Reunited Norwegian black metallers IMMORTAL have launched their official web site at this location.

After 13 successful years as one of the pioneers of black metal, IMMORTAL disbanded in 2003 with a legacy of seven full-length albums, including the 2002 milestone, "Sons of Northern Darkness". Following a long hiatus, the band decided to enter the live battlefield again.

Come 2007, the world will experience a ferocious new IMMORTAL lineup, featuring Abbath, Horgh, and new bass player Apollyon from AURA NOIR. Among the audiences who will witness IMMORTAL's resurrection will be those attending Germany's Wacken Open Air 2007, where the band will headline. The group has also announced two exclusive concert appearances in the U.S.: July 13 at the B.B. King Blues club & Grill in New York City and July 15 at The Avalon in Los Angeles.

"I needed a break," Abbath explained. "I think we all did! We were simply burnt out, and there was no point in continuing. We had a Norwegian tour booked, and had performed at some great festivals both in the U.S. and Europe, but it just didn't feel right any longer."

In the meantime, drummer Horgh toured with Sweden's death metal masters HYPOCRISY and released the "Virus" album, while Abbath has been working on his sideproject, I, featuring members of ENSLAVED and SAHG, along with IMMORTAL's original drummer, Armagedda.

"I'm really proud of that album," Abbath stated enthusiastically, "and it was an important album to make in order to be able to focus on IMMORTAL again."

Moonlight confirmed the title & the cover of their new album. "Integrated In The System Of Guilt" is scheduled for release on 6th November in both Polish & English language versions.

The material was recorded in August, again in Fonoplastykon studio with Marcin Bors as the sound engineer. This new album is marked by a small line-up change. After 9 years of cooperation, Maciek (drums) decided to part with Moonlight due to lack of time for the full time commitment. Luckily, the band soon found a replacement and the new session was done with a new drummer: Krzysztof “Biały” Mędrala (known from his work with Body Mind Relation).

Andrzej Kutys: „The album is heavy and powerful but also lyrical, psychedelic and disco-like; it is full of noises as well as beautiful melodies… The songs interleave, thus creating a musical whole. Also, you are in for a big surprise as, for the first time in the band's history, we have a guest on the album! Adam Sypula from Ctrl-Alt-Del joined Maja on vocals in one track. In our opinion, it is the best Moonlight album.” "Integrated In The System Of Guilt" is the band's 10th jubilee release! More info, tracklist to follow soon.

MEKONG DELTA guitarist Peter Sjöberg (also known as Peter Lake from THEORY IN PRACTICE) has finished recording more that half of the basic guitar parts for the band's upcoming album. Orchestration has been finished and it seems that the basic tracks should be completed by the end of this month.

MEKONG DELTA has yet to find a suitable singer to complete the legendary German progressive thrash outfit's current lineup. The band also includes mainman/bassist Ralf Hubert and drummer Uli Kusch (ex-MASTERPLAN, HELLOWEEN).

Zardoz Music last year released a two-CD, 22-song compilation, entitled "The Principle of Doubt", containing selections from various MEKONG DELTA albums.

Taiwan's biggest metal export, the symphonic black metal band CHTHONIC, will release its fourth album, "Seediqbale", on October 3 through Down Port Music/RED.

The weepy sounds of the er-hu, a two-string violin that dates back to Tang dynasty (618-907), gives CHTHONIC's music an ethnic flare while adding another eerie layer to the band's sounds of strife and tragedy.

"The Oriental two-string Violin is a common traditional instrument in many Eastern Asian countries like Taiwan, Korea, China, Hong-Kong, and Singapore," said vocalist Freddy. "What is special about it is its plaintive, sad tone. I decided to learn from a traditional musician and started to play it in CHTHONIC's music."

CHTHONIC has stirred up controversy in the past with its strong Taiwanese pro-independence stance, which has been the focus of much of the band's past material. In keeping with its culturally-inspired concepts, "Seediqbale" reaches further back into Taiwanese history to the legend of the Seediq and its struggle with Japan over land and religion.

