U.K. gothic metal icons PARADISE LOST are currently preparing the recordings for their highly anticipated follow-up to 2007's "In Requiem". Vocalist Nick Holmes comments: "The as-yet-untitled album will feature around 10 tracks. Among the titles are 'First Light', 'As Horizons End', 'Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us', 'Frailty' and 'My Last Regret'; these are subject to change without notice!

"We are very happy with [producer] Rhys Fulber's work on the last album ['In Requiem'], but after working on three albums together, we decided it was time to go for a different approach. After hearing the work he did with our 'Anatomy Of Melancholy' live DVD, we decided that Jens Bogren was the man for the job. In February we will venture to Sweden to begin recording the album in Fascination Street Studios, Örebro, Sweden.

"There is no full-time replacement for [drummer] Jeff [Singer] as yet, but as far as the album is concerned, the drum stool will be occupied by another Swede — Peter Damin. Sweden hails some of the best metal musicians in the world and Peter is no exception. We really look forward to working with him and his input on the album.

"Our approach this time has leaned even more towards the heavier side of things, even more so than the last. It is vital not to loose touch with our musical trip over the last 20 years. Our music may have had different facelifts, but it has always been 'dark' and the new album will be no exception. Musically and lyrically.

"Writing a new album is always exciting; we never get bored of writing music, and for me, it is the best part of being in a band. Each album is like a challenge to better ourselves, or at the very least, do something that's different to everyone else. We strive to make the ultimate modern gothic metal album, and for me that has nothing to do with the common trend of 'romance' and 'roses.' It should be music to be murdered by."

In 2008, PARADISE LOST celebrated its 20th anniversary and to properly commemorate this event performed several special anniversary shows with fellow British doom/goth pioneers MY DYING BRIDE and ANATHEMA. The band also released the stunning "The Anatomy Of Melancholy" live DVD/live album via Century Media Records this year.

Holland's FaceCulture has posted a short interview clip with vocalist Gaahl of the Norwegian black metal band GORGOROTH. Gaahl discusses the legal battle between him and bassist King ov Hell on one side and the group's estranged guitarist Infernus on the other side over the rights to the band's name. Both sides want to continue using the name GORGOROTH and have done so, albeit with different members. A court will decide in January who has the legal rights to the name. Gaahl is confident about the outcome of the trial. "Me and King have been the ones that have shaped this creature in the last eight years," he told FaceCulture. "Otherwise it would have been dead and buried." He hasn't spoken to Infernus since the split. "I never had any special, close relationship with him," he explained. "We are two different worlds. He has a lot of idols, and that's the opposite of me."

The Gaahl-fronted version of GORGOROTH entered the studio on August 25 in the band's hometown of Bergen, Norway to begin recording eight new tracks composed by bassist King ov Hell for an as-yet-untitled new album. Along with Gaahl, King and Frost (SATYRICON) on drums, the full recording lineup includes Teloch (guitar) and Ice Dale (guitar). ENSLAVED's Herbrand Larsen once again produced GORGOROTH in the studio. A late spring release is expected.

The cover artwork for "The Perdition", the recently completed EP from the Norwegian melodic black metal duo ENSLAVEMENT OF BEAUTY, can be found here. The CD was produced and mixed by Henrik Ryösä at VoxHouse Studio in Sweden and features a guest appearance by Lisa Johnson. It will be released on January 15, 2009 via INRI Unlimited.

"The Perdition" EP track listing:

01. A Kodak Kiss
02. I Treasure the Sadness
03. Lush
04. Severely Flawed
05. Mirror Souls
06. I Descend to Perdition...

"Lush", the first official music video in the 14-year career of ENSLAVEMENT OF BEAUTY, can be viewed here. The clip was shot in Bergen, Norway on March 29-30 with director Sten Brian Tunheim.

LEAVES' EYES/ex-THEATRE OF TRAGEDY singer Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull is putting the finishing touches on a new solo CD for a 2009 release via Napalm Records. Liv says, "I will present a couple of special guests, who are also friends of mine and mean a lot to me. It is a deep and emotional album which tells a personal story."

