Swedish death metallers MR. DEATH - featuring singer Jocke (ex-DIGRESSION ASSASSINS), bassist Juck (ex-TREBLINKA/TIAMAT), drummer Jonas (ex-VOID/MASSIVE) and guitarists Alex (ex-OCEANLIFT) and Stefan (ex-Treblinka/Tiamat/EXPULSION) - will release their new EP, Death Suits You, on MCD and 10" vinyl on September 24th via Agonia Records.

A teaser song called 'Celestial Suffering' is now avaliable on their MySpace page.

"Operation Z", a brand new song from HAIL OF BULLETS — the Dutch death metal band featuring GOREFEST drummer Ed Warby, THANATOS guitarists Stephan Gebédi and Paul Baayens, former PESTILENCE/ASPHYX singer Martin Van Drunen and former HOUWITSER bass player Theo van Eekelen — is available for streaming on the group's MySpace page. The track comes off HAIL OF BULLETS' second full-length album, which is scheduled for release in North America on October 12 via Metal Blade Records (one day earlier internationally). The group recorded 11 songs plus an intro for the CD, which, like its predecessor, was produced by Ed Warby was mixed by Swedish producer/multi-instrumentalist Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH, NIGHTINGALE).

"Until My Last Breath", the new video from former NIGHTWISH frontwoman Tarja Turunen, can be viewed below. The song comes off the singer's sophomore solo album, "What Lies Beneath", which will be released in North America on September 14 (postponed from the previously announced August 31) via The End Records. The CD's first single, "Falling Awake" (featuring Jason Hook from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH), was released August 17 as a limited-edition seven-inch single through The Omega Order and will be made available August 24 at all digital outlets . The track is backed with "The Good Die Young" — a song from the SCORPIONS' most recent album that features Tarja's vocals.

"What Lies Beneath" two-CD deluxe edition track listing:

Disc 1:

01. Anteroom Of Death (feat. Van Canto)
02. Until My Last Breath
03. Dark Star (feat. Phil Labonte)
04. Underneath
05. Little Lies
06. Rivers Of Lust
07. In For A Kill
08. Montañas de Silencio (exclusive U.S. track)
09. Falling Awake (feat. Joe Satriani)
10. The Archive Of Lost Dreams
11. Crimson Deep

Disc 2:

01. We Are
02. Naiad
03. Still Of The Night (WHITESNAKE cover)

In a recent interview with U.K.'s Telegraph.co.uk, legendary LED ZEPPELIN singer Robert Plant was asked about the band's reunion for the Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert at London's O2 Arena in December 2007, with Jason Bonham taking his father's place behind the drum kit. "I really had a wonderful time," said Plant. "It was the best LED ZEPPELIN gig since 1975."

When asked if he would do it again, Plant replied, "I don't think so. You've got to have a lot in common with the people you're working with at this time in your life. Everything has to move on and forward, in all relationships.

"I know that bands that haven't put out a record for 10 years are playing to 20,000 people a night. But that's not the achievement. The achievement is to knock yourself out. It's a very selfish thing. The tail must never wag the dog."

The cover art for AMBERIAN DAWN's new album, End Of Eden, can be viewed on the left (click to enlarge). In addition, the first single from the album, 'Arctica', is now available for streaming here.

The tracklist of End Of Eden is as follows:



'Talisman'
'Come Now Follow'
'Arctica'
'Ghostly Echoes'
'Sampo'
'Blackbird'
'Field Of Serpents'
'City Of Corruption'
'Virvatulen Laulu'
'War In Heaven'

The band has issued the following update:

"The album End Of Eden is coming out October 20th by Spinefarm Records. Digi-single will be availble in the middle of next week (on iTunes etc.).

As announced before, keyboardist Jens Johansson (famed for his work with for example STRATOVARIUS, DIO and YNGWIE MALMSTEEN's RISING FORCE), opera singer Markus Nieminen and vocalist Peter James Goodman have contributed their talent to this album."

