SINNER — the German band featuring PRIMAL FEAR bassist Mat Sinner, his FEAR bandmate Tom Naumann (guitars), Frank Rössler (keyboards), METALIUM's Matte Lange (guitars) and former PRIMAL FEAR drummer Klaus Sperling — has entered Leon studio near Stuttgart with the engineering team of Achim Köhler and Samson Geiger to begin recording its new album, entitled "Mask of Sanity", for a January 19, 2007 release through MTM Music. Check out pictures from the studio at this location.

Regarding the prospect of working with Klaus Sperling again, Sinner previously said in a statement, "It's really fantastic to have Klaus back on board and with MTM Music, we found a great trustfully partner for the band's future! I can promise that 'Mask of Sanity' will be a 100% SINNER album, with a lot of harmony guitars and all trademarks of the SINNER history!"

Klaus Sperling is no stranger to the SINNER songs, as he helped out the band on their Japan tour 1999, their European tour with DIO in 2000 and some open-air performances in Europe. Sperling also played drums on the SINNER version of ACCEPT's classic "Balls to the Wall". Songtitles set to appear on the new CD include "The Sign", "Revenge", "Last Men Standing", "Thunderroar", "Mask of Sanity" and "Black".

The new SINNER lineup will make its live debut on October 7, 2006 at the H2O in Reichenbach, Germany. Also appearing on the bill will be PRIMAL FEAR, PUMP and TARGA.

Vitamin Records has set a September 19 release date for the IRON MAIDEN tribute album "The Hand of Doom Orchestra Plays Iron Maiden's Piece of Mind: The Orchestral Tribute". A description of the project on the Vitamin web site reads as follows:

"Amongst the dust and debris of time and trends, IRON MAIDEN stands alone. Fans readily embrace the band’s impossible-to-copy mixture of intelligent lyrics, complex music, and memorable visuals. While 'Number of the Beast' may receive the critical accolades, the follow up, 'Piece of Mind', also proves to be an undisputed masterpiece. Between exhilarating yet stark portrayals of battle and clever adaptations of literature, guitars thunder, the rhythm gallops, and Bruce Dickinson's voice soars. 'Piece of Mind' ultimately bursts with songs critical to IRON MAIDEN's career.

"THE HAND OF DOOM ORCHESTRA triumphantly performs 'Piece of Mind' in its epic entirety. The power of classical music has never been lost on IRON MAIDEN. On this album, violins, woodwinds, cello, and classical guitar combine to create immense and rich instrumental renditions of 'Revelations' and 'The Trooper'. THE HAND OF DOOM ORCHESTRA creates a symphonic masterpiece that retains IRON MAIDEN's timeless vitality."

Check out the cover artwork and listen to audio samples at this location.

TWISTED SISTER completed work on its "final" disc, "A Twisted Christmas", featuring metal versions of holiday classics, including "Deck the Halls" and "O 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.

"You know what? Years ago, back in the '80s, I was saying, 'Man, it would be great if all the bands got together and we each took a Christmas song and did it our own way.' So what J.J. [French, guitar] — knowing this is the last year for me — said, 'What do you think about doing a Christmas record?' And I said, 'You know what? That could just be insane enough to be successful.' So we went in and the stuff works, man. We've got an AC/DC-type version of 'Silver Bells', a MAIDEN version of… This is what we did: We approached it like, 'How would these bands do it?' A MAIDEN version of 'White Christmas', THIN LIZZY, a JUDAS PRIEST 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus'. It rocks. Me and Lita Ford did a duet, power ballad-style, on 'I'll Be Home On Christmas'; it came out incredible and the record's gonna be coming out in October [via Razor & Tie Records] — it'll be in stores."

British metallers MY DYING BRIDE will release their new album, "A Line of Deathless Kings", on October 9 via Peaceville/Snapper. The LP, which was recorded at at Academy Studios and was mixed at Chapel Studios, will also be made available as a special edition and as a limited double-vinyl release. A single, entitled "Deeper Down", will be released September 18.

