Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers EPICA have recruited Koen Herfst as a session drummer for their upcoming shows. "Koen is the drummer of Dutch urban metal band BAGGA BOWNZ, but is also known for his helping hand by filling in for Andre with AFTER FOREVER when they were in need of a session drummer," EPICA writes on its web site.

EPICA will embark on a North American headlining tour in September. Support at the shows will come from the Austrian/American "epic metal" band VISIONS OF ATLANTIS.

EPICA is currently recording its new album at Gate Studios in Wolfsburg, Germany. The CD, which is being produced by Sascha Paeth, will feature a session appearance by GOD DETHRONED drummer Ariën van Weesenbeek. EPICA has yet to name a full-time drummer following the departure of Jeroen Simons in 2006.

Simone will make her appearance on the upcoming album of the German metal band Primal Fear.

As written on the Primal fear website:
"Simone Simons of EPICA joined us for some sensational vocal work and for the first time in PRIMAL FEAR's career a vocal duet with a female singer. We are very pround about the final version of 'Every Time It Rains', which has a different vibe for PRIMAL FEAR and our fans"

EPICA's previously announced live DVD, which was filmed on May 4, 2006 at Paradiso in Amsterdam, Holland, has been delayed until later this year, according to a posting on the group's official web site. The band's latest album, "Consign to Oblivion", was recorded in early 2005 and features a guest contribution from KAMELOT vocalist Roy Khan.

Polish extreme metal titans BEHEMOTH are currently wrapping up the tenuous recording process for "The Apostasy", their most ambitious and epic offering yet. The new effort is being recorded in the band's hometown of Gdansk with Nergal (vocals, guitars) and longtime sound engineer Malta in the producers' chairs and is set for a late July release.

Nergal checks in with the following news: "We are almost done recording all of the guitar tracks. It is taking us much longer than we had originally expected but 'The Apostasy' is technically the most demanding of all BEHEMOTH albums thus far. We are extremely proud of what we've recorded and the sound is just devastating. This time I decided to use three different amps and record two guitars on each side. This way we make the guitar tone meatier and it also provides something more unique sound wise. Seth (guitars) and I are starting to record our lead parts now while Orion lays down his final bass tracks. I am so excited right now, but at the same time I have never been so stressed in my life. This album is my life now.

"Last week we had a special guest on the song 'Inner Sanctum'. This is the most creepy and evil sounding tune on 'The Apostasy' so far. However, I'm not going to reveal the name of the guest musician just yet because I do not want to ruin the surprise. All of the tracks should be completed over the next two weeks. After that I fly out to Uppsala, Sweden to being the mixing process with the acclaimed Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, DARK FUNERAL, IN FLAMES) at Dug-Out Studios. We had long discussions about the direction of the record and we definitely seem to be on the same page. I can't wait till we start working on that."

Industrial goth enigma MORTIIS is set to release a remix album, titled "Some Kind of Heroin", reworking material from "The Grudge", on April 16 via Earache Records.

For much of MORTIIS' career, the striking visual aspect combined with his rapid musical evolution has become a subject of much urban legend over the years. And yet over a series of progressively more ambitious albums, MORTIIS has morphed into a band unit that has become known for aggressive live shows and ambitious records, and has spawned two Top 50 U.K. singles.

In keeping with the rapidly developing nature of the music and the direction of the band, "Some Kind of Heroin" offers diverse remix material including interpretations by a wide range of contemporaries, such as ZOMBIE GIRL, GOTHMINISTER, IMPLANT, XP8, MENTAL SIEGE, PIG, THE KOVENANT, VELVET ACID CHRIST, GIRLS UNDER GLASS, DAVID WALLACE, KUBRICK, FUNKER VOGT, FLESH FIELD, DOPE STARS and IN THE NURSERY.

Mortiis states: "I'm really stoked we finally got to do a remix album and since it's been in process for quite some time now I'm happy to be able to finally release it.
I've always been fascinated with taking songs and twisting them into something different, the ability to grab the elements you like and put them into a totally different environment. The flexibility of that really appeals to me.

"I think the mixes all those guys did came out really cool, many of them vastly different from what would have come out of the studio if I had done them. It's cool to see what happens when you let other people inside your head, so to speak. I think the variety of mixers and sonic realms created here will appeal to a large variety of people."

