Sundsvall, Sweden-based death metallers IN BATTLE have issued the following statement:

"IN BATTLE wants to announce that their longtime friend and drummer Otto Wiklund, born October 18, 1976 and died August 13, 2006, has passed away by his own hand...

"Otto Wiklund was a great drummer and did record the debut album of IN BATTLE (1997) and the second album, 'Rage of the Northmen' (1998). He also was the session drummer for SETHERIAL in 1998 and recorded the 'Lords of the Nightrealm' album.

"Otto Wiklund's memory will be honored on the upcoming [fourth] IN BATTLE album, 'Kingdom of Fear', which will be released through Nocturnal Art Productions/Candlelight Records in mid-November this year… with material that Otto Wiklund wrote for IN BATTLE.

"I ofred vi drar fram!! I OTTO's Namn!"

IN BATTLE's latest album, "Welcome to the Battlefield" (2004, Cold/Metal Blade Records), was recorded at Courthouse Studio in Östersund, Sweden and at Necromorbus Studio in Stockholm, Sweden. The CD was mixed and mastered at Erik Rutan's (HATE ETERNAL/ex-MORBID ANGEL guitarist) Mana Recording Studios in Tampa, Florida with engineer Shawn Ohtani. Rutan also laid down a guest appearance on lead guitar in the track "Serpents".

A brand new DEFTONES song, entitled "Hole in the Earth", has been posted online at the band's MySpace page. The track is the first single off the band's upcoming album, "Saturday Night Wrist", due on October 31 through Maverick. The follow-up to 2003's "Deftones" features guest appearances by SYSTEM OF A DOWN frontman Serj Tankian on the track "Mein" and Annie Hardy of GIANT DRAG on "Pink Cellphone".

"Saturday Night Wrist" tentative track listing:

01. Hole in the Earth
02. Fm
03. Beware
04. Cherry Waves
05. Mein (feat. Serj Tankian)
06. Interlude
07. Tilde
08. Rats
09. Pink Cellphone (feat. Annie Hardy)
10. Combat
11. The Earth
12. Comanche

With regards to the new material's musical direction, DEFTONES drummer Abe Cunningham told Billboard.com earlier in the year, "Actually, if you look at our last record, I refer to it as 'Dark Days' because that's basically what it was. It's kind of an incomplete record from my viewpoint. I think it's a good record [with] a lot of good songs but the new album, from start to finish, is a very complete record and has all of the extremes that we like. I'd say it's kind of hard."

ANGELCORPSE is currently working on two albums' worth of new material with its new drummer Gina Ambrosio. "We will be re-signing with Osmose Productions," guitarist Gene Palubicki said in a statement. "We have not decided on what date we will enter the recording studio but it will be sometime before the end of the year. The new material is as brutal as ever, and so is our new drummer. I named her the corpse-skin death-drummer. MP3s will be available prior to the full-length album release for 2007."

ANGELCORPSE 2006 is:

Gene Palubicki - Guitar
Pete Helmkamp - Bass, Vocals
Gina Ambrosio - Drums

Palubicki will be recruiting a new second guitarist, to be announced at a later time.

ANGELCORPSE's last studio album, "The Inexorable", was released in 1999 through Osmose. A CD collection, "Iron Blood and Blasphemy", featuring a number of singles, EP tracks, covers, live recordings, and the "Goats to Azazael" demo, came out in 2001.

DEICIDE's brand new brutal offering, "The Stench of Redemption", can now be downloaded at the MP3 download site www.metaltracks.com. This also includes the hard-to-find bonus track "Black Night" (DEEP PURPLE cover). This precedes the release date of the album, which is due in stores on Tuesday, August 22 (one day earlier internationally) via Earache Records.

The follow-up to 2004's "Scars of the Crucifix", "The Stench of Redemption" was recorded at Morrisound in Tampa, Florida and marks the first recording with the new DEICIDE lineup following the departure of the Hoffman brothers. Joining frontman Glen Benton and drummer Steve Asheim in the new formation are guitarists Jack Owen (ex-CANNIBAL CORPSE) and Ralph Santolla (ex-ICED EARTH, DEATH).

Norwegian power metallers GAIA EPICUS have posted the cover artwork for their upcoming third album, entitled "Victory", at this location. The cover painting for the CD was created by J.P. Fournier, who was also responsible for the band's first album cover, "Satrap", in 2003.

