TWDSO (THOSE WE DON'T SPEAK OF), the new Swedish "supergroup" featuring platinum-selling (in Sweden) solo artist Sara Löfgren alongside members of BESEECH, NIGHTRAGE, SUNDOWN, CEMETARY and FATAL EMBRACE, has posted a new song, entitled "The Cradle", on its web site, www.twdso.com.

The members of TWDSO (photo) have an impressive track record that includes gold and platinum records, world tours and no less than 16 albums and seven singles. They have recorded their first songs together and have now begun negotiating with record labels for an album deal.

TWDSO is:

Sara Löfgren - Vocals
Chris Silver (SUNDOWN, CEMETARY) - Drums
Henric Carlsson (NIGHTRAGE) - Bass
Robert Vintervind (BESEECH) - Guitars
Manne Engstrom (SUNDOWN, BESEECH, CEMETARY 1213, FATAL EMBRACE) - Guitars

Norwegian black metallers GORGOROTH will film a video next week for an as-yet-undisclosed track from their latest album, "Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam".

"Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam" was released last year via Sweden's Regain Records. The band was previously signed to Nuclear Blast Records, who released three CDs from the group: "Twilight of the Idols" (2003), "Incipit Satan" (2000) and "Destroyer" (1998).

Swedish metallers THE DUSKFALL have issued the following update:

"We are extremely honored and excited!!! We will be featured in an action video game created for PS3 and Xbox 360, entitled 'The Darkness'. We have been choosen for a part in the game where the gamer can watch videos through a TV set. Our song 'Shoot It In' was choosen by Starbreeze, the Swedish gaming company that brought us the highly acclaimed 'The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay' game. More information on 'The Darkness' can be found by clicking [here]."

THE DUSKFALL has set "The Dying Wonders of the World" as the title of its fourth album, due later in the year via Nuclear Blast Records. The band entered the studio on April 1 to begin recording the follow-up to "Lifetime Supply of Guilt".

Doro Pesch has announced plans to record a new version of the WARLOCK classic "All We Are" with a backing band consisting of DESTRUCTION frontman Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer, AFTER FOREVER guitarist Bas Maas and well-known session drummer Tim Husung. The CD, which will include other rare material and bonus video footage, will be released later in the year via AFM Records.

Pesch — along with Schirmer, Maas and Husun — performed "All We Are" live at a boxing match on March 30 between German female boxing champion (and Doro's close friend) Regina Halmich and German TV personality/comedian Stefan Raab. Doro played the track as Halmich's intro theme and the fight was broadcast live via German TV station Pro Sieben. Watch the performance online at YouTube.

Doro originally wrote and recorded the track "She's like Thunder" as a theme song for Halmich's fights. A new version of the song, re-titled "We're like Thunder", featuring Halmich, was released in September 2005 via AFM Records.

STRAPPING YOUNG LAD mastermind Devin Townsend has finalized the track listing for his next solo album, entitled "Ziltoid the Omniscient". The CD, which will be released under the DEVIN TOWNSEND banner instead of THE DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND, was recorded completely by Devin, who took care of the singing, guitar, bass, synthesizers and sampling duties, in addition to mixing and producing the album on his own. Devin has stated on the HevyDevy forums that he used "the drumkit from Hell" on this release — the same kit that was previously utilized by MESHUGGAH on "Catch Thirty-Three" and which was developed by MESHUGGAH's Tomas Haake. Check out the cover artwork at this location (art created by Travis Smith). Due on May via Inside Out Music America, it will contain the following tracks:

01. By Your Command
02. Ziltoidia Attaxx!
03. Solar Winds
04. Hyperdrive
05. N9
06. Planet Smasher
07. Omnidimensional Creator
08. Color Your World
09. The Greys
10. Tall Latté

H.I.M. frontman Ville Valo recently spoke to Chris Harris of MTV.com about the group's new album, tentatively titled "Venus Doom", which they've been working on with producer Tim Palmer (DREDG, OZZY OSBOURNE) in Helsinki.

"There were too many things going on," Valo said of the band's previous release, 2005's gold-certfified "Dark Light". "['Venus Doom' is] going to be a lot heavier than anything we've done before — that's the whole idea. It's like we're mixing MY BLOODY VALENTINE's 'Loveless' with METALLICA's 'Master of Puppets'. ... There won't be as much ear candy on this one. There are a lot of riffs, and it's more guitar-oriented than keyboard-driven. Really, we just wanted to rock our own socks off.

"We wanted to make a really rockin' album — one that would explode your speakers," he added. "But we also wanted to maintain the melancholy aspects of love and loss in the lyrics and then have the really sweet vocals amidst this storm of guitars.

