German power metallers ANGEL DUST have issued the following update:

"After all the name of the new album will not be 'VII', because in the last year there were so many releases from other bands with exactly the same title. The name of the new album is not certain yet. Carsten (Kaiser) has now started the vocal recording (nice that we are one step closer to the release). ANGEL DUST will also play on June 7th at the Century Media Yardsale. They will not play a complete set (they haven't had enough time for rehearsing) but they will play a few titles. TURISAS will also be there."

ANGEL DUST guitarist Bernd Aufermann (also of RUNNING WILD) previously stated about the material that is slated to appear on the follow-up to 2002's "Of Human Bondage", "I'm VERY satisfied with the way the guitar will approach in the music and the material is, in my opinion, the best we've ever written."

ANGEL DUST's forthcoming album will feature the following tracks:

01. Before My Fall
02. Shoot The Needle
03. Marching – Stampeding
04. Alien Man
05. One More Time
06. Street Of Iron Will
07. Consumed
08. Fear No Evil

ANGEL DUST 2008 is:

Dirk Assmuth (drums)
Bernd Aufermann (guitar)
Christian Pohlmann (bass)
Steven Banx (keyboard)
Carsten Kaiser (vocals)

New York-based death metallers MORTICIAN have issued the following update:

"2008 will see MORTICIAN's first-ever DVD release!! Concert footage from various shows in the U.S. and out of the country will be featured, some in raw form, others in professional multi-angle camera shots! Total time should be anywhere from 1 to 1-1/2 hours! Out in the summer 2008!

"Next: MORTICIAN will not be releasing a split CD with the Polish gore/grind gods DEAD INFECTION as planned! We have been delayed due to recording problems and DEAD INFECTION was under contract to release new material on another label in April so now both bands will release separate MCDs.

"MORTICIAN will have 11 brand new tracks and a cover of DEAD INFECTION's 'From The Anatomical Deeps'!! It will also feature drummer Sam Inzerra's first live drums recording ever on a MORTICIAN release! A vinyl version on Haunted Hotel Records will be released shortly after...

"MORTICIAN will be playing a few limited shows and festivals in the US in 2008 (sorry, but no out-of-the-country shows due to criminal records and the insane amount of work we have lined up in 2008 for Mortician Records, Redrum Records and Primitive Recordings!)."

Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers WITHIN TEMPTATION have issued the following update:

"In September, we will be releasing a new live DVD which will include our concert at the Ahoy with the Metropole Orchestra. We just finished the audio mix and are working on the video editing as we are typing this. The footage really looks amazing; we still can't believe how great this evening was and how great it was documented by all the cameras. More information about this will follow soon!"

WITHIN TEMPTATION's forthcoming DVD will feature footage shot on February 7, 2008 at the Black Symphony event at Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Black Symphony was a unique concert featuring WITHIN TEMPTATION backed by the 60-piece Metropole Orchestra and a 35-voice classical choir in a spectacular stage setting, backed by Europe's largest video screen (400 sqm) and spiced-up by stunning pyrotechnic and light displays.

Support at the gig came from LIFE OF AGONY frontman Keith Caputo, who also joined the headliners for a rendition of the song "What Have You Done?"

Austrian symphonic melodic metal band SERENITY will release its new album, "Fallen Sanctuary", in August 2008 via Napalm Records. The CD was mixed by Jacob Hansen (RAUNCHY, INVOCATOR), who "has provided a state-of-the-art sound for SERENITY's brilliant new offerings," according to a press release.

"Fallen Sanctuary" track listing:

01. All Lights Reversed
02. Rust Of Coming Ages
03. Coldness Kills
04. To Stone She Turned
05. Fairytales
06. The Heartblood Symphony
07. Velatum
08. Derelict
09. Sheltered (By The Obscure)
10. Oceans Of Ruby
11. Journey's End (limited-edition bonus track)

SERENITY's debut album, entitled "Words Untold & Dreams Unlived", came out in April 2007.

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

Metal Mind Productions will release the first-ever DVD from Polish extreme metallers DECAPITATED, entitled "Human's Dust", on June 9 in Europe and June 10 in the U.S. The DVD will be available in two versions: as a standard DVD and as a very unique star metalpack DVD edition limited to 3,000 copies.