TONY MACALPINE's new supergroup SEVEN THE HARDWAY will release their new self-titled album tomorrow in Europe through Mascot Records. The album will see a US release on September 14th, and in other territories soon after.

Samples from the album can be heard here.

Seven The Hardway tracklisting:

'Liar'
'Guilt'
'Solitary Man'
'Where I’m Going'
'All I Had'
'Blame'
'The Wall'
'Good And Evil'
'Happy Ending'
'The Cage'

Seven The Hardway is a five-piece progressive rock/metal band based in Southern California and formed in 2009 by guitar virtuoso Tony MacAlpine (STEVE VAI, PLANET X, CAB), legendary drummer Virgil Donati (Planet X) and renowned vocalist Mark Boals (ULI JON ROTH, ROYAL HUNT, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN).

Joining MacAlpine, Donati and Boals are bass player Doug Shreeve and 21 year old Argentinian newcomer Estefania Daniel on guitar.

The band’s blistering ten-track self-titled debut, mixed by the legendary Roy Z and mastered by Maor Appelbaum will be released in Europe on August 23, 2010, and in the USA on September 14 on Mascot/Provogue Records. Releases in other territories will follow soon after. The band will kick off a tour of Europe on September 16.

The band’s live show will consist of tracks from their new album, along with well-known selections from MacAlpine’s and Donati’s solo work, and their previous band project with Boals - Ring Of Fire. The show will appeal to both followers of MacAlpine, Donati and Boals’ previous collaborations and solo work, as well as drum and guitar enthusiasts and fans of progressive hard rock and metal.

As previously reported, Italian metallers ELVENKING will be releasing their new album, Red Silent Tides on September 17th in Europe, on November 9th in North America and in Japan in October (date still to be confirmed). A newly released in-studio video is available below:

Here are the details of all the different editions of the album:

Standard jewel case edition:
'Dawnmelting'
'The Last Hour'
'Silence de Mort'
'The Cabal'
'Runereader'
'Possession'
'Your Heroes Are Dead'
'Those Days'
'This Nightmare Will Never End'
'What’s Left Of Me'
'The Play Of The Leaves'




Two-CD digipack special edition, including the legendary one and only To Oak Woods Bestowed demo (the very first recording of the band that goes back to year 2000 and which has been sold out since years), in a very special elegant packaging:

CD1
'Dawnmelting'
'The Last Hour'
'Silence de Mort'
'The Cabal'
'Runereader'
'Possession'
'Your Heroes Are Dead'
'Those Days'
'This Nightmare Will Never End'
'What’s Left Of Me'
'The Play Of The Leaves'

CD2 - To Oak Woods Bestowed (2000)
'To Oak Woods Bestowed
'White Willow
'Banquet Of bards
'Oakenshield
'Under The Tree Of Us’dum


Japanese edition:
'Dawnmelting'
'The Last Hour'
'Silence de Mort'
'The Cabal'
'Runereader'
'Possession'
'Your Heroes Are Dead'
'Those Days'
'This Nightmare Will Never End'
'What’s Left Of Me'
'The Play Of The Leaves'
'Skywards 2008' (bonus track)




Special limited picture vinyl edition:

Side A
'Dawnmelting'
'The Last Hour'
'Silence de Mort'
'The Cabal'
'Possession'
'Your Heroes Are Dead'

Side B
'Runereader'
'Those Days'
'This Nightmare Will Never End'
'What’s Left Of Me'
'The Play Of The Leaves'


A band update adds: "This is it! We can hear some of you asking 'and what about the Jigsaw Puzzle new version??' Well AFM Records decided to save it for some future projects, so do not worry, it will be released sooner than you expect. In the meantime the band is back from vacation and will soon enter the rehearsal room in order to get ready for thePrimal Fear tour.