"Victory" was recorded at Top Room Studios in Lunner, Norway. The band, who recently parted ways with Sound Riot Records, has already received offers from several record labels that wish to release the new album, but nothing has been signed yet.

01. New Life
02. Iron Curtain
03. The Sign
04. Revenge is Sweet
05. In Memory
06. Awaken the Monster
07. Rise of the Empire
08. When Darkness Falls
09. Fortress of Solitude
10. Through the Fire
11. Victory

Check out audio samples at this location.

New Door Records/Universal Musical Enterprises has to announced the October 24, 2006 release of "Live to Win", the solo release from iconic KISS frontman Paul Stanley. The voice and songwriting force behind such KISS classics as "Detroit Rock City", "Black Diamond", "Hard Luck Woman" and "Tears Are Fallin'", Stanley's career with KISS spans more than three decades and in excess of 100 million records sold worldwide.

Stripping all the legendary bombast away, what becomes starkly clear is that besides rocking relentlessly, the power of human emotion and conviction on "Live to Win" can rattle not only the walls, but also touch the heart and soul of the listener. "What I wanted to do on this album was sing about my life because my life is not that different than anybody else's," says Stanley. "The truth is, what we all deal with in life is pretty similar. You change the names and the story's the same."

"This album is purely a labor of love," continues Stanley. "It is a labor of passion, and something where I was concerned with turning out the album I heard in my head, without regard for having glitz and star power from other sources. It was purely about making the album I wanted to make." While the heartfelt "Loving You Without You Now" was written without any outside collaboration, the remainder of the album reunites him with former KISS songwriting partners Desmond Child (AEROSMITH, LEANN RIMES) and Holly Knight (TINA TURNER, PAT BENATAR), and introduces new collaborators including Andreas Carlsson (BON JOVI, BRITNEY SPEARS), John 5 (ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON) and Marti Frederiksen (AEROSMITH, FAITH HILL). Seven of the ten tracks were co-written with Child and/or Carlsson, with Stanley and Child joined by John 5 on "Where Angels Dare" and Frederiksen on "Lift", and Knight teaming with the frontman on "It's Not Me".

"Live to Win" is self-produced by Stanley, who provides lead vocals, guitar and percussion alongside a studio core of guitarist Corky James (AVRIL LAVIGNE, THE MATRIX), drummer Victor Indrizzo (BECK, MACY GRAY) and keyboardist Harry Sommerdahl (CARRIE UNDERWOOD, LINDSAY LOHAN). Also performing on the album are former KISS bandmate Bruce Kulick and guitarist John 5.

"I've always believed that when you give somebody an album, it should be like a fresh newspaper, where you get ink on your fingers and it's today's news," says Stanley, who wrote and co-wrote the ten tracks on "Live to Win" specifically for the new release. "For me, this album is where I'm at now — this is where things are in my life, and my perspective on my music."

Stanley is planning a North American club tour to coincide with the release of the album.

"Live to Win" (view cover here) final track listng:

01. Live To Win (3:07)
02. Lift (4:01)
03. Wake Up Screaming (3:00)
04. Everytime I See You Around (3:28)
05. Bulletproof (3:01)
06. All About You (3:16)
07. Second To None (3:35)
08. It's Not Me (3:19)
09. Loving You Without You Now (3:16)
10. Where Angels Dare (3:22)

Swedish heavy metal musician Jon Nödtveidt, 31, was found dead on Wednesday, August 16 at his apartment in Hässelby, a suburb of Stockholm. He shot himself in the head and was surrounded by lit candles, Expressen reports. Shortly before the ritual suicide, he had sent farewell letters to his father and his girlfriend and explained to a friend, "I'm going away for a long, long time. I'm going to Transylvania."

Sometime between Monday (Aug. 14) and Wednesday, Nödveidt, vocalist and guitarist in the popular Swedish black metal band DISSECTION, chose to take his own life.

At 7:21 p.m. CET on Wednesday, a police patrol reported to the police communication center in Stockholm that a man had been found dead, the apparent victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. According to several of Expressen's sources, the singer had placed an open copy of "The Satanic Bible" in front of him before pulling the trigger. "He shot himself in the head and lay dead in a ring of lit candles," says a police source.

At 5:44 p.m. on Wednesday, the police received a 911 call from Jon Nödtveidt's family who hadn't been able to establish contact with him for a couple of days. "They were very concerned," says his legal representative and manager, Per Nordqvist. "His girlfriend and his family called after their fears that something terrible had happened had been bolstered."

