Finnish metallers NORTHER have posted a new song, entitled "We Rock" on the band's MySpace page. The track comes off the group's new album, "N", which will be released through Century Media Records on the following dates:

Feb. 13 - Finland
Feb. 22 - Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, BeNeLux
Feb. 25 - UK, France, Denmark, Greece, Norway
Feb. 26 - Spain, Portugal
Feb. 29 - Sweden, Hungary

The CD was recorded and produced by longtime partner Anssi Kippo (CHILDREN OF BODOM) at Astia Studios and mixed by Fredrik Nordström (DARK TRANQUILLITY, ARCH ENEMY, IN FLAMES) at Studio Fredman in Sweden.

Commented NORTHER bassist bassist Jukka Koskinen: "The release of 'N' is getting closer. I played the album to some people and the feedback has been very good. Everyone said that NORTHER sounds so much better than ever before so hopefully it will kick major ass for you our fans! We thought to put one new song on our MySpace so all of you can finally have first impression of it! The track is called 'We Rock'. Hope you're gonna like it! We've been rehearsing the new songs and we're very excited to play these tracks for you!

"We'll be playing at the Finnish Metal Expo on February 16th, 2008 in Helsinki so if you have the time pop by! We're also pleased to announce that we're gonna do a full European tour in March/April 2008 with our labelmates TURISAS. The first two weeks cover the UK and central Europe will follow afterwards. It's great to get back on the road and with TURISAS we'll form an excellent and diverse team for the tour! Be there or be lame!

"The new NORTHER video also for the mind=blowing song 'We Rock' has also been finished with Helsinki-based production team Tunne Productions. The video will be out for public by the end of January, so stay tuned!"

According to a press release, "N" sees NORTHER "perfecting their mix of ripping riffs, aggressive vocals and epic melodies and will be premiered live at the well-known Finnish Metal Expo on February 16, 2008 in Helsinki. With the release of the massive metal anthem 'We Rock' as Finland-only single plus a new video currently in the works NORTHER are destined to induce 2008 with a metallic kick-off par excellence."

"N" track listing:

01. My Antichrist
02. Frozen Angel
03. Down
04. To Hell
05. Savior
06. Black Gold
07. We Rock
08. Always & Never
09. Tell Me Why
10. If You Go
11. Self-Righteous Fuck
12. Forever And Ever
13. Sabotage (Japanese Bonus Track)

The Pulse of Radio reports: ATREYU is getting ready to join fellow Orange County, California residents AVENGED SEVENFOLD on this winter's Taste of Chaos tour. Although the tour doesn't begin until February 29 in Denver, ATREYU singer Alex Varkatzas told The Pulse of Radio that his band is keeping busy with rehearsals and planning a reissue of its latest album, "Lead Sails Paper Anchor". "We're just kind of practicing," he said. "We're working on writing a new song that we're gonna release as part of, like, a re-release of 'Lead Sails', just to add some DVD content and some other things like that. So we're keeping busy."

Varkatzas did not have a title for the new song, nor a release date for the expanded edition of "Lead Sails...", which will come with a DVD.

"Lead Sails Paper Anchor", ATREYU's major label debut, arrived last summer and features the single "Becoming the Bull". The newest single from the disc is called "Falling Down".

COLDWORKER, the Örebro, Sweden-based "blasting" death metal band consisting of current and former/current members of such acts as NASUM, RELENTLESS, RUIN and PHOBOS, has completed work on the follow-up to its debut album, "The Contaminated Void". The self-produced effort, entitled "Rotting Paradise", is currently being mixed and mastered at Unisound studios with Dan Swanö (OPETH, KATATONIA, DISSECTION).

"Rotting Paradise" track listing:

01. Reversing the Order
02. Citizens of the Cyclopean Maze
03. Symptoms of Sickness
04. The Black Dog Syndrome
05. Comatose State
06. Paradox Lost
07. The Last Bitter Twist
08. Seizures
09. The Machine
10. I Am the Doorway
11. Scare Tactics
12. Deliverance of the Rejected

The Japanese edition of "Rotting Paradise" will also include a cover of SEPULTURA's "Necromancer".

