MANOWAR's official web site has been updated with the following message:

"MANOWAR fans have requested a special piece of merchandise from their favourite metal band. MANOWAR has heard these requests and delivered. The new Manowar condoms are the perfect romantic accessory for all true metal couples. Whether you are looking to spice things up in the bedroom or meet somebody new after the show, MANOWAR condoms will do the trick. Now, you are ready for any chance meetings that turn into unexpected friendships.

"This special 'Warrior's Shield' is made of 100% natural rubber latex and transparent in colour. All condoms are FDA-approved against pregnancy, AIDS and other STDs. Expiration date, lot numbers and health advisories printed on the back of each condom.

"The 'Warrior's Shield' is individually packaged with the white MANOWAR logo emblazoned on the package. The 'Warrior's Shield' is sold five (5) condoms per bag.

"MANOWAR condoms now available at the Kingdom Of Steel online store, just in time for the holidays!

"Now you can not only say 'Fuck the world,' you can do it as well."

Visit the The Kingdom Of Steel online store at this location.

Australian atmospheric/gothic/doom metal band THE ETERNAL has issued the following update:

"We have completed tracking the drums [for the new THE ETERNAL album, 'Kartika'] at Mixmaster Studios in Adelaide, South Australia. A big thanks goes to all those involved in the sessions and we are really pleased with the outcome. Marty [O'Shea] pounded out 12 new tracks and they sound huge!

"We will commence tracking the bass guitar and guitars on December 28th, 2007."

"Kartika" projected track listing (in no particular order):

01. Self Inflicted
02. Means for an Ending
03. Blood
04. Without Reason
05. A Pale Reflection
06. Illuminate
07. Walk Beside You
08. Brighter Day
09. Kartika
10. Silence
11. July
12. Lost Our Way
13. Inside the Grey
14. I've Seen The Dream Through Someone Else's Eyes
15. Sunshine
16. Frozen Sun
17. Last Embrace

Guitarist Michael Kammeyer of the Danish metallers PYRAMAZE has issued the following statement regarding the recent announcement that the group's lead vocalist Matt Barlow was returning to front his previous band ICED EARTH as the replacement for Tim "Ripper" Owens:

"As most of you know by now, Matt has joined forces with his old band ICED EARTH again. Like any other metal music lover, we in PYRAMAZE are excited about the prospect of Jon [Schaffer, ICED EARTH guitarist] and Matt working together again. But this reunion has created some speculations in the metal community towards Matt's future in PYRAMAZE, and I can put all the PYRA-fans at ease, and tell you that Matt is still a full member of PYRAMAZE, and the only change is that now you'll get Matt in a double dose.

"I'm happy to tell you that last week Matt's wife [who is also Jon's half-sister — Ed.] gave birth to a healthy little boy. Because of this happy event sleep has become an 'elusive guest' for Matt and his wife, but as soon as the Barlow family regains some 'normality' and sleep is back on the menu, Matt will prepare a statement for you.

"The recording of our new album has not been delayed, and dates for our vocal recording and final mix/master session are still the same.

"That's it for now, and the next time we've got news, it will be Matt's statement."

PYRAMAZE entered the studio on October 1 in Haderslev, Denmark to begin recording the follow-up to to "Legend of the Bone Carver".

Barlow joined PYRAMAZE as the replacement for Lance King who left the band in November 2006.

The group's third album is tentatively due next spring.

PYRAMAZE's latest CD, "Legend of the Bone Carver", was released last year via Massacre Records (Europe) and Nightmare Records (USA and Canada).

SOULFLY has issued the following update:

"Recording sessions for the next SOULFLY album have been completed. Over the course of the last month, Max has been back at Tim Lau and Bobby Burns' Porch Studio in Orlando to finish tracking percussion, samples, most of his rhythm guitar tracks, and vocals for nearly half songs for the album. Drums, lead guitar, bass and a handful of rhythm guitar and vocals tracks for all 13 songs were recorded during the month of September before the band took a break for Max to collect samples for the album. In addition to the guest vocals from David 'Evil D' Vincent [from MORBID ANGEL] which were recorded on the last day of the September sessions, Dave Peters from THROWDOWN stopped by the studio to make a vocal contribution to the album this month as well.

