The "final" cover artwork for SLAYER's new album, "Christ Illusion" — complete with the band's logo and album title — has been posted online at this location. Larry Carroll, who did the cover artwork for SLAYER's "Reign in Blood", "South of Heaven", and "Seasons In the Abyss" album, painted this original piece for the "Christ Illusion" cover. Working only from the song titles and early lyrics, Carroll has produced a classic SLAYER masterpiece — a portrait of the Christ whose forearms have been chopped off, standing in an ocean of blood surrounded by floating, decapitated heads. Carroll created the painting on a 4-by-4-foot slab of wood using a combination of mediums. SLAYER guitarist Kerry King already has placed dibs on ownership of the original wooden canvas.

"Christ Illusion" is SLAYER's first new studio album since 2001, and the first recorded by the band's original line-up — King; Tom Araya (bass, vocals); Jeff Hanneman (guitars); Dave Lombardo (drums) — since 1990's "Seasons In The Abyss". "Christ Illusion" was produced by Josh Abraham and executive produced by Rick Rubin.

"Christ Illusion" is scheduled for release on August 8, 2006 via American Recordings/Warner Bros. Records.

According to a posting on OPETH's official web site, the band's cover of DEEP PURPLE's "Soldier of Fortune" — recorded at the BBC and set up as a bonus track for the upcoming special edition of "Ghost Reveries" — will be re-recorded at the famed Atlantis studios in Stockholm. This is due to unforseen legal problems with the BBC in the U.K. Therefore the BBC recording won't be available other than through downloads. Other tracks recorded during the BBC sessions were "The Grand Conjuration" and "When".

As previously reported, the special-edition deluxe version of "Ghost Reveries" will be released on July 25 via Roadrunner Records. Other bonus material on the set will include a 40-minute documentary about the making of the record complete with the band's own private tour footage, the video for "The Grand Conjuration", liner notes, photos, an enhanced 24-page booklet, deluxe sleeve, and 5.1 surround exclusive mix of the record made by original mixed/engineer Jens Bogren.

OPETH recently announced the departure of longtime drummer Martin Lopez. After being plagued by illness and anxiety attacks, Lopez decided he wanted to concentrate fully on his own project, currently unnamed. His replacement will be Martin "Axe" Axenrot, who's been filling in for the last five tours and who also recorded with the band during the recent BBC sessions.

According to Rockdetector.com, Sony Music in Norway has revealed that "The Pentagram Burns" will be launched this summer as the second SATYRICON single taken from the "Now, Diabolical" album.

"Now, Diabolical" debuted at No. 2 on the national Norwegian charts and also charted in Sweden and Finland. The album's first single, "K.I.N.G.", released in April, hit the Norwegian singles charts at No. 7.

"Now, Diabolical" is the follow-up to 2002's "Volcano", which received the Norwegian Grammy for "Best Metal Album", the Alarm Award for "Song Of The Year" (for track "Fuel For Hatred") plus "Metal Album Of The Year", and also the Oslo Award for "Best Overall Album". "Volcano" debuted at No. 4 on the Norwegian national album chart.

Readers of the U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine recently voted SATYRICON "Best Underground Band."

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's video for the track "Tears Don't Fall" has been posted online at Yahoo! Music. The song comes off the group's full-length debut, "The Poison", which has sold 58,000 copies in the United States since its February 14 release via Trustkill Records, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

"The Poison" was produced by Colin Richardson (MACHINE HEAD, FEAR FACTORY) and was issued in the U.K. in October 2005.

SOULGRIND, the Finnish band featuring former LULLACRY frontwoman Tanja "Whisper Lilith" Kemppainen (a.k.a. Tanya), have entered D studio to begin recording their eighth album, "Pakana", for a late 2006 release. The follow-up to "The Origins of the Paganblood", which was issued in January 2005 via France's Holy Records