The follow-up to 2004's "Songs of Darkness, Words of Light", "A Line of Deathless Kings" (view cover artwork at this location) will contain the following track listing:

01. To Remain Tombless (6:06)
02. L'Amour Detruit (9:08)
03. I Cannot Be Loved (7:04)
04. And I Walk With Them (6:37)
05. Thy Raven Wings (5:22)
06. Love's Intolerable Pain (6:14)
07. One of Beauty's Daughters (5:40)
08. Deeper Down (6:28)
09. The Blood, The Wine, The Roses (8:21)

MY DYING BRIDE's second DVD, "Sinamorata", was released in August 2005 via Peaceville. The disc included a video for the track "The Blue Lotus" (directed and conceived by David Palzer), live footage (12 songs) shot on November 2, 2003 in Antwerpen, Belgium, as well as backstage extras, the "Prize of Beauty" promotional clip, two videos made by MY DYING BRIDE fans ("Hope the Destroyer" and "My Wine In Silence") and a photo gallery featuring fan-created artwork inspired by the band's music.

I, the new band featuring Abbath (IMMORTAL), Ice Dale (ENSLAVED, AUDREY HORNE), TC King (SAHG, ex-GORGOROTH) and Armagedda (ex-IMMORTAL), has finalized the track listing for its debut album, "Between Two Worlds", due for release in North America on November 14 via Nuclear Blast Records. 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".

Download a radio-broadcast-quality (not CD quality) version of the song "The Storm I Ride" at this location.

Check out new promotional photos at this location. Pictures from the band's appearance last month at the Hole in the Sky festival in Bergen, Norway can be found here.

Long-defunct British thrashers SABBAT will reunite to support CRADLE OF FILTH on their upcoming U.K. tour in December.

The reunion came about "due to many a conversation with Dani [Filth, CRADLE frontman] and Paul [Allender, COF guitarist] whilst mixing the [new] CRADLE album," SABBAT guitarist-turned-producer Andy "Undie" Sneap told BLABBERMOUTH.NET. "It was put to us that they'd love to see it happen (Dani still has his stolen copy of 'Dreamweaver' [1989] on cassette), and the more we've talked about it, it just seemed like opening for CRADLE on these shows would be a great way of getting the five of us together again for a bit of fun. It's not a long-term thing, [and we don't have] any delusions about the future — [it's] just a chance to play some of the old songs and have a blast."

SABBAT 2006 reunion lineup (same as that on 1989's "Dreamweaver"):

• Martin Walkyier - Vocals
  
• Andy Sneap - Guitar
  
• Simon Jones - Guitar
  
• Fraser Craske - Bass
  
• Simon Negus - Drums
  

Says Sneap: "We just have to try and remember the songs, but we've had three rehearsals already and it sounds great."

Finnish metal act MACHINE MEN has entered the studio to record the follow-up to its Century Media Records debut, "Elegies". Entitled "The Shadow Gallery", the new album is scheduled for a January 2007 release through Century Media Records.

Vocalist Antony checks in from Fantom Studio (ROTTEN SOUND, NEGATIVE) in Tampere, Finland: "We are in the studio [for] three weeks [now] and the songs sound good and very powerful! And we are in schedule 'cos we can record 24 hours a day if we want. Of course, we also have to sleep sometime ;-). The new album will be heavier and faster than the last one, but still melodic. And a good thing is — all the songs work live very well. Can't wait for the moment when I hear all the songs mixed and the feeling of intoxication after that."

MACHINE MEN's "Falling" single from the "Elegies" album landed in the Finnish Top Five and the band successfully toured Europe with SONATA ARCTICA. The also made several high-profile appearances at the big European summer festivals, such as Wacken Open Air, Graspop Metal Meeting and Earthshaker Fest.

BLOODBOUND, the new Swedish metal band featuring Fredrik Bergh (STREET TALK; bass, keyboards and backing vocals) and Tomas Olsson (lead and rhythm guitars), has posted the following message on its official web site:

"We're proud to announce that one of Sweden's finest metal vocalists, Kristian Andrén, has joined the band. He is previously known from MEMENTO MORI (featuring members from KING DIAMOND, MERCYFUL FATE and DREAM EVIL) where he replaced CANDLEMASS singer Messiah. He was also the original voice in WUTHERING HEIGHTS and TAD MOROSE. Kristian is an extraordinary singer and frontman with an incredible voice and we're very exited to have him onboard! We are also happy to announce that Tomas' younger brother Henrik Olsson is our new rhythm guitar player. Henrik is an experienced and highly educated musician with a background in jazz and can handle most musical styles. A new bass player will be announced shortly.