"Sadly, the memory stick for Max's camera was stolen during his trip to Europe in October so we can't show you many of the photos that we had hoped to, but you can expect more photos (and videos) from the studio to be posted when it gets closer to release time. Andy Sneap will be mixing the tracks this spring, and the album will be in your hands this summer.

"SOULFLY will spend the remainder of the month at home with friends and family, and in January, Max and Marc will be turning all of their attention to their new band — CAVALERA CONSPIRACY. The debut album from CAVALERA CONSPIRACY (also featuring Igor Cavalera and Joe Duplantier) will be in stores March 25, 2008."

The Pulse of Radio reports: DISTURBED has completed recording and has now moved to the mixing stage for its fourth album, tentatively titled "Indestructible". According to HardDrive Radio, the Chicago quartet is in Los Angeles to supervise the mix and meet with their record label to discuss the launch of the project. A release date has yet to be finalized, but singer David Draiman told The Pulse of Radio the band has a rough idea of its initial tour plans. "We're still trying to figure out what we're doing during the summer, but I know in the spring, when we start touring, the intention is to start in Europe with the European festivals," he said. "We may end up doing like a small warm-up run prior, I have no idea, we always tend to do that. But that's what we plan on starting the cycle off with."

"Indestructible" is tentatively due for release in the spring.

Draiman recently told RollingStone.com that the upcoming album's projected title track is "an anthem for soldiers" — specifically American soldiers fighting overseas. "It's meant to be something that would make them feel invincible, take away their fear, make them strong," Draiman said. "And that's what this whole body of work on this record does. It's music to help you feel strong."

Spotlighting the band's darker side, there's "Deceiver", inspired by one of Draiman's "really bad relationships," and the Edgar Allan Poe-esque tale "Inside The Fire". "That's a real racy song," Draiman admitted to RollingStone.com, "It's about me standing over the body of my girlfriend, who just killed herself, and the Devil is standing over me, whispering in my ear to kill myself."

DELAIN — the Dutch gothic rock/metal project founded by ex-WITHIN TEMPTATION keyboardist Martijn Westerholt (brother of WITHIN TEMPTATION's Robert Westerholt) — has released the video for its song "The Gathering". Watch the clip here. The track is taken from the group's debut album, "Lucidity", which came out last year.

The Dutch branch of Roadrunner Records recently uploaded video highlights from DELAIN's November 2 concert at Broerenkerk in Zwolle, Holland, where the band was joined by special guests, WITHIN TEMPTATION vocalist Sharon den Adel and LEAVES' EYES singer Liv Kristine. Watch the five-minute clip at this location (Windows Media).

In addition to Martijn Westerholt and Charlotte Wessels (vocals), "Lucidity" features guest appearances by the following musicians:

Jan Yrlund (ex-LACRIMOSA) - Guitars
Ariën van Weesenbeek (GOD DETHRONED) - Drums
Ad Sluijter (EPICA)
George Oosterhoek (ex-ORPHANAGE)
Guus Eikens (ex-ORPHANAGE)
Sharon Den Adel (WITHIN TEMPTATION)
Marco Hietala (NIGHTWISH)
Liv Kristine (LEAVES' EYES)

Baltimore, Maryland-based metallers MISERY INDEX have posted a new track, "The Color of Blood", on their MySpace page. The comes off the group's split EP with MUMAKIL, which was recently released through Power It Up! Records.

MISERY INDEX will team up with DESPISED ICON for a co-headining European tour in January/February 2008. Support on the trek will come from BENEATH THE MASSACRE. ANNOTATIONS OF AN AUTOPSY will open the UK dates, while MAN MUST DIE will open the shows in mainland Europe.

