REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE, the new band led by former STRATOVARIUS mastermind Timo Tolkki, has inked a worldwide deal with Scarlet Records.

Tolkki and his bandmates have spent the last few weeks putting the finishing touches to their new album entitled "Age Of Aquarius". Recorded over three months in Finland, it is by far the darkest, heaviest and most symphonic album that Tolkki has ever been involved in.

Finding a close connection with his new bandmembers Gus Monsanto and Bruno Agra, the trio locked itself in a cabin in Finland for a month and composed 10 new songs. It is the first time during Tolkki's career that he shared the whole songwriting process with other bandmembers.

"I just felt this incredibly fresh vibe with these guys and the songs were just flowing, he said. "It was so natural process that it almost felt like the songs were already composed and we just let them be born. It was possible because in Gus and Bruno I finally have found the kindred spirits I have been looking for so long. The results were something that none of us were expecting and yet at the same time, we felt that this record is exactly the way it is supposed to be."

"Age Of Aquarius" will be released on March 25, 2009 in Southeast Asia via JVC and on March 9, 2009 in the rest of the world. The band also filmed a promotional video in Helsinki for the album's title track.

"Age Of Aquarius" track listing:

01. The Age of Aquarius
02. So She Wears Black
03. Ixion's Wheel
04. Kyrie Eleison
05. Revolution Has Begun
06. Sins of My Beloved
07. Behind the Mask
08. Ghost of Fallen Grace
09. Children of the Future
10. The Heart of All

Tours are currently been booked to promote "Age Of Aquarius" worldwide beginning in South America in early April. Scarlet Records will also release Timo Tolkki's third solo album, the ethereal classical rock opera "Saana - Warrior of Light Part 1: Journey to Crystal Island", worldwide on January 23, 2009.

Denmark-based symphonic metal band EVIL MASQUERADE has posted four songs from its forthcoming fourth album, "Fade To Black", on the group's MySpace page. Due on January 26, 2009 via Escape Music, the follow-up to 2006's "Third Act" was mixed and mastered by Tommy Hansen (JORN, HELLOWEEN) at Jailhouse Studios in Denmark and features a guest appearance by former RAINBOW keyboardist Tony Carey.

"Fade To Black" recording lineup:

Henrik Flyman - Guitar
Apollo Papathanasio (FIREWIND) - Vocals
Daniel Flores (MIND'S EYE) - Drums
Johan Niemann (THERION, DEMONOID) - Bass
Tony Carey (RAINBOW) – Keyboards

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Lights Out
02. In a Dungeon Close to Hell
03. The Darkness Within
04. Hollow Soul
05. Different Shades of Black
06. Powertools
07. The Ultimate Game
08. Desire and Pain
09. Diamond Dust
10. I Believe In Sin

"Live To Rock", the new video from British heavy metal legends SAXON, can be viewed below. The clip was helmed by Aestheticom's Bill Schacht, who has previously directed music videos for DIO, KING DIAMOND, AMON AMARTH, FATAL SMILE, LIBERTY X/REV RUN, ZAKK WYLDE and SISTER SIN, among others.

SAXON's new studio album, "Into The Labyrinth", will be out on January 12, 2009 (Germany: January 9; USA: January 13). February 2009 will see the band embark on another major tour with ICED EARTH, only one month after the album release.

"Into The Labyrinth" was recorded at the Twilight Hall in Krefeld, Germany, under the direction of Charlie Bauerfeind. SAXON laid down 13 new songs at BLIND GUARDIAN's studio, starting with monumental opener "Battalions Of Steel" through "Demon Sweeney Todd" and "Valley Of The Kings", which both cover historic events, to the final slide guitar blues track "Coming Home" (fans are already familiar with the electric version of this track from SAXON's "Killing Ground" album).

According to Australia's ABC News, two University of New South Wales (UNSW) researchers concluded in a study published in the British Medical Journal this week that headbanging to a typical heavy metal tempo could cause mild traumatic brain injury or concussion, and neck injury, particularly as the tempo of the music and angle of movement increased.

"Clearly it's a serious issue," says Associate Professor Andrew McIntosh, co-author and professor of biomechanics at UNSW.

"If you observe people after concerts they clearly look dazed, confused and incoherent, so something must be going on and we wanted to look into it."

After careful observation of the behaviour of heavy metal concert-goers, McIntosh and honours student Declan Patton constructed a theoretical headbanging model to better understand the mechanics of the practice.

