Greek metal act FIREWIND has signed a new deal with King Records for the Japanese territory. The group's new album, "Allegiance", will be released there on August 23 and the Japanese edition will include two bonus tracks — "Healing Tool" and "Demon Nights" — as well as the video for the first single, "Falling To Pieces".

As previously reported, "Falling to Pieces" entered the official single chart in the band's home country at position No. 35 before climbing to No. 11 in its second week of release. FIREWIND is also featured on the covers of the current issues of Rock Hard (Greece) and Metal Hammer (Greece).

As previously reported, "Falling to Pieces" has been made available for streaming at this location. A video for for "Falling to Pieces" was recently filmed with acclaimed Swedish director Patric Ullaeus (LACUNA COIL, WITHIN TEMPTATION, IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR). The clip was shot at the Revolver Ranch in Sweden and on the streets of New York City.

"Allegiance" marks FIREWIND's first release with new members Apollo Papathanasio (vocals; ex-MAJESTIC, TIME REQUIEM) and Mark Cross (drums; ex-HELLOWEEN, METALIUM).

"Allegiance" is due in Europe on July 24 via Century Media Records.

Belgian death metallers ABORTED have issued the following update:

"Work is proceeding well on the 'The Auricular Chronicles' DVD, which is set to be released by October through Listenable Records. Previews will be online by the end of the summer on both websites and OneOone (www.oneOone.fr), who are doing an amazing job with the footage so far! Artwork for this release will be in the hands of Spina studios, who also did the last LENG TCH'E record. As stated, the DVD will contain a liveshow of an hour shot in Paris with 13 cams, sound remixed by Tue Madsen, both videoclips, backstage shenanigans, other live shows, interviews with all bandmembers and more.

"The new album... We're right in the middle of the writing process, and middle is the right word since we have half of the record written so far and things are going pretty smoothly. The follow-up to 'The Archaic Abattoir' has been baptized 'Slaughter & Apparatus: A Methodical Overture'. This slab of gore will be recorded at the Antfarm once again with Tue Madsen and should see a worldwide release in early 2007 on Century Media Records. Some songtitles so far are: 'The Chondrin Enigma', 'Prolific Murder Contrivance', 'Archetype: Malice And Scorn', 'Avenious', 'The Spaying Seance' and more. So far the material is a mixture of the last two records, adding a notch of brutality and diversity. Artwork will again be handled by Killustrations and should revolve around a concept, later to be revealed.

"Besides all these exciting things, we are most honoured and pleased to announce that the album will feature guest appearances by no less than Jeff Walker (CARCASS), Barney Greenway (NAPALM DEATH) and some other surprises, stay tuned!!"

Swedish metallers THE DUSKFALL have parted ways with bassist Marco Eronen. "Marco has left the band to focus on his main band, RAISED FIST," the group writes on its web site. "He is temporarily replaced by Matte Järnil, ex-21ST IMPACT. Matte did a great job at Nummirock and he will also play at Jalometalli [August 18-19 in Oulu, Finland]."

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.

Regina, Saskatchewan-based progressive metallers INTO ETERNITY have set "The Scattering of Ashes" as the title of their new album, due this fall via Century Media Records. The follow-up to 2004's "Buried in Oblivion" was recorded at Touchwood Studios in Regina and was mixed by Andy Sneap (NEVERMORE, EXODUS, ARCH ENEMY).

Regarding the direction of the new material, guitarist/vocalist Tim Roth had previously stated, "So far, I think it is a mix between 'Dead Or Dreaming' and 'Buried In Oblivion'. For this album we kept some things a bit more stripped down. Now we won't have five vocal harmonies going at once. The band decided that we want to sound more like we do live, so we stuck to two-part vocal harmonies. It still sounds killer though and I'm sure people will dig the new melodies. Stu [Block] did a great job singing on this album. He has five different voices that he can change back and forth from. Wait to you hear some of the notes he hits!"

INTO ETERNITY's new CD will mark the group's first release with Block, who was previously a member of Vancouver's OMEGA CROM. The band's third album, "Buried in Oblivion", was released in February 2004 through Century Media Records.

