Guitarist Tony Lazaro of VITAL REMAINS has issued the following update:

"So our tour with the Swedes... DISMEMBER and GRAVE came to an end. We had a killer time out there and want to thank all the bands we shared the stage with... DISMEMBER, GRAVE, DEMIRICOUS and WITHERED. Thanks to all the metal fans that came out in support!! It was great to go out on one more tour before we lock ourselves up in the practice space and finish witting the album.

"St. Pete's [St. Petersburg, Florida] was a great stop. Got to hang out with Trey from MORBID ANGEL. Thanks for coming out to the show and hanging out all night at the Hard Rock Cafe Casino drinking until the sun came up. And then realizing I had to drive with no sleep, aaahhh the road, you got love it! Hahaha. Also Erik Rutan [HATE ETERNAL, MORBID ANGEL] came to pick Dave and I up to visit his studio Mana Recording. This place is so nice and the board and gear they have is awesome! We can't wait to record this album down there, it's going to be sick! With Rutan, Benton, Suzuki and me locked in a studio for a month there's not enough holy water to wash away the mess we are going to make! Christ better be wearing depends..."

VITAL REMAINS this past spring re-released its "Horrors of Hell" compilation which contains the band's early demo recordings.

Former NIGHTWISH vocalist Tarja Turunen has launched a "micro-site" containing details of her upcoming Christmas album, "Henkäys Ikuisuudesta" (Breath from Heaven), at this location.

"Henkäys Ikuisuudesta", which includes selections from JOHN LENNON and ABBA, will arrive on November 8. A single, entitled "You Would Have Loved This", was released on October 25.

"You Would Have Loved This" was written by Cori Connors who has also composed for the legendary Linda Ronstadt. The single contains two songs: "You Would Have Loved This" and "Walking in the Air" by Howard Blake. These versions are only available on this single as the album versions of "You Would Have Loved This" and "Walking in the Air" are different.

Commented Tarja: "I found the song 'You Would Have Loved This' from America. The story in the lyrics fits perfectly in this album. It's about the loss of a dear one. With this in mind we did an even more intimate version for album than for the single. It has very touching and beautiful melody."

ABIGOR's "Orkblut - The Retaliation" mini-CD, which was originally issued in 1994 via Napalm Records, will be released on vinyl and as a limited-edition picture disc in early November through France's Chaos Sacrum Records. The vinyl is currently being pressed so it won't take much longer until it is available. Pre-orders are currently accepted at this page. The details are as follows:

* 400 copies in black heavy vinyl / 12 EUR
* 100 copies in white heavy vinyl with black splatters /14 EUR
* 250 copies in picture vinyl / 15 EUR
+ applicable postage

As Versailles Records wraps production on its forthcoming 22-song, double album "Too Fast For Love: A Millennium Tribute to Mötley Crüe", a last-minute addition, "Blue" from CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee's second solo album, "Never a Dull Moment", has been made to the track listing, with renowned Hong Kong programmer Anthony Chue doing musical production and Afton Markham on lead vocals.

Picked by Tommy himself to be on the album, "Blue" rounds out an album that includes contributions from former MÖTLEY CRÜE singer John Corabi, Vince Neil's son's group the ROCK N' ROLL JUNKIES, Grammy-winning keyboardist Randy Cantor, current and former members of LILLIAN AXE, L.A. GUNS, QUIET RIOT, BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION, WARRANT, RATT, LOVE/HATE, CINDERELLA, DIO, UNION, POISON, VINCE NEIL BAND, W.A.S.P., THE SCREAM, DAD'S PORNO MAG, and PRETTY BOY FLOYD, as well as up-and-coming rock acts/musicians PRETTY IN STEREO, AMERICAN HEARTBREAK, CRASH KELLY, Richard Kendrick, ONE BAD SON, ROBOT LORDS OF TOKYO, Jessie Seely, Chris Catena, Chris Heaven, RECKLESS FORTUNE, Corey Craven, FUEL FROM HELL, 12 YEARS COMING, and STRAIGHT JACKET SMILE. A mid-spring 2007 release is expected.

MASTODON's video for the song "Colony of Birchmen" is availble for viewing online exclusively at Mp3.com. The track comes off the group's latest album, "Blood Mountain", which came out in September via Warner Bros. Records.

