"Third Immortal", the new video from the Finnish "fantasy metal" band BATTLELORE, can be viewed below. The song comes off the group's fifth album, "The Last Alliance", which recently entered the official chart in Finland at position No. 26.

"The Last Alliance" (cover) was released in North America on October 7 via Napalm Records. The CD was recorded at Sound Supreme Studios in Hämeenlinna, Finland, with producer Janne Saksa and was mixed and mastered by the Swedish multi-instrumentalist and producer Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, NIGHTINGALE, ex-BLOODBATH).

BATTLELORE released its fourth CD, "Evernight", in North America on March 13, 2007 via Napalm Records.

"Death Anxiety", the new video from Orange County, California's BLEEDING THROUGH, has been posted on MTV's HeadbangersBlog.com and can be viewed below. (Note: Video stream may not available to some non-U.S. residents.) The clip was shot in August with director Dave Brodsky, whose resume includes music videos from ALL THAT REMAINS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER and GWAR.

"We wanted something simple and performance-driven but with lots of pyro, just fire everywhere," frontman Brandan Schieppati previously said.

"Death Anxiety" comes off the group's fifth full-length album, "Declaration", which sold just under 6,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 101 on The Billboard 200 chart.

BLEEDING THROUGH recently inked a European deal with Nuclear Blast Records for the release of "Declaration".

Released in Europe on September 26 and in North America on September 30 (through Trustkill), "Declaration" was recorded in Vancouver, Canada with producer Devin Townsend (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, LAMB OF GOD, SOILWORK, DARKEST HOUR) and is said to be thematically the band's most diverse CD to date, addressing a variety of topics on tracks like "There Was a Flood", "Germany" and "Death Anxiety".

Swedish progressive metallers OPETH have completed work on the video for the song "Burden". While Danish director Lasse Hoile (DREAM THEATER, PORCUPINE TREE, STEVEN WILSON) shot and directed the storyline in Denmark, OPETH shot the band performance at the Vogue theater in Vancouver, Canada.

"Burden" comes off OPETH's latest album "Watershed". A digital single will be available for download containing the edit of "Burden" as well as some other goodies. The band also plans to release said single in 7" vinyl format.

OPETH vocalist/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt states, "I think it will have three tracks on there in total, and yes, possibly that one song you've all been waiting to hear."

"The Roundhouse Tapes", the long-awaited new DVD from OPETH, will be released in Europe on Peaceville Records on October 27 (UK - November 10, USA - November 11).

The DVD will be premiered on November 4 with a special screening at the Prince Charles Cinema in London. The screening will be introduced by the band, who will also be available to sign copies of the DVD following the screening. In addition to the DVD, exclusive merchandise will also be on sale at the cinema.

A limited number of tickets for this special evening are available to purchase from the cinema (www.princecharlescinema.com / 0870 811 2559) for only £10 (plus 50p booking fee).

"The Roundhouse Tapes" contains a critically acclaimed OPETH performance recorded at The Roundhouse, London in 2006. Described by Rock Sound as "a show of spectacular greatness in this legendary venue … an amazing performance by one of Europe's premier epic metal bands," the DVD perfectly captures the band in scintillating form playing a selection of classics from throughout their career.

A mini-site featuring a trailer for the DVD, info on the release, downloads and more is now online at this location. The site also offers a free MP3 download of the track "Bleak" to anyone who signs up to the mailing list.

The special edition of the DVD, packaged in a deluxe rigid digibook inside a hard slipcase, with postcards of each band member, an exclusive art booklet featuring the work of Travis Smith (renowned OPETH sleeve designer) and "The Roundhouse Tapes" booklet, is also available to pre-order from the mini-site.

AJATTARA, the Finnish band featuring former AMORPHIS frontman Pasi Koskinen (a.k.a. Ruoja), has entered D-Studio in Finland to begin recording its sixth album for an early 2009 release.

AJATTARA's fifth full-length album, "Kalmanto", entered the Finnish chart at position No. 18 back in Septemebr 2007.

The band's current line up is as follows:

Ruoja (Pasi Koskinen) - Vocals and Guitar
Kalmos (Vesa Wahlroos) - Guitar and Backing Vocals
Tohtori Kuolio (Juha Harju) - Bass and Backing Vocals
Raajat (Janne Immonen) - Synth
Malakias IV (Tonmi Lillman) - Drums

For more information, visit www.ajattara.fi.

AJATTARA performing live - December 2007:

Wie ich gerade aus dem Internet erfahren habe ist Gus Chambers am 13. Oktober 2008 von uns gegangen. Es heißt, er hätte sich das Leben genommen. SQUEALER verband mit ihm eine unbeständige und oftmals ernüchternde Zeit, aber zwischenmenschlich gab es viele unvergessliche Momente und wir hatten echt viel Spaß miteinander. Auch das Konzert mit ihm in Schwalmstadt hat bei mir viele Emotionen geweckt. Unsere gemeinsame CD "Confrontation Street" war zwar kein kommerzieller Durchbruch, aber zeigte Gus von seiner besten Seite. Dass unsere Zusammenarbeit nicht so optimal verlief, lag an vielen Faktoren. Da hat niemand alleine Schuld zu tragen, am wenigsten Gus, denn er hatte sich große Hoffnungen gemacht. Manchmal ist es eben wie es ist.
Zurück bleibt bei mir ein Schock.

