MARILYN MANSON recently told RollingStone.com that he will be releasing a set of four short films, entitled "Fantasma Gloria", through his web site. "It's the visions of Lewis Caroll — in fact I'm playing Carroll," he said. In Installment One, Manson explores the origin of "Alice in Wonderland"'s Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. "I might add that the girls playing Tweedle Dee and Dum are twins who get to have real, genuine sex with each other. I like to make dreams come true."

Manson has come to a crossroads in his career. "I no longer want to make art that other people — particularly record companies — are turning into a product," he said. "I just want to make art." And he's invented a new genre for his new breed of art: "horripilation." "It's horrifying, and it's depilatory," he explained. "It will horrify the hair off of your legs."

Manson's also got 18 songs in the can. "It's not like I'm going to stop making music and start knitting," he says. "I just don't think the world is worth putting the music into right now. First we're gonna fix the world with horripilation."

CHILDREN OF BODOM have recorded a cover version of BRITNEY SPEARS' "Oops I Did It Again" for their upcoming single, "In Your Face". The cover artwork for the single has been posted online at Spinefarm.fi. The single, which is scheduled for release in Finland on August 17 via Spinefarm, will contain the following track listing:

01. In Your Face
02. Oops I Did It Again
03. In Your Face (censored version)

In other news, a live DVD of the Wacken festival in 2004 will be released next Monday. CHILDREN OF BODOM will be featured on it with a live version of their song "Sixpounder", which was already shown on German TV in 2004.

CHILDREN OF BODOM mastered "Are You Dead Yet?" on June 6 at Finnvox studios in Helsinki following a six-week recording/mixing session with producer Mikko Karmila. The complete track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Living Dead Beat
02. Are You Dead Yet?
03. If You Want Peace... Prepare for War
04. Punch Me I Bleed
05. In Your Face
06. Next in Line
07. Bastards of Bodom
08. Trashed, Lost & Strungout
09. We're Not Gonna Fall

"Are You Dead Yet?" is scheduled for release on September 14 in Finland and September 19 in the rest of the world.

CHILDREN OF BODOM mainman Alexi Laiho recently told Finland's Soundi magazine that "Are You Dead Yet?" will feature some completely new influences. The follow-up to 2003's "Hate Crew Deathroll" will apparently be even more straight-forward than its predecessor and will contain some industrial elements while retaining COB's trademark sound, including the super-fast guitar and keyboard solos.

BATTLELORE's video for the track "Storm of the Blades" has been posted online at this location (Windows Media).

"Storm of the Blades" comes off the Finnish "fantasy metal" band's new album, "Third Age of the Sun", due in Europe on July 25 via Napalm Records (late August in North America). Audio samples of four tracks from "Third Age of the Sun" have been posted online at the group's official web site. Check out the songs "Storm of the Blades", "Ghân of the Woods", "Trollshaws", and "Elessar's Call" at Battlelore.net.

The follow-up to 2003's "Sword's Song", "Third Age of the Sun" was recorded at SoundSuite Studio in Marseille, France with producer Terje Refsnes (TRISTANIA, MORGUL, TURISAS). Mastering duties were handled at Finnvox studios in Helsinki.

BATTLELORE recently announced the departure of bassist/founding member Miika Kokkola due to "personal reasons." Replacing him in the group's lineup is Timo Honkanen, who has already toured with the group as Kokkola's temporary replacement on their "Atlantis Lovelorn" tour with ATROCITY and LEAVES' EYES late last year. In addition, the band have announced that vocalist Tomi Mykkänen, who also performed with the group on the aforementioned tour, has been named a full-time member of BATTLELORE and has contributed vocals to their third album.