Bassist Clammy of the Canadian thrash metal pioneers EXCITER has issued the following update:

"The last of the recording is complete. We're well into the mixing of [the new EXCITER album] 'Thrash Speed Burn' now, and personally, I am blown away by what I'm hearing!! This CD is gonna crush! The interviews, for the bonus material, are being edited now, and we'll be getting the artwork, etc. together shortly.

"Only a little more to go now!! I can't wait for this CD to drop!"

Massacre Records will release "Thrash Speed Burn" on February 22, 2008.

"Thrash Speed Burn" will mark EXCITER's recorded debut with new singer Kenny "MetalMouth" Winter, who joined the band in October 2006. The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Thrash Speed Burn
02. Demon's Gate
03. Evil Omen
04. Hangman
05. In Mortal Fear
06. Crucifixion
07. Betrayal
08. The Punisher
09. Massacre Mountain
10. Rot The Devil King

EXCITER's last CD is "New Testament - Coven of Re-Recorded Classics", a collection of reworked early songs which was released in June 2004 through Osmose Productions.

EXCITER 2007 is:

John Ricci (Guitar)
Rik Charron (Drums)
Clammy (Bass)
Kenny Winter (Vocals)

Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen filmed a video for her next solo single, "Die Alive", on December 9, 2007 in Berlin, Germany. Check photos from the video shoot at this location.

In other news, Turunen performed the song "I Walk Alone" at the Kummit charity benefit concert, which was broadcast on the Finnish MTV3 channel on Thursday, December 13. Video footage of the playback performance can be viewed below.

"Die Alive" and "I Walk Alone" both come off Turunen's new solo album, "My Winter Storm", which entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 3. The CD, which reportedly was certified gold in Finland for sales in excess of 15,000 copies on the day of the LP's release (November 14), debuted on the Finnish chart at No. 1.

Norway's Indie Recordings has announced the signing of black metal legends GEHENNA.

GEHENNA was formed in 1993 and is said to be "one of the original founders of true Norwegian black metal." With six albums and two EPs on their soul-scarred conscience, they have made an profound impact on today's black metal scene.

GEHENNA has explored the boundaries of the genre but always stayed true, which has undoubtedly contributed to their cult-like status.

The band has had an almost endless stream of members running through its veins. For the upcoming release they have found their strongest lineup ever, once again featuring Dirge Rep after his leave of absence to ENSLAVED and GORGOROTH. Founding fathers Sanrabb and Dolgar and the rest of the band will enter Reel Noise Studios (THE DEVIANT, PURIFIED IN BLOOD) in July 2008 and record what is being described as a natural follow-up to their latest album, "WW" (Moonfog). The band is reported to be in very high spirits, and is looking forward to once again get out there, tour, and meet their ever-growing fan base.

The band commented on their new label home: "Indie Recordings was without a doubt the best choice for us. Their professionalism and distribution is very impressive and communication is never at halt. For the future, RISE! HAIL SATAN!'

According to NME.com, LED ZEPPELIN is rumored to be planning a three-night at New York's Madison Square Garden sometime in 2008.

The Sun reports that the bandmembers were overheard discussing the prospect after their performance at the O2 Arena in London on Monday (December 10).

A source quoted in the newspaper explains, "One of the guys [in the band] started talking about their three concerts at the Garden. There was a consensus of, 'Why not?'"

Net profits from LED ZEPPELIN's December 10 concert will go to the Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund, which provides scholarships for gifted children. Late Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun helped jump start the careers of various acts ranging from Ray Charles to Aretha Franklin.

Despite rumors, LED ZEPPELIN hasn't officially announced any additional shows. Guitarist Jimmy Page recently told Reuters, "Let's just do the O2 and we'll see what happens from there. I haven't got a crystal ball here and nor have you."

A new BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE track entitled "Eye of the Storm" is available for download via HotTopic.com (free registration/sign-up required). The song comes off the Welsh metallers' forthcoming sophomore album, "Scream Aim Fire", due in the U.S. on January 29, 2008 (Jive/SonyBMG). A video for the CD's title cut can be viewed here.