MetalSucks conducted an interview with OPETH vocalist/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt and guitarist Fredrik Åkesson prior to the Swedish band's show at New York City's Nokia Theater. Åkerfeldt and Åkesson talked about their recent tours, how they've managed to stay relevant as a band, tempering fans' reactions to a shift in musical direction, and, naturally, the new METALLICA album. An excerpt from the chat follows.

MetalSucks: Do you worry about alienating the old fans because of the change in sound?

Mikael Åkerfeldt: No, but I think what we're doing is actually the only way to keep all types of fans. To be honest even though people have their favorite records and eras of the band, I think generally somebody might be wishing for another "Blackwater Park", but I don't think that would please them. I think we have to basically take our pasts with us but try to develop something new. Once you try to please the fans, you come up with something shitty or gimmicky.

MetalSucks: Speaking of that, do you guys agree or disagree as it applies to METALLICA? Have you guys heard the new album?

Mikael Åkerfeldt: I heard one song.

MetalSucks: One song? What did you think?

Mikael Åkerfeldt: It started like "Load" or something, but then it picked up and became really fast. I thought it was cool and definitely a step in the right direction. I think it's a bit like a desperate move in a way for them. People want the old stuff, so it didn't sound like a step forward more like a step backward. I still think, from what I heard, people are saying that it's the best one since the Black Album which I don't think is far from the truth. I didn't like the "Load" or "Reload" albums. I didn't like "St. Anger" either.

MetalSucks: I don't think anybody did.

Mikael Åkerfeldt: This one, I could definitely see myself buying the album. I haven't yet, but I could. I am a big fan of METALLICA, but I haven't heard a good album from them since 1991.

Fredrik Åkesson: Have you heard the entire thing?

MetalSucks: Yeah.

Mikael Åkerfeldt: What do you think?

MetalSucks: My kind of view is basically like his. It's definitely a step forward rather than trying to recreate something. At the same time, some of it does seem a little desperate, but it's definitely the best since the Black Album.

Fredrik Åkesson: More thrash metal now?

MetalSucks: There are some thrash elements on there. There is some "Load" kind of stuff on there.

Mikael Åkerfeldt: The stuff I like most with METALLICA is the progressive stuff. Like "…And Justice for All", I love that album and more of their orchestrated stuff like "To Live Is To Die" and stuff like "Orion". I love that stuff, and I think in a way they haven't done anything like that since the Black Album. Like the first time I heard "The Unforgiven" and "Nothing Else Matters", I thought it was beautiful. That is something I think they missed, I guess.

MetalSucks: So to bring this back to you guys, how do you try to stay relevant without trying to recreate the past or seem desperate? How do you balance that?

Mikael Åkerfeldt: I don't know. I think a lot of people think we're desperate and that we're clutching at straws or something like that. There are more people who think we have developed and are turning into a better band with each release. It's all different from person to person. So far, I never felt while writing music for an album that I was struggling. The songwriting for this last album was all there. A lot of people probably hate it, but a lot of people love it. You can't please anyone but yourself, and that's what we try to do. I think you can tell with our music that we're not trying to kiss up to fans of a certain record or era. We're just trying to please ourselves. I hope it shows.

The fifth album from the Finnish "dark metal" band BEFORE THE DAWN, entitled "Soundscape of Silence" (cover), is available for streaming in its entirety on the group's MySpace page. Due in Scandinavia on October 29 via Stay Heavy Records (two days later in the rest of Europe), the CD features the following track listing:

01. Dying Sun
02. Exile
03. Silence
04. Dead Reflection
05. Hide Me
06. Fabrication
07. Saviour
08. Monsters
09. Cold
10. Last Song

The cover artwork can be viewed below. Also available is a seven-minute video "teaser."

BEFORE THE DAWN's most recent album, "Deadlight", was released in April 2007.

BEFORE THE DAWN's "Faithless" single, which climbed to position No. 2 on the Finnish single chart in July 2007, featured the title cut along with a cover of PANTERA's "Mouth of War" (including a guest appearance by Jone Nikula) and a live version of the song "The Black".

BEFORE THE DAWN's current lineup:

Tuomas Saukkonen (DAWN OF SOLACE, THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY VIOLENT GENTLEMEN) - Vocals, Guitar
Lars Eikind (WINDS, DAWN OF SOLACE, AGE OF SILENCE) - Vocals, Bass
Juho Räihä (GLORIA MORTI, RIVERSIDE SYNDICATE) - Guitar
Matti Auerkallio - Drums

Swedish death metallers SOULDRAINER have uploaded a teaser video of the new song "Killed, Stuffed, Hung On The Wall". Check it out below. According to the band, "[this] is one of the fastest songs SOULDRAINER ever made."

SOULDRAINER will perform with VOMITORY and DEAD AWAKEN on October 25 at G:a Tingshuset in the band's hometown of Östersund.

SOULDRAINER this past spring posted a "garage demo recording" of a new song called "Fed By Fire" on its MySpace page.

