Poland's Metal Mind Productions will release the first DVD from reactivated Danish thrashers ARTILLERY, entitled "One Foot in the Grave, The Other One in the Trash", on June 16 in Europe and August 5 in the USA (via MVD). According to a press release, the DVD features "a fantastic gig the thrash veterans gave at Metalmania Festival 2008. The outstanding guitar play of brothers Stützer, charismatic Carsten Nielsen's powerful drums and the uncompromising thrash energy of Søren Adamsen's voice ruthlessly hammered their way into the hearts of the headbangers assambled on that occasion. ARTILLERY launched a veritable blitz, bombarding their fans with a skull-breaking selection of some of the best songs from their entire discography, including great thrash metal masterpieces like 'By Inheritence' and 'Khomaniac'!" The DVD will also include many great bonus features, such as extra video material: "Allergic to Knowledge" (video clip), "Terror Squad" (video clip), "The Almighty" (bootlegged at The Rock, Copenhagen, 2008), MISSING LINK – "Lobotomized" (video clip), plus interview with Michael Stützer, interview with Morten Stützer and Carsten Nielsen and more. The release will also be available in a limited edition — including a CD with songs recorded at the Metalmania Festival.

"One Foot in the Grave, The Other One in the Trash" track listing:

DVD:

01. Deeds of Darkness
02. Into the Universe
03. The Almighty
04. Cybermind
05. The Challenge
06. By Inheritance
07. The Eternal War
08. Beneath the Clay (R.I.P.)
09. Time Has Come
10. At War with Science
11. Out of the Sky
12. Khomaniac
13. Terror Squad

CD (limited edition DVD+CD only):

01. Deeds of Darkness
02. Into the Universe
03. The Almighty
04. Cybermind
05. The Challenge
06. By Inheritance
07. The Eternal War
08. Beneath the Clay (R.I.P.)
09. Time Has Come
10. At War with Science
11. Out of the Sky
12. Khomaniac
13. Terror Squad

The cover artwork was designed by Graal, who has previously worked with VITAL REMANS, SINISTER, SOLITUDE AETURNUS and BULLDOZER, among others. Graal was also responsible for the cover artwork of ARTILLERY's "Through The Years" box set.

Ex-STRATOVARIUS leader and current REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE mastermind Timo Tolkki has posted the following message on his MySpace page:

"Just wanted to let you know, that I will be away for a while. I need to get away from this negative and hate-filled atmosphere of the last days.

"The statement of [Tolkki's former STRATOVARIUS bandmates] Jens [Johansson, keyboards] & co hurt me deeply with its aggressiveness and hate, not to mention the lies they wrote to make it look like totally my fault. I have been very down the last days, so I need some time alone.

"I still cannot believe that it is not possible to go separate ways in a civilized way. My statement was in my opinion like this. From their statement, all I get is this enormous hate and bitterness towards me plus that they made it public, even including figures there. Being accused of being greedy narcisstic Faust by someone I talked on the phone in the last six months countless times laughing like before and making jokes comes as a very heavy blow. I thought Jens was my friend.

"Instead of staying [with] what I considered a very sick band and getting all that money, I decided to start from scratch without anything, even members. And knowing I will have to pay lot of money too from the legal costs, but that was irrelevant at that point, because I gave the management and lawyer all the time I could and 60 days before the release of my new band, I had to come to public about STRATOVARIUS. So the greediness attack comes as a total surprise to me against the facts and also their lies. Mainly about the timings. The idea for RR was born and the contract singned long after October 2007, when I broke STRATOVARIUS.

"Since it really seems that they will continue under the name STRATOVARIUS, that I own and that I have contracts with each of them, I have to of course think what should I do? As clearly as there can't be STRATO without [Timo] Kotipelto [vocals], as clearly there cannot be STRATOVARIUS without me. That was my band totally since around '86, ten years before anyone of these guys joined the band. I think there is something else behind this and I don't believe that they really will continue under that name. That would make them look like they would just want to use the band's name to make money. Why not start from the clean table like me?

"In any case, my first initial thought was to let them use the name, but now I have started to think that since all this hatred is projected to me and the obvious reasons to use the name would be just financial, why should I give it to them? STRATOVARIUS was a band that I controlled in a very similar way than Tuomas of NIGHTWISH up until I got very sick in 2004. The things started to be taken away from my control and that lead actually to the demise of the band. Do you think NIGHTWISH could exist without its soul? I suppose it could, but again what would be any other point, than capitalize the name?

"With these thoughts I leave you now for some time and come back with a bit more clear head.

"Thank you for your support and take care of yourselves."

BLACK SABBATH's "Master of Reality" is the focus of the first book about a heavy metal album in Continuum Books' popular 33 1/3 series. The 33 1/3 series documents some of the most important recordings ever made.

The 33 1/3 series are low-priced, pocket-sized books. Each is about or inspired by a classic LP. They range from rock and roll's foundations to modern classics. Previous books have explored records by PINK FLOYD, DJ SHADOW, THE KINKS, SONIC YOUTH, VELVET UNDERGROUND, RADIOHEAD, BEASTIE BOYS, and many others. Launched in September 2003, the series now contains over 50 titles and is acclaimed and loved by fans, musicians and scholars alike.

