According to a posting on the Tarja Turunen Fan site, former NIGHTWISH frontwoman will perform the following setlist on her Christmas tour, which is scheduled to kick off December 1 in Savonlinna, Finland:

01. Kun Joulu On
02. Mozart Agnus dei Coronation
03. Bach Quia Respexit Magnificat
04. Faure Pie Jesu Requiem Op 48
05. When a Child is Born
06. Jo Joutui Ilta (Sibelius)
07. Oi Joulu Yas / O Holy Night
08. Adestes Fideles
09. Maskit Nukkuu Lumiset
10. Abba: Felicidad - Happy New Year
11. Air Supply: The Eyes of a Child
12. Varpunen Jouluaamuna
13. Schubert Ave Maria
14. Jouluyö, Juhlayö
15. En Etsi Valtaa Loistoa (Sibelius)
16. Walking in the Air

Upcoming Tarja Turunen dates;

Dec. 01 - Savonlinna-Sali - Savonlinna, FIN
Dec. 03 - Kuusaa-Sali - Kuusankoski, FIN
Dec. 06 – Passionskirche - Berlin, GER
Dec. 09 - Jona - Jugendkirche - Frankfurt, GER
Dec. 12 - Casino L'AlianÇa del Poble Nou - Barcelona, SPA
Dec. 16 - Thalia Hall - Sibiu, ROM

Tarja has recorded a song with Christopher Von Deylen, mastermind of Schiller, shortly before the production of Schiller's new album is finished. Other people to contribute in the forthcoming album are Moya Brennan, front singer of Ireland's cult-band Clannad and legendary Mike Oldfield, the creator of timeless masterpieces such as 'Tubular Bells' and 'To France'. Schiller's upcoming album 'Day And Night' is scheduled to be released in Germany next October 2005. Tarja collaborates with her vocals in the song “Tired of being alone”where she also co-wrote the music while Mic co-wrote the lyrics with Christopher.

Finnish folk-influenced melodic death metal band ENSIFERUM, now featuring in its ranks NORTHER frontman Petri Lindroos, have set "Dragonheads" as the title of their new EP, due in February 2006 via Spinefarm Records. The mini-CD is being recorded at Sonic Pump studios in Helsinki and will contain one new track, new studio recordings of several old demo songs, and a couple of traditional Finnish folk covers. The group's next full-length release is scheduled to be recorded in the summer of 2006. A European tour is tentatively slated to kick off in March 2006.

As previously reported, ENSIFERUM will film their New Year's Eve (Dec. 31) 10-year anniversary concert at the Nosturi in Helsinki, Finland for an upcoming DVD.

ENSIFERUM's sophomore album, "Iron", was released in April 2004 through Spinefarm Records. The follow-up to 2001's "Ensiferum" was recorded in the summer of 2003 at Sweet Silence studios in Copenhagen, Denmark with producer Flemming Rasmussen (METALLICA, ARTILLERY, MORBID ANGEL).

PAIN mainman Peter Tägtgren has posted the following message on the group's official web site:

"The brand new DVD 'Live Is Overrated' is out now on Metal Mind, and features two concerts from Poland! There is a lot of bonus shit on there as well, so it's worth checking out if you want to see what the live set looks like these days... Yours truly gave it a proper mix, so it sounds fucking good as well! It comes in two different versions — a normal one, and a limited edition digi-pak version.

"The work continues with my covers album. I've cut a few songs already, and a couple of examples of songs that have been pain-ified are BJÖRK's 'I Play Dead' and DEPECHE MODE's 'Behind The Wheel'. Watch this space for more covers as I get them done!

"Believe it or not, but I've started work on a new 'normal' PAIN album, and have got two songs down. They are heavy as fuck and are — as the English would say — the dog's bollocks. I'm just heading off on a European tour with HYPOCRISY, but have booted up my laptop to include a full recording studio, so I'll be spending the hours of travel getting new songs down.

"Have your say on the cover album! Here's your chance to let me know what you think! Send me your suggestion of a song that needs to be fucked up by me for the cover album! The winner will have his suggestion covered, and mentioned on the sleeve! E-mail your suggestions to cover@pain.cd.

"While we're at it - why not have a competition. Just answer this simple question: on the last PAIN tour, we had a new, fantastic drummer (since Horgh moved over to HYPOCRISY...). What's his name? Answer that and the winner gets to pick up a signed copy of the new DVD (of course the nice, shiny limited edition version). E-mail your answer to contest@pain.cd. Don't forget to include your name and address."