SOULDRAINER in May parted ways with Mascot Records, the label which released the group's debut album, "Reborn", in May 2007. That CD was recorded by SOULDRAINER and Marcus Edvardsson at Manic Motion Studio and was mixed and mastered by Marcus Edvardsson. The layout and artwork was handled by Daniel Dlimi.

Swedish metallers ASTRAL DOORS have issued the following update:

"We have started writing songs for the upcoming album which will be released mid-September 2009 on Locomotive Records. The sessions so far have been just great; it's business as usual. Our goal with all our albums has always been to create world-class hard rock and the same goes for this one: when the album is recorded, pressed and released we wanna say: Fuck, we created a monster!"

ASTRAL DOORS' latest album, "New Revelation", was released in September 2007 via Locomotive Music. The CD was recorded at Big Turn Studio and at The Darkside in Borlänge, Sweden and was mixed at the Abyss Studios in Sweden by Peter Tägtgren and ASTRAL DOORS.

ASTRAL DOORS' third CD, "Astralism", was re-released in August 2006 as a digipack, featuring a newly written bonus track, entitled "21st Century Medieval".

ASTRAL DOORS performing live Metal Rock Festival in Lillehammer, Norway (August 2008):

Drummer Mike Geerberg of the reactivated Swedish death metallers GODHATE (formerly THRONEAEON) has issued the following update:

"Right now we are finishing up with the final mixing details on the new album. So we will start looking at getting it out there. This may take a while since we not will release the album on our current label Metal Fortress, so we will do all we can to find a label as soon as possible. But hopefully with a little luck and optimism, we're aiming on around New Year's. Meanwhile we have locked ourselves in the rehearsal place, preparing for upcoming gigs and mini-tour in November. And we are also preparing for a large Europe tour in March-April 2009."

Guitarist/vocalist Tony Freed previously stated about the group's new songs, "The material that we will deliver with this new full-length album is so strong that I without any hesitation can say that the time has come for GODHATE to make a fuckin' stand!! And Hell be damned if not! For the recording you will find Mike Geerberg (drums), Björn Eriksson (bass), Thomas Eldnatt (guitars), our old drummer Roger Sundkvist and of course myself, Tony Freed (vocals and guitars)."

GODHATE in 2005 issued its debut four-song EP, entitled "Anguish". The CD was recorded at Fast Forward Studio with Johan Green and the Kuusisto brothers from CARNAL FORGE at the helm.

Video footage of GODHATE performing live in Sweden in the spring of 2008 can be viewed below.

When MTV News caught up with the Osbournes at the Scream Awards in Los Angeles on Saturday (October 18), they discussed what's in store for Ozzfest's 14th year. Will 2009's festival be free once again like it was in 2007?

"No, don't you know that there's a depression on?" Ozzfest co-producer Sharon Osbourne replied, defiantly. "Are you mad? We're going back to what we originally were. We've given the real good fans a free show for one time, and now, it's back to business as usual."

When pressed for next summer's lineup, she smiled, "We can't tell you now!"

"It's too early. We just got done with the last one," said son Jack Osbourne, who did suggest that the festival's namesake, his father Ozzy, will likely return to anchor the bill.

Video footage of the Osbournes talking to MTV News about next year's Ozzfest can be viewed below.

The one-day Ozzfest 2008 festival, with METALLICA and OZZY OSBOURNE as headliners, was the fourth highest-grossing concert stand in the world so far this year, according to Billboard magazine. The AEG Live-promoted Ozzfest 2008 grossed nearly $3.5 million and almost 30,000 fans got to experience a 13-hour show filled with legends, cutting-edge acts and Ozzfest alumni who ignited three stages at Pizza Hut Park in the hard music-loving state of Texas, including one devoted to the state's bands.

To view a list of the top 10 highest-grossing concert stands of 2008, go to this location.

The official Ozzfest web site was recently updated with a brand new photo gallery from this year's event, which was held on August 9 in Frisco, Texas. Check it out at this location.

Atlanta, Georgia-based metallers BECOMING THE ARCHETYPE have posted the title track of their forthcoming third album, "Dichotomy", on their MySpace page.

BECOMING THE ARCHETYPE recently posted the fifth in a series of webisodes (see below) covering the recording process for "Dichotomy". This webisode features all the ridiculous ideas for which producer Devin Townsend (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, LAMB OF GOD, DARKEST HOUR) has made a name for himself. Included in the webisode are:

1) A cell phone being recorded through guitar pickups
2) The use of a beer bottle as a slide on the guitar
3) Seth Hecox (guitar, keyboards) playing keyboards with his nose
4) Making effects by scratching the springs inside the guitar
5) Ripping dishtowels apart in front of a microphone

"Dichotomy" is scheduled for release on November 25 via Solid State Records.

"Dichotomy" track listing:

01. Mountain Of Souls
02. Dichotomy
03. Artificial Immortality
04. Self Existent
05. St. Anne's Lullaby
06. Ransom
07. Evil Unseen
08. How Great Thou Art
09. Deep Heaven
10. End Of The Age

The CD will feature guest appearances by Ryan Clark (DEMON HUNTER), Devin Townsend (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD) and a soprano named Suzanne Richter. According to the band, "All three make appearances on the album in key places that enable the music to go one step further in their maturity."

