Norwegian doom band SYRACH has issued the following update:

"This weekend we have been busy recording the vocals for our album. First Silje, from OCTAVIA SPERATI, did her parts, and it sounds great. We really appreciate her voice, and are very satisfied with her contribution on our album. After that, it was old man Ripper's turn. After growling for several hours each day during the weekend, he did his parts really good. We are now more sure than ever that the album will be awesome. Ripper's work this weekend is just truly amazing! So now we are going to do some guitar solos, probably this week, and some clean sounding guitar parts."

SYRACH's debut album is being produced by Herbrand Larsen from ENSLAVED. The tentative track listing is as follows:

01. Nine Fallen Men
02. A Death Tear
03. The Firm Grip Of Death
04. Come Dæmons
05. Stigma Diabolikum
06. Semper Ardens
07. The Twilight Enigma
08. Are you Able To Breathe Fire

Formed in 1993 in Kalandseidet (near Bergen, Norway — a region known to have spawned bands like IMMORTAL and BURZUM, to name a few), SYRACH's current lineup includes two new members: Suleiman on drums and Noralf Venås on guitar.

German hard rockers JADED HEART recently signed a deal with Frontiers Records for the release of their new studio album. The group has been busy writing new tracks for the upcoming CD, which it expects to start recording this spring for a fall release. Songtitles set to appear on the effort include "See the Light", "Crazy", "Crush That Fear" and "You Can't Deny".

JADED HEART's seventh studio opus, "Helluva Time", was released in October 2005 via Frontiers. The CD was completed under the assistance of co-producer Chris Lausmann (ex-BONFIRE) and was the group's first effort to feature singer Johan Fahlberg (ex-SCUDIERO). The album includes a "riveting" cover version of ANASTACIA's smash hit "Paid My Dues".

Swedish metallers ASTRAL DOORS, who feature in their ranks LION'S SHARE vocalist Patrik Johansson, have issued the following update:

"So far we have recorded the vocals to five new songs and my feeling is that this time you will hear a couple of new sides of ASTRAL DOORS. For example, today's song is a heavy-ballad kind of tune named 'Bastard Son'. I promise you, you have never heard Patrik sing with such emotion before, it's breathtaking! On the other hand, we have harder songs than ever before as well. 'Planet Earth' is one example of that — the meanest song we have done this far. But don't worry, it will all fit in the frame of the true ASTRAL sound. So I guess you will hear a more varying ASTRAL DOORS when this, as-yet-untitled record hits stores. When? After the summer of 2007, I guess."

ASTRAL DOORS' third album, "Astralism", was re-released in August 2006 as a digipack, featuring a newly written bonus track, entitled "21st Century Medieval". "The sound on the album has been polished and has been remastered by a profesional," the band previously wrote on its web site. "This is how it was meant to sound from the beginning. Sounds insane but the first version slipped through without our approval. If we've had the last word the first version would never been released, that's for sure."

"Astralism" was originally released in March 2006 via Locomotive Music. The CD is described by the band as "another slab of old-school hard rock with a touch of metal — something you can't help loving."

Finnish power metallers TWILIGHTNING have set "Swinelords" as the title of their third full-length album, due on March 21 via Spinefarm Records. The follow-up to 2004's "Plague-House Puppet Show" was recorded Astia studio in Lappeenranta and Music-Bros. studio in Imatra with Miitri Aaltonen.

"Swinelords" track listing:

01. Isolation Shell
02. SwineLord
03. Reflection of the Cuckoo
04. Vice Jesus
05. Pimps, Witches, Thieves & Bitches
06. The Gun
07. Not a Word
08. Consume Gap
09. With the Flow
10. Wounded & Withdrawn

TWILIGHTNING's last release was the "Bedlam" EP, which was recorded at Astia and was mixed at the Finnvox facility in Helsinki.

