Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen performed a brand new song called "Enough" — to be included on her next solo album — at her August 20, 2008 concert in Bogota, Colombia. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance is available below.

Tarja's most recent solo album, "My Winter Storm", was released in the U.S. at the end of February. The CD was made available in two exclusive U.S. versions via Fontana: the standard and deluxe editions (the latter featuring extra tracks not released elsewhere, as well visually stimulating bonus DVD content).

"My Winter Storm" was produced by Daniel Presley (FAITH NO MORE, JEWEL, THE BREEDERS), who has been joined in the studio by a truly stellar line-up of musicians: Doug Wimbish on bass (LIVING COLOUR, ANNIE LENNOX, JOE SATRIANI, JEFF BECK, MADONNA, ROLLING STONES), Alex Scholpp on electric guitars (FARMER BOYS) and Earl Harvin on drums (SEAL, PET SHOP BOYS, AIR), a player personally selected by Tarja after she saw him stealing the show at a SEAL concert. Keyboards and programming, meanwhile, are being provided by Torsten Stenzel, whose previous credits include NELLY FURTADO, MOBY, TINA TURNER, VANESSA MAE and more.

Swedish metallers THE DUSKFALL have decided to disband following the departure of guitarist and main songwriter Mikael Sandorf.

Commented Sandorf: "The time has come for me to leave THE DUSKFALL after nine years. This has been a decision I have breathed, slept and thought over for a long time. I have gone through a lot of good and fun times with the rest of the guys but keeping this band alive has taken a toll on me in my personal life. I feel that we have managed to write and record four great albums together, but now it's time for me to move on.

"I want to thank everyone that has been involved in this journey and especially all the fans that has supported us all these years! You guys are great!!!

"I feel like there is a lot of creativity waiting around the next corner and I have already plans on what to do next, so be patient and stay on your toes for my next adventure."

Swedish melodic death metallers DARK TRANQUILLITY have parted ways with longtime bass player Michael Nicklasson. According to the band, "all booked shows will go on as scheduled with a session bassist. We thank Michael for his time in the band and wish him the best of luck in future endeavours."

Commented Michael: "After almost 10 years and tons of tours and festivals, I chose to leave DARK TRANQUILLITY for personal reasons.

"It's been so cool all this time to meet all the people and the tons of fans around the world, and all the friends that I got during this amazing journey — crew, fans and all the people I (we) worked with. I can't name everyone, as the list would take up all the space on the web site, but I'm going to miss all of you that worked and supported us (me) during these years, but this is the right thing to do, I really need a break.

"There are no hard feelings in the band; it's a thing that we all felt was the best for DARK TRANQUILLITY. Now I'm going to kick back for a while, and then I'll see what's in the future for me.

"I wish the best for the rest off the boys in my old crew, and to all: I'm coming back in one way or another... Thanx to all off you!"

Century Media Records reissued DARK TRANQUILLITY's latest album, "Fiction", in May an expanded edition in conjunction with the start of the band's recently completed North American tour. The new version is composed of a CD/DVD and features a slew of new material.

German power metallers GRAVE DIGGER have inked a deal with Austria's Napalm Records. The band is currently in the studio working on its new album, "Ballads Of A Hangman", which is scheduled for release on January 9, 2009. An as-yet-untitled mini-CD will precede the album on November 28, 2008. The group promises that the new recordings will contain "120% metal."

Commented frontman Chris Boltendahl: "GRAVE DIGGER look forward to working together with their new label Napalm Records. We have observed the excellent work of the label in the past few years. Napalm did see the writings on the wall and is one of the leading companies, for example, in online promotion and marketing. They elevated older bands like ATROCITY to new heights and established newcomers like ALESTORM. Thus, we are convinced that Napalm will bring out the best in us, and in return we will deliver a masterpiece of German true metal. A storm is coming, the sea is rough, the coxswains are the veterans, only the ship is new and manned by an excellent crew who know their craft."