The cover artwork for "Dichotomy" was created by Kristian Wahlin (AT THE GATES, AMORPHIS, BATHORY, DISSECTION, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, THERION, EVERGREY).

BECOMING THE ARCHETYPE recently parted ways with lead guitarist Alex Kenis and replaced him with Jon Star.

BECOMING THE ARCHETYPE's second album, "The Physics of Fire", was released in Europe in June 2007 via Century Media Records. The U.S. release was handled by Solid State Records. The CD was produced by Rob Caggiano (BLEEDING THROUGH, CRADLE OF FILTH, ANTHRAX).

For more information, visit the band's MySpace page.

Florida-based, female-fronted extreme metal band WYKKED WYTCH is holding auditions for a new bassist. Interested parties can send a bio, photos, and links to examples of their playing (audio and video clips) to the group via the WYKKED WYTCH MySpace page.

The uncensored video inspired by WYKKED WYTCH's cover version of the EVANESCENCE smash hit "Bring Me To Life" can be viewed below. The track was recorded by Matt LaPlant (NONPOINT, SIKTH) and Gus Rios (MALEVOLENT CREATION) at Bieler Bros. Studios in Pompano Beach, Florida. Mixing and mastering was handled by Eric Rachel (ATREYU, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN) at Trax East Studios in New Jersey.

WYKKED WYTCH's fourth album, "Memories of a Dying Whore", was released through the band's own label Perish Music.

According to a press release, "Memories of a Dying Whore" was remixed by Eric Rachel (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, ATREYU, GOD FORBID) at Trax East Studios and was mastered by Alan Douches (UNEARTH, MASTODON, SHADOWS FALL) at West West Side Music in New York.

Reunited Italian thrash metal legends BULLDOZER have inked a deal with
Scarlet Records. The group's new album, "Unexpected Fate", is scheduled for release in April 2009. The follow-up to 1988's "Neurodeliri" sees bassist/vocalist Alberto Contini and guitarist Andy Panigada (guitar) joining forces with new drummer Manu (ex-DEATH MECHANISM).

Alberto Contini previously stated about the new CD, "The new album will be 100% BULLDOZER, 100% performed sound. It will be real!"

Metal Mind Productions last year re-released four albums from BULLDOZER — "The Day of Wrath", "The Final Separation", "IX" and "Neurodeliri". Each title was made available in a new digipack edition on golden disc, digitally remastered using 24-bit technology, limited to a hand-numbered 2,000 copies, and featuring bonus tracks.

Bassist Alex Webster of the long-running Florida-based death metallers CANNIBAL CORPSE has issued the following update:

"[I'm] checking in again from Mana Studios in St. Petersburg Florida. The last time you heard from us Paul [Mazurkiewicz] had just finished the drum tracking [for the new CANNIBAL CORPSE album], and we've made a lot of progress since then. Here's a brief rundown: The rhythm guitar recording was the next part of the session. We spent a lot of time on it, both on attaining a crushing sound, and also on achieving airtight performances. The tracking was a lot of hard work for Pat [O'Brien, guitar] and Rob [Barrett, guitar], but the end result was well worth the effort. They did an amazing job and I think you'll all be impressed with the results. Next up was the bass tracking, and again we worked hard to get a great sound and great performances. Producer Erik Rutan oversaw the tracking and made sure he got the best performance I was capable of, just as he did with Rob and Pat on the rhythm guitar. I can say for sure that the bass and rhythm guitar have never been tighter on any CANNIBAL CORPSE album.

"Currently, George [Fisher] is working on tracking the vocals, and he is a little over halfway done. He's had a few parts to sing that were unbelievably fast, but so far he's been more than up to the task. His voice is sounding brutal and holding up well, so we should be done tracking the vocals in the next few days. Pat has already started working on guitar solos as well, but the majority of the solos will be recorded after the vocals are complete.

"So, that's about it for now. We are all extremely excited with how this album is shaping up. We wanted to make an ultra heavy and precise album, and so far that's the way it's been going. Next up is the mix, and we're confident Erik will make this the heaviest-sounding CANNIBAL CORPSE album yet."

CANNIBAL CORPSE's seven-plus-hour DVD set "Centuries of Torment" (which came out July 8) sold 2,100 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 8 on the Top Music Videos chart.

In a recent interview with BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Webster stated about the set, "We're thankful for all the good reviews, but pretty much all the praise should go to [director/producer] Denise Korycki. She basically did everything. She shot the footage, she edited it, and she was the one who was in charge of organizing it and making it into a coherent story. That had to be a pretty difficult job for her because there is a lot of ground to cover. We did not know how dedicated she was going to be to this and how much work that she was going to put into it. She really made it her full time job for several months and we've never really had anything like that."

DIVINE HERESY, the Southern California-based metal band led by former FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares, is hard at work on material for its sophomore album — the group's first with Travis Neal on vocals. DIVINE HERESY plans on hitting the studio early next year once again with acclaimed producer Logan Mader (SOULFLY, MACHINE HEAD, GOJIRA, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY).

To tide fans over, DIVINE HERESY has completed work on a new video for "Bleed The Fifth", which can be seen below. (Note: Video stream may not be available to some non-U.S. residents.)