PAIN's latest album, "Dancing With the Dead", debuted at position No. 3 on the Swedish album chart in late January. The follow-up to 2002's "Nothing Remains The Same" was released in continental Europe in March.

Spinefarm Records has set a June 5, 2006 release date for the upcoming "End of an Era" CD/DVD release from NIGHTWISH.

"End of an Era" will contain footage of NIGHTWISH's final concert with singer Tarja Turunen, which took place on October 21 at the Hartwall arena in Helsinki, Finland. A 30-second video clip filmed by an audience member during the concert is available online: Real Media,
Quicktime. The group's setlist for the show was as follows:

01. Dark Chest Of Wonders
02. Planet Hell
03. Ever Dream
04. The Kinslayer
05. Phantom Of The Opera
06. The Siren
07. Sleeping Sun
08. High Hopes
09. Bless The Child
10. Wishmaster
11. Slaying The Dreamer
12. Kuolema tekee taiteilijan
13. Nemo
14. Ghost Love Score
Encore:
15. Creek Mary's Blood
16. Over The Hills And Far Away
17. Wish I Had An Angel

NIGHTWISH fired Turunen via an "open letter," which was given to the singer immediately following the Helsinki show. The group are currently seeking a replacement vocalist before entering the studio in September 2006 to begin recording the follow-up to 2004's "Once", tentatively due in mid-2007.

As a former collaborator with KMFDM over the past 20 years, Raymond Watts still regularly released solo albums under the moniker P I G. "Pigmata" is his newest output holding, and we quote the press release, "slick cynical lyrics with growling vocals on top of a razor and nail mattress of driving guitars, heavy synths, and aggressive beats". A release that should please fans of KMFDM, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Korn, Fear Factory, Skinny Puppy or Static-X.

"Pigmata" tracklist:

01. Suck Shit Spit
02. Here To Stay
03. Reject
04. Situation
05. Kundalini
06. Vitriol Vice and Virtue
07. Take
08. Arbor Vitate
09. Stage Slut
10. Junky
11. God Rod
12. On the Slaughterfront
13. Filth Healer

Finnish goth-metallers CHARON will release their new single, "Colder", on December 7 in Finland via Spinefarm Records. An extensive photo gallery documenting the making of the "Colder" video has been made available at Spinefarm.fi.

"Colder" is the second single off CHARON' new album, "Songs for the Sinners", which debuted on Finland's national album chart at position No. 6 back in early September. The group's previous single, "Ride on Tears", entered the chart at position No. 2.

The follow-up to 2003's "The Dying Daylights", "Songs for the Sinners" was recorded at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki with producer Mikko Karmila.

Label "Flood the Earth" have just released the debut solo album from Karsten Hamre entitled Broken Whispers. Many will be familiar with Karsten through his other projects such as Penitent, Arcane Art and Veiled Allusions. I must say that this is really some of the darkest material I have heard from Karsten. Whereas prior releases have had brief transient rays of light seep through the cloud of audial despair, Broken Whispers remains void of any possibility of hope. Total bleak minimalist atmospheres by one of the masters.
Format: CD
Released: November 2005
Running time: 51:02
Status: AVAILABLE
Label: Flood The Earth Records, www.floodtheearth.com (USA)

Official Distribution (Europe):
Masterpiece - www.masterpiecedistribution.com

Two tracks, "Fortuna Synapsis" & "Dioxide Universal" can be streamed or dwonloaded from: www.myspace.com/karstenhamre

Swedish mythological black metallers THY PRIMORDIAL have officially split up. A posting at the group's web site reads as follows:

"THY PRIMORDIAL is no more ...the glorious days are over... to ruin and decay. Greatest of hails to all & everyone that has, during the years, crossed our path. Thanks. In monumental honour we leave thee now... Mors omnia delet, extinquit!"

THY PRIMORDIAL's final album, "Pestilence Upon Mankind", was released in early 2004 through Blackend Records. It was recorded at Abyss studios with producer Tommy Tägtgren and was the group's first to feature vocalist Nicke Holstensson, formerly of Swedish deathsters NOMINON.

AJATTARA, the Finnish "black/dark metal" project featuring former AMORPHIS frontman Pasi Koskinen (a.k.a. Ruoja), have completed work on their fourth full-length album, "Äpäre", for a March 2006 release via Spinefarm Records. Check put pictures from the recording sessions at this location. In the meantime, the band have announced plans to issue a new single this Christmas, featuring an original song entitled "Teuras", backed by a cover of the track "Kansallispäivä", originally written and recorded by the Finnish band SIELUN VELJET.