The band will hit the road again in January 2009, with ALESTORM as direct support.

GRAVE DIGGER's latest album, "Liberty or Death", entered the German Media Control chart in January 2007 at position No. 30. This is the second highest chart entry in GRAVE DIGGER's history.

"Liberty or Death" was released in North America on January 30, 2007 via Locomotive Records. An e-card for GRAVE DIGGER's maxi-single "Yesterday", which was released on October 10, 2006, is available at this location.

A short video teaser for KREATOR's forthcoming studio album can be viewed below.

KREATOR entered the Titonus studios in Berlin on July 20 to begin recording the highly anticipated follow-up to 2005's "Enemy of God".

Commented producer Moses Schneider."KREATOR is the loudest and fastest band I've ever recorded. We're reaching new levels of intensity with this album. We've managed to capture the true spirit of the band by recording all the basic music live in one room. Except for the vocals, the guitar solos and some melodies there will be no overdubs on this album. It's the most organic KREATOR record ever so far. But don't worry: the songs will be thrash metal brutality in its purest form!"

The album, which will be mixed by Colin Richardson (MACHINE HEAD, SLIPKNOT) in London, will be released in January 2009, followed by an extensive world tour.

KREATOR recently issued the "At The Pulse Of Kapitulation - Live In East Berlin 1990" DVD featuring the previously released "Live in East Berlin" and "Hallucinative Comas", both re-edited and previously only available on VHS video cassette.

German melodic death metal hopefuls DEADLOCK have finished recording their as-yet-untitled new album. The follow-up to 2007's "Wolves" is currently being mixed by Jacob Hansen (MERCENARY, VOLBEAT, RAUNCHY) and will be released in November by Lifeforce Records.

DEADLOCK recently extended its contract with Lifeforce Records. The label previously said in a statement, "after their successful albums 'Earth.Revolt' (2005), 'Wolves' (2007) and the newest (yet-untitled) release to hit the stores in November 2008, there will be three more albums which will combine the typical DEADLOCK essences, a high standard mixture of extreme technical and melodic metal, the dual vocals by the band's singers Joe and Sabine and a good dose of gothic darkness."

Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH will release their first live album, "At the Arena ov Aion – Live Apostasy", in October 2008 via Regain Records. The CD will be available as digibook (15 tracks) and metalbox (including a patch, a guitar pic and bonus songs).

"At the Arena ov Aion – Live Apostasy" (see cover artwork here) track listing:

01. Rome 64 e.v
02. Slaying The Prophets Ov Isa
03. Antichristian Phenomenon
04. Demigod
05. From The Pagan Vastlands
06. Conquer All
07. Prometherion
08. Drum Solo
09. Slaves Shall Serve
10. As Above So Low
11. At The Left Hand Ov God
12. Summoning Ov The Ancient Ones
13. Christgrinding Avenue
14. Christians To The Lions
15. Sculpting The Throne Ov Death
16. Decade Of Therion
17. Chant For Ezkaton 2000 e.v
18. I Got Erection
19. Pure Evil & Hate

VIRGIN STEELE frontman David DeFeis is busy working on the reissues of "The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell Part I" (1994) and "…Part II" (1995) — two highly acclaimed and respected albums that are considered to be among the genre's all-time best. Also due to be re-released on October 10, 2008 is VIRGIN STEELE's 1992 LP "Life Among the Ruins". This album hosts the most commercial tunes in the career of Virgin Steele with outstanding hits like the anthemic '80s rocker "Love Is Pain", the tender ballad "Last Rose of Summer" and "I Dress in Black", which was said to be "especially successful" in Germany and Japan. To make these classics even more valuable, David is currently remastering them at The Hammer Of Zeus studios alongside Ed Warrin and is reworking the artwork. As-yet-undisclosed bonus songs will also appear on each CD.

VIRGIN STEELE's eleventh album, "Visions Of Eden", entered the Greek national chart at position No. 37 back in 2006. The CD was previously described as "quite epic," clocking in at 79 minutes and 57 seconds.