The reason for their concern was a farewell letter that Jon Nödveidt had sent to his girlfriend in Germany. His father, Anders Nödtveidt, had also received a postcard asking him to contact a number of people and thank them for everything. "What it said is personal. I want to keep it to myself," Jon's father says of the postcard's contents. "I met him in Stockholm just a week and a half ago. Everything seemed great then. I've always had good contact with Jon during his upbringing and throughout his adult life. I don't understand what has happened to make things turn out this way. This weighs even more heavily on us considering everything that has happened. This is very difficult for the entire family."

The group's statement on the matter reads as follows:

"Jon Nödtveidt was a man who lived his life according to his convictions and True Will. A couple of days ago he chose to end his life by his own hands. As a true Satanist he led his life in the way he wanted and ended it when he felt that he had fulfilled his self-created destiny. Not everyone will have understanding or acceptance for his personal path in this life and beyond, but all must respect his choice.

"Those of us who have met him in his last days can assure that he was more focussed, happier and stronger than ever. It is our full conviction that he left this world of lies with a scornful laughter, knowing that he had fulfilled everything that he had set up for himself to accomplish. The empty space that he leaves behind will be filled with the dark essence that he manifested through his life and black-magical work. His legacy and Luciferian Fire will live on through those few who truly knew him and appreciated his work for what it really was and still is. As our brother's goal in life and death never was to 'Rest in Peace', we will instead wish him victories in all battles to come, until the Acosmic Destiny has been fulfilled."

Martin Motnik (bass) and Stefan Hertrich (vocals) left Darkseed in order to concentrate on their other musical projects.

Stefan comments: "I want to concentrate on my ethnical influenced projects SpiRitual and Shiva In Exile, three bands simply were too much, in a music world, where most people just download albums instead of buying them and now income can be made by the bands. Therefore I decided to leave Darkseed - and with that 14 years of my past - behind, and head for the future. I hope that many fans will follow me on the musical adventures that might come during the next years! I noticed that especially the Russian fans AND media were most friendly and enthusiastic, compared to the music scene in other countries, and I hope, this will continue!"

Also, Stefan Hertrich (Germany) and Yana Veva (Russia) started songwriting for the 2nd Shiva In Exile album. While the highly awarded debut album "Ethnic" (2004, Trostlos Records/Canada) featured performances from all over the world, the 2nd album is focussed on near/middle eastern instruments and vocal performances, exclusively done by Yana Veva, and will offer a new and fresh gothic experience.
Publisher and release date are not set yet.

Vocalist Martin Steene of the Danish power metallers IRON FIRE (also in FORCE OF EVIL) has posted the following message on the band's official web site:

"The time has come for the recording of a new IRON FIRE album. We are starting on the first of September and will be mixing in late December. The mix will be done by Fredrik Nordström at Fredman Studio. This will be the first IRON FIRE album without Tommy Hansen behind the mixing desk. It's a scary thing for me personally to do a production without Tommy who has become a big part of the IRON FIRE family over the years, but we had an opening with Fredrik and we took it. We hope and think that he will push our sound to new heights. Another thing which will be new on the next album is that there will be three songs written by Kirk Backarach and one song written by Martin Lund. It is the first time in IRON FIRE history that I share songwriting and I'm sure it will bring new and fresh energy to our music."

IRON FIRE's third album, "Revenge", was released in March via Napalm Records. The follow-up to 2001's "On the Edge" was produced by Tommy Hansen (HELLOWEEN, TNT, HATESPHERE) and features cover art by Eric Philippe (RHAPSODY, LUCA TURILLI).

IRON FIRE issued two full-length albums through the Sanctuary/Noise label: 2000's "Thunderstorm" and 2001's "On the Edge".

Swedish melodic death metallers DARK TRANQUILLITY have posted the following message on their official web site:

"The songwriting for the new album is progressing nicely. 10-11 songs have now been demoed, and we're busy doing the final adjustments and modifications before it's time to depart for the long awaited Japan/Korea/Australia tour.

"A bootleg clip of 'The Wonders at your Feet' and 'Monochromatic Stains' from the show in Costa Rica last June is now uploaded to our MySpace page for your limitless enjoyment. Find it in the video section."

DARK TRANQUILLITY recently announced that their 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"."