Finnish goth-metallers H.I.M. are set to release their fifth album, "Dark Light", on September 27. The album is the first the band have recorded for their new label, Sire, and is described by frontman Ville Valo as sounding "like a gothed-up BON JOVI." Speaking to the U.K.'s Rock Sound magazine, he said, "Last time, on 'Love Metal', we wanted it to be our BLACK SABBATH album. This time we're still soppy bastards, but there's a bit more experimenting. We wanted it to be like a U2 album with lots of textures. 'Achtung Baby' is one of my favorite albums of all time. So there's a lots of ear candy, but it's pretty '80s in that there are big hooks on the choruses and they're all sing-along."

"Dark Light" was recorded during February and March of this year with producer Tim Palmer (PEARL JAM, OZZY OSBOURNE, U2) at Paramour Studios in Silverlake, California. Previous uses for the location include the filming of parts of "Halloween 2" and, while Ville was recording his backing vocals, a feature-length Playboy film. Ville says the location itself proved to be inspiring, but for entirely different reasons.

"We just wanted to get away from the pressures of everyday life, so you don't have to do the dishes or pay the bills," he said. "We did end up being at [legendary rock hangout] The Rainbow every other night, but the studio itself was in a residential spot, on top of a hill in a big mansion. I was still finishing a lot of the lyrics there and once the sun went down over downtown L.A., it allowed me to reflect. It was very peaceful and it meant we could concentrate on what we did best. So the band sound pretty relaxed on this album. It was really good to get the brothers together again, without families or girls."

Ville explained that the album moniker follows H.I.M.'s tradition of "using contradictions in titles," but also has another, coincidental meaning. "What makes it funny is that my last name means 'light' in Finnish. Then you translate 'dark' straight into Finnish, it means that you're a bit crazy in the head, so I thought, 'Great! It's crazy old me again.' Because it's our fifth album, we're also going to use the Roman numeral 'V', so it's all very autobiographical."

Lyrically, themes still revolve around "girls and boys and the politics of the heart," but Ville revealed that his own love life has influenced him, too. He said, "I've been hanging out with the same girl for awhile, so it's very, very inspiring. I'm like her evil twin. It's good for the head".

Relapse Records has set release dates for the reissues of the three full-length albums (1989's "Piece of Time", 1992's "Unquestionable Presence", and 1993's "Elements") by seminal technical metal pioneers ATHEIST.

"Elements" and "Unquestionable Presence" will be released officially on August 30 (North America) and September 5 (Europe). "Piece of Time" will follow with a September 13 release (North America) and September 19 (Europe).

Guitarist/vocalist Kelly Shaefer comments on the impending CD reissues; "We could not be more proud of the job done on these reissues by the folks at Relapse. When this ATHEIST re-issue project started unfolding, I wanted them to be treated with the same care as if they were new releases."

Shaefer continues, "Now that they are done I can say 110% that this is the quintessential ATHEIST collection! It includes all the original classics plus tons of bonus tracks, incredible liner notes, and photos even the band has never seen until now. The art is expanded and more vibrant than ever and the sound has been remastered to pristine metal standards! The attention to detail in these reissues is outstanding and even if you had owned the records in their original pressings, you MUST have this in your collection as they are the definitive versions of the ATHEIST records."

Additionally, "Unquestionable Presence" will be featured in the October issue of Decibel magazine as part of its ongoing Hall of Fame feature. The Hall of Fame feature highlights influential and pivotal releases in metal history, and "Unquestionable Presence" will join of ranks of previously profiled classics such as SLAYER's "Reign In Blood", SEPULTURA's "Roots", and AT THE GATES' "Slaughter of the Soul", among others.

Sweden's LORD BELIAL have completed work on their sixth full-length album, "Nocturnal Beast", at Andy La Rocque's (KING DIAMOND) Los Angered Recording studios in Gothenburg, Sweden. "The result is 11 songs including intro and outro and the playing time is about 43 minutes," the band write on their web site.

"We are very satisfied with the sound and we would like to thank Mr. Andy LaRoque for a splendid work once again! Right now we are just waiting for the album cover and the layout to be completed."

"Nocturnal Beast" is tentatively scheduled for release this fall via Regain Records.