Paul Travers of Suite101.com recently spoke to NAPALM DEATH bassist Shane Embury about the British grindcore legends' upcoming thirteenth full-length studio album, tentatively due before the end of the year via Century Media Records. "We've got about seventeen songs together," Embury said. "I guess it's moving on again from the last album [2006's 'Smear Campaign']. It's still very fast and hopefully heavy. There's a couple of strange kind of moments in the music, with a little more experimentation and a little more discordance in the guitar perhaps. I think Barney's [Greenway] trying to move forward vocally in some areas like he did on tracks like 'Smear Campaign' and 'Persona Non Grata'. The album is gonna be called 'Time Waits For No Slave' and, yep, it's going along rather well."

Jonathan Cohen of Billboard.com reports: Contrary to reports suggesting former SPACEHOG frontman Royston Langdon is in line to become the new singer of VELVET REVOLVER, the band is still making up its mind about who will replace Scott Weiland.

Bassist Duff McKagan tells Billboard.com that although VELVET REVOLVER did play with Langdon and that "he's f*cking awesome, at this point I'd have to say no" on him becoming the new singer.

"We just have to make sure it's the right guy," he says, adding that Weiland's angry departure from the band this spring has brought him closer to group members Slash, Matt Sorum and Dave Kushner.

Former SKID ROW frontman Sebastian Bach has told Entertainment Weekly that he doesn't have any plans to celebrate the 20th anniversary of SKID ROW's self-titled debut, which came out in 1989. "I am concentrating on '08, not '80," he said. Still, he shared one memory with the magazine: ''We were playing at some stadium in Mannheim [Germany] with GUNS N' ROSES and NINE INCH NAILS [in '91], and I thought it would be appropriate to dive over the pit and into the throng of 72,000 Germans. I caught a little sweat or moisture on the lip of the stage, and my chin was the only part that made it over the barricade. BOOM. I cracked it open. I finished the set covered in blood. I get to the emergency room later, and they're, like, sewing me up in German. That was one not-so-fun night."

TORTURE DIVISION — the new Swedish death metal project featuring guitarist Lord K. Philipson (THE PROJECT HATE, GOD AMONG INSECTS, ex-LEUKEMIA), bassist/vocalist Jörgen Sandström (VICIOUS ART, THE PROJECT HATE, ex-ENTOMBED, GRAVE) and drummer Tobias "Tobben" Gustafsson (VOMITORY) — has finished composting the the three last songs for the third demo in the band's first trilogy. According to the group, "We will once again record the drums in Tobben's hometown Karlstad (like on the previous two demos), the guitars will be tracked in The Lord's homestudio in Örebro and J will do his bass and vocals in Stockholm. After that, it will be shipped to our beloved Dan Swanö for another excellent mix. We can only hope he will provide us with another production as crushing as the one on 'We Bring Upon Thee'. But since we know Dan, he'll prolly make it even more brutal this time around. Anyways, we have set early October as the month when we will start recording this third demo, scheduled for an early November release if everything goes as planned."

Fan-filmed video footage of TORTURE DIVISION performing the song "Ejaculation of The Wicked" at the group's first-ever concert as part of the Metaltown festival (which was held June 27-28 in Gothenburg, Sweden) can be viewed below.

TORTURE DIVISION recently made its second three-song demo, "We Bring Upon Thee", available for download via the group's official web site.

"We Bring Upon Thee" track listing:

01. Invoking The Knifer
02. We Bring Upon Thee
03. Terroreyes

UK gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST have issued the following update:

"It is with regret that we have to announce the cancellation of our South American tour. Sincere apologies to all the fans and promoters involved but this decision follows the announcement of the departure of our drummer Jeff Singer. We are committed to doing the 20th anniversary 'Unholy Trinity' dates in Europe with a stand-in drummer but it will be impossible to find and appoint a new drummer in time for the shows in South America. We hope to reschedule a South American tour next year."