According to I.Battlegrim.net, a radio-broadcast, reduced-quality recording of the song "The Storm I Ride" by I — the new band featuring former IMMORTAL frontman Abbath (real name: Olve Eikemo), original IMMORTAL drummer Armagedda, ENSLAVED guitarist Arve Isdal and GORGOROTH bassist King ov Hell — has been made available for download at this location. The track was premiered on Tuesday (August 15) on the Norwegian rock/metal show "Pyro" as part of a one-hour special show dedicated to the Norwegian festival Hole In The Sky.

As previously reported, I has completed work on its debut album, "Between Two Worlds", due this fall through Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Bergen's Lydriket Studio with Geir Luedy, and was mixed by PAIN/HYPOCRISY mastermind Peter Tägtgren. "Between Two Worlds" — which will feature lyrics written primarily by former IMMORTAL guitarist Demonaz (real name: Harald Nævdal) was mastered in last week.

I will make its live debut at Bergen's Hole In The Sky festival on August 26.

IMMORTAL will reunite for several exclusive shows next year, including the Wacken Open Air festival, which is scheduled to take place August 2-4, 2007 in Wacken, Germany.

MTM Music has set a September 22 release date for TNT's "Live in Madrid" DVD. The set, which was filmed on April 1, 2006 in Madrid, Spain, will be accompanied by an 82-minute audio CD plus booklet liner notes from ex-TNT vocalist Tony Harnell about his work with the group as well as an additional tour documentary by Darren Paltrowitz.

Commented Harnell: "This DVD is dedicated to TNT fans around the world who have not had a chance to see the band live. I gave everything I had to give — it was an emotional night for me as I said goodbye to this era of my life."

"Live in Madrid" (view cover artwork at this location) track listing:

01. Invisible Noise
02. As Far As The Eye Can See
03. Downhill Racer
04. A Fix
05. She Needs Me
06. Give Me A Sign
07. Guitar Solo
08. Caught Between The Tigers
09. Listen To Your Heart
10. Black Butterfly
11. Seven Seas
12. Forever Shine On
13. Fantasia Espanola
14. My Religion
15. 10,000 Lovers (In One)
16. Intuition

DVD specials: interactive animated menus with sound, scene access, bonus material featuring additional concert videos

As previously reported, TNT has recruited SHY vocalist Tony Mills as the replacement for Harnell.

Swedish metallers THE DUSKFALL have announced the addition of bassist Matte Järnil (ex-21ST IMPACT) to the group's ranks. Järnil replaces former member Marco Eronen, who left THE DUSKFALLin July 2006 to focus on his main band, RAISED FIST.

THE DUSKFALL's third album, "Lifetime Supply of Guilt", is available now on Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Source" was produced by Daniel Bergstrand, who has previously worked with IN FLAMES, MESHUGGAH and STUCK MOJO, among others. Mastering duties were handled at the Cutting Room in Solna, Sweden.

The new IQ live DVD, entitled "Stage" (view cover here), is due for release in September. It's a 2-disc set, comprising the band's full performances last July from NEARfest, USA, and the Burg Herzberg Festival in Germany. The running time is approximately 260 minutes. Both shows were professionally filmed and the track listings are as follows:

Disc One, NEARfest, Bethlehem, PA, USA, July 9th, 2005

1. Sacred Sound
   
2. It All Stops Here
   
3. Leap Of Faith
   
4. Born Brilliant
   
5. The Seventh House
   
6. Drum Solo
   
7. No Love Lost
   
8. Widow's Peak
   
9. The Narrow Margin (middle section)
   
10. Guiding Light
    
11. Harvest Of Souls
    
12. Awake And Nervous
    
13. The Last Human Gateway (middle section)
    
14. The Wake
    

Disc Two, Burg Herzberg Festival, Germany, July 16th, 2005

1. Sacred Sound
   
2. It All Stops Here
   
3. Born Brilliant
   
4. The Seventh House
   
5. Drum Solo
   
6. No Love Lost
   
7. Leap Of Faith
   
8. The Wake
   
9. Harvest Of Souls
   
10. Awake And Nervous
    

Special Features:

- 'Stage And Screen' featurette
- NEARfest soundcheck footage
- 'Andy's First Gig' featurette
- Photo Gallery

During the recent Believe tour PENDRAGON returned to the stage in Katowice, Poland where Nick Barrett and Clive Nolan recorded the recently released "A Rush Of Adrenaline" DVD. Naturally this was the site for a new DVD recording entitled "And Now Everybody To The Stage" (view cover here). The DVD will be released through Metal Mind on 11 September 2006.