After reaching successful positions with LEAVES' EYES in the German Charts LIV KRISTINE is already busy with producing her second solo album. The well-expected follower to "Deus ex Machina" will be called "Enter my Religion" and will be released on Roadrunner Records. LIV KRISTINE: "The recordings are going very well. We have produced so many new songs that it will be hard to make a desicion concerning the final album tracks.The songs are very diverse - you will hear soft ballads, cadanced pop songs and also rocking tracks. It's all so ineteresting for me as we are working with some very exotic instruments. This is a new challenge for me as an artist because I can realize so many new ideas I've been dreaming of for a long time." Once more, LIV KRISTINE will proof her unique talent and enchant with the different facettes of her voice.

Danish death/thrash metallers URKRAFT will enter Antfarm studios this Saturday, July 16 with renowned producer Tue Madsen to begin the two-week recording session for their hotly anticipated Earache Records debut, "The Inhuman Aberration".

Commented frontman Thomas Pedersen: "We have reached the point where we can't get much more ready for the studio as a band. As individuals we might do some more practicing at home though. During the last few days we have been working with the small details on all tracks, been doing some last-minute changes and I think this has given the final touch some of the tracks needed."

Regarding how the new material compares to the group's debut, Pedersen said, "We are really exited about releasing the next album. URKRAFT were expected to do deep death metal on our debut, but obviously surprised some people by putting in more thrash than earlier. We still play a combination, but this release will be both a new side of URKRAFT as well as moving a little back to the old days. It will be more noisy and chaotic, a lot faster, more brutal and with that overall dark feeling to it that the 'Eternal Cosmic Slaughter' album had. Especially the keyboard will have a more conspicuous role. It is not just used as a lay over, but will also be a part of the chaos and help support the attacks in the music."

On the subject of the lyrical themes for the new songs, Pedersen said, "With the lyrics for the title track, 'The Inhuman Aberration', the subjective human perspective on things is questioned. The voice in the song might belong to a sick megalomaniac mind, but at the same time a mind that can comprehend and dare to face the primordial horrors that exist underneath human made ideas of reason and logic. 'The Inhuman Aberration' is not a concept album as such. Different voices speak and contradicting views exist within the lyrics. Overall the lyrics attempt to describe what man cannot control: The subconscious powers within and the subversive grinding of the cosmos."

FEAR FACTORY have reportedly selected "Supernova" as the first single from their upcoming album, "Transgression", due on August 23 via Calvin Records, an imprint of Liquid 8 Records. A 45-second audio sample of "Supernova", which features a guest appearance by former FAITH NO MORE bassist Billy Gould, is available at this location (Real Media).

FEAR FACTORY entered Track Record Studios in North Hollywood, California on May 5 with producer Toby Wright (ALICE IN CHAINS, KORN, SOULFLY) to begin recording the follow-up to last year's "Archetype". Included on "Transgression" is "New Promise", which was co-written with Mark Morton of LAMB OF GOD.

"Transgression" track listing:

01. 540,000 Degrees Fahrenheit
02. Transgression
03. Spinal Compression
04. Contagion
05. Empty Vision
06. Echo Of My Scream
07. Supernova
08. New Promise
09. I Will Follow
10. Millennium (KILLING JOKE cover)
11. Moment of Impact
12. Empire (bonus track for Best Buy only)

Sweden's KATATONIA have entered Fascination Street studio, located in the outskirts of Örebro, Sweden, to begin recording their new album, tentatively due before the end of the year via Peaceville Records. The band have posted the following recording update on their official web site:

"After a misty cold gig in Estonia and a melting hot gig in Greece, we're now back in the studio again to put down the last rhythm guitars. This weekend Mattias will come down and start recording bass and after that we'll continue with additional clean and lead guitars and also start the vocal session. Fascination Street has two studios, so we can work simultaneously at both while being at different stages of the recording process all thanks to that clever thing they call 'clicktrack.' The material is sounding very heavy already."