Jeff Singer has issued the following statement regarding his departure from PARADISE LOST:

"I guess no one would have seen this coming but as of the end of August I will no longer be drumming for PARADISE LOST. I have decided to hang up my sticks altogether. It is an incredibly hard decision to have had to make as drumming has been my life for as long as I can remember and through good and bad has been my living for nearly 20 years. It is going to be very difficult I am sure and after four and a half years I will miss Nick, Aaron, Steve, Greg (and Milly) very much but in my heart I know that it is the correct thing for me to do.

"So why am I leaving? Well, to be honest it is a difficult thing to explain in a few paragraphs, but here goes.

"I am sure you are aware that the record industry is struggling and I, for one, have become increasingly disillusioned with the music business as a whole. I feel incredibly lucky to have travelled so much in my career. I have so many fantastic memories and have had a ton of priceless experiences. I have made friendships that will last a lifetime and I wouldn't change anything. However, to have survived in this business for so long has meant great sacrifice and I have had to move the goalposts over the years to help make things happen and try and survive through some pretty hard times. More and more is being taken away and it is getting harder and harder to make excuses for why I do this.

"We toured so hard this past year; we were basically away for five out of six months and are still out as we speak. In past years I wouldn't be bothered, but as a 37-year-old man with a family now, for me it has just been too tough. My sons are 1 and 3 and being away from them has just been too painful. I asked myself if I could see myself leaving them again for a three-month stretch and the answer was no; I couldn't. I realised there was no point in having a family if I wasn't there and that is how it has to be. Sad as it is, losing my brother two years ago showed me that there is no point in having regrets or feeling that you should have said more or done more. Carpe Diem and all that.

"Coincidentally, whilst I was thinking about my future, I confided in my best friend who ended up offering me a job which will provide me with a good career and future which for a 37-year-old man with nothing but drumming behind him was an offer too good to pass up.

"I appreciate the timing of my departure is terrible but September 1st was the start date for the job and I must go through with that.

"I feel with 'In Requiem' I have gone out on a high. It has been a fantastic two years recording and touring for the album and to tour America with NIGHTWISH the way we did fulfilled a lifelong dream for me. Not a day goes by now without me thinking about that tour and it will always be with me until the day I die.

"I thank everyone involved with PARADISE LOST and I wish you heartfelt good luck for the future. I also thank all the great musicians I have played and toured with since 1986 and especially all the fans who have made it all worthwhile. I am sure everyone will understand and respect my decision."

Footage of PARADISE LOST performing the song "The Enemy" — taken from the group's recently released DVD, "The Anatomy Of Melancholy" — can be viewed below.

"The Anatomy Of Melancholy" entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 42 (German chart rules allow music DVDs to enter album charts).

Swedish metallers SOILWORK have enlisted a new session guitarist — Sylvain Coudret of the French metal band SCARVE (which also features in its ranks SOILWORK drummer Dirk Verbeuren). Verbeuren says, "Sylvain's doing an amazing job so far and it's a blast to have him around. He is with us for our last three fests: Germany's Summer Breeze, Brutal Assault (in rainy Czech Republic from where I'm writing this) and Bloodstock in Derby, UK... so come and enjoy a little round of SOILWORK live annihilation this weekend!"

Dirk adds, "In further news, we're currently putting the finishing touches to several tours and shows... Yes boys 'n gals, that's right: SOILWORK will be hitting the road again this fall and winter, and we'll be bringing along some killer bands! Just keep an eye for more details and dates to be announced in the next couple of days."

SOILWORK recently parted ways with guitarist Ola Frenning due to Ola's "resistance to the demands of the road."

Capital Chaos has posted video footage of SOILWORK performing on March 31, 2008 at The Boardwalk in Orangevale, California. Watch the clip below.

SOILWORK sold 5,000 copies of its new album, "Sworn to a Great Divide", in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 148 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen performed a brand new song called "Enough" — to be included on her next solo album — at her Augst 14 concert in Monterrey, Mexico. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance is available here.