AJATTARA's third album, "Tyhjyys" ("Emptiness") was released late last year through the Spinefarm Records subsidiary Spikefarm. Recordings for the CD took place at Savonlinna's Sundi Coop studio, where AJATTARA recorded their earlier releases, "Itse" (2001) and "Kuolema" (2003).

British black metallers CRADLE OF FILTH recorded a cover of SAMHAIN's "Halloween II", which will appear on the soundtrack to the forthcoming film "Underworld: Evolution". The band are currently recording their seventh LP at Lincolnshire, England's Chapel Studios for an early June 2006 release via Roadrunner Records. The group's frontman Dani Filth told MTV.com that when the group's new disc arrives in stores, fans will hear two very interesting covers the FILTH's been perfecting: U.K. techno-pop trio HEAVEN 17's "Temptation" and "Stay" by SHAKESPEAR'S SISTER.

"We picked those because they are interesting," Filth said. "It's going to be a challenge, and that's the whole point. If you're going to do something, don't just do it for the sake of doing it. It has to be something you can make your own."

The band's reunited with Rob Caggiano (BLEEDING THROUGH, ANTHRAX), who produced 2004's "Nymphetamine" and 2003's "Damnation and a Day", and at this point in the process, Filth said "all the drum and bass tracks are pretty much done, and I've already started recording vocals." The FILTH will work on the album until the end of the month before breaking for a two-week U.K. tour; they'll reconvene on the sessions in mid-January.

The album, he said, will end up containing about 10 tracks, including "Libertina Grim", "Lovesick for Mina", "The Byronic Man" and "Cemetery and Sundown".

"This record heightens our rhythm, and there are lots of cool off-beats. It's just as meandering as much of our stuff, but there are also some really catchy tracks there," Filth told MTV.com. "I've introduced more sing-y type parts. It's a bigger, better-sounding CRADLE OF FILTH, and more direct and to the point."

WITHIN Y, the Swedish melodic death metal band featuring former GARDENIAN drummer Thim Blom, have set "Portraying Dead Dreams" as the title of their sophomore album, tentatively due early next year via an as-yet-undiclosed label. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Breeding Murder", "As the Dust", "Fade Away", "Feeding the Disease" and "A New Life".

WITHIN Y recently announced the addition of guitarist Niknam Moslehi to the group's ranks. Moslehi joins the band as the replacement for Niklas Almen, who left the group late last year.

WITHIN Y's debut album, "Extended Mental Dimensions", was released in March 2004 through Holland's Karmageddon Media (formerly Hammerheart Records). The CD was recorded and mixed during August and early September 2003 at Meta4Music Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden. Artwork was created by art-wizard Niklas Sundin of Cabin Fever Media.

Swedish epic/power metallers FALCONER have confirmed the departure of singer Kristoffer Göbel. In a posting on their official web site, the band write, "Well, once again the line up of FALCONER is changing. 'Now again!!' you might say. It does sound a bit unstable to do this every once in a while, I know.

"After realizing that changing vocalist was not that applauded by people nor was the musical change on the last album (isn't it great when people are open minded....) we thought: 'OK, sailing towards the wind is getting boring' (personally I would say a sense of cynicism started to grow), 'Why not sail with it instead in good mood?' After changing the new music into more folkish style (and loving the sound of it) Karsten and I thought, 'Why not go the whole way, it would really fit the music. So hereby we present you the return of Mathias Blad."

"So we thank Kristoffer for the years in the band. It's been a great time we allways will cherish and we assure you all that this has nothing to do with personal matters. We wish all the best for Kriss in the future.

"This kind of thing is about the worst things you can do to a bandmate if you're all friends but in the end, this is not a sand box, it's a band."

FALCONER's fourth studio album, "Grime Vs. Grandeur", was released in May via Metal Blade Records. The CD features guest performances by Snowy Shaw (MERCYFUL FATE, KING DIAMOND, DREAM EVIL) on drums and Andy LaRocque (KING DIAMOND) on additional lead vocals.

Finnish metallers NORTHER have set "Till Death Unites Us" as the title of their new album, due on January 25, 2006 via Spinefarm. A single, entitled "Scream", will precede the album before the end of the year.