Released on April 15, "33 1/3: Master of Reality" (cover) was written by Decibel columnist and MOUNTAIN GOATS mainman John Darnielle. He describes "Master of Reality" through a fictional character, a fifteen-year-old boy being held in an adolescent psychiatric centre in southern California in 1985. Adolescents in treatment are often required to keep a journal, and they write letters by the dozens: to their parents, to their friends on the outside, to the nurses who confiscate their belongings, to the teachers back at school who've offered them an outlet for their creativity. Our narrator has arrived in treatment with a Walkman and some tapes that are precious to him, only to have them taken away on the ground that their content is part of his greater problem. His various writings, aimed mainly at getting his tapes and Walkman back, will explain how BLACK SABBATH differs from their Satan-worshipping popular image, and how "Master of Reality" is an overtly Christian album, which it is. Our narrator will try to explain BLACK SABBATH like an emissary from an alien race describing his culture to his captors: passionately, patiently, and lovingly.

For more information, visit Amazon.com.

Guitarist/vocalist Paul Masvidal of the reunited progressive metallers CYNIC — whose 1993 album "Focus" is regarded as a landmark release in the field of technical/progressive metal — has issued the following statement regarding the group's new deal with Season of Mist Records:

"We're pleased to be back in business with Season of Mist as our record company. They have tremendous enthusiasm and passion for our work. Our bottom line was a company that understood what CYNIC does and believes in it 100%. We found that with Season of Mist.

"We're deep in the pre-production album process now and will be headed into the studio in a couple weeks to dive even deeper and start the recordings with our talented friend Warren Riker (DOWN, SANTANA) at the engineering/mixing helm.

"The journey of writing this record has taken [Sean] Reinert [drums] and I to new heights of exploration, straight into the heart of CYNIC's soul. We're thrilled to be able to share this new work with the best fans in the world. Stay tuned."

CYNIC's new album will contain eight songs, and the band is working once again with renowned artist Robert Venosa (who created the unmistakeable cover and visuals for "Focus"). A late 2008 release is expected, to be supported by additional live shows soon to be announced.

Norwegian power metallers GAIA EPICUS have issued the following update:

"We are working hard on the new album and it is going to be a blast once it's done. As a 'waiting-for-the-new-album' gift, we would like to give you our two first albums for free download! The albums will be available for download between 7th and 18th of May."

The audio (.RAR) files can be downloaded from the following locations:

"Satrap" (2003): Download
"Symphony of Glory" (2005): Download

GAIA EPICUS's forthcoming album, "Damnation", will feature guest appearances from the following musicians:

Roland Grapow (MASTERPLAN, ex-HELLOWEEN)
Dominique Leurquin (RHAPSODY OF FIRE, LUCA TURILLI'S DREAMQUEST)
Renato Tribuzy (TRIBUZY)
Andreas Olsson (NARNIA, DIVINEFIRE, ROB ROCK, STORMWIND)
Michael Troy (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN)
Jonas Hörnqvist (TREASURE LAND)
Lasse Jensen (OCEANS OF TIME)
Fabrizio S Muratori (NHORIZON)

GAIA EPICUS recently revealed the cover artwork (by J.P Fournier) for "Damnation", tentatively due this summer.

"Damnation" projected track listing:

01. Damnation
02. Masters of the Sea
03. Firestorm
04. The Wizard's Return (instrumental)
05. You are a Liar!
06. Cyborgs from Hell
07. The Saviour (Will Come)
08. A Hero in All
09. Salvation is Here

GAIA EPICUS's video for the song "New Life" can be viewed below. The clip features home video footage taken during 2006, including from the recording sessions for the group's last CD, various live shows and from the band's visit to Minneapolis in August 2006. The track comes off GAIA EPICUS's third album, "Victory", which was released in January through the band's own label, Epicus Records.

GAIA EPICUS mainman Thomas C. Hansen is scheduled to release his debut solo album, "Like a Shadows", via Epicus Records. According to a press release, the CD contains 11 tracks, eight of which are instrumentals. All instruments on the album are played by Thomas except a few small guest parts with trumpets, flute and female vocals. The music is described as "melodic hard rock/metal with some progressive elements."

Danish metalcore act AS WE FIGHT has issued the following update:

"We're sad to announce that after seven years with the band, Jason Campbell [vocals] will be moving on. We'd like to wish him all the best in the future! No shows will be cancelled!!!

"We're excited to announce that our friend Esse (NUMBNUTS) will give us a helping hand for the shows in Denmark and Germany in May, where we furthermore will air a couple of songs from the upcoming album! See you guys on the road!"

AS WE FIGHT recently spent time at the Smart 'N' Hard Studio recording its third album with producer Jacob Bredahl (HATESPHERE, MACHINEMADE GOD). The CD will "show the band toning its rock influence down in favor of a metal approach," according to a press release. A release date for the effort has yet to be announced.

The winner of the Finnish national TV talent competition "Idols", 23-year-old heavy metal singer Ari Koivunen, is streaming his new single, "Give Me A Reason", on his MySpace page. The song was written by Nino Laurenne of THUNDERSTONE and Pasi Heikkilä, who are also in charge of producing Ari's sophomore album.

The follow-up to last year's "Fuel for the Fire", the as-yet-untitled new CD was recorded and mixed at Sonic Pump Studios and is scheduled for release in Finland on June 11 via Sony BMG (June 11 via digital music outlets).

"Fuel for the Fire" was certified double-platinum in Finland, where it has sold more than 75,000 copies to date.

A special edition of "Fuel for the Fire" was issued in Finland on November 21, featuring a live DVD and acoustic versions of two album songs ("Hear My Call" and "Angels Are Calling") as a bonus. The live DVD contains material from Ari's concerts in Helsinki last summer and as well as interview footage.