Like two of the band's previous albums, "Seediqbale" was recorded at Borsing Recordings in Denmark. "When CHTHONIC was formed in 1996, there was no extreme metal scene in Taiwan, not to mention the studios capable of producing this kind of music," said Freddy. "So when we were prepared for our first album, we compared some of the black metal albums we had and chose ILLDISPOSED's album, because we liked its recording quality. Then we hooked up with the studio that recorded that album and became good friends with the boss, Jan Borsing. He has been working with us since then, including in some big live concerts in Taipei as our sound engineer."

Hailing from a country with a little-known metal scene, CHTHONIC has gained national attention in its native land where it was awarded "Best Rock Group" at the 14th annual Golden Melody Awards, the Eastern Asian equivalent of a Grammy. The award was presented to the band by none other than the country's President Chen Shui-bian. "Music is more powerful, more moving than politicians," the President said before the band joined him on stage.

The group capped off that momentous year by playing the annual New Year's Eve live, nationally broadcasted concert in front of President's Hall and the release of the band's Mandarin theme for the 21st Century Fox Taiwan release of "Freddy vs. Jason".

CHTHNONIC's previous albums, "Where the Ancestors' Souls Gathered", "9th Empyrean", and "Relentless Recurrence", have been recorded in both Mandarin and English.

The group made its United States debut at the 2002 Metal Meltdown festival and returned that year for a performance at the Milwaukee Metalfest.

Italian folk/power metal band ELVENKING has posted the following message on its official web site:

"After the successful release of 'The Winter Wake' album and after having toured Europe supporting JON OLIVA'S PAIN, the mastermind of the legendary SAVATAGE, ELVENKING are ready to enter the studios to start the production of their widely awaited fourth album.

"In November, the band will enter Gernhart studios in Germany to start recording the drums, before returning to Italy and shutting themselves up in the Sherpa studios (where 'The Winter Wake' was recorded) to complete all the rest of the recording. Top producer Nino Laurenne of the Finnish Sonic Pump studios will be in Italy to set some sounds together with the band and supervise the production. The final mix will be handled once again by Laurenne himself in his homeland, Finland, at Sonic Pump. The final touch will be added by Mika Jussila's mastering at Finnvox.

"'We expect to have the album ready sometime in Spring 2007, but we think that an early autumn release can be expected, because of normal promotion times,' says the band.

"The cover artwork will be done by Gyula Havancsak, the same artist who took care of the marvellous 'The Winter Wake' layout.

"As for the musical direction of the album, it seems that surprises can be expected once again. Singer Damnagoras describes the new music as 'straight, heavy, melodic and still epic.' Guitarist Aydan comments: 'As usual, our new album will be pretty different from all our previous works. It's something vital for us, we cannot copy ourselves, what we have done in the past is still there and we need to look ahead. The new material is simply thrilling us out, we can’t wait to put it on CD!'

"The lyrics of the album will be based on a general concept, which has not been revealed yet, but according to the band 'it's gonna be the most challenging thing we've ever done lyrically.'"

ELVENKING released its third album, "The Winter Wake", in Europe in January via AFM Records. The CD was issued in the U.S. in March. The follow-up to 2004's "Wyrd" was recorded at Sherpa Studios (Italy), mixed at Sonic Pump Studios by Nino Laurenne and was mastered at Finnvox Studios by Mika Jussilla.

A rare live video clip of SAVATAGE performing at a 2002 festival with a lineup that included ANNIHILATOR guitarist Jeff Waters and vocalist Damond Jiniya has been posted online at YouTube.com. Waters was filling in for guitarist Al Pitrelli (ex-MEGADETH), who was unable to make the dates due to commitments scheduled prior to his rejoining the group.