"Till Death Unites Us" track listing (in no particular order):

01. Scream
02. Throwing My Life Away
03. The End of Our Lives
04. Evil Ladies
05. Drowning
06. Die
07. Everything
08. Alone In the End
09. Norther
10. Omen
11. Fuck You
12. Wasted Years

NORTHER's last release was an EP, entitled "Solution 7". The band's third full-length album, "Death Unlimited", was issued last year through Spinefarm Records.

As previously reported, NORTHER's Petri Lindroos has been named a permanent member of the Finnish folk-influenced melodic death metal band ENSIFERUM. Lindroos is currently handling the vocals and guitar in the group, which parted ways with singer/guitarist Jari Mäenpää in 2004.

Norwegian progressive metal band CIRCUS MAXIMUS have parted ways with keyboardist Espen Storø. The group's official statement on the matter reads as follows:

"After five years, Espen has decided to leave the band due to personal reasons. After much consideration we also think that this is the right decicion by him and for the sake of the band. We wish him the best of luck with everything in the future. CIRCUS MAXIMUS is of course still alive and well and as of this moment the band is writing new ass-kicking stuff for all you metal heads out there. At the moment we’re trying out a new very skilled guy — but we need to see how he will function with us on the songwriting etc. We will keep you posted when we have found a definite replacement for Espen."

Espen issued the following statement regarding his decision to leave the group:

"After thinking about this for a long long time I have decided to leave the band. It was a tough decision, but I feel this is the right thing to do right now. I've had a great time paying in CIRCUS MAXIMUS, up until a while ago. I just want to say that I still look at the other guys as my buddies, and no one is mad at eachother. I wish CIRCUS MAXIMUS a great future, and I know that they will still make great music. Big thanks to everyone for your support!”

CIRCUS MAXIMUS released their very critically acclaimed debut album, "The First Chapter", on Frontiers Records earier this year.

FIREWIND, the Greek power metal act led by guitarist Gus G. (DREAM EVIL, ARCH ENEMY), have announced the addition of singer Apollo Papathanasio (ex-MAJESTIC, TIME REQUIEM) to the group's ranks. "He is a world-class act and I'm very happy that the timing's right now and we're joining forces under the FIREWIND flag!" Gus said in a statement.

Apollo commented: "Since I met Gus in Gothenburg four years ago, we became good friends and back then we always talked about working together in the future. Now here we are together, taking the FIREWIND music to a new level. I love Gus' guitar style and it's a pleasure to listen to their music. The guys in FIREWIND are real magicians and I'm happy that you’re letting me be a part of this machinery."

In other news, the band have issued the following statement regarding their drummer situation:

"For purely logistical reasons, we've decided to get a drummer that lives in Greece. We'd like to thank Stian Kristoffersen for his amazing drumming and the great times we had together the past three years. So, out goes Stian and in comes the monster drummer Mark Cross (ex-HELLOWEEN, METALIUM)!! Although Mark is 50% German and 50% British, he’s been living in Greece for many years. This obviously makes rehearsals and preparations happen much easier."

Commented Mark: "Life's a spinning wheel and here I am aside to one of the few remaining great young guitar heros…. The Gus G. Firewindo metal fuckin' machine! Looking forward to their next album, a tour and FIREWIND heading your way!"

FIREWIND are currently in pre-production mode with eight new songs completed. The new album is expected to be recorded in early 2006 and FIREWIND plan to make their live debut with the new lineup at ProgPower UK festival on March 25, 2006.

A brand-new VADER track, entitled "This Is the War", has been made available for download at this location. The song comes off the veteran Polish death metallers' latest mini-CD, "The Art of War", available now on Regain Records. The EP was recorded at Hertz Studio and produced by Slawek and Wojtek Wieslawscy. The complete track listing for the mini-CD is as follows:

01. Para Bellum
02. This Is the War
03. Lead Us!!!
04. Banners on the Wind
05. What Colour Is Your Blood?
06. Death in Silence
07. This Is the War (video)

Guitarist Michael J. Romeo of the New Jersey prog-metallers SYMPHONY X has posted the following studio update on the band's official web site:

"Well, it's November and we have most of the music [for the next SYMPHONY X album] written, and about half the lyrics finished. Over the next month, we'll work out the arrangements and start putting it all together. This one is taking a bit longer than we expected. There was a lot of 'starting and stopping' with the writing, (between the tours and other unexpected things happening... like flooded studios, that kinda crap). So there have been some monkey-wrenches thrown into our usual way of working.