Commented Cazares: "The original concept for the 'Bleed The Fifth' video was just to have a stripped-down, in-your-face performance clip that was as unrelenting as the song itself. We shot it on a green screen and all of the effects were added in post-production, which was very odd considering we are jamming out in front of a blank wall not having any idea how everything was going to look."

He added, "We are so confident with our choice of a new vocalist that we decided to re-record the track with his vocals and cut together a new performance clip with him. In the end, everything worked out perfectly and we think we delivered a pretty intense clip that is very indicative of the tenacity of a DIVINE HERESY live performance."

DIVINE HERESY kicks off a string of headlining dates in Texas on November 7.

Hello.
Autumn came to Finland,and it took one sheep from TDF-clan within.
Santtu who..s been TDF drummer from 2004 quit drumming in the band.
There is no any kind of fight between us.He is still our lovely Friend!

Reasons?
He had no motivation enough for rehealsaling,,,as we saw it.
Now when we are writing songs for a new album,we need to live in this for 200%
Santtu is having a lot of another things to do,and it is good for him,but time is what we need and especially motivation and rehealsaling,And there must be TDF flame burning in our souls...otherwise this is not worth to do...

anyway Our feelings at the moment is better than ever!!!!
We have a new drummer,and we are friends with Santtu.
Maybe Santtu is gonna be our drum tech. on some shows so..he may be travelling with us anyway:)

We..ve been rehealsaling with new great drummer a couple of times,and believe me,,it works as motherfuck!

so you wanna know who is this beast?


HE

IS

NEW

FAMILY

MEMBER

CALLED:


TONI PAANANEN!

Add him and say your greetings and welcome him!!!!!
You..ll find him from our top friends.
He will rock you all !!!!!!!

Japanese experimental black metallers SIGH have issued the following update:

"SIGH are currently working on the new album, 'Scenes from Hell', to be released sometime next year, and now are looking for orchestral instrument players such as flute, piccolo flute, oboe and French horn. If you play any of these instruments or you know somebody who could help us with it, please send us a message! If you can record any of them at your house on your PC and send us them in wav files, that'll be perfect! We're looking forward to hearing from you!"

SIGH's cover version fo the VENOM classic "Black Metal" is available for free download from BrooklynVegan.com. The track comes off the Japanese experimental black metallers' new CD, "A Tribute to Venom", which was released on September 2 via The End Records.

The six-song tribute to legendary black metal band VENOM features the bass work of Dan Lilker (BRUTAL TRUTH, NUCLEAR ASSAULT) and Shane Embury (NAPALM DEATH, VENOMOUS CONCEPT).

Commented SIGH singer Mirai Kawashima: "We're excited to have these two guest musicians and friends of SIGH to take part in our tribute to VENOM. Their work has helped make the tracks stand out even more. Dan plays bass on 'Countess Bathory' while Shane is on 'Witching Hour'. It sounds awesome!"

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Black Metal
02. Schizo
03. Die Hard
04. Countess Bathory
05. Teacher's Pet
06. Witching Hour

Recording lineup:

Mirai Kawashima: Bass, Organ, Backing Vocals
Satoshi Fujinami: Drums, Guitar
Shinichi Ishikawa: Guitar
Junichi Harashima: Drums
Dr. Mikannibal: Vocals

Limited to one pressing, the album was released in a special collectible packaging (LP with etching + CD).

Bloody-Disgusting.com spoke to Marilyn Manson at the Scream Awards last night (Saturday, October 18) in Hollywood, California. Manson revealed that he is "pretty much finished" with his next album that he wrote solely with bassist Twiggy Ramirez, who reunited with Manson back in January. Guitarist Wes Borland (BLACK LIGHT BURNS, LIMP BIZKIT), who joined Marilyn Manson in August, will "just be touring with the band." According to the singer, the sound of the new album "will be more like [1996's] 'Antichrist Superstar'." The CD is not expected to drop until early 2009.

Ramirez toured with Manson earlier this year for the first time since 2002. The two co-wrote "Antichrist Superstar", "Mechanical Animals" and "Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)" together and Manson told The Salt Lake Tribune this past spring that he couldn't be happier about Ramirez returning.

"I missed having my best friend," Manson said. "We were like brothers."

According to the Italian news blog Musica Metal, the Italian branch of Sony BMG celebrated the release of AC/DC's new album, "Black Ice", by projecting the band's logo on the external walls of the Colosseum in Rome, one of the most recognizable historical buildings in the world. The AC/DC logo could be seen from miles away in Rome, where it remained all night between October 16 and October 17.

Check out photos from Musica Metal. Video footage of this unique event can be viewed below.

Tickets for the two Italian shows on AC/DC's upcoming "Black Ice Tour" — scheduled to take place March 19 and March 21, 2009 — sold out within an hour after they went on sale last weekend.

Mumbai, India-based death metallers DEMONIC RESURRECTION have posted their new single, "Dismembering The Fallen", from their upcoming third full-length album titled "The Return To Darkness". The song features new lead guitarist Daniel Rego who replaced Pradeep in September. This also marks DEMONIC RESURRECTION's first recording with drummer Viru who joined the band in August 2007.

"The Return To Darkness" is due for release in early 2009 and will complete DEMONIC RESURRECTION's "darkness trilogy."

The band is currently in the studio composing and recording. So far five tracks have been completed.