As previously reporte, a "super-rare" video of SAVATAGE performing the song "Tonight He Grins Again" on the Tampa Music Awards in 1992 has been posted online at YouTube.com. The clip, which is believed to be some of the best existing live footage of the band's "Streets" lineup (Jon Oliva, Criss Oliva, Steve "Dr. Killdrums" Wacholz, Johnny Lee Middleton, and touring member John Zahner), was provided by John Zahner (ex-SAVATAGE touring keyboard player and current member of JON OLIVA'S PAIN).

Italian melodic power metallers VISION DIVINE, the brainchild of ex-LABYRINTH mastermind Olaf Thörsen, have parted ways with drummer Riccardo Quagliato. "Some personal and technical problems made it impossible to continue the cooperation," the group writes in a statement. "At the moment, Alessandro Bissa will replace Riccardo for the next shows. The new album is on its way, and what happened about the South American tour didn't help at all to make people 'relax.' To our 'old' fans, maybe this is not a surprise, to some of our new ones, this result as a shock, but to all of you we can only tell there's nothing to worry about. This won't change anything in our plans as we're already working hard to the new album and fixing shows for the future."

VISION DIVINE's last album, "The Perfect Machine", was released in 2005 through Scarlet Records.

Swedish "Viking metal" act MÅNEGARM has entered Studio Underground to begin recording its fifth full-length album, entitled "Vargstenen" (The Wolfstone). "This is the first concept album ever made by the band and the story begins with the prologue track 'Frekastein' from the album 'Vredens tid'," the group writes on its web site. "So if you want a hint of the story and the new album, check out 'Frekastein'…"

"Vargstenen" projected track listing:

01. Uppvaknande-Ur själslig död
02. Minnen-En fallen fader
03. Den gamle talar (accoustic)
04. Genom världar nio
05. Visioner på isen
06. Vargbrodern talar (accoustic)
07. I underjorden
08. Nio dagar, nio nätter
09. Vargstenen
10. Vedergällningens tid
11. TBA (accoustic)

The upcoming CD will be MÅNEGARM's first for Black Lodge Records after a ten-year collaboration with Displeased Records. An early 2007 release is expected.

Earache Records has confirmed reports that it will be issuing a "20th anniversary" edition of NAPALM DEATH's "Scum" album. According to Earache head honcho Digby Pearson, the reissue will include "a full remaster job and an exclusive bonus DVD with interviews with Nik [Bullen], Mick [Harris] and Justin [Broadrick] — yet to be filmed — getting their thoughts on the 20th anniversary of the recording of 'Scum'. Should be a good way to re-introduce a new generation to the legendary album that kick-started extreme music and coined the grindcore genre. Look for it early 2007."

In a recent interview with Sweden's CriticalMass.se webzine, NAPALM DEATH bassist Shane Embury commented on the upcoming reissue, stating, "Our old drummer Mick Harris sent me a text message the other week saying that he'd refused to take part in it. I'm not sure why they're doing it, but it seems Earache are repackaging and re-releasing old albums left, right and center these days.

"I've been doing some stuff with Jeff [Walker] from CARCASS lately, and he's been going through a real nightmare trying to get paid and Earache's still reissuing their old albums. It's ridiculous. So it doesn't really suprise me that they're trying to do a DVD for 'Scum'. What surprises me a bit though is that I haven't been contacted about it. I was there when they recorded it, you know — being friends with them and a big fan before I even joined — and I'm probably the only one who can really remember what really happened, too. There's no reason why they should or shouldn't do a DVD, but I don't know who else they could get to do it now that Mick's refusing. Maybe Lee [Dorrian] would do it, I don't know. But whatever, I think it's still kind of bullshit to do that. I guess it would be cool in a documentary sense of the word, it would be cool if they did out of the love and respect for the album, but I just know it's just about making some extra money to keep the label alive. I mean, how many times is he gonna do this reissuing shit? If he'd been cool to his bands in the first place he might not have to resort to this kind of stuff anyway. He can say whatever he wants — things like that the last few NAPALM DEATH albums didn't do that well, which may be true. But still, towards the end, he'd long since lost sight of it all and become greedy and didn't give any of the old bands the support they deserved. So it doesn't surprise me really."