The main feature of the DVD consists of the band's October 2002 gig in Krakow, which was a part of their European tour with VADER and KRISIUN. Bonus material includes two live performances recorded during Ozzfest in Poland (May 2002) and Metalmania festival (March 2004), the "Winds of Creation" video clip, plus three interviews recorded at various locations: Kraków in 2002 (Vitek and Vogg); Ozzfest in Katowice, 2002 (Vogg and Sauron); Metalmania in Katowice, 2004 (Sauron and Martin). Also included are a photo gallery, biography, discography, desktop images, weblinks.

"Human's Dust" (cover artwork) track listing:

Live in Kraków, October 2002:

01. Nihility
02. Eternity Too Short
03. Way to Salvation
04. Spheres of Madness
05. Names
06. Winds of Creation
07. Babylon's Pride
08. Suffer the Children

Bonus video:

Live at Ozzfest, Katowice, May 2002:

01. Spheres of Madness
02. Eternity Too Short
03. Babylon's Pride

Live at Metalmania Festival, Katowice, March 2004:

01. Three-dimensional Defect
02. Lying and Weak
03. Mother War
04. Sensual Sickness
05. Spheres of Madness
06. The Negation

* Interview with Vitek and Vogg, Kraków, 2002
* Interview with Vogg and Sauron, Ozzfest, Katowice, 2002
* Interview with Sauron and Martin, Metalmania festival, Katowice, 2004
* "Winds of Creation" (video clip)

Also includes:

* Photo gallery
* Biography
* Discography
* Desktop images
* Weblinks
* Logo
* Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound

An exclusive preview of track "Spheres of Madness" can be seen below.

WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale has contacted UK's Classic Rock magazine to set the record straight about his band's so-called plans to go on tour with LED ZEPPELIN.

Earlier in the week Coverdale was quoted as saying: "I'm expecting a call from Jimmy [Page] any day asking my band WHITESNAKE to support them on their world tour. Am I on board? You bet. Probably worth billions.”

In an e-mail to Classic Rock's Geoff Barton, Coverdale requested: "May I call upon your assistance, if needed, ol' cock, to help put out this shitstorm that be gathering steam about me supposedly saying I'm awaiting Lord Page's call to invite me to be the supporting act on the forthcoming LED ZEPPELIN world tour.

"What fucking world tour, we ask ourselves? We're already out on our Good To Be Bad world tour, thank you very much!"

Coverdale continued: "I have no idea where this started, Geoffers. But, with the wildfire of the internet, my poor ol' German publicist is fighting them off with her rusty, but trusty, Luger.

"I assure you there is no… (of course there fucking isn't) …any foundation in this.

"Why, after all the charming back-and-forths between one Monsieur Plant and oneself through the years, who could imagine such a premise possible? Not me, squire!

"Besides," Coverdale concluded, "I've got a hit record and a sold-out tour, and I'm currently pretty fucking busy playing nightly, and joyfully, with my Fab Musical Serpents, ol' chum! No complaints here…"

A MR. BIG "almost-reunion" took place at guitarist Paul Gilbert's solo show at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, California on on May 7. Paul invited his former MR. BIG bandmates Billy Sheehan and Pat Torpey, along with fellow ex-MR. BIG guitarist Richie Kotzen (he joined the band as Paul's replacement) to his stage and they played two MR. BIG songs: "30 Days in the Hole" (with Kotzen on vocals), and "Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy" (with Gilbert and Mike Szuter from Paul's band on vocals). According to one fan who attended the concert, "The crowd went CRAZY when three guys showed up on the stage."

MR. BIG is best known for its 1992 acoustic hit, "To Be with You".

Swedish epic/melodic metallers NARNIA — who recently parted ways with singer Christian Liljegren — have issued the following update:

"First of all THANKS for all comments and supportive messages lately. We have decided to give it a shot and let you all know that we are looking for someone to replace Christian Liljegren, who left us a few weeks ago. If you are (or if you know someone who is) a great metal/hard rock singer with a good register, have a personal faith in Jesus Christ and who is interested in joining our band for recording a new album and for playing concerts, please, drop us a line at cj@grimmark.com! Send us detailed info about yourself and let us know who you are. We have received some nice messages from boys and girls with great voices already, for which we are very thankful, but we'd like to know who else is hiding out there."