"Scream Aim Fire" was produced by Colin Richardson (MACHINE HEAD, FEAR FACTORY) who also produced "The Poison", and was recorded at Sonic Ranch near El Paso, TX earlier this year. The eleven new songs are, according to frontman Matthew Tuck, "really melodic heavy metal...catchy, hooky choruses and full-on vocals, with the music being very in-your-face and heavy...it's a lot more uptempo [than 'The Poison'], a lot more aggressive."

An exclusive 15-minute digital single — a special sneak preview of "Scream Aim Fire" — will be available for download beginning December 18. Two of the album's tracks, "Eye of the Storm" plus the title cut, will be included, along with the band's Matt and Moose providing a behind-the-scenes track-by-track commentary about the album. The "Scream Aim Fire" digital single will sell for $1.98 and be available through all the major digital media services (iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody, etc.).

Guitarist Ruud Jolie and drummer Stephen Van Haestregt of the Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers WITHIN TEMPTATION recently took part in sounds2move.de's 2007 Christmas special. They spoke about their most memorable moments of 2007 and discussed their plans for the future. Watch the 13-minute video clip here.

WITHIN TEMPTATION's November 24, 2007 concert at the Beursgebouw in Eindhoven, Holland was filmed for an upcoming DVD, tentatively due next summer. The sold-out show at the 8,000-capacity venue included lots of special effects, an acoustic section, Broadway-style musical elements and guest appearances by Anneke van Giersbergen (AQUA DE ANNIQUE, ex-THE GATHERING) and George Oosthoek (ex-ORPHANAGE).

An acoustic version of "What Have You Done", taken from the "special edition" version of WITHIN TEMPTATION's new album, "The Heart of Everything", is available for streaming at this location.

WITHIN TEMPTATION was honored in the "Best-Selling Artist - Netherlands" category at the World Music Awards on November 4 in Monte Carlo.

The World Music Awards (founded in 1989) is an international awards show that annually honors recording artists based on their worldwide sales figures, which are provided by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).

As previously reported, WITHIN TEMPTATION will be joined by the Dutch Metropole Orchestra for a special concert at the Ahoy Stadium in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on February 7, 2008.

WITHIN TEMPTATION's latest album, "The Heart of Everything", sold 7,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 106 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's first U.S. release for Roadrunner Records, "The Heart of Everything" also topped the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

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.

Commented Kisser: "I spent the last two weeks putting the last solos, vocals, percussion [for the solo CD] and it is set to be released in April 2008. I'm very happy with the result so far and I'm almost done. I went back to the studio right after we [SEPULTURA] came back from India."

In a 2006 interview with The Metal Exiles, Kisser stated about the upcoming effort, "It will be a double album, with the first disc being electric and the second disc being more acoustic and percussion[-based]." On why he decided to release a solo album now, Andreas said, "There was this label in Holland [Mascot] and said I should release something myself. Here is the deal, release something if you want to. I have a lot of material lying around so I am organizing it and recording it now. I am taking my time, as I am not in a rush, I want to enjoy it as much as I can."

Speaking to Romania's Metalhead TV earlier in the year, Andreas Kisser stated about SEPULTURA's current touring/recording plans, "Our intention, really, is to play as much as we can to prepare this band to start writing new material. So we're gonna start writing a new album at the end of the year, hopefully to release next year, sometime in the second [half of 2008]."

Back in March, SEPULTURA filmed the second video from their "Dante XXI" album, for the song "Ostia". The clip was shot at a studio in São Paulo 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.

Sweden's Regain Records has issued the following press release:

"Regain Records has finally decided how to go further with the GORGOROTH matter. Regain Records will continue the co-operation with the band's original member Infernus with a new line-up. This new line-up will be announced by Infernus through the new official website www.gorgoroth.info. Regain Records recognizes Infernus as the rightful owner of the bands name, logo and trademark, and is prepared to take any legal steps necessary to prevent any third part from exploiting it, artistically and commercially."