MASTODON will support TOOL in Europe throughout November. The group's drummer, Bränn Dailor, told MTV.com that the band will be touring the States again in early 2007, with plans to stay on the road for much of the year.

As previously reported, a video clip of QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE frontman Josh Homme and MASTODON soundchecking at the Music Box @ Fonda in Los Angeles on Sept. 29, 2006 prior to MASTODON's headlining set at the venue has been posted online (courtesy of FPE-TV). The unpredictable metal band ran through "The Colony of Birchmen" with Homme on vocals during their show, dipping into new "Blood Mountain" material elsewhere with searing renditions of "The Wolf Is Loose", "Crystal Skull" and more, according to MTV.com. The band also burned through "March of the Fire Ants" and "Workhorse" from 2002's "Remission", as well as "I Am Ahab" and "Blood and Thunder" from 2004's "Leviathan". Guitarist Bill Kelliher wore a T-shirt promoting opening band THE BRONX's self-run label. CONVERGE also opened.

DEFTONES' new album, "Saturday Night Wrist", is available for streaming in its entirety at Myspace. An e-card for the CD, which is scheduled for release on October 31, can be accessed at this location.

As previously reported, DEFTONES' promotional video for its nw single, "Hole in the Earth", has been posted online at You Tube. The clip was shot in New York with director Brian Lazzaro (COHEED AND CAMBRIA, MEST).

The group began working on the follow-up to the group's self-titled 2003 effort with producer Dan "The Automator" Nakamura, before switching to Bob Ezrin and finally finishing with Terry Date, who's been the DEFTONES' regular producer since their debut, and Shaun Lopez (THE REVOLUTION SMILE, ex-FAR).

DEFTONES will take part in an in-store signing session at the Virgin Megastore (located at Hollywood and Highland) in Hollywood, CA on October 30 at 11:00 p.m.

THE PROJECT HATE, the Swedish band featuring Lord K. Philipson (GOD AMONG INSECTS, ex-LEUKEMIA), Jörgen Sandström (ex-ENTOMBED, GRAVE), bassist Michael Håkansson (ENGEL, ex-EVERGREY), guitarist Petter S. Freed (2 TON PREDATOR) and singer Jo Enckell (IGNORANCE BLISS), has posted the following message on its official web site:

"So, we are still working on the lyrics for the coming fifth studio album of HATE. One and a half tune is nailed lyric-wise so there's still a bunch more to do. We are getting there though.

"As we reported, some labels showed interest in us. At the moment nothing is happening as they seem to have backed out, fucked off or simply don't care anymore. One label got all pissy and screaming because of a review K [Lord K. Philipson] made of one of their bands. Tough. We were never good at kissing labels' asses anyways, so we are better without their interest if that's how they wanna deal with shit. The other two never cared to live up to their words so I guess it's safe to say that we are still far away from being signed. If things go as planned, November might have some excellent shit coming our way though, but it's too early too talk about that at the moment.

"So now we'll just work on the lyrics and the lay out for the album. We are going to take our time with this recording (actually, we might start tracking the guitars any day now at K's home studio) and make sure it's turning out the best thing we ever did, which it of course will be. What would be the point of recording a new album otherwise... In the meantime there are some clips from the demoing process available at our forums, in case you wanna hear some metal."

The follow-up to 2003's "Hate, Dominate, Congregate, Eliminate", THE PROJECT HATE's latest album, "Armageddon March Eternal (Symphonies of Slit Wrists)" was released in Europe in October 2005 via Threeman Recordings. The CD was produced by Dan Swanö.

"AC/DC Maximum Rock & Roll", the definitive AC/DC biography, is being released on October 25 in Australia by HarperCollins. Co-authored by Australia's best rock journalist Murray Engleheart and Arnaud Durieux, this massive 480-page book is the result of five years of intensive research and work and is without a doubt the most in-depth work on the band ever written. 75 exclusive interviews were conducted for this project, including AC/DC members and associates who never went on the record about the band before, and a massive research was undertaken to dig over a thousand interviews the band has given over the past 32 years. Over 100 rare photos are also included, most of them unpublished before.

Drummer Kai Hahto of WINTERSUN, the Finnish band led by former ENSIFERUM singer Jari Mäenpää, has issued the following update:

"We have to inform you that the last three shows which were in Sweden and Norway are not going to happen in the upcoming European tour. AMON AMARTH are heading straight from Europe to support CHILDREN OF BODOM in their American tour and this is the reason. We are very sorry for this but it wasn't in our hands and we hope to play some Scandinavian shows in the near future. Also the Ragnarok festival that was supposed to be in May 2007 is cancelled.

