Lion Music has set an October 27 release date for the new album from guitarist Alex Masi, entitled "Late Night At Desert Rimrock". The CD also features Masi's MCM bandmate and former YNGWIE MALMSTEEN/ARK drummer John Macaluso.

The music on "Late Night At Desert Rimrock" is described in a press release "a wild musical ride with no specific goal other than 'music' itself. The title may conjure up images of irrational, rabid, hallucinogenic, exploring drumming and guitar playing and this is indeed how Alex Masi himself describes the music."

"Late Night At Desert Rimrock" may initially shock fans of Masi's neo-classical output, but fans of Masi's guitar work will revel in the musicianship. Alex comments, "The new material has no regard for what's expected of me musically. This album is probably the closest representation musically of where my head is at right now."

The album in total took a couple of years to complete, with other albums and session work delaying things in the meantime. Masi wrapped up the album in May 2006.

"Late Night At Desert Rimrock" (view cover here) track listing:

01. Vagina Denata
02. You Asked
03. Antistructure
04. Love Is A Resonance
05. Asparagus Piss
06. Disembodied In Mojave
07. Tiktaalik In Evolution
08. The Smess Of Weightlessness
09. Telling England By The Sound
10. His/Her Dosage
11. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't?
12. Unsolved

W.A.S.P.'s manager, Daniel Stanton of Coallier Entertainment, has provided BLABBERMOUTH.NET with the artwork for the band's upcoming album, "Dominator", tentatively due on October 17 via Sanctuary Records. Check it out at this location.

As previously reported, a live recording of the new W.A.S.P. song "Mercy", taped during the band's appearance in Bulgaria earlier in the month, has been made available for download via the band's official forum at www.waspnation.com (free registration required).

W.A.S.P. canceled its previously announced European dates in July after frontman Blackie Lawless was diagnosed with an abnormality in one of the arteries leading to his heart.

W.A.S.P.'s last album, "The Neon God Part 2: The Demise", was released in 2004 via Sanctuary Records' Metal-Is imprint.

SUSPERIA, the Norwegian band featuring former members of DIMMU BORGIR and SATYRICON, entered StrandStudio in Oslo, Norway at the beginning of August to start work on their fourth studio album, the follow up to 2004's acclaimed release "Unlimited". The band is once again working with Marius Strand, who previously assisted SUSPERIA on 2005's Norwegian Top 20 hit, the "Devil May Care" EP. Recording is expected to be completed by the end of September. SUSPERIA then head out on a short tour in October before returning to Dug-Out Studios in Uppsala, Sweden in November to complete the final mix with Daniel Bergstrand (IN FLAMES, MESHUGGAH, SOILWORK). A release is planned for early 2007 through the Tabu label in Europe and Candlelight Records in the USA. No name for the album has been announced yet, but songtitles revealed so far are "More" (which SUSPERIA performed at this year's Inferno Festival in Norway), "Cut From Stone", "Distant Memory" and "The Clone". The band has added a further date to those previously announced. They will perform at the Motstoy Festival in Notodden, Norway on Friday, October 6.

In other news, SUSPERIA bass guitarist Memnock is currently featured in an eight-part TV documentary series on Norway's TVRomerike, charting the build-up to his recent wedding. As well as capturing the big day, TV crews spent several months following the couple's preparations. The series also includes footage of Memnock at work with SUSPERIA at rehearsals, in the recording studio and in concert.

SUSPERIA released its third full-length album, "Unlimited", in 2004 on the Tabu label in Europe and Candlelight in the USA. It has continued to show growth to become the bands best-selling album to date, exceeding the performance of previous albums, "Vindication" and "Predominance", which were released by Nuclear Blast.

U.K. progressive metallers THRESHOLD have started recording the follow-up to their 2004 album "Subsurface" at Thin Ice Studios in Surrey, England. Much of the drums, guitars and keyboards have now been recorded, with Andrew "Mac" McDermott's vocals due to be laid down at the beginning of October. No title has been announced for the album, but the songtitles are as follows (in no particular order):

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

Recording is expected to be complete in November, with a release planned for early in 2007 through Nuclear Blast Records.