Check out pictures from the recording sessions at
this location.

KATATONIA's last album, "Viva Emptiness", was released in 2003.

As previously reported, The End Records recently licensed through their sub-label Infinite Vinyl series KATATONIA's "Saw You Drown" — a mini album from 1998 that collectors regard as maybe the rarest and most-wanted item in KATATONIA's discography. The vinyl version is limited to 1,000 copies, all hand-numbered. It also features an unreleased band photo, lyrics to all songs, plus personal liner notes from the band.

According to a posting on MAYHEM's web site, the Norwegian black metallers will most likely release a CD consisting of a few covers and re-recordings before the new studio album is out. "The covers will be SODOM, BLACK SABBATH as well as two more bands," the posting adds. "The re-recordings will be from 'Wolfs Lair Abyss' [1997]. It will also contain a track from the forthcoming album. The CD may also contain some sort of live CD-ROM track."

Regarding the new material, guitarist Blasphemer (a.k.a. Rune Erickson) said, "The new songs are tending towards a more aggressive and straight, in-your-face kinda expression. Expect 8-10 vicious and disharmonic songs of the purest of black metal. More info on when the band enters studio and which etc. later, but the album will most likely be recorded early 2006 for a late spring/early summer release. The album is still untitled."

MAYHEM's next live appearance wll take place on November 3 at the Elm St. Rock Café in Oslo, Norway. Following this show, MAYHEM will head over to Australia, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. Exact cities and dates will be announced soon.

Montreal-based metallers NEURAXIS have finalized the track listing for their fourth album, "Trilateral Progression", due on September 13 via Willowtip Records. A European release will follow on Earache Records. The album was engineered by Yannick St-Amand (DESPISED ICON) and was mixed is by Jason Suecof (CAPHARNAUM). The mastering duties will be handled by Scott Hull (PIG DESTROYER).

"Trilateral Progression" (view cover artwork by Mark Riddick) track listing:

01. Introspect
02. Clarity
03. Thought Adjuster
04. Shatter The Wisdom
05. Monitoring The Mind
06. A Currative Struggle
07. Chamber Of Guardians
08. Caricature
09. Axioms
10. The Apex

NEURAXIS are preparing for a U.S./Canadian tour for this fall. Exact cities and dates will be announced soon.

Swedish metallers SATARIEL have uploaded a full-length MP3 of the track "Vengeance Is Hers" at this location.

"Vengeance Is Hers" comes off the group's recently released third album, "Hydra", available now on Cold/Regain Records. The group, whose music is being described as "a mix between CANDLEMASS and early IN FLAMES," recorded the CD at Dug-Out studios in Uppsala, Sweden with producers Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, IN FLAMES, STUCK MOJO) and Örjan Örnkloo (MISERY LOVES CO.).

SATARIEL released their sophomore CD, "Phobos & Deimos", in 2002 through the now-defunct Dutch label Hammerheart Records.

Long-running Canadian metallers ANNIHILATOR have set "Schizo Deluxe" as the title of their new album, tentatively due on November 14 via Germany's AFM Records.

Commented mainman Jeff Waters: "It will be a total blast, be aware of it."

ANNIHILATOR's latest CD, "All for You", was released in Europe in May 2004 through AFM Records. The CD, which was produced, mixed and engineered by ANNIHILATOR mastermind Jeff Waters at Watersound Studios in Canada, marked the recording debut with the group of new singer Dave Padden, who replaced previous vocalist Joe Comeau (ex-OVERKILL, LIEGE LORD) in June 2003. A five-song EP, entitled "The One", was also issued containing two bonus video clips.