A full-length version of the new DERANGED song "Watch Me When I Kill" is available for streaming at this location. The track comes off the Swedish death metal masters' seventh full-length album, "The Redlight Murder Case", which is scheduled for release in February 2008 via Regain Records. The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Watch Me When I Kill
02. Strip Nude For Your Killer
03. Gently Before She Dies
04. Redlight Murderess
05. So Sweet, So Dead
06. The Killer Wore Black Gloves
07. Formula For A Murder
08. Death Walks On High Heels
09. Body Puzzle

DERANGED drummer Rikard Wermén previously stated about the upcoming album, "It is the best musical work we have so far accomplished under the name DERANGED. It's brutal and insane, and will hopefully leave you dead with a broken neck in the pit."

HEAD CONTROL SYSTEM, the heavy groove/rock/metal act comprised of Daniel Cardoso (ex-SIRIUS, RE:AKTOR) and Kristoffer Garm Rygg (ULVER, ex-ARCTURUS, BORKNAGAR), has issued the following update:

"While conspiring the next record, the boys decided to let you enjoy the unreleased and somewhat unfinished track that didn't make it into [HEAD CONTROL SYSTEM debut album] 'Murder Nature''s tracklist...and guess what, it is SEAL's hit single 'Kiss from a Rose' played the HCS way. Meanwhile, recording dates for the next HCS record should be announced sometime soon..."

Guitarist Robert Westerholt of the Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers WITHIN TEMPTATION has issued the following update:

"Unfortunately, I have to inform you that I will not be joining the rest of the band on the tour that starts tonight. During an unfortunate accident, I severely bruised my right thumb, making it impossible for me to play guitar. Of course I'm very disappointed that I can't visit you all as I was really looking forward to it a lot!!

"The band will be playing with the five of them, so they will not be joined by an extra guitar player. I'm confident that you will make up for the difference by screaming even louder than you usually do!

"I will definitely be back for the (sold-out!) Ahoy show in February, hope to see you all there!"

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-based metallers 3 INCHES OF BLOOD have reportedly recruited drummer Ash Pearson (SOUND OF THE SWARM, JUST CAUSE) for their current tour with THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, HATE ETERNAL and DECREPIT BIRTH. Pearson joins the group as the replacement for Alexei Rodriguez, who was unceremoniously dismissed from the band after he landed in a physical confrontation with SAXON drummer Nigel Glockler at the Hard Rock Hell festival in England this past November.

Canadian metallers THREAT SIGNAL have issued the following update:

"We are pleased to announce guitarist Adam Weber as the final piece of the THREAT SIGNAL puzzle. The writing process with Adam has already begun, and we're all looking forward to recording and touring with him."

THREAT SIGNAL recently uploaded the demo version of a new song, entitled "Beyond Recognition", on the group's MySpace page.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, goth/rock legends TYPE O NEGATIVE have announced the February 12 release of two special editions of their acclaimed new album "Dead Again".

The deluxe CD version will contain a bonus DVD with exclusive live performances, interviews and studio videos. The discs will be repackaged in a special red cover. A limited-edition triple-vinyl box set will also be released and features "Dead Again" on high-quality 180-gram vinyl. The vinyl box set will contain the bonus DVD, along with an exclusive t-shirt and mp3 files of the album.

In other TYPE O NEGATIVE news, the stunning new video for "September Sun" will be making its small-screen debut on MTV2's "Headbanger's Ball" this Saturday, January 12 during the first hour of the broadcast.

German metallers METALIUM have set "Incubus" as the title of their new album, due later in the year via Massacre Records. According to the band, "Incubus" is "carrying on the heavy style and touches very realistic themes like the controversy of the church and 'the evil". The title song, 'Incubus', is an epic song of over eight minutes and original phrases of an exorcism process were used to give the song an extra authentic feel."

"Incubus" track listing:

01. Trust (Intro)
02. Resurrection
03. Gates
04. Incubus
05. Take Me Higher
06. Never Die
07. At Armageddon
08. Sanity
09. Meet Your Maker
10. Hellfire
11. Soulchaser (Japan Bonus)

Classic SEPULTURA, MADBALL and LIFE OF AGONY albums will be repackaged and reissued via Roadrunner Records as part of a two-for-the-price-of-one series. Scheduled for release on February 12 are the following titles:

* SEPULTURA - "Against" / "Nation"
* MADBALL - "Demonstrating My Style" / "Look My Way"
* LIFE OF AGONY - "Ugly" / "Soul Searching Sun"
* FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY - "Tactical Neural Implant" / "Millennium"

We are proud to announce that the first single, taken from the new album "A Sense Of Purpose", will be entitled “The Mirror’s Truth” Release Date: March 7th 2008 out via Nuclear Blast Records. Please note that this is a European single and will not be available elsewhere! You can check the tracklist below! The cover artwork for the single has been created by Alex Pardee, for ZeroFriends (www.eyesuckink.com). Alex has also done all the artwork for the album. We will be releasing tracklist and album artwork Monday, January 14th. Stay tuned for more news!

Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM have revealed the track listing for the new album, "Blooddrunk", due in Europe on April 7, 2008 via Spinefarm Records (two days later in Finland).

"Blooddrunk" was recorded and produced by Mikko Karmila at Petrax and Finnvox studios in Finland during October, November and December 2007, except vocals, which were recorded by Peter Tägtren, and keyboards, which were recorded by Janne Wirman at Petrax studios, Finland, during October, November and December 2007. The CD was mixed at Finnvox by Mikko Karmila in November 2007 and it was mastered at Finnvox by Mika Jussila in December 2007.

"Blooddrunk" track listing:

01. Hellhounds On My Trail
02. Blooddrunk
03. LoBodomy
04. One Day You Will Cry
05. Smile Pretty For The Devil
06. Tie My Rope
07. Done With Everything, Die For Nothing
08. Banned From Heaven
09. Roadkill Morning

CHILDREN OF BODOM will release a new single, "Blooddrunk", in Finland on February 27, 2008 (March 3 in the rest of Europe).

The band recently traveled to Germany to film two videos, both of which were produced by Katapult Filmproduktion.

Speaking to Revolver magazine, CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman Alexi Laiho stated about the songwriting process for "Blooddrunk", "This time we wanted to make things more difficult. So I've been including some progressive sounds. Not in an annoying way, though; if we do progressive music, we want people to actually listen to it. We won't become a DEPECHE MODE cover band. If we ever get tired of playing metal. That's the end of CHILDREN OF BODOM."

He added, "We rehearsed all day, then I'd come home and start fucking around with the guitar and a four-track until 6 a.m. Then I'd wake up and do it all again until I was completely wrecked. This time it was really laid back, and that allowed me to be more creative."

According to an article in the November 2007 issue of the Finnish magazine Soundi, CHILDREN OF BODOM laid down cover versions of the following songs during the recording sessions for "Blooddrunk":

"War Inside My Head" (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES)
"Lookin' Out My Back Door" (CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL)
"Just Dropped In" (KENNY ROGERS)
"Ghost Riders In The Sky" (STAN JONES)

CHILDREN OF BODOM will join MEGADETH, IN FLAMES, JOB FOR A COWBOY and HIGH ON FIRE for this year's Gigantour in North America.

Two songs from CHILDREN OF BODOM — "Angels Don't Kill" and "In Your Face" — are featured on the "Unholy Alliance Tour" DVD, which was released on October 30, 2007 via American Recordings. The set features the the "Unholy Alliance Tour: Preaching to the Perverted" lineup — SLAYER, LAMB OF GOD, MASTODON, CHILDREN OF BODOM and THINE EYES BLEED. The DVD has an approximate running time of 90 minutes.

The "Unholy Alliance Tour" DVD was shot at Vancouver's General Motors Place on July 13, 2006, was directed by Adam Rothlein (Speedway Films), and boasts performance footage plus bonus material to include backstage, behind-the-scenes and one-on-one interviews, many of which were conducted by the Unholy Alliance artists themselves.

The second episode of CHILDREN OF BODOM's COBTV takes the viewers to Petrax Studios in Hollola, Finland for special coverage of the recording sessions for "Blooddrunk". Watch the six-minute clip here.

CONSTANCIA is the Swedish brainchild of former SCUDIERO/TOKEN keyboard player Mikael Rosengren. After writing a bunch of songs, he contacted guitarist Janne Stark (SALT, OVERDRIVE, LOCOMOTIVE BREATH, SIR LORD BALTIMORE) who liked the material and started arranging the guitar parts. The pieces started falling into place and ANDROMEDA's David Fremberg joined the project as the singer, with bass player Michael Mueller (JADED HEART) and drummer Peter Svensson (FAITH, LOCOMOTIVE BREATH, MERCY) following suit.

CONSTANCIA has around 15 songs written so far, two of which have been properly demoed and one of which has been completed as a pre-production demo. All three tracks can be heard on the band's MySpace page.