German metallers METALIUM have set "Nothing To Undo – Chapter VI" as the full title of their sixth album, "Chapter VI", tentatively due in early 2007.

Commented the band: The lyrical themes are about the deepest innerside of a human being…. Lies, betrayal, false friends… but also about honour, loyalty and blind understanding. In general, the most direct and dramatic lyrics of METALIUM so far and more related to reality than the other chapters. Once more, the lyrics were written by Lars [Ratz, bass] and Michael [Ehre, drums] and we feel that we are getting more and more closer with our style of writing, even though both writers kept definitely their own style, as always."

According to a posting on the CHILDREN OF BODOM fan site Scythes Of Bodom, SINERGY's long-awaited new album, "Sins of the Past" — featuring American singer Kimberly Goss alongside CHILDREN OF BODOM members Alexi Laiho (guitar) and Roope Latvala (guitar) — has had its projected release date (through Nuclear Blast) pushed back to 2007. No further information is available at this time.

Nuclear Blast Records recently released a "Deluxe Edition" of SINERGY's debut album, "Beware the Heavens". The CD, which originally came out in 1999, features three bonus tracks, all of which have been previously released on assorted tribute albums: "Rock You Like A Hurricane" (SCORPIONS cover), "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (The Man After Midnight)" (ABBA) and "The Number of the Beast" (IRON MAIDEN).

SINERGY's last album, "Suicide by my Side", was released in 2002.

Dutch melodic death/thrashers DETONATION have issued the following update:

"At the moment Koen [Romeijn, vocals and guitar] and Thomas [Kalksma, drums] are in the studio with CARDAMON to record their first album, but next week the recordings will be done and we will return to writing material for the new DETONATION album. Recording is scheduled for December this year, as mentioned before we'll work with Split Second Sound together with producer Jochem Jacobs and co-producer Bouke Visser. Also, we've found a more than suitable candidate to do our artwork for this album: Eliran Kantor. Although our co-operation with Niklas Sundin from Cabin Fever Media has always been very pleasant and we were very pleased with the artwork for 'An Epic Defiance' and 'Portals to Uphobia', we thought it was cool to do things a bit different this time."

DETONATION's second album, "Portals to Uphobia", was released in the U.S. last October via The End Records. The CD was issued in Europe through Osmose Productions.

The follow up to 2003's "An Epic Defiance", "Portals to Uphobia" was recorded at Excess studio in Rotterdam, Holland.

I, the new band featuring Abbath (IMMORTAL), Ice Dale (ENSLAVED, AUDREY HORNE), TC King (SAHG, ex-GORGOROTH) and Armagedda (ex-IMMORTAL), has uploaded two tracks from its upcoming debut album, "Between Two Worlds", on its MySpace page. Check out the songs "The Storm I Ride" and "Cursed We Are" at this location.

"Between Two Worlds" is scheduled for release in North America on November 14 via Nuclear Blast Records (November 3 in Germany). Recorded in Bergen, Norway's Lydriket Studio with Geir Luedy, and mixed by Peter Tägtgren (IMMORTAL, DIMMU BORGIR, MARDUK), "Between Two Worlds" "will kick your teeth in and break your back!" according to the band. "Heavy, groovy, melodic, atmospheric, heck — call it even catchy — THIS ALBUM IS A MASTERPIECE!"

"Between Two Worlds" track listing:

01. The Storm I Ride
02. Warriors
03. Between Two Worlds
04. Battalions
05. Mountains
06. Days of North Winds
07. Far Beyond the Quiet
08. Cursed We Are

There will also be a limited-edition version of the album with two bonus tracks: "Bridges of Fire" and "Shadowed Realms".

Finnish melodic death/power metal band NAILDOWN has entered Sound Supreme studio to begin recording its second album, tentatively due on March 14, 2007 via Spinefarm Records. The follow-up to last year's "World Domination" will be mixed by Jacob Hansen at Hansen studios in Ribe, Denmark.