They also spoke to a focus group of local musicians to identify ten popular songs to headbang to.

"These songs had an average tempo of 146 beats per minute, and at this tempo we predict that head banging can cause headaches and dizziness if the range of movement of the head and neck is greater than 75°," the researchers wrote.

Bombworks Records has joined forces once again with ocean metallers DAGON to release the band's second full-length album. The new CD will feature a re-recording of fan favorite "Feeding Frenzy" as well as a slate of killer new tracks. It will be recorded in Michigan at Random Awesome! studio for a tentative spring 2009 release.

Rising from the ashes of Michigan band BESTIARY, DAGON puts its own spin on the metal genre by combining old-school thrash, Scandinavian death, and good ol' '80s rock and roll. After its independently released EP "Secrets of the Deep", DAGON released its debut full-length, "Paranormal Ichthyology", on Bombworks Records in March 2007.

According to a press release, DAGON's music features several helpings of dueling guitar leads, thundering bass, catchy melodic lines, and a dual-vocalist approach (utilizing deep death growls ala CRYPTOPSY and black metal shrieks), as well as a serious infatuation with all things related to the ocean. Influences include SUFFOCATION, DARK TRANQUILITY, IRON MAIDEN, SLAYER and HYPOCRISY.

Former THE GATHERING singer Anneke van Giersbergen joined Portuguese metallers MOONSPELL to perform the song "Scorpion Flower" at three consecutive shows on the band's tour with CRADLE OF FILTH: December 1 in London, December 2 in Paris and December 3 in Tilburg.

Fan-filmed video footage of all three performances can be viewed here, here and here.

The recorded version of "Scorpion Flower", which appears on MOONSPELL's new album, "Night Eternal", also features Anneke. All other female choirs were performed by the Crystal Mountain Singers, composed of Carmen Simões (AVA INFERI), Sophia Vieira (CINEMUERTE) and Patrícia Andrade (ex-VOLSTAD, now in THE VANITY CHAIR). Niclas Etelävuori of AMORPHIS played bass on the album, which features artwork by Seth Siro Anton (PARADISE LOST, SEPTIC FLESH). Band photography was handled by Edgar Keats.

The follow-up to 2006's "Memorial" was recorded at Antfarm studios in Denmark with producer Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, DARK TRANQUILLITY, HALFORD).

Two editions of the record were made available: A limited double digipack with different artwork, one bonus track ("Age of Mothers"), a different version of the song "Scorpion Flower", the full album as well as a bonus DVD containing all video clips from "Memorial" plus "Finisterra" "making-of" footage and three live clips from last year's performance at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany; plus the jewel case edition.

MOONSPELL's video for the track "Scorpion Flower" is one of two (along with "Night Eternal") off the group's new album, "Night Eternal", which were shot by Ivan Colic (TYPE O NEGATIVE, SYMPHONY X, HAMMERFALL) in Belgrade, Serbia. Colic previously worked with the group on the "Memorial" video for "Finisterra".

Drummer Josh Freese has released the following statement regarding his decision to exit NINE INCH NAILS' current lineup at the end of its current North American tour:

"So, I've been wanting to write something for a while now explaining why I am leaving NINE INCH NAILS at the end of the year. Not that it's THAT big of a deal or important compared to other real shit going on out there in the world, but I figured I'd take a minute out to explain anyhow. I know a few people are aware that I'm having my third child in January and basically... that about SUMS IT UP!

"I've just been gone too damn much lately and if I hadn't spent so much time on the road in recent years (between NIN, A PERFECT CIRCLE, DEVO, STING, THE VANDALS) coupled with having three kids (come January) then I'd still be out on the road in the new year. It's just that the rate that NIN has been touring (and will continue to tour in 2009) is something that I can't keep up with right now. My kids need their Dad around and I want to be around for them. I am definitely not retiring or 'done touring' by any means though. I just need to be home a bit more next year. I am not leaving because I got a better offer from another band or because I don't enjoy it... It's one of my favorite situations I've ever been involved with and I already miss it (though we still have five more shows to play).

"If you saw a NIN show in the past three years then you'll know that to say I LIKE playing up there is an understatement and that I give it my all every night. It's much more than a 'job' or a 'gig' for me. I'm a big believer in Trent [Reznor, NIN mainman] and his music and feel fortunate and privileged to have had the chance to work alongside of him and be a part of what he does for the past three years. It is something I am truly proud of and he makes most the other ones out there feel pretty small-time. I have faith in the notion that we'll work together again at some point, in some fashion. But for now I need to go teach my 7-year-old boy how to ride a bike.... Nothing can really compare to that (except maybe an all-night hotel coke session with some hookers)."