Check out pictures of INTO ETERNITY recording "The Scattering of Ashes" at Touchwood Studios at this location.

Launch Radio Networks reports: Musicians and fans are still in shock over the death last week of PINK FLOYD founder Syd Barrett at the age of 60.

Former RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE singer Joe Lynn Turner told Launch, "I don't know anyone that loved PINK FLOYD that wasn't influenced in some way by Barrett's presence and songwriting. He was a big voice in the band, although he was always overshadowed by the others. He was a true original, and there will never be another one like him again. He will be truly missed.

Former OZZY OSBOURNE bassist Bob Daisley told Launch, "His situation reminds me of Brian Jones's with the ROLLING STONES. In my opinion, without either of them, Brian and Syd, I think there would not have been a ROLLING STONES or a PINK FLOYD as we know them. Brian was probably there to welcome him into the place where the good musicians go, bless 'em both."

BEACH BOYS' Bruce Johnston, who did some of the vocal arrangements on the PINK FLOYD album "The Wall", told Launch, "Syd Barrett dreamed up the 'roots' path for PINK FLOYD to 'fill out' in future amazing albums. We might not have had 'The Wall' and 'The Dark Side Of The Moon' had it not been for Syd's early PINK FLOYD musical contributions."

JAMES GANG drummer Jimmy Fox told Launch, "Syd was an early example to us of what could be accomplished by thinking outside the traditional boundaries of rock music. His early work sounded like no one else and it caught our attention because it was so different, both musically and, especially, lyrically."

Norwegian symphonic metal band TRISTANIA have issued the following update:

"The release of [the new TRISTANIA album] 'Illumination' [originally scheduled for September] is, unfortunately, postponed slightly due to technical reasons. We regret this delay, as we are as impatient as you are to get the album released. Hopefully, our fans will understand that this is something that is outside our control. We will return with a new release date as soon as we know what this will be — and samples from 'Illumination' will be published online in the near future.

"The September tour is cancelled due to outside issues. Vibeke [vocals] will be finishing her education as a teacher, in addition to which she will be working as a teacher while studying. Thus, this makes it difficult for her to do long tours at the moment. Finishing off her education is something she has postponed for a long time due to her duties with TRISTANIA — and she feels it is finally time to do it. We, as a band, are sorry for this cancellation, but promise to return in force when the new album is released."

"Illumination" was recorded at Woodhouse Studios in Hagen, Germany with producer Waldemar Sorychta (LACUNA COIL, TIAMAT, GRIP INC.). Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Sanguine Sky", "Open Ground", "Lotus", "Down" and "Mercyside".

The band had previously stated about the upcoming CD, "True to tradition, we have made an album with a definite and unmistakably Tristanian sound, but which also brings a lot of new and fresh material. The album is another evolutionary step and lets us explore new areas while staying true to our roots. On every track, the moods and elements are plentiful; ranging from doom to industrial, from soothing synthesizer passages to technical metal riffs, from dark ballads to classic goth rock — it's all there. We've used a string quartet on several tracks, which attributed yet another dimension to those songs."

the new e.p. and first release with industrial label alfa matrix features new versions and remixes of songs from i:scintilla's self-released debut, the approach. tracks 1-4 have been completely re-recorded and mixed/produced by electronic music mastermind, wade alin [christ analogue, atomica]. these new versions exhibit brilliant production and fidelity not found on the previous recordings and will definitely blow you away. as a bonus, tracks 5-9 feature remixes by several alfa matrix artists and a stellar remix of 'havestar' by combichrist that is emerging as a club hit. all of this can be yours in august!

HATEBREED has finalized the track listing for its new album, "Supremacy", due on August 29 via Roadrunner Records. It is as follows:

01. Defeatist
02. Horrors of Self
03. Mind Over All
04. To The Threshold
05. Give Wings To My Triumph
06. Destroy Everything
07. Divine Judgement
08. Immortal Enemies
09. The Most Truth
10. Never Let It Die
11. Spitting Venom
12. As Diehard as They Come
13. Supremacy of Self

Check out the album artwork at this location.