Formed in November 2003 under the name ACID UNIVERSE, NAILDOWN's sound has been described as a mixture of "CHILDREN OF BODOM, IN FLAMES and SOILWORK, with power metal riffs, while effortlessly alternating between several vocal styles (from the gruffest Alexi Laiho bark to AMORPHIS-style croon)."

NAILDOWN is:

Daniel Freyberg - Vocals, Guitar
Asko Sartanen - Guitar
Jarmo Puikkonen - Keys
Matti Hämäläinen - Bass
Janne Jukarainen - Drums

Sweden's SHOT INJECTION will enter Studio Fredman in Gothenburg on September 23 to record the follow-up to its "Eleven Triple Manifest" mini-CD. The band will record three new songs: "Convinced", "From A Bleeding Heart" and "In A Circle Between Fear And Loss". According to a posting on the group's web site, fans can "expect a high-quality release with a lot of new elements.'

"Eleven Triple Manifest" was recorded at Division One Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden and featured guest appearances by EVERGREY frontman Tom S Englund and M.A.N/ex-MNEMIC frontman Tony Jelencovich.

SHOT INJECTION recently parted ways with bassist Filip Svensson (ex-ROACH). His replacement, Erik Samuelsson, made his live debut with the group on July 14 at at Henriksberg in Gothenburg.

Swedish grindcore mainstays REGURGITATE have announced the addition of bassist Johan Jansson (INTERMANT, UNCURBED, DEMONICAL, ex-CENTINEX) to the group's ranks. Jansson will make his live debut with the group on on Saturday, September 30 at Pub Bastun in Marihamn, Åland with MASSGRAV.

REGURGITATE has set an October 17 North American release date (October 23 internationally) for its new album, "Sickening Bliss".

"Sickening Bliss", the band's fourth release for Relapse, is a return to form for these goregrind adherents, right down to the explicit lyrics, shocking art (click here
to view) and gut-rumbling beats they are notorious for, all of which can be previewed via this "Sickening Bliss" e-card.

Roadrunner Records has announced the details of the "special edition" of DEVILDRIVER's "The Fury Of Our Maker's Hand" CD, which is being reissued on October 31. The album will contain the following:

Disc 1: CD

01. End Of The Line
02. Driving Down The Darkness
03. Grinfucked
04. Hold Back The Day
05. Sin & Sacrifice
06. Ripped Apart
07. Pale Horse Apocalypse
08. Just Run
09. Impending Disaster
10. Bear Witness Unto
11. Before The Hangman's Noose
12. The Fury Of Our Maker's Hand
13. Unlucky 13
14. Guilty As Sin
15. Digging Up Corpses
16. I Could Care Less (Live)
17. Hold Back The Day (Live)
18. Ripped Apart (Live)

Disc 2: DVD Featuring The Music Videos For

01. End Of The Line
02. Hold Back The Day
03. I Could Care Less
04. Nothings Wrong?

"Unlucky 13" and "Guilty As Sin" are extra tracks recorded during the sessions for "The Fury Of Our Maker's Hand". "Digging Up The Corpses" is an outake from the first, self-titled DEVILDRIVER album. The three live tracks (mixed by Andy Sneap) were recorded on tour in support of "The Fury Of Our Maker's Hand".

Check out the cover artwork at this location.

German death metal band SCYTHE has completed work on its fourth album for Witches Brew, entitled "Decay". "Whether you are getting pounded by the heavy old-school death metal of 'Bitterness' or floating away on an atmospheric composition like 'Pretending Not To See', this new masterpiece offers the perfect mixture between both extremes," according to a press release. "Add to that some oriental seasonings for a well rounded and varied fourth album somewhere between UNLEASHED and '90s VOIVOD."

"Decay" will be released in the first week of October. Pre-orders are now being taken at the label's distribution, www.thebasar.org. Everyone placing a pre-order by September 20 recieves an older SCYTHE release free. Choose from "On My Way Home", "Poetry Of Illusions" or "The Process Of Rotting". Be sure to read the ordering instructions before placing the order.

Check out two songs from "Decay": "Bitterness" (mp3) and "Pretending Not to See" (mp3).