"At the moment the band is working hard on the writing and recording of the forthcoming second album, which will be released in January 2007. Some of the new titles includes: 'Book of the Dead', 'Vampires', 'Into Eternity', 'Turn To Stone' and 'The Tempter'.

"The new BLOODBOUND line-up (Kristian Andrén - Vocals, Tomas Olsson - Guitars, Fredrik Bergh - Keyboards, Henrik Olsson - Guitars, Pelle Åkerlind - Drums) is stronger than ever and you will see BLOODBOUND live on stage all over Europe early next year.

"As you all probably know Urban, Markus and Jörgen are no longer in the band due to musical and personal differences. We want to thank them for their time in the band and wish them the best of luck in the future."

BLOODBOUND's debut album, "Nosferatu", was released in Europe in February via Metal Heaven. The CD was recorded and produced by Tomas Olsson and Fredrik Bergh.

Vocalist Alfred Romero of the Madrid, Spain-based power metallers DARK MOOR has posted the following message on the group's official web site:

"I am writing this to give you some good news. I'm going to New Sin Studios in Italy next Sunday, 10th of September. I'm starting recording the vocals for this new record. My mate Enrik is already there and it looks like the choir and orchestral arrangements sound awesome... THIS LOOKS GOOD!! I'm really looking forward to start because I am very illusionated with this new album and his concept, YOU'RE GONNA LOVE IT. Soon we'll let you know more about the CD, title, etc."

DARK MOOR's new album is being produced by Luigi Stefanini to for a tentative early 2007 release via an as-yet-undisclosed label. Prior to tracking at New Sin, DARK MOOR recorded the choir parts for the CD at a Madrid studio. For the occasion, DARK MOOR utilized a professional choir composed for two tenors, two sopranos, two altos and two bassos. The as-yet-untitled album will also include a guest appearance by the Dutch singer Manda Ophuis of the band NEMESEA.

DARK MOOR's latest album, "Beyond the Sea", was issued in early 2005 via Arise Records. The band has since split with the label.

WINTERBORN, the self-proclaimed "coldest Finnish heavy metal band," has inked a deal with Massacre Records. The group's debut album, "Cold Reality", is scheduled for release in Europe on November 10 (distributed in the USA by Century Media and The End Records). The group has also signed a deal with Studio57 and Supersounds for the album's Finnish release.

"Cold Reality" was produced at Studio57 in Alaveteli, Finland by the band's guitarist Pasi Vapola, was mixed by Vapola and Pasi Kauppinen (REQUIEM, SILENT VOICES, MENTAL CARE FOUNDATION) and was mastered by Björn Engelmann (IN FLAMES, RAMMSTEIN, SOILWORK, WITHIN TEMPTATION) in Stockholm, Sweden. The album's first single, "Wildheart", will be available via the official WINTERBORN web site, beginning in early October.

WINTERBORN has uploaded several samples from "Cold Reality" at this location.

Black Mark has set an October 2, 2006 release date for EDGE OF SANITY's double CD collection, "When All Is Said - The Best of Edge of Sanity". According to EDGE OF SANITY mastermind/multi-instrumentalist Dan Swanö, "one disc will feature the highlights of the more 'normal' studio albums and the mini-album 'Until Eternity Ends' [1994]," while "the second disc will be packed with 'Crimson' [1996] and 'Crimson II' [2003] in slightly edited versions. All songs [have been] remastered."

"When All Is Said - The Best of Edge of Sanity" will contain more than two and a half hours of music and will come with a 20-page booklet. The track listing is as follows:

Disc 1:

01. Tales…
02. Human Aberration
03. Enigma
04. In The Veins/Darker Than Black
05. Lost
06. The Masque
07. Until Eternity Ends
08. Eternal Eclipse
09. Twilight
10. Black Tears
11. 15:36
12. Hell Is Where The Heart Is
13. Hellwritten
14. Bleed You Dry

Disc 2:

Crimson (full album)
Crimson II (full album)

A poster for "When All Is Said - The Best of Edge of Sanity" can be viewed at this location.