Italian power metallers KALEDON have revealed the complete track listing for the Japanese version of their new album, "Legend Of The Forgotten Reign Chapter 5: A New Era Begins". It is as follows:

01. A New Man
02. A Wounded Friend
03. Mozul
04. Undeads Again
05. The End Of The Green Power
06. A Flash In The Sky
07. Great Mighty Light (instrumental)
08. The Greatest Heart
09. The God Beyond The Man
10. Return To Kaledon

Bonus tracks:

11. Neon Knights (BLACK SABBATH cover)
12. We Will Rock You (QUEEN cover) (speed version)

Bonus DVD:

* "The God Beyond The Man" video clip
* Chapter 5 Making Of: Documentary
* Picture Gallery
* "Clash Of The Titans" live bootleg with Marco Palazzi
* "A Wounded Friend" and "Return To Kaledon" video karaoke version

"The God Beyond The Man", the new video from KALEDON, can be viewed below. The track comes off "Legend Of The Forgotten Reign Chapter 5: A New Era Begins", which is tentatively due in Europe in the next couple of months via Hellion Records.

KALEDON last fall announced the addition of singer Marco Palazzi to the group's ranks.

The band parted ways with vocalist Claudio Conti in October due to "personal differences."

"Pretty Words", the new video from ALL ENDS — the Swedish hard rock band featuring Emma Gelotte (sister of IN FLAMES guitarist Björn Gelotte) and Tinna Karlsdotter on vocals, Fredrik Johansson (DIMENSION ZERO, IN FLAMES' "The Jester Race" album) and Peter Mårdklint (EMBRACED, TENEBRE) on guitar, along with Josef Skanås on drums — can be viewed below. The song comes off the group's self-titled full-length debut, which entered the Japanese "International" chart at position No. 8.

METALLICA's recently announced web site — MissionMetallica.com — where the band says it will offer fans a chance to "experience the [group's] new album before it's done," is scheduled to go "live" on May 12.

As previously reported, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich told RollingStone.com that the band intends to explore "everything" in terms of selling its music once its current recording contract expires. But although the group's upcoming ninth studio album is its last with Warner Bros. Music, Ulrich said they would be hesitant to follow in the footsteps of U2 and MADONNA and sign a comprehensive "360 deal" with Live Nation. Ulrich explained, "We've never sold ourselves that way. No disrespect. We want to be as free a player as possible. We've been observing RADIOHEAD and Trent Reznor and in 27 years or however long it takes for the next record, we'll be looking forward to everything in terms of possibilities with the Internet."

Ulrich told The Pulse of Radio something similar when asked what the band will do once its contract is finished. "There's a bunch of possibilities out there," he said. "It's great to be able to have the choices, and it's great when you don't need the record company to sign the checks, you know what I mean? Then it sort of becomes a whole different thing. The landscape continues to change, you know, so we'll see."

Ulrich talked with RollingStone.com on April 19, as the band did an autograph session at an independent record store in northern California to celebrate Record Store Day. Ulrich called the group's participation a "no-brainer," adding, "The record store has been such a huge part of our lives. When I was 12, 14 years old in Denmark, the record store was the Holy Grail and the guy who worked there was my hero."

The new METALLICA album is tentatively due out in September, with U.S. tour dates possibly in the works for around the same time.

The band has scheduled a slew of European festival dates for May, June, July and August in addition to two U.S. shows, on May 16 at a radio festival in Tucson, Arizona and mid-June at the Bonnaroo Festival in Tennessee.

Ex-STRATOVARIUS leader and current REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE mastermind Timo Tolkki has issued the following statement in response to comments released earlier today by his former STRATOVARIUS bandmates regarding the cirumstances surrounding the group's break-up:

"I am very surprised about this. But my original statement in www.tolkki.com is still all I have to say about this. There are several outright lies in the STRATO statement and it is also clearly written by Jens [Johansson, keyboards] alone. I will make some comments about these here:

"[Quoting statement from his former STRATOVARIUS bandmates] 'If you live your life through other people's eyes, declining sales or a perceived loss of power are matters of deep, stinging personal humiliation.' [end of quote]

"Well, I don't really live my life through anybody else's eyes. Neither I felt 'stinging personal humiliation.' I felt sad.

"[Quoting statement from his former STRATOVARIUS bandmates] 'Other sad facts remain. The legal fight left us without a way to make a new album, and financially strapped. Timo's main motivation for what he did was greed, not issues of friendship or art.' [end of quote]

"My main motivation was not greed, it was what you can read in my statement. It's true of course that my decision was a hard one and left others on their own. But sometimes in life you have to make decisions based on your own well being and what you want to do.

"All the guys have a stable income from other sources, Jörg [Michael, drums] is running a booking agency, [Timo] Kotipelto [vocals] has his own band and record label, Jens has a record label with his brother and Lauri [Porra, bass] has loads of work as a bassist. By the way, just yesterday Lauri sent me an SMS where he was inetersted in joining REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE and he was asking questions about who will be playing in it.

"[Quoting statement from his former STRATOVARIUS bandmates] 'In the summer of 2007, he presented the STRATOVARIUS/REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE demos we had all financed and recorded to Frontiers Records, and signed a recording agreement for a solo project. Unbelievably, he promised Frontiers that he alone could (and would) stop STRATOVARIUS from being active for the duration of the R.R. project, for marketing reasons. In exchange for this, Timo alone was paid 154,000 US dollars.' [end of quote]

"I didn't present any STRATOVARIUS demos to Frontiers at that point. By the way, I paid for those demos and I mixed them without any fee in Sonic Pump studio, which alone would cost 1000?. The contract was signed after I broke STRATO.

"There were two contracts: One for 'Saana', my solo album, and one for RR. I, of course, felt no obligation to tell anything about my personal life/business to people whom I have left behind.

"Why should I do that?