NARNIA recently began recording its sixth studio album with producer Fredrik Nordström (Studio Fredman).

Melbourne, Australia's ALARUM has issued the following update:

"ALARUM are currently finishing up pre-production and about to enter Rennisound Studios to record 'Natural Causes', due for release later in the year via Willowtip/Candlelight Records.

"Prior to hitting the studio, ALARUM will be playing a one off show with Scott Young joining them on guitar to play at the benefit gig for their friend Andy Prior (DARKEST DAWN guitarist) [on Sunday, May 25 at East Brunswick Club in East Brunswick]. Scott Young [former ALARUM and current DARKEST DAWN guitarist] will be playing for one show only with ALARUM." Also scheduled to appear are DARKEST DAWN (their last show ever!), FIVE STAR PRISON CELL, TERRORUST and BELAKOR.

ALARUM's latest CD, "Eventuality", was released in July 2005 via Willowtip/Earache. The album was recorded in 2004 at Back Beach Studios with Theron Rennison and assistant Rick Luke.

Swedish melodic death metal pioneers DARK TRANQUILLITY are excited to be making their much-anticipated return to North America this week with what could well be hailed as one of the best guitar-shredder packages of the year. This tour, presented by ESP Guitars, Randall Amps, Guitar World and Revolver magazine, dubbed the "Tyranny And Bloodshred Tour", kicks off on May 9 and features headliners ARCH ENEMY and the diverse talents of DIVINE HERESY and FIREWIND.

Upon completing this tour, the band will continue headlining a slew of additional dates with DIVINE HERESY and FIREWIND supporting.

Visit www.myspace.com/dtofficial to view the complete tour itinerary.

Century Media Records will reissue DARK TRANQUILLITY's latest album, "Fiction", as an expanded edition in conjunction with the start of the North American tour. The new version will be composed of a CD/DVD and feature a slew of new material (see below for its complete track listing).

Commented DARK TRANQUILLITY singer Mikael Stanne: "To me, this marks the half time in the process of touring for this album. We've done a lot, but there are still places out there yet to be conquered and there are still people out there that we need to bring the metal to. Before we head back into the grotto of self-loathing to start writing the next album, we want to make sure that everyone out there knows just how proud we are of this album. It pleases me to no end that we can now finally present the whole album with all the songs we recorded and for whatever reason left out of the final product. Also, we decided to add a little retrospective, looking back at what the hell happened during the summer, in addition to some other things I am sure you will enjoy."

"Fiction" Expanded Edition:

Release dates:

North America: May 27, 2008
Europe: June 23, 2008

Duration: 68:29 (CD) 46:26 (DVD)

Track listing:

01. Nothing To No One
02. The Lesser Faith
03. Terminus (Where Death Is Most Alive)
04. Blind At Heart
05. Icipher
06. Inside The Particle Storm
07. Empty Me
08. Misery's Crown
09. Focus Shift
10. The Mundane And The Magic
11. A Closer End (rare Japanese bonus song)
12. Winter Triangle (instr. - rare Australian bonus song)
13. Below The Radiance (previously unreleased)
14. Silence In The House Of Tongues (instr. - previously unreleased)
15. Terminus (Where Death Is Most Alive) (live) **
16. The Lesser Faith (live) **

Bonus Material: DVD with over 45 minutes of live recordings and promo videos

Track listing:

01. Focus Shift (promo video)
02. Terminus (Where Death Is Most Alive) (brick-movie)
03. Focus Shift (rehearsal room video)
04. Blind At Heart (live) *
05. Final Resistance (live) *
06. Misery's Crown (live) *
07. Terminus (Where Death Is Most Alive) (live) **
08. The Lesser Faith (live) **
09. The New Build (live) **
10. The Endless Feed (live) **

* live at Bang Your Head!!! festival, Germany 2007
** live at Summer Breeze festival, Germany 2007

New artwork and booklet from Niklas Sundin.

European edition in extended booklet and deluxe Mediabook.

Fan-filmed video footage of frontman Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer performing the JUDAS PRIEST classic "Breaking the Law" with ex-MASTERPLAN singer Jorn Lande and Lande's band at this year's Rock Hard Festival on May 11, 2008 at the Gelsenkirchen Amphitheatre in Gelsenkirchen, Germany can be viewed below (courtesy of "westerfilder").

