For their 10th birthday Riverside have prepared a special release which will be available during the forthcoming tour. The EP entitled "Memories In My Head" contains 33 minutes of fresh music. The songs have the following titles:

1. Goodbye Sweet Innocence
2. Living In The Past
3. Forgotten Land

Mariusz Duda: This new material, concerning (for obvious reasons) the themes of the passing time, will be a pleasant surprise for those who have missed the specific kind of melodies and space known from the bands early releases. We have consciously gone back to our beginnings to create a certain kind of a circle. This mini-album will contain three longer compositions most resembling those from our first two albums. The result is a quite interesting, spacious, film-soundtrackish, nostalgic, and most of all rock mixture, summing up our career's first decade quite well. "Memories In My Head" is an album which appears out of nowhere, without much promotion; we hope, though, that its content can defend itself and that it will evoke a lot of positive emotions. It does that to us, and we will prove it soon, playing those songs live at our upcoming gigs.

The concerts at which it will be possible to buy this minialbum and hear the new songs live will begin on 5th of May in Prague (CZ) and finish on 29th of May in Warsaw (PL). Tides From Nebula, a band from Poland, will support Riverside at the 12 European concerts, and the Pineapple Thief from Great Britain and Paatos from Sweden will do the same at the 6 Polish gigs.

A STORM OF LIGHT's new album, "As The Valley of Death Becomes Us, Our Silver Memories Fade", will be released on May 17 via Profound Lore Records. The CD was co-produced by Graham Joel Hamilton (who lends keyboards to the record as well) and features several guests that are sure to have the metal world talking. SOUNDGARDEN guitarist Kim Thayil appears on two tracks, as does Jarboe (SWANS). There are also appearances from Carla Kihlstedt (SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM), Kris Force (AMBER ASYLUM), Matthias Bossi (SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM, SKELETON KEY) and longtime collaborator Nerissa Campbell.

"As the Valley of Death Becomes Us, Our Silver Memories Fade" track listing:

01. Missing (feat. Kim Thayil and Nerissa Campbell)
02. Collapse (feat. Jarboe)
03. Black Wolves (feat. Kim Thayil and Nerissa Campbell)
04. Destroyer (feat. Carla Kihlstedt)
05. Wretched Valley
06. Silver
07. Leave No Wounds
08. Death's Head (feat. Jarboe)
09. Wasteland (feat. Kris Force, Matthias Bossi and Nerissa Campbell)

The song "Missing", featuring Kim Thayil, can be streamed at Stereogum.com.

Dutch extreme metallers THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT have parted ways with their guitarist of the last nine years, Martijn Moes, and have replaced him with session/touring axeman Ivo Hilgenkamp.

"Aslimu!!! - All Slain Those Who Brought Down Our Highly Respected Symbols To The Lower Status Of The Barren Earth", a brand new song from THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT, can be streamed using the player below.

Commented guitarist/vocalist Michiel Dekker: "The lyrical theme of this track is mainly based on Lawrence Wright's book 'The Looming Tower'. Besides that I was inspired by the Dua-e-Sanam-e-Quraish curse and the events around the Muslim Brotherhood.

"This is a rare track which we recorded to let the people know what we are doing.

"Writing a THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT song costs a lot of time, because of all the lyrical research and musical fine-tuning. There is a huge change that the final album track will be totally different from this one, but that is how we work.

"The lyrics of this song were written during the summer/autumn of 2010 and vocals were recorded in the X-mass holiday of the same year. To our surprise, the subject became extremely relevant because of the turmoil in the Middle East region. Everybody who watched the speech of the Libyan Bedouin tent revolutionary on Al-Jazeera will understand that we MUST write a track about Muammar Gaddafi."