In a recent interview with Decibel magazine, HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta had the following to say about the band's new music: "If I don't get a surge of adrenaline or my hair doesn't stand up from a song, we simply won't use it. I listened to 10 new songs on the way here today and I was smashing my steering wheel the whole way. The music has to do that — it has to speak to me like the records I love."

Added guitarist Sean Martin, "I get insulted by artists who say, 'We need to grow up now,' and then change their formula. HATEBREED should be HATEBREED. I don't feel stifled by it. I reach outside of the box with other projects [Martin is actually very interested in electronic-based music] and stay inside with HATEBREED. It's good because it keeps me fresh for these guys."

Jasta recently commented on the band's upcoming headlining U.S. tour, which is set to commence in September and run through October. The bill will feature support from THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER throughout, plus NAPALM DEATH, EXODUS, FIRST BLOOD and DESPISED ICON. "We've never gone out on a headline run immediately following Ozzfest, and we've always wanted to, and we always felt we needed to, but there were always plans that superseded that," Jasta told MTV.com. "We're taking out a very extreme bill. We're going to call it maybe the Monsters of Mosh, something crazy like that. But it will be a good way for us to give back to the underground, extreme scenes, and also for us to go out and headline for the first time in a long, long time and do a full hour-and-a-half set with our new staging and new gear."

Deepsend Records has announced plans to issue SATYRICON's "Now, Diabolical" album on vinyl this fall. This limited-edition pressing of 666 hand-numbered copies will be issued on gatefold LP with three exclusive colors of wax.

The label has already started taking pre-orders for "Now, Diabolical" via their online store as the projected release date is in early September.

To pre-order SATYRICON's "Now, Diabolical" LP, visit www.deepsend.com.
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The cover artwork for MOTÖRHEAD's new album, "Kiss of Death", has ben posted online at this location. Due on August 29 via Sanctuary Records, the follow-up to 2004's "Inferno" was produced by Cameron Webb, who also worked with the group on their last effort. A new MOTÖRHEAD track, entitled "Kingdom of the Worm", received its world premiere on May 19 during MOTÖRHEAD mainman Lemmy Kilmister's appearance on the "Jonesy's Jukebox" radio show on Indie 103.1 FM.

Lemmy is featured in the June 2006 issue of Maxim magazine as one of the top 10 "Living Legends of Sex." Also appearing in the issue are Jack Nicholson, Julio Iglesias, Gene Simmons, Charlie Sheen and Magic Johnson, among others.

"Kiss of Death" track listing:

01. Sucker
02. One Night Stand
03. Devil I Know
04. Trigger
05. Under The Gun
06. God Was Never On Your Side
07. Living In The Past
08. Christine
09. Sword of Glory
10. Be My Baby
11. Kingdom of the Worm
12. Going Down
13. R.A.M.O.N.E.S.

Norway's legendary eccentric artist Mortiis recently completed a remix for industrial metal band I:SCINTILLA. No release information has yet been made available on the remixed track, which has been dubbed "Havestar (La Malediction Mix)".

Mortiis had previously completed remixes for such artists as DEATHSTARS, TECHNOPHOBIA, GIRLS UNDER GLASS and DOPE STARS INC.

As previously reported, Mortiis has parted ways with Earache Records and is currently seeking a new label home. In an interview with Blastwave webzine, Mortiis said of his label situation, "Right now, I'm between labels and making demos for new songs. There's some really cool stuff that [we played on the recent U.K. tour]. I'm too old to sign another crappy deal. I'm just gonna step back and see what happens. I've also been talking to one director about doing some soundtrack work."

Austrian death metallers BELPHEGOR have inked a del with Nuclear Blast Records.

Commented vocalist/guitarist Helmuth: "BELPHEGOR are proud to have found a new partner with Nuclear Blast for our upcoming album. Over eleven months we've been working on 'Pestapokalypse VI'. We continued to develop and refine the songs over and over again. Never before have we spent so much time in the rehearsal room, and never before have we put so much energy in our new material. [Producer] Andy Classen provided us with a massive wall of sound in the Stage One Studios. And — yeah — it's cool to see that Nuclear Blast boast distribution ways and potential we never got to experience in our past. 'Pestapokalypse VI' is our masterpiece so far! Hell awaits!!!"