Dutch female-fronted symphonic metal band WITHIN TEMPTATION will release a new single, "What Have You Done", in Germany on February 16 via G.U.N. Records. The single, which features a guest appearance by Keith Caputo of LIFE OF AGONY, will be available in the following formats:

"Basic" Version

01. What Have You Done (Single Version) (3:59)
02. What Have You Done (Album Version) (5:15)

"Premium" Version

01. What Have You Done (Single Version) (3:59)
02. What Have You Done (Album Version) (5:15)
03. Blue Eyes (5:24)
04. Aquarius (Live At The Java Island, Amsterdam) (4:50)
05. Caged (Live At The Java Island, Amsterdam) (5:49)

The band filmed the video for "What Have You Done" on December 13, 2006 at Koko in London.

A two-minute clip of the new MOONLIGHT AGONY song "Through The Desert Storm" is available for download at this location. The track comes off the Swedish power metal act's second album, "Silent Waters", due in February via Dockyard Records. The follow-up to 2004's "Echoes of a Nightmare" (Massacre Records) was recorded at Division One Studios with engineer Arnold Lindberg (EVERGREY).

"Silent Waters" track listing:

01. Leaving Solitude
02. You Betrayed Me
03. Soulless
04. Through the Desert Storm
05. The Dark Era
06. I'm Alive
07. Room 101
08. Different Stories
09. Bloodred Sails
10. Solemn Waters
11. [Japanese bonus track]

MANES, the Norwegian band featuring members of THIRD AND THE MORTAL, ATROX and CHTON, has changed the projected title of its new album to "How the World Came to an End" from the previously announced "Invention - Or How The World Came To An End And Why We Did It". The CD was recorded at Spiren, Cernobyl and Skansen studios with producers Rune Stavnesli and Stein E. Bratland and is scheduled for release on April 16 via U.K.'s Candlelight Records. The cover artwork was created by Norwegian designers TrineogKim, who have previously worked with ULVER, EPHEL DUATH, SOLEFALD, IHSAHN and others.

Swedish death metallers VOMITORY have completed work on their new album. "Terrorize Brutalize Sodomize" was recorded, mixed and mastered at Leon Music Studio in Karlstad, Sweden with producer/engineer Rikard Löfgren during December.

Comments drummer Tobias Gustafsson: "We have now finally completed our sixth album, 'Terrorize Brutalize Sodomize'! And I say finally because it has been three long years since our latest album, 'Primal Massacre', saw the light of day. We're totally satisfied with how it all turned out — the production is top-notch, the songs and our performances are at their best and the variation in the songs is better than ever before. The album has some of the fastest shit we've ever done as well as some of the heaviest. The album contains 40 minutes of death fucking metal!'

"Terrorize Brutalize Sodomize" track listing:

01. Eternal Trail Of Corpses
02. Scavenging The Slaughtered
03. Terrorize Brutalize Sodomize
04. The Burning Black
05. Defiled And Inferior
06. March Into Oblivion
07. Whispers From The Dead
08. Heresy
09. Flesh Passion
10. Cremation Ceremony

"Terrorize Brutalize Sodomize" will be released April 20 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and April 23 in the rest of Europe via Metal Blade Records.

Finnish symphonic metallers NIGHTWISH have posted the following message on their official web site:

"The auditions for the new vocalist have ended, with more than 2,000 demos sent to us (yesterday, Jan. 15, we received 120 demos!). A big thanks to everybody! So please don't send anymore demos, since now we need to concentrate on finishing the album recordings.

"The new vocalist will be announced at the end of May, together with the release of a new single."

Austrian symphonic metal band EDENBRIDGE will issue a rarities/"best of" compilation, entitled "The Chronicles of Eden", as a double-CD and limited double-digipack on May 25. Disc One will contain three new, previously unreleased songs, all Japanese and European bonus tracks and songs that were included on all out-of-print singles. Disc Two will include a "best of" selection out of the five released studio albums.

To vote for your three favorite tracks off each EDENBRIDGE studio album, send it to: info@edenbridge.org.

EDENBRIDGE recently signed a worldwide deal with Napalm Records. The band's first effort for Napalm will be released in the spring of 2008. Production on the CD is tentatively scheduled to begin next fall. Four songs have already been written and EDENBRIDGE will work with a renowned Czech orchestra for the first time in its career.