DESTRUCTION entered Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark last month with producer Jacob Hansen to begin recording its new album, entitled "D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N." An August 29 European release is expected.

There are also plans for a full DESTRUCTION DVD release later in the year — all in the cause of celebrating one-quarter century of classic German thrash metal with the faithful fans worldwide.

JORN's new album, entitled "Lonely Are the Brave", is scheduled for release on June 6 via Frontiers Records. The CD was mixed at Tommy Hansen's Jailhouse Studio in Denmark.

Vocalist Fernando Ribeiro of the Portuguese metal band MOONSPELL recently offered a track-by-track breakdown of the group's new album, "Night Eternal", to the German edition of Metal Hammer, explaining the lyrical content of all nine songs featured on the LP.

NIGHT ETERNAL depicts Moonspell more innovative and darker than they were for years. But there's more to the album lyricwise, of course. Vocalist Fernando Ribeiro explains, what.

The Biblical Apocalypse, Lucifer and Lillith, darkness and love - it's all there on NIGHT ETERNAL.

To prevent getting lost in all these, vocalist Fernando Ribeiro explains the songs:

1. At Tragic Heights

Kicks off with a big quote from St. John's Apocalypse and sets the terminal feeling upon which the album lays. But this time around, it's not an alpha/male angel who falls but a woman, who, like in the classic myth, dares to know and hopes for the truth. Musically, it's fast and emotional, with a somewhat more complex structure into it, but the intention is to kill from first note on!

2. Night Eternal

...it's the morning you will never see. Actually, morning is as used on night on this song. It is a lyric of abandonment and alarm for the "tear and the wear of the earth" by her favorite sons: us. It's brutal and melodic at once and the middle part is already one of my favorite headbanging moments with the double bass drum setting the pace.

In this song, you can find the chant of a suffering woman, an avalanche of guitars and a block of strong words. All meaningful and true.

3. Shadow Sun

One of my faves for the time being. It brings a hypnotic vibe in the verses with the "darktrip" approach to the vocals. It's a distinctive style for us and I believe our most progressive moment for ages.

The lyrics can either be about the end of the world or the end of a relationship, about someone watching one or the other through the rain. I love the chorus because it is unleashing and I love this song because it's claustrophobic and dark! Like from the inside of a shadow.

4. Scorpion Flower

It's the summer hit for Goths :)

No, really, it's one of our best moments and a duet I will never forget with the beautiful and charismatic Anneke Van Giersbergen! It turned out to be a great video as well, where everybody looks great but me…

This song incarnates fury and beauty, the sting of the scorpion and the freshness of a flower. Stupidly romantic, just the way I like it! Check the scorpion and the frog fable, cool to understand these lyrics.

5. Moon In Mercury

Aaarrragghhh! After the balsam comes the wound! I have to be honest here, I didn't know where this song would go but after the studio work it grew on me a lot, it's very old school, made of different parts, but it sticks together like a demon's grip! Lyrically, it deals with revelation through the gleam of a blade, or of an astrological map. Moon in mercury, moon in the house of the dead planet.

6. Hers Is The Twilight

If there is a Gothic Metal son on this album, it is this one! Metal riifing and Fields Of The Nephilim's verses. I love the way it builds (I love my band, that's so corny) and the way it ends. The twilight of the earth, or the twilight of a woman? That's the question to be asked about this one really.

7. Dreamless

Lucifer and Lilith, the first couple, the first lie, the first betrayal, the first tragic love. It's a song that tends to the side of beauty on this album. One should not be afraid of beauty, and one should embrace it, that's what I insisted on for this whole record. Moonspell is not an extreme band, but an emotional one, dreamless with all its keys, acoustics, vocal dubs. Candy for Liltih.

8. Spring Of Rage

Fury and beauty. I love, when the song gets loose for that B part. Widowed in the whiteness pure. It was a song that I always loved, even in its demo form. It was here that I decided to use clean vocals again, sorry about that. I love that explosion with the chorus and the guitar beginning. Ah, and it's a love song with pagan poetry for your soul errr...

9. First Light

MY FAVOURITE SONG! I love the lyrics which describe a quite hypnotic circle in which a prodigal son, a bride to be, and a leader of people intervene. I am as proud of this one text as I was, when I wrote ‘Mephisto’ back in 1996. The rest is what Moonspell does the best, in my poor opinion: doom, big, full moon madness vibe, crescendos, staccatos, classical music kind of vibe.