Bassist Simon Andersson has left the Swedish progressive metal band PAIN OF SALVATION. He writes in a statement, "I've been a part of this band for almost two years and I'm honoured I was the chosen one. Getting to know these wonderful musicians is even more of an honour… but I've reached the point where I just have to stop and walk my own way. Exhaustion, yearning and frustration are the three main issues.

"Exhaustion: having a 'normal day job,' being a rockstar and having a lot of other (heavy) personal stuff became too much. I wanted everything so bad I ended up being sick with no energy whatsoever.

"Yearning: being on tour means waiting. Waiting and waiting… I asked myself one day: is the life back home, the people I love, worth risking just being somewhere in the world waiting? My answer is no.

"Frustration: I wanna focus on my own music when i have the time for it. Don't wanna be a wheel in motion in someone else's machinery… I have way too much inspiration and there is no space for this in PAIN OF SALVATION. Lack of dedication? No. Lack of creative outbursts within the band? Yes.

"I can't give PAIN OF SALVATION 100% at this point, and the guys deserve better… the best thing to do is to go separate ways. We made this decision together and we part as friends. I wish them the best of luck!"

PAIN OF SALVATION's latest album, "Scarsick", was released in January 2007 via Inside Out.

Zoltán Pál, the trombone player for the Hungarian black metal band SEAR BLISS, will appear as a guest musician on Japanese experimental black metallers SIGH's next album.

Commented Pál: "When SIGH announced that they were looking for brass players for their upcoming album, I decided to send them an e-mail. I liked their latest record, 'Hangman's Hymn', so I wanted to take part in their next album. The head of SIGH, Mirai, replied my mail within a few minutes. I was very pleased that he knew SEAR BLISS and was aware of what we do. He sent me the score for the songs, and a few weeks later I recorded them in my hometown. I can assure everyone who liked SIGH's music that they managed to take a step even further. It's going to be a masterpiece."

SIGH's eighth album, entitled "Scenes from Hell", will be released in 2009 via The End Records.

SEAR BLISS is currently working on its upcoming DVD which was recorded at the band's 15th-anniversary gig in Budapest at the end of November. The disc will be released in 2009 via Vic Records.

Guitarist Ad Sluijter has announced his departure from the Dutch female-fronted symphonic metal band EPICA. His statement on the matter reads as follows:

"It is with some sadness that I have to announce that after more than 6.5 years, I have decided to part ways with EPICA.

"Since the start of EPICA in 2002 I have always striven to commit myself 100% to the group's music and success and I am very proud of all that we have accomplished in this relatively short period of time. A definite highlight for me is the release of our latest album 'The Divine Conspiracy' and the great tours that followed.

"Unfortunately, all of this success also had its downside. The more successful you become as a band, the harder it gets to keep [focusing] on the most important thing of it all, and that is the music itself. Because of the busy tour schedule and the lack of time to work on new material as a result, I found myself more and more in a situation where I felt like I had to compose instead of wanting to compose. I don't consider myself a great songwriter. I really need to spend a lot of time and put a lot of effort into it before I am anywhere near to being satisfied with the result. And being the perfectionist that I am, it was just getting more and more frustrating not having the time to do so and therefore not being able to achieve the best possible result. Because of this, I simply lost the fun I usually had when composing, and this was for me a clear sign that I had to change something.

"After much consideration, I have come to the conclusion that the only change I needed to make was to leave the group. This isn't a decision I wanted to make, but one I needed to make.

"I am very thankful for my time in EPICA and I am very proud of everything that we have accomplished. I would like to thank the band, the crew, the record company, the bands we've toured with and of course all the fans that made this all possible! I wish the remaining band members all the best and I hope they will continue to make great music for many more years to come!

"So what are my plans for the near future? From a commercial point of view, it would be a good idea to state that I've formed a new band already, that I've finished half the material of a new CD already and that we hope to release it anytime soon, but I will honestly tell you that I haven't. I don't think I will form a new band either. I just want to start working on new songs again without having to worry about deadlines and stuff. Forming a new band at this point just wouldn't fit that picture. I can imagine recording and releasing songs as a project, but we'll see when the time is there.