Dutch brutal death metallers SUPREME PAIN, who feature in their ranks members of SINISTER, CONSOLATION, PUTREFIED and FONDLECORPSE, have inked a deal with Massacre Records. The band's third album, "Divine Incarnation" was recorded at Soundlodge Studios in Leer, Germany with producer Jörg Uken and is scheduled for release on May 27. According to the group, the album will contain "nine blasting death metal tracks with an evil and twisted atmosphere."

"Divine Incarnation" track listing:

01. Dawn Of A New Era
02. The Dark Army
03. Damned Creation
04. Treasonous Disease
05. Trapped In Heresy
06. Spiritual Sickness
07. Divine Incarnation
08. Putrefied Beauty
09. The Fallen Kingdom
10. Towards Hell

The song "The Dark Army" is available for streaming at this location.

SUPREME PAIN last fall parted ways with drummer Toep Duin and have replaced him with Paul Beltman (SINISTER, FONDLECORPSE, INFINITED HATE, WEAPONS TO HUNT, JUDGEMENT DAY).

Slipknot are coming to Russia! Two new headline dates have been confirmed for in between some of our festival dates. The first show will be June 29th in Moscow at Olimpisky and the second will be on the 30th at Ice Palace in St. Peteresburg. Tickets for both shows will be available starting tomorrow at Kassir.ru. See you this summer maggots!

June 29th - Moscow, Russia - Olimpisky
June 30th - St Petersburg, Russia - Ice Palace

A 150-minute fan-produced video documentary to celebrate the 30th anniversary of METALLICA can be viewed in ten parts below. The documentary, which uses previously released footage, was created by ZonaMetallica and MilanicaChannel and features Italian subtitles.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, it was 25 years ago last month that METALLICA released its epic third studio album, "Master Of Puppets". The disc was released on March 3, 1986 and was produced by Flemming Rasmussen, who also produced 1984's "Ride The Lightning" and 1988's "...And Justice For All" for the band. In an interview with Phoenix New Times, Rasmussen was asked if he knew the album was special while he was working on it. He replied, "Oh yes. Right from the demos, we pretty much knew this was gonna be a killer album. I think we all felt that this was gonna be the best METALLICA album yet, as we had a bunch of really strong songs. Even the instrumentals were awesome."

"Master Of Puppets" was the last album to feature bassist Cliff Burton, who died in a tour bus crash in September 1986 and was replaced by Jason Newsted. Rasmussen said about Burton, "He was surely one of a kind, and even though Jason is a great bass player, it was impossible to fill out Cliff's shoes."

Many fans consider "Master Of Puppets" METALLICA's greatest album, which the band itself acknowledged when it played the record in its entirety on a summer 2006 tour of Europe. The Pulse Of Radio asked frontman James Hetfield if the band would ever like to play another album in its entirety in concert. "It's pretty important that the fan be involved in that, you know," he said. "It was more of a fan's asking for that than us wanting to do it. You know, that was a pretty important album in our career, so pretty historic for a lot of people and that made sense. But as far as, you know -- I'd love to play any and every one of them, but you know, it does really come down to the fans really holding that dear to their heart or not."

"Master Of Puppets" was METALLICA's first gold album, for sales of more than half a million copies. Many songs from the disc, including "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)", "Battery", "Leper Messiah" and the title track are still part of the band's live set to this day.

Mit den Jahren werden TYR erfreulicher Weise immer besser. Daran besteht kein Zweifel, wenn man die neuen großartigen Viking Metal-Hymnen genießt. Traditionell und catchy! Das neue Album "The Lay of Thrym" kommt als Standard CD und Limitierte Erstauflage im Digipak inkl. 2 Bonustracks: "I" (Black Sabbath Cover), "Stargazer" (Dio Cover) am 27. Mai 2011 via Napalm Records in den Handel.