Due on October 27, 2006, "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

An UNEARTH player containing two tracks from the band's upcoming album, "III: In the Eyes of Fire", due on August 8 via Metal Blade Records (August 14 in Europe, except Germany, Austria and Switzerland on August 11), can be accessed at this location. The CD was recorded at a Seattle studio with producer Terry Date (PANTERA, DEFTONES). A limited-edition version of "III: In the Eyes of Fire" will include a bonus DVD containing the "making of" footage for the album and a live video filmed on the Sounds of The Underground tour.

"III: In the Eyes of Fire" track listing:

01. This Glorious Nightmare
02. Giles
03. March of the Mutes
04. Sanctity of Brothers
05. The Devil Has Risen
06. This Time Was Mine
07. Unstoppable
08. So It Goes
09. Impostors Kingdom
10. Bled Dry
11. Big Bear and the Hour of Chaos

Bonus DVD (only on limited edition):

* The Making of "III: In The Eyes Of Fire" (directed by Doug Spanenberg)
* Live from the Sounds of The Underground tour

01. The Great Dividers
02. This Lying World
03. Only The People
04. Black Hearts Now Reign

UNEARTH are taking part in this year's Ozzfest, which officially kicks off today (June 29) in Auburn, Washington.

Swedish/Greek melodic death metal outfit NIGHTRAGE is officially looking for a drummer and a lead/rhythm guitarist to complete the group's current lineup.

"We want guys that they are dedicated musicians and focus to be in the band for real," stated Marios Ilipoulos, NIGHTRAGE guitarist/songwriter. "We want musicians from Sweden so that makes things easier for everybody. I hope you guys understand that we don't have any problems with drummers and guitarists from abroad it's just that we want to be a rehearsing band again. If you think that you have what it takes send a presentation, photo and a taste mp3/video of your drum/guitar playing at: marili(at)nightrage(dot)com."

NIGHTRAGE, which recently inked a deal with Lifeforce Records, was originally formed in Greece back in the year 2000 by Iliopoulos (formerly of EXHUMATION, who released three high-quality death metal albums, all produced in Sweden) and his friend Gus G. (DREAM EVIL, FIREWIND, MYSTIC PROPHECY). NIGHTRAGE released two albums on Century Media Records, "Sweet Vengeance" (2003) and "Descent Into Chaos" (2005), before they parted ways with vocalist Tomas Lindberg (AT THE GATES, DISFEAR, THE CROWN) and Jimmie Strimell joined the band on vocal duties.

NIGHTRAGE will record their as-yet-untitled Lifeforce Records debut later this year at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden for early 2007 release.

After a 4 year break from the stages, the mighty IMMORTAL will reunite and play selected exclusive festivals next summer! Photograve Management is proud to announce that IMMORTAL will headline Wacken Open Air's black stage in August 2007.

This will be the only show in Germany in 2007.

More information and dates will follow soon, but rest assured: IMMORTAL will be back with a vengeance!

LAMB OF GOD have finalized the track listing for their new album, "Sacrament", due on August 22 via Epic. The CD was produced by Machine (BLOODSIMPLE, WHITE ZOMBIE), who also helmed the group's 2004 effort, "Ashes of the Wake".

"Sacrament" track listing:

01. Walk With Me In Hell
02. Again We Rise
03. Redneck
04. Pathetic
05. Foot To The Throat
06. Descending
07. Blacken The Cursed Sun
08. Forgotten (Lost Angels)
09. Requiem
10. More Time To Kill
11. Beating On Deaths Door

DVD Video (Deluxe Edition):

01. The Making of "Sacrament"
02. Redneck
03. Redneck

Easter Egg Hidden Video (Deluxe Edition):

01. Go Karts

Check out the album's first single, "Redneck", at www.sacrament2006.com. The cover artwork for the standard edition of the album can be found at this location. The deluxe edition artwork can be viewed here.