"Frontiers demanded the STRATOVARIUS clause because they probably thought that I might put STRATO back again. It simply says that as long as RR contract is valid and active, there cannot be any STRATO records, which was totally okay for me since the band was already broken up. Why should that be a problem? The money I don't comment other than that's a blatant lie.

"So to make is clear: First I broke up STRATO and finished my opera and then I started thinking about forming a new band.

"[Quoting statement from his former STRATOVARIUS bandmates] 'He did this behind our backs, as we were deep in pursuit of Sanctuary legally with a large legal bill. He still hasn't had the guts to tell us what he did. We pieced it together from various press releases of his and scattered email correspondence.' [end of quote]

"Again, these were my personal business things after the STRATOVARIUS was already broken up. So nothing behind anybody's back.

"[Quoting statement from his former STRATOVARIUS bandmates] 'In October he sent us a mail saying he didn't want to continue, a quite impersonal way after having been in the same band for 12 years. He explained that he was tired of STRATOVARIUS, and would concentrate on things like his opera. We had known for some time he really hated playing live.' [end of quote]

"Another lie. The mail was extremely long and I asked them to come back to me after reading it.

"At that point I did and was concentrating in my opera. There was no plans of RR at this point. I was fully in the production of my 'Saana' opera. I told in the mail the same reasons I am telling in my www.tolkki.com statement.

"[Quoting statement from his former STRATOVARIUS bandmates] 'He did not mention anything about his Frontiers deal, which placed the rest of us at great financial risk. He very clearly asked that we wouldn't contact him and try to talk him out of it, which we all respected. He would later make much of the fact that nobody tried to talk him out of it.' [end of quote]

"I could not mention anything about the Frontiers deal because there was no Frontiers deal at this point. I for sure didn't want 'anybody to talk me out of it.' Why would I want to do that after I just broke up the band. And Jens has all the time been sending me emails and we have been talking on the phone with very friendly terms. Now I see that this all has been just a big lie.

"[Quoting statement from his former STRATOVARIUS bandmates] 'This year, Sanctuary agreed to settle, but Timo's announcement and Timo's announcement alone ruined that, leaving us with a debt of 54,000 US dollars. The total loss is around 346,000 US dollars. There was no reason for the timing of his announcement other than some foolish belief it would make the promotion of Timo's project record a bit easier.' [end of quote]

"Yes, this is very unfortunate, but Jens is making a mistake by assuming that RR is a project. It is a band, as everyone can see: I am looking for musicians.

"I waited as long as I possibly could in announcing the RR band, but the reason why the legal case did not succeed was that STRATO management and lawyer could not get us out of the deal although they had ONE AND A HALF years time to do that. That is a very bad peformance for a simple case if the record company takes the option or not. I was not informed about anything at this point about the legal case although I was asking constantly. And I knew that if I would release RR without telling about STRATOVARIUS breakup, everybody would just take it as a project, which it is not. So these are the reasons for announcing the split before the RR release.

"[Quoting statement from his former STRATOVARIUS bandmates] 'Then late January, surprisingly, he proposed us playing as hired guns on R.R. (turning it into a STRATOVARIUS record), and doing a tour with Jari on bass. Apparently he again had financial problems due to his failed opera project. He then quickly dismissed the idea himself.' [end of quote]

"This is a lie. I asked them if they would like to do a farewell tour of STRATOVARIUS, as I have explained in my statement. It was nothing to do with financials, but as a respect towards STRATOVARIUS fans. My opera wasn't even out yet, so how could it have failed at that point?

"It is now taking off nicely and I am happy. I dismissed the idea of farewell tour, that Jens was happy about, but Kotipelto and Jörg in a very hostile way rejected.

"[Quoting statement from his former STRATOVARIUS bandmates] 'In short it's not so much a story of simmering discontent leading to a wise and respectable decision. It's definitely not a story of naiveté. It's the story of Faust, the story of madness, of a band's natural and slow decline, but in the end something mundane: the story of a supreme narcissist going broke and betraying friends of 12 years who helped save him a few years earlier.' [end of quote]

"Well, I've never been called a Faust before, so at least that's a new one. I don't consider that I have betrayed anyone, but that I have stayed true to myself and my beliefs. Also from the very beginning I shared all the income from every source equally between all the band members. That doesnt sound like greed to me. Bitter it does sound.

"It is not a story of Faust, it is a story of a rock band and this statement verifies all those things I am writing in my statement. There is hate. There is tension. All those things were and are still there.

"The statement ends 'the remaining members of STRATOVARIUS.' Although I own the name and all the rights to that, I have no problem if the guys want to continue the band without me.

"I am very happy with RR getting interesting fresh musicians and doing loads of creative stuff in my life. Too bad it had to end this way."

Swedish one-man black metal project ARCKANUM will release its fourth full-length album, "Antikosmos" (cover artwork), in June via Debemur Morti Productions. Recorded at Sunlight Studio and mastered at Necromorbus Studio, "Antikosmos" reflects Shamaatae's worship of the anti-cosmic Old Norse religion and his workings of the dark runes.

The track listing is as follows:

01. Svarti
02. Dauðmellin
03. Røkulfargnýr
04. Blóta Loka
05. Nákjeptir
06. Eksortna
07. Sú Vitran
08. Formála

A full unmastered track has been made available for download at this location.

SIGH's upcoming six-song tribute to legendary black metal band VENOM, titled "Sigh's Tribute to Venom", will feature 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!"