"Lyrically, it's about me losing a relationship and then actually regaining it, and losing my sanity and regaining it," Valo continued. "As you grow up, life gets more and more complex, even though when you're a kid you think things are going to get easier. It's like a f---ing puzzle that just keeps on having more and more pieces to it. It's very personal, this album. It's like me getting rid of my demons and putting the pain in the music. It's cathartic, and it's about cleansing yourself and trying to have the courage to take that one step further."

Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "The Kiss of Dawn", "Love in Cold Blood", "Passion's Killing Floor" and "Dead Lovers Lane".

"Venus Doom" is scheduled for release on July 10.

The cover artwork for legendary Swedish doomsters CANDLEMASS' forthcoming album, "King of the Grey Islands", is available for viewing at this location. Due on June 22 through Nuclear Blast Records, the CD will feature the following track listing:

01. Prologue
02. Emperor of the Void
03. Devil Seed
04. Of Stars and Smoke
05. Demonia 6
06. Destroyer
07. Man of Shadows
08. Clearsight
09. The Opal City
10. Embracing the Styx

CANDLEMASS debuted the song "Demonia 6" live during the band's 20th-anniversary concert at Stockholm's Kolingsborg last Saturday (March 31)

THE HAUNTED's video for the song "The Drowning" has been posted online at this location. The track comes off the Swedish thrashers' dynamic new offering, "The Dead Eye", which sees the band effectively combine elements of their previous efforts while exploring new ideas to continuously challenge themselves. The new effort was recorded in Denmark at Antfarm Studios with renowned producer Tue Madsen (HIMSA, SICK OF IT ALL) and is being hailed as their most accomplished work yet.

Austrian extreme black/death metal outfit BELPHEGOR has issued the following update:

"BELPHEGOR needs a new drummer! ...again! The last one didn't work out when it came to worldwide touring, so we're still looking for a talented drummer, for somebody with a professional attitude and focus to be in the band for real. If you think you have a shot, send us a detailed message/photo/mp3 and hit us up at: belphegor@aon.at."

Commented vocalist/guitarist Helmuth: "First off, please realize that it will have no effect at all on our activities, touring and plans. The core is solid and ready to kick some serious ass. Of course it's irritating to always have new drummers, it's really hard to find dedicated musicians who are willing to work. It is and always was the masterplan of BELPHEGOR to grow as musicians and heighten the intensity/dynamics. Still, it doesn't affect our way of working, as Sigurd and me always were/are responsible for all the music, lyrics and concepts for BELPHEGOR. On the contrary, that allowed us to surpass BELPHEGOR every time — because of the fresh blood in the band, you know — through the hiring of better musicians. I always consider that as a challange to push the BELPHEGOR forward — stagnation means death!"

WINDS, the Norwegian band consisting of Lars E. Si (Eikind), Carl August Tidemann, Jan Axel von Blomberg (Hellhammer) and Andy Winter, will enter the studio on April 4 to put the finishing touches on its long-awaited fourth effort. The album was recorded over the past three years and is now ready to be mixed at Hipposonic Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia. Helming the sessions will be engineer Shaun Thingvold, who has previously worked with such bands as FEAR FACTORY, PARADISE LOST, LAMB OF GOD, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD and DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND. The follow-up to 2004's "The Imaginary Direction of Time" will feature guest appearances by Dan Swanö, Agnete M. Kirkevaag, Lars A. Nedland and Oystein Moe, along with a classical string ensemble from the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. Graphic designer Travis Smith has completed the cover layout for the CD. A tentative fall release via The End Records is expected.

Italian folk/power metal band ELVENKING has finished recording its new album and is about to leave for Helsinki, Finland to begin the mixing the effort at Sonic Pump Studios. Due this fall via AFM Records, the CD will feature a guest appearance on two tracks by Swedish guitarist Mike Wead (KING DIAMOND, MERCYFUL FATE, MEMENTO MORI, FIREGOD, ABSTRAKT ALGEBRA, CANDLEMASS).

Commented the band: "It's an honor to have Mike soloing on our songs. It's always amazing having one of your heroes playing in your album. And the leads he played are amazing — pure guitar art!"

ELVENKING released its third album, "The Winter Wake", in Europe in January 2006 via AFM Records. The CD was issued in the U.S. in March. The follow-up to 2004's "Wyrd" was recorded at Sherpa Studios (Italy), mixed at Sonic Pump Studios by Nino Laurenne and was mastered at Finnvox Studios by Mika Jussilla.