EDENBRIDGE's fifth album, "The Grand Design", will be released in the U.S. on January 30 via Napalm Records. The follow-up to 2004's "Shine" was recorded at The Farpoint Station studio in Austria and the Thin Ice facility in England with THRESHOLD mastermind Karl Groom. Guest musicians on the album include Dennis Ward and Robby Valentine, both of whom were responsible for backing vocals and choirs on the new CD. A single, featuring the band's cover version of the James Bond classic "For Your Eyes Only" (originally sung by Sheena Easton), was issued in April.

MANOWAR has started to reveal parts of the cover artwork for the band's upcoming album, "Gods of War", which is set to be released on February 23 in Germany (February 26 for the rest of Europe and April 3 for the USA/Canada).

In addition to offering this first taste of what the album cover will look like, the band has revealed a bit more information about the CD concept, including two more songtitles.

"Gods of War" is MANOWAR's first entry in a cycle of concept albums; each a tribute to a different war god. Opening with the epic piece "Overture to the Hymn of the Immortal Warriors", the tone is set for an album beyond anything MANOWAR has done before. This album honors Odin — almighty father of the Norse gods — and details the history and exploits of this storied character. His power and wisdom were unmatched among the gods and he is paid tribute with human sacrifice on the battlefield, as heard in the song "The Sons of Odin", the stomping title track "Gods of War" and the storytelling "The Blood of Odin".

Besides the normal jewel-case version, "Gods of War" will also be released as a limited edition in an embossed metal slipcase containing a high grade mediabook bound in leather. Furthermore, this limited edition will feature a bonus DVD with unreleased material detailing the making of this album and some special behind-the-scenes footage. A double-vinyl LP in a gatefold sleeve will also be available.

Finnish death metallers SCENT OF FLESH will release their third album, "Deform in Torture", on February 21 via Firebox Records. the track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Living But Stillborn
02. At the Stake of Mercy
03. Deform in Torture
04. Last Act of Power
05. Relentless Hands
06. Delusions of Deity
07. One Holy Truth
08. Our Own Archnemesis

SCENT OF FLESH previously released two full-length albums — "Roaring Depths of Insanity" (2003, Black Lotus) and "Valour in Hatred" (2004, Firebox) — plus a four-song EP, "Become Malignity" (2005, Firebox).

U.K. gothic metal godfathers PARADISE LOST have issued the following update:

"PARADISE LOST are planning to record a new live DVD, and we are interested to know what songs you feel should be included on the setlist.

"If you'd like to suggest a track for the DVD, please head on over to our forums, if you are registered there, you can vote for an album on this topic, and post a reply for which song you'd like to see. Please be aware that while we are taking suggestions in this manner, it is not a guarantee that they will be included in the final tracklist."

PARADISE LOST recently announced plans to enter the studio in Bradford, Lincolnshire and Canada with producer Rhys Fulber and mixer Mike Fraser to begin recording their as-yet-untitled eleventh album. A spring/summer release via Century Media Records is expected. There are also rumors that a limited-edition version of this album will include four cover tracks as a bonus. The documentary about PARADISE LOST's influence on gothic metal, entitled "Over the Madness" (filmed by Diran Noubar), is also due to be shown later in the year.

G.U.N./Sony/BMG in Europe and Abacus Recordings in the U.K. and the U.S released the band's last album, "Paradise Lost". Century Media Records will be re-releasing the album in the U.K. and U.S.

Dutch female-fronted symphonic metal band WITHIN TEMPTATION has finalized the track listing for its new album, "The Heart of Everything", due later in the year in the U.S. via Roadrunner Records. Check out the CD cover artwork at this location.

The 57-minute album's first single, to be released this spring, "What Have You Done", features a duet with Keith Caputo of LIFE OF AGONY. The band filmed the video for "What Have You Done" on December 13, 2006 at Koko in London.

WITHIN TEMPTATION recently spent time in a Stockholm studio mixing with Stefan Glaumann, known for his work with RAMMSTEIN.