"The Lay of Thrym" Track List:

01. Flames of the Free
02. Shadow of the Swastika
03. Take Your Tyrant
04. Evening Star
05. Hall of Freedom
06. Fields of the Fallen
07. Konning Hans
08. Ellindur Bondi a Jadri
09. Nine Words of Lore
10. The Lay of Thrym
11. I (Black Sabbath Cover – Bonus Track)
12. Stargazer (Rainbow Cover – Bonus Track)

Steven Wilson post on Facebook:

Amazon have now listed the 3 disc edition of Caravan's In the Land of Grey and Pink, so I guess it's now official - this is out in June on Universal. I don't know the exact track listing, but I did a new stereo mix and a 5.1 mix, plus mixed a whole slew of out-takes and alternate versions from the master tapes. By the way, this is not the "very famous 70's progressive album" I referred to in my earlier post (I wouldn't describe Caravan as very famous, though I personally love them).

Santa Cruz, California-based progressive hardcore/death metallers ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS will release their fourth album, "Motherland", on May 17 via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded at Castle Ultimate studios in Fremont, California with producer Zack Ohren (AS BLOOD RUNS BLACK, ALL SHALL PERISH)

"Motherland" track listing:

01. Rise to Fall
02. Neck of the Contrast
03. Gooseknuckle
04. It was a Memoir
05. Dr. Teeth
06. Avdotya
07. Waiting for the War to Die
08. West Cliffs
09. Hemlock Like This
10. Woebegone
11. Our Super Symmetry
12. Will Someone Please Turn Down the Ocean?
13. Tempest

The song "Dr. Teeth" is now streaming online at the band's official Facebook page. Simply head to the page and click 'Like' for your chance to hear the track.

Commented vocalist Jared Monnette: "This

IRON MAIDEN's April 8 and April 10 concerts in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Santiago, Chile, respectively, will be professionally filmed and recorded for a future DVD release.

In a recent interview with Chile's Futuro 88.9 FM, IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris stated about the DVD upcoming shoot, "We will record two shows. We will use footage from both concerts for the DVD.

"We have amazing supporters in Chile and Argentina and we want to show more of the audiences from those parts of the world. We already filmed some footage there for the 'Flight 666' movie, but only one song per country was used. We will now have a chance to show much more of the crowds in Chile and Argentina.

"Wherever we go, we are always asked what the best audiences in the world are, and we always say that it is South America — Chile, Argentina and Sao Paulo, Brazil. Now we can show it."

When asked if the setlist for the Buenos Aires and Santiago concerts will be the same as the one the band has been playing on the current "Final Frontier World Tour", Harris said, "The setlist that we are playing is basically the same we have been playing on this tour, what you have been able to see on Internet. The sets that we will do in Chile and Argentina will be the same, but for these two special shows that will be recorded, we have prepared more songs and a bigger production. So what you will see in Chile will be a long and big show."

Regarding how many cameras will be used to capture the performances, Harris said, "I think it will be about 10 or 12. I had always been involved in the production and direction of the concert DVDs in the past, but we are now working with a very good company, the guys who made the documentary 'Flight 666'. They are the ones who are responsible for recording these shows, so for me at least it is a great relief."

IRON MAIDEN was honored with a Grammy in the "Best Metal Performance" category in the pre-telecast ceremony at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards, which was held on February 13 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. IRON MAIDEN was nominated for the track "El Dorado", from the band's 2010 album "The Final Frontier".

"The Final Frontier" sold 63,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to enter The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 4.

"Into The Wild", the new video from legendary British hard rockers URIAH HEEP, can be viewed below. The song is the title cut of the band's 23rd studio album, which will be released on April 15 in Europe and May 3 in North America via Frontiers Records. The CD was produced by Mike Paxman (STATUS QUO, ASIA) and features cover artwork (see below) by the renowned Greek-American artist Ioannis (LYNYRD SKYNYRD, STYX, SAGA).