German Industrial metal duo Eisbrecher return with heavy as hell new album "Antikörper". Their second album for new label AFM ( in Europe ) and Dancing Ferret (USA) delivers more of everything : more guitars and harder riffs teamed up with a heavy dose of pop sensibility and forcefull, driving melodies. Hit laden and more powerful than ever before this is an enthralling mixture of metal and industrial, bombastic vocals and pumping electronics that will appeal to fans of Rammstein, KMFDM and Oomph!

This exclusive European Limited Edition version will be presented in a fold-out digipack.

Tracklisting:
01. Der Anfang
02. Adrenalin
03. Leider
04. Antikörper
05. Entlassen
06. Ohne dich
07. Phosphör
08. Kein Mitleid
09. Kinder der Nacht
10. Vergissmeinnicht
11. Freisturz
12. Wie tief?
13. Das Ende
14. Eiskalt Erwischt

The Faces of Sarah having released their debut album 24 and Misery Turns E.P which received top reviews and club play as far a field as Chile Japan USA, Australia & Germany. Which in turn led to touring with such bands as The Mission, NFD, Theatres des Vampires and Killing Miranda, playing shows such as famous Whitby Weekender as well as their own headlining gigs.

2005 saw the band on top form with a brand new line up and their new self financed Impurity E.P/DVD containing a video of Impurity, a live video of Misery Turns from Gotham festival with Candia of Inkubus Sukkubus dueting. The E.P. was produced by Andy Reilly (Paradise Lost, Bruce Dickinson, Cradle of Filth).

A track from the Impurity E.P "Keep Breathing" was chosen out of hundreds of bands to be included on the Malicious Damage Records (Killing Joke, The Orb) Clock Machine compilation, leading to a place on the labels all day Festival at Easter 2005 leading to the band securing a deal with the label for a new album.

The band are about to release their eagerly anticipated second full-length album the follow up to 24 ."Lament" is due for release Oct 31st 2006. It was produced and also features guitar by Paul Miles guitarist ex Nefilim "Zoon". The album will be released on Malicious Damage Records A new single and video from the album is due for release later this year, date tbc.

Danish/American hard rockers ROYAL HUNT have posted two songs ("Can't Let Go" and "Far Away") from their upcoming double live album, "Royal Hunt 2006", in the "Media" section of their official web site.

Due on November 22, "Royal Hunt 2006" was recorded (and filmed) on the historic stage of St. Petersburg, Russia's Music Hall on November 2, 2005. The show, which was witnessed by some 1,500+ enthusiastic fans, lasted about two hours (the band played a wide selection of songs from all of their releases since 1991 and some tracks from the latest CD, "Paper Blood") and was captured by six cameras. The upcoming DVD package — the release details for which have not yet been revealed — will also include some backstage/pre-production footage as well as interviews with all the bandmembes and their roadcrew. All mixing duties on the double CD were handled by André Andersen at NorthPoint Productions in Copenhagen. The set was mastered by Jan Eliasson at Audio Planet.

ROYAL HUNT's last album, "Paper Blood" was recorded at NorthPoint Productions and was mixed at EMI/Medley Studio with André Andersen (keyboards) and Lars Overgaard behind the board.

Swedish/Greek melodic death metal outfit NIGHTRAGE has announced the addition of drummer Alex Svenningson (ex-MINDFALL) to the group's ranks. "He came in the studio and he really nailed down our songs," stated Marios Ilipoulos, NIGHTRAGE guitarist/songwriter. "He is a great guy and a suberb musician."

Check out a short video clip of Alex in rehearsal performing the song "Being Nothing".