"The Heart of Everything" track listing:

01. The Howling
02. What Have You Done (feat. Keith Caputo)
03. Frozen
04. The Heart of Everything
05. All I Need
06. Our Solemn Hour
07. Hand of Sorrow
08. The Cross
09. Final Destination
10. Forgiven
11. The Truth Beneath the Rose

NightOfTheVinylDead.com will be reissuing IN FLAMES' 1997 EP "Black-Ash Inheritance" as a shaped picture disc vinyl at the end of the month. The EP, which is available on CD via Nuclear Blast Records, features the following tracks:

01. Goliaths Disarm Their Davids
02. Gyroscope
03. Acoustic Medley
04. Behind Space (live)

For more information, click here

According to a posting on the website of International Concert Service GMBH (ICS), the management/booking company of MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, MSG's lineup is as follows:

Michael Schenker - Guitar
Jari Tiura - Vocals
Wayne Findlay – Keyboards, Guitar
Bodo Schopf - Drums
Barry Sparks - Bass

Bodo was a drummer of MCAULEY SCHENKER GROUP and Barry played bass on "Written in the Sand" and several MSG live releases. However, it has yet to be officially confirmed if this is the lineup of MSG that will play Japan next month.

U.K. progressive metallers THRESHOLD have posted the cover artwork for their new album, "Dead Reckoning", at this location. The artist is Davide Nadalin of Nerve Design, who has previously worked with EXTREMA and BLINDED COLONY. Due on March 23 via Nuclear Blast Records, the CD was produced by guitarist Karl Groom and keyboardist Richard West at Thin Ice Studios. The track listing is as follows:

01. Slipstream
02. This Is Your Life
03. Elusive
04. Hollow
05. Pilot in the Sky of Dreams
06. Fighting For Breath
07. Disappear
08. Safe To Fly
09. One Degree Down

Swedish multi-instrumentalist/producer Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, NIGHTINGALE, SECOND SKY, BLOODBATH) laid down backing vocals on the CD's opening song, "Slipstream", and the third track, "Elusive".

THRESHOLD announced earlier today that guitarist Nick Midson will be taking a break from the band.

Commented guitarist Karl Groom: "Nick has been thinking about this for a while. It's largely driven by wanting a break from touring and promotional activities. I'm still in contact with him regularly and we live five minutes from each other. The way is open for Nick to return for future albums and he is considering it."

Nick Midson is one of the founding members of THRESHOLD. He does not feature on the band's forthcoming album, "Dead Reckoning", and a replacement guitarist for the band's live shows will be announced later.

A new SAXON three-disc compilation, entitled "The Very Best Of Saxon: 1979-1988", is scheduled for release in Europe on January 15. The track listing is as follows:

Disc 1:

01. Wheels Of Steel
02. Stand Up And Be Counted
03. 747 (Strangers In The Night)
04. See The Light Shining
05. Suzie Hold On
06. Judgement Day (Live)
07. Motorcycle Man
08. Street Fighting Gang
09. Backs To The Wall
10. Militia Guard
11. Big Teaser
12. Rainbow Theme
13. Frozen Rainbow
14. Stallions Of The Highway
15. Strong Arm Of The Law
16. Taking Your Chances
17. Dallas 1 PM
18. And The Bands Played On

Disc 2:

01. Hungry Years
02. Heavy Metal Thunder
03. Never Surrender
04. 20,000 Ft
05. Midnight Rider
06. Princess Of The Night
07. Fire In The Sky
08. Motorcycle Man (Live)
09. 747 (Strangers In The Night) (Live)
10. Strong Arm Of The Law (Live)
11. 20,000 Ft (Live)
12. Wheels Of Steel (Live)
13. Dallas 1 PM (Live At The Hammersmith Odeon)
14. Midnight Rider (Live At The Hammersmith Odeon)
15. Power And The Glory
16. Nightmare
17. Midas Touch
18. Redline

Disc 3:

01. Sailing To America
02. A Little Bit Of What You Fancy
03. Do It All For You
04. Just Let Me Rock
05. Crusader
06. Back On The Streets
07. Live Fast Die Young
08. Rock 'n' Roll Gypsy
09. Krakatoa
10. Waiting For The Night
11. Chase The Fade
12. Rock The Nations
13. Northern Lady
14. Everybody Up (Live)
15. Ride Like The Wind
16. Red Alert
17. I Can't Wait Anymore
18. Broken Heroes

SPV/Steamhammer has set a March 5 European release date for the new album from SAXON, entitled "The Inner Sanctum". A single, entitled "If I Was You", will precede the full-length CD.