Tarja's most recent solo album, "My Winter Storm", was released in the U.S. at the end of February. The CD was made available in two exclusive U.S. versions via Fontana: the standard and deluxe editions (the latter featuring extra tracks not released elsewhere, as well visually stimulating bonus DVD content).

"My Winter Storm" was produced by Daniel Presley (FAITH NO MORE, JEWEL, THE BREEDERS), who has been joined in the studio by a truly stellar line-up of musicians: Doug Wimbish on bass (LIVING COLOUR, ANNIE LENNOX, JOE SATRIANI, JEFF BECK, MADONNA, ROLLING STONES), Alex Scholpp on electric guitars (FARMER BOYS) and Earl Harvin on drums (SEAL, PET SHOP BOYS, AIR), a player personally selected by Tarja after she saw him stealing the show at a SEAL concert. Keyboards and programming, meanwhile, are being provided by Torsten Stenzel, whose previous credits include NELLY FURTADO, MOBY, TINA TURNER, VANESSA MAE and more.

Vocalist John Tardy of the legendary Florida death metallers OBITUARY has issued the following update:

"This year's Wacken [Open Air] festival in Germany was unbelievable. We really had a good time and appreciate all the fans support. I think the Wacken crew all did a great job and we thank them for inviting us to this year's event! It was a sold out weekend, somewhere around 80,000 people!!!!

"We played in Finland the night before and it was one of those...off stage at 2:00AM, lobby call at 4:00AM, flights at 6:00AM and on stage at Wacken 4:00PM...and they lost our luggage so Frank [Watkins; bass] and I had to go on stage in the only clothes we had...awesome! At least all the equipment showed up or we really would have been fucked! The show in Finland was great, sold out and sick! Thanks to all of you that came out to see us!

"We now have a few days off that we are spending in Hamburg, Germany before we take off to Copenhagen, Denmark for the next show. At least we don't have to fly. Actually we are done flying until we head back home. Only two shows left so I hope you can make one of them and remember we will have the new 'Left To Die' EP with us!"

The wait for the Oomph! Album "Monster" is over - almost! As we promised, you'll find a very cool special on the Oomph! MySpace today, which is the complete pre-listening of the "Monster" Album! On the 22nd of August "Monster" will be in stores with a total of 13 tracks in the jewelcase configuraton and also as a limited Digipack with a bonus DVD. Everybody who prefers downloading the album can find "Monster" also on Itunes and Napster. These are the tracks your may look forward to:

1. Beim ersten Mal tut's immer weh
2. Labyrinth
3. 6 Fuß tiefer
4. Wer schön sein will muss leiden
5. Die Leiter
6. Lass mich raus
7. Revolution
8. Auf Kurs
9. Bis zum Schluss
10. In deinen Hüften
11. Wach auf
12. Geborn zu sterben
13. Brich aus

On the 19th of August you should be ready for the Oomph! chat on http://www.uboot.de at 20.00 o'clock! There you can discuss with Oomph! about their new album and their future plans.

Another surftip is http://www.gothic-family.net. There you will find photos of the autograph session on the Amphi Festival plus an interview with Oomph!. Have fun browsing that website!

Unlike the uncut version of the "Beim ersten Mal tut's immer weh" video, you can watch the new clip "Labyrinth" on MyVideo (http://www.myvideo.de/channel/GunRecords) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/oomphband).

The uncut version of "Beim ersten Mal tut's immer weh" is only available in the Labyrinth Game (http://www.oomph.de/labyrinth). The less brutal version can be found on Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXN5YhUpJ0k) or MyVideo (http://www.myvideo.de/watch/4676548/Oomph_Beim_ersten_Mal_tut_s_immer_weh).

If you did not sign up for the Labyrinth Game (http://www.oomph.de/labyrinth) yet, you should catch up with that right now. Otherwise you will definitely miss the cool upcoming specials!