The band came to Poland with three great gigs. One of them – that happened on 22nd May in Wyspianski Theatre in Katowice - was recorded for DVD release which has been requested for several years now by many people. Their last live DVD was made back in 1996!! The set list includes live versions of all PENDRAGON's "greatest hits", eg, "As Good As Gold", "Am I Really Losing You", "Kowtow", "Paintbox" or "Last Waltz". The DVD will also include bonus videos. The full tracklist is as follows:

DVD:

1. No Place For The Innocent
   
2. As Good As Gold
   
3. Guardian Of My Soul
   
4. Kowtow
   
5. The Wishing Well
   
6. The Edge Of The World
   
7. Nostradamus
   
8. The Dance Of The Seven Veils
   
9. Paintbox
   
10. Last Waltz
    
11. Breaking The Spell
    
12. Masters Of Illusion
    
13. The Black Knight
    
14. The Lost Children / Green Eyed Angel / Sister Bluebird / The Last Man On Earth
    
15. Am I Really Losing You?
    

Bonus video: The Progumentary - a home video recording

CD 1:

1. No Place For The Innocent
   
2. As Good As Gold
   
3. Guardian Of My Soul
   
4. Kowtow
   
5. The Wishing Well
   
6. The Edge Of The World
   
7. Nostradamus
   

CD 2:

1. The Dance Of The Seven Veils
   
2. Paintbox
   
3. Last Waltz
   
4. Breaking The Spell
   
5. Masters Of Illusion
   
6. The Black Knight
   
7. The Lost Children / Green Eyed Angel / Sister Bluebird / The Last Man On Earth
   
8. Am I Really Losing You?
   

PLEASE NOTE: the CDs are available only with MMP DVD 0086 limited digibox edition.

Los Angeles power/thrash metallers RESISTANCE have entered Desert Moon Recording Studios in Anaheim, California to begin recording their new album, "Patents of Control". The follow-up to 2005's "Lies In Black" (Lion Music) is being produced by RESISTANCE and Patrick Miller, with the final mix set to be handled by famed producer Neil Kernon (QUEENSRŸCHE, NEVERMORE, DEICIDE, CANNIBAL CORPSE).

"Patents of Control" projected track listing:

01. Inhumanation
02. End Of Today
03. Ashes Of Tomorrow
04. One Nation Under G.O.D. (Group Order Device)
05. Confessions Of The Black Heart
06. Paternal Shift
07. Cerebral Screams
08. I Am Techno Christ
09. The Cleansing
10. The Alpha And The Omega
11. Mirrors Black

A November release through Lion Music is expected.

DIONYSUS, the Swedish/German melodic power metal act featuring the voice behind guitarist Luca Turilli's (RHAPSODY) solo work, Olaf Hayer, and ex-SINERGY drummer Ronny Milianowicz, alongside NATION members Johnny Öhlin (guitar) and Nobby Noberg (bass), will release its third album, "Fairytales and Reality", on September 15 via AFM Records.

Commented Milianowicz: "This album is so good that you would throw away all other cds you got only to have this one. It will make you drink beer like crazy. It will make your neighbors your worst enemies. It will make you a true metal warrior."

"Fairytales and Reality" (view cover here) track listing:

01. Illusion of Life
02. The Orb
03. Blinded
04. The World
05. Spirit
06. Queen of Madness
07. The Game
08. True at Heart
09. Tides Will Turn
10. Dreamchaser
11. The End

German power metallers GRAVE DIGGER entered Principal Studios in Münster last Monday (August 14) to begin recording their new album, "Liberty or Death", tentatively due on January 12, 2007 via Locomotive Records. Check out a studio diary at the band's official web site, www.grave-digger.de.

On September 29, 2006, Locomotive Records will release a new GRAVE DIGGER single, "Yesterday". The single will be accompanied by a bonus DVD of the band's performance on Rock Machina Festival in 2001. The new GRAVE DIGGER album release will by followed by a GRAVE DIGGER/THERION European co-headlining tour, set to take place between January 17 and February 18.

SMASHING PUMPKINS have entered a studio with producer Roy Thomas Baker to record their first album since 1999, according to a new post on the band's web site. Baker produced QUEEN's "A Night at the Opera", which included their classic "Bohemian Rhapsody", and also has THE CARS, JOURNEY and CHEAP TRICK on his lengthy résumé.