UK-based heavy metal singer Blaze Bayley (ex-IRON MAIDEN, WOLFSBANE) will film his December 13, 2008 concert at Z7 in Pratteln, Switzerland for an upcoming DVD. According to a posting on Blaze's web site, "The show will be the full 'The Tour That Will Not Die' set with plenty of new tracks from the latest album, some old favorites and also some brand new previously unreleased tracks. The first 500 DVDs sold through [the official Blaze Bayley] website will be strictly limited-edition double disc sets, with T-shirt and commemorative wristband available only with this packaged, signed and numbered (in purchasing order) by the band. The DVD will also feature extras and highlights from the warm-up shows that stretch to the Big Bash. Both Dudley [UK concert on December 29] and Z7 are also being recorded for not only the DVD but a live album. Jase Edwards will once again be handling production duties. Filming will be done by Kris McManus of Animus Pictures. The DVD is expected to ship in February to be available for March."

Blaze Bayley's new album, "The Man Who Would Not Die", was mixed by former WOLFSBANE guitarist Jase Edwards at Jase's studio in Tamworth, Staffordshire, England. Released on July 7 via Bayley's own independent label (with additional licensing to various countries), the CD was engineered by James Dunkley, produced by Blaze Bayley and it takes Blaze in new songwriting directions, ushering in a new phase of an already renowned career. It is also the first recorded showcase for Blaze's new lineup.

American documentary photographer Peter Beste — who visited Norway thirteen times in seven years while working to develop the definitive photodocumentation of Norwegian black metal scene for his book "True Norwegian Black Metal" — launched a month-long exhibit at Gallery Operating Place in Stockholm, Sweden on September 25. Photos from the opening night can be found at this location.

"True Norwegian Black Metal" was issued on May 15 via Vice Books.

In the last two decades a bizarre and violent musical subculture called black metal has emerged in Norway. It has its roots in a heady blend of splatter movies, heavy metal music, Satanism, Pagan mythology and adolescent angst. In the early-mid 1990s, members of this extremist underground committed murder, burned down medieval wooden churches, and desecrated graveyards. What started as juvenile frenzy came to symbolize the start of a war against Christianity, a return to the worship of the ancient Norse gods, and the complete rejection of mainstream society.

Peter Beste has spent the last eight years working in the milieu of this insulated and secretive community. Beste's access and insight has been absolutely without precedent, resulting in an amazing photographic journey. Beste has earned the respect and trust of this impenetrable, suspicious and often elitist community. With each visit Beste saw more, photographed more and eventually accumulated enough material for this book. "True Norwegian Black Metal" is a visual testimonial to this subculture. Peter Beste and editor Johan Kugelberg have created a unique photographic narrative that explores black metal from a truly visceral perspective.

With extensive contributions from the personal archive of Jon "Metalion" Kristiansen, publisher of the original Norwegian black metal publication Slayer magazine, a unique opportunity is here presented to see original artifacts and ephemera from this secluded rock community, and to read accounts of these events in the words of the people who were actually there at the time.

"True Norwegian Black Metal" offers confrontational live performance photographs of a savage subculture set alongside the stark beauty and natural allure of a landscape often shrouded in darkness.

For more information, visit www.peterbeste.com.

Italian goth-metal icons LACUNA COIL have posted a performance clip of "Our Truth" filmed at the 2007 edition of Germany's Wacken Open Air festival. The footage comes off the group's first-ever DVD, "Visual Karma (Body, Mind and Soul)", due in November via Century Media. The double DVD, which is a celebration of all things from the band's "Karmacode" album and subsequent touring cycle, will include:

Wacken Open Air 2007 in Wacken, Germany:

01. Intro
02. To The Edge
03. Fragments Of Faith
04. Swamped
05. In Visible Light
06. Fragile
07. Closer
08. Senzafine
09. What I See
10. Enjoy The Silence
11. Heaven's A Lie
12. Our Truth

Loudpark 2007 in Japan:

01. Intro/To The Edge
02. Swamped
03. Closer
04. Within Me
05. Daylight Dancer
06. Our Truth

Promotional Videos:

* Our Truth (Promotional Video)
* Enjoy The Silence (Promotional Video)
* Closer (Promotional Video)
* Within Me (Promotional Video)

Other features:

* The Band: Simple As Water
* Inside Milan
* The Leaning Journey Of Pizza
* 7-Seven... Strings Life
* The Real Thing
* Enter The Drummer
* Behind The Scenes: Australian Tour 2007
* First Time In Japan
* Making Of "Our Truth" Video
* Making Of "Closer" Video
* Fan Submissions (LACUNA COIL's Introductory Clip)
* Empty Spiral Interview
* To The Edge Remix Contest (Photogallery)
* Inside The Spiral (Link)
* Links

A limited-edition four-disc package will include:

* A 5.1 mix of the "Karmacode" album on audio DVD.
* A bonus CD with the Wacken Open Air audio live material.