A great way of finishing an album that is called NIGHT ETERNAL – with a song called ‘First Light’... And I do not mean to be ambiguous, just a bit maybe...

SLIPKNOT vocalist Corey Taylor has told Billboard.com that he has little doubt that the band's as-yet-untitled fourth studio effort, tentatively due Aug. 12 via Roadrunner Records, will appease its loyal fans, the Maggots.

"It's going to rip your face off," Taylor told Billboard.com. "I don't think the world will be ready for this album."

Taylor described SLIPKNOT's forthcoming set — which is being recorded in the band's home state of Iowa — as a "very dark" cross between "Vol. 3" and 2001's "Iowa". "It has so much power in it and yet there are so many great spots for melody," he explained. "It's a controlled chaos that hits you right out of the gate."

Lyrically, "Instead of bitching about what went wrong in my life, I'm bitching about what's wrong in life, period," Taylor said, noting that his vocals are much more melodic than before. "I got to the point where I was tired of pretending that I couldn't sing every time I made a SLIPKNOT album, so this time I'm going all out."

Read more at Billboard.com.

Legendary Swedish death metallers GRAVE will premiere their new video for the song "Bloodpath" on May 15 during the band's CD-release concert at Pub Anchor in Stockholm, Sweden. The clip was reportedly filmed over a three-day period in Visby, Gotland, which is Sweden's largest island.

GRAVE's eighth album, "Dominion VIII", was released last month via Regain Records.

The band's live DVD, entitled "Enraptured", came out in Europe on November 27, 2006 via Metal Mind Productions and in the U.S. on February 1, 2007 via MVD Visual.

The band shot the DVD with seven cameras on August 24, 2006 at the Stodola Club in Warsaw, Poland. The set, which was made available as a standard DVD edition and a DVD+CD limited edition, also features rare live footage, video clips and more.

Drummer Hans Rutten of Holland's rock outfit THE GATHERING has issued the following update:

"Dear all, sorry it has been a while since you've heard from us. We apologize for this. It actually means that we have been really busy with the band.

"During the last couple of months we created a lot of new ideas that lead to the first songs of our upcoming CD. Yes, we are working on a new album! Or actually, two new albums!

"Many of our new songs are very rock and guitar orientated and will end up on a heavy rock album for sure. The second album will be filled with more 'shoe gaze,' dreamy tracks.

"We can imagine if you are very curious about new vocalists. Currently, we are working with several. It feels very refreshing and interesting to work with different voices and it adds beautiful new colours to our music. Names will be presented as soon as our ideas become more concrete.

"As promised you will hear new material by the end of this year. The release of our new album is planned for spring 2009."

The End Records released THE GATHERING's "A Noise Severe" double-DVD and double-CD sets in February. Both releases contain recordings of the Dutch group's March 24, 2007 performance at the 4,000-capacity theatre Teatro Caupolicán in Santiago, Chile and mark THE GATHERING's final output to feature singer Anneke van Giersbergen.

Hans Rutten stated about CD and DVD recording: "There was an incredible noise the whole concert. The audience was superb. I think it's a very elegant way to end an era — with Anneke, that is — and it gives strength to us and what the future will bring. I think the recordings speak for themselves. It's unique. It's a statement. It's something to be proud of."

Pop superstar MADONNA paid tribute to "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott by playing what sounds a lot like the main riff to PANTERA's classic song "A New Level" during her May 10, 2008 performance at Radio One's Big Weekend at Mote Park in Maidstone, UK.

Watch the footage below. (The "A New Level" riff can be heard six minutes and 20 seconds into the video.)

MADONNA's current touring guitarist and guitar teacher is none other than Monte Pittman, who has also recorded and toured with PRONG.

According to Bug magazine, Pittman landed the job as MADONNA's touring guitarist after a man called the music store in Los Angeles where Pittman was working inquiring about guitar lessons, and Monte's name was passed along. That customer was none other than Guy Ritchie, film director extraordinaire and soon-to-be husband of Madonna. "Guy was my third student," Monte told Bug. "That was before 'Snatch' came out, and I didn't know who he was. It turns out he and Madonna were dating. He had just had some surgery done on his knee, I believe, so he was off his feet and she got him a guitar. He started taking lessons, and he got pretty good at it. I remember the day 'Music' [Madonna's CD] came out, and I taught him a few things from it. I thought it would be cool for him to play them for her."