Byford previously stated about the "If I Was You" track, "I wrote the lyrics based on gun and knife crime having seen so many tragic stories of somebody getting knifed to death for a mobile phone and three quid or some young mother caught in the crossfire between two idiots with guns. 'If I was you and you were me, would you live your life differently?'"

Swedish thrashers CARNAL FORGE have inked a new worldwide deal with Candlelight Records. The band is currently recording a new album at its own studio for a mid-2007 release. 13 songs are being laid down for the follow-up to 2004's "Aren't You Dead Yet?", including "Godsend Gods End", "Hate Junkie", "Ante Mori", "End Game", "Testify For My Victims", "Biological Waste Matter", "Questions Pertaining The Ownership Of My Mind", "Subhuman", "Forever Guilt", "Burning Eden" and "The Dead".

CARNAL FORGE's upcoming CD will be the group's first with singer Jens C. Mortensen (LEECH, REVOLVER, SLAPDASH), who replaced Jonas Kjellgren in 2004.

Assemblage 23 fans have been growing restless for quite some time awaiting new material from the band. Their last three releases came in 2004 in the form of two singles and an album. Two and a half years have passed and now the wait is almost over. Assemblage 23 is proud to announce the release of the Binary single. Featuring three versions of the title track along with two b-sides, the new single shows a new found maturity in structure and songwriting. “Binary” exhibits intricate and interesting musical sequences overlaid with Tom Shear’s easily discernable vocals and hard-hitting beats. One of the major highlights alongside the Nerve Filter remix of the title track is the incredible b-side, “Dirt,” which could easily have been a single all its own. As a precursor single to the new album Meta, Binary hits the mark and blows right through it.

Former IRON MAIDEN/WOLFSBANE singer Blaze Bayley has parted ways with the members of his most recent BLAZE touring lineup. The departing members — Oliver Palotai (guitar), Luca Princiotta (guitar), Christian Ammann (bass), and Daniel Schild (drums) — have issued the following statement regarding the matter:

"We are in the sad situation to give out the news that the complete current lineup of BLAZE, therefore the authors of this letter, will leave the band.

"In the past years BLAZE was in a difficult situation, regarding finances, management and organization. Finally, during summer 2006, things started to clear up a bit, after working together on all those aspects.

"Most of the songs for the next album have been already written together. Still — in a tough music business today — we were prepared it would be not easy to launch the new era of BLAZE. But we always had the feeling we had a great band, further being really good friends, and being capable of handling that.

"But about four months ago Blaze Bayley got in contact with a new management. The ideas and working style of this management quickly showed to be very different what we, the musicians, considered to be right for this band.

"Blaze Bayley himself decided to stay with the management. Thus a common basis for making music together is not longer existing.

"We thank you for all your support during the past years. Have a happy and successful year 2007.

BLAZE's most recent release, "Blood & Belief", was issued in Europe in April 2004. The follow-up to 2002's "Tenth Dimension" was recorded at Backstage Studios in Derbyshire, England with producer Andy Sneap (NEVERMORE, EXODUS, ARCH ENEMY).

German power metallers PRIMAL FEAR are about to start the recordings for their new studio album. The final pre-production is scheduled for next week and then the band will finally enter the recording studio in the beginning of February.

Commented PRIMAL FEAR bassist Mat Sinner: "We decided to record again at the House of Music studio in Winterbach, Germany with engineer and co-producer Charlie Bauerfeind (BLIND GUARDIAN, SAXON, HALFORD, HAMMERFALL, HELLOWEEN etc.), who recorded and co-produced 'Seven Seals' with me. We plan to record the first period till March 6th, then I will have a short break, we will record another vocal section until the end of March and then we will move to the famous Galaxy studio in Mol, Belgium to mix and master the album with Ronald Prent (IRON MAIDEN, RAMMSTEIN, MANOWAR, DEF LEPPARD etc.). The album will feature 11 tracks, including a duet of Ralf [Scheepers] sharing the lead vocals with a very well-known female singer." Songtitles set to appear on the follow-up to 2005's "Seven Seals" include "Save Me", "Torn" and "Every Time It Rains".