Track listing for "Some Kind of Heroin" is as follows:
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01. Underdog (Zombie Girl Remix)
02. The Grudge (Gothminister mix)
03. Twist The Knife (The Gibbering mix by Implant)
04. Broken Skin feat. Stephan Groth (Septic Wound mix by XP8)
05. The Grudge (Mental Siege Mix)
06. Gibber (PIG Remix)
07. Way too Wicked (Rape, Dope and the American Way mix by The Kovenant)
08. Gibber (Lysergic Club Mix by Velvet Acid Christ)
09. The Worst in Me (Girls Under Glass Mix)
10. The Grudge (David Wallace Remix)
11. Broken Skin feat. Stephan Groth (Funker Vogt Remix)
12. The Grudge (Emotional Heresy by Kubrick)
13. Decadent & Desperate (Therafuck remix by Dope Stars)
14. Gibber (Gibbering Idiot)
15. Way too Wicked (Absinthium mix)
16. The Worst in Me (Extraction mix by In the Nursery)

KOTIPELTO, the band led by STRATOVARIUS singer Timo Kotipelto, will release its third album, "Serenity", on April 20 in Europe via AFM Records. The CD was recorded at Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki, Finland and was mixed by Mikko Karmila. The album's first single, "Sleep Well", entered the Finnish chart at No. 5. A video for the song has been posted online at YouTube.com. The track is also included in the new Finnish movie "Vares 2", which had its premiere on January 12. "The song is a main theme and can be heard when the credits are scrolling at the end of the movie," said Kotipelto. "The music video include[s] clips from the movie. Some of the actors who are playing the characters on these clips are my personal friends and are very well known in Finland."

"Serenity" (view cover artwork at this location) track listing:

01. Once upon a Time
02. Sleep Well
03. Serenity
04. City of Mysteries
05. King Anti-Midas
06. Angels Will Cry
07. After the Rain
08. Mr. Know-It-All
09. Dreams and Reality
10. Last Defender

The new THE 69 EYES album, "Angels", is available for streaming in its entirety at the band's MySpace. Due in Finland on March 5 via Virgin/EMI, the CD was produced by Hiili Hiilesmaa and Johnny Lee Michaels — the same team that was responsible for 2004's "Devils". The video for the album's first single, "Perfect Skin", was directed by Ralf Strathmann and was filmed in Hollywood in mid-October 2006. You can watch the clip here. The additional tracks on the single are live versions of "Devils", "Christina Death" and "I Just Want to Have Something to Do" (originally by THE RAMONES) recorded at Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood in March 2006.

Norwegian symphonic metal band TRISTANIA has issued the following update:

"TRISTANIA is sorry to announce that Vibeke [Stene, vocals] has decided to leave the band due to personal reasons. The band regrets this fact, but respect her decision and wish her all the best in the future.

"TRISTANIA is now looking to find a new female singer, as they are anxious to start touring and promoting the new album." Please send demos, along with a recent photograph, to:

Tristania
Askeladdveien 12
N-4019 Stavanger
Norway

"They sold 13.000 tickets within 7 days, and after the last concert in Leipzig, the Deine Lakaien and Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt project is happy to announce that the orchestra tour was a huge success!


Every tour event the audience celebrated the band with thunderous applause and multiple standing ovations for perfect interplay between musicians and the outstanding musical performance.


The entire media reported enthusiastic and positive about the tour. For their 20th anniversary Deine Lakaien celebrate their biggest success. This does not mean that they will rest on their laurels, but they are already working on the creation and production of the "20 Years of Electronic Avantgarde"-DVD as well as CD. Expected release date: 08. June 2007.

Swedish thrashers CARNAL FORGE have finalized the track listing for their sixth album, "Testify for My Victims", due in May via Candlelight Records. The follow-up to 2004's "Aren't You Dead Yet?" was recorded, mixed and mastered over a four-and-a-half-month period and was produced by CARNAL FORGE.

"Testify for My Victims" track listing:

01. Testify For My Victims
02. Burning Eden
03. Numb (The Dead)
04. Godsend Gods End
05. End Game
06. Questions Pertaining The Ownership Of My Mind
07. Freedom By Mutilation
08. Subhuman
09. No Longer Bleeding
10. Biological Waste Matter
11. Lost Legion
12. Ante Mori

"Testify For My Victims" was mixed at Black Lounge Studios. Two videos have already been filmed for the album tracks "Numb" and "Burning Eden", both directed by Owe Lingvall (Village Road Film).