"Into The Wild" track listing:

01. Nail On The Head
02. I Can See You
03. Into The Wild
04. Money Talk
05. Trail Of Diamonds
06. Lost
07. Believe
08. Southern Star
09. I'm Ready
10. T-bird Angel
11. Kiss Of Freedom

According to The Pulse Of Radio, FOO FIGHTERS frontman Dave Grohl feels he's at last moved "out of the shadow" of his previous band, NIRVANA, enough that he felt comfortable inviting former NIRVANA bassist Krist Novoselic to contribute to a song called "I Should Have Known" on the new FOO FIGHTERS album, "Wasting Light". Grohl, who was unknown when he joined NIRVANA on drums, told the Sun, "I've tried to establish this band in its own right and try to get out of the shadow of NIRVANA and I do that in the most respectful way. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for NIRVANA, I owe everything to that band."

Grohl also opens up about his days in NIRVANA in the new FOO FIGHTERS documentary, "Back And Forth", and told The Pulse Of Radio why he decided to finally speak at length about that period. "I think I knew that I had to really tell the truth," he said. "I mean, there's some interviews where you just sort of gloss over it, because it's not something that you want to talk about all day, every day. But in this case, James (Moll, documentary director) was there for a reason, and I don't know how he did it, but he made you feel sort of safe in really confessing things that you may have never owned up to."

"Back And Forth" was screened at more than 80 movie theaters around the country on Tuesday (April 5), followed by a live 3D broadcast of a FOO FIGHTERS performance. The documentary tells the entire story of the group's career, from Grohl's first demo recordings to the making of "Wasting Light". The movie will also air on April 8 on VH1, VH1 Classic and Palladia.

"Wasting Light" comes out the following Tuesday (April 12).

The album was recorded in Grohl's garage and produced by Butch Vig, who produced NIRVANA's landmark 1991 album "Nevermind", on which Grohl made his debut with that group. This is the first time Grohl, Vig and Novoselic have worked together since making that record.

FOO FIGHTERS will play in the garages of fans in eight cities later this month before launching a full North American tour in May.

A King Crimson ProjeKct, A Scarcity Of Miracles is the debut release from (Jakko) Jackszyk, (Robert) Fripp, and (Mel) Collins.

Featuring a dream rhythm section comprising Gavin Harrison and Tony Levin, ASOM is a sonically rich and detailed collection of surprisingly accessible and heartfelt songs which boasts a seductive, widescreen production.

Echoing elements of King Crimson's unique vocabulary, while presenting a unified group sound far removed from anything previously released under the KC name, A Scarcity Of Miracles manages to be both intimate and epic, complex yet immediate.

Honouring a great band's legacy, whilst undoubtedly taking it somewhere new, ASOM is the Crimson related album your wife and ballad loving friend might just fall in love with!

'One of my favourite albums of those where I am a determining element. It has the Crimson gene, but it is not quite KC.' - Robert Fripp

The album comes as a standard cd, a heavyweight 200gm gatefold vinyl edition and in a deluxe cd / dvda version (which features a 5.1 mix, 24/96 stereo, the ASOM video, and an album's worth of alternate mixes and improvs from the original sessions).

German progressive black metallers SECRETS OF THE MOON have tapped former HELLHAMMER/CELTIC FROST and current TRIPTYKON mainman Tom Gabriel Fischer and V. Santura (real name: Victor Bullok) (TRIPTYKON, OBSCURA, PESTILENCE) to mix their new album, "Seven Bells", at Woodshed Studio in Bavaria, Germany.

Commented Fischer: "Back once again at V. Santura's Woodshed Studio in the Bavarian countryside near Landshut, Germany, this time to mix the new album by SECRETS OF THE MOON, 'Seven Bells', together with V. These sessions easily rank among the most fascinating, enthralling, and constructive I have ever been a part of. The friendship with SECRETS OF THE MOON, which has begun in such a unique manner, shall hopefully persist for a very long time."