In early February, onetime SMASHING PUMPKINS bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur confirmed to MTV News that PUMPKINS bandleader Billy Corgan has been working on material that will, at some point, surface in the form of a new SMASHING PUMPKINS album. "Everyone knows Billy doesn't need too many people to make a PUMPKINS record, other than Jimmy [Chamberlin, longtime PUMPKINS drummer] — who he has [on board]," Auf Der Maur said at the time. A spokesperson for Azoff Management also confirmed that Corgan and Chamberlin had signed on with the firm as SMASHING PUMPKINS, and that the two have been writing new music.

Auf Der Maur said she wasn't not sure whether Corgan had reached out to guitarist James Iha or bassist D'Arcy Wretzky to complete the band's original lineup, but she said she'd told Corgan that she'd be happy to pitch in if he needed her; Auf Der Maur replaced Wretzky in 1999 and worked with the group until it disbanded in 2000.

According to The Internet Nirvana Fan Club, DVD UK Ltd., has announced the release of "Kurt Cobain – All Apologies", a moving tribute to the man and his music from those who were inspired by his extraordinary genius. Retailing at £15.99 the title will be released on DVD only (in the U.K.) on November 6, 2006.

Featuring a critical reassessment of his work, "All Apologies" attempts to understand why Cobain still continues to be a role model for disaffected youth. It also analyses NIRVANA's contribution to the annals of rock history, from the early days of "Bleach" to the multi-million selling album "Nevermind", and beyond.

In a series of exclusive interviews, NIRVANA members, Cobain's family and media pundits comment on his life and values, revealing the inspiration behind his music and how fame affected him both personally and artistically.

Special Features include: Superb performance footage, original music by the BUZZCOCKS, IGGY POP, DAVID BOWIE, JOHNNY CASH and GANG OF FOUR. Interviews with Kurt's grandfather Leland Cobain, Tracy Marander (Kurt's ex), booking agent Russell Warby, Anton Brookes (NIRVANA's U.K. publicist), Chad Channing (ex-NIRVANA), David Frike (Rolling Stone), Steve Sutherland (NME) and Terry Christian.

The DVD runs for 120 minutes, and includes 60 minutes of bonus material.

On October 9 (three days earlier in Germany), Metal Blade Europe will reissue a couple of the finest FATES WARNING titles from their catalogue — "Disconnected/Inside Out" (double CD) and "A Pleasant Shade Of Grey" (CD+DVD). Both titles will be released on mid-price and will include bonus tracks. The bonus for "A Pleasant Shade Of Grey" is the DVD of the same name. This DVD has never been released on DVD before (only VHS). Here's the complete track listing:

"Disconnected":

01. Disconnected Part 1
02. One
03. So
04. Pieces Of Me
05. Something From Nothing
06. Still Remains
07. Disconnected Part 2

Bonus tracks:

08. Someone/Everything ("One" demo)
09. It's Over ("Shutdown" demo)
10. Under The Milky Way (THE CHURCH Cover)

"Inside Out":

01. Outside Looking In
02. Pale Fire
03. The Strand
04. Shelter Me
05. Island In The Stream
06. Down To The Wire
07. Face The Fear
08. Inward Bound
09. Monument
10. Afterglow

Bonus tracks:

11. Outside Looking In (demo)
12. Shelter Me (demo)
13. Island In The Stream (demo)

"A Pleasant Shade Of Grey":

1.-12. parts I – XII (audio)

+ bonus DVD "A Pleasant Shade Of Grey"

Sweden's WOLF will release its fourth album, "The Black Flame", in Europe on September 25 via Century Media Records. A U.S. release date via Prosthetic Records has yet to be announced. A video for the song "I Will Kill Again" will be filmed at the end of August with longtime friend/director Owe Lingwall (NOCTURNAL RITES drummer).

As previously reported, WOLF has tapped legendary artist Thomas Holm (MERCYFUL FATE, KING DIAMOND, WOLF's "Black Wings") to create the artwork for "The Black Flame". The CD was recorded at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden and will include such tracks as "The Bite", "I Will Kill Again", "Silverbullit Eater", and "Black Magic". The follow-up to 2004's "Evil Star" is the first album to feature new drummer Tobias R Kellgren and longtime session/live guitarist Johannes Losbäck alongside founding members Niklas Stålvind (vocals, lead guitar) and Mikael Goding (bass).

With regards to the new album's musical direction, the band said, "Think old-school metal without beeing old-fashioned. It's heavy as hell and will hit you like a ton off bricks. It has a horror vibe to it that won't let you be, and it could be a soundtrack to old Eighties horror movies. Oh yes, it contains a lot of heavy metal too...A LOT!"