You also have the chance to see Oomph! and their news songs live on stage! From November on they will start their big tour through Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Here are the tourdates again:

06.11.08 Braunschweig Jolly Joker
08.11.08 Magdeburg Factory
09.11.08 Berlin Columbia Club
10.11.08 Rostock Mau-Club
12.11.08 Kiel Halle 400
13.11.08 Bremen Aladin
15.11.08 Dresden Strasse E
16.11.08 Hamburg Markthalle
17.11.08 Osnabrück Rosenhof
19.11.08 Frankfurt Batschkapp
21.11.08 Leipzig Werk II
22.11.08 Herford X
23.11.08 Bochum Zeche
25.11.08 Köln Live Music Hall
26.11.08 Saarbrücken Garage
27.11.08 Würzburg Soundpark-Ost
28.11.08 Aschaffenburg Colos-Saal
30.11.08 Stuttgart LKA Longhorn
01.12.08 Erlangen E-Werk
03.12.08 München Backstage
04.12.08 CH-Zürich Rohstofflager
05.12.08 CH-Solothurn Kulturfabrik Kofmehl
07.12.08 A-Wien Flex

Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen has issued the following update:

"We have been rehearsing with the band in Monterrey, Mexico for couple of days. Everything went perfect with the help of the local promoter and some friends. And we are ready to rock tonight! It was really nice to meet the people of the band again and to see how well Kiko [Loureiro, guitar] has understood my music and the spirit of it. I am truly happy to have him on board and it seems that the rest of the people are happy too. This is the beginning of one of my dreams getting real. I have been waiting my Latin American tour for several years and it feels really fantastic to be able to perform like this on my own. I am a very lucky girl… The sun is shining in Monterrey and I am sure that tonight will be a very 'hot' show."

Check out pictures at this location.

MIND ODYSSEY, the German metal band featuring RAGE guitarist Victor Smolski, has completed work on its new album 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 sute, the new CD is "an absolutely interesting development of a progressive style with a new sound."

MIND ODYSSEY's new studio album is expected in the fall via Napalm Records. Napalm will also re-release the group's complete back catalog with brand new artwork.

MIND ODYSSEY's fourth studio album, "Signs", came out in 1999. A"best-of" collection was issued earlier in the year via MO Entertainment.

DREAM EVIL, the Swedish melodic metal band featuring acclaimed producer Fredrik Nordström (DIMMU BORGIR, IN FLAMES, HAMMERFALL) on guitar, will release its first live DVD/CD, "Gold Medal In Metal (Alive & Archive)", at the end of August/early September (depending on the territory) via Century Media. The live DVD was recorded at the on November 25, 2006 show in the band's hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden by acclaimed director Patric Ullaeus of the Revolver Film Company (IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR, KAMELOT, etc.) and the cover artwork for this release was created by Seth (PARADISE LOST, EXODUS, MOONSPELL). The double CD (with a playing time of over two hours!) and the special DVD version (playing time of the DVD is over 100 minutes and both audio CDs are included in this package as well) are a complete guide into the vaults of DREAM EVIL and "a trip to the core of true metal at its very rockin' best," according to a press release. The bonus disc ("Archive") features over an hour of previously unreleased and rare material, including plenty of Japanese bonus songs from the recording sessions for "The Book Of Heavy Metal" (featuring former band members Gus G. on guitar and Snowy Shaw on drums) and earlier albums, some outtakes from the band's latest studio opus "United" and three brand new studio tracks recorded especially for this release in 2007.

"Gold Medal In Metal (Alive & Archive)" DVD+2CD:

Gold Medal Disc – DVD (100:45):

Live Maerd (67:45)

01. United
02. Blind Evil
03. Fire! Battle! In Metal!
04. In Flames You Burn
05. Crusaders' Anthem
06. Back From The Dead
07. Higher On Fire
08. The Prophecy
09. Made Of Metal
10. Heavy Metal In The Night
11. Let Me Out
12. The Chosen One
13. The Book Of Heavy Metal
14. Chasing The Dragon
15. Children Of The Night

Video Clips (14:16)

* Fire! Battle! In Metal!
* Blind Evil
* The Book Of Heavy Metal
* Children Of The Night

Interview (18:44)

Silver Medal Disc – "Alive" CD (67:00):

Audio live-album with same track listing as "Live Maerd" DVD section.