Former ANGRA/SHAAMAN frontman André Matos has revealed more information about his upcoming debut solo album, due later in the year. The CD was produced by Roy Z (BRUCE DICKINSON, HALFORD, JUDAS PRIEST) and Sascha Paeth (KAMELOT, EDGUY, RHAPSODY, FREEDOM CALL) between November 2006 and February 2007 at Ultra Sonica and Brainless Brothers Studios in São Paulo, Brazil and at Gate Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany. According to a posting on Matos' MySpace page, the CD will feature nine brand new numbers plus "a new interpretation of an original song that's going to surprise the fans." A worlwide release is planned within the next five months.

Says Matos: "I can't wait. After so much work, it will be a great pleasure to hit the road again [in support of the upcoming album], bringing all those surprises along. Everything has a right timing and everyone's expectation will be fulfilled!"

SHAAMAN (formerly SHAMAN) — the Brazilian band featuring former ANGRA members Matos, Luis Mariutti (bass) and Ricardo Confessori (drums), — officially called it quits in October 2006. The break-up, which was long rumored, was attributed to personal and musical differences.

SHAAMAN released its sophomore album, "Reason", in May 2005 via AFM Records. The 10-song follow-up to 2002's "Ritual" was mixed and mastered at Heaven's Gate Studios in Wolfsburg, Germany with producer Sascha Paeth, who previously worked with such acts as KAMELOT, EDGUY, RHAPSODY and FREEDOM CALL. A DVD, entitled "RituAlive", came out in 2003.

Finnish battle beasts TURISAS strike back with the frenetically awaited follow-up release to 2004's acclaimed debut "Battle Metal". Titled "The Varangian Way", this opulent and inspired masterpiece, which was recorded at Sound Supreme Studio and then mixed and mastered at Finnvox Studio (NIGHTWISH, H.I.M., APOCALYPTICA), transcends all sub-genres within the heavier metal worlds and unites each and all of their different elementary nuances into an experience unlike any other in a current scene of copycat bands.

Vocalist and producer Warlord explains the complex ideas behind this stunning new opus: "The album is based on a concept story which is fictional, but strongly tied to real historical persons and events. It's a journey of a group of Northmen, who travel down the East-European river route through the lands of modern day East Europe. This was an important trade route in the 9th-11th centuries and the Northmen going in this direction were called Varangians who took this route to Kiev and finally Constantinople. The album follows this journey and the songs are events that take place on the road. As much as it is a journey of these men, it is also a journey in a search for self and identity — something which the protagonist is going through throughout the story. The varying surroundings can clearly be heard on the album as it features a lot of influences from the different cultures and people our travellers would have encountered on their journey.

"Making this album was a very challenging task. I started developing the idea and framework for the concept soon after 'Battle Metal' was released in 2004 and it demanded a lot of groundwork and studying. The songs were written between mid-2005 and 2007 when it was clear what every song would be about. In the end of 2006 we were finally ready to enter Sound Supreme Studio together with co-producer Janne Saksa to record the album. It took over two and a half months of work to record the album and two weeks of mixing at Finnvox studio together with Teropekka Virtanen to finally finish the album in March 2007. The sound is big, pompous and orchestral, but also features a lot of progressive elements and ethnic influences. It's a daring blend of many different styles, but I'm confident that people are musically open minded enough to swallow this album. All in all I would say that it is a natural step forward from 'Battle Metal' to a more mature sound — still definitely TURISAS, but at the same time different."

"The Varangian Way" will hit stores in Europe in June and will contain the following new battle hymns:

01. To Holmgard And Beyond
02. A Portage To The Unknown
03. Cursed Be Iron
04. Fields Of Gold
05. In The Court Of Jarisleif
06. Five Hundred And One
07. The Dnieper Rapids
08. Miklagard Overture

Having converted many a fan to join their army during past appearances at renowned festivals like Wacken Open Air, Tuska, Earthshaker Fest, Party.San Open Air, Bloodstock, Nummirock and Summer Breeze, as well as an European tour with DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER and more recently a sold-out U.K. tour with Finnish megastars LORDI, TURISAS are now launching their second and most striking attack with the release of "The Varangian Way" and they have subsequently confirmed slots at summer events like Graspop Metal Meeting, With Full Force, Rock Hard Festival, with plenty more relentless touring to come.

Norwegian cult doom band FUNERAL has posted its video for the track "This Barren Skin" at YouTube. 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 via Tabu Recordings in Norway (the rest of Europe received the CD on January 29). The limited-edition digipack version of the album comes with a bonus track, "Breathing Through You".