PRIMAL FEAR recently extended its ten-year partnership with Warner/Chappell Publishing for a minimum of three more albums and five years.

PRIMAL FEAR released a "best of" collection, entitled "Metal is Forever - The Very Best of Primal Fear", on September 29, 2006 via the band's previous label, Nuclear Blast Records (with whom they parted ways earlier in the year). The album's artwork was created by Stephan Lohrmann, who was also responsible for the cover of PRIMAL FEAR's "Black Sun" album. The 16-track compilation also includes a special bonus CD of "classic metal tracks."

Ozzy Osbourne has told Dan Epstein of Revolver magazine (web site) that he has finally found the perfect setting for making records: the newly soundproofed guest house behind his Beverly Hills mansion, which he's outfitted with a mixing desk and a ProTools rig.

"When I made records before, I'd have to get up, get in a cab or car, go to the studio, and wait for everyone to turn up," Osbourne explained. "If you're already inspired before you leave for the studio, you're fucked by the time you get there! But now I have the luxury of working in my own home. I can play the music on my own sound system, and I can lie down in my room and watch my flat-screen TV whenever I like."

Unlike 2001's slickly produced "Down to Earth" , the last album of original Ozzy material, the new disc promises to be a rawer and heavier affair. Recorded with the same band that backed Osbourne on his scattered 2006 Ozzfest dates — Zakk Wylde on guitar, Mike Bordin on drums, and former ROB ZOMBIE bassist Rob "Blasko" Nicholson — the album has no official producer, although longtime Mutt Lange protégé Kevin Churko is serving as the engineer.

"Kevin's working the machines and helping me with the songwriting," said Osbourne. "He really knows what he's doing with the ProTools, which is good because I can't work the fucking thing. I can barely work a light switch!"

"We just went in and jammed out the riffs, just like how they made 'Back in Black' and all the SABBATH record," said Wylde. "I don't need Bob Rock there to tell me what to do, like that 'Vagina Monologues' band METALLICA. When you know where you're going, you don't need to ask for fucking directions! It sounds like classic Ozzy — there's piano ballads, there's an acoustic thing, and then there's the heavy shit. From the beginning, Oz kept saying to me, 'Zakk, we need another 'No More Tears' — we've gotta piss all over that fuckin' record. This thing's gotta be able to hang with 'Diary of a Madman'!'"

"I always try to make a great album," says Osbourne. "It's not like I go in there and go, 'You know what? I've had a great run — I'm gonna do a piece of shit for my next album!' But to be perfectly truthful to you, 'Down to Earth' was just a filler album to me. It did well, and some people liked it, and I loved the ballad on it ['Dreamer']. But this album I put in the same league as 'No More Tears', 'Blizzard of Ozz', and 'Diary'. It's definitely my influence of SABBATH coming out, here and there. But then again, I would have liked to see SABBATH put out an album like this at this stage of the game."

For more on Ozzy Osbourne's new solo album, pick up the March 2007 issue of Revolver magazine, set to hit newsstands this coming Monday, January 15. More information is available at www.revolvermag.com.

Finnish melodic metallers ALTARIA have issued the following update:

"The search is over! ALTARIA has found their man to take the place behind the microphone. Multitalented vocalist Marco Luponero attended the auditions and managed to impress the band to the point that he was invited to join. The things apart from Marco's singing that caught the band's eye (and ear) was his high-class songwriting skills as well as his stage charisma.

"ALTARIA is currently rehearsing for the [upcoming] shows with LORDI and HAMMERFALL as well as writing material for the forthcoming album.

Marco Luponero commented: "I'm proud to introduce myself as the new singer of ALTARIA. Considering that I've known both Tony [Smedjebacka, drums] and Marko [Pukkila, bass] for many years, and that we've shared the same stage on several occations, it seems almost odd that it's not until now that we have joined our forces.

"My musical background is somewhat different from the other members; I've been singing mostly in more brutal kinds of bands than ALTARIA, the most recent being TERRORWHEEL, from which a few of you might recognize me. But as I started my solo project LUPONERO I switched to a more melodic style of singing that also fits ALTARIA's sound.