EDGE OF SANITY's last studio album, "Crimson II", was essentially a Dan Swanö solo release with help from various friends.

STURMGEIST, the Norwegian solo project of SOLEFALD mastermind Cornelius Jakhelln Brastad, will release its second album, "Über", on October 16 through Season Of Mist. The track list is as follows:

01. Meister
02. Blood-Axe
03. Dobermann
04. Grimanic Guerillas
05. Iron Hammer
06. Party Über Alles
07. Ruger
08. Mephisto
09. Triumph
10. The Unknown Soldier
11. London
12. Enigma
13. Rock Me Amadeus (FALCO cover)
14. Hindenburg

"Über" also features guitarist John E. Jacobsen and TSJUDER/GRIMFIST drummer Anti Christian.

Even an extremely ambitioned metal act doesn't come up with a real classic every year. It takes a very special mood and a coinciding of creativity, intuition and skill to produce a truly monumental recording. For countless KREATOR fans, "Enemy Of God" is not only a milestone in the band's history, it is also a masterpiece of the thrash metal genre. October 30, 2006 (Germany: October 27; America: October 24) will see the re-release of this classic recording under the title of "Enemy Of God – Revisited", enhanced with lots of interesting features. The album will be released as a DVD + CD digipack, proving again that KREATOR is among the most important representatives of its genre worldwide.

This sophisticated and comprehensive package includes the CD featuring all the songs from the regular album, plus the two additional live tracks, "Toxic Trace" and "Coma Of Souls", both recorded live in Busan, Korea. The DVD features lots of exciting extras and previously unreleased recordings, its highlight consisting of footage from the KREATOR show at the Wacken Open Air 2005, plus the brand-new video clip, "Enemy Of God", the bootleg video "Kreator Live At The Rockpalast", making-of footage of "Enemy Of God", including the official clip of the title track, and the video "Dying Race Apocalypse". This worthwhile DVD is rounded off with a crystal-clear 5.1 DTS 96/24 audio mix of the whole album. On top of that, the package features new cover artwork and a comprehensive booklet.

DVD:

Live Wacken 2005;

01. Intro
02. Enemy Of God
03. Impossible Brutality
04. Pleasure To Kill
05. Phobia
06. Violent Revolution
07. Suicide Terrorist
08. Extreme Agression
09. People Of The Lie
10. Voices Of The Dead
11. Terrible Certanity
12. Betrayer
13. Flag Of Hate
14. Tormentor

Bonus - Bootleg "Live At The Rockpalast":

01. Reconquering the Throne
02. Renewal
03. Servant in Heaven
04. King in Hell

Video Clips:

01. Making of Enemy of God
02. Enemy of God
03. Dystopia
04. Impossible Brutality
05. Dying Race Apocalypse

Enemy Of God 5.1 DTS 96/24 Mix:

CD:

01. Enemy of God
02. Impossible Brutality
03. Suicide Terrorist
04. World Anarchy
05. Dystopia
06. Voices of the Dead
07. Murder Fantasies
08. When Death Takes Its Dominion
09. One Evil Comes - A Million Follow
10. Dying Race Apocalypse
11. Under a Total Blackened Sky
12. The Ancient Plague

Bonus:

13. Toxic Trace (Live in Busan, Korea)
14. Coma Of Souls (Live in Busan, Korea)

KREATOR is scheduled to tour Europe in January and February 2007 before embarking on another American tour. The band has also been booked to play a number of festivals in the summer of 2007.

EPICA's previously announced live DVD, which was filmed on May 4, 2006 at Paradiso in Amsterdam, Holland, has been delayed until next year, according to a posting on the group's official web site. "As you can imagine we feel really bad about this," the group writes. "We are now trying to work on a solution to minimize this delay as much as possible. As soon as we have more info on this we will post it right away."

To celebrate EPICA's upcoming U.S. tour debut alongside KAMELOT, Candlelight Records will release a deluxe edition of the Dutch female-fronted band's latest album, "Consign to Oblivion". Recorded in early 2005 and featuring guest contribution from KAMELOT vocalist Roy Khan, the album will hit stores nationwide September 19. The CD packaging will include a special DVD.