In a recent interview with MTV.com, LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton had the following to say about the upcoming CD: "The music's influenced by what the five of us are listening to, what we're writing about, the context in which we're writing, our lives and our experiences. We made a deliberate effort not to be so politically motivated this time. We still care about and think about those things, but at this point, creatively, we wanted to step out of that for a moment, and address some other things. So the lyrics are more introspective and more personal, and I think just about anybody will relate to them. Not everybody pays attention to the war or politics."

Metal Asylum recently conducted an interview with SODOM frontman Tom Angelripper. An excerpt from the chat follows:

Metal Asylum: Any plans to reissue and remaster your back catalogue with bonus tracks?

Tom: "Yes, there are plans to, and we would like to include that footage from the 'Mortal Way of Live' for these re-releases. When we initially recorded 'Obsessed by Cruelty', the record company was not satisfied with the recording so it was recoded twice, one in Berlin so there were two versions released. They sent the wrong master tapes to America so it came out there by mistake. It's good to have for collectors and is missing a track called 'After the Deluge' on that version. We would like to release both versions of 'Obsessed by Cruelty' on CD. Also when we initially recorded 'In the Sign of Evil' we had a complete album ready but when the record company people came to the studio they were not happy with all the songs so we were only able to mix five tracks at the time. When we remaster and reissue it now we will include the bonus tracks that were left off. Maybe we will do a little remixing also but some of our plans are top secret right now. I don't want to give too much away."

Metal Asylum: Why were there no tracks from "Obsessed by Cruelty" included on the live disc of the "Lords of Depravity" DVD?

Tom: I think it was when we were listening to 'Obsessed by Cruelty', our guitarist Bernemann said, 'What were you guys playing there?' I forgot all the guitar riffs, ya know. For these shows this year we want some more older tracks in the set like 'Obsessed' or 'Proselytism Real', ya know. A lot of material off 'Persecution Mania' and 'Agent Orange' we have never played before live with this current lineup so I talked to the guys we have to play something off 'In the Sign of Evil' but also 'Obsessed by Cruelty'. The other members maybe don't like 'Obsessed' but the fans like it. We are thinking about doing a kind of medley too. We do have to change around some of the classics that have been in our set plus we also have to work in a few things off the new album, ya know."

Read the entire interview at www.metalasylum.net.

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:

"Here it is IRON heads. We now have a link up on our homepage with the story and concept behind [the latest IRON FIRE album] 'Revenge'. Due to different circumstances, the story did not make the booklet but now you have the chance to dive into the world that the lyrics are based on. A little fiction story that are inspired by the struggle that me and Kirk went trough in the past four years leading up to our current lineup and the signing with Napalm Records. The record and the lyrics are made in such way that you don't need the concept story to understand what it's all about; it just gives you a closer look into what went on in my head when I wrote those lyrics.

"I would like to thank my old friend Anders Power Jørgensen for helping me making it all sound more like understandable English. And Kirk for all the cozy evenings with too much red wine, discussing the whole concept while we where blasting the soundtrack from 'Lord of the Rings' in my old apartment. My brothers and sisters of metal, I give you 'The Saga of Cain'. Enjoy."

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).

DEFTONES have reportedly settled on "Saturday Night Wrist" as the title of their new album, tentatively due on October 3 via Maverick Records.

DEFTONES drummer Abe Cunningham confirmed to Billboard.com earlier in the year that the band has finally finished recording its new CD. Among the many tracks being considered for the new album is "Beware of the Water".

With regards to the new material's musical direction, Cunningham told Billboard.com, "Actually, if you look at our last record [2003's self-titled effort], 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."

"V–Silver Swan" is the newest QNTAL release to hit the stores by August 28th via e-Wave. Next to a normal edition the band, consitsing of Michael Popp, Syrah and Philipp Groth, will also be releasing a limited edition. This special edition will be coming in an A5 (the size of a DVD)-sized digipak, including an oversized booklet and 2 trays that hold on one side the regular "Silver Swan" album, and on the other side a special bonus CD, including remixed songs, previously unreleased tracks and a CD-ROM part. More news on this release in the next days or weeks. The tracklist for the normal 11-track edition is as follows:
1. Monsieur`s Departure
2. Amis Raynaut
3. Levis
4. Von den Elben
5. Lingua Mendax
6. Falling Star
7. The Whyle
8. Winter
9. Altas Undaz
10. 292
11. Silver Swan

According to Roadrunner Records Germany, NEGATIVE's new single, "Planet of the Sun", has already been streamed more than 10,000 times from the band's official MySpace page. The song comes off the Finnish hard/glam rock band's upcoming third album, "Anorectic", due in Europe (except for Finland) on September 29. The CD will be issued in Finland on August 30.