Dutch melodic death/thrash act FUELBLOODED (formerly SACRAMENTAL SACHEM) has announced the addition of singer Peter Brinkman (ex-AURA, SCENARIOII, ZILVER) to the group's ranks. Brinkman joins the group as the replacement for longtime vocalist Vital Welten, who left the band earlier in the week.

Commented the band: "We're very happy we have found a new singer this fast. We've known Peter for a long time from his former bands, and we knew he would be perfect for the job. Now that he took the bait, we can't wait to get this train rolling. This is gonna rock!"

Added Peter: "I'm very happy and proud to join FUELBLOODED, a band that is working really hard to progress in the scene. I hope I can contribute to this and I'm looking forward to singing, growling and screaming [as soon as possible]!"

Peter's first gig with FUELBLOODED will take place on September 30 at the Woerdschok Festival in Woerden. The band is currently writing songs for its sophomore album, which it intends to record around the spring of 2007. FUELBLOODED's debut album was released on Copro Records in March of this year.

Vic Records has announced plans to re-release of their first three albums from the Hungarian black metallers SEAR BLISS. "Phantoms" (1996), "The Pagan Winter" (1997) and "The Haunting" (1998) will all be remastered, remixed and partly re-recorded, and many previously unreleased bonus tracks will be added. Vic Records will also release the STAR CROSSED debut CD, the project band of SEAR BLISS mainman Andras Nagy (vocals, bass, guitars and keys). In addition, the label will issue a very special album from a project consisting of current and ex-SEAR BLISS members (such as Winter from FOREST SILENCE), featuring music that has been written throughout the 12.5 years of SEAR BLISS' excistence. Vic will also release a mini-CD by FOREST SILENCE, the main band of former SEAR BLISS keyboard player Winter.

SEAR BLISS recently inked a deal with Candlelight Records. A new studio album is expected in 2007.

Swedish death metal act INSISION will enter Black Lounge studios (SCAR SYMMETRY, CENTINEX) in Avesta, Sweden on October 16 to begin recording its third album, entitled "Ikon". Nine new songs have been completed so far and Mick Usher, who also worked on INSISION's last album "Revealed & Worshipped", has designed the cover.

INSISION recently parted ways with Earache/Wicked World Records and is currently seeking a new label home. "Just like ENTOMBED and MORBID ANGEL before us, it [is] now time for INSISION to leave Earache in order to go ahead," the band said at the time. "We have all the material ready for our third album, and it is by far the most intense and brutal stuff we have written yet. It all feels like a fresh start, and the future seems bright!"

Italian progressive-aggressive metal band ELDRITCH has set "Blackeneday" as the working title of its seventh album, tentatively due next May.

ELDRITCH's sixth album, "Neighbourhell", was released this past February. The recordings for the follow-up to 2004's "Portrait of the Abyss Within" were done between April and June 2005 in three different studios (Syncropain, Bigwave and Eldritch studios), while the mastering was handled by Christian Schmid and R.D. Liapakis at Music Factory in Germany. The artwork was conceived by Dirk Illing for X-M-D.

ELDRITCH made its U.S. live debut at the Chicago Powerfest 2006. The fourth annual metal fest featuring both veteran and up-and-coming bands from various sub-genres of metal was held April 7-8 in Chicago Heights, IL.

Australia's PyroMusic.net webzine has uploaded video and audio footage of Swedish melodic death metallers DARK TRANQUILLITY performing a new song, entitled "Where Death Is Most Alive", live at the Manning Bar in Sydney on Sunday, September 17. Support at the show came from Melbourne's ALARUM and Sydney locals INFERNAL METHOD. Check it out at this location.

DARK TRANQUILLITY recently announced that its next studio album will be produced by Danish producer Tue Madsen. "The effort will be mixed in his Antfarm studio, while the actual recording will take place in different premises here in Sweden," the band said. "Drums will be set to tape at the old Studio Fredman, while guitars, bass, vocals and electronics will be immortalized at Rogue Music." Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Blind at Heart", "The Lesser Faith", "InsignifiCunt" and "The Plunge"."