When Guy returned the favor and bought Madonna a guitar, she started taking lessons from Monte as well. "It was the same thing as Guy — she learned everything I gave her," Monte told Bug. "She took it seriously, and worked really hard at it. She learned so much so quickly. That's one thing about Madonna — her drive is incredible."

A month after Madonna started playing guitar, she got called to perform on "The Late Show with David Letterman". She invited me to come play with her, and I thought she was pulling my leg at first," Monte told Bug, "but she was serious."

"A New Level" originally appeared on the PANTERA album "Vulgar Display of Power", which came out in February 1992.

The Pulse of Radio reports: A new video from rapper Busta Rhymes featuring LINKIN PARK vocalists Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda has surfaced online. The clip is for the song "We Made It", which appears on Rhymes' new album, "Blessed". The video was originally released just to BET and Yahoo! Music, but is now available everywhere. Members of LINKIN PARK also played on the song, which marks Rhymes' first collaboration with a rock band. Shinoda also contributed some production to the album.

"Blessed" arrives in stores on June 17.

LINKIN PARK previously worked with rapper Jay-Z on the "Collision Course" album and has featured hip-hop acts on the band's Projekt Revolution tour in the past.

Former punk, metalhead and current mega-selling dance/techno artist MOBY recently spoke to Classic Rock magazine about one of his metal albums of all time — PANTERA's "The Great Southern Trendkill" (1996).

"The first time I heard PANTERA was [1994 album] 'Far Beyond Driven'," he said. "I always feel weird lumping PANTERA into the speed-metal genre. They were so qualitatively different from anyone else. They occupied their own niche.

"'The Great Southern Trendkill' is so unrelentingly dark. The lyrics of 'War Nerve' are the most unrelentingly evil lyrics you can imagine. They make church-burning Norwegian Satanists sound like Sunday school teachers. It's just that whole vituperative expression of anger and rage. PANTERA even managed to be, dare I say it, kind of funky at times. One of the ways they were able to get such a huge guitar sound was because [Dimebag] Darrell double-tracked all his guitar parts.

"I got to know PANTERA a little, too. I was in Dallas in 2002 and had a night off, so we went to go see Tommy Lee [MÖTLEY CRÜE] perform. I'd known Tommy for awhile, so we were just hanging out afterwards, when Darrell and Vinnie [Paul, PANTERA drummer] came backstage with a bunch of Hell's Angels. We all started drinking, then went to the strip club that PANTERA own and we had this long, crazy, whiskey-fuelled night. At some point, about four in the morning, Darrell, Tommy and I — in our completely devastated state — decided to start a band. We just thought that was the best idea anyone had ever had. Of course, nothing came of that — except a hangover that lasted for days."

Dutch thrashers LEGION OF THE DAMNED have set "Cult of the Dead" as the title of their new album, tentatively due in early 2009. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Solar Overlord", "Fire Angel", "Pray and Suffer" and "Cult of the Dead". "Expect LEGION OF THE DAMNED at its best and with songs that hit you right in the face even before you have heard more than two songs," the group previously stated.

"Feel the Blade", a reissue of LEGION OF THE DAMNED's "Elegy for the Weak" CD (originally released under the band's previous moniker OCCULT), entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 70. Released on January 4, 2008 via Massacre Records, the new version of the LP contains two new songs that didn't appear on the original "Elegy for the Weak" album, a new cover and a bonus DVD.

The band has been confirmed for the Christmas Metal Meeting 2008, set to take place December 19, 2008 at Matrix in Bochum, Germany. Also scheduled to appear is SODOM.

LEGION OF THE DAMNED's "Sons of the Jackal" album entered the German national album chart at position No. 54 back in January 2007. The follow-up to 2006's "Malevolent Rapture" was recorded at Stage One studio in Bühne, Germany with producer Andy Classen.