Swedish black metallers DARK FUNERAL have issued the following update:

"One of the most frequent questions we have received during the last couple of years has been 'When the hell are you guys going to release a live DVD?' Well, your requests have been heard. We are currently hard at work on putting together not only one DVD, but TWO double DVDs!!! The first out of the two double DVDs is planned to hit the stores on June 18th through Regain Records. More info to follow shortly…"

MANOWAR's video for the song "Die for Metal" has been posted online at YouTube. Portions of the clip were filmed on February 24, 2007 in Bochum, Germany, during the release party for the band's new album, "Gods of War". Besides the fans, the video stars well-known German actor Tim Sander.

"Die for Metal" comes off MANOWAR's tenth full-length album, "Gods of War", which was released on February 23 in Germany (February 26 for the rest of Europe and April 3 for the USA/Canada).

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

"For the first time since 2000, SOULFLY will be making a brief visit to South America to play some music. On April 20th SOULFLY will be playing at Estadio Pepsi Music in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and they will be at Estadio Victor Jara in Santiago, Chile on April 21st. A message from Max [Cavalera, SOULFLY mainman]: 'SOULFLY Tribe, it's time to Downstroy. . . We're finally coming back. It's been too fucking long! We can't wait to be jamming live again so you better get the mosh pit ready, it's gonna be fucking awesome. Do Caralho. Respect.'

"We did our best to line up dates for other countries in South America but we weren't able to secure a decent promoter in time for this visit. Any fans in Brasil, Colombia, Peru, Ecuduador, Uruguay, Costa Rica and anywhere else should try to get a hold of big local promoters in your area and tell them that you want to see SOULFLY, because SOULFLY wants to see you.

The MySpace premiere of the new DIMMU BORGIR video, "The Serpentine Offering", on April 3 was an "unbelievably huge success," according to the band's record label, Nuclear Blast Records. 20,000 visitors checked out the clip within the first two hours after it was released, and the number has already grown to over 80,000, with more people watching the video every minute.

To view the "The Serpentine Offering" video, click here. The clip was shot by Swedish director Patric Ullaeus (LACUNA COIL, KAMELOT) of Revolver Film Company AB and is the group's first promotional video for their much anticipated album, "In Sorte Diaboli".
The North American version of the "The Serpentine Offering" single is available for digital download at iTunes.com and includes the following three songs: "The Serpentine Offering", "The Serpentine Offering" (video edit), and an instrumental version of "The Heretic Hammer" as an exclusive track.

Together with its soundtrack – LACRIMOSA's first live CD to be released in nine years! – the "Lichtjahre“
(Light Years) film is coming out on DVD. This film will reawaken the most beautiful, extreme and emotional
moments of this mammoth tour-project in powerful, evocative images and, with live on-stage performances from actual hits like "Letzte Ausfahrt: Leben“, "The party is over“ and "Lichtgestalt“, as well as stage versions
of such mature classics as "Ich bin der brennende Komet“, "Der Morgen danach“ and "Stolzes Herz“, this DVD
includes a cross-section of many years of musical creativity.

Nevertheless, "Lichtjahre“ is not restricted solely to clips of live stage shows that have been extravagantly produced with lots of cameras and cranes, but also reveals insights into what goes on behind the scenes of LACRIMOSA concerts that have never been seen before. They begin in the practice room, during the preparations for this long tour, include coach journeys and flights to foreign cities and cultures, interviews with members of the audience, for example during a press conference in Hong Kong and on the Red Square in Moscow, until the final moments in the backstage before the bands hits the stage, as well as this
DVD shows a private view from the after-show-parties back in their hotel room!

CARNAL FORGE's video for the song "Burning Eden" has been posted online at YouTube. The track comes off the Swedish thrashers' upcoming sixth album, "Testify for My Victims", due in May via Candlelight Records. The follow-up to 2004's "Aren't You Dead Yet?" was recorded, mixed and mastered over a four-and-a-half-month period and was produced by CARNAL FORGE.

"Testify for My Victims" track listing:

01. Testify For My Victims
02. Burning Eden
03. Numb (The Dead)
04. Godsend Gods End
05. End Game
06. Questions Pertaining The Ownership Of My Mind
07. Freedom By Mutilation
08. Subhuman
09. No Longer Bleeding
10. Biological Waste Matter
11. Lost Legion
12. Ante Mori

"Testify For My Victims" was mixed at Black Lounge Studios. Two videos have already been filmed for the album tracks "Numb" and "Burning Eden", both directed by Owe Lingvall (Village Road Film).

The cover artwork for the upcoming PARADISE LOST album, "In Requiem", has been posted online at this location. The artwork was created by Greek artist Seth, whose gloomy designs already graced releases by HEAVEN SHALL BURN and ROTTING CHRIST, among others.