"The reason for cancelling this festival is because we have booked Sonic Pump studios to mix the new album with Nino Laurenne in May 2007. The schedule for releasing the second album, 'Time', hasn't been able to hold for many reasons and some of them has been really delaying and slowing down the recording process. And when the recording couldn't [be] finish[ed] in the schedule also the mixing had to be cancelled and re-scheduled. Jari is still working very hard to finish the album and to make the best possible second release for WINTERSUN.

"The release date is now planned to be somewhere in August 2007 but I promise that the wait will be worth it! We are very sorry for this delay! Have patience."

Songtitles set to appear on "Time" include "Sons of Winter and Stars", "Land of Snow and Sorrow", "Time", "Fire", "One with the Shadows", "Storm" and "Silver Leaves".

The band previously described the upcoming album as containing "seven epic songs and quite long ones, over 65 minutes of material. It's a theme album. The music has some new dimensions, but has also the recognizable 'WINTERSUN style.'"

Finnish metallers BURNING POINT will release their third album, entitled "Burned Down the Enemy", in Japan on December 20 via Soundholic. The Japanese CD will contain two bonus tracks. The European release through Metal Heaven Records is scheduled for January 2007; the exact date will be announced later.

As previously reported, BURNING POINT has for posted the cover artwork for "Burned Down the Enemy" (by Mattias Norén; EVERGREY, KAMELOT, KOTIPELTO) at this location.

The mixing sessions for "Burned Down the Enemy" took place at the Tonebox studio in the band's hometown of Oulu. Kari "Kakke" Vähäkuopus, who handled the mixing process for the previous albums, "Salvation by Fire" and "Feeding the Flames", once again helmed the sessions. The CD was mastered at Finnvox studios in Helsinki. Songtitles that were recorded are as follows (in no particular order):

01. Hell Awaits
02. Heart Of Gold
03. Parasite
04. From The Beginning Of It All
05. Burned Down The Enemy
06. Dawn Of The Ancient War
07. Deceiver
08. Bring Me Oblivion
09. Nocturnal Sight
10. To Hell And Back
11. Against The Madness Of Time
12. Eye For An Eye
13. My Reign, My Fire
14. Icebound

BURNING POINT is:

Pete Ahonen – Vocals, Guitars
Jari Kaiponen - Drums
Toni "Jöpe" Kansanoja - Bass
Jussi Ontero - Keyboards

Nuclear Blast Records will re-release KATAKLYSM's latest album, "In the Arms of Devastation", in North America to coincide with the extensive U.S. touring plans the band has going for 2007. The album is to be reissued in January 2007 with new packaging and will contain the "The End of Serenity: Live in Strassbourg" DVD, which was filmed during the "Serenity in Fire" campaign in France. The CD will also contain all of the band's video clips and will be limited to 5,000 copies.

As previously reported, KATAKLYSM will team up with NEAERA (Germany), FEAR MY THOUGHTS (Germany) and QUO VADIS (Canada) for the "Road to Devastation" European tour, which is scheduled to kick off in January 2007.

KATAKLYSM filmed their performance this past summer at the Party.San Open Air festival in Bad Berka, Germany for their new DVD, titled "Live In Deutschland (The Devastation Begins)". The set will feature the whole show filled with an explosive setlist, a 30-minute documentary covering the band's 15-year history and a bonus live CD. An early 2007 release via Nuclear Blast is expected.

CHIMAIRA's "Threnody", a leftover track from last year's self-titled LP, has been posted online. The song appears on the "Masters of Horror II" soundtrack, which came out today via Downtown Records.

CHIMAIRA began recording its new CD, "Resurrection", on October 2 with the production team of Jason Suecof and Andy Sneap (MACHINE HEAD, ARCH ENEMY). The group recently signed new deals with Ferret Music (North America) and Nuclear Blast (Europe) following its split with Roadrunner Records earlier in the year.

CHIMAIRA's last album, "Chimaira", was recorded at Spider Studios in Ohio with producer Ben Schigel.

Finnish symphonic power metallers EXCALION have posted the cover artwork for their new album, "Waterlines", at this location. The follow-up to 2005's "Primal Exhale" was recorded and mixed at Watercastle studio by Arttu Sarvanne and is scheduled for relase before the end of the year via Sound Riot Records.