The Gaahl-fronted version of GORGOROTH recently completed a European tour that included Gaahl on vocals, King ov Hell on bass, Nick Barker (ex-DIMMU BORGIR, CRADLE OF FILTH) on drums, and Teloch (NIDINGR, UMORAL, 1349) and Sykelig on guitars.

STRATOVARIUS bassist Lauri Porra will release his new solo album, "All Children Have Superpowers" on January 9, 2008. Three songs from the CD — "Release", "Changes in Memory" and "All Children Have Superpowers" — are available for streaming on Lauri's MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/lauriporra).

Porra was born on December 13, 1977. He is a fourth-generation musician and started to study music at the age of six, playing cello and later changing to bass guitar in 1993. He studied in the Helsinki Pop & Jazz Conservatory since 1994, and he recieved the Nokia Young Talent Scolarship in 2001. Other formal studies have been on piano, double bass, trumpet and classical singing. He has been playing and touring all around the world professionally since 1997 in numerous Finnish bands and styles varying from classical to jazz to heavy metal. Bands include: STRATOVARIUS, SINERGY, WARMEN, KOTIPELTO, BEN GRANFELT BAND, EMMA SALOKOSKI TRIO, CRAZY WORLD, and countless others. In 2005 he is released his first, self-titled solo album, "Lauri Porra".

STRATOVARIUS debuted a brand new song, entitled "Last Night on Earth", during their appearance at the Wacken Open Air festival on Saturday, August 4 on the "True Metal Stage".

STRATOVARIUS earlier in the year entered Sonic Pump studios in Helsinki, Finland to begin recording its new album (the title of which consists of two separate words that both start with "R"). An early 2008 release is expected.

The Pulse of Radio reports: DISTURBED vocalist David Draiman has been enjoying the success that comes with three straight million-selling albums in a row. The Los Angeles Times reported that earlier this year on vacation, Draiman took a helicopter to a New Zealand winery, went scuba diving in Australia and had a private cruise aboard an $8 million yacht. But the singer said that success doesn't necessarily make life easier. "People always say, 'What's he got left to write about, he's successful now,'" he said. "Are you kidding? You know how much shit comes with being successful? You know how much happens after? You know how much you lose trust, you lose people who you thought were your friends, you lose a sense of purpose...the further you climb up the mountain, it's not like the clearer you can see. The more you can see, and sometimes it's humbling."

DISTURBED is currently in a Chicago studio recording its fourth album, tentatively titled "Indestructible". A spring 2008 arrival is expected for the CD.

As previously reported, Draiman is selling his Northridge, California mansion, according to the Los Angeles Times. The singer is asking nearly $2.9 million for the massive house, which is designed to look like a medieval castle complete with turrets, gargoyles, stone dragons and griffins. Draiman bought the property for $2.5 million in 2005. The six-bedroom, seven-bathroom residence was nothing special until 1992, when a former owner transformed it into a medieval palace complete with vaulted halls, hidden doors, ornate chandeliers and a great room with a 24-foot-high ceiling.

In addition to the 6,800-square-foot main house, the property also includes a guest house, a tennis court, a pool, a koi pond, a wooden bridge, a waterfall and an exercise room that includes an office.

ONE MAN ARMY AND THE UNDEAD QUARTET, the new Swedish band featuring former THE CROWN vocalist Johan Lindstrand, has made its song "Christmas for the Lobotomizer" available for streaming on the group's MySpace page. The track was originally released as a limited-edition single in November 2006 via Nuclear Blast accompanied by the songs "Devil on the Red Carpet", "Hell is for Heroes" and "Bulldozer Frenzy", recorded live at last year's Summer Breeze festival in Germany.

Says the band, "It's like a Christmas present to our fans that didn't get a hold of the limited edition of the 'Lobotomizer' mini-CD that only got printed in 500 copies. Enjoy this song while you´re drinking your mulled and spiced wine."