"During the last few years I have been asked as a session musician for studio and live situations on a regular basis, but due to lack of time I unfortunately had to decline most of them. So I am looking forward to doing some more session work as well.

"I've always been very interested in the recording aspect of music as well and already did some work as a recording engineer too, but again, the lack of time prevented me to do some more. So I'm excited to continue in this direction a bit more as well."

The remaining members of EPICA comment:

"Ad is a founding member of EPICA and has been of great value to the band. We would like to use this opportunity to thank Ad for his everlasting devotion for EPICA! We will never forget all the great moments we have shared together and wish Ad the very best for the future!!! We hope to be able to announce Ad's successor soon and keep you updated on that!"

According to Tiscali, rocker Jeff Beck has slammed LED ZEPPELIN's comeback plans — insisting it will be pointless without former lead singer Robert Plant.

The 64-year-old legend — who played in cult act THE YARDBIRDS with LED ZEPPELIN guitarist Jimmy Page — praised the band's huge one-off concert at London's O2 Arena last December. But Beck argues plans for a full-blown tour should be shelved without Plant, who has repeatedly refused to join his old bandmates full-time.

He says, "I really don't think it's a good idea, not if Robert doesn't want to. I was there at the one-off show at the O2 Arena and it was fantastic. But I think they should just leave it there. They will have been offered loads of money and it'll be tempting but that's not a good enough reason to me. It would be different if they all wanted to do it and record new material but that's not the case."

Vocalist Tobias Sammet of German metallers EDGUY has clarified a statement that he made in a recent interview regarding his opinion of the U.S. and whether he would ever want to live there. Asked if the band would ever be really big outside mainland Europe, Sammet told Rushonrock.com, "It's getting better for us in the UK. Slowly but surely we're starting to make an impression on British audiences. If you want to be big in the USA, you have to go there and stay there. I wouldn't want to live in the USA in a million years! It's a different planet and I don't want to go there. That means we're never going to be a big, big act over there but that's OK. I just don't want to make the sacrifices we'd have to make to break that market in a big way."

Sammet has now released the following statement clarifying the comments he made in the Rushonrock.com interview:

"I've just been told that I might have said something that pissed some people off, some comment about the USA that I made in an interview. I don't get it at all: I never said that I hate the USA, it's a great country and I have a lot of friends in the USA and I feel it is disrespectful to them to say that I hate the whole fucking country and the great people I've met there. Don't misuse my statements!!! Like in every country, I think a lot of things go wrong there, I just said that I don't wanna live over there. So, what's the point??? I just wanna live at home, in good old Germany. I don't know why people are so aggressive when it comes to honest statements, I was asked questions in an interview and I replied honestly.

"This was not meant to be a political statement. If some asshole wants to misuse my statements for some racist purpose, I get fucking mad. I've been told that people started to discuss about the second World War, about immigrants, about black people...

"People: This is rock 'n' roll!!!! There is no place for racism in my life! We are one fucking world!!! America, Russia, Australia, Europe... I love aspects of America and I love aspects of Brazil, Germany, any country... We are one fucking world. If you misuse my statement for a racist issue: FUCK YOU!!! Now go hug each other! This music is meant to make people come together, not the opposite!!!"

Swedish sleaze rockers HARDCORE SUPERSTAR have set "Beg For It" as the title of their new album, due in June 2009. The CD is currently being recorded at IN FLAMES' studio in Gothenburg, Sweden.

"Medicate Me", the latest video from HARDCORE SUPERSTAR, can be viewed below.

HARDCORE SUPERSTAR earlier in the year announced the addition of guitarist Vic Zino from the band CRAZY LIXX following the departure of Thomas Silver.

Swedish metallers THE HAUNTED have finished filming a video for the song "Trenches" with director Daniel Larsson. The clip is expected to premiere in January 2009. The track comes off the group's latest album, "Versus", which sold around 1,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. This represents roughly half of the opening tally of its predecessor, "The Dead Eye", which premiered with 3,200 units back in November 2006.

"Versus" entered the Swedish chart at position No. 14 and the Finnish chart at No. 12.

According to MetOnTour.com, which is described as "your FREE virtual backstage pass to every METALLICA show," METALLICA's longtime friend and collaborator, famed video director Wayne Isham, filmed the band's performance last night (Saturday, December 13) at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. As previously reported, he also shot the concert Friday (December 12) at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California. It is not presently clear if the footage will be used towards a new promotional music video or it will end up on a future full-length DVD release from the group.