"Waterlines" track listing:

01. Wingman
02. Life on Fire
03. Losing Time
04. Ivory Tower
05. I Failed You
06. Arriving as the Dark
07. Streams of Madness
08. Delta Sunrise
09. Between the Lines
10. Soaking Ground
11. Yövartio* (European bonus track)
12. Access Denied (Japanese bonus track)

* = Finnish version of the track "Arriving as the Dark"

The band previously stated about the new CD, "The new songs are very mature both musically and lyrically. The whole band has improved a lot since their debut album in 2005 and the vocals of Jarmo Paakkonen are more impressive than ever. The actual music is fully rich in the songwriting and playing; it isn't prog or power metal anymore; there are strong influences of Euro melodic metal and U.S. hard rock. We could say the band found their 'own sound' for now!"

Finnish melodic deathsters ENTER MY SILENCE have made both of their acclaimed album releases, "Remotecontrolled Scythe" (2001) and "Coordinate: D1SA5T3R" (Feb. 2006), available for listening in streaming audio format on their My Space Page.

According to a press release, ENTER MY SILENCE's music is "a powerful mixture of melodicism and feel of e.g. early IN FLAMES and SENTENCED, the drive and aggression of the likes of PANTERA and MACHINE HEAD, progressive elements and furious vocal work of Mika Lisitzin."

ENTER MY SILENCE is currently seeking a new label home following a split with JMT-Music, which issued "Coordinate: D1SA5T3R".

SLAYER will be issuing an "Eyes of the Insane" two-part CD single and seven-inch vinyl in Europe on November 20 via Warner. The complete details are as follows:

CD Single Part One:

01. Eyes of the Insane (album version)
02. Eyes of the Insane (live version)

CD Single Part Two (Enhanced CD):

01. Eyes of the Insane (album version)
02. Cult (live)
03. Reborn (live In New York 1986) (enhanced video)

Seven-Inch Colored Vinyl:

01. Eyes of the Insane (album version)
02. Cult (live)

SLAYER's "Christ Illusion" album, which debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard chart in August, has sold more than 125,000 copies in the United States since its Aug. 8 release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

German thrashers HOLY MOSES are currently in the studio mixing the live bonus stracks for the re-release of the "Disorder of the Order" album, tentatively due next month. The re-release will contain a new cover artwork and the following tracks:

01. Intro (1:37)
02. We are at War (4:12)
03. Disorder of the Order (4:43)
04. Break the Evil (3:13)
05. Deeper (3:37)
06. Hell on Earth (3:59)
07. I Bleed (3:17)
08. Blood Bond (3:00)
09. 1.000 Lies (3:58)
10. Princess of Hell (3:06)
11. Verfolgungswahn (4:14)
12. Heaven vs. Hell (1:51)

Bonus tracks:

01. End of Time*
02. Symbol of Spirit*
03. SSP*
04. In the Slaughterhouse*
05. Video Bonus Track: Im Wagen vor Mir (recorded live at Wacken Open Air 2005)
* Plus iPod and PDA/Cellphone versions of the video recorded live at Markthalle in Hamburg (Wacken Aftershow Party, August 6, 2006)

Acording to a posting, DEEP PURPLE's multi-track tapes for the 1974 classic album "Stormbringer" have been located. The tapes are said to be in "excellent" condition and contain, among other things, three different vocals for "Soldier of Fortune", a powerful instrumental version of "Highball Shooter" and singer David Coverdale's original backwards bit for the start of the title track. Ex-PURPLE bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes has asked to be involved in the remastered "Stormbringer" and will hopefully be able to drop into the studios at the end of his current tour to work on one or two remix ideas. A spring 2007 release is expected.

Chicago doom metal legends TROUBLE have issued the following update:

"After many unpredictable setbacks, we now have release dates for most of the TROUBLE catalog. 'Psalm 9' and 'The Skull' will be released worldwide on October 24, 2006, with added footage from those eras. The new CD, 'Simple Mind Condition', and 'Plastic Green Head' will be released on February 20, 2007, with bonus footage for 'Plastic'.

"TROUBLE will tour to support the releases starting in March of 2007. A USA tour is in the works, to be followed by two European tours slated for mid-summer and fall. A new DVD featuring many new songs will be filmed during the European tours, so be sure to come out in full force to support the band.