EPICA is currently working on material for its third full-length album. "We have about 13 songs which are growing every day," vocalist Simone Simons recently stated. "Soon we will be able to play new songs live. Looking forward to it!"

TAROT, the Finnish group led by NIGHTWISH/ex-SINERGY bassist Marco Hietala, will release its new album, "Crows Fly Black", in Finland on October 27.

"Excluding the group backing vocals, the whole album has now been recorded and the album will be mixed and mastered at Finnvox studios in the beginning of next month," the band writes in a press release.

"Crows Fly Black" track listing

01. Crows Fly Black
02. Traitor
03. Ashes to the Stars
04. Messenger of Gods
05. Before the Skies Come Down
06. Tides
07. Bleeding Dust
08. You
09. Howl!
10. Grey

As previously reported, TAROT's latest single, "You", entered the national chart in Finland at position No. 1. The single contains two tracks: A straight-forward classic heavy metal song "You", taken from the upcoming full-length TAROT album, and a BLUE ÖYSTER CULT cover, "Veteran of the Psychic Wars".

TAROT recently released remastered versions of their first five studio albums along with the "To Live Again" live album previously released in Japan. Each CD includes special bonus track(s).

Irish folk metal band CRUACHAN has posted the final cover artwork for its upcoming fifth album, "The Morrigan's Call", at this location. The follow-up to 2004's "Pagan", "The Morrigan's Call" was recorded at Sun Studios in Dublin and is scheduled for release on November 17 via AFM Records. Click here to listen to a sneak preview MP3 (said to be a "low-quality unmastered sample) of the new album.

"The Morrigan's Call" track listing:

01. Shelob
02. The Brown Bull Of Cooley
03. Coffin Ships
04. The Great Hunger
05. The Old Woman In The Woods
06. Ungoliant
07. The Morrigan's Call
08. Téir Abhaile Riú
09. Wolfe Tone
10. The Very Wild Rover
11. Cuchulainn
12. Diarmuid And Grainne

Commented CRUACHAN frontman Keith Fay: "To put it quite simply, this is our best work to date, in every aspect. The production quality is brilliant, I cringe when I hear our 'Pagan' album. The production was terrible but we have more than made up for it on our new album. The songs are more aggressive than ever, with blast beats in abundance but at the same time they are probably folkier than a lot of past releases. We have many instruments also, as you would expect, but some new ones also such as Irish Harp."

According to a posting at KissKollector.com, Universal Music will be releasing an "Alive!" box set featuring KISS' first three "Alive" albums (as released on Universal labels, whereas the latest "Alive IV"/"Kiss Symphony" album came out via Sanctuary Records) in November. The set will appearently be a four-disc box set, with the fourth disc expected to be the never-released, original "Alive IV" album that was once advertised back in 2000 and recorded when the band was still with Universal Music.

Recorded on New Year's Eve 1999/2000 at Vancouver's BC Place Concert Bowl in Canada, the original "Alive IV" was set for a March 28, 2000 release. However, it quickly got pushed back to April 18 before it got shelved indefinItely. Around that time, Paul Stanley stated in an online chat: "'Alive IV' will be out at some point. We missed our deadline and we're still in midst of it." The tracklisting back then was supposed to be as follows:

01. Psycho Circus
02. Shout It Out Loud
03. Deuce
04. Heaven's On Fire
05. Into The Void
06. Firehouse
07. Do You Love Me
08. Let Me Go Rock 'N' Roll
09. I Love It Loud
10. Lick It Up
11. 100,000 Years
12. Love Gun
13. Black Diamond
14. Beth
15. Rock and Roll All Nite

The Japanese edition of the album was also slated to include the bonus tracks "2000 Man", "God of Thunder" and "Detroit Rock City".

Drummer Vegard Waske has left Norwegian melodic metallers THUNDERBOLT. His official statement on the matter reads as follows:

"Due to an extremely heavy workload over the past years, I have come to the conclusion that I can not dedicate myself 100% to THUNDERBOLT anymore. Such a great band as THUNDERBOLT deserves at all times full dedication, thus I have come to the conclusion that I am going to leave THUNDERBOLT. I will join the band for a few more shows, but then it is all over. I want to thank the band and the fans for many years of touring and great fun, and I wish them all the best for the future."