Singer Simone Simons of the Dutch symphonic metallers EPICA has issued the following update:

"Since a couple of months I have been struggling with infections and had surgery many times. The doctors didn't know what was wrong with me. After a lot of tests at the hospital they found out that I am infected with MRSA, also known as the hospital bacteria. The treatment of this bacteria comes with a strict hygienic schedule which I have to work through every day. Because of this I will not be able to go on long trips, let alone living in a tour bus. Therefore we are forced to cancel most of our shows in February. The shows on the 22nd and 23rd in Lille and Vosselaar we will still do since they are independent shows and very close by. We cannot plan too far ahead since I first have to get rid of the infection and that will take some time. How long it will take we cannot tell at the moment.

"We are very sorry that we cannot do these shows. We were all looking forward to this tour and to meet you guys. What I have to focus on now is getting well, so that
we will be on the road again as soon as possible. Please check out our site every once in a while for more information on this matter."

According to WebMD, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), like all staph bacteria, can be spread from one person to another through casual contact or through contaminated objects. It is commonly spread from the hands of someone who has MRSA. This could be anyone in a health care setting or in the community. MRSA is usually not spread through the air like the common cold or flu virus, unless a person has MRSA pneumonia and is coughing.

An audio sample of "Sanctuary", the first single from CAVALERA CONSPIRACY — the new project featuring SEPULTURA founding members Max (guitar, vocals) and Igor Cavalera (drums) alongside vocalist Joe Duplantier (bass) of the French progressive death metallers GOJIRA and SOULFLY guitarist Marc Rizzo — is available for streaming at this location. A video for the song is currently being filmed in Paris, France.

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY's debut album, "Inflikted", will be released in North America on March 25, 2008 via Roadrunner Records (one day earlier internationally). Rex Brown (PANTERA, DOWN) makes a cameo bass appearance on one track. Another song is a collaboration between Max, Joe and Richie Cavalera (INCITE) on vocals.

This long-anticipated reunion between the Cavalera brothers is something fans across the globe have been waiting for since SEPULTURA's last gig at Brixton Academy in December 1996. Hailing from Belo Horizonte in central Brazil, SEPULTURA gained a legendary reputation as the one of the most highly regarded and successful death/thrash metal bands of all time, with two gold albums under their belts both in the UK and the USA — "Chaos A.D." (1994) and "Roots" (1996).

"When Igor and I met at the 10th annual D-Low Memorial Show [in 2006] and got the instruments in our hands, it was like we had never been separated. The metal was flowing in our veins," Max previously said. "It was the same in the studio."

Recording took place this past July at Undercity Studios in Los Angeles, with rising production star Logan Mader (ex-MACHINE HEAD/SOULFLY guitarist). Among the 11 songs set to appear are "Inflikted", "Bloodbrawl", "Terrorize" (formerly "Holy Poison"), "The Doom of All Fires", "Ultra-Violent" and " Sanctuary". A b-side cover of the POSSESSED death/thrash classic "The Exorcist" was also recorded.

"Inflikted" final track listing:

01. Inflikted
02. Sanctuary
03. Terrorize (formerly "Holy Poison")
04. Black Ark
05. Ultra-Violent
06. Hex
07. The Doom Of All Fires
08. Bloodbrawl
09. Nevertrust
10. Hearts Of Darkness
11. Must Kill

Watch fan-filmed video footage of CAVALERA CONSPIRACY — Max and Igor Cavalera along with Marc Rizzo and GOJIRA's Joe Duplantier — performing the song "Inflikted" at the 11th annual D-Low Memorial concert on August 31, 2007 at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe, Arizona here.

Norwegian cult doom band FUNERAL has issued the following update:

"FUNERAL is entering the studio January 14 to begin the recording of a new record, hopefully for a spring release...a concept album is in the loop.

"The band is finalizing negotiations regarding a new contract with a well established label, thus ending cooperation with Tuba Records. The new label will be announced in near future.

"When the new label will be published the band will also launch a completely new website, which will contain amongst other things a filmed studio diary, as well as rare tracks, both studio and live recordings from 1995 until this day."

FUNERAL's video for the track "This Barren Skin" can be viewed below. The clip was directed by Marcel Lelienhof and was edited by Christian Hvatum.

"This Barren Skin" comes off the band's latest album, "From These Wounds", which was released in December 2006 via Tabu Recordings in Norway (the rest of Europe received the CD on January 29, 2007). The limited-edition digipack version of the album comes with a bonus track, "Breathing Through You".