"Left Of Center", the new video from singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and political activist Serj Tankian, can be viewed below. The song comes off Tankian's new solo album, entitled "Imperfect Harmonies", which is scheduled for release on September 21 via Serjical Strike/Reprise Records. The CD is the second solo effort from the SYSTEM OF A DOWN frontman, following up his critically acclaimed 2007 solo debut, "Elect the Dead". As with "Elect the Dead", Tankian produced "Imperfect Harmonies" himself at his home studio in Los Angeles.

Norwegian death metal band EXECRATION is putting the finishing touches on its second album, "Odes Of The Occult", for a fall release. According to a press release, the follow-up to 2008's "Syndicate Of Lethargy" will contain "nine tracks of vicious, evil death metal on double 12-inch vinyl. It parts with the percussive style of previous releases in favor of a wider set of influences drawing from death metal, doom and cult black metal. In 50-plus minutes, 'Odes Of The Occult' will make your ears bleed from dark, brutal doom-laced death metal chemically cleansed of any 'modern' death metal tricks. With 'Odes Of The Occult', the band has also added more diverse vocals in addition to their traditional guttural growls, giving their musical universe a new dimension. The resulting album is a definite step ahead from previous releases."

"Odes Of The Occult" was produced and recorded by the band with help from Andreas Tylden of ALTAAR and Ola Gundelsby. It is currently being mixed by Gundelsby, who also mixed the band's contribution to the "Oslo We Rot" split.

A demo version of the new track "Obsession" is available for streaming on EXECRATION's MySpace page, and an early recording of "Entheogen" was recently featured on the four-way split 2x7" "In Oslo We Rot" with fellow Norwegians OBLITERATION, DISKORD and LOBOTOMIZED.

Powerhouse American vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (HAIL!, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, BEYOND FEAR, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH) will make a guest appearance on the forthcoming solo album from Ralf Scheepers of German power metallers PRIMAL FEAR. Owens will be heard dueting with Scheepers in the track "Remission Of Sin". Other guest musicians expected to appear on the CD include Swedish multi-instrumentalist Snowy Shaw (THERION, DREAM EVIL, KING DIAMOND, MERCYFUL FATE, MEMENTO MORI, NOTRE DAME) on drums, Sander Gommans (AFTER FOREVER, HDK) on guitar and PRIMAL FEAR's Mat Sinner playing bass on the entire LP and producing. A photo shoot with Alex Kühr for the CD's cover took place in early July in Germany.

Dave Mustaine has posted the following message on MEGADETH's MySpace page:

"I wanted to check in and say that we have been having a great week, and the tour this leg is the best ever.

"I love my band and crew, and I am having a blast hanging with all of the other bands [SLAYER and TESTAMENT]. We are even talking about some cool surprises down the road if time permits and we can get together with each other during the day. And we have been having some very busy days.

"David, Chris, and I went to the Cleveland Clinic today to the cancer and leukemia ward to visit the patients there, and I just got back and wanted to tell you how much I love you all.

"I remember three nights ago [SLAYER guitarist Kerry King] came into my dressing room and joked, 'I have to see it for myself that Mustaine is in the building after the show!' I thought that was so funny and we hung out for a while with all of the many, many celebrities and guests that have been coming out to this tour.

"Speaking of people coming out, New York City was a really great show and some of the heavyweights backstage were Eddie Trunk and Jose Mangin, two mighty rulers of the city's airwaves and close friends of mine, as well as many, many friends of David Ellefson's. The question that was most often repeated was, 'What's it been like having David (or to him being back) in MEGADETH.' And the answer was, 'It's the best it has ever been.' The answer for all four of us is that we are all on a euphoric ride that has never, ever been this good.

"Sure, when I say it, some will naturally scoff. But when my partners for the last several years all say the same, that this is the very best it has ever been, it stands to reason that I ain't bragging.

"I can't believe what happened last week, due to your loyalty. The pure fact that I am now a New York Times best-selling author is a blast, and I want to thank everyone who has gotten 'Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir' and helped make it a best seller everywhere.