"Seven Bells" track listing:

01. Seven Bells
02. Blood Into Wine
03. Goathead
04. Stillborn Icon
05. Worship
06. The Three Beggars (Satan's Church)
07. Nyx

A little update.....after last year was pretty much a year without any new music from me, I've been working very hard in the studio on various projects. Firstly, we finished mixing the incredible new Opeth album a few days ago, keep an eye on their website for details on that. Mikael and I also took the opportunity while he was here to finish writing our collaboration album - there's still a lot of recording work to do, but this should definitely be out in early 2012. The new SW solo record is still on track for September release, and I think the next two King Crimson remixes (Larks Tongues in Aspic and Starless and Bible Black) will be out around the same time. I'm now working on new stereo and 5.1 mixes of another very famous 70's progressive album for a deluxe reissue this year, can't say more about that just yet. Last but not least, over the last year I worked on and off on a new Bass Communion album called "Cenotaph", which is a kind of sequel to Ghosts on Magnetic Tape - news on when this will be released when I have it. I think that's enough for now! Off on tour with Blackfield soon. Best, S

After a successful world tour of more than 100 concerts all over the globe in support of their latest CD, "Tinnitus Sanctus", German melodic metallers EDGUY have entered the studio to begin recording a new album. Still under the influence of their arena tour as special guests of the SCORPIONS and the latest AVANTASIA world trek (featuring EDGUY's Tobias Sammet and Felix Bohnke), the members of EDGUY feel it's time they squeeze their energy on tape in a recording studio again. This time the band has chosen the famous Peppermint Park studio (SCORPIONS, PHIL COLLINS) in Hannover, which is described by the group as "a recording temple with a tremendously great-sounding room."

Commented Tobias: "We have chosen the Peppermint Park to record the basics there. I had done a few little bits and pieces for AVANTASIA there, but it's so great to record drums and stuff like Hammond B3 with a big bad fat mean Leslie there. The room is big and the sound is mean!

"We were always striving for a powerful but natural sound. I guess we had a good sound recently, but I think there is always room to improve.

"The more I listen to what's going on in the heavy metal world these days, the more I long for drums that sound like drums. I want them to sound powerful without sounding like Atari.

"Sascha and I came to the conclusion that we have to start from scratch and do things the way they have to be done, not the fashionable way. I don't want a distorted master copy, just so it is loud enough on an iPhone or on PC speakers.

"If you talk to your most fancy producer, he will say something like, 'Well, it's the sign of the times, you have to be able to compete in the loudness war...'

"What the fuck?! If I want it to be loud, I turn up the stereo. I want dynamics, room, a real big sound, not that distorted trendy compression.

"Why don't we all move back a little and record great-sounding music, not loud-sounding music?

"Do a Google search for 'loudness war' and you'll see what I mean.

"Whatever.

"The new songs sound great, we have thirteen of them, and we'll pick maybe ten and put them on the album. We have anthemic melodies, although it's not kitsch.

"When you record anthemic music, you tend to be dangerously close to kitsch, it's a fine line and I think we balance on that fine line pretty well.

"To cut a long story a little insignificantly shorter: I just think it is great, and that's what counts. Real music, you know?"

Seattle progressive rockers QUEENSRŸCHE will release their twelfth studio album, "Dedicated To Chaos" on June 28 in North America via Loud & Proud Records, a Roadrunner Records imprint focusing on established artists. The band is currently planning a tour in support of the new opus, which was recorded in the group's hometown and produced by Kelly Gray.

"Modern life moves fast," singer Geoff Tate stated about the album. "Plug into the rhythm of the now with our twelfth studio album, 'Dedicated To Chaos'. The clash and slash of musical experimentation anchored by the pulse of digital code." He did issue one suggestion to listeners as well, saying, "Enjoy — headphones are a must."