Bronze Medal Disc – "Archive" CD (63:36):

01. Dominator (3:23) *
02. Fight For Metal (3:52) *
03. December 25th (4:16) *
04. Pain Patrol (3:14) **
05. Lady Of Pleasure (3:27) **
06. Chapter 6 (4:03) ***
07. Gold Medal In Metal (3:11) #
08. Point Of No Return (3:52) ##
09. The Enemy (3:15) ***
10. Hero Of Zeroes (4:30) ###
11. Bringing The Metal Back (3:43) #
12. Betrayed (4:01) +
13. Evilized [unplugged] (4:56) +
14. Dragonheart (3:35) ++
15. Take The World (4:09) +++
16. Crusader's Anthem [demo] (4:03) °
17. Touring Is My Life [live] (1:56) °°

* Brand new, exclusive and previously unreleased studio tracks from 2007.
** Japanese bonus tracks from "United" album. Unreleased elsewhere.
*** Japanese bonus track from "The Book Of Heavy Metal" album. Unreleased elsewhere.
# From "The Book Of Heavy Metal" sessions. Previously unreleased.
## From "The Book Of Heavy Metal" sessions. Previously only released on the "The First Chapter" CD-single.
### From "The Book Of Heavy Metal" album sessions. Previously only released on the "New Found Power" compilation CD
+ From "Evilized" sessions. Previously only released on the "Children Of The Night" MCD.
++ Previously only released on the "Children Of The Night" MCD and on the Japanese version of the "Dragonslayer" album.
+++ Previously only released on the Japanese version of the "Children Of he Night" MCD.
° Previously unreleased rough demo version of a song later to appear on the "The Book Of Heavy Metal" album.
°° Previously unreleased song in a radio-studio live-session version.

"Gold Medal In Metal (Alive & Archive)" 2CD:

Audio-only release including the previously mentioned Silver and Bronze discs. Two CDs for the price of one!

European release dates:

Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux: Friday, August 22
Spain, Portugal: Tuesday, August 26
Sweden, Finland, Hungary: Wednesday, August 27
Greece: Monday, September 1
Italy: Friday, September 5
France: Monday, September 8
UK, Denmark, Norway, Rest Of Europe: Monday, August 25

The newest entry into the Earache Classic Series is CATHEDRAL's breakthrough classic "The Carnival Bizarre". This is the album that made CATHEDRAL into the legends they are today. By combining their doom metal sound with stoner rock and further experimental elements, the band hit upon a formula that would elevate them up above every doom/stoner band of their day.

On this special Earache Classic Series edition of "The Carnival Bizarre", which is due on August 19, you get the tried and true original album containing favorites like "Vampire Sun", "Hopkins (The Witchfinder General)" and "Utopian Blaster" (featuring a guest appearance by BLACK SABBATH and HEAVEN AND HELL riffmaster Tony Iommi). In addition, you will also get a bonus DVD, "Our God Has Landed", featuring one of CATHEDRAL's earliest recorded shows from the 1992 "Gods Of Grind" tour and eight music videos spanning the band's nearly decade-long Earache career.

Boston, Massachusetts-based up-and-coming "shred" guitarist Todd Seitz has issued the following update on the recording sessions for the debut album from his STYGIA project:

"I'm about to get Mike Vescera a few tracks to start recording vocals. I've written rough melodies in which Mike will improve or fine tune what I've done. Mike LePond has also started to learn a few tracks. He played just a small sample on the phone and it sounded awesome. Bass shred madness. I'm excited to be making progress and hope to have the guitar tracks done pretty soon. The album will be called 'Divine Allegiance'. There will also be a 15-16-minute epic track with the same title. I've decided to do a total of nine songs instead of eight. Macaluso was nice enough to record the last song on very short notice. It ended up sounding quite bad ass. Some wicked blast beats... ha ha. Drummers, be prepared!"

