 2003 as they signed to Century Media and released the genre-defying epic "Dechristianize". It was hailed by critics and fans alike as one of extreme metal's most accomplished and ambitious works yet that ever garnered mainstream acclaim. The album quickly elevated the band into the death metal elite and was supported by four full U.S. tours, further solidifying their status as one of the genre's hardest-working acts.

VITAL REMAINS continues to bring to the table nothing less than barbaric war metal the way it was meant to be: fast, brutal and tasteful. The world of extreme metal is not ready for the savageness that is about to be unleashed upon it.

U.K. doom metallers MY DYING BRIDE have issued the following update:

"MY DYING BRIDE is sorry to have to say that on January 5, 2007 bassist Adrian Jackson left the band. He has pledged his future in America and has made it quite clear there is no room in his plans for MY DYING BRIDE. We have parted in good faith and wish him luck with his new life out there. It has absolutely no effect on any of the gigs we have confirmed. We have already rehearsed his replacement to gig readiness and she is looking forward to playing for the first time in MY DYING BRIDE. More on his replacement, Lena, soon.

"Secondly we have had to replace long term stand in drummer / thunder truck / Uberlunatic John Bennet due to his work commitments. He is saddened by the fact he cannot drum for MY DYING BRIDE anymore as are we, but we understand that we all have to make a living and wish him luck too in his job.

"It's not all doom and gloom though as we have been rehearsing with excellent drummer Dan Mullins of THINE, BAL-SAGOTH and SERMON OF HYPOCRISY fame and again he too is now at gig readiness. MDB has a new fresh focused feel to it and we are looking forward to the shows with a vengeance."

Season of Mist has announced the signing of Italian female-fronted band CADAVERIA.

Commented the group: "After spending the last year in composing our new songs and in producing CADAVERIA's third full-length album, we are glad and proud to announce the recent agreement with Season of Mist. We are extremely satisfied by the new tracks and very excited for this [collabroation] that will assure the promotion this album deserves. CADAVERIA want to thank Michael/Season of Mist for this opportunity and all fans for their patience and never-ending support. Three years passed since the 'Far Away From Conformity' album, but it is worth the wait: this album is with no doubt the best one we have released so far and it will be 'In Your Blood' (as the title says) for the rest of your days."