"The TROUBLE unplugged CD, featuring 40% new material and some of the old favorites, will be completed the summer of 2007.

"So after many obstacles concerning the business end of TROUBLE, everything is finally in order (thanks to Escapi Music) once again, and you can expect that TROUBLE will continue to write, record, and tour for many, many more years."

The follow-up to 1995's "Plastic Green Head", "Simple Mind Condition" was produced by Vinny Wojno (KREATOR, MACHINE HEAD) and features vocalist Eric Wagner, guitarists Rick Wartell and Bruce Franklin, drummer Jeff Olson and bassist Chuck Robinson (formerly of THIS TORTURED SOUL).

"Simple Mind Condition" tentative track listing (in no particular order):

01. Seven
02. Mind Bender
03. Goin' Home
04. Pictures
05. After the Rain
06. Arthur Brown's Whiskey Bar
07. Trouble Maker
08. Bad Situation
09. Beginning of Sorrows
10. Reasons
11. Ride the Sky (European bonus track?)

The U.S. version of the album may include an as-yet-undetermined bonus cut.

TROUBLE's previously announced "unplugged" EP is currently "on hold" and will be completed at a later date.

Escapi Music will reissue TROUBLE's classic first two albums, "Psalm 9" (1984) and "The Skull" (1985), on October 24. Both were digitally remastered and are packed with rare photos and brand new liner notes. "Psalm 9" includes an extremely rare exclusive bonus DVD of a public-access TV performance from 1982. "The Skull" comes with an extremely rare exclusive bonus DVD of a 16-track live performance from 1984. The details are as follows:

"Psalm 9"

01. The Tempter
02. Assassin
03. Victim of the Insane
04. Revelation (Life or Death)
05. Bastards Will Pay
06. Fall of Lucifer
07. Endtime
08. Psalm 9
09. Tales of Brave Ulysses

Bonus DVD:

* Public-Access Cable TV Show From 1982 (approximately 19 minutes)
- Exclusive Interview Pt. 1
- "Assassin"
- Exclusive Interview Pt. 2
- "Psalm 9"
- Exclusive Interview Pt. 3
- "Victim of the Insane"

"The Skull"

01. Pray for the Dead
02. Fear No Evil
03. The Wish
04. Truth Is, What Is
05. Wickedness of Man
06. Gideon
07. The Skull

Bonus DVD:

Live At Malos in Aurora, IL – Nov. 10, 1984:

01. Bastards Will Pay
02. Fear No Evil
03. Truth Is, What Is
04. Revelation (Life or Death)
05. Psalm 9
06. The Last Judgment
07. Assassin
08. Pray for the Dead
09. Heart Full of Soul (YARDBIRDS cover)
10. Endtime
11. Run to the Light
12. The Tempter
13. Wickedness of Man
14. The Skull
15. Children of the Grave (BLACK SABBATH cover)
16. Tales of Brave Ulysses

FAITH AND FIRE, the new band featuring RIOT guitarist Mike Flyntz and ex-RIOT frontman Tony Moore, has released its long-awaited debut album, entitled "Accelerator".

"Although we are now negotiating licencing deals, the CD is available on CDbaby.com and iTunes," says Flyntz. "These can be accessed through our website

In existence since the winter of 2002, FAITH AND FIRE has "assembled a collection of remarkable songs," according to the band's official bio. "The combined songwriting skills of Moore, Flyntz and [Danny] Miranda [bass] have yielded material that is technically impressive, emotionally evocative and intellectually provocative. They also rock like nobody's business."

"Accelerator" track listing:

01. Ready
02. Villanelle
03. Everything
04. Radio Superstar
05. Breathe
06. Faith And Fire
07. Fallen
08. Ashes
09. Avenue Z
10. Accelerator
11. Angel
12. America

FAITH AND FIRE is:

Mike Flyntz (RIOT) - Guitar
Tony Moore (ex-RIOT) - Vocals
Danny Miranda (BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, QUEEN & PAUL RODGERS) - Bass
John Miceli (MEAT LOAF) - Drums

Due to "production issues," the North American release date for KAMELOT's first-ever DVD and double live CD, entitled "One Cold Winter's Night", has been moved from October 24 to November 21.