When asked about the progress of the recording sessions for the new QUEENSRŸCHE CD, Tate said in a recent interview, "We've been working on it steadily. We're kind of in the final stages of it now. And I'm looking forward to getting that done. It's a really long record, with really interesting, different music. I'm really excited for people to hear it because it's another kind of step in a different direction for us . . . We've been experimenting a lot with different musical brushstrokes [laughs], kind of pushing the envelope a little bit on everybody's performance and pushing them outside of comfortable ground and trying to do some different stuff. Which is kind of what got us into making records in the first place — the experimental side of painting the audio picture. And everybody still shares that way of thinking, which is pretty phenomenal when you think of a bunch of guys hanging out together for 30 years [laughs] — that we'd still have something to say."

Chicago, Illinois-based death metal quintet BLACK SEPTEMBER has inked a deal with Prosthetic Records. The band, which formed in 2006 based on the bandmembers' love of acts such as BOLT THROWER, HIS HERO IS GONE and BATHORY, amongst others, has released several EPs as well as last year's full-length album, "The Forbidden Gates Beyond". Prosthetic will re-release "The Forbidden Gates Beyond", this summer.

Commented the band: "The time has come. BLACK SEPTEMBER is proud to announce that we have signed an alliance with Prosthetic Records for the CD release of our debut LP, 'The Forbidden Gates Beyond'. We are honored to work with a label that supports the devotion and dedication we have to our music."

Drums on "The Forbidden Gates Beyond" were recorded at Gremlen Studios in Aurora, Illinois and the rest of the album was tracked at Bricktop Recording (VEIL OF MAYA, MILLIONS, SET YOUR GOALS) in Chicago, Illinois. It was mastered by Collin Jordan at the Boiler Room (NACHTMYSTIUM, MINSK, THE GATES OF SLUMBER, ZOROASTER).

BLACK SEPTEMBER, which has shared the stage with the likes of RWAKE, THOU, MASAKARI and MAGRUDERGRIND, will announce a tour in the coming weeks.

"Ego Machine", a brand new song from technical-thrash metallers BELIEVER, can be streamed using the SoundPloud player below. The track comes off the band's new album, "Transhuman", which is scheduled for release on April 12 (one day earlier internationally) via Metal Blade Records. The CD was produced by Trauma Team Productions and was mixed by Kevin Gutierrez (RAVEN, PROJECT: FAILING FLESH, DECEASED, DYSRYTHMIA, GARDEN OF SHADOWS) at Assembly Line Studios in Virginia. The mastering duties were handled by Maor Appelbaum of Maor Appelbaum Mastering in Los Angeles.

"Transhuman" track listing:

01. Lie Awake (5:03)
02. G.U.T. (3:39)
03. Multiverse (4:44)
04. End Of Infinity (4:12)
05. Transfection (3:55)
06. Clean Room (4:50)
07. Currents (2:50)
08. Traveler (4:23)
09. Ego Machine (4:29)
10. Being No One (4:47)
11. Entanglement (4:15)
12. Mindsteps (6:52)

Once again, BELIEVER tapped into the

WHOCARES — what hides behind this new band name is in fact the renewed musical union between legendary DEEP PURPLE singer Ian Gillan and none other than BLACK SABBATH's Tony Iommi: the undisputed master of heavy guitar riffs. The duo has recorded two brand new songs with the intent to support the rebuilding of a music school in Gyumri, Armenia.

Both Gillan and Iommi have spent a lot of time in Armenia, fallen in love with the country and the people and have dedicated a lot of work to a nation still shocked after the earthquake that struck Armenia on December 7, 1988.

The collaboration of Gillan and Iommi, who have worked together before on the SABBATH album "Born Again", is in itself an incredible news for all rock and metal fans and will be the best of surprises to get to know who is completing the band: None other than Jon Lord ("Mr. Hammond", partner with Gillan on all the DEEP PURPLE classics), IRON MAIDEN drummer Nicko McBrain, ex-METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted and HIM guitarist player Mikko "Linde" Lindström are also featured on the two new songs.