METALLICA's setlists for the two shows were as follows:

December 12, 2008 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California:

01. That Was Just Your Life
02. The End Of The Line
03. Ride The Lightning
04. For Whom The Bell Tolls
05. One
06. Broken, Beat And Scarred
07. Cyanide
08. Sad But True
09. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
10. All Nightmare Long
11. The Day That Never Comes
12. Master Of Puppets
13. Blackened
14. Nothing Else Matters
15. Enter Sandman
- - - - - - - -
16. Stone Cold Crazy
17. Whiplash
18. Seek and Destroy

December 13, 2008 at Save Mart Center in Fresno, California:

01. That Was Just Your Life
02. The End Of The Line
03. Creeping Death
04. Wherever I May Roam
05. One
06. Broken, Beat And Scarred
07. Cyanide
08. Sad But True
09. The Unforgiven
10. All Nightmare Long
11. The Day That Never Comes
12. Master Of Puppets
13. Fight Fire With Fire
14. Nothing Else Matters
15. Enter Sandman
- - - - - - - -
16. Last Caress
17. Motorbreath
18. Seek and Destroy

Wayne Isham, 50, is an American movie director who has directed music videos of many popular artists such as MÖTLEY CRÜE, SIMPLE PLAN, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, PANTERA, 'N SYNC, SHANIA TWAIN, GODSMACK, BRITNEY SPEARS, LEONA LEWIS, PINK FLOYD, SHERYL CROW, JOSS STONE, MADONNA, AVRIL LAVIGNE, DEF LEPPARD and BON JOVI, among others.

METALLICA videos that were directed by Wayne Isham:

* Enter Sandman
* Wherever I May Roam
* Sad But True
* Fuel
* No Leaf Clover
* Nothing Else Matters (from "S&M")
* I Disappear
* Frantic

redOrbit reports that AC/DC's new "Black Ice" album was released exclusively at Wal-Mart, and has become the fourth-best-selling album of the year with 1.6 million copies sold, despite the lack of any digital sales. According to Nielsen SoundScan, Kid Rock's "Rock N Roll Jesus" was the third-best-selling album of the year as of the beginning of this month. It was sold only as a CD until nearly a year after its release, when Kid Rock granted Rhapsody exclusive online selling rights in the United States. The album has sold 3,000 digital copies to date.

Both cases challenge prevailing wisdom that iTunes is an indispensable part of music retail. Perhaps more remarkable is the fact that neither album appeared on file-sharing networks any more often than other big releases, said Eric Garland, CEO of the file-trading monitoring firm BigChampagne.

British melodic hard rock veterans PRAYING MANTIS have commenced the recording sessions for their new album, "Threshold of a Dream", for a tentative early 2009 release via Frontiers Records. The CD is being tracked in Atlanta, Georgia with producer/engineer Andy Reilly and it will "once again present the familiar blend of the hard rock edge with very melodic 'hookline' choruses that have always been an essential trade mark of MANTIS," according to a press release. "Still there will be a couple of epic numbers to complete the lot." Songtitles set to appear on the album include "Threshold of a Dream", "Sanctuary", "Broken Chain", "Touch The Rainbow", "Turn The Tide", "Tears In The Rain", "Restless", "Heart In Time", "So High", "Playing God" and "Highway".

PRAYING MANTIS is:

Tino Troy - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Chris Troy - Bass, Backing Vocals
Benjy Reid - Drums
Andy Burgess - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Mike Freeland - Lead Vocals

German melodic folk/death metallers SUIDAKRA have posted a studio video for their new song "Conloach". Watch it below. The track comes off the group's new album, "Crógacht", which will be released through Wacken Records/SPV on the following dates:

Germany: February 20, 2009
Rest of Europe: February 23, 2009
U.S.: March 3, 2009

The CD was recorded at Gernhart Studios and features cover artwork (see below) by Kris Verwimp.

"Crógacht" track listing:

01. Slán
02. Conlaoch
03. Isle Of Skye
04. Scáthach
05. Feats Of War
06. Shattering Swords
07. Ár Nasc Fola
08. Gilded Oars
09. Baile's Strand

The group previously said about the album, "As the titles suggest, you can expect a decent Irish influence on the new record, so fans of folk metal can rest easy. Fans of SUIDAKRA's harder tunes must not fear; 'Crógacht' will kick your asses as hard as usual, if not harder."