"One Cold Winter's Night" was recorded on February 11, 2006 at the historic Rockefeller Musichall in Oslo, Norway. KAMELOT enlisted renowned film and video director Patric Ullaeus (DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, IN FLAMES) to chronicle the night's events. Bringing with him from Gothenberg, Sweden, Patric had a large crew of professionals and equipment, including 18 cameras, that would be used in and around the concert grounds.

The title for the band's first DVD to date (based on an earlier KAMELOT song title) was chosen long before the actual shoot. Ironically this winter turned out to be one of the longest and coldest in the country's history, with enormous amounts of snow and numerous chaos-causing blizzards.

KISS is releasing the first Installment of the definitive KISS live DVD collection this Halloween (October 31, 2006). "Kissology: Volume One 1974-1977" is a monumental six-hour, two-DVD box set featuring vintage material going all the way back to the deep early roots of the band's classic lineup — Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss — captured and re-mastered on two state-of-the-art DVDs featuring more than 70 live performances and four full concerts bundled along with unreleased tracks and never-before-seen footage. The mind-boggling first volume of a definitive three part collection (volumes two and three are being readied for release in 2007) presented by VH1 Classic, "Kissology: Volume One 1974-1977" is a showcase of pristine digitally-restored video coupled with a 5.1 audio mix to provide both stunning visual quality and powerhouse finely-detailed sound designed to meet the approval of the most demanding KISSmaniac.

"Kissology: Volume One 1974-1977" goes all the way back one of the band's earliest live performances in the New York pre-punk glam rock bar scene of the early 1970s before tracing the rocket-paced transformation of KISS into international rock gods who filled the world's largest arenas as the undisputed hottest band in the land by 1977.

"Detroit Rock City" live concert footage:

Quicktime
Windows Media

"Rock & Roll All Night" live concert footage:

Quicktime
Windows Media

As previously reported, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons will spend Halloween night (Oct. 31) in New York City at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square signing copies of "Kissology: Volume One 1974-1977". The autograph session begins at 11 p.m., but only those who buy a copy of "Kissology" at the Times Square location that day will get a wristband allowing them into the meet-and-greet.

KISS will be seen on the big screen on October 26, when their performance at Cobo Hall in Detroit on January 26, 1976, is shown nationwide as part of the "One Night Only" concert series. For a theater near you and to order tickets, go to bigscreenconcerts.com.

Finnish melodic death/thrash metallers MORS PRINCIPIUM EST will master their third album, "Liberation = Termination", on November 9 at Imperial Mastering in Concord, California. The follow-up to "The Unborn" was recorded at Astia Studio in Finland. An early 2007 release via Listenable Records is expected.

MORS PRINCIPIUM EST's debut album, "Inhumanity", was reissued in February through Listenable with completely new artwork and with three bonus songs. The band's most recent CD, "The Unborn" was recorded at Tico Tico studio (SONATA ARCTICA, SENTENCED, FOR MY PAIN…, ALTARIA) in Kemi, Finland. The album cover was designed by Mattias Norèn.

Swedish multi-instrumentalist Snowy Shaw (MERCYFUL FATE, KING DIAMOND, DREAM EVIL) has been named the new singer in THERION. The group's new album, "Gothic Kabbalah", was recorded and mixed in Stockholm by Stefan Glaumann (RAMMSTEIN, EVERGREY, EUROPE) will be released in January 2007 via Nuclear Blast Records. Snowy shares the vocal duties with Mats Levén (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, KRUX, AT VANCE) and two female singers. A full-blown European tour with GRAVE DIGGER and SABATON kicks off mid-January.

In other news, Snowy recently did session vocals on the debut album from Swedish doomsters ADONIZE VITA. Snowy has also joined forces with friends Kriss Göbel (FALCONER, DESTINY) and Michael Åberg (NOSTRADAMEUS) in cover band METAL FÜR ALLE, performing gigs locally in the Gothenburg area covering the four decades of metal.

Shaw recently recorded produced three new songs for Swedish glam/sleaze act LOUD'N'NASTY, and he also played session drums on the recording. The band will play some Swedish dates (Gothenburg, Kalmar and a planned Glam XXX-mas in Stockholm) in December — their first with Snowy behind the kit.

Also on the Shaw front, Snowy worked with Patric Ullaeus (LACUNA COIL, WITHIN TEMPTATION, IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR) and Revolver Film Company on the video for "I Was Made For Loving You" from MINI ROCKERZ (a.k.a. MINIKISS), a tribute band featuring little people (from 3-foot-11 to 4-foot-4 in height) covering KISS songs in full make-up while playing fake wooden guitars.