In other news, NIGHTRAGE has announced that Olof Mörck will be the session guitar player for the band's upcoming VADER tour. "He is playing also with DRAGONLAND and he is a truly amazing guitar player," said Ilipoulos.

NIGHTRAGE will enter Hansen studios in Ribe, Denmark on November 28 to begin recording its new album, tentatively due in early 2007 via Lifeforce Records. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Spiral", "Reconcile" and "Scathing". "We are pretty satisfied with the material and we are looking forward to go to the studio and make a killer album," said Marios.

Drummer Shaun Steels has left U.K. doom metal band MY DYING BRIDE. "His continuing illness shows no sign of abating and he feels the uncertaintly could be having a negative affect on his relationship with the bandmembers," reads a posting on the group's web site.

Shaun Steels has issued the following statement regarding his departure from the group:

"I would just like to salute MY DYING BRIDE for the good times and wish them all well in the future, I feel I am not ready to fulfill the duties in a manner befitting MY DYING BRIDE at this time and have decided to stand down. I am sad to be leaving but at this time I feel it is for the greater good of the band."

Peaceville/Snapper Music has set an October 31 U.S. release date for "A Line of Deathless Kings", the new album from MY DYING BRIDE. It is the band's ninth studio effort and introduces drummer John Bennett.

"A Line of Deathless Kings" reunites the six-piece with long-time collaborator/producer Mags (who recorded the bands initial compositions). Mixed at The Chapel Studios in Lincolnshire and mastered at famed Abbey Road Studios in London, it is a highly anticipated return for a pioneering band.

Denmark's self-professed "fusion future metal" band MNEMIC has set "Passenger" as the title of its upcoming third studio album, which is scheduled for release in Europe on February 2 and in North America on February 6 via Nuclear Blast Records.

In regards to the potent lyrical content, MNEMIC guitarist Mircea Gabriel Eftemie states: "It's thematically built around the meaning of existence, or in other words, the philosophy of Existentialism. There are several philosophical positions — one of them being the value and meaning of the world around the individual, and the other is that Existentialism is often associated with anxiety, dread, awareness of death, and freedom.

"We chose this subject and theme mainly because it's so vast, and second, because we have always been big fans of Stanley Kubrick's '2001: A Space Odyssey' movie. We wanted to do something like that, just with music and lyrics."

Produced by MNEMIC, FEAR FACTORY's Christian Olde Wolbers, and Warren Riker (DOWN, CROWBAR, THE FUGEES) at Track Record Studios (KISS, MEGADETH, AEROSMITH) in Los Angeles and mixed by fellow Dane Tue Madsen (HALFORD, THE HAUNTED) at Antfarm Studios in Denmark, "Passenger" will feature guest vocal appearances by Jeff Walker (CARCASS, BRUJERIA) and Shane Embury (NAPALM DEATH, BRUJERIA) and artwork by Asterik Studios (ANTHRAX, UNEARTH).

The tracklisting for "Passenger" is as follows:

01. Humanaut
02. In The Nothingness Black
03. Meaningless
04. Psykorgasm
05. Pigfuck
06. In Control
07. Electric I'd Hypocrisy
08. Stuck Here
09. What's Left
10. Shape Of The Formless
11. The Eye On Your Back
12. Zero Synchronized (Japanese bonus track)

MNEMIC is currently preparing to shoot a video for "Meaningless" at Revolver Studios in Gothenberg, Sweden with Revolver Film director Patric Ullaeus. The band's new lead vocalist, Guillaume Bideau (ex-SCARVE), will make his live North American debut on the upcoming tour with labelmates SOILWORK and THREAT SIGNAL plus DARKEST HOUR.