IN FLAMES' webmaster has issued the following update:

"A couple of days ago Björn [Gelotte, guitar] called me and said that IN FLAMES are in the studio and recording three new demo songs. The plan is to do the whole pre-production on their own. Yesterday Daniel [Svensson] finalized the last song on the drums and right now Björn and Jesper [Strömblad] are recording the guitars.

"There is big excitement in the band right now. They are back in their own studio (IF studios) for the pre production and eventually recording the next record. Next, the festival in Dubai, witch is unbroken territory for IN FLAMES. Then get back on the road to do the Norway/Sweden tour."

According to an online posting by NILE drummer George Kollias, the band will enter the studio tomorrow (Monday, February 26) to begin recording the follow-up to 2005's "Annihilation of the Wicked", due later in the year via Nuclear Blast Records.

Said Kollias: "There is a lot of work to be done. The new songs sound REALLY great and tight. I can't wait to record!"

NILE's last album, "Annihilation of the Wicked" album, was released in May 2005 via Relapse Records. A video for the album track "Sacrifice Unto Sebek" was shot on location in Atlanta, GA by director Chad Rullman (MASTODON's "March of the Fire Ants", THE AGONY SCENE) for Supercollider Films.

NILE will embark on a headlining tour of Australia in May. Support at the shows will come from Polish technical death metal sensations DECAPITATED.

Swedish melodic death metal pioneers DARK TRANQUILLITY triumphantly return with "Fiction" in April 2007, a scorching effort that will undoubtedly add an exhilarating new chapter to the genre's storied history. The album 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. The blueprint of melodic death metal is now at your fingertips.

Niklas Sundin (guitars) further describes his thoughts on the new album: "Tue Madsen did a fantastic job with the sound, and the result is diverse and exciting enough to satisfy even the most critical of listeners. The 10 songs are extremely varied and showcase all facets of the D.T. experience while breaking new ground as well as reviving some elements that haven't been featured in D.T. songs since the early years. At the moment, we're putting the finishing touches to the packaging as well as preparing for the recording of the 'Focus Shift' and 'Misery's Crown' promo videos. Directing is once again Roger Johansson, who worked with us on the videos for 'Character'."

DARK TRANQUILLITY holds the esteemed distinction as being one of the bands responsible for founding an entirely new genre of death metal in the early '90s, which came to be known as "the Gothenburg sound." Their previous album, "Character", was hailed by critics and fans alike as the group's most savage and dynamic offering yet. They have solidified their fanbase through numerous tours alongside the likes of such genre titans as KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, KREATOR, IN FLAMES, OPETH and SOILWORK, among others.

In late March 2007, DARK TRANQUILLITY kick off the touring cycle for "Fiction" with a massive co-headlining U.S. run with THE HAUNTED and INTO ETERNITY followed by European summer festivals and a full length tour in autumn, revitalizing the genre they helped to create and further cementing their status as one of the scene's most influential metal bands.

"Fiction" track listing:

01. Nothing To No One
02. The Lesser Faith
03. Terminus (Where Death Is Most Alive)
04. Blind At Heart
05. Icipher
06. Inside The Particle Storm
07. Empty Me
08. Misery´s Crown
09. Focus Shift
10. The Mundane And The Magic
11. A Closer End (Japan bonus track)
12. Winter Triangle (instrumental) (Australia bonus track)

The limited album version will include a bonus DVD with live songs, behind-the-scenes footage, last album's "The New Build" promo video and the brand-new "Focus Shift" clip.

Cover artwork was once again created by the band's guitarist Niklas Sundin.

Release dates:

North America: Tuesday, April 17
Sweden: Wednesday, April 18
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, Italy: Friday, April 20
U.K., France, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Rest Of Europe: Monday, April 23
Finland, Hungary: Wednesday, April 25
Australia, Japan, Rest Of World: To be confirmed

Danish power metallers MANTICORA have released a list of the guest musicians who appear on the group's sixth full-length album, "The Black Circus, Part 2". The companion CD to last year's "The Black Circus, Part 1 – Letters" was mixed at the Jailhouse studios in Horsens, Denmark between January 25, 2007 and February 1 with producer Tommy Hansen (HELLOWEEN, TNT, PRETTY MAIDS, FATE). A May/June release via Locomotive Music is expected.