NEGATIVE's sophomore album, "Sweet & Deceitful", was released in Europe (excluding Scandinavia, Italy and Russia) via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to 2003's gold-certified (in Finland) "War of Love" featured a guest appearance by SENTENCED/POISONBLACK frontman Ville Laihiala and topped the Finnish album chart upon its release in September 2004.

Denmark's MERCENARY have uploaded the cover artwork for their new album, "The Hours That Remain", at this location. The follow-up to 2004's "11 Dreams" was produced by Jacob Hansen (RAUNCHY, COMMUNIC, MAROON, HATESPHERE), who had previously worked with the group on their last offering. The CD is scheduled for release on August 21 via Century Media Records. A limited number of copies will be released as a special DVD version, featuring not only the new album, but also an additional DVD. The DVD will contain more than two hours of footage: live material, interview footage, and a 45-plus-minute "The Making of..." documentary that follows the band from early November 2005 from the initial songwriting process to the album completion in mid-May 2006.

KING DIAMOND is featured on the soundtrack to the motion picture "Clerks II", the 2006 sequel to Kevin Smith's 1994 movie "Clerks". The "Clerks II" soundtrack contains 11 music tracks (plus one bonus music track) from the movie, including two KING DIAMOND tracks — "Welcome Home" and "The Invisible Guests" — as well as 13 dialogue cues from the film. Also included are in-depth liner notes from director and writer Kevin Smith.

"Clerks II" soundtrack track listing:

01. TALKING HEADS - (Nothing But) Flowers
02. KING DIAMOND - Welcome Home
03. JAMES L. VENABLE - Neckin' on the Swing
04. KING DIAMOND - The Invisible Guests
05. Q LAZZARUS - Goodbye, Horses
06. B.J. THOMAS - Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head
07. JACKSON 5 - ABC
08. ALL TOO MUCH - Think Fast
09. JAMES L. VENABLE - Goin' Away Party
10. SAMANTHA FOX - Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)
11. ALANIS MORISSETTE - Everything
12. SOUL ASYLUM - Misery

To order a copy of the "Clerks II" soundtrack, click here.

KING DIAMOND recently finished recording the drums, bass and rhythm guitars for their upcoming album, tentatively due in early 2007. The follow-up to 2003's "The Puppet Master" will contain 13 tracks (including an intro), five of which were written by the band's guitarist, Andy La Rocque. Frontman King Diamond will soon begin writing the lyrics for the album, which is being recorded in Dallas, Texas and at Los Angered Recording (owned by La Rocque) in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Syd Barrett, the troubled genius who co-founded PINK FLOYD but spent his last years in reclusive anonymity, has died, a spokeswoman for the band said Tuesday. He was 60.

The spokeswoman who declined to give her name until the band made an official announcement said Barrett died several days ago. She did not disclose the cause of death.

Barrett co-founded PINK FLOYD in 1965 and wrote many of the band's early songs. The group's jazz-infused rock made them darlings of the London psychedelic scene, and the 1967 album "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" largely written by Barrett was a commercial and critical hit.

Barrett's behavior grew increasingly erratic, and he left the group in 1968. He spent much of the rest of his life living quietly in his hometown of Cambridge, England. The band spokeswoman said a small, private funeral would be held.

Glenn Danzig's long-awaited "Black Aria II" CD, the follow-up to the original "Black Aria" (1993), will be available in stores on September 19, 2006. The album, the material for which has apparently been written for five years, is a classical, operatic piece based on Lilith, the mythological first wife of Adam, according to Danzig. "It's different from the first record but similar in a lot of ways," he said. Check out the cover artwork at this location.