Irish folk metal band CRUACHAN will embark on a tour of Russia in late October/early November. Confirmed dates are as follows:

Oct. 28 - St. Petersburg - Port Club
Oct. 29 - Archangelsk - Modern
Oct. 30 - Archangelsk - Koleso
Oct. 31 - Moscow - IKRA
Nov. 01 - Pskov - Parohod
Nov. 02 - Riga - Meln Piektdiena
Nov. 03 - Kaliningrad - Vagonka
Nov. 04 - Moscow - Apelsin

AS previously reported, CRUACHAN has posted the final cover artwork for its upcoming fifth album, "The Morrigan's Call", at this location. The follow-up to 2004's "Pagan", "The Morrigan's Call" was recorded at Sun Studios in Dublin and is scheduled for release on November 17 via AFM Records. Click here to listen to a sneak preview MP3 (said to be a "low-quality unmastered sample) of the new album.

According to Billboard.com, "Different World" has been confirmed as the second single from IRON MAIDEN's "A Matter of Life and Death" album. The single will be released on November 14 (the day of MAIDEN's sold-out show at Helsinki's Hartwall Arena in Finland) though this is likely to be a U.S. release date. Europe is expected to receive the single at least a day earlier. Speculation exists that some of the cover songs recorded during the album sessions could surface as B-sides, including "Tush" (ZZ TOP), "Angel of Death" (THIN LIZZY), "Space Truckin'" (DEEP PURPLE) and "Hocus Pocus" (FOCUS).

"A Matter of Life and Death" has sold 89,000 copies in the United States since its Sept. 5 release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Australian metallers PEGAZUS have finally completed work on their first-ever DVD, entitled "Pegazus – Mythology Chapter II (2000-2006)". The first pressing of the disc, which was was released in Europe via Battlegod Productions and Twilight distribution, is in PAL format and will shortly be available to order online from the band's web site.

In other news, PEGAZUS will play its first Melbourne, Australia show of 2006 on Friday, October 6 at the Dream nightclub. The concert will also serve as the band's special DVD-launch gig, according to a posting on the group's web site.

PEGAZUS' last studio album, entitled "The Headless Horseman", was released in 2002 via Nuclear Blast Records. The band has since split with label. A live album, entitled "Live! Thunder Down Under", followed in 2004.

Liechtenstein-based gothic metal group ELIS has revealed the track listing for its new album, "Griefshire", due in Europe on November 24 Napalm Records (January 16 in the U.S.).

"Griefshire" (view cover here) track listing:

01. Tales from Heaven or Hell
02. Die Stadt
03. Show Me the Way
04. Brothers
05. Seit Dem Anbeginn Der Zeit
06. Remember the Promise
07. Phoenix from the Ashes
08. How Long
09. Innocent Hearts
10. Forgotten Love
11. The Burning
12. A New Decade
13. Heaven and Hell (bonus track on digipack)

The original concept for "Griefshire", written by Sabine, can be downloaded as a PDF file from ELIS' officialweb site.

As previously reported, the song "Show Me the Way" from "Griefshire" has been posted online on the band's MySpace page.

The recordings for "Griefshire" were completed prior to the death of ELIS' lead singer, Sabine Dünser, who suffered a cerebral hemorrhage on July 7 during rehearsal and passed away the following day in hospital. The band has since announced that it will continue with a new vocalist and is currently accepting submissions from female singers.

After three long years, vocalist Dario Grillo and his previous band THY MAJESTIE have rejoined forces and are working on the group's new album. A 2007 release is expected.

THY MAJESTIE parted ways with vocalist Giulio Di Gregorio (IRENCROS) earlier in teh year due to "personal reasons." The band's latest album, "Jean D'Arc", was released last fall via Scarlet Records. The follow-up to 2002's "Hastings 1066" was mastered at The Mastering Room in Sweden by Goran Finnberg.

In related news, Dario Grillo is continuing work on the new album from the Italian gothic-power metal band VIOLET SUN, led by the soprano Alessandra Amata. The group's musicial style is being described as a mixture of EVANESCENCE, NIGHTWISH, KOVENANT and LACUNA COIL.