Kristine released her sophomore solo album, "Enter My Religion", in March 2006 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to 1998's "Deus ex Machina" was produced by Alexander Krull (ATROCITY, LEAVES' EYES) at Mastersound Studio in Stuttgart/Fellbach, Germany. The album artwork was handled by Meran Karanitant. A video for the track "Fake a Smile", taken from "Enter My Religion", can be viewed here. The clip was produced by AVA Studios (who has previously worked with SARAH CONNOR and JEANNETTE) and was directed by Alexander Diezinger.

Austrian melodic death metal band LOST DREAMS has commenced the songwriting process for its fourth album, tentatively due next summer. The follow-up to this year's "End of Time" will contain nine songs and will be mixed and mastered in the at the Rape of Harmonies studio (HEAVEN SHALL BURN, MAROON, NEAERA) in Triptis, Germany.

LOST DREAMS's video for the song "I Curse You" can be viewed here. The song comes off the band's third album, "End of Time", which was released in Europe on February 22 via Reartone Music/Twilight Distribution. The CD was recorded between September 2006 and January 2007 at the group's own SMT studio and was mixed at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden with Fredrik Nordström. Mastering duties were handled by Peter in de Betou at Tailor Maid Production in Stockholm.

Finnish melodic metallers MASTERSTROKE are currently recording their new full-length album at MSTR Studios in Tampere, Finland for a tentative late spring release via Dynamic Arts Records. The drum tracks for the as-yet-untitled effort were laid down at Fantom Studios (KORPIKLAANI, MACHINE MEN) with the help of Samu Oittinen. The recording sessions for the new CD are expected to last through the end of January.

MASTERSTROKE's sophomore album, "Sleep", was released in Japan on March 19. The CD was issued in Europe via Dynamic Arts Records.

MASTERSTROKE was formed in 2002. After a few lineup changes and several gigs, the band received a well-earned recording deal. The group's debut album, "Apocalypse", was supposed to receive a worldwide release through their previous record label JMT Music. Unfortunately it didn't happen. In the end "Apocalypse" was issued only in Japan, Russia and CIS countries due to the label going out of business.

Swiss death metallers REQUIEM have completed work on their new album, "Infiltrate... Obliterate... Dominate", at Stage One studio in Borgentreich, Germany with producer Andy Classen (LEGION OF THE DAMNED, DEW-SCENTED, TANKARD, HOLY MOSES, DISBELIEF, KRISIUN, CALLENISH CIRCLE). The follow-up to 2007's "Premier Killing League" was recorded and mixed between December 8 and December 26 and features 11 tracks with "some musical and lyrical surprises." The artwork was created by Thomas Ewerhard, who has previously worked with suchs bands as HAMMERFALL, KATAKLYSM, DESTRUCTION, DARKANE, DISBELIEF, GRAVEWORM and IMPIOUS.

"Infiltrate... Obliterate... Dominate" final track listing:

01. Marked By The Signs Of Chaos
02. Killing Cell
03. Final Conflict
04. Infiltrate To Obliterate
05. Obliterate To Dominate
06. The Die Is Cast
07. Perish In Open Fire
08. Hate Driven Heretic Deceit
09. A Haunting Warfare
10. The Last Campaign

REQUIEM will celebrate the new album release with a full European co-headlining tour with LIVIDITY.

REQUIEM last year released its first-ever video clip — for the title track of the band's "Premier Killing League" CD. The clip was shot on August 25, 2007 with director Sandro Klopfstein and can be viewed here.

Madrid, Spain-based power metallers DARK MOOR have parted ways with bassist Daniel Fernández. He explained in a statement, "In the last few months, my head was not with DARK MOOR and this situation could have been damaging for the band and for my personal relation with Alfred [Romero, vocals], Enrik [Garcia, guitar] and Roberto [Cappa, drums] in a near future. Therefore after some conversations with the guys I have made this decision, which I think is the right thing to do.