"I'm looking forward to play my first gig with the band and I also hope to see you all very soon!"

Spinefarm Records has set a March 28 Finnish release date for the fifth album from FINNTROLL, entitled "Ur Jordens Djup" ("From the Depths of the Earth"). The CD, which was recorded by Nino Laurenne at Sonic Pump studios in Helsinki, will be the group's first release with new vocalist Mathias Lillmåns (a.k.a. Vreth; TWILIGHT MOON) following the departure of Tapio Wilska (SETHIAN, ex-WIZZARD, former session vocalist for NIGHTWISH) last spring. Lillmåns is reportedly 24 years old, and like FINNTROLL's original vocalist, Katla Mathias, is Fenno-Swedish, with Swedish as his mother tongue.

"Ur Jordens Djup" track listing:

01. Gryning
02. Sång
03. Korpens Saga
04. Nedgång
05. Ur Djupet
06. Slagbröder
07. En Mäktig Här
08. Ormhäxan
09. Maktens Spira
10. Under Två Runor
11. Kvällning

Finnish melodic metallers SONATA ARCTICA have begun mixing their new album at Finnvox studio in Helsinki. "There is not much more I can say about the music," keyboardist Henkka Klingenberg writes on the group's web site. "Generally I feel that trying to describe music with words is basically like having someone telling the radio news by playing a piano piece.....you can't win, and will definitely not know what's going on. Odd enough? Nevertheless, the stuff sounds really great. This is actually the first time we hear all the elements together, one of the drawbacks of using a zillion studios."

The new single from SONATA ARCTICA, "Replica" — containing a new version of the title cut, which originally appeared on the band's 1999 debut, "Ecliptica", plus the songs "Draw Me" (instrumental) and "Respect the Wilderness" — entered the Finnish single chart in November at position No. 1.

The new version of "Replica" is included on SONATA ARCTICA's "best of" collection, entitled "The Collection 1999-2006", which entered the Finnish album chart at No. 16. In addition to material from the band's studio albums, the CD contains a new version of the song "My Land", which also originally appeared on "Ecliptica".

According to a posting on GORGOROTH's official web site, the group's frontman, Gaahl, was finally released from prison last month after being jailed since the spring of 2006.

Gaahl was sentenced to 14 months in prison in February 2005 for beating a 41-year-old man and threatening to drink his blood. The 31-year-old, whose real name was not revealed by the Norwegian media, was charged with a crime that carries a maximum penalty of nine years in prison. The original 18-month sentence, which was handed down in May 2004, was reduced by four months while the amount in damages Gaahl was required to pay to the victim was increased from 100,000 NOK (approximately $15,000) to 190,000 NOK (approximately $29,000).

STONE SOUR performed a live acoustic set in the studios of the Toronto, Canada radio station The Edge (102.1 FM) this past Monday (January 8). Watch footage of the performance online at YouTube.com:

* "Wild Horses" (THE ROLLING STONES cover):video
* "Through Glass": video
* "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" (POISON cover/warm-up): video

SILENT FORCE — which features in its ranks ex-ROYAL HUNT singer D.C. Cooper — has finalized the track listing for its fourth album, "Walk the Earth", due on February 16 via AFM Records. The CD will be issued in Japan on December 21. Check out the cover artwork. The guitars, bass and keyboards for the new CD were laid down at Guitars from Hell studio in Krefeld, Germany. "The song material is in the same direction like the last album, 'Worlds Apart'," according to a posting on the group's web site. A European tour will coincide with the album release.

"Walk the Earth" track listing:

01. Man & Machine
02. Walk the Earth
03. Point of No Return
04. In from the Dark
05. The King of Fools
06. The Child Within
07. Goodby My Ghost
08. Save Me from Myself
09. My Independence Day
10. Blind Leading the Blind
11. Running through the Fire
12. Picture of a Shadow

An audio sample of the title cut from SILENT FORCE's fourth album, "Walk the Earth", has been posted online at this location (audio player in upper right-hand corner).

"Worlds Apart" was released in the U.S. in October 2004 via Noise Records.