WHOCARES will release "Out of My Mind" and "Holy Water" on digital download and limited-edition CD single on May 6: The CD single will also contain the video clip of "Out Of My Mind" and a 40-minute documentary that shows Gillan's and Iommi's involvement with the Armenia cause over the years.

Commented Gillan: "The idea came as Tony and I flew back from Yerevan together after being inspired by the enthusiasm of everyone there to get this thing done.

"It was brilliant working with Tony again after all these years; he makes life easy for a singer.

"The other guys need no introduction, do they?!"

Added Iommi: "Some twenty years ago when the call came, I thought, well at least I've helped, but it was going to Armenia and seeing the actual devastation caused by the earthquake that really made me realize that funds were still needed.

"Despite all the money that was raised last time, here was a music school doing their best, forgotten, in basic tin sheds. After the warmth and honor bestowed upon us during our visit, we just had to help make a difference and get the school rebuilt. And what better way than to hook up with some of rock's greatest players and my old mate Ian, both an honor and a pleasure."

WHOCARES recording lineup:

* Tony Iommi (BLACK SABBATH) - Guitar
* Ian Gillan (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH) - Vocals
* Jason Newsted (METALLICA, VOIVOD, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM) - Bass
* Nicko McBrain (IRON MAIDEN) - Drums
* Jon Lord (DEEP PURPLE) - Keyboards
* Mikko "Linde" Lindström (HIM) - Guitar

Keyboardist Per Wiberg has been relieved of his duties as a member of Swedish progressive metallers OPETH as part of a mutual decision with the band. Keyboard duties on upcoming tours will be handled by a musician who is already rehearsing with the band. Said musician’s identity will be released at a later date.

OPETH vocalist/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt released the following statement on the matter: "Well, it's been somewhat of a revolving door of members during the last couple of years, and now Per is no longer a member. [Martin] Mendez [bass], Axe [Martin Axenrot, drums] and Fredrik [Åkesson, guitar] and I came to the decision that we should find a replacement for Per right after the recordings of the new album, and this came as no surprise to Per. He had, in turn, been thinking about leaving, so you could say it was a mutual decision. There's no bad blood, just a relationship that came to an end, and that's that. We wish Per the best, and he did a splendid job recording keyboards for the last record, which stands as his final recording with OPETH."

"Unseen", the seventh studio album from Swedish metallers THE HAUNTED, sold around 1,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 33 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

THE HAUNTED's previous album, "Versus", opened with 1,600 units back in October 2008, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

"Unseen" has registered the following first-week chart positions:

Sweden: #5
Finland: #26

The Swedish chart position marks the highest chart entry ever in THE HAUNTED's home territory.

"Celestial Completion", the fourth album from Atlanta, Georgia-based metallers BECOMING THE ARCHETYPE, sold around 2,100 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 7 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Blunt Force Trauma", the sophomore album from CAVALERA CONSPIRACY — the project featuring former SEPULTURA members Max (guitar, vocals) and Igor Cavalera (drums) — sold around 5,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 11 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's debut CD, "Inflikted", opened with 9,000 units to enter the chart at No. 72.

"Blunt Force Trauma" was once again tracked with ex-MACHINE HEAD/SOULFLY guitarist Logan Mader, who co-produced the LP with Max. Logan also mixed the follow-up to the band's debut album, "Inflikted", which has sold less than 50,000 copies in the United States since its March 2008 release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The brothers Cavalera co-founded SEPULTURA, the Brazilian metal band that redefined and established the genre outside of the U.S. and Europe. After Max exited the band, there was a rift between himself and his brother, one that was eventually repaired through the redemptive power of music. Some time had passed and Max and Igor were unable to resist the musical pull in their magnetic fields and their musical collaboration was renewed. The duo are back for round two with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY.


"Surtur Rising", the eighth studio album from Swedish melodic death metal tyrants AMON AMARTH, sold around 15,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 34 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, "Twilight of the Thunder God", opened with more than 11,000 copies back in 2008 to land at No. 48.