"I have spent almost five years in the family, almost five years in which I do not regret of anything, in which I have learned to be a good professional, both in studio and stage, in which I have recorded three works of art ('Beyond The Sea', 'Tarot' and 'Autumnal'), in which I have shared lots of memories with the guys, good and bad, in which I have met lots of good and bad people. Five years of concerts in which I worked my fingers to the bone in order that YOU, the fans, could enjoy DARK MOOR."

He added, "I will keep playing with INNTRANCE, my main band from this moment, in which I will give 100%."

Guitarist/vocalist Peter Tägtgren of Swedish extreme metallers HYPOCRISY has issued the following update:

"Mikael [Hedlund; bass] came to the Abyss [Peter's recording studio] the other day and between me and him we have 13 songs done [for the next HYPOCRISY album], and Horgh [drums; also in IMMORTAL] will come to studio beginning of January and crack the drums on it."

HYPOCRISY reissued its 2002 album "Catch 22" under the title "Catch 22 V2.0.08" on May 9. Peter Tägtgren re-recorded the guitar parts, his vocals and remixed and remastered the LP for the new version of the album, which featured bonus material.

The band previously stated about its decision to re-release the CD, "We still think it is a great fucking album but it got slammed and misunderstood because of the vocal style and the drum sound and so on."

HYPOCRISY's latest album, "Virus", came out in September 2005 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Fan-filmed video footage of Swedish melodic death metallers SCAR SYMMETRY performing the song "The Illusionist" on December 5, 2008 at Sala Zero in Tarragona, Spain can be viewed below.

Commented the band: "A big thank you to Jordi/STIGIA and José/Doomed Events for making our mini-tour in Spain a wonderful time, and cheers to everyone that came to the shows! We will come back to Spain for sure!

"It was a pleasure sharing the stage with [new SCAR SYMMETRY singers] Rob [Roberth Karlsson] and Lars [Palmqvist] for the first time. These guys really know how to put on a show! We did some songs we've never done live before, like 'Holographic Universe', 'Pitch Black Progress', 'Deviate From The Form', 'Prism And Gate' and 'Artificial Sun Projection'."

SCAR SYMMETRY parted ways with singer Christian Älvestam earlier in the year due to "business and creative differences and lack of interpersonal chemistry." The band explained at the time, "We came to a point where the band's existence was in jeopardy because of these differences, and the only way for us to continue with an inspired state of mind was to go through with this change in the lineup."

Oakland, California extreme metallers ALL SHALL PERISH are seeking a temporary replacement for guitarist Chris Storey for upcoming touring commitments. The band has released the following statement:

"Our lead guitarist Chris Storey will be taking some time off to deal with some family issues and will be missing out on a few tours.

"We are looking for a touring replacement for a handful of upcoming tours, one fest run in Europe and one fest tour in the states. Please only apply if you are:

1. Over 18
2. Have all pro gear
3. Able to perform all lead guitar parts to 'Black Gold Reign', 'Never Again' and 'When Life Meant More'
4. Drama- and hard-drug-free
5. In possession of a valid driver's license and passport

"If you meet all these requirements, please email us a link to a video of you playing any of the songs mentioned. If you can do a good enough job by ear, we will send you a response e-mail with tabs and videos."

E-mail all tryout videos to tryout@allshallperish.com.

The band recently wrapped up a North American tour with HATE ETERNAL, JOB FOR A COWBOY, ANIMOSITY and ANNOTATIONS OF AN AUTOPSY.

ALL SHALL PERISH's third full-length album, "Awaken the Dreamers", sold just under 5,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to enter The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 126. The follow-up to "The Price of Existence" was recorded at Castle Ultimate Studios in Oakland with producer Zack Ohren.

Anglo-Chilean thrash masters CRIMINAL have unveiled the cover artwork for their new album, "White Hell". The piece was created by Chilean designer / tattoo artist / drummer Fran Muñoz.