Norway's FRANTIC BLEEP is currently working on the follow-up to its critically acclaimed debut, "The Sense Apparatus". The band will enter the studio in a few weeks to finish some guitar overdubs; the bass tracks will be recorded soon after. They will also start working on pre-producing the vocals. The as-yet-untitled album will contain eight tracks and will have a running time of approximately 40 minutes.

FRANTIC BLEEP lineup:

• Patrick Scantlebury - Guitars
  
• Lars Gunnar Morastseter - Guitars
  
• Eywin Sundstrøm - Bass
  
• Trond Sand – Drums
  

FRANTIC BLEEP's debut album, "The Sense Apparatus", was released in Europe in February 2004 via Elitist Records.

Canadian metallers THREAT SIGNAL have announced the addition of bassist Pat from Pickering, Ontario to the group's ranks. Check out photos of the new lineup at this location.

As previously reported, THREAT SIGNAL recently posted a self-produced video for the song "Counterbalance" at YouTube.com. The clip features footage of the band on the road, in the studio with producer Christian Olde Wolbers of FEAR FACTORY, snippets from the "Rational Eyes" production video shoot, and plenty of live footage from North American shows as well as the band's recent appearance at Germany's Earthshaker Fest.

THREAT SIGNAL will hit the road in October 5 for a five-week North American tour supporting SOILWORK, DARKEST HOUR and MNEMIC, sponsored by Decibel magazine. "I've always been a huge fan of SOILWORK, and our band is actually influenced by SOILWORK," admits vocalist Jon Howard. "I must have seen that band perform at least five times last year, and every show I was wishing we could open for them. Now we are."

Anglo-Italian melodic power metal band POWER QUEST has set "Master of Illusion" as the title of its fourth album, which the group plans to record next spring. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Hearts and Voices", "The Vigil", "The Right Place and the Wrong Time", "Count My Sins" and "The Tragedy Suite".

POWER QUEST recently announced that Alessio Garavello will be taking on the role of rhythm guitarist alongside his vocal duties. "POWER QUEST are confident that this new line-up will bring a new dimension to their live shows," reads an official statemen from the group. "The band plan to record their new album in the spring of next year. Further updates on the album and live performances are expected to be released in the next couple of weeks."

POWER QUEST's third album, "Magic Never Dies", was released in the summer of 2005 via Majestic Rock. The follow-up to 2003's "Neverworld" was recorded at Thin Ice studios with producer Karl Groom (THRESHOLD guitarist).

added by rem (02/10/06)

Plans are underway for deluxe two disc reissues of the first two POWER QUEST albums, "Wings of Forever" (2002) and "Neverworld" (2003), via Majestic Rock Records. The Anglo-Italian melodic power metal band is currently compiling material for the releases, which will include a second DVD disc that will contain relevant footage to each album. The albums will be remastered and are tentatively due in November.

Norwegian melodic metallers THUNDERBOLT have announced the addition of former WHERE ANGELS FALL drummer Ole Kristian Løvberg to the group's ranks. Løvberg joins the band as the replacement for Vegard Waske, who has left THUNDERBOLT earlier in the month "due to an extremely heavy workload over the past years."

THUNDERBOLT's sophomore album, "Love and Destruction", was released in May via Massacre Records. The band recently supported KING DIAMOND on a European tour and played shows opening for ex-IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno and ex-BLACK SABBATH frontman Tony Martin.

THUNDERBOLT's debut album, "Demons and Diamonds", was issued in 2003 via Massacre Records.

Yorkshire doom-death metallers THE PROPHECY have issued the following update:

"After a long hard graft recording it (cascades has 32 different channels!!!!!) over the last two and a half years and some gruelling late 3am mixing sessions THE PROPHECY's new studio album, 'Revelations', has finally been sent off for mastering. This should take around one to two weeks and then we need to get it reproduced.

"The album was started in February 2004 when we did the first pre-productions after writing the songs after the Doomination of Europe in 2003 and we actually aired a few of the songs on the Doomination of America tour and the subsequent Unholy Trinity tour with MY DYING BRIDE.