"Visual Karma (Body, Mind and Soul)" will be available as a limited 2DVD + Audio DVD (5.1 mix of "Karmacode" on DVD, including rare songs) + CD (Wacken Open Air audio live) with a total running time of approximately 350 minutes and including special packaging, as well as standard 2DVD (total running time: approximately 215 minutes). It will be released on the following dates:

Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, Italy: Friday, October 31
Spain, Portugal: Tuesday, November 4
Sweden, Finland, Hungary: Wednesday, November 5
UK, France, Greece, Denmark, Norway, Rest Of Europe: Monday, November 3
North America: Tuesday, November 25

Commented band co-vocalist Andrea Ferro: "In the past, we've been asked a million times about when we were gonna put out a band DVD. Truthfully, we never felt like it was a priority, and we didn't want to release something just because the market was asking for it. The 'Karmacode' tour brought us to many different places around the world for the first time and we managed to record some of those great, outstanding shows, where the interaction with the people was just magic. This DVD is a beautiful reminder of where we have been in the past three years with all our body, mind and soul."

Long-running German death metallers RESURRECTED entered Catacomb Productions this week with Jochen Pelser (who was the sound engineer for the last FORBIDDEN European tour) to begin recording their sixth album. According to the band, Hazim Fouad finished laying down the drum tracks to "seven songs on Wednesday [October 15] so that had only three songs left for today — 'Perverse Consecration', 'Divine Masturbation' and a cover version of MORBID ANGEL's 'Day Of Suffering' which we've recorded in almost three hours this afternoon. Now everything is ready for guitar recordings which we'll start with next week."

RESURRECTED's fifth album, "Endless Sea of Loss", was released in October 2006 via Morbid Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Blood Spilled" was recorded at Soundlodge Studio in Germany and was mastered at Megawimp Mastering Studio in Berlin.

An e-card for "A Finnish Summer With Turisas", the first-ever DVD from Finnish folk metal overlords TURISAS, is available at this location. A video trailer for the set can be viewed here.

In the summer of 2008, TURISAS set out to play more shows across its home country Finland than ever before. With "A Finnish Summer With Turisas", you can join them on their road trip, learn the secrets of sauna and other Finnish traditions on the nights when the sun never sets. Travel from festival to festival and go behind the scenes to find out what makes TURISAS a one-of-a-kind blend of music, traditions, fur, blood and fun.

"A Finnish Summer With Turisas" will be world-premiered on November 1 at the Ultima Ratio Festival in Oberhausen, Germany. The DVD will be shown during change-over in a separate room, so you can get the full Finnish flavor on a really big screen!

In other news, TURISAS has posted a video for "Battle Metal 2008". According to a press release, "it is high time to finally have an official videoclip for this battle hymn which is also a tribute to the band's dedicated fans (without whom there is obviously no such thing as a crowd favorite)."

The audio version of "Battle Metal 2008" will only be available on the limited-edition version of "A Finnish Summer With Turisas", which will be released on the following dates:

Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, Italy: Friday, October 31
Spain, Portugal: Tuesday, November 4
Sweden, Finland, Hungary: Wednesday, November 5
UK, France, Greece, Denmark, Norway, rest of Europe: Monday, November 3.
North America: Tuesday, November 25

From Wednesday, July 9 until the sunset on Saturday, July 12, 2008, 35,000 true metal fans (over the course of the entire festival) from 44 different countries across the globe poured onto the festival grounds in Bad Arolsen, Germany and experienced the ultimate in true heavy metal: the second annual Magic Circle Festival. Now you can experience the power, the passion and the excitement of those four days with the "Magic Circle Festival Volume II" DVD (cover).

Due on November 27, 2008, "Magic Circle Festival Volume II" features two discs packed with never-before-seen footage of songs from the first six MANOWAR albums — including some songs that have never been performed or presented on CD or DVD before. This is the first opportunity to get songs like "Blow Your Speakers", "Death Tone", "Pleasure Slave", "Violence and Bloodshed" and "Kingdom Come" on DVD. This DVD also includes the first-ever live performance of MANOWAR's epic "The Crown and the Ring".

The "Magic Circle Festival Volume II" DVD also includes exclusive footage of MANOWAR's record-breaking sound check, an exclusive backstage tour with Joey DeMaio, footage from the festival's battle of the bands, fan interviews and footage from the festival performances by HOLYHELL, METALFORCE, JACK STARR'S BURNING STAR, TITANIUM BLACK, K.O.B.U.S. and more. In addition to festival footage, the DVD will also include exclusive rare and never-before-seen video footage from MANOWAR's personal archive detailing the band's early days, including early tour footage, recording sessions, interviews, stories and "making-of" footage surrounding each of the legendary first six MANOWAR albums.

The DVD set will also include exclusive footage of MANOWAR's unprecedented record-breaking five-hour-and-10-minute show in Kavarna, Bulgaria, a documentary of the Bulgaria performance and MANOWAR performing the Bulgarian national anthem — "Mila Rodino" — with full orchestra and choir.

The DVD set was mixed by Grammy nominee Rich Breen in full 5.1 Surround Sound and will be available in a special-edition package. The special limited-edition package is available for pre-order at "The Kingdom of Steel" online store and comes complete with a unique steel book case and a 32-page booklet. An even more limited autographed edition of 100 serial-numbered copies is also available and can be personalized to each fan by MANOWAR themselves.