"I love you all for your continued support, and want to thank every single person here, and every member of our MEGADETH fan club, especially all of the fans that are returning. You are the ones that we have missed the most. I say that because we have all been having so much fun reliving our 'glory days' of the '80s that you all lived with me, and the fact that they just aren't ending. We are still having just as much fun today as we did twenty years ago. So, please, PLEASE come back and have fun with us one last time like it was the 'Clash Of The Titans' tour all over again, because it really is almost just like it was back in the day.

"I look forward to our brothers in ANTHRAX joining us soon!

"In closing, thank you to everyone and I hope we can continue to rock you for many more years to come!"

Guitar legend Joe Satriani has issed the following update:

"Last week I spent the day at Oakland Stadium with Brad Pitt and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. They're filming a movie called 'Moneyball' about the Oakland A's. I was asked me to re-create my 2002 season opener National Anthem for the film. It looks to be a very cool movie focusing on the A's executive Billy Beane. I dressed in 2002 gear, and even used my older equipment. All in the name of authenticity."

Three former members of the Raleigh, North Carolina-based progressive doom metal band CONFESSOR — guitarists Brian Shoaf and Chris Nolan, along with drummer Steve Shelton — have launched a new project called FAR AND AWAY. The band plans to enter the studio early next year to begin recording material for its debut album. In the meantime, you can hear demo versions of three songs — "Ed Won't Call Me Back", "Drifting" and "Fall" — using the TuneWidget below.

FAR AND AWAY is:

Brian Shoaf - Guitar
Chris Nolan - Guitar
Steve Shelton - Drums
James Dale - Bass
Ed Nicholson - Vocals

RAVENS CREED, the "VENOM-worshipping scumbags" featuring Steve Watson (ex-IRON MONKEY), Jason Graham, former SABBAT bassist Frazer Craske, and newly added vocalist Al Osta (a.k.a. The Syrian Destroyer), will release a brand new EP, "Black Bullets", before the end of the year via Doomentia Records. The band states, "This is a great way of introducing the new lineup, so five tracks that we have already recorded for our second album (the power that dare not speak its name) will be used for the EP and the six songs we've written for the third LP will replace the ones that will be on the EP. The EP . . . will be out on Doomentia when we've finished fannying around with the artwork, then we'll start recording the second LP (also out on Doomentia)."

RAVENS CREED recently uploaded demo versions of three new songs — Bashed In, Black Bullets and The Wires Will Kill You — on the band's MySpace page. The recordings feature Watson on vocals as "we've not had the pleasure of capturing [Al's] nasty bark as yet," according to Steve.

ORANGE GOBLIN's Ben Ward recently decided to leave RAVENS CREED due to "a lack of available time to commit to the band." He said in a statement, "It has reached the point that I can no longer give [RAVENS CREED] the time and energy that it deserves and I feel that by leaving now it will allow Steve, Jay and Frazer the opportunity to get somebody who is as passionate and dedicated to the band as they all are."

RAVENS CREED's debut album, "Albion Thunder", was released in July 2009 via Doomentia Records. The CD contains 12 songs with a running time of 39 minutes.

WOODS OF YPRES frontman / founder David Gold recently checked in with the following update on the recording of W5, the fifth and final Woods Of Ypres album:

"The plan...

Ideally, I would like to do 500 vinyl 12" with download cards, sold direct from the band, and that's it! The end. It will end up on iTunes. We may not even press it on CD.

We're back in the studio today, tracking bass. Crushing guitars start tomorrow, then nice sounding guitars right after. then, the voices. Oi."

Australian progressive folk metal band IRONWOOD have announced that their sophomore album will be mixed and mastered by music legend Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH, NIGHTINGALE). The album, entitled Storm Over Sea, is slated for a late 2010 release.

Vocalist/bassist Henry Lauer comments: “This album is a huge evolution from our first effort. We’ve fully assimilated our progressive, acoustic, and metal influences into a concise, yet epic and evocative, whole.”