"In the past, it was like this: we'd spend a few weeks talking about some basic ideas and direction for the music / lyrics — then spend eight months to a year writing and putting it all together. Things happen faster that way — you have a goal and direction and you just dedicate your time to make it happen. This time things were a bit different; writing for a while — then on the road — then back to writing — and so on... and inspiration isn't something that you can 'turn on and off', it comes when it comes. You might work on something one day — and like where it is heading — but then stop for a month, come back, and find it difficult to get your mind-set back to the point where you left off. And, although it sounded like a good idea at the time, the phrase 'we can write songs on the bus' wasn't happening — too many distractions and other crap going on.

"Anyway…to sum it all up, the initial writing process took a little longer than usual. Aside from all that, everything else is cool. Things are moving at a good pace now and I'm thinking we can start the actual recording in a month or two.

"Once we get to the point where we are tracking — we can get some updates happening (studio reports, some pics, etc.). I know the ‘natives are getting restless' — but for now, there isn't a whole lot to say… just tell everyone to hang in there!"

SYMPHONY X were one of the second-stage bands at this past summer's Gigantour, a six-week festival trek co-headlined by MEGADETH and DREAM THEATER. "Rarities and Demos", the first fan club CD from the official international SYMPHONY X fan club, Church of the Machine, was shipped out in July to fan club members. The CD includes demo material, rare unreleased material, and Michael J. Romeo's interpretation of the "Star Wars" theme, done with over 15 guitar tracks.

Finnish folk metallers KORPIKLAANI entered the studio on November 14 to begin recording their third full-length album, "Tales along This Road". The CD will be released in March 2006 on Napalm Records.

The recording sessions for the new album will be interrupted for a couple of weeks by the second leg of the band's European tour. The tour highlights will include a show at the Czech's Winter Masters Of Rock with HAMMERFALL and STRATOVARIUS on Decemebr 3 and a charity concert for sexually abused children in Celle, Germany on November 26. The European tour to support the release of KORPIKLAANI's upcoming album will begin March 30 and last approximately three weeks. European festival appearances during the 2006 summer season are also in the works: 10 confirmed festival gigs, as well as ongoing negotiations for further dates.

KORPIKLAANI's second album under their current moniker (the group released two albums as SHAMAN), "Voice of Wilderness", was released last January via Napalm Records.

ANGTORIA, the new Swedish/British orchestral/metal band formed by female singer Sarah Jezebel Deva (CRADLE OF FILTH, THERION, MORTIIS), composer Chris Rehn (ABYSSOS) and Tommy Rehn (MOAHNI MOAHNA), will enter Sidelake Studios in Sundsvall, Sweden on Saturday, November 19 to begin recording their debut album, "God Has A Plan For Us All", tentatively due in April 2006 via Listenable Records. The drums on the album will be handled by the very talented new and up-and-coming drummer Andreas Brobjer. At only 18 years of age, he's already received numerous awards for his achievments and is getting more and more renowned around the world for his skills. Among Andreas' accomplishments:

* In 2004 he won the "Swedish National Championships In Drumset Soloing", and went back in 2005 to defend his title and won once again!

* At only 17 years of age he was asked by acclaimed Swedish keyboard wizard Rikard Andersson (MAJESTIC, TIME REQUIEM, SPACE ODYSSEY) to lay down the drums on the album entitled "The Astral Episode" with his highly technical metal project called SPACE ODYSSEY.

* Andreas is also active in various other bands and projects like for instance prog metal band PLATITUDE.

To help out with engineering the drums, the band have hired Daniel Bergstrand, who has previously worked with such acts as IN FLAMES, SOILWORK, MESHUGGAH, DEVIN TOWNSEND, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD and BEHEMOTH. A full-length MP3 of the ANGTORIA demo track "Six Feet Under's Not Deep Enough" has been made available for download at Angtoria.com. Other songtitles expected to appear on the upcoming CD include "Confide In Me" (KYLIE MINOGUE cover), "Little Girl", "Deity Of Disgust" and "I Cried Alone".

CRADLE OF FILTH forntman Dani Filth has posted the following studio update on the band's official web site:

"Excuse the following exercise in bad grammar, doctrinal expletives and general buffoonery but i am writing this report from 'The Chapel' studios here in deepest, darkest rural Lincolnshire following a night out at the local pub (the only means of entertainment in the entire region) and a fall into a deep ditch full of water, having partially succeeded in rescuing a drowning football. Suffice to say I awoke this morning having half-laughed myself to death watching the two pseudo-documentaries on our soon-to-released new DVD to find my shoes caked in mud and my pants on the wrong way around (but that's entirely another story).