"The original idea we were pursuing didn't really work out," comments vocalist/guitarist Anton Reisenegger, "so we basically decided to start from scratch. Then Fran approached us with this idea and we all really liked it, so we just went for it."

"White Hell" (cover) track listing:

01. 21st Century Paranoia
02. Crime and Punishment
03. Incubus
04. Black Light
05. The Deluge
06. Strange Ways
07. Mobrule
08. The Infidel
09. Invasion
10. Eyes of Temptation
11. Bastardom
12. Sons of Cain

In Europe the album will be released in a limited edition including a bonus DVD, the contents of which will be announced shortly, while the South American version of the album will contain the bonus track "Hermanos Dementes".

A brand new track off "White Hell" will be made available via the band's MySpace page on January 1, 2009. The page is currently hosting demo versions of two tracks, "The Infidel" and "Eyes of Temptation".

Regarding the direction of the new songs, CRIMINAL guitarist/singer Anton Reisenegger previously said, "the material for the record is incredibly varied, ranging from really technical stuff with odd time signatures, to crushing groove monsters, to all-out death metal and everything in between, so be prepared for one hell of a rollercoaster ride!"

"White Hell" will be released on February 27, 2009 via Massacre Records.

Formed in the early '90s in Santiago, Chile by ex-PENTAGRAM mastermind Reisenegger and guitar virtuoso Rodrigo Contreras, CRIMINAL were combining elements of thrash, hardcore and death metal long before the term "metalcore" was even thought of. The band enjoyed a meteoric rise to the forefront of the South American metal scene, including five-digit album sales, shows with the likes of KREATOR, SEPULTURA and SLAYER and a nomination for Best Rock Video at the MTV Latino Video Music Awards, but was faced with severe personal and business problems around the turn of the decade. Reisenegger and Contreras then decided to relocate to the UK, regrouping in a half-Chilean, half-British lineup. Since then, the band has played on major European festivals such as Wacken Open Air and Summer Breeze, as well as support shows with bands such as CHIMAIRA, SIX FEET UNDER, BRUJERIA and LAMB OF GOD.

CRIMINAL's latest studio offering, "Sicario", was hailed by the press as one of the finest thrash metal releases of 2005 and was voted into the Top Ten Albums of the Year by the readers of Terrorizer magazine. At the same time, the band's status in their home country remains unbroken, as evidenced by a four-page feature in the Chilean edition of Rolling Stone magazine and a recent show supporting MEGADETH in front of over 14,000 metalheads.

CRIMINAL is:

Anton Reisenegger – vocals, guitar
Rodrigo Contreras – lead guitar
Zac O'Neil – drums
Dan Biggin – bass

Finnish metallers PAIN CONFESSOR have announced the addition of guitarist Tommi Kurki to the group's ranks. According to the band, Kurki "has been around since the first gigs of PAIN CONFESSOR. In fact, he has been our mainstay sound engineer for pretty much all these years. This made the transition from behind the mixer to the frontlines an easy one, and very natural."

The group continues, "He wasn't born yesterday as a guitarist either. Tommi 'Tommi Kurki' Kurki, or The Bullfinch, as we like to call him, played guitar in the old Finnish progressive metal band SANCNITY along with PAIN CONFESSOR producer Janne Saksa. SANCNITY's swansong was their excellent early '90s album 'Dew'.

"A multitude of musical paths were ventured after that, a few to mention were as a guitarist in WOODEN BONE (SANCNITY reincarnate as a more pop/rock-esque band) and as the vocalist for the Finnish punk band REHTORIT.

"We are proud to have such a rock-hard extra fist to smash into the collective behind of humanity. This will only make things worse for those against us and add even more spice for those who like what we dish out!"

PAIN CONFESSOR in June uploaded two new demo tracks — "X9" and "Reality Of Now" — to the band's MySpace page. The songs were recorded at the group's home studio and were mixed by Janne Saksa of Studio Sound Supreme, who "really made this work by mixing the whole thing and adding his own unique and special touch that we really have missed," according to the band.