IMPELLITTERI will release its long-awaited new album, "Wicked Maiden", in Japan on January 21, 2009 via Victor Entertainment. The CD, which had the working title of "Good and Evil", was mixed in Vancouver, British Columbia with Greg Reely (DEVILDRIVER, FEAR FACTORY, etc.) and is "by far the most amazing recording I have been involved with," according to IMPELLITTERI mainman/guitarist Chris Impellitteri. "It is filled with amazing riffs, fast shredding solos, screaming vocals, and, of course, a brutal rhythm section."

He added, "The goal of this record was to make a historic album that will rival 'Van Halen 1', OZZY's 'Blizzard of Oz', PANTERA's 'Cowboys from Hell', YNGWIE's 'Rising Force', METALLICA's 'Master of Puppets', and even new artists like CHILDREN OF BODOM and AVENGED SEVENFOLD."

"Wicked Maiden" marks the return to IMPELLITTERI of the band's former singer Rob Rock.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Wicked Maiden
02. Last Of A Dying Breed
03. Destruction
04. Garden Of Eden
05. The Vision
06. Eyes Of An Angel
07. No More School
08. Wonderful Life
09. Holy Man
10. Battle Rages

Former THE GATHERING singer Anneke van Giersbergen and her new band AGUA DE ANNIQUE will stage two unique shows in February 2009 — at the Melkweg in Amsterdam, Holland (Feb. 12) and at the Oosterpoort in Groningen (Feb. 13). At these intimate performances, Anneke will shed some light on her compositions through personal stories. Anneke will also be joined on stage by Sharon den Adel (WITHIN TEMPTATION), Niels Geusebroek (SILKSTONE) and singer-songwriter Marike Jager. These artists will also perform on Anneke's new acoustic album.

To see Anneke van Giersbergen sharing the stage with Sharon den Adel is a rare occasion. Earlier this year, Anneke appeared as a special guest on WITHIN TEMPTATION's live DVD. Now Sharon and Anneke will join forces on stage again to perform that same song, "Somewhere". This song, in a new acoustic version, will also appear on Anneke's forthcoming album.

Last year was a tumultuous, but successful year for Van Giersbergen. After 13 years, she left THE GATHERING. During her time with THE GATHERING she evened out the path for a whole new generation of female rock singers. Soon after her departure she grounded her own band AGUA DE ANNIQUE. 2008 was also the year that Anneke, for the first time, was strongly present in the Dutch music scene. Her duet, "Als je ooit nog eens terug kan", with RACOON singer Bart van der Weide and Artists for Tibet, made it to No. 1 in the Dutch chart. Together with C-MON AND KYPSKI she made a vibrant television appearance during the "Fifty Years of Dutch Pop Music Quiz". Anneke also did an overwhelming version of ALANIS MORISSETTE's "Ironic" during the '90's Request Week on Giel Beelen's morning show on national radio.

As well as acoustic versions of songs from her solo debut, "Air", Anneke's upcoming album will contain some great collaborations. Besides Sharon den Adel, Niels Geusebroek and Marike Jager, Anneke will be joined by Danny Cavanagh (ANATHEMA), John Wetton (KING CRIMSON, ASIA) and Arjen Lucassen (AYREON). The album will be presented during these special shows. Anneke states: "Over the last years, I have done many guest appearances for a wide range of artists. This time I wanted to be the one to invite an outstanding lineup of musicians to contribute to my album."

Norwegian melodic power metal band PAGAN'S MIND has issued the following update:

"We just returned from three weeks of tour craziness along with our friends from SONATA ARCTICA and VANISHING POINT. Thanks to all those guys as well as their crews for a great time with ringing ears, lack of sleep, greasy aftershow food and stress. Let's do it again soon!!!

"Anyway, we aim for more exhaustion, and are currently hard at work putting together our first DVD. We filmed our hometown (well, almost) show in Oslo, which went beyond our expectations, and are currently editing this and taking care of the bonus material. We are looking at an April release, so be prepared for a real pagan live assault."

German melodic death metal hopefuls DEADLOCK have parted ways with bassist Thomas Huschka. "Due to some musical and personal differences, we agreed with him that it's better to make a cut," the band said in a statement. "There's no shittalking whatsoever, no bad mood or angry feelings. We just decided that DEADLOCK should go on with a new bass player. We thank Tom for all the amazing years, the great time, his friendship and all our happy experiences together!"

The group added, "All future shows will be played with session musicians until we found a new member for that part."