"Sigh's Tribute to Venom" track listing:

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

Metal Mind Productions will release a new live DVD by FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, entitled "Once in a Deathtime" (cover artwork), in Europe on June 16. The disc will contain footage of the band's March 8, 2008 performance at Metalmania Festival in Katowice, Poland, including live renditions of such classic songs as "Doomsday for the Deceiver", "No Place for Disgrace", or "I Live You Die". The DVD will also feature an interview with Craig Neilsen (drums) and Ed Carlson (guitar), biography, discography, photo gallery, desktop images and weblinks.

A limited-edition version of the DVD will include will include an audio CD containing songs recorded at the Metalmania Festival.

"Once in a Deathtime" track listing:

DVD:

Metalmania Festival 2008

01. Hammerhead
02. Me
03. The Master Sleeps
04. Swatting at Flies
05. No Place for Disgrace
06. Doomsday for the Deceiver
07. Hard on You
08. Fork Boy
09. Never to Reveal
10. Escape from Within
11. I Live You Die
12. Smoked Out

CD (only on limited DVD+CD edition):

01. Hammerhead
02. Me
03. The Master Sleeps
04. Swatting at Flies
05. No Place for Disgrace
06. Doomsday for the Deceiver
07. Hard on You
08. Fork Boy
09. Never to Reveal

Metal Mind Productions released a digipack edition of FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's "Dreams Of Death" album in Europe on April 7. The CD was engineered by Tom Giatron and produced by FLOTSAM AND JETSAM and Tom Giatron at Genesis Studios in Phoenix. Travis Smith did the cover art. Metal Mind Productions also re-released FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's albums "When The Storm Comes Down" (1990), "Cuatro" (1992) and "Drift" (1995) on March 17 in Europe (to be issued in the U.S. on June 10 via MVD). Each remastered limited-edition digipack title (limited to 2,000 copies) was made available on golden disc, digitally remastered using 24-bit technology.

Norwegian dark sleaze rockers MALICE IN WONDERLAND are currently in the studio recording the follow-up album to their self-titled debut. The plan is to release the first single from the album, entitled "Diamonds & Debauchery", after the summer.

In other news, MALICE IN WONDERLAND is one of the featured bands on the "Wings of Steel" tribute CD to '80s rockers STAGE DOLLS, which was released last month. MALICE IN WONDERLAND contributed its version of the song "Love Cries", which can now be heard on the band's MySpace page.

Former STRATOVARIUS members Timo Kotipelto (vocals), Jens Johansson (keyboards), Lauri Porra (bass) and Jörg Michael (drums) have issued the following joint statement:

Timo Tolkki published a statement» on April 2 this year. The other members of Stratovarius would now like to set the record straight. You can't argue with someone's perception of things, you can just explain how you see things differently.

The confrontations, fights, incompetence, tensions, negativity, bitterness, hostility, disinterest, bad musicianship, and unfriendliness that Timo described were never there. He constructed this alternate reality around these simple and for him painful facts:

1) The band's momentum has been slowing since 2004.

2) The media chaos of 2004 made him lose a lot of trust and respect both within and outside the band.

3) Stratovarius' label Sanctuary had severe financial problems from 2005 on. It forced us to start a legal process at the beginning of 2007.

If you live your life through other people's eyes, declining sales or a perceived loss of power are matters of deep, stinging personal humiliation.

Other sad facts remain. The legal fight left us without a way to make a new album, and financially strapped. Timo's main motivation for what he did was greed, not issues of friendship or art.

In the summer of 2007, he presented the Stratovarius/ Revolution Renaissance demos we had all financed and recorded to Frontiers Records, and signed a recording agreement for a solo project. Unbelievably, he promised Frontiers that he alone could (and would) stop Stratovarius from being active for the duration of the R.R. project, for marketing reasons. In exchange for this, Timo alone was paid 154,000 US dollars.

He did this behind our backs, as we were deep in pursuit of Sanctuary legally with a large legal bill. He still hasn't had the guts to tell us what he did. We pieced it together from various press releases of his and scattered email correspondence.

In October he sent us a mail saying he didn't want to continue, a quite impersonal way after having been in the same band for 12 years. He explained that he was tired of Stratovarius, and would concentrate on things like his opera. We had known for some time he really hated playing live.

He did not mention anything about his Frontiers deal, which placed the rest of us at great financial risk. He very clearly asked that we wouldn't contact him and try to talk him out of it, which we all respected. He would later make much of the fact that nobody tried to talk him out of it.

This year, Sanctuary agreed to settle, but Timo's announcement and Timo's announcement alone ruined that, leaving us with a debt of 54,000 US dollars. The total loss is around 346,000 US dollars. There was no reason for the timing of his announcement other than some foolish belief it would make the promotion of Timo's project record a bit easier. What he did to the rest of us was stupid, selfish and more than disappointing to us since we all stood shoulder to shoulder with him financially in 2004.

Then late January, surprisingly, he proposed us playing as hired guns on R.R. (turning it into a Stratovarius record), and doing a tour with Jari on bass. Apparently he again had financial problems due to his failed opera project. He then quickly dismissed the idea himself.

In short it's not so much a story of simmering discontent leading to a wise and respectable decision. It's definitely not a story of naivite. It's the story of Faust, the story of madness, of a band's natural and slow decline, but in the end something mundane: the story of a supreme narcissist going broke and betraying friends of 12 years who helped save him a few years earlier.

Hopefully this explains the situation a little bit. Sorry if it is long on business crap, and short on humor or music. This was a terrible, disaapointing blow to us.

We would like to thank our fans who make it all worth it, and despite it all, we would like to thank Timo for the past, the nice music and the good moments.

The rest of us want to make clear that we are doing great and that we will continue making music together, because we care about each other and we care about our fans. We have grand plans indeed, and we will have some very interesting news in the months ahead!