PAIN CONFESSOR recently parted ways with Megamania Records and is currently seeking a new label home.

The band's third album, "Purgatory of the Second Sun", entered the Finnish chart at position No. 15 back in March 2007.

"Purgatory of the Second Sun" was recorded at Fantom studio and was previously described by the band as "raw and furious."

BARREN EARTH is the name of a new Helsinki, Finland-based project featuring members of KREATOR, MOONSORROW, SWALLOW THE SUN and MANNHAI, among other bands. Formed in the fall of 2007, BARREN EARTH's music "combines elements of modern and traditional (death) metal with '70s prog rock and folk," according to the group's official bio. "Among the band's influences are artists like PARADISE LOST, OPETH, PINK FLOYD, JETHRO TULL and also some pioneers of Finnish prog.. The members' individual backgrounds in many internationally known and acclaimed outfits is a testament to the quality of the band's music. These same backgrounds are obviously also echoed in BARREN EARTH's music."

BARREN EARTH entered Jive Studios in Helsinki this past summer to record several tracks which can now be streamed via the band's MySpace page. Check out the songs "The Flame of Serenity", "Ere All Perish", "Forlorn Waves" and "The Floodred" at this location.

BARREN EARTH is:

Mikko Kotamäki (SWALLOW THE SUN, EMPYREAN BANE) - Vocals
Janne Perttilä (RYTMIHÄIRIÖ, MOONSORROW session) - Guitar
Sami Yli-Sirniö (KREATOR, WALTARI) - Guitar
Olli-Pekka Laine (MANNHAI, CHAOSBREED, ex-AMORPHIS) - Bass
Kasper Mårtenson (VENHO) - Keyboards
Marko Tarvonen (MOONSORROW) – Drums

German "celtic goth metal" band THANATEROS will release its fourth album, "Liber Lux", on April 3, 2009 via New Crusade Records. The CD was recorded at RedHouse Studio and was mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland. A record-release party will take place on April 3 at K17 in Berlin, Germany.

THANATEROS was recently joined by drummer Simon Rippin (ex-FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM, NFD) and bassist Daniel Lechner (ex-LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE).

NACHTGESCHREI, one of the more recent addition to the "medieval folk metal" genre, which is predominantly successful in Germany with flag-carriers such as IN EXTREMO, SUBWAY TO SALLY, TANZWUT, and SCHANDMAUL, will release its as-yet-untitled second album on March 27, 2009 via Massacre Records.

In other news, NACHTGESCHREI has been confirmed for the Wave Gotik Treffen festival, set to take place May 29 - June 1, 2009 in Leipzig, Germany.

Sascha Paeth — producer, engineer and guitarist of EDGUY frontman's AVANTASIA project — was honored with the prestigious sound award "Golden Bobby" by the German association of sound engineers (VDT) for the best production of the year 2008 in the "Rock" category. The song that made the difference was the 11-minute epic title track of AVANTASIA's latest album, "The Scarecrow". The jury of highly acclaimed and established sound engineers and professors stated that they were astonished at the song's dynamics and power and that they couldn't think of another track has won the award so clearly.

AVANTASIA's "The Scarecrow" album, which features a long list of guest musicians (including Bob Catley, Jorn Lande, ex-HELLOWEEN singer Michael Kiske, Alice Cooper, KISS drummer Eric Singer, SCORPIONS guitarist Rudolf Schenker and GAMMA RAY's Kai Hansen), produced a Top 10 German hit single, "Lost In Space", and entered the national charts in 15 countries, with the CD landing in the Top 10 in four countries.

RA, a new Finnish metal band consisting of three 13-year-old boys, has inked a deal with EMI Finland. The group's debut album, "Punainen Virta", will feature a lyrical theme based around Egyptian mythology and is tentatively due in early 2009.

RA's first single, "Painajainen", was released earlier in the year.

Finnish TV footage of RA performing at the Elämä Lapselle charity fundraising concert in September 2008 can be viewed below.