Massacre Records has set a December 19 release date for the new album from Dutch thrashers LEGION OF THE DAMNED, entitled "Cult of the Dead".added 14.05.08 by rem

Blaze Bayley (IRON MAIDEN, WOLFSBANE) has finished mixing and mastering his new solo album, "The Man Who Would Not Die", with former WOLFSBANE guitarist Jase Edwards at Jase's studio in Tamworth, Staffordshire, England. Due on July 7 via the singer's own independent label (with additional licensing to various countries), the CD was engineered by James Dunkley, produced by Blaze Bayley and it promises to take 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.

"The Man Who Would Not Die" (cover artwork) track listing:

01. The Man Who Would Not Die
02. Blackmailer
03. Smile Back At Death
04. While You Were Gone
05. Samurai
06. A Crack In The System
07. Robot
08. At The End Of The Day
09. Waiting For My Life To Begin
10. Voices From The Past
11. The Truth Is One
12. Serpent Hearted Man

Blaze Bayley has scheduled a number of other dates with his new solo band, which includes Lawrence Paterson (ex-CHOKEHOLD) on drums, Jay Walsh (ANGER MANAGEMENT, FOUR WAY KILL) on guitar, Nico Bermudez (UNDERTHREAT) on guitar, and David Bermudez (UNDERTHREAT) on bass.

Anticulture Records has set a May 26 release date for "Under the Spell of the Unlight", the new album from Finnish black metal project GLOOMY GRIM. Check out the cover artwork at this location.

"Under the Spell of the Unlight" track listing:

01. April - Within The Woods
02. May - Why Are They Screaming At Night?
03. June - Åkerspöke
04. July - Cold Fingers
05. August - So I Slept & Slept
06. September - Invoking The Flames (Burn, Burn, Burn)
07. October - Cellar Dweller
08. Novemer - And The Bird Came In
09. December - The Bells Toll My Name
10. January - Dying Breed
11. February - Astral Planes I Have Travelled Through
12. March - The Call

According to a press release, "It all began in 1984 as HELLSTORM. Agathon (vocals) got his first influences as a teenager from the bands like VENOM, HELLHAMMER and BATHORY. HELLSTORM ended quite soon, but the title 'Fuck The World, Kill The Jehova!' remained. GLOOMY GRIM used it as the first demo name. The folklore tells that HELLSTORM was the first black metal band in Finland. Agathon wanted to create dark music, music from the depth of the darkest pit of hell and with no compromises from any other band members. Agathon started GLOOMY GRIM as a one-man band. The biggest inspiration has always been the dark life itself and the soundtracks of the horror films he collected. Agathon made four albums with a strong line-up. GLOOMY GRIM has also made some furious live shows in continental Europe and the Baltic states. After the latest album, 'The Grand Hammering' (2004) sold 30,000-plus copies, GLOOMY GRIM is back on his throne!"

Audio samples are available on the GLOOMY GRIM MySpace page.

Finnish metallers KALMAH will release their fifth studio album, "For The Revolution", in the UK on July 14 via Spinefarm.

For the UK version of "Revolution", selected bonus audio/visual content has been added to the mix, along with a slipcase bearing exclusive new artwork. The bonus audio track is a cover of SEPULTURA's "Arise", while on the visual side, "The Groan Of Wind" (a song from 2006's "Black Waltz") has also been included as an enhanced video.

"For the Revolution" earlier in the month landed at position No. 17 on the Finnish national album chart. This was the band's strongest chart showing to date in Finland.

Finnish melodic heavy metal band FALCHION will release its new album, "Chronicles of the Death", on September 12 via Massacre Records. The CD was recorded at Adamantium Studios in Tampere and features nine tracks with a running time of around 47 minutes. The album was mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki.

"Chronicles of the Death" track listing:

01. Primitive Again
02. Chronicles of the Dead
03. Shadows in the Wasteland
04. Kingdom of Dust
05. Desert Breeze
06. Shades of Gray
07. Dying Dreams
08. Mayhem Machine
09. Evolution in Reverse

Audio samples from the album are available on the band's MySpace page.

Check out the cover artwork at StayMetal.net.

FALCHION is:

Juho Kauppinen - Guitar and Vocals
Miikka Tulimäki - Guitar
Matti Johansson - Drums
Janne Kielinen - Bass

Inspired by the energy and experience of their performance with their Crüe Fest cohorts BUCKCHERRY, PAPA ROACH, SIXX: A.M. and TRAPT at the press conference to announce their upcoming summer tour, MÖTLEY CRÜE extended the production for their upcoming CD, returning to the studio this week to record one more track for their first studio album in over a decade, "Saints of Los Angeles". The album, which has a new release date of June 24, follows the story of the band's NY Times best-selling memoir "The Dirt", a no-holds-barred tell-all that features every gritty detail of the group's exploits as one of the world's biggest rock bands.