Named in tribute to Surtur, leader of the fire giants of Muspelheim ("flame land") and the oldest being in the nine worlds of Norse mythology, "Surtur Rising", which came out in North America on March 29 via Metal Blade Records, features 10 tracks of sword-wielding, fist-pumping, hyper climactic battle anthems. The album was once again recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with Jens Bogren and features strikingly brutal cover art by Tom Thiel.


WHITESNAKE's new album, "Forevermore", sold around 12,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 49 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The effort, which came out in North America on March 29 via Frontiers Records, was made available in four different configurations.

"Forevermore" is available as:

* a single CD
* a CD+DVD combo: the DVD features the "Love Will Set You Free" video, the making of "Love Will Set You Free" video, as well as a behind-the-scenes documentary on the recording of "Forevermore"; the CD includes three bonus tracks: "Love Will Set You Free" (alternate mix), "My Evil Ways" (alternate mix with drum solo) and "Forevermore" (acoustic version)
* a double-LP vinyl edition
* a special edition box set which includes the CD, DVD, LPs, as well as a cover litho, a poster and a logo sticker.

"Forevermore" finds founder/singer/songwriter David Coverdale and company returning to their no-holds-barred, bluesiest, sexiest rock n' roll roots. The CD was recorded, produced and mixed by Los Bros B

"The Unforgiving", the fifth studio album from Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers WITHIN TEMPTATION, sold around 12,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 50 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"Omnivium", the new album from the progressive death metal act OBSCURA, sold around 2,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 11 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

OBSCURA's previous album, "Cosmogenesis", opened with 900 units to debut at No. 71 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart.

Following on from the recent news that Swedish extreme metallers SHINING had parted company with Indie Recordings and signed with Spinefarm Records, the band has debuted a track from the forthcoming album, "VII / Född Förlorare", which in English means "Born Loser". The track "Förtvivlan, Min Arvedel" can be heard usingthe SoundCloud player below.

All the music and lyrics for "VII / Född Förlorare", which is due for release on May 25, were written by SHINING's founder and frontman Niklas Kvarforth, and the album was recorded over what the band describes as "three long years" inside the Slaughterhouse studios in Sweden, with Rickard Bengtsson once again producing.

Kvarforth himself defines the finished result as "THE" SHINING album. "It is", he commented, "the natural successor to our fifth album 'V/Halmstad', rather than to our last release, 'VI/Klagopsalmer', which I have always thought of as more of an experiment both in terms of writing and performance."

"VII / Född Förlorare" includes an array of guest appearances, and here follows a track-by-track description of the album.

* "Förtvivlan, Min Arvedel" (Despair, My Heritage) marks the start of what promises to be the darkest album in SHINING's career to date — and for a band that epitomises the exploration of darkness, the significance of that statement is self-evident. A video of the track is currently being made.

* "Tiden Läker Inga Sår" (Time Heals Nothing). As well as being tortured behind the microphone throughout most of the song, WATAIN's Erik Danielsson makes an appearance on vocals on a track whose atmosphere is evocative of LED ZEPPELIN.

* "Människa O'Avskyvärda Människa" (Man Despicable Man) could perhaps be the most groovy, yet most sinister and dark song from SHINING. Chris Amott of ARCH ENEMY contributes a magnificent solo on the track.

* "Tillsammans Är Vi Allt" (Together We Are All) sheds an entirely new light on the band with its melancholic structure and the use of a grand piano as the lead instrument. The refrain is sung by Nordman, one of Sweden's biggest pop stars.

* "I Nattens Timma" (In The Night Hour). As can be expected with a SHINING album, there is always one track that differs from the rest, and this is the one, with only piano, mellotron and a guest vocal appearance by Peter Bjärgö of ARCANA.

* "FFF" A track exploring family relationships, this is one of the most personal songs that Kvarforth has ever written.