THUNDERBOLT's sophomore album, "Love and Destruction", was released in May via Massacre Records. The band recently supported KING DIAMOND on a European tour and played shows opening for ex-IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno and ex-BLACK SABBATH frontman Tony Martin.

THUNDERBOLT's debut album, "Demons and Diamonds", was issued in 2003 via Massacre Records.

Long-defunct Florida-based band CYNIC, whose 1993 album "Focus" is regarded as a landmark release in the field of technical/progressive metal, is rumored to be planning a reunion tour in the spring/summer of 2007, beginning with possible U.S. warm-up performances and culminating in a number of festival appearances across Europe.

Although there has been no official announcement regarding the matter, informed sources have told BLABBERMOUTH.NET that CYNIC's planned reunion lineup will include Paul Masvidal (vocals, guitar) and Sean Reinert (drums, keys) alongside Tony Teegarden (vocals, keyboards), Chris Kringel (bass) and Santiago Dobles (guitar). Both Teegarden and Kringel previously toured with CYNIC in support of "Focus", while Santiago — who is said to be "the man behind AGHORA" — has been around the CYNIC camp since 1993-94 and was one of Masvidal's guitar students in Miami back in the day.

Prior to releasing "Focus" through Roadrunner Records, Paul and Sean played on the groundbreaking DEATH album "Human" alongside the band's mastermind Chuck Schuldiner and Steve DiGiorgio of SADUS. According to the CYNIC fan site The Cynical Sphere, Masvidal and Reinert described their relationship with Chuck as "very laid back", and were able to help Schuldiner with the writing by giving him input, which had been missing on the earlier DEATH records. The result was a classic record, and DEATH even got some MTV airplay. At the same time, then-bassist Tony Choy was filling in for the late Roger Patterson on ATHEIST's "Unquestionable Presence", and guesting on PESTILENCE's "Testimony of the Ancients".

Meanwhile, Paul did some work on MASTER's "On the Eighth Day, God Created Master", and guitarist Jason Gobel worked with MONSTROSITY, playing lead on their "Imperial Doom" album. All of this guest work helped to enlarge the fan base for CYNIC, making them — according to a Roadrunner Records press release issued prior to the release of "Focus" — "the most popular underground act to never record an album." More recently, Masvidal and Reinert — both of whom are currently based in Los Angeles — have been keeping busy with AEON SPOKE, a progressive ethereal-rock project whose self-titled album is due late October through SPV Records.

Former LED ZEPPELIN guitar legend Jimmy Page is one of the guest musicians who have recorded guest appearances on the new JERRY LEE LEWIS studio album, "Last Man Standing", which is scheduled for release on September 26. Other guest artists include Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Willie Nelson and Rod Stewart. Listen to the track "Rock & Roll", featuring Page, at this location (Windows Media). A press release containing more information about the upcoming album can be found here.

Page was recently forced to cancel his appeance at the Rhythm Festival after undergoing arthroscopic surgery due to "a recurring knee problem." He also pulled out of the June 30 concert in honor of Atlantic Records at this year's Montreux Jazz Festival due to medical reasons.

HYPOCRISY guitarist Andreas Holma has officially quit the band, according to a posting on the Swedish group's web site. Holma apparently left the band because he is "not motivated anymore" and is no longer interested in touring." He will now concentrate on his own project, the details of which have yet to be revealed.

HYPOCRISY will be utilizing the services of DARKANE's Klas Ideberg as a session guitarist for its upcoming North American "Machines At War Tour" with FEAR FACTORY, SUFFOCATION and DECAPITATED, which is scheduled to kick off October 26 in San Francisco, California.

Tägtgren previously stated about the upcoming trek, "FEAR FACTORY are close to our hearts. 'Soul of a New Machine' was the influence for me to start my other project, PAIN. What people don't realize is that the first tour HYPOCRISY ever did back in 1993 was with them and CANNIBAL CORPSE in Europe. They've really done a lot for us to make this tour possible, so yeah, we're looking forward to giving everything we've got while we're up on stage. It doesn't matter if there are 50, 200, or 500 people in the audience. We're ready to give everything every night."