Long-running German metallers PARADOX have pushed back the German release date of their fourth album, "Electrify", to January 18 from the previously announced January 11. The CD was produced by guitarist/vocalist Charly Steinhauer and was mixed and mastered at the Hansen Studios in Denmark by Jacob Hansen (RAUNCHY, DESTRUCTION, HATESPHERE). Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Monument", "Second Over Third By Force", "Infected", "Portrait in Grey", "Hyperspeed Hallucinations", "Bridge to Silence", "Disconnected", "Cyberspace Romance", "Electrify", as well as a cover of BLACKFOOT's "Good Morning". Joining Steinhauer and guitarist Kai Pasemann in the group's current touring lineup are drummer Roland Jahoda (formerly of SOUL DEMISE) and bassist Roland Keller.

According to Telegraph.co.uk, video footage of LED ZEPPELIN's triumphant reunion concert on Monday night has become an online hit watched by half a million people.

Within hours of the band leaving the stage at London's O2 Arena, footage shot with mobile phones was posted onto online video site YouTube.

Just over 24 hours later, a 10-minute clip of the band performing possibly their most famous track, "Stairway to Heaven", had been viewed by almost 500,000 people.

A shorter clip of them performing "Good Times Bad Times" had been viewed by more than 250,000 people.

Today, clips of the concert made eight of YouTube's most watched videos in the UK.

X-WORLD/5, the new band featuring KING DIAMOND guitarist Andy La Rocque alongside ex-HAMMERFALL bassist Magnus Rosén and PAGAN'S MIND vocalist Nils K.Rue, will release its debut album, "New Universal Order", on February 29, 2008 via Germany's AFM Records.

The group, whose mission is to "bring heavy metal into the future," consists of the following musicians:

Magnus Rosen (HAMMERFALL) - Bass
Nils K.Rue (PAGAN'S MIND) - Vocals
Big Swede - Drums
Reeves Gabrels (TIN MACHINE, DAVID BOWIE) – Insane Guitars
Andy La Rocque (KING DIAMOND) – Heavy Guitars

For more information, including audio samples, visit www.x-world5.com.

Germany's DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER has released a trailer for its upcoming DVD, "Tobsucht - Reitermania Over Wacken & Party.San", to be released on February 1, 2008 via Nuclear Blast. The disc will feature the band's complete show at Wacken Open Air 2007 in front of 50,000 metalheads and the special old-school concert (featuring songs from the first three records only) at Party.San Open Air 2007. Also included will be a road movie of the band's railway tour through Russia and Ukraine in January 2007 featuring live footage from shows in Kiev, Moscow and St. Petersburg. Bonus material will include interviews with all bandmembers, rare backstage material and footage shot by the winners of the fan video contest. The limited luxury-box edition of the DVD will contain two live audio CDs with the Wacken Open Air and Party.San shows.

Royal Hunt completed mixing of their new album (a sequel to their critically acclaimed 1997 release “Paradox”) which is done in a “non stop” fashion and clocks at around 52 minutes of total playing time. The band would also like to introduce their new singer – Mark Boals (ex - Y.Malmsteen`s Rising Force, Billionaires Boys Club , Ring of Fire) who took over the vocal duties after John Wests departure. Soundclips can be heard in the media section at www.royalhunt.com

Guitarist Sander Gommans of the Dutch symphonic metallers AFTER FOREVER — who suffered a seizure on November 30 while en route to a gig — has issued the following update:

"Just a little update about me, though I can't give you any clear information about my health right now. I feel OK, but fatigued, and the doctors still don't know what caused the attack so more tests are in order. Since it could still be related to the burnout, I have to try to take it easy again, which is of course extremely frustrating.

I'm sure I cannot do the upcoming gig and I can't tell you when I'll be performing again. I guess I'll just have to be patient.

"We decided that AFTER FOREVER will still do the December gigs, with some special features. Go and and check them out, I'm sure it'll be great and I'll try to attend some gigs too. Hope to see some of you there!"