DANZIG, the band, will be embarking on its first tour of Australia since 1993 in early September. Glenn is also in the process of shooting his first feature film, "Gerouge", which he has written and will direct. "Gerouge" is based on one of the comic book titles distributed by his Verotik publishing company, and concerns turn-of-the-century New Orleans voodoo.

Israeli death metallers SALEM are currently in the recording studio working on the follow-up to 2005's "Strings Attached". The new release, which will be a double album, will include a 27-minute piece entitled "Once Upon a Lifetime Parts I - V". Part 1 of the track is available for listening at the band's official MySpace profile. Part 2 will follow shortly.

SALEM's latest album, "Strings Attached", was released in Israel in June 2005. The CD contains songs from the band's past repertoire and one brand new song, all re-arranged and performed with one of the most respected all-girl string quartets in Israel. Also featured on the CD are a remake of the SALEM classic "Old Wounds", featuring guest appearances by the lead vocalists of ETERNAL GRAY, ARALLU, BARTHOLOMEUS NIGHT, MOONSKIN, LEHAVOTH, MATRICIDE, SPAWN OF EVIL, SOLITARY and HANGMAN.

"Murder metallers" MACABRE will release their first DVD, entitled "Live in Holland – True Tales of Slaughter and Slaying", on July 11 in North America and July 17 in the rest of the world (except Germany, where it will come out July 14). The disc contains multi-camera footage shot during the "Murder Metal" tour on August 26, 2005 at the Bibelot in Dordrecht, Holland and will be released in a special limited-edition deluxe metalpak.

"Live in Holland – True Tales of Slaughter and Slaying" DVD (view cover here) track listing:

01. Zodiac
02. Jack the Ripper
03. Serial Killer
04. The Wustenfeld Man Eater
05. Dog Guts
06. Fritz Haarman der Metzger
07. Coming to Chicago
08. The Vampire of Dusseldorf
09. Acid Bath Vampire
10. Ed Gein
11. Dr. Holmes
12. Fatal Foot Fetish
13. The Diary of Torture

Bonus tracks:

14. Scrub A Dub Dub
15. Mary Bell
16. The Hitchhiker
17. Albert Was Worse Than Any Fish In The Sea

Extra features:

* Behind the scenes and out and about with Corporate Death and Dennis The Menace
* Songs from Biebob, Vosselaar on the Dahmer tour

01. Dog Guts
02. Hitchhiker
03. Mary Bell
04. Drill Bit Lobotomy

A special limited-edition run of FORCE OF EVIL's "Black Empire" album, originally released in 2005, will be made available in the U.S. by Escapi Music on July 17 and in Europe on July 28.

Beginning with the special limited-edition package, which includes the brilliant artwork of Linda Bergkvist, the bonus features include a 20-page, full-color booklet, two rare live unreleased recordings plus the video for "Back To Hell".

FORCE OF EVIL's powerful lineup, which includes the ex-MERCYFUL FATE guitar duo Hank Shermann and Michael Denner, can be heard shredding through the two live bonus tracks, "Desecration of Souls" and "The Calling", both recorded live at the Vega Club in Copenhagen Denmark in 2004.

The video for "Back To Hell", which was shot on an island just outside Copenhagen, was directed by Swedish director Magnus Gothlund, who also held the reigns during the shooting of the 2003 DVD "Force Of Evil: Evil Comes Alive" (Escapi Music).

According to a press release, "Black Empire" as a whole "presents a brutal and aggressive metal opus, which pays homage to classic horror movies such as 'Friday the 13th' and 'The Omen'. Heavy metal and Hollywood horror come together as one sinister beast that is sure to satisfy every true heavy metal believer."

FORCE OF EVIL's lineup is completed by bassist Hal Patino (KING DIAMOND), drummer Bjarne Holm (MERCYFUL FATE) and vocalist Martin Steene (IRON FIRE).