DARK TRANQUILLITY completed a North American tour earlier in the year with OPETH, THE DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND and DEVILDRIVER in support of "Character", their highly acclaimed latest album that brought these originators of the famed Gothenburg scene back to the forefront of the genre. "Character", recorded once again at Studio Fredman (IN FLAMES, ARCH ENEMY), has also been praised as their most groundbreaking yet as it retains all of the band's classic elements and thought-provoking lyrical content while blending the perfect amount of unrelenting aggression and melody.

Finnish/Swedish grinding death metal act DEATHBOUND, featuring members of ...AND OCEANS, THE DUSKFALL and ROTTEN SOUND, entered the studio on September 11 to begin recording its third album, tentatively titled "We Deserve Much Worse". The cover artwork for the follow-up to 2005's "Doomsday Comfort" is being handled by Ville Anger. An early 2007 release via Dynamic Arts is expected.

DEATHBOUND's debut album, "To Cure the Sane with Insanity", was re-released in March with bonus material.

Originally issued in May 2003 via Woodcut Records, the new digipack version of "To Cure the Sane with Insanity" included four live songs recorded at Tuska Open Air 2005, a video for the song "Doomsday Comfort", plus brand new artwork.

TWISTED SISTER's version of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" (written by Thomas Connor; first recorded by Jimmy Boyd in 1952) has been posted online at the band's official MySpace page. The track will be included on TWISTED SISTER recently completed "final" disc, "A Twisted Christmas", featuring metal versions of holiday classics, including "Deck the Halls" and "Oh Come All Ye Faithful".

In a recent interview with Doug Podell of Detroit's WRIF 101.1 FM, TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider stated about the upcoming CD, "We've been in the studio… I don't know if you heard about this. It came to us that when it comes to Christmas, there's every kind of music Christmas records — there's jazz, there's barbershop quartet, there's classical, there's easy listening — but there's no old-school metal. And we have just finished recording 'A Twisted Christmas' — 10 traditional Christmas songs done '80s-metal style. I'm telling you — it works. It's unbelievable. It rocks."

"A Twisted Christmas" (view cover here) track listing:

01. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
02. Oh Come All Ye Faithful
03. White Christmas
04. I'll Be Home For Christmas (feat. Lita Ford)
05. Silver Bells
06. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
07. Let It Snow
08. Deck the Halls
09. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
10. Heavy Metal Christmas (The Twelve Days of Christmas)

"A Twisted Christmas" is scheduled for release on October 17 via Razor & Tie Records.

Reunited Swedish hard rockers EUROPE will release a new single, "Always the Pretenders", on October 11. The track listing is as follows:

01. Always The Pretenders (Radio Edit)
02. Always The Pretenders (Album Version)
03. Flames (Live at B.B. King in New York City)
04. Superstitious (Live at B.B. King in New York City)

Check out the single artwork at this location.

As previously reported, EUROPE will release its new album, "Secret Society", in Japan on November 18 via JVC/Victor Entertainment Inc. The CD will be issued in Europe on October 27. A U.S. release date has not yet been announced. Legendary Storm Thorgerson designed the artwork for the next EUROPE cover. As a member of the design studio Hipgnosis, Storm worked on all the classic album covers by PINK FLOYD, LED ZEPPELIN and PETER GABRIEL, to name just a few.

DELAIN, the Dutch gothic rock project founded by ex-WITHIN TEMPTATION keyboardist Martijn Westerholt (brother of WITHIN TEMPTATION's Robert Westerholt), has just released its debut album, "Lucidity", via Roadrunner Records. In addition to Martijn Westerholt and Charlotte Wessels (vocals), the CD 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)

DELAIN is an exceptional band because of its project-like set-up. The many musicians and vocalists on "Lucidity" have all left their mark on the music. "I wanted to encourage interaction between the different musicians," says Martijn. But despite his prominent role, he provided enough room for personal contributions. "I think it is important to create a positive vibe in the studio. I had a final say with regard to the overall sound, but I made sure my ego did not get in the way of the best final result."