According to a posting on MANTICORA's web site, the following guest musicians appear on the CD:

* Jacob Hansen (INVOCATOR, ANUBIS GATE) on vocals
* Teddy Möller (LOCH VOSTOK, WUTHERING HEIGHTS) on growls
* Finn Zierler (BEYOND TWILIGHT) doing a keyboard solo
* Andreas Lindahl (WUTHERING HEIGHTS, ex-PLATITUDE) doing some keyboard leads and solos

As previously reported, MANTICORA recently recorded a cover of TANKARD's "Total Addiction" ("a real thrash metal classic!!!" according to the band) for a TANKARD tribute album, to be released later in the year by AFM Records.

The two-album "The Black Circus" concept project tells the story of the horrific perils of a traveling circus in the 19th century.

Norwegian black metallers SATYRICON have issued the following update:

"As many of you already know, we are confirmed to perform at Germany's With Full Force and Battle of Metal [festivals] plus Brutal Assault in the Chech Republic. The actual day we are playing has not been set in stone yet at any of these festivals yet, but the time period of each festival is listed here.

"2007 is a year of songwriting and hopefully also recording, but we will make a few appearances here and there throughout the year. There will be a couple more festivals in the summer as well."

QUEENSRŸCHE has posted the cover artwork for its upcoming live DVD, "Mindcrime at the Moore", at this location.

The "Mindcrime at the Moore" DVD and accompanying live album was recorded at The Moore Theatre in the band's hometown of Seattle, WA on October 13-15, 2006. More information will be made available soon.

Showcasing the 1988 masterpiece "Operation: Mindcrime" and the 2006 sequel "Operation: Mindcrime II" in their entirety, Geoff Tate and company took fans on a three-hour journey of rock, revenge, and redemption. Joined onstage by a cast of characters, including Pamela Moore as Sister Mary, QUEENSRŸCHE presented a multi-dimensional experience of all that is "Mindcrime", including the answer to "Who Killed Mary?"

Finnish extreme metallers IMPALED NAZARENE have issued the following update:

"'Latex Cult' (1996) and 'Rapture' (1998) albums have (finally) been remastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox studio. Needless to say, sound quality improved 666% to say the least. Ritual, our house artist, has already worked on cover for 'Rapture' and soon we will do 'Latex Cult' cover with him as well. All covers and layouts etc. will be brand new. We also added some bonus shit on both albums:

"'Latex Cult' has four live tracks ('Total War - Winter War', 'Soul Rape', 'Punishment Is Absolute' and 'Mortification/Blood Red Razor Blade'), recorded at La Laiterie club in Strasbourg in 1996.

"'Rapture' has LP version bonus tracks (cover of SODOM's 'Burst Command 'Til War' and 'Nuclear Metal Retaliation') plus eight live tracks ('Transvestite' [TERVEET KÄDET cover], 'Motorpenis', 'Bashing In Heads', 'I Eat Pussy For Breakfast', 'Whore', 'Violence I Crave', 'Goat Perversion' and 'Hoath: Darbs Lucifero') taken from Strasbourg show as well.

"Two of our albums, 'Nihil' and 'Latex Cult', have been taken under inspection by German government. They have a group called BPjM which, apparently, controls media and entertaiment industries. We got last October bunch of papers in German which stated that both our albums are under their review for being 'harmful to minors' or similar bunch of shit. We did send back our side of story and we were supposed to get verdict in two weeks after that. Instead, they keep sending same papers to us. Go fucking figure.

"We were told by various sources that this witch-hunt against us was initiated by Antifa movement and Mrs. Christa Jenkal. And that was a clever move from the person who originally initiated this whole mess. We have been misled from the start.

"We did some research of our own. Spoke to countless people. And got very interesting info.

"Should have figured it out earlier. Better late than never. We can 'thank' a certain journalist from a well-known magazine for all this crap. Everybody knows we have been on his shitlist since 1998. Now we know...

"Moving on to more positive things. We have started writing our 10th studio album titled 'Manifest'. Things are running smoothly, we have around 6-8 songs finished and more keep on coming. It will be brutal, fast, in-your-face material. We shall keep on bashing in heads! We will post more info about 'Manifest' soon.