Says Sixx, "Before our performance at the press conference, we were firing on all cylinders at sound check just jamming out, and that's when the new idea came. We quickly laid it down and went to the studio to record it, and liked it so much we pushed back the release one week so that we could get it onto the album — it now has 13 tracks. It's the ultimate song to end the record with and begin the new chapter of our career."

According to Amazon.com, "Saints of Los Angeles" will feature the following track listing:

01. L.A.M.F.
02. Face Down In The Dirt
03. What's It Gonna Take
04. Down At The Whisky
05. Saints Of Los Angeles
06. Mutherfucker Of The Year
07. The Animal In Me
08. Welcome To The Machine
09. Just Another Psycho
10. Chicks = Trouble
11. This Ain't A Love Song
12. White Trash Circus
13. Goin' Out Swingin'

According to Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com, VENOM's new album, "Hell", has had its release date pushed back to June 9 (Europe) and June 10 (U.S.) from the previously announced May 26 and May 27, respectively.

A complete track from "Hell" has been made available for streaming on the pioneering British black metal band's official web site. Check out the song "Straight To Hell" at this location. Streaming audio samples of eight songs from "Hell" are available here.

The cover artwork for "Hell" can be found at this location.

"Hell" track listing:

01. Straight To Hell
02. The Power And The Glory
03. Hand Of God
04. Fall From Grace
05. Hell
06. Evil Perfection
07. Stab U In The Back
08. Armageddon
09. Kill The Music
10. Evilution Devilution
11. Blood Sky
12. USA For Satan
13. Dirge / The Awakening

In other news, Universal has announced their plans to release "Hell" on vinyl. The vinyl version of the LP will be released two weeks after the CD. The CD will be released with a 'limited-edition jewel case', and the vinyl will also be available as a "limited-edition picture disc."

Reactivated Swedish metallers AT THE GATES played their first three shows since announcing their reunion May 8-11, 2008 as part of the Extreme The Dojo 20 Japanese tour also featuring THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, MAYHEM, PIG DESTROYER and INTO ETERNITY.

Fan-filmed video footage of the May 11 concert at Studio Coast in Tokyo, Japan can be viewed below (courtesy of "moneenerd"). (Note: The AT THE GATES portion begins around the 6:43 mark.)

Photos of AT THE GATES' May 8, 2008 performance at the Namba Hatch in Osaka, Japan can be found at this location (all pictures by Alan Ralph).

The group's setlist was as follows:

01. Slaughter of the Soul
02. Cold
03. Under a Serpent Sun
04. The Swarm
05. Terminal Spirit Disease
06. Suicide Nation
07. Raped By the Light of Christ
08. Windows
09. World of Lies
10. The Burning Darkness
11. The Beautiful Wound
12. All Life Ends
13. Need
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14. Blinded By Fear
15. Kingdom Gone

AT THE GATES summer 2008 reunion lineup:

Adrian Erlandsson - Drums
Martin Larsson - Guitar
Anders Björler - Guitar
Tomas Lindberg - Vocals
Jonas Björler – Bass

"Hellhounds On My Trail", the new video from Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM, can be viewed below.

The "Hellhounds On My Trail" single will be released on June 9 via Spinefarm Records UK. The follow-up to the "Blooddrunk" single, also the title of the Finnish band's latest album, "Hellhounds…" will be made available on two separate formats:

* CD single featuring two cover versions (by KENNY ROGERS and ALICE COOPER), three live tracks recorded at the London Astoria in March 2008 plus the "Hellhounds…" video.
* 12" picture disc.

Both formats will come with brand new artwork exclusive to the UK version of the single.

"Blooddrunk", the new album from CHILDREN OF BODOM, sold 19,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. This is roughly four times the opening tally of its predecessor, "Are You Dead Yet?", which premiered with 5,000 units back in October 2005 to land at No. 195.

"Blooddrunk" was certified gold in Finland (for sales in excess of 15,000 copies) on pre-sales alone — before it was even officially released — a first for the band.