"Tracking started in September [2004] with John [Bennett] laying down the drum tracks prior to us playing Bloodstock 04 and then going off to headline the Doomination of Europe 2004 with Aussie Firebox band THE ETERNAL. It was then things took a turn for the worse with Christian Moore-Wainwright [guitar] leaving the band followed swiftly by William Castledine. This caused almost five months of delay leaving Greg [O'Shea] to start work on guitars in March 2005. However, with the return of Katie Colbrook to the fold, keyboards were swiftly recorded and work then began on vocals in July. But due to problems at Performance Studios, work was again set back months as the studio closed and then eventually relocated to new premises in Leeds. It wasn't until the following year that work could recommence. Stuck in this limbo the band finally managed to recruit a bass player. Trad doom band TEFRA's Gav Parkinson joined up in the summer of 2005 just in time for the Mist of Death tour giving him plenty of time to record bass.

"So 'Revelations' is a project we have lived with for some time. In fact, it seems like the end of an era for us and it'll be weird not having to fret about when it's going to be ready for release.

"We are currently in negotiation with a number of record labels about the release of the album and hope to have an announcement soon!!!!"

Canadian rock legends RUSH will be co-producing their new studio album for Anthem Records with Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, STONE SOUR, SHADOWS FALL). The American producer will be flying up to Toronto next week to meet with the band, which is in the demo phase right now.

"It's early stages. We have nine songs written so far," says guitarist Alex Lifeson. "We're going to continue until we have about 12 songs and finish up preproduction at the end of October, so we'll be really well prepared and then go in the studio in November and start recording."

That way of working is a little different for Lifeson, singer/bassist/keyboardist Geddy Lee and drummer/lyricist Neil Peart, who usually write in the studio and record at the same time.

"This time around, we wanted to write, we wanted to rehearse the material, we wanted to get really inside it before we actually recorded it," explains Lifeson. "We're not spending a lot of time on sound or getting too involved in the recording."

Lifeson and Lee started working "very casually" together through the early part of this year, and Peart sent some lyrics to them. In May, they spent a month in a downtown studio "building things, doing some more writing, doing some pre-production, getting Neil involved, drumming, and then we just went back in about a week and a half ago."

CAAMORA is the name of the latest Clive Nolan project. It is a collaboration between Clive and Agneiszka Swita, a lady from Poland of whom all information seems classified up till now (the official CAAMORA homepage lists a big '?' as her biography).

The two are working on a project called "She". The musical version of "She" is based on the classic novel of the same name by Victorian adventure writer H. Rider Haggard. Spearheaded by Clive and Agneiszka, this epic production will feature guest vocalists, instrumentalists, orchestra and choir, forming a two-hour musical journey. An album will be recorded in the summer of 2007, with a partly staged performance to be filmed in a theatre for DVD in September 2007. The album and DVD box set is planned for release in October 2007.

The Story: Two explorers travel to Africa and stumble into a world of mystery and intrigue. They discover lost tribes living in vast underground caverns and worshipping a living Goddess... 'She who must be obeyed'... Ayesha, the queen who is believed to be a woman of vast age. She welcomes the explorers, but her true motives soon become apparent. Ayesha has been waiting for the return of the man she loves... a man she murdered over 2000 years ago!
The two are currently looking for guest vocalists and musicians for their project. Bob Catley of MAGNUM has already been muted for one of the two male roles.

As a taster Nolan and Swita will be doing some performances as support act of GALAHAD. They will also be releasing a special EP which will be available at these gigs and through the website:

1. Half Moon Street (reworking of a SHADOWLAND song)
2. World Somewhere (written for the upcoming "She" project)
3. Sacrifice (new orchestrated version of STRANGERS ON A TRAIN track)
4. The Bonding (written for the upcoming "She" project)
5. Closer (track especially written for this EP)