"Last but least, we will release double 10" EP versions of 'Tol Cormpt Norz Norz Norz' and 'Ugra-Karma' later this year. Both will be limited to 300 copies only and will contain rare live material. From 1991 to 1995. All from our personal tapes. Exact track lists will be available soon."

IMPALED NAZARENE's ninth studio album, "Pro Patria Finlandia" entered the national album chart in Finland at position No. 38 back in March 2006. The CD was issued in North America on April 18 via The End Records.

"Pro Patria Finlandia" was recorded and mixed at Sonic Pump studio with producer Tapio Pennanen and was mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox studios. Cover artwork was handled by Ritual. The group had previously described the new material as "fast, brutal as fuck, in-your-face IMPALED NAZARENE."

Finnish funeral doom band COLOSSEUM, featuring Juhani of YEARNING (harsh vocals, guitars, synths), Olli Haaranen (guitars, production), Janne Rämö (bass) and Sameli Köykkä (drums), has signed a deal with Firebox Records. The band will enter the studio in April to begin recording its debut album for a late 2007 release.

According to a press release, COLOSSEUM "continues the Finnish tradition of THERGOTHON, UNHOLY, SKEPTICISM, SHAPE OF DESPAIR etc., adding more symphonic touch and dark ambience. Infinite slowness and hypnotic walls of sound."

Check out three complete COLOSSEUM demo songs — "Saturnine Vastness", "Gate of Adar" and "Aesthetics of the Grotesque" — on the band's web site

Long-running New York death metallers IMMOLATION have uploaded a new track, entitled "World Agony", to their MySpace page. The song comes off the group's upcoming full-length album, "Shadows in the Light", due in April through Century Media and Listenable Records in the U.S. and Europe respectively.

"Shadows in the Light" track listing:

01. Hate's Plague
02. Passion Kill
03. World Agony
04. Tarnished
05. The Weight of Devotion
06. Breathing the Dark
07. Deliverer of Evil
08. Shadows in the Light
09. Lying with Demons
10. Whispering Death

According to a press release, "Shadows in the Light" is "aggressive, emotional and haunting. A powerful album that delivers all of IMMOLATION's attributes! Catchy as hell, very direct and to the point, the album devastates on all levels, from blasting madness and militant charges to sorrow-filled doom and depression. It is a very complete record with soulful solos, thunderous raging drums and vocals that lash right out at you!"

SAVAGE CIRCUS, the German/Swedish band featuring former BLIND GUARDIAN drummer Thomen Stauch and PERSUADER members Jens Karlsson (vocals, guitar) and Emil Norberg (lead guitar), will release a DVD, entitled "Live in Atlanta", on February 26 through Dockyard 1. The live footage was filmed last year at the ProgPower USA VII festival in Atlanta, GA and features the following track listing:

01. Tomorrowland
02. Evil Eyes
03. Waltz Of The Demon
04. IT - The Gathering
05. Between The Devil And The Seas
06. Beyond Reality
07. Ghost Story
08. When Hell Awakes
09. Born Again by The Night
10. Ca Plane Pour Moi

The DVD also features the "Evil Eyes" video clip and a 10-minute road movie, entitled "Savage Circus at Stone Mountain".

Check out the cover artwork at this location

GAMMA RAY, HATEBREED, DARK FUNERAL, SINISTER and FLESHGORE have been confirmed for Ukraine's Extreme Power Festival, set to take place April 15 at Kiew Sport Palace in Kiev, Ukraine. The running order is as follows:

16.00 - 16.40 FLESHGORE
17.00 - 18.00 SINISTER
18.30 - 19.30 DARK FUNERAL
20.00 - 21.00 HATEBREED
21.30 - 23.00 GAMMA RAY

Finnish melodic metallers STRATOVARIUS have issued the following update:

"In two days we are entering Sonic Pump Studios [in Helsinki] to record our 12th album. Jörg [Michael, drums] is flying in tomorrow [Saturday, Feb. 24]. We are keeping you updated with blogs and podcasts and we try to set up the webcam for you by Tuesday so you can see us actually playing in the studio. Blogs and podcasts you will find at www.stratovarius.com.

"We don´t know when this album 'R....... R' [two-word title, with both words beginning with the letter 'R'] will come out at this point, but sure thing is that not this year. Of course we will let you know when we know anything concrete. In the meantime, [Timo Kotipelto, vocals] and [Timo Tolkki, guitar] will be quite busy so you won't get bored."