"So far so good in respect to the new album, the producer Rob Caggiano having successfully crossed the Atlantic on what must be his fourth attempt in under a week and the band having been nicely tucked away in their respectful bedrooms, where I would indeed be now if it weren't for the fact that Rob has chosen to put the bass cabs directly beneath me in an attempt to shake all the teeth out of my head.

"Incidentally Rob has been rather ill for the last four months with a stomach parasite he ingested from some dodgy food he ate in Mexico. No, the food didn't have ANTHRAX, but it did have something in it that causes Rob to have to take fifteen different homeopathic tablets three times daily. He actually showed us a picture of the horror he ate as taken by Scott Ian, who apparently warned him not to eat what looks like a meat 'Millenium Falcon'. In actual fact it was a skinned raw Goat's face complete with sagging eyeballs, but to a pissed-up Rob it looked like heaven.

"You can see more of Rob in this state on our forthcoming DVD. He is also available for weddings and Bar Mitzvahs.

"On the studio front there's not a great deal to report other than Paul's face has instantly begun to melt, sitting in front of his 50-inch computer screen (you know what they say about big screens don't you...), rehearsing the tracks and smoking the herb as if his facial elasticity depended on it. Charles is his accomplice in the rehearsal side of things although he prefers a box of nineteenth century nasal snuff to weed and a lengthy piss up at the pub with me and various sheep farmers. Adrian and Dave are busy recording drums and bass whilst i wile away the first few days amending the latest chapter to 'The Gospel Of Filth' and writing this pile of old baloney.

"Incidentally, the book is still progressing nicely although as you can imagine the whole process is a lengthy one what with the constant migration of ideas between conspirators and the amount of research that has gone into its construction, although author Gavin Badderley has promised to deliver it early next year. Still, the wait will be worth it, I can promise you, the chapter I have just finished proof reading on (to tie in with the chapter headed 'Cruelty And The Beast') is extremely cantankerous, tracing the history of serial murder from Medieval attributions to werewolves through to modern day vampire-killers and cannibals. This chapter also features an alternative narrative on the Norwegian black metal murders of the mid-Nineties as well as quotes and useful insights by everyone from MUSHROOMHEAD to EMPEROR to Charlie Manson. The next time I put poisoned ink to paper I will include a preview of one of the more juicier parts of the text for your delectation and much-sought after approval. But only if you're good girls and boys...

"Never before in the history of this band have we been so ready for an album prior to going in. All of the songs have been rehearsed and demoed relentlessly, Paul is actually going over one even as we speak, over and over again to the point where I wish I'd never been born with ears. Like a bat. Still, in my sensory radar is the smell of dinner being slowly cooked, which is one great benefit of being cooped up in a residential studio. The food! By the time i go to India at the end of the year I will doubtless be about the size of a balloon with a face like Vince Neil back on the booze. To be fair though, everyone is making an effort to stay a little in shape this time around, even to the point of an early morning jog. And Dave has upped wanking himself off to five times a day AND with the other hand! Apparently. The threat of an upcoming UK tour will do that to a man you know.

"On the tour front the tickets sales are going so well we subsequently decided to add in a warm-up show in sunny Colchester the day prior to Southampton. Tickets for this are scant and going fast so you'd better grab them quick if you wish to see us at our musical and possible physical worse (five weeks worth of studio banquets later...).

"Anyway, that seems to be all for now, I promise to keep you updated on a regular basis although as of next week i will be starting vocal duties concurrently in studio two. This is so I'm not left to the last minute with a stomach full of flutterbies.

"We are also doing several covers during this recording period and if someone out there can guess what they are, then a signed photo of Charles wearing our new girlie knicker and bra set shall be yours. You lucky fuckers! Till next I befoul the air with my presence.... hope you all had a happy Halloween!"

SAVAGE CIRCUS/COLDSEED drummer Thomen Stauch (ex-BLIND GUARDIAN) has posted the following message on his official web site:

"I'm really sorry for there hasn´t been any update from my side for so long, but as most of you might have known, I moved to another house in Spain where I will build my own studio for demo recordings with other bands and where I can go on giving drum lessons again, finaly. So I didn't have and still don't have much time, but if I want to get done with that studio I need to go on straight with that work, and it is a lot of work, I can promise you!

"Anyway,there are several news about SAVAGE CIRCUS and COLDSEED at this moment......