RA is:

Jaanis - Vocals, Bass
Tomi - Vocals, Guitar
Jesse – Drums

CIVILIZATION ONE, the band led by singer Chitral "Chity" Somapala (ex-FIREWIND, FARO, AVALON) and bassist Pierre-Emmanuel Pélisson (MALADAPTIVE, ex-HEAVENLY), has announced the addition of British guitarist Tim Mills (ex-ICED EARTH, ELKIE BROOKS) to the group's ranks.

The band performed in Colombo, Sri Lanka on November 29 as part of the TNL Onstage event at the SLECC (Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre). This marked the first time a Western metal group has played in Sri Lanka, and it was a homecoming for Chity Somapala, the Sri Lankan-born singer who has been living in Europe for 22 years. Back in his home country, he did the remarkable "Lion Beer Song" which was played on radio/TV commercials throughout the country and during international cricket events.

Commented the band: "Close to 4,000 screaming fans witnessed the show. As a result, we will release our debut, 'Revolution Rising', as a special edition in Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives in 2009 for all those die-hard fans. We will come back to Sri Lanka and hopefully other parts of southeast Asia with the release of our second album, 'Calling the Gods'."

CIVILIZATION ONE is currently working on material for "Calling the Gods", tentatively due next year.

Legendary heavy metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio recently spoke to Revolver magazine about the upcoming album from HEAVEN AND HELL — the band featuring BLACK SABBATH members Dio, Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass) and Vinny Appice (drums). The group's first LP since SABBATH's "Dehumanizer" (1992) is being recorded at Rockfield studios in Wales, U.K. (where "Dehumanizer" was also tracked).

"It sounds great," Ronnie said of the self-produced set which he co-wrote with Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler during sessions in Los Angeles and England. "It's a real cross-section of everything we've done, from 'Heaven and Hell' through 'Mob Rules' and 'Dehumanizer'. I think there's a lot of 'Dehumanizer' in it, but a lot of other things, too, a real good blend of what this band has represented."

Yorkshire, U.K. progressive doom-death metallers THE PROPHECY have posted an unmastered version of the song "Belief Means Nothing" on their MySpace page. The track comes off the band's new album, "Into The Light", due on February 20, 2009 via Code666. The follow-up to 2006's "Revelations" was recorded at Priory Studios in Sutton Colefields with producer/engineer Greg Chandler (ESOTERIC).

Commented the band: "We recorded the demo for the new album [in] August [2007] at Priory Studios with Greg Chandler. The demo surpassed anything we had previously done so we knew that the album would turn out to be something special. As with every album we're released we always aim to write and record the best possible music, building on our earlier works. Over the last couple of years our collective musicianship and song writing has improved immensely and this has allowed us to really progress from 'Revelations'. Combined with Chandler's expertise in the studio, 'Into The Light' has become our heaviest and most technical album to date."

"Into The Light" track listing:

01. Waters Deep
02. Don't Forget
03. Delusion
04. Echoes
05. Into the Light
06. Belief Means Nothing
07. All is Lost
08. Hope

Norway's THEATRE OF TRAGEDY has issued the following update:

"Another year has passed and not much has happened publicly with the band. Rest assured, we haven't just been lazy (well, a bit of that too). The year has mainly been spent writing and rehearsing the new material for the upcoming seventh THEATRE OF TRAGEDY album.

"So far, 12 songs are done and 10 of those will make it to the album. As usual, we are nowhere near a title for the album, not even a songtitle is ready, but it will come.

"The drums have been recorded together with a really nice guy called Alexander Nyhus and now we are waiting for our producer to finish up his current project with some elderly pop legends. Recordings are planned for February and March so a release date should be either June or August, depending on what AFM Records want to do.

"Erik Ljunggren will be handling the production side of things. We are very pleased about working with him again. He knows the band very well and is a wizard when it comes to sound. He has turned the knobs for THE KOVENANT, Kari Rueslåtten, A-HA, SEIGMEN, ZEROMANCER, SATYRICON. But for us he will alway be the mastermind of the legendary industrial metal band VAMPIRE STATE BUILDING. We even played support for VSB in our early beginnings of 1995. Time goes by fast."