WOLF was formed 1995 by Stålvind and Goding. After recording several demos, Daniel "Dale" Bergkvist (drums) joined the band in 1997 and completed the core lineup that recorded the first three albums: "Wolf" (2000), "Black Wings" (2002) and "Evil Star" (2004) — all of them recorded and produced at the Abyss studio by Peter Tägtgren.

Finnish metallers CELESTY will release their third full-length effort, "Mortal Mind Creation", on October 23 via Dockyard 1. The follow-up to 2004's "Legacy of Hate" was recorded at Midas Studios in Vaasa, Finland with producer Sami "Hannu" Koivisto, who has previously worked with AMORPHIS, NORTHER, WALTARI and NICOLE.

"Mortal Mind Creation" track listing:

01. Lord of Mortals
02. Unreality
03. Demon Inside
04. War Creations
05. Empty Room
06. Among The Dreams
07. Back In Time
08. Arrival
09. Last Sacrifice
10. Final Pray (Japanese bonus)

CELESTY last year announced the addition of guitarist Teemu Koskela to the group's ranks. Koskela replaced longtime axeman J-P Alanen, who left the group to concentrate on his musical studies and his work with fellow Finnish metallers ALTARIA.

The cover artwork for NAPALM DEATH's new album, "Smear Campaign", has been posted online at this location. Due on September 19 via Century Media Records (one day earlier inernationally), the follow-up to last year's "The Code Is Red…Long Live the Code" was recorded at Foel Studios in Wales, England and features a guest appearance by THE GATHERING frontwoman Anneke van Giersbergen.

"Smear Campaign" track listing:

01. Weltschmerz (1:28)
02. Sink Fast, Let Go (3:23)
03. Fatalist (2:51)
04. Puritanical Punishment Beating (3:26)
05. Well All Is Said and Done (3:01)
06. Freedom Is the Wage of Sin (3:09)
07. In Deference (3:14)
08. Short Lived (3:06)
09. Identity Crisis (2:44)
10. Shattered Existence (3:11)
11. Eyes Right Out (3:12)
12. Warped Beyond Logic (2:00)
13. Rabid Wolves (For Christ) (1:24)
14. Deaf and Dumbstruck (2:46)
15. Persona Nongrata (2:47)
16. Smear Campaign (3:20)

NAPALM DEATH will team up with HATEBREED, EXODUS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, DESPISED ICON and FIRST BLOOD for the "Monsters Of Mayhem" North American tour beginning in early September. A European headlining trek will follow mid-October.

Vocalist Urban Breed (ex-TAD MOROSE) has officially left BLOODBOUND, the Swedish metal band also featuring Fredrik Bergh (STREET TALK; bass, keyboards and backing vocals) and Tomas Olsson (lead and rhythm guitars). "I've thought about this for some time and I've decided not to let Tomas and Bergh have any more of my time," Urban said in a statement. "The gig in Gothenburg [on August 8] was therefore the last thing I did for BLOODBOUND. (If it wasn't for Pelle [Åkerlind, drums] it would have been Norrtälje [on August 5].) Starting today, it's finally possible to focus entirely on my album.
>p>
"So how difficult am I to work with? It depends, naturally. Get me involved and have me be a part of the whole process and I think you'll find that most people would say I'm very easy to work with. Pay me and I'll do what you want but I might suggest you change certain things and I'll bitch about other things I find unbearable. I'll still do them if you say so. Have me invest both time and money where I have no say in the proceedings and no prospect of getting a share of possible future profit...
...Call me difficult if you will, I'm fine with it."

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. This ambitious project took over one year to finish and "not a single track on the album is less than one hundred channels!" according to a press release. "On 'Nosferatu' the band is combining the musicality and the classical elements of bands like IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST and HELLOWEEN!" the press release adds. The album cover was created by Mark Wilkinson, who has previously designed covers for bands like IRON MAIDEN, THE DARKNESS, JUDAS PRIEST and MARILLION.

Veteran Swiss rockers KROKUS will release their new album, "Hellraiser", in North America on October 24 (September 18 in Europe, except Germany and Switzerland, where it will be issued on September 15) via AFM Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Rock the Block" was recorded with producer Dennis Ward (PINK CREAM 69). The cover artwork for KROKUS's new album has been posted online at this location.

As previously reported, the new KROKUS single, "Angel of My Dreams", has been made available for download at this location. An audio sample of the album's projected title can be downloaded at here (MP3, 1 MB).