"1. We finally have to announce the perfect booking agency for SAVAGE CIRCUS: Dragon Productions, the metal department from ASS!!! For being our first tour we will play only some single shows in most of the possible countries. Supports will be mostly local bands in the yet confirmed shows, but we still are open to requests from bands that maybe would like to support us on our still upcoming shows. Finaly it is always a question of the local promoter, so if you like to get information, better get directly in contact with Schrörg at www.dragon-productions.com (contacts). There are already some shows confirmed and also big interest from several countries like Austria, USA, Russia, France, etc...! In Japan we will play 2 shows in Tokyo in March, as support for our good old friends EDGUY!!!

"There's much more to come, we just started with Schrörg! So please don't kill us with questions like 'When will you play in......?' We either don't know it, yet. We'll for sure keep you informed on our homepages, promise!

"2. We proudly announce to have contracted exclusively with EMP Merchandising company. Some of you may have noticed that already in the EMP winter issue, or on their homepage. But for our upcoming tour, that will start aprox. in February 2006 we for sure will create more great layouts for the merch stuff.

"3. In the next few days we finaly will confirm the winners of the competition and the prizes for that will reach you latest around Christmas, so you have already a little Christmas present. Is that a word? We are very sorry for that big delay, but we hope that all of you can understand that things kept us more busy than we thought by ourselves! Sorry, a big, big SORRY for that, friends! Anyway, I hope it's needless to say: Doesn't matter who are the other winners.....YOU ALL did a great job sending us all those fantastic ideas, but we can only chose 5 of each!!

"4. We are proud to confirm that COLDSEED will contract with NUCLEAR BLAST!!! They have been the only company with the right and perfect view for this project and we are convinced to have made the right choice. We plan with a release between April and June 2006. About this we´ll also keep you informed on COLDSEED's and this homepage."

According to a posting on the IRON MAIDEN fan site MaidenFans.com, MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson revealed in an interview with MTV Brazil this past week weekend that the band will enter the studio in March 2006 to record a new studio album, tentatively due next fall. A European tour is expected to kick off in October 2006, with South American dates tentatively penciled in for February 2007.

In other news, Dickinson delivered a keynote speech to Access All Areas delegates on November 9 in Stockholm, Sweden (Access All Areas is Sweden's annual showcase and networking event for the international music industry). 58girl, a member of the Scream For Me community (a Bruce Dickinson forum), has issued the following report on Bruce's speech at the event:

"[Bruce] was quite hard on the music industry and compared it to the porn industry — it's all about making money and it needs new faces all the time, which makes it hard to stay in the limelight for long. On the other hand he wasn't happy about the Internet with its possibilities of downloading music for free. He looks on music as a work of art that has a worth. He made the comparison to T-shirts — people can pay 30 dollars for a T-shirt with the band name, but they don't want to pay 10 bucks for the album. He thinks that the future lies in smaller and more specilalized selling units. I think he is right about that, several other speakers said the same thing during the day."

Check out pictures of Bruce giving his Access All Areas speech at this location. A video where where you watch Bruce saying that selling telephones or iPods is not selling music, can be downloaded from IronMaidenSweden.se (.AVI, 3MB).

According to an article in the Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, MORTICIAN vocalist/bassist Will Rahmer was arrested by the Polish police after threatening a taxi driver with a knife and stealing a taxi cab following the group's performance in the Polish city of Zielona Gora on Sunday (Nov. 13).

Rahmer reportedly called a cab after MORTICIAN's concert in Zielona Gora (which the other MORTICIAN members performed without Rahmer) and requested to be taken to the Berlin airport so that he could fly back to the United States. He allegedly went berserk in the car and threatened to stab the driver of the cab with a small knife. The taxi driver escaped and called the police. In the meantime, Will stole the car and drove himself to the Polish/German border crossing in Swiecko where he was subsequently picked up by the authorities.

According to the report, Rahmer was placed under arrest and is being held on several charges which carry a maximum penalty of 3 to 15 years.

To view the original Gazeta Wyborcza article (in Polish), click here.

MORTICIAN were in the middle of a European tour with BLOOD RED THRONE and AKERCOCKE when the incident took place. The group are said to be continuing the trek, with members of BLOOD RED THRONE and AKERCOCKE assisting with bass and vocal duties.