San Francisco Bay Area metallers MACHINE HEAD have garnered the first Grammy nomination of their career for "Aesthetics of Hate", a monstrous track from the critically hailed album "The Blackening", released in March 2007. The song is nominated for "Best Metal Performance".

"Best Metal Performance" Grammy nominees:

AS I LAY DYING - "Nothing Left"
KING DIAMOND - "Never Ending Hill"
MACHINE HEAD - "Aesthetics Of Hate"
SHADOWS FALL - "Redemption"
SLAYER - "Final Six"

The 50th annual Grammy Awards will be held at Los Angeles' Staples Center on Sunday, February 10, 2007.

"Aesthetics of Hate", an anthemic song built around a firestorm of riffs, was inspired by an article of the same name that appeared on a popular neo-conservative website that addressed the on-stage shooting of legendary PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott by attacking him as an "untalented possessor of a guitar" and his fans as "pathetic and ugly." While "Aesthetics of Hate" isn't about Dimebag per se, it is a mighty metallic reaction to the author's skewed perception of the metal scene.

MACHINE HEAD frontman/guitarist Robb Flynn commented: "We are completely blown away, and honored by this. It's incredible that the anger of this song has connected with so many people. It proves to Dimebag's detractors the positive impact he had on his fans and fellow bands alike."

A preview video for AYREON's upcoming album, "01011001", can be viewed here. The CD is scheduled for release on January 28 via InsideOut Music.

AYREON is the brainchild of Dutch guitarist/composer Arjen Lucassen. The group will make its new rock opera, entitled "01011001", available in three editions:

* a regular two-CD edition with a 28 page booklet.
* a Special Edition: a box containing the regular 2CD edition and a bonus DVD.
* a Deluxe Limited Edition, a DVD size fold-out case with embossed silver lettering on the slipcase. This edition contains the 2 CDs and a bonus DVD* plus a 36 page booklet with additional artwork.

The bonus DVD contains:

* Behind the Scenes - Making of 01011001
* Beneath the Waves - CGI Movie (5.1/2.0)
* Guide Demos (audio) - feat. Arjen on vocals
* Ed Warby's Session - Recording drums
* Bloopers (audio)

According to legend, a NOEKK is as volatile as the water of the river, the sea or the well he protects. This creature, which is as fickle as it is fascinating, is a reflection of "The Minstrel's Curse", the mythical duo's third album.

The NOEKK has left the puddles in the hinterland of vintage Progressive Rock, unexpectedly popping up in waters far from home, not giving a damn about genre issues. But although NOEKK still excel through their outstanding musical diversity and shuddle between classic Metal elements, epic Mellotron parts, dreamlike piano passages, and the familiar obscure atmosphere, none of their albums was making its point as boldly as "The Minstrel's Curse" does.

You can pre-listen "The Minstrel's Curse" here.

SEPULTURA's video for the song "Ostia" can be viewed here. The second clip from the Brazilian thrashers' "Dante XXI" album was shot at a studio in São Paulo, Brazil in March 2007 prior to the band's departure for their European tour. During the following week, the video crew and the main actor shot the outdoor scenes in downtown São Paulo. The script, which adapts the story from the book "The Divine Comedy" to the modern days, was directed by Geraldo Moraes.

SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser is putting the finishing touches on his solo debut, entitled "Hubris I & II". A two-disc set, it is tentatively scheduled for release in April 2008 via Holland's Mascot Records. The CD was recorded in part at A Voz do Brasil studio in São Paulo, Brazil.

Bassplayer and founding member Daevas has decided to leave Secrets of the Moon due to personal issues. "There won't be any official statement from his side." states singer and guitarplayer sG. "Still he will remain being a close friend. His unique work in the band will never be forgotten".

There is no official replacement for Daevas. "A few names have to come to our minds but nothing is sure yet" sG says and promises that all confirmed shows for 2008 will be played, however.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich recently spoke to Revolver magazine about the band's much-anticipated new album, tentatively due in the spring via Warner Bros. Records.

"This stuff is certainly a lot more dynamic and a lot more varied than the last couple of go-rounds," he said. "There's a lot of light and shade in these songs. There's heavy, fast, nutty stuff, and then there's some slowdowns and musical interludes. It's pretty different from 'St. Anger', and it's pretty different from the 'Load' stuff. This stuff is not the one-dimensional punch in the face that 'St. Anger' was. This is probably a little more like those couple of albums back there in the decade that begins with an '8.'"