Despite the fact that DELAIN is, first and foremost, a project, Martijn and the talented Charlotte Wessels make up the core of the band. Martijn wrote most of the songs, whereas the characteristic voice of Charlotte gives DELAIN its own identity. Her serene and poppy sound differs from the high opera-like vocals so typical for the gothic genre. Martijn met the then still 18-year-old Charlotte by chance. He wasn't looking for a lead vocalist at the time, so he just asked her to write lyrics and vocal parts. But when he heard her sing a few tracks in the studio, he was so impressed that he immediately asked her to join DELAIN.

"Lucidity" contains some interesting duets: Liv Kristine sings with Marco Hietala on "Day For Ghosts" and with Charlotte on "See Me In Shadow". Sharon den Adel's distinctive voice is a great counterpart to Marco's intense vocals on "No Compliance", whereas the heavy grunts of George Oosthoek combine very well with Charlotte's peaceful voice on a number of other tracks.

For audio samples, visit www.myspace.com/delainmusic

According to a posting on the MEGADETH fan site Rattlehead HQ, the live album that MEGADETH recorded on October 9, 2005 in Buenos Aires, Argentina appears to be slated for a March 6, 2007 release via Image Entertainment. Entitled "That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires", the set will be released in both CD and DVD formats. Three TV-broadcast video clips of MEGADETH's performance in Buenos Aires have been posted online at YouTube.com. Check them out:

• "Symphony of Destruction" (video)
  
• "Coming Home" (video)
  
• "A Tout le Monde" (video)
  

For more information on "That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires", visit the Image Entertainment web site.

MEGADETH's new CD, "United Abominations", is scheduled for release in early 2007 via Roadrunner Records. Dave Mustaine recently told Gary Graff of Billboard.com that the album, which he's producing with Jeff Balding, "has a lot of variation on it. It's got some surprises, but there's a really old-school vein to it, I would say." The group has been careful not to rush the album, either, holding sessions in London, Los Angeles and Nashville since earlier this year.

MESSIAH'S KISS, the German/American/British metal act featuring current RIOT touring singer Mike Tirelli (HOLY MOTHER, BURNING STARR), has announced the track listing for its upcoming third album, "Dragonheart", tentatively due in early 2007 via SPV Records.

"Dragonheart" was mixed at Arena 20 studios in Hannover, Germany with producer Herman Frank (VICTORY, ACCEPT). All the instruments were tracked at Arena 20 while the vocals were laid down at the M-J.T. studio in Long Island, New York. The track listing is as follows:

01. The Ancient Cries (4:00)
02. Babylon (3:42)
03. Falcons Cry (3:24)
04. Dragonheart (4:22)
05. Thunders of the Night (3:47)
06. Steelrider (3:02)
07. City of Angels (5:17)
08. Nocturnal (3:10)
09. Northern Nights (4:22)
10. Open Fire (3:45)
11. The Ivory Gates (6:41)

Fantasy art master Luis Royo, who painted the cover for "Prayer of the Dying", will create the artwork for the new CD. Three songs from the CD — "The Ancient Cries", "Babylon" and "City of Angels" — can be heard at the group's official web site.

MESSIAH'S KISS recorded the follow-up to "Metal" as a four-piece following the departure of guitarist Alexander Hitz. The band's current lineup is completed by guitarist Georg Kraft, bassist Wayne Banks and drummer Eckhard Ostra.

Texas' long-running heavy doomers SOLITUDE AETURNUS will release their sixth studio album, entitled "Alone", through Massacre Records on November 10. A deal is currently being negotiated with an as-yet-undisclosed label for a North American release during the same month.

"Alone" was recorded at Nomad Studios in Carrolton, Texas with Sterling Winfield (PANTERA) and J.T. Longoria (KING DIAMOND) sharing engineering duties. Artwork for "Alone" was created by Travis Smith.

Commented guitarist John Perez: "This is easily some of heaviest and most overcast material that we've ever done. It's bleak and at the same time we've pulled a slightly more metallic edge to the overall album. It's a little different sound for us but one that I've been striving to attain for some time now. In fact it is the best-sounding record we've ever done. A polished yet HEAVY as hell album to my ears. We're all extremely happy with the overall results."