Guitarist Sathonys of the German black metallers AGATHODAIMON has issued the following update:

"Mid-way through 2005 and work on the sixth album continues. Recording of the drum tracks is now complete, and the next phase of recording is scheduled to begin soon. We have now locked ourselves away to concentrate all efforts towards the completion of the sixth album, spurning all extraneous human contact until such time as the sacred task is fulfilled. Any and all prior engagements and previous commitments will be ruthlessly forsaken until the opus is finally complete. Upon the completion of the mixing process, the album title and individual track titles will be unveiled in a major press release."

AGATHODAIMON's most recent album, "Serpent's Embrace", was released in June 2004 through Nuclear Blast Records.

8THSIN, the new project led by IT (a.k.a. Tony Särkkä; WAR, ABRUPTUM, OPHTHTALAMIA, VONDUR), are in the final stages of recording their sophomore album, "Angelseed & Demonmilk", tentatively due before the end of the year. The follow-up to last year's "Sinners Inc." (Black Lodge Records) will include a special guest appearance by Peter Tägtgren of PAIN/HYPOCRISY.

As previously reported, 8THSIN recently posted an outtake from the "Sinners Inc." recording sessions at their official web site. The track "The 11th Commandment", which was left off the album due to "legal issues," can be downloaded at this location.

8THSIN's debut album, "Sinners Inc.", was recorded and mixed at Sin Studios by Michael Bohlin and was mastered at Polar Studios by Henrik Jonsson. The group's "Sometimes & Othertimes" video (directed by Ira Bohlin) from the "Sinners Inc." album was finished in April and is now ready for broadcasting.

FEAR FACTORY have announced the final track listing for their upcoming release, "Transgression", due out August 23 on Calvin Records, an imprint of Liquid 8 Records.

FEAR FACTORY entered Track Record Studios in North Hollywood, California on May 5 with producer Toby Wright (ALICE IN CHAINS, KORN, SOULFLY) to begin recording the follow-up to last year's "Archetype". In addition to Toby Wright, there is a list of guest musicians collaborating on "Transgression", including bass player Billy Gould of FAITH NO MORE fame. Billy contributes to two songs: "Echo of My Scream" and "Super Nova". Also included on "Transgression" is "New Promise", which was co-written with Mark Morton of LAMB OF GOD.

01. 540,000 Degrees Fahrenheit
02. Transgression
03. Spinal Compression
04. Contagion
05. Empty Vision
06. Echo Of My Scream
07. Supernova
08. New Promise
09. I Will Follow
10. Millennium (KILLING JOKE cover)
11. Moment of Impact
12. Empire (bonus track for Best Buy only)

Finland's NORTHER have entered Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden to begin recording their fourth full-length album, tentatively due before the end of the year.

As previously reported, a live video of Finland's NORTHER performing the track "Nothing" at Nosturi in Helsinki on March 24 has been posted online at the band's official web site. The clip, which was shot and edited by Oliver Fokin, can be downloaded at this location (Windows Media).

NORTHER recently issued a new EP, entitled "Solution 7". The CD was mixed and mastered at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki. Recording sessions for the disc began on December 24 at Astia Studios in Lappeenranta, Finland.

NORTHER's third full-length album, "Death Unlimited", was released last year through Spinefarm Records.

Norwegian "dark metallers" AETERNUS will release their new album, "Hexaeon", in October via Karisma/Dark Essence Records.

The band commented in a statement: "Now, a lot of you might wonder how come we recorded 'HeXaeon' last year and [are] releasing it now, a year after the actual recording.

"The reasons are that we parted from [Nocturnal Art Productions] and in between there we had things going on and things we had to wait for. We simply needed to wait a lot of things out and that's how it is sometimes.

"For those who still waits patiently, we tip our hats to you. Thanks for your patience, it'll be worth it, you'll see.

"So get ready (FINALLY) for 9 songs of new dark metal from the pounding norse
dark/death metal horde: AETERNUS!"

The follow-up to 2003's "A Darker Monument", "Hexaeon" was recorded at Grieghallen Studios in Norway and was once produced by Eirik "Pytten" Hundvin, who has previously worked with ENSLAVED and MÖRK GRYNING, among others.