According to RollingStone.com, the 1991 multi-platinum LP "The Black Album" was the last METALLICA disc recorded outside their cozy confines in the Bay Area. With that in mind, producer Rick Rubin encouraged the guys to lay down new tracks in L.A. "Rick thought it'd be beneficial for the gang to get out of the comfort zone of our back yards," drummer Lars Ulrich tells RollingStone.com. "We've been tripping up and down to L.A. since April, and the results have been better than good." As of Thanksgiving, the only hurdles left are overdubs and James Hetfield's vocals. "That's it," says Ulrich. "We're very alive and well."

3 MILE SCREAM frontman Matt McGachy has commented on his new gig as the lead singer for the Canadian death metallers CRYPTOPSY.

Said McGachy: "I am very proud to now be a part of such an influential and monumental death metal group from Canada. CRYPTOPSY has been a huge inspiration to myself and many other bands, so I am honored to help usher their musical legacy into the future."

He added, "My presence in CRYPTOPSY has not shaken my ties to 3 MILE SCREAM and the band will continue to gig throughout the upcoming year as we prepare to release the group's new album."

Australian atmospheric/gothic/doom metal band THE ETERNAL has issued the following update:

"This weekend Marty lays down the drum tracks for the new [THE ETERNAL] album 'Kartika'. Mark, Terry and Marty are heading to Mixmaster Studios in Adelaide tomorrow to met up with engineer Ian Miller and get this show on the road!

"It has nearly been three years since we recorded 'Sleep of Reason', so we are really looking forward to getting into the studio and laying down some new tracks!

"We have guitars & vocals locked in for the rest of December and January, so we are feeling pretty confident the album will be complete and ready to master in February 2008."

"Kartika" projected track listing (in no particular order):

01. Self Inflicted
02. Means for an Ending
03. Blood
04. Without Reason
05. A Pale Reflection
06. Illuminate
07. Walk Beside You
08. Brighter Day
09. Kartika
10. Silence
11. July
12. Lost Our Way
13. Inside the Grey
14. I've Seen The Dream Through Someone Else's Eyes
15. Sunshine
16. Frozen Sun
17. Last Embrace

Swedish metallers CLOUDSCAPE have issued the following update:

"The forthcoming third album of CLOUDSCAPE is now recorded, mixed, mastered and ready to go. No release dates and release info are settled yet, but expect these details to be announced sometime during January 2008. Once again artwork wizard Mattias Norén was hired to do the artwork for the booklet and cover. The album was produced by Pontus Lindmark and recorded at RoastingHouse Studios [in Malmö, Sweden]."

OPETH's "The Roundhouse Tapes" high-definition-filmed DVD has had its projected release date pushed back to September 2008 from the previously announced early 2008. This will also feature lots of fan interviews, band interviews, soundcheck footage and live photos, along with exclusive menu music written by mainman Mikael Åkerfeldt and keyboardist Per Wiberg.

OPETH's "The Roundhouse Tapes" double CD has sold 2,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The set contains "a captivating OPETH performance from the Camden Roundhouse, London, UK, on November 9, 2006, and sees the band in scintillating form churning out a selection of classics from their illustrious career," according to a press release.

OPETH is currently recording the follow-up to 2005's "Ghost Reveries" for an early 2008 release via Roadrunner Records.

The band will take part in DREAM THEATER's "Progressive Nation" next spring, a package tour that will also feature the talents of 3 and BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME.

"Ghost Reveries" has sold around 90,000 copies in the United States since its 2005 release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Swedish producer/multi-instrumentalist Dan Swanö is currently remastering the legendary OCTOBER TIDE debut album, "Rain Without End". The remastered CD, featuring brand new artwork, will be re-released somewhere next year via Vic Records.

OCTOBER TIDE was a side project formed by two members of KATATONIA, featuring a style not far removed from that of their main group. Described as "melancholic, sorrowful mid-paced metal, with death vocals laid over the top," the LP featured the "last harsh vocal performance ever" by Jonas Renkse.