-TK JM JJ LP
the remaining members of Stratovarius

A rough-mix version of the newest STEEL PROPHET song "Trickery of the Scourge" has been uploaded to the band's MySpace page. This is the group's first new material available since 2004 and the first STEEL PROPHET track recorded with singer Rick Mythiasin since 2002.

The song was mixed by Gene McEwen and "E" at For The Record Studios in Orange, California.

The band will headline the Swordbrothers Festival VII in Andernach, Germany on September 13, 2008.

STEEL PROPHET's current lineup is:

Vince Dennis - Bass
Steve Kachinsky - Guitar
Rick Mythiasin - Vocals
Gene McEwen - Drums
Horacio Colmenares - Guitar

The public has decided: GOTTHARD's song "Lift U Up" — which was written about motivating each other and working together as a team to achieve goals together — is the official song of Switzerland's national soccer team for the upcoming European championship. The track was chosen as the winning title in a recent survey held by Switzerland's biggest newspaper Blick.

The new version of "Lift U Up" was remixed by the German star producer Mousse T., who has previously worked with TOM JONES, NO ANGELS and EMMA LANFORD. In addition, the players of the Swiss national soccer team prove that they are not only self-confident when it comes to kicking, but also when it comes to singing: the guys have personally sung the chorus of the track!

The recordings with the band and the national team took place at the legendary Powerplay Studios in Zurich, Switzerland, where EUROPE recorded its "The Final Countdown" smash in the '80s.

The official "Lift U Up" maxi-CD will accompany the "Reloaded" reissue of GOTTHARD's "Lipservice" album on June 20. The song will also be released digitally on June 6.

Gary Graff of Billboard.com reports: BOSTON leader Tom Scholz tells Billboard.com he hopes to finish recording the band's next studio album after its summer tour and have it out "just after the first of the year."

Scholz says the album — BOSTON's first since 2002's "Corporate America" — is a mix of "really straightforward rock 'n' roll songs and some things that are pretty esoteric.

"When I first started," he continues, "I was doing music that had pretty simple themes. Then as I got into 'Third Stage' and 'Walk On' I got a little more technical and a little more involved, more complicated. In this one I'm trying to do both."

Legendary death metal band CANNIBAL CORPSE will release its first-ever career retrospective three-disc DVD, "Centuries of Torment The First 20 Years", on July 8 via Metal Blade.

"Centuries of Torment: The First 20 Years" contains live and rare footage, interviews with members past and present, and loads of bonus material (see track listing below). The documentary and bonus footage was directed and produced by Denise Korycki.

The track listing is as follows:

DVD 1: CANNIBAL CORPSE History

Three-hour definitive history of CANNIBAL CORPSE as told by the band and the people who were there along the way.

1987-1995

* Intro
* Demo
* Eaten Back to Life
* Butchered at Birth
* Tomb of the Mutilated
* The Bleeding

1995 – Present

* Vile
* Gallery of Suicide
* Bloodthirst
* Gore Obsessed and The Wretched Spawn
* Kill

DVD 2: CANNIBAL CORPSE Performances

With Full Force 2007

01. Unleashing the Bloodthirsty
02. Murder Worship
03. Disposal of the Body

Toronto 2006

04. The Time To Kill Is Now
05. Disfigured
06. Death Walking Terror
07. Covered With Sores
08. Born In a Casket
09. I Cum Blood
10. Decency Defied
11. Make Them Suffer
12. Dormant Bodies Bursting
13. Five Nails Through The Neck
14. Devoured By Vermin
15. Hammer Smashed Face
16. Stripped, Raped, And Strangled

* Toronto show directed by David Stuart and Nic Izzi

Party.San 2005

17. Puncture Wound Massacre
18. Sentenced To Burn
19. Fucked With A Knife
20. Psychotic Precision
21. Pulverized
22. Pounded Into Dust
23. The Wretched Spawn

New York 2000

24. The Spine Splitter
25. Dead Human Collection

Jacksonville, FL 1996

26. Mummified In Barbed Wire

Nashville, TN 1994

27. Entrails Ripped From A Virgin's Cunt
28. Pulverized

Buffalo, NY 1989

29. Shredded Humans
30. Rotting Head

Music Videos

31. Staring Through the Eyes of the Dead
32. Devoured By Vermin
33. Sentenced To Burn
34. Decency Defied
35. Make Them Suffer
36. Death Walking Terror
37. Stripped, Raped, And Strangled 2007

DVD 3: Bonus Chunks

* Compelled To Illustrate
* Every Ban Broken
* Covered With Ink
* Maniacal Merch
* Relentless Touring
* Word Infested
* Sickening Metalocalypse
* Diverse Offerings
* Staring Through the Eyes of the Band
* Kill Crane

"Centuries of Torment: The First 20 Years" was directed and produced by Denise Korycki and has a running time of seven hours and 20 minutes.

In other CANNIBAL CORPSE news, make sure to pick up a copy of Decibel's latest issue with IRON MAIDEN on the cover as CANNIBAL CORPSE was inducted into the magazine's Hall of Fame for "Tomb of the Mutilated". The feature contains interviews with all band members from "Tomb of the Mutilated", an interview with longtime CANNIBAL CORPSE artist Vince Locke, and photos from the "Tomb of the Mutilated" era.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich called in to KROQ's "The Kevin and Bean Show" yesterday (Monday, May 5) to officially announce the band's participation in the station's annual Weenie Roast on May 17 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in in Irvine, California. During the seven-minute chat, Lars spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the group's new album and METALLICA's upcoming touring activities. A couple of excerps follow:

On the status of the new album:

"Knock on wood, this week should be our last week in the studio, and then we're gonna come and hang with you guys next week and then see some friends in Tucson also next weekend. Then we're off to Europe and start, basically, playing outdoor festival shows in Europe as part of our annual summer vacation in Europe. Then the record should come in September."