When asked if the material represents a return to the "old school," Lars replied, "I hate to be that specific, because six months from now people are gonna go, 'What the fuck? Lars lied to us!' But it feels that way to me. It's been no secret that Rick [Rubin, producer] suggested to us that we use a couple of those records as reference points — that we spend some time kind of accessing that headspace. So when we would come to forks in the road, sometimes the exercise became, 'What would we have done at this point in 1985?'"

Finally Funker Vogt will record a live DVD in 2008! The Show takes place at the K17 in Berliln, Germany. Here is the webpage of the Club: _www.k17.de_(http://www.k17.de/). We recommend to order tickets rather early, as tickets will get sold out soon for this special event. Funker Vogt will perform a best of show. The Fans
will hear songs from each of the 7 Albums and several EPs Funker Vogt released in the past 11 years. Funker Vogt promises their fans a brilliant show, with spectacular light effects and all the Funker Vogt classics! This is the
event in 2008 for each and every Funker Vogt Fan!

ILL NINO has issued the following update:

"We're truly sorry about this, but [the new ILL NINO album] 'Enigma' will not be released on the 8th of this month. The release date was pushed back, and changed by our label, and is totally beyond our control. All six of us in ILL NINO want nothing more then to be able to release 'Enigma' for you all, and tour for all of our friends around the world!! Next week we will have the new 'Enigma' release date for you all."

ILL NINO's last release was the "The Undercover Sessions" EP, which came out in November 2006 through Cement Shoes. The CD was comprised of three of ILL NINO's favorite cover songs from bands they loved growing up as fans, and two brand new songs — all overseen by legendary producer Andy Johns (LED ZEPPELIN, VAN HALEN, OZZY OSBOURNE), Dave Chavarri and Eddie Wohl (ANTHRAX, 36 CRAZYFISTS, MACHINE HEAD). The EP was the band's first release through Cement Shoes following their split with the Roadrunner label.

Sweden's BURST has issued the following update:

"Songs for our coming album are almost completed, and right now we are polishing and scrutinizing and paying attention to even the smallest of details. We are confident that the end result will be worth all this work and end up in an album that will feel is the absolute most accomplished effort we've ever been able to squeeze from our system. Recording will start in April.

"Buuut, in the meantime we will perform one or two domestic gigs:

"First up, we've been given the opportunity to play the northern Swedish town of Umeå. The Amplified Festival will feature us playing alongside bands like SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES, CULT OF LUNA and a bunch of indie rock. Saturday the 26th of January is the date, and we're aiming at performing one or two of our new puppies there. Hope you'll enjoy. We'll also do another festival in March. Keep your eyes open for announcements soon enough."

Vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (BEYOND FEAR, ex-ICED EARTH, JUDAS PRIEST) has issued the following update:

"Things are good on this end. The new BEYOND FEAR songs are really sounding great. I really can't wait to get in the studio! Also, I have a really cool project that I will be working on real soon, the news will be released in due time, it should be a lot of fun. But this will not change the timing of BEYOND FEAR.

"A big thanks to the thousands of emails that have come in with nothing but support and kind words! I thank you all for that."

Owens was dismissed from ICED EARTH in December — three months after the release of the group's latest album, "Framing Armageddon - Something Wicked Part I".

German thrash/hardcore metal band HATE SQUAD will release its fifth album, "Degüello Wartunes", in March via Dockyard 1/Soulfood. The CD was recorded at Rape Of Harmonies Studios (HEAVEN SHALL BURN, MAROON, NARZISS) in Triptis, Germany and features guest appearances by HEAVEN SHALL BURN's Marcus Bischoff and MAINTAIN's Timo Böhling.

"Degüello Wartunes" track listing:

01. Degüello Wartunes
02. Rise Up
03. Killing Spree
04. At The End Alone
05. Anger From The Gutter
06. Aggro Manticore
07. Never Surrender...Die Fighting!
08. My War
09. Shank
10. Hannover H8core
11. Rivers Of Blood

HATE SQUAD's fourth album, "H8 for the Masses" came out in 2004 via Swellcreek Records. The CD was recorded at Horus Sound Studio (KREATOR, PARADISE LOST, GUANO APES) with producer Herman Frank (ACCEPT, VICTORY).

HATE SQUAD is:

Burkhard Schmitt (Vocals)
Mark Künnemann (Guitars)
Helge Dolgener (Drums)
Bauke De Groot (Bass)
Martin Blankenburg (Guitars)