AETERNUS recently acquired a new session guitarist by the name of Dreggen.

According to Delaware Online, SLAYER guitarist Kerry King will lead the Guitar Abuse Clinic at 5:30 p.m. Friday (July 15) at Middletown Music (5238 Summit Bridge Road) in Middletown, DE. King, a 20-year veteran of the music industry, will give pointers on style and technique to aspiring guitarists. Audience members are permitted to bring their instruments for King to autograph. The session is free, but reservations are required at 376-7600.

SLAYER have just completed a European tour and are expected to return to the studio to resume work on the follow-up to 2001's "God Hates Us All", tentatively due late 2005/early 2006 via American/Warner.

SLAYER's live-in-concert DVD, "Still Reigning", released last November, was certified gold in early April. "Still Reigning" is SLAYER's second gold DVD, the first being "War at the Warfield", which was released in 2003.

More details have been revealed about the upcoming IMMORTAL tribute album, "Epimythion - Tribute to Immortal", tentatively due this fall via Greece's Townsend Avalanche Music. The complete track listing for the CD is as follows:

TRAGEDY BEGINS - "The Sun No Longer Rises"
BEYOND DAWN - "Storming Through Red Clouds And Holocaust Winds"
ENDWARFMENT - "Unsilent Storms in the North Abyss"
KEEP OF KALESSIN – "Throned by Blackstorms"
SUNN O))) – "Cursed Realms of the Winterdemons"
OCD+BRAINCONTROLLER - "Pure Holocaust"
ZWEIZZ - "Blacker than Darkness"
VREID - "As the Eternity Opens"
FUNERAL PROCESSION – "Mountains of Might"
SETH - "Battles in the North"
ENTHRONED - "Eternal Years on the Path to the Cemetary Gates"
HAUNTED GATES – "One by One"
WRATHAGE – "Through the Halls of Eternity"
THE ASHES – "Withstand the Fall of Time"

Just over 22 years after the album was released, DIO will play their classic debut, "Holy Diver", in its entirety on their U.K. tour in October. This is the first time that they will ever have attempted to play the whole record live.

"It wasn't my idea, but suggested by someone else," Ronnie James Dio told U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine. "And this seemed to be a good concept at the time, although the closer we get to doing this, the more concerned I'm getting!

"I have to admit that I've not actually listened to the album for ages, and I keep putting it off. I'm actually scared of doing so. I know what I'm like. I'll hear what we did back then, and start thinking, 'You know what? This could have been done better, and that can be improved.' But I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and do it soon.

"A lot of bands have been playing one of their classic albums from beginning to end onstage recently. DEEP PURPLE did it with 'Machine Head' and SLAYER with 'Reign in Blood'. It's something people really seem to be into, and I'm sure DIO fans are going to love it. And it's not as if it'll be a massive departure for us — we do a lot of the songs live anyway. The 'Holy Diver' album will just be a part of the whole live experience on the tour."

There are plans for DIO to both film and record this landmark event, but it won't happen on the British tour. Rather, they're going to do this in Russia.

"We're gonna be spending a month out there, and decided that's where the filming and recording would happen. That's not meant to be any slight to our British fans at all. But to go on tour in Russia is a special event in itself."

Swedish grindcore merchants NASUM have uploaded a previously unreleased video for the track "Scoop", directed Mitch Harris of NAPALM DEATH, on their official web site. Check it out at this location .

According to a posting on the site, "Mitch made this video from pictures he shot during the soundcheck and concert in Tokyo, Japan January 12, 2004. Shane Embury [NAPALM DEATH bassist] played with us during two songs (not 'Scoop', though) and he's in the video for a little while. In the end you can also see Ritual Records boss Jumbo."

As previously reported, NASUM will be releasing a split live CD with NAPALM DEATH containing material from the two bands' joint Japanese tour in January 2004. The CD may surface through NAPALM's Feto label, although this has yet to be confirmed.