Swedish death/thrash metallers DEFLESHED have officially split up. The group's bassist/vocalist Gustaf Jorde has issued the following statement on the matter:

"Fellow comrades, with a schizophrenic mixture of grief and relief we hereby announce our departure from all DEFLESHED activities. Activities that has become more of obligations with the years, which has driven us individually to become more ambitions or less. We are in no way splitting up as unfriends, if anything reversed, and we'll thank you all for your the support through the years in the only way we know how to: a farewell to the flesh gig at Fellini, Uppsala, Sweden the 25th of December. This night we'll do anything in our power to BLAST YOUR FUCKING FLESH OFF!!! However, since we've never been to the States (which is an old dream of ours), we'll still try to nail that DISMEMBER tour in April, but this is up to our U.S. label & co.

"Hope you understand our wish not to become tired, blood-drain has-beens but to end this while we're still potent. We will still go on with metal in diverse bands and future projects of course, of which I'm sure you will hear of in a near future, but as for DEFLESHED we've simply feel the last chapter has been written. After all, you don't stop playing 'cause your getting old — you get old 'cause you stop playing. Be well and thanks for your attention in our band."

DEFLESHED's latest album, "Reclaim the Beat", is available now on Sweden's Regain Records. The follow-up to 2002's "Royal Straight Flesh" was recorded at Dug-Out Studios in Uppsala, Sweden and contains 12 songs plus a "slightly demolished" cover version of MÖTLEY CRÜE's "Red Hot".

According to a posting on OBITUARY's official web site, "a good possibility" exists that the band will be shooting a new video at their December 9 concert at the Masquerade in Tampa, Florida. Also appearing on the bill will be PATHS OF POSSESSION (the Florida-based band fronted by CANNIBAL CORPSE vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher) and UNDIVIDUAL.

OBITUARY's latest CD, "Frozen in Time", was released in July via Roadrunner Records. The group's first collection of new songs since 1997's "Back from the Dead" was self-produced by the band, with Mark Prator and Scott Burns engineering, and was mastered by Tom Morris at Morrisound.

ZYKLON, the Norwegian band featuring EMPEROR members Samoth (guitar) and Trym (drums), have begun recording of their third album, tentatively titled "Disintegrate". The album is being recorded at Akkerhaugen Lydstudio in Norway with time already set at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden for the album's mix in early February. The band have confirmed nine song titles for the album, including "Wrenched", "Cold Grave", "Disintegrate", "In Hindsight", "Skinned and Endangered", "Vulture", "Subversive Faith", "Underdog", "Ways of the World", and "Vile Ritual".

As recording starts the band are also hard at work with final edits on their planned first DVD, titled "Storm Detonation Live". Recorded at Germany's 2004 Party.San Open Air festival, the DVD will contain the band's live show plus exclusive on-the-road/backstage footage, an exclusive look into reheasals for the band's new album and both "Psyklon Aeon" and "Core Solution" videos.

Guitarist Samoth says, "We've just hit the studio this past week and already on the second day of tracking Trym has nailed down seven tracks. So we're on the go! Some of the material is really heavy while other tracks are blasting fast. We're really excited to finally be recording this album and are eager to start tracking guitars soon. We're very confident that it will be a solid follow-up to 'Aeon'."

Candlelight is planning a spring release for both "Disintegrate" and "Storm Denotation Live".

Finland's KALMAH have set the tentative track listing for their fourth album, "The Black Waltz", tentatively due early next year via Spikefarm Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Swampsong" will contain 10 songs. A bonus cover track was also laid down during the sessions and will be included as a bonus cut on various releases.

"The Black Waltz" track listing (in no specific order):

01. Bitter Metallic Side
02. Defeat
03. The Groan of Wind
04. One from the Stands
05. The Black Waltz
06. With Terminal Intensity
07. To the Gallows
08. Time Takes Us All
09. Mindrust
10. Man of the King

Commented guitarist Antti Kokko: "So, this is the second week in studio and the recordings have gone smooth this far. Right now I closed my rhytmn guitar sessions and Pekka [Kokko] is starting. We spent time to find the guitar sound for rhytmn section and I'm glad we did it because what I hear now is brutal and 'ear-taking.'"

Check out pictures from the studio at this location.

Earlier in the year, KALMAH inked a new deal with Spikefarm Records (a division of Spinefarm). Demo samples of the new songs "Bitter Metallic Side" and "Infernal Death" are still available for download at
this location.

KALMAH last year announced the addition of keyboardist Marco Sneck (POISONBLACK) to the group's ranks. The group's current lineup is as follows:

Pekka Kokko - Guitar, Vocals
Antti Kokko - Lead Guitar
Janne Kusmin - Drums
Timo Lehtinen - Bass
Marko Sneck - Keyboards