THEATRE OF TRAGEDY recently posted a couple of new demo clips on the band's MySpace page.

THEATRE OF TRAGEDY's latest album, "Storm", was released in March 2006 via AFM Records. The CD was produced by Rico Darum and mixed by Greg Reely (PARADISE LOST, FEAR FACTORY, FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY, SKINNY PUPPY, etc.) at The Green Jacket studios in Richmond, B.C., Canada. The album was the group's first to feature singer Nell (THE CREST), who replaced Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull (currently in LEAVES' EYES) in early 2004.

The cover artwork for "We Came With The Northern Winds - En Saga I Belgia", the new double DVD from LEAVES' EYES — the German/Norwegian band formed by ex-THEATRE OF TRAGEDY singer Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull and members of ATROCITY — can be viewed here. Due on February 27, 2009 via Napalm Records, the set "will have a total playing time of approximately six hours," according to a press release. "The first disc comprises 'We Came With The Northern Winds', a band documentary with a running time of two hours. The movie highlights the band's career and offers fans an exclusive and intimate glimpse into the world of LEAVES' EYES, as well as presenting the viewer with impressions of past tours (222 concerts spanning over four continents and 34 countries). The second disc documents LEAVES' EYES' memorable headlining gig on October 20, 2007 at the Metal Female Voices Fest in Wieze, Belgium. The show featured the legendary Viking longboat stage set, as well as a setlist full of fan favorites. The package also delivers a double audio CD of the show as a special bonus."

"We Came With The Northern Winds - En Saga I Belgia" will be released as a deluxe eight-panel DVD digipack and slipcase as well as in CD format as a deluxe eight-panel digipack and slipcase.

LEAVES' EYES' appearance at this year's installment of the Wacken Open Air festival — which was held July 31 - August 2, 2008 in Wacken, Germany — also included the Viking ship stage set. Joining the group on drums for the Wacken gig was Alex Holzwarth, who currently plays in RHAPSODY OF FIRE and SIEGES EVEN.

LEAVES' EYES is currently working on a new studio album, "Njord", which is scheduled for release in early 2009.

Cleveland's CHIMAIRA has set "The Infection" as the title of the band's new album, due in North America on April 21, 2009 via Ferret Music. CHIMAIRA is still looking for label to release the new album in territories outside North America (the group is no longer signed to Nuclear Blast, which released "Resurrection" in Europe). The CD was recorded in Cleveland with producer Ben Schigel.

CHIMAIRA vocalist Mark Hunter previously stated about the recording process for the upcoming album, "I intentionally came into the studio without one lyric or vocal idea. The majority of the songs written for this record were written on the fly by us jamming in the bus. Two hours later we had a song. After touring we continued that spontaneous style of writing and it was an amazing feeling feeding off of each other's ideas and just seeing where the riffs would take us. I feel this is CHIMAIRA in its purest and most vulnerable form. I felt that I wanted to harness that same raw talent on the microphone as well. I basically freestyle over a song, find patterns I like or words I might say and then build from there. I construct the lyrics and then go in to track it. After that I sit on it for a day, and then come back and fix things here and there. I've done this method in the past with songs like 'Power Trip', 'Severed', 'Paralyzed', 'Down Again', 'Pure Hatred', etc. so it's not a new thing for me. But to do an entire record like this, that's a first."

CHIMAIRA will play its ninth annual Christmas show on December 30 at the House of Blues in the band's hometown.

The Pulse of Radio reports: Christmas may be a time of celebration and joy for many people, but according to the members of APOCALYPTICA, that's not the case in their native Finland. The holiday comes during a period in which the northern country doesn't get any sunlight for up to four months, and APOCALYPTICA member Eicca Toppinen told The Pulse of Radio that leads to more problems. "Finland is number one in suicide numbers in the world," he said. "Christmas is the worst time for that, and it seems to be very hard because the dark period lasts for three to four months every winter. And all these lonely people, you know, they're already depressed, and when it comes to the time of Christmas, they can't stand it."