DVD 1

MANOWAR:

* The Fight For True Metal
* The Making Of Battle Hymns
* Manowar
* Fast Taker
* Shell Shock
* Death Tone
* The Making Of Into Glory Ride
* Hatred
* Revelation (Death's Angel)
* The Making Of Hail To England
* Black Arrows Of Doom
* Hail To England
* Die With Honor
* Warriors Of The World United
* The Making Of Sign Of The Hammer
* All Men Play On Ten
* God Of Thunderpick
* Animals
* The Making Of Fighting The World
* Blow Your Speakers
* Violence And Bloodshed
* Defender
* Drums Of Doom And Destruction
* The Making Of Kings Of Metal
* Blood Of The Kings
* How To Marry A Metal Man
* Pleasure Slave
* Kingdom Come
* The Crown And The Ring (Lament Of The Kings)
* Bridge Of Death

Bonus Section From Bulgaria:

* Mila Rodino
* The Crown And The Ring (Lament Of The Kings)

DVD 2:

Festival Bands:

* CASSOCK - Bitch
* SIXTH SENSE - Rasputin
* K.O.B.U.S. - Amen
* TITANIUM BLACK - Stripped
* JACK STARR'S BURNING STARR - Evil Never Sleeps
* METALFORCE - Freedom Warriors
* METALFORCE - Metal Law
* HOLYHELL - Dream On
* HOLYHELL - Prophecy

Bonus Section:

* Lighting The Eternal Flame Of Metal
* Breaking The World Record Again
* Fire And Faith
* Battle Of The Bands
* Backstage Tour
* The City Of Steel
* Autograph Session
* Words Of The Metal Warriors
* The Son Of Odin Sings
* 5 Hours Of Power
* Bulgarian Speeches
* German Speeches

MANOWAR bassist Joey DeMaio has revealed long-awaited details about a secret project. He announced that next year MANOWAR would perform its new (as-yet-untitled and unreleased) album onstage. And it is not just a normal album... it will be written in collaboration with the biggest-selling German author Wolfgang Hohlbein (over 35 million books sold), and will include a tie-in novel and feature film and video game. When Wolfgang appeared onstage during MANOWAR's Saturday performance at this year's Magic Circle Festival, he was joined by his manager Dieter Winkler and close friend Ralf Buxa.

Fan-filmed video footage of MANOWAR performing the band's new single, "Die With Honor", with a 20-person men's choir at this year's Magic Circle Festival on July 12 in Bad Arolsen, Germany can be viewed below (clip uploaded by YouTube user "evilernie667").

Polish extreme metallers DECAPITATED — whose drummer, Witold "Vitek" Kieltyka, died on November 2, 2007 in a Russian hospital from injuries sustained in a road collision — have released a short statement from the family of DECAPITATED singer Adrian "Covan" Kowanek, who was also hurt in the accident:

"Adrian is during a long and hard recovery but his state is getting a little and slowly better. Adrian's family would like to thank fans and all the people for their support, donations, patience and faith."

EYES OF NOCTUM, the California-based black metal band fronted by Weston Coppola Cage (son of actor Nicolas Cage), has posted a song called "Renaissance Prosperity" on its MySpace page. The track comes off the group's forthcoming debut album, "Awakening", tentatively due in April 2009 through Morbid Rose Records.

EYES OF NOCTUM recorded "Awakening" at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden with acclaimed producer Fredrik Nordström (DIMMU BORGIR, IN FLAMES, HAMMERFALL). Norwegian drummer Hellhammer (MAYHEM, DIMMU BORGIR) and Swedish multi-instrumentalist Snowy Shaw (THERION, DREAM EVIL, KING DIAMOND, MERCYFUL FATE, MEMENTO MORI, NOTRE DAME) have recorded guest appearances on the CD.

In a July 2007 interview with Wizard Entertainment, Weston stated about his musical preferences, "I'm really into the kind of music that comes from Norway called black metal. It's the type of music that's really, really raw. But some bands like CRADLE OF FILTH like to add melodic factors to it, which I do myself, and what that does is create a very powerful piece that incorporates strong melodic backgrounds that could be rather like Bach or something very symphonic."

Weston introduced DIMMU BORGIR from the stage at the April 16, 2008 concert at The Grove in Anaheim, California.

Watch video footage of his appearance at this location.

Weston's 41-year-old mother, Christina Fulton, is engaged to DIMMU BORGIR's 31-year-old frontman Shagrath (real name: Stian Tomt Thoresen).

German death metallers OBSCURA have set "Cosmogenesis" as the title of their second full-length album, due in early 2009 via Relapse Records. The CD features guest appearances from Ron Jarzombek (WATCHTOWER, SPASTIC INK, BLOTTED SCIENCE) and Tymon Kruidenier (CYNIC, EXIVIOUS). "The new album sounds very intense and brutal", the band says in a statement.

OBSCURA will headline the Munich Deathfest on November 8 and is preparing for more touring in the New Year.

OBSCURA was founded in 2002 by guitarist/vocalist Steffen Kummerer. After several lineup changes, Kummerer enlisted a new team of virtuoso musicians. Late last year, OBSCURA added drummer Hannes Grossmann (ex-NECROPHAGIST) and fretless bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling (ex-PESTILENCE) as new permanent members. The group's latest addition, guitarist Christian Muenzner (ex-NECROPHAGIST), came into the ranks earlier this year.

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/realmofobscura.