VIOLENT STORM, the new band formed by ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN/BLACKMORE'S NIGHT bassist Mick Cervino, has posted the song "War No More", featuring K.K. Downing of JUDAS PRIEST on lead guitar, at here. The track comes off the group's new album, "Storm Warning", which was released yesterday (Oct. 23) in Europe. The CD, which was released in Japan in June, was produced by K.K. Downing (his first production credit outside of JUDAS PRIEST), and features guest appearances by Downing, Yngwie Malmsteen and Roy Z (HALFORD, BRUCE DICKINSON).

"Storm Warning" track listing:

01. War No More
02. Fire In The Unknown
03. Deceiver
04. Pain
05. Alimentary Fable
06. Screaming In Your Face
07. You Don't Care
08. Owning You
09. Empty Hope
10. Storm
11. Maybe Next Life (Japanese bonus track)

Lineup:

Mick Cervino – Bass, Guitar, Backing Vocals
Matt Reardon – Vocals
Dean Sterberg – Lead Guitar (Track #7)
Mike Sorrentino (Drums) (Tracks #1, #3, #7)

Special Guest Musicians:

K.K. Downing - Lead Guitar on Tracks #1, #3
Yngwie J. Malmsteen – Lead Guitar on Tracks #2, #4
Roy Z - Guitar on Track #2, #6

A brand new NEGURA BUNGET track, entitled "Tesarul de Lumini (The Light Maker)", has been posted online at the Metalhead.ro web site at this location. The song comes off the group's new album, entitled "OM" (Human), which is scheduled for release on November 3 via Code666 Records. The complete artwork for "OM" has been posted online at this location.

"OM" is said to be a "concept album dealing with purification, part of a ritual to transform the listener into an evolved individual," according to a press release. The CD will be made available in a very special limited edition — a deluxe eight-panel double digipack, including the standard audio CD and a bonus DVD disc with a music video, in-depth interview with the band, live footage, and special unreleased exclusive material.

Hailing from Transylvania (Romania), NEGURA BUNGET is one of the most respected underground black metal bands in the world. The group will launch the new album with a live appearance on October 27 at the Old School Club in Bucharest, Romania. They will perform a two-hour show featuring new and old songs.

U.K. gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST will soon enter the studio with producer Rhys Fulber and mixer Mike Fraser to begin recording their as-yet-untitled eleventh album. The band will embark on a U.K. tour with OPETH in November. After the live dates, the group is planning to record their new album in Bradford, Lincolnshire and Canada in late November/December with a release tentatively scheduled for spring 2007. There are also rumors that a limited-edition version of this album will include four cover tracks as a bonus.

In other news, the documentary about PARADISE LOST's influence on gothic metal, entitled "Over the Madness" (filmed by Diran Noubar), is also due to be shown in 2007.

PARADISE LOST recently inked a worldwide deal with Century Media Records.

GUN/Sony/BMG in Europe and Abacus Recordings in the U.K. and the U.S released the band's last album, "Paradise Lost". Century Media Records will be re-releasing the album in the U.K. and U.S.

Finnish "dark metal" act VANGUARD has parted ways with Armageddon Music. The band won a band contest held by Metal Hammer magazine and Armageddon Music at the Wacken Open Air festival in 2004 and released its debut record, "Succumbra", in the summer of 2005. Since then VANGUARD has written new material for their next album and performed a number of gigs, including a club show at the Tuska Open Air festival and again in Germany at the Wacken Open Air festival.

You can check out VANGUARD's new material and promotional pictures at the band's web site

German power metallers PRIMAL FEAR have commenced the songwriting process for their new album, tentatively due next year via Frontiers Records. Songtitles set to appear on the follow-up to 2005's "Seven Seals" include "Save Me", "Torn" and "Every Time It Rains". According to the band, the new material sounds "very, very promising."

PRIMAL FEAR released a "best of" collection, entitled "Metal is Forever - The Very Best of Primal Fear", on September 29 via the band's previous label, Nuclear Blast Records (with whom they parted ways earlier in the year). The album's artwork was created by Stephan Lohrmann, who was also responsible for the cover of PRIMAL FEAR's "Black Sun" album. The 16-track compilation also includes a special bonus CD of "classic metal tracks."