Recording lineup for the debut STYGIA album:

Todd Seitz (STYGIA) - Guitar
Michael Vescera (ex-LOUDNESS, ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) - Vocals
John Macaluso (ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, ex-ARK, ex-TNT) - Drums
Michael LePond (SYMPHONY X) - Bass
Michael Pinella (SYMPHONY X) - Keyboards
Hank Shermann (MERCYFUL FATE, FORCE OF EVIL, DEMONICA) - Guest Guitar Solo

The band intends to do some live performances after the LP release.

ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante has issued the following update:

"Lemme have an iced venti americano with six pumps of vanilla and leave room for cream. This has been repeated from my mouth daily throughout the summer; how do I say this in Japanese?

"I am going to Japan and Korea; I am psyched! I think everyone knows that Japan is one of my favorite places to play. If it was closer to the USA, I would move there. The people, the food, the way they package your scone (that sounds weird), the toys, the gear, the electronics, I could go on. It's an awesome place. This will be the first time playing there with Dan [Nelson, vocals] in the band, he is going to shit himself! I am very EXCITING!

"We will be playing a bit of everything, old and new and a surprise or two. Dan, Frank [Bello, bass] and Rob [Caggiano, guitar] have this great samurai sword dance that they will do at the start of the show, it's very Cirque du Soleil... oh shit, that was a surprise...DAMN!

"Korea will be a first for ANTHRAX; we have never played there before. I am looking forward to this. I know it's going to be a very big show, I am ready!

"We're entering the studio in October to start recording. We wanted a Halloween vibe. I wanna do my drum tracks dressed like Ringo."

Swedish melodic death metal band WITHIN Y has posted the following message on its web site:

"We will soon start the recording of our new album, sometime during September/October, if everything works out as it should. We have a bunch of new killer songs and we want to give you a little peek on what's going on, so please check back every once in a while during the summer, and you'll soon have a demo version of a new WITHIN Y track on your computer!"

WITHIN Y in April recruited drummer Erik Hagström as the replacement for the Thim Blom (ex-GARDENIAN).

Blom left the group in December 2006, claiming that "pain in [his wrists]" made it impossible for him to "perform at the top of [his] abillity and to do what it takes to play at this level."

The National newspaper has published a guest column from Mark LeVine, Professor of Middle Eastern history, culture and Islamic Studies at UC Irvine and author, most recently, of "Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam" (Three Rivers Press/Random House). An excerpt follows.

"I was not a metal fan growing up. Sure, I had been into the great late 1960s and early 1970s groups from which metal had emerged — JIMI HENDRIX, CREAM, DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH, and LED ZEPPELIN. But I came of age at the moment that MTV took over, and the brand of metal that grew up with it — 'hair' or 'glam' metal, epitomised by groups such as MÖTLEY CRÜE, POISON and QUIET RIOT — seemed more about debauchery than building on the foundations of the ur-generation of heavy rock.

"Indeed, while most of my friends either moved into hip-hop or tried to be the next Eddie Van Halen, there was something about the music of those seminal bands which drew me backwards in time: towards the blues, classical music, and, while I couldn't at first put my ears on it, what I gradually realised were the Arab roots of rock 'n' roll.

"The more deeply I delved into music, the more I understood the powerful links between black American music, hard rock and music from around the Muslim world, especially the Middle East and Africa. That same realisation also drove me to spend a decade getting a doctorate in Middle East studies.

"Yet despite working with many Middle Eastern artists as a musician and researcher, I was shocked when I first heard about the metal scene while celebrating a friend's birthday in Fes, Morocco. If there could be such a thing as a Heavy Metal Islam, I thought, then perhaps the future was brighter than most observers of the Muslim world imagined less than a year after September 11."

Read the entire article from The National.