APOCALYPTICA scored their first No. 1 rock radio hit last month with "I Don't Care", the latest single from the band's sixth studio album, "Worlds Collide".

The disc has sold 153,000 copies in the U.S. and marks the rock cello quartet's first significant success in this country in their 15-year career.

"I Don't Care" features guest vocals from THREE DAYS GRACE frontman Adam Gontier, while SLIPKNOT's Corey Taylor contributed vocals to the CD's first single, "I'm Not Jesus".

"No More", the first-ever video from the Dutch female-fronted gothic rock outfit NEMESEA, can be viewed below. The clip was helmed by D'iMages, which has previously worked with AFTER FOREVER, AYREON and STREAM OF PASSION, among others. The song comes off the band's second album, "In Control", which was was produced by Tony Platt (AC/DC, BOB MARLEY) and Ronald Prent (RAMMSTEIN) and was released in June 2007.

NEMESEA recorded "In Control" after raising $50,000 through the SellaBand.com web site, which empowers artists to make a professional album funded by fans.

NEMESEA is:

Manda Ophuis - Vocals
Hendrik Jan de Jong - Guitar
Sonny Onderwater - Bass
Steven Bouma - Drums

Italian gothic metallers MACBETH are currently working on material for their as-yet-untitled new CD.

The band stated: "We've got a few ideas for the new record. We will be spending the first part the year to work on material for our upcoming new album."

MACBETH's latest album, "Superangelic Hate Bringers", came out on November 16, 2007 via Dragonheart Records. The CD was recorded in two different studios, including a private studio in Reykjavik, Iceland and New Sin studios in Italy, where the band also mixed and mastered the album.

Marin Independent Journal reports that METALLICA frontman James Hetfield has met with county officials to discuss resolving the issue of his disputed fence that blocks open space access to hikers and others in the Lucas Valley.

Over the summer Hetfield erected a metal fence on his property on a Terra Linda hilltop, closing off a popular trail and angering hikers, bikers and equestrians. The fence, at the end of a fire road in the Terra Linda-Sleepy Hollow Divide open space preserve, blocks access from the Luiz Ranch Fire Road that dates back more than 50 years.

Vandalism of a previous smaller gate, and of signs and other property along the trail, prompted Hetfield to block access with the 300-foot-long, 8- to 10-foot-high corrugated metal silver fence.

The reunited South Florida death/thrash metal band SOLSTICE entered the studio on September 18 to begin recording its new album for an early 2009 release. 11 songs are being laid down during the sessions, including a cover of an old song by the Miami progressive metallers CYNIC.

Commented SOLSTICE: "We're done tracking guitars, bass and vocals. Only guitar solos remain and those are about half way. We should be ready to mix and master in about three weeks and then we WILL have some new music on the player. Bass playing is outstanding as is the bass tone. Garrett [Scott] really put on a show for us and done with extremely limited rehearsal."

SOLSTICE was formed in 1990 by guitarist Dennis Munoz and drummer Alex Marquez with vocalist/guitarist Rob Barrett (CANNIBAL CORPSE, ex-MALEVOLENT CREATION, HATEPLOW) and bassist Dave Smith. In 1991 they recorded a demo produced by legendary producer Jim Morris. In 1992, their debut album "The Sentencing" was recorded but due to internal problems the band broke up the following year. Barrett and Marquez would go on to join MALEVOLENT CREATION. In 1994 Munoz and Marquez played with a hardcore band called ANGER and in 1995 SOLSTICE was reformed with a new lineup. A second album titled "Pray" was released but they soon disbanded once again.

Current SOLSTICE lineup:

Christian Rudes: Guitars, vocals
Dennis Munoz: Guitars
Brian Harris: Drums
Garrett Scott: Bass