On rumors that the album will be released in October:

"We're planning on putting this baby out at some point in September, like I said, unless something [drastic happens], what they call in the music business an 'act of god.'"

On the MissionMetallica.com web site, which will go live next week:

"Yeah, it rolls next Monday (May 12). It's basically… the whole kind of 'get a free DVD with the album and watch the making of the album' and all that type of stuff. We thought, instead of doing the usual DVDs and all that, why don't we just do it on the Internet and people can kind of tune in every day, watch clips, contests, get updates for what's going on with the record and kind of watch the last couple of months of songtitles, album titles, final mixes, some broadcasts from the tour in Europe. So it's kind of a little bit of a countdown type of thing. It should be fun."

On when fans can expect to hear new material:

"I mean, obviously, you'll probably hear about it about five minutes after we finish playing it — thanks to the Internet, which we appreciate. I would say that based on the rehearsals in the last week, we're obviously playing a bunch of new songs, and at some point very, very soon we're gonna start playing some new stuff live. Whether that's gonna happen in Irvine in a couple of weeks or not, we haven't quite figured that one out yet, but it'll be pretty soon, trust me."

The Pulse of Radio reports that PEARL JAM recently started recording a new album, which could come out as early as this year. According to Billboard.com, the band is currently laying down four or five songs for its ninth studio set. The guys are teaming up with longtime producer Brendan O'Brien for the first time since 1998. O'Brien is known for taking a short amount of time in the studio.

The upcoming album comes on the heels of PEARL JAM's 2006 self-titled release.

O'Brien has also produced PEARL JAM's "Vs.", "Vitalogy" and "No Code". He linked with PEARL JAM last year to record a cover of THE WHO's "Love Reign O'er Me" for the soundtrack to "Reign Over Me", starring Adam Sandler.

PEARL JAM will kick off a 13-date East Coast tour on June 11, which will include a stop at this year's Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.

New Jersey metal titans GOD FORBID kicked off their 2008 worldwide touring schedule this past week with a massive co-headlining North American tour alongside DEATH ANGEL. The trek also features SOILENT GREEN and LIGHT THIS CITY in the support slots.

GOD FORBID is ready to deliver its career-defining statement with its much-anticipated new full-length album, which is set for a late summer release. However, preceding this release will be the group's first-ever DVD, "Beneath the Scars of Glory and Progression", which is due on June 10. This package features multi-camera footage shot at a sold-out performance at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey, all of the group's promotional videos and an hour-long documentary composed of historical insight, look into each member's personalities, and some hysterical social commentary.

Regarding the band's current tour with DEATH ANGEL, GOD FORBID's Doc Coyle stated: "So far it's been a blast. The first two shows were with TESTAMENT, and they were excellent. We are sharing a bus with DEATH ANGEL and they are really some of the nicest guys I have ever met. There is a lot of positive energy and enthusiasm that they carry with them. Man, do they destroy live! I wasn't too familiar with them before the tour, but I can see why they are considered legends. SOILENT GREEN and LIGHT THIS CITY are kicking ass too. Great people and awesome bands."

He added, "So before the tour started, I'm sure many of you know we've been in the studio working on the new album. The album was supposed to go to mix May 1st, but we ran out of time in the studio, and will have to resume recording once this tour is done. Unfortunately, this means the record probably won't come out until fall now, but the quality of the record is the top priority, and we have to put our all into the final product. I can assure you what we have done sounds great, and this really is a different record for us. I think it will surprise people once it's out there.

"We are playing a new, untitled song on the tour, and it seems to be going over great.

"Also, to keep everyone in the loop, our new DVD, 'Beneath the Scars of Glory and Progression', will be in stores June 10th, but fans will be able to purchase it from the band on this tour starting May 13th at the Masquerade in Atlanta. These shows will be the only place you guys can get it before the official release so make sure you come out."

Guitarist Christian Hector has left MIDNATTSOL, the German-Norwegian band featuring vocalist Carmen Elise Espenaes (the younger sister of LEAVES' EYES singer Liv Kristine). His statement on the matter reads as follows:

"It's been some years since Carmen and me started out forming Midnattsol. Now it's time for me to move on and experience new musical directions. My decision is due to the musical development of the band, the lack of time for family and friends and last but not least my second band AHAB. I'd like to focus on the work along with my dear friend Daniel Droste and Cornelius Althammer. Nonetheless, I still call everyone in MIDNATTSOL my dearest friends, too! And I guess we'll have too much beer together again quite soon. So — as you see — this decision is not born from quarrels, controversy or dispute with Chris, Birgit, Carmen, and the two Daniels. It's just my musical way will be a different one now. I enjoyed being part of this for the last five years, and I guess I'll probably join one or the other of MIDNATTSOL for some other musical projects in the future. May it be folk, rock, metal or whatever. We'll see. I wish MIDNATTSOL good luck with 'Nordlys' and the best for their further career."

MIDNATTSOL's second album, "Nordlys" (translated: Northern Light), was released in March via Napalm Records. The CD was mixed by Tue Madsen and was mastered at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland with Mika Jusilla.

MIDNATTSOL's debut album, "Where Twilight Dwells", was released in 2005 via Napalm Records.

Nuclear Blast Records is offering YOUR metal band the chance to sign a worldwide record deal!

In a unique contest in collaboration with MySpace, unsigned metal bands from around the world will have the opportunity to win a contract with one of the leading labels for (extreme) metal music.

How can your band enter the contest?