As reported, Finnish melodic metallers STRATOVARIUS have now officially confirmed that they have enlisted bassist Lauri Porra (SINERGY, KOTIPELTO, TUNNELVISION, WARMEN) as the replacement for longtime member Jari Kainulainen, who left the group a few weeks ago. STRATOVARIUS have issued the following statement regarding the lineup change:

"Longtime bass player Jari Kainulainen has left STRATOVARIUS. There is no drama or bad blood. Jari just doesn't have it in his heart to tour this heavily anymore.

"Jari is not dropping out of the scene, he will continue to play metal.

"The new bass player is Lauri Porra. He is 27 years old and a native of Helsinki, Finland. He has previously played with SINERGY, WARMEN and KOTIPELTO."

Commented Lauri: "I'm very honored to be invited to play with STRATOVARIUS and follow in the steps of such a great bass player as Jari. I'm really looking forward to going on the road with STRATOVARIUS, to meet some old friends, and to hopefully make lot of new ones."

Check out pictures of the new STRATOVARIUS lineup at
this location.

STRATOVARIUS' new self-titled album is scheduled for release on September 5 via Sanctuary Records. A video for the album's first single, "Maniac Dance", was shot on April 15 in Helsinki by director and guitarist Timo Tolkki's old schoolmate Antti Jokinen (BEYONCÉ, WYCLEF JEAN, KORN, MISSY ELLIOT, NIGHTWISH, SHANIA TWAIN, CELINE DION).

STRATOVARIUS will be teaming up with INTO ETERNITY for a North American tour beginning in mid-September.

Norway's legendary eccentric artist MORTIIS has just completed a remix of the GIRLS UNDER GLASS song "Touch Me", now re-titled "Touch Me (Cleanse & Corrupt Mix)", for their upcoming download single, "Touch Me". More information is available at
www.dopestarsinc.com.. Mortiis has also just completed a remix for Italian band DOPE STARS INC.'s song "Self Destructive Corp.", now re-titled "Self Destructive Corp (Midnight Mass Mix)". More information can be found at www.dopestarsinc.com/. Mortiis also laid down vocals for the Norwegian/American project SCUM, featuring Samoth (ZYKLON, ex-EMPEROR), Faust (ex-EMPEROR), Happy Tom (TURBONEGRO), Casey Chaos (AMEN) and Cosmocrator (MINDGRINDER). He contributed backing vocals to the song "Backstabbers Go to Heaven" for SCUM's upcoming debut album, "Gospels for the Sick" (due September 5 via Dogjob Records, a division of Tuba) and lead vocals and lyrics to a song called "Speaking in Tongues", which will be released on an EP.

Germany's NIGHT IN GALES are offering their entire new EP, "Ten Years of Tragedy", as a free download from their official web site. The complete track listing for the EP is as follows:

01. Deathaddiction
02. Ashes and Ends
03. The Woundwalker
04. Get Killed or Die Trying

NIGHT IN GALES' most recent full-length album, "Necrodynamic", was released in 2001 via Massacre Records. Prior to signing with Massacre, the band released three albums through Nuclear Blast Records (1997's "Toward the Twilight", 1998's "Thunderbeast", and 2000's "Nailwork").

Swedish power metallers NOCTURNAL RITES have commenced the mixing process for their new album for a late 2005 release via Century Media Records. The new CD was recorded at a studio in the group's hometown of Umeå with producer Shep. In addition, the band have already shot a video for the album's projected lead single/video, "Fools Never Die", which is being described by bassist Nils Eriksson as "a nice mid-tempo song that definitely will get you all going."

NOCTURNAL RITES' sixth studio album, "New World Messiah", was released last year through Century Media. The follow-up to 2002's "Shadowland" was recorded in Umeå and was mixed and mastered at Finnvox Studio in Helsinki, Finland by T.T. Oksala (TIAMAT, APOCALYPTICA) and Minerva Pappi.