KROKUS recently announced the addition of German drummer Stefan Schwarzmann (ex-ACCEPT, U.D.O., HELLOWEEN) to the group's ranks. The band's current lineup is completed by Tony Castell (bass), Mandy Meyer (guitar) and Dominique Fave (guitar).

Croatian webzine Sound Chaser recently conducted an interview with MY DYING BRIDE bassist Ade Jackson. An excerpt from the chat follows:

Sound Chaser: Your new album should be out later this year... Can you give us some basic info about it?

Ade: "Well … the album will be called 'A Line Of Deathless Kings' and I'm listening to it now. It has nine songs and is approximately one hour long. We recorded it at Academy Studios in Dewsbury and it was mixed at Chapel Studios in Lincolnshire — the same place that '34.788%' was mixed. We are all tremendously proud of this album. It hasn't been easy to record, not just a case of turning up at the studio and recording something — there has been a lot of writing, re-writing, changes, cuts, additions, discussion, thought, ideas (good and bad) and a whole host of other emotions and the end result really reflects that. Listening back to some of the early recordings and comparing them to the final product there is a world of difference and I hope it shows to everyone else as well. I wish you could all hear the evolution as well rather than just the final polished product."

Sound Chaser: Where will the new album go both lyric and music–wise?

Ade: "The album will be typically MY DYING BRIDE. We never set any boundaries; we just write what feels good to us. We write music that we would like to listen to, in a way. I played it to one of my good friends and he commented that, if you didn't know who it was you would know it was MY DYING BRIDE immediately. We seem to have our own particular sound and way or writing songs — something I can't explain. When we get together, 'it' happens."

Sound Chaser: Obviously, fans always have certain expectations. Is that burdening for you as artists?

Ade: "It's not necessarily a burden, but as much as we want people to appreciate our music, there is no way we can please everybody. Each individual has a favorite MY DYING BRIDE album and would love us to keep reproducing that period of our recording history, but we move on musically, as we have to… not in any really conscious or pre-meditated way, as though we have a master plan before we start to write or record. It is a very emotional and organic process. We all know when something sounds right and when the music is MY DYING BRIDE with the feelings of sorrow and blackness."

Read the entire interview at this location.

SUPERNOVA — the new all-star band featuring ex-METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee and former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Gilby Clarke — will release it self-titled debut album on November 21. The CD, which is being produced by Butch Walker (AVRIL LAVIGNE, BOWLING FOR SOUP, PINK), can currently be pre-ordered through the official SUPERNOVA store. If you pre-order the album, you will receive a free bonus collector's edition DVD which features audition interview footage with the 15 finalists — not available anywhere else. Unfortunately this pre-order is available to United States residents only.

SUPERNOVA is using the "Rock Star" TV program to search for a lead singer from a pool of 15 contestants selected in auditions around the world.

STRATOVARIUS guitarist/mainman Timo Tolkki has issued the following update:

"I have started writing songs. It took a while to gather all the equipment, but now I am done and I can let the creativity flow. May the Muse of Music be with me. First, I am gonna write the songs for the next STRATOVARIUS album. This I expect to be completed before our tour starts at the end of September. After that I am gonna fly to Germany to record drums for the demos. I have a pretty good idea how the album will turn out. I have also some projects happening, which I will do, as I have time."

STRATOVARIUS will be touring North America this fall in support of their latest, self-titled effort, which was released in the U.S. last September via Sanctuary. A video for the album's first single, "Maniac Dance", was shot in April 2005 in Helsinki by director and Tolkki's old schoolmate Antti Jokinen (BEYONCÉ, WYCLEF JEAN, KORN, MISSY ELLIOT, NIGHTWISH, SHANIA TWAIN, CELINE DION).

Austrian extreme black/death metal outfit BELPHEGOR has parted ways with drummer Nefastus. Nefastus will be featured on the band's upcoming album "Pestapokalypse VI", to be released on October 27 via Nuclear Blast.

"Pestapokalypse VI" will contain the following track listing:

I Belphegor – Hell's Ambassador
II Seyn Todt In Schwartz
III Angel Of Retribution
IV Chants For The Devil 1533
V Pest Teufel Apokalypse
VI The Ancient Enemy
VII Bluhtsturm Erotika
VIII Sanctus Perversum
IX Das Pesthaus / Miasma Epilog

Videos were recently shot for the tracks "Belphegor – Hell's Ambassador" and "Bluhtsturm Erotika". Photos from the shoot can be found at this location.