"Alone" track listing:

01. Scent of Death
02. Waiting for the Light
03. Blessed be the Dead
04. Sightless
05. Upon Within
06. Burning
07. Is There
08. Tomorrows Dead
09. Essence of Black

A demo version of "Sightless" is still available for download at this location.

THERION mainman Christofer Johnsson has posted the following message on the band's official web site:

"We're happy to announce that the recordings [for the new THERION album] have been finished and that the mix of the album is in progress. We estimate to have the album done by the end of the month and the release is scheduled for January 16th"

Therion will team up with GRAVE DIGGER and SABATON for European tour beginning on January 17 in Essen, Germany. A complete list of tour dates can be found at the THERION web site.

Christofer Johnsson recently announced that he was stepping down as THERION's vocalist. Christofer will continue to handle guitar duties for the band.

German metallers METALIUM are currently in the sstudio recording their sixth album, "Chapter VI", tentatively due in early 2007. The tentative track listing is as follows (in no particular order):

01. When Death Calls
02. Dare
03. Insane
04. Gates
05. On My Way
06. Hellfire
07. Spirits
08. Never Die
09. Walls
10. The Heroes Failed
11. Mindless
12. Mental Blindness
13. Follow The Sign
14. (undisclosed QUEEN cover)

METALIUM released a DVD, entitled "Metalian Attack – Part 2", in May. The four-hour disc includes footage from the band's Sept. 23, 2005 concert at the Jahnhalle in Nordenham, Germany plus material from the group's appearance at the Bloodstock festival in the U.K., where the group reportedly performed for more than 2,000 people. Also included are interviews, picture galleries, plus in-the-studio and behind-the-scenes footage.

AFM Records has set a November 24 release date for BLACKMORE'S NIGHT's holiday album "Winter Carols" (cover).

Former DEEP PURPLE/RAINBOW guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and his fiancée Candice Night have always loved the winter: the brisk clean air on a frosty eve when you can feel all your senses alive with the season — smell the wood fires burning, see your breath linger in the frosty air, feel the snowflakes fall upon your face. It evokes festivities and bright candlelight, and music that was sung and performed for hundreds of years by minstrels of the Middle Ages — many of these songs still emerge today during the winter season. This is their interpretation of many favourite carols, shared, performed and enjoyed for the past 400 years.

Commented Candice: "The holiday season has always embodied joy, love, peace, togetherness. The sentiments of the holidays are what we try to express in our music."

Added Ritchie: "The origin of the word carol means 'dance' back in the mid 1500s. Most of the Christmas Carols are from the 1400s, 1500s, 1600s. They are brilliant melodies. I am naturally attracted to these melodies — as a kid of 10, 11, 12, I would go from house to house during the holiday time and sing them just to earn some money. Now, as an adult, I thought I could play them and make more money.'

OHM:, the group led by former MEGADETH guitarist Chris Poland, is currently in the studio recording the follow-up to "Amino Acid Flashback". Kofi Baker (who played on OHM:'s last two records) and Joel Taylor (ALLAN HOLDSWORTH, FRANK GAMBALE, also toured with OHM: earlier this year) will be sharing drum duties on this record, which, based on a report from co-producer Petar Sardelich on the OHM: forums, is coming together nicely in these early recording stages.

"Amino Acid Flashback" was released by Blacknote Records in October 2005.

According to several online sources, including postings on the band's official MySpace page, former HATEBREED guitarist Lou "Boulder" Richards — who appeared on the group's "Satisfaction is the Death Of Desire" (1997) and "Perseverance" (2002) releases before leaving the band in May of 2002 — has died.

HATEBREED has issued the following statement regarding the matter:

"As many of you may have heard, and we were sorry to learn, our former guitar player Lou 'Boulder' Richards passed away yesterday. It is very unfortunate that he could not see any other way to conquer his demons. We hope he has finally found some peace. Our hearts go out to Vera and his family and friends."

HATEBREED earlier in the year welcomed guitarist Frank "3 Gun" Novinec (TERROR, RINGWORM, INTEGRITY) into the fold on second guitar. Novinec made his recording debut with the group on the band's latest CD, "Supremacy", which came out last month on Roadrunner Records.