In other news, PARADISE LOST has just shot a video for its new single, "The Enemy" on the Crimean peninsula in Yalta with the Ukrainian director Edward 209. Edward 209 already proved his talent with dark and bizarre looking videos for FRONT 242 and IN STRICT CONFIDENCE, and you can expect something really special. Check out pictures from the video shoot: Photo#1, Photo#2.

Right after the video shoot, PARADISE LOST co-headlined (with TESTAMENT) the Metalmania Festival in Katowice, Poland where they debuted "The Enemy" live in front of 4,000 Polish fans. A bootleg-quality video clip of PARADISE LOST performing "The Enemy" in Poland is available at YouTube

CREMATORY have started to write new songs in February and the new studio album with working title *Gothic Metal* is set for a January 2008 release.

Lyrics and singing wise the songs are supposed to have a darker vibe, although the separation between Felix and Matze with the dark and the cleaner vocals will be retained. The album will have English lyrics, but the appearance of a German track finding its way on the record is not impossible.

Musically it will be a treat to the ears with the familiar catchy melodies, paired with massive guitar riffs, even more brutal and darker than in the past.

With the keyboards the sound will be like in the earlier days and orchestral arrangements will be integrated. Moving away from the technoid samples and analogue sounds, going more in the direction of the early days with strings and choirs.

Once again the record will be produced with Kristian “Kohle” Kohlmannslehner in the Kohlekeller Studios in the Odenwald, who had already produced the records *Revolution* and *Klagebilder* with the band.

SHADOWS FALL's video for the band's new single, "Redemption", has been posted online at this location. Tomorrow, SHADOWS FALL will be the featured band on MTV2's "The Drop", found at this location. In addition, "Redemption" — directed by Zach Merck (BLUE OCTOBER, HINDER, CONVERGE) — will be seen on an upcoming installment of Fuse's Friday night metalfest, "Uranium".

Due on April 3, SHADOWS FALL's new album, "Threads of Life", was produced by Nick Raskulinecz (RUSH, FOO FIGHTERS, VELVET REVOLVER). "Redemption" is already lighting a fire at radio, reaching #1 at Metal Radio on the Mediaguide Metal Specialty Tracks while also scoring major play at Active Rock.

Swedish melodic metallers NOCTURNAL RITES have revealed the cover artwork of their new album, "The 8th Sin", due in Europe in late May via Century Media Records. The artwork was created by renowned artist Axel Herrmann, who previously worked with ICED EARTH, DREAM EVIL, UNLEASHED, EDGUY, SODOM and many more. According to a press release, "The 8th Sin" offers "a slightly more modern sound with harsh riffs, huge choruses and the band's classic guitar extravaganza. But don't be afraid of any bad surprises, the new album is 110% NOCTURNAL RITES from start to finish!"

"The 8th Sin" was produced by the band themselves, co-produced by Shep and mixed by Mattias Eklund and NOCTURNAL RITES at Toontrack Music in Umeå, Sweden. The track listing is as follows:

01. Call Out To The World
02. Never Again
03. Not The Only
04. Tell Me
05. Not Like You
06. Leave Me Alone
07. Till I Come Alive
08. Strong Enough
09. Me
10. Pain & Pleasure
11. Fools Parade (Outro)

NOCTURNAL RITES recently finished filming a video for the song "Never Again". According to bassist Nils Eriksson, the track "is a sort of midtempo, in-your-face, heavy-slab-of-meat kind of thing."

Dutch rock band THE GATHERING has commented on its recently announced one-off headlining show in New York City and its upcoming live CD and DVD, "A Noise Severe".

Says drummer Hans Rutten, "We are going to do a one-off special headlining show in New York City before we support our friends from LACUNA COIL for a mere two weeks! We are looking forward to come to the USA and Canada again. Hope to see you all somewhere!

"We just finished our tour in South America with the recordings of our live DVD and CD, and they went very, very well. We recorded in front of 4,000 totally crazy Chileans! It was one of the biggest highlights of the band's career, and what makes it even more special is that we were able to capture this vibe on DVD. It will be called 'A Noise Severe', and a noise severe it was, with the audience alone hitting 104 db several times without the band playing!"

"A Noise Severe" is the follow-up to the well-received 2005 DVD "A Sound Relief".

Night of the Vinyl Dead has just reissued KREATOR's 1999 album "Endorama" on "bicolored vinyl," limited to 333 hand-numbered copies. The track listing is as follows:

Side A

01. Golden Age
02. Endorama
03. Shadowland
04. Chosen Few
05. Everlasting Flame
06. Passage to Babylon

Side B

01. Future King
02. Entry
03. Soul Eraser
04. Willing Spirit
05. Pandemonium
06. Tyranny