W.A.S.P. manager Daniel Stanton of Coallier Entertainment has sent the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET:

"W.A.S.P. regrets to announce the postponement of the upcoming European festivals in July. While doing a routine physical, singer Blackie Lawless was diagnosed with an abnormality in one of the arteries leading to his heart [W.A.S.P.'s management stresses that Blackie **DID NOT** suffer a heart attack, as was erroneously reported on several Turkish web sites — Ed.]. Doctors have advised Blackie to not travel for the next 30 days to avoid complications from the medications prescribed to him. Blackie is doing fine and has had no physical damage in any way, but the postponement of the upcoming shows is very necessary to avoid any possible complications. Blackie wishes to thank all those who are concerned for him and cannot wait for the word tour that begins later this year. In his own words, Blackie says, 'I have been extremely lucky to be able to avoid a problem that could have been potentially life threatening years down the road if I hadn't been fortunate enough to be diagnosed early. Thanks to that I have avoided a potential serious problem!" The doctors say Blackie will be good as new in just a few weeks!!

W.A.S.P. recently returned to the studio and begun recording new material for their next release, tentatively due September 2006.

Metal Asylum recently conducted an interview with VIRGIN STEELE frontman David DeFeis about the band's forthcoming epic, entitled "Visions of Eden". An excerpt from the chat follows:

Metal Asylum: Tell us about the forthcoming album "Visions of Eden". Why that title?

David: "The work is based on the destruction of paganism, and gnosticism and the desecration and eradication of the goddess principle that once dwelled so freely within divinity. A massive blow was struck against these early beliefs, by first, the rise of the 'father-god' principle, and second by the development of the 'organized' religions. The album concerns Lilith, first wife of Adam (he of biblical fame, as in Adam and Eve and the apple, the snake and all that fig leaf and rib propaganda), plus ancient sumerian myths concerning Lilith's relationship with Adam, Eve and God. However, that being said, in actuality, it is really about today…modern times and how we might have arrived here at this very strange place we are now in…The title and the cover reflect the idea of...where are those visions of Eden??? When will we have them? It is a longing for the divine and the eternal in beauty, grace, nobility, etc."

Metal Asylum: What have you done musically with this album that you maybe had not achieved in the past?

David: "It is perhaps even darker than the darkest VIRGIN STEELE moments. It is more nocturnal, autumnal, celestial, vampiric, paganistic, lunar, underground, and, in general, more extreme. The brutality is, if possible, even more brutal (especially mentally speaking), and the tender moments are incredibly melancholy, tortured, forlorn and torn. It is a music full of eternal longing, suffering and regret. Long smoldering passions, lust and despair ignite, consume and die... In the end... a type of hope arises. Not always the 'all conquering triumph ideology,' but a sense of merging with the perennial consciousness of the universe, where one day.... a rebirth of sorts might follow... a beauty born of grief. I am using more piano or acoustic guitar combined with very deeply tuned heavy guitars. Vocally it is very, very melodic, and I can be tender, aggressive, and bluesy. At times the vocal style is like the bluesy singing on the 'Life Among The Ruins' album, only the music and melodies here are very, very different. 'Visions of Eden' is very atmospheric. There are big epic anthemic pieces, with always sing-able and memorable 'hooks,' but there is also a dark, brooding, moody, impressionistic, quality that manifests itself throughout. There is over-the-top orchestration yet simplicity. Nothing is done for the sake of overindulgence, or complexity for complexity's sake. Everything is in proportion, balance and effective for the feelings/sentiments in question. It is a new development, I think. A further progression of my compositional style. These works are epic, bombastic and totally full-on metal, sort of like Conan the Barbarian meets Wagner in a dark, black cave! Perhaps it sounds like...cold moonlight on a haunted cathedral. It screams out like a frightening apparition, a banshee, or it moans tragically like the wailing of the wind through accursed ruins... Images of stark bare trees, clutching at a dark, pregnant, grey/black cloud covered sky while fog stalks the streets are conjured. Several tracks contain a very eerie, haunting quality that would be very much at home in a horror movie such as 'The Omen', 'The Ninth Gate' or 'The Exorcist'! All are extremely heavy, moody and melodic. It is music to accompany either the ending of the world, the birthing of a new world, or both!!!"

Read the entire interview at www.metalasylum.net.