If you're a fresh sounding metal band, you've already fulfilled part of the requirements to participate. All you have to do is send your MySpace band page link (make sure your band page has a biography and band picture) in a message to this location. Your songs will then be heard and judged by an international team of Nuclear Blast representatives.

Rules:

* Band must be unsigned
* Band should play metal
* Absolutely no cover bands
* Own your song material
* No offensive material - Fascism and racism will not be tolerated
* No song material older than two years
* Bands music should be in the English language
* Bands must be able to speak and communicate in English

The contest will run from May 5, 2008 to October 1, 2008. At the end of the contest, Nuclear Blast Records will select 10 bands that will go into the finals. Finalists will be contacted by Nuclear Blast, and then the grand prize winner will be announced. The grand-prize winner bill be contacted by Nuclear Blast Records directly and will receive a worldwide record deal with the label. Runner-up winners will win a download contract (your band songs will be available for sale) at the Nuclear Blast Music Shop. The Nuclear Blast Music Shop is the MP3 purchase platform of Nuclear Blast. In addition, your band will receive a touring support slot for a Nuclear Blast band.

DANGER DANGER guitarist Rob Marcello will release a new album, entitled "Marcello-Vestry", in Europe on May 30 via NL Distribution.

Marcello, along with his partner in crime and singer Frank Vestry (THE PACK, BURNING STARR), hails back with exactly the album all DANGER DANGER fans have been waiting for since the early '90s: high-class '80s-type American hard rock! The band is completed by Lynn D. Ruhms (drums) and Bruno Ravel (DANGER DANGER) on bass guitar who also — along with Marcello — is responsible for the powerful production of the record.

"Marcello-Vestry" track listing:

01. Fireworks
02. Ready Or Not
03. All I Wanna Do Is U
04. Gone
05. Without You
06. Live Life
07. What You Mean
08. Love Injection
09. Gangster Of Love
10. One More Night

For audio samples, go to www.myspace.com/marcellovestry.

According to a posting on the Deep Purple Appreciation Society web site, exciting plans are apparently afoot for a 40th anniversary edition of "Shades of Deep Purple", the debut album by the English hard rock band DEEP PURPLE. This follows exploratory studio run-throughs of some of the old tape reels (prior to the "Hush" Jaguar commercial) which proved more than promising.

Commented the Deep Purple Appreciation Society's Simon Robinson: "I was pleased when we got the material for the remastered EMI CD in 2000, as that was a big leap forward from the existing analogue source tape. But, frankly, we were speechless after hearing these 'new' tapes, which really prove just what an incredible sound they had right at the start, and how heavy they were too. [Original album producer] Derek Lawrence deserves a medal for archiving the work in progress like this, especially given the pressure and deadlines he was under to record and mix an album in just a few days."

"Shades of Deep Purple" was released in 1968 on Parlophone in the UK and Tetragrammaton in the United States.

The LP reached position No. 24 on Billboard's Pop Album chart in the U.S.

According to the Deep Purple Appreciation Society, it looks like the wheels are turning again on the DEEP PURPLE "Stormbringer" remaster. The album, which was originally issued in November 1974, will be re-released as a double-CD set, with CD1 featuring the original album remastered plus the new mixes by Glenn Hughes and Pete Mew. CD2 will contain the original quad mixes in 4.1 and stereo. The set is likely to come out in a special edition, which Simon Robinson from the Deep Purple Appreciation Society has been asked to put together. "I'm going for a CD-size hardback book format, with extras including accurate reproductions of the American in-store advertising card and other goodies," Simon says. No firm release date has been confirmed yet.

A one-minute trailer for LAMB OF GOD's forthcoming "Walk With Me In Hell" two-DVD set can be viewed below.

Due in Europe through Roadrunner on June 30 and in North America via Epic on July 1, "Walk With Me In Hell" features over five hours of incredible, all-access footage. Disc 1 contains the highly anticipated feature documentary "Walk With Me In Hell" and multiple live performance extras from across the globe on the "Sacrament" world tour. The documentary chronicles every detail in the lives of LAMB OF GOD as they completed recording and toured around the world nearly three times over in support of the highly praised 2006 album "Sacrament". Disc 2 includes an additional full-length "Making of Sacrament" feature plus LAMB OF GOD's entire, uncut, brutal performance at the Download festival 2007, where they performed in front of over 72,000 fans. Extras include deleted scenes, live performance videos for various tour stops, the official music video for "Redneck", and a "Making of Redneck" documentary.

"We're on stage for 90 minutes a day," says drummer Chris Adler. "People want to know what's going on for the other 22 ½ hours. It's not always limousines and champagne! 'Killadelphia' [LOG's previous platinum-certified DVD] surprised a lot of people and proved that we refuse to censor or hold anything back. True to the high standard that we hold ourselves to, 'Walk With Me In Hell' is unlike any music DVD I've ever seen. This is an entire new level of documentary taking you on an intense, worldwide journey with us."

"Walk With Me In Hell" features all-access footage from the bus to the stage and everything in between, and like the band’s unrelenting music, never lets up.

"'Walk With Me In Hell' is a very proud moment for us as a band. It's hard to comprehend the pain and glory when you're in the middle of it, but looking back over the past two years we can begin to understand how huge this record and touring cycle was," says Adler. "It shows the blood shed and what it takes to not only hold our own, but succeed in the face of every obstacle in front of us. We have never offered less than our best, our fans expect and deserve it, and this DVD will serve as a landmark for all that follow."

"Walk With Me In Hell" was directed by Doug Spangenberg, who has also directed the platinum-awarded "Killadelphia" DVD, plus LAMB OF GOD's first DVD, "Terror and Hubris".