HYPOCRISY toured North America earlier in the year with NILE, SOILENT GREEN, RAGING SPEEDHORN, DECAPITATED, and WITH PASSION in support of their 2005 acclaimed release, "Virus".

Veteran producer Kevin Shirley (IRON MAIDEN, DREAM THEATER, H.I.M.) is scheduled to begin mixing the new KITTIE album today (Tuesday, September 5).

KITTIE entered Retromedia Studios in Red Bank, New Jersey studio in July with producer Jack Ponti (BON JOVI, DORO, SKID ROW, ALICE COOPER) to begin recording the CD — the band's first since its split with longtime home Artemis Records. Songtitles set to appear on the new CD include "Never Again", "Funeral For Yesterday", "The Change", "Breathe", "Last Goodbye", "Slow Motion" and "Flowers of Flesh and Blood". A March 2007 release through the group's own label, dubbed Kiss of Infamy Records, is expected.

KITTIE's downloadable EP, entitled "Never Again", was released in February through Rock Ridge Music. iTunes is offering an exclusive four-track version of the EP, which includes bonus track "Everything That Could Have Been".

KITTIE has sold more than a million records since the release of its debut, "Spit", in 2000. That album was followed by 2001's "Oracle" and 2004's "Until the End", with several EPs in between.

Danish metallers HATESPHERE have uploaded their video for the song "Reaper of Life" at their official web site. "The video was produced by Søren of Division666, and he did an awesome job again," the band writes on the site. "He was also the mastermind behind the video for 'The Sickness Within' together with Claus Reinhold, also of Division666. The video will be available for downloading in good quality soon — so stay tuned!"

As previously reported, HATESPHERE will team up with RAUNCHY and VOLBEAT for the Danish Dynamite Tour beginning November 15 in Hamburg, Germany.

SPV Records has set a September 12, 2006 North American release date for the new HATESPHERE album, entitled "The Sickness Within". The follow-up to 2004's "Ballet of the Brute", which was released in Europe last September, was recorded in part at Jailhouse Studios with producer Tommy Hansen (HELLOWEEN, PRETTY MAIDS). Guitars and bass were recorded at Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark, with producer Jacob Hansen (RAUNCHY, INVOCATOR).

German black/Viking metal band BLACK MESSIAH has inked a deal with AFM Records. The group's third album, "Of Myths and Legends", was recorded at SSE Studio in Essen, Germany and is scheduled for release on November 17. Check out the cover artwork at this location. Audio samples are available on the band's official web site.

BLACK MESSIAH performs its lyrics partly in its native German language, "standing for the preservation and reactivation of pagan religion and culture," according to a press release. The band's second album, "Oath of a Warrior was released in 2005 via Soulfood.

Dutch female-fronted symphonic metal outfit AFTER FOREVER has posted the following message on its official web site:

"The upcoming period we will be in the studio recording the new AFTER FOREVER album together with producer Gordon Groothedde!!! It will be our sixth album (including the mini album 'Exordium') and it will be the beginning of a new AFTER FOREVER period with a new label! This album will of course contain all the AFTER FOREVER elements, but also some new suprises!

"We're still negotiating [a new record deal]. More info about the definite label soon! We'll be in the studio for at least two months. We will also do a South American tour in between and two festivals in Holland."

AFTER FOREVER's last album was "Remagine", which came out in 2005. The follow-up to 2004's "Invisible Circles" was recorded at Excess studio in Rotterdam, Holland and was mixed by Sascha Paeth and Philip Colodetti at the Gate studio in Wolfsburg, Germany.

AFTER FOREVER's former record label, Transmission Records, recently issued a two-disc compilation album containing the best songs from the band's first ten years of existence, plus previously unreleased material, non-album tracks, alternate takes, rarities and previously unreleased remixed versions. The set, which includes collaborations with such guest musicians as Sharon den Adel (WITHIN TEMPTATION), Arjen Lucassen and Damian Wilson (AYREON) and Marco Hietala (NIGHTWISH), entered the Dutch national album chart at position No. 69 upon its release in June.