"The Brave / Agony Applause", the new video from DEADLOCK, can be viewed below. The clip was filmed with director Philipp Hirsch (HEAVEN SHALL BURN, AMON AMARTH, DISILLUSION). The track comes off the group's new album, "Manifesto", which was released in Europe on November 17 (January 6 in the U.S.) via Lifeforce Records. The follow-up to 2007's "Wolves" was mixed by Jacob Hansen (MERCENARY, VOLBEAT, RAUNCHY) and was released in several different formats. The artwork and design for "Manifesto" was handled by Adam Wentworth at www.the663.com, who has previously worked with BEYONCÉ, COHEED AND CAMBRIA and A LIFE ONCE LOST.

MIND ODYSSEY, the German metal band featuring RAGE guitarist Victor Smolski, will release its new album, "Time To Change It", on February 27, 2009 via Napalm Records. The CD was recorded at Yellow Prison studio in Berlin with Mario Le Mole and Dan Udhen (PANDEA, ex-MIND ODYSSEY) at the helm. According to a posting on Smolski's web site, the new CD is "an absolutely interesting development of a progressive style with a new sound."

NINE INCH NAILS mainman Trent Reznor has commented on the reports that the band's music has been used to prepare detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay for interrogation.

"It's difficult for me to imagine anything more profoundly insulting, demeaning and enraging than discovering music you've put your heart and soul into creating has been used for purposes of torture," he said in a statement.

"If there are any legal options that can be realistically taken they will be aggressively pursued, with any potential monetary gains donated to human rights charities.
Thank GOD this country has appeared to side with reason and we can put the Bush administration's reign of power, greed, lawlessness and madness behind us."

According to The Scotsman, a number of bands and artists whose recordings have been used in controversial interrogation techniques by U.S. forces are backing a new campaign to end the practice.

The playlist of songs, designed to traumatize and destabilize prisoners psychologically, includes such acts as AC/DC, AEROSMITH and METALLICA.

The Stop The Music Torture drive is the brainchild of Reprieve, the human rights charity that provides legal representations for inmates at Guantanamo Bay.

The campaign aims to exert pressure from the international community to bring to an end the techniques used by U.S. forces in Guantanamo, Iraq and Afghanistan.

HEAVEN AND HELL — the band featuring BLACK SABBATH members Ronnie James Dio (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass) and Vinny Appice (drums) — has finished laying down the basic tracks for its new CD for an early 2009 release via Rhino Records. "It has been a pleasurable experience writing and recording with Ronnie, Tony and Vinny," Butler writes on his web site. "We hope to have the album finished, mixed and ready to go in the next couple of months."

The group's first LP since SABBATH's "Dehumanizer" (1992) is being recorded at Rockfield studios in Wales, England (where "Dehumanizer" was also tracked). According to Butler, he is going to be filming some sort of "making-of" documentary, although it is unclear if that footage will appear on the disc, or as a DVD extra.

Two years ago, Dio, Iommi, Butler and Appice reunited to record a trio of new songs for Rhino's "Black Sabbath: The Dio Years" before launching a highly anticipated and greatly acclaimed world tour under their new moniker HEAVEN AND HELL. Revitalized by the reunion, the lineup is back in the studio now recording the first-ever full-length studio album from HEAVEN AND HELL. To whet the fans' appetites for the new album, HEAVEN AND HELL returned to the road this past summer for a short stint on the Metal Masters Tour, a month-long North American trek with JUDAS PRIEST, MOTÖRHEAD, and TESTAMENT.

Regarding the band's decision to continue to operate as HEAVEN AND HELL rather than BLACK SABBATH, Iommi told Billboard.com earlier this year, "It really is BLACK SABBATH, whatever we do. We just choose to go out as HEAVEN AND HELL so everyone knows what they're getting [and] so people won't expect to hear 'Iron Man' and all those songs. We've done them for so many years, it's nice to do just all the stuff with did with Ronnie again."

"Standing Tall", the new video from the Swedish heavy metal band CRYONIC TEMPLE, can be viewed below. The song comes off the group's new album, "Immortal", which was released on November 21 via Metal Heaven Records. Check out the cover artwork below.

CRYONIC TEMPLE was founded in 1996 and has over the years performed at such festivals as Sweden Rock, Headbanger's Open Air, Peace And Love, Gothenburg Metal, Motala Metal and 2000 Decibel. They have also supported URIAH HEEP, SAXON, LION'S SHARE and PAUL DI'ANNO.