Inspired by the majesty of the ocean, and featuring dizzying technicality, rich vocal harmonies, and the introduction of new elements such as piano, cello, and fretless bass, Storm Over Sea is set to leave an indelible mark in the world of underground music.

Storm Over Sea Tracklisting is as follows:

‘Hail Sign’
‘Infinite Sea’
‘Arctic Tern’
‘Weather The Storm’
‘Share The Burden’
‘Will to Live’
‘A Bond To Sever’
‘When It’s All Over’

Fan-filmed video footage of THE 11TH HOUR — the doom metal collaboration between Ed Warby (drums, guitar, bass, vocals, programming; GOREFEST, DEMIURG, HAIL OF BULLETS) and Rogga Johansson (vocals, additional guitar; RIBSPREADER, PAGANIZER, DEMIURG) — performing on August 14, 2010 at the Springstof Festival in 't Ukien Kampen, the Netherlands can be viewed below (courtesy of "ErhanLiveMetal").

THE 11TH HOUR's touring lineup:

* Ed Warby (DEMIURG, HAIL OF BULLETS, GOREFEST, AYREON) - Vocals, Guitar
* Pim Blankenstein (OFFICIUM TRISTE, BEYOND BELIEF) - Vocals
* Bram Bijlhout (OFFICIUM TRISTE, DARKSIDE, THRONED) - Guitar
* Frank Harthoorn (GOREFEST) - Guitar
* Daniël Huijben - Bass
* Dirk Bruinenberg - Drums

NIGHTWISH drummer Jukka Nevalainen has checked in with the following update:

"When checking the pictures from our summer camp, one might think that it's all about fishing, watersports and boozing. That's actually mostly true... but we have gotten something done here musicwise too! And hey, we never said this is a band camp, it's a SUMMER CAMP!!! =)

Last weekend Marco abandoned us three here to take care of his responsibilities with TAROT and NORTHERN KINGS. We decided to rehearse the last piece, a monster of a song and to go through parts of the other songs that we yet didn't feel 100% satisfied with. We came up with plenty of little tricks that bring some needed final edge to the songs; some overlong fills, little breaks and some little time signature changes. The last song turned out to be a great tune that would have enough parts for three full songs, but which still forms a tight entirety of fast riffing, slow, beautiful mood and heavy-duty-rhythm.

On Monday we took a day off and headed to the lake with a professional fishing team. You've probably already seen some of the catches from the picture section. It's encouraging to see that fishing is not just a matter of good luck. Knowledge and the gear has a big effect on the results. But of course, to catch a real big one you need a little blessing from above…

On Thursday we went to see a baseball match of KIPA-90, our local pride. The team played really well, but unfortunately the opponent was slightly better. It's already the end of the season and at the very moment of writing this diary the last game ended in defeat so for us the season is over. But the team showed great potential and hopefully next year we hold the cup.

On the weekend we had some friends coming over, including Sami Vänskä and we spent a weekend full of watersports, darts and laughter. The best activity being seated in a 'doughnut' and going with full speed behind the boat. You know it's real good when fun and pure terror meet in a midway. I also finally got myself to try water skiing with just one water ski, and to everybody's surprise I nailed it on a first try! What a mighty feeling it was! JIHAA!!!

Now we are taking time off until Thursday. Once in a while it's good to take some distance to the songs to have a fresh view.

Take care now, bye bye then!"

Jukka

According to Billboard.com, SYSTEM OF A DOWN frontman Serj Tankian already has several other projects lined up in addition to the release of his second album, "Imperfect Harmonies", which is due September 21 on Serjical Strike/Reprise Records. His musical "Prometheus Bound" is scheduled to open in March 2011 at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and he's also finishing up a "classical jazz symphony" that he hopes to premiere next year. The forthcoming year may also find Tankian publishing a second poetry book, "Glaring Through Oblivion", and starting work on a nonfiction title.

Tankian has postponed the street date of "Imperfect Harmonies" in order to package the recording in the same tree-free paper he has used for his previous release, "Elect the Dead". The eco-friendly paper was not available to create the packaging for "Imperfect Harmonies" in time to make the previously announced street date of September 7.