After CRYONIC TEMPLE's successful and highly acclaimed third album, "In Thy Power", in 2005, the band went through some lineup changes and took time off to write new material before hitting the studio.

The group's new lineup features guitarists Esa Ahonen and Leif Collin alongside new singer Magnus Thurin (ex-MINDSCAPE), whose vocal style is said to be influenced by Michael Kiske, Geoff Tate and Tony Martin.

CRYONIC TEMPLE is:

Magnus Thurin - Vocals
Leif Collin - Guitar
Esa Ahonen - Guitar
Hans Karlin - Drums
Bjorn Svensson - Bass

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

"Lush" comes off the band's recently completed EP, "The Perdition", which was produced and mixed by Henrik Ryösä at VoxHouse Studio in Sweden. The CD, which features a guest appearance by Lisa Johnson, is expected for release in early 2009.

"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...

A three-minute trailer for "Lusitanian Metal", the long-awaited new DVD from Portuguese metallers MOONSPELL, can be viewed below.

The two-disc effort is being released via Century Media Records on the following dates:

Italy: Friday, December 5
Spain, Portugal: Tuesday, December 9
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux: Friday, December 12
Rest Of Europe: Monday, December 15

"Lusitanian Metal" is being made available in three formats/editions:

* One limited edition kingsize mediabook with two DVDs and one CD (comes with a 28-page booklet and an additional slipcase with gold foil print)

* One standard edition with two DVDs (in a super jewel DVD box — comparable to a high-format CD jewel case / this one will have a 24-page booklet plus an additional four-page booklet with the changeable cover artworks with the four members' faces)

* One standard CD jewel case (includes the audio CD of the limited edition / comes with a 20-page booklet and an additional four-page booklet in the same vein as for the standard DVD

The DVD will be also available on MOONSPELL's merchandise booth on the forthcoming European tour, the Filthfest, between December 1 and December 20.

"Lusitanian Metal" track listing:

DVD 1:

* Live At The City Of Ravens (Metalmania, Poland 2004)
* Touch Me In The Eyes (video compilation from Opium to I will see you in my dreams, including the never seen making of from Everything invaded)
* Century Media Years (Discography)
* Knoweldge (Graveyard impressions, exclusive and extensive interview with the band members shot in a Lisbon graveyard)

DVD 2:

Small Hours – The Early Days (1992-1994):

Live Rehearsal:

01. Serpent Angel
02. Wolves from the Fog
03. Ancient Winter Goddess

MOONSPELL's First Show:

04. Intro
05. Goat on Fire
06. Wolves from the Fog
07. Hymn to Lucifer

Supporting CRADLE OF FILTH:

08. Intro
09. Tenebrarum Oratorium Part 1
10. Goat on Fire
11. Vampiria

Strange Are the Ways of the Wolfhearted Tour (1995-1996)

Supporting NAPALM DEATH:

01. Erotic Alchemy
02. Ataegina
03. Trebaruna

Perverse Almost Religious (1996-1997):

Krakow 1996

01. A Poisoned Gift
02. ...Of Dream and Drama (Midnight Ride)
03. An Erotic Alchemy
04. Love Crimes

Dortmund 1996 (previously unseen):

05. Intro
06. Wolfshade (A Werewolf Masquerade)
07. Love Crimes
08. Vampiria
09. ...Of Dream and Drama (Midnight Ride)
10. An Erotic Alchemy
11. For a Taste of Eternity
12. Alma Mater

It's a Sin Tour (1997-1999):

Ermal 1999:

01. Let the Children Cum to Me...
02. Dekadance
03. EuroticA

The Butterfly Effect Tour (2000-2001):

Coliseu 2000:

01. I Am the Eternal Spectator
02. Can't Bee
03. Lustmord

Darkness and Hope Tour (2001-2003):

Release Party for "Darkness and Hope":

01. How We Became Fire
02. Ghostsong

Ermal 2002:

03. Angelizer
04. Mephisto
05. Firewalking

Spreading the Eclipse Tour (2003-2005):

With Full Force - 10th Anniversary:

01. In and Above Men
02. From Lowering Skies
03. Opium
04. A Walk on the Darkside
05. Nocturna
06. Southern Deathstyle

Istanbul 2004:

07. Alma Mater / Vampiria

Athens 2004:

08. The Antidote

Hard Club 2004:

12. I Will See You in My Dreams
13. Tenebrarum Oratorium Part 1

Tejo 2005:

14. Awake!
15. For a Taste of Eternity