Restricted Release, in cooperation with Angle Side Side, has set an October 26 North American release date for "One Little Light Year", the debut album from New England-based TANGENTS.

Recorded and mixed at Stillwork Recording Studio in Holyoke, Massachusetts, the CD was produced by the band with producer/engineer Benjamin Jon (ALL THAT REMAINS, THE ACACIA STRAIN).

TANGENTS is not what most will expect musically from drummer Derek Kerswill (UNEARTH, SEEMLESS) and Dave Witham (OF THE HOUR, FLAT-12). Kerswill's musical diversity and rhythmic approach provides a solid foundation for the album, propelling the tracks forward with great intensity. Add to it the lush and organic sound of vocalist/guitarist Dave Witham and TANGENTS soars in the vein of JEFF BUCKLEY, AS TALL AS LIONS, even RADIOHEAD. Witham's magnificent voice rises over a spiraling sonic backdrop with dazzling control and splendor. The album's ambitious songwriting creates the catchiest music either musician has released to date.

Over a year of intense effort went into the creation of "One Little Light Year". Witham reveals, "The recording process was unlike one we have ever been a part of before. We did a lot of work remotely. In fact, the only time Derek and I really got together was to do some of the pre-production work and when we were tracking the drums. It came out remarkably well considering the limited amount of time we actually spent together in the same room."

"Recording this album was one of the greatest recording experiences of my life," says Kerswill. "We worked on pre-production together for awhile, which made recording the record so much easier. I was so well-versed in what I was doing drum-wise that I tracked ten of the twelve songs on the first take with zero edits. After drums were done, Dave pretty much tracked everything else."

Awareness regarding TANGENTS has been on the rise for months. The obvious queries have revolved around the band's sound. Kerswill reveals, "a lot of my peers and 'music' friends know that although I play metal and have been involved with many 'aggressive' projects and bands, metal is probably the least of what I actually listen to. My biggest influences songwriting and style-wise," he says, "have always been classic rock, whether it be LED ZEPPELIN and YES, or ZZ TOP and ALLMAN BROS. But in the mid-'90s, RADIOHEAD and JEFF BUCKLEY pretty much changed my life and there was a whole knew place I wanted to take myself musically."

Witham notes, "I think that we pretty much wear our influences upon our collective sleeves as far as inspiration for the writing of the album. JEFF BUCKLEY, RADIOHEAD, and MUSE are the most obvious influences on the surface. But we are both avid, freakishly nerdy fans of FIONA APPLE, JON BRION, and tons of others that I feel quietly shine through on this particular album."

TANGENTS has yet to make their live debut but are planning several performances close to the album's release date. In the meantime Kerswill will be touring with UNEARTH and spreading the world of TANGENTS to all in earshot. He shares, "TANGENTS is my dream project. It is the music I've always wanted to play with a dude that I've always wanted to be in a band with."

In celebration of the album's completion and forthcoming retail release, the duo has already launched pre-orders for the record. Early fans will have opportunity to receive the record in advance of its scheduled release date by visiting this location.

"One Little Light Year" track listing:

01. Arrow In The Heart
02. Homecoming (Victory Song)
03. Fall Asleep Again
04. Static
05. (Missing) One Little Light Year
06. The Pieces Fall
07. Nothing Left Undone
08. When Will It End?
09. Hyde
10. What The Scanners See
11. Blind Spots
12. Watch You Go

Video footage of legendary guitarists Slash (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES), Uli Jon Roth (ex-SCORPIONS), bassist Tony Franklin (ex-THE FIRM, BLUE MURDER, WHITESNAKE) and drummer Brent Fitz (ex-ALICE COOPER, VINCE NEIL) performing the JIMI HENDRIX classic "Little Wing" at this year's G-TARanaki International Music Week 2010, which took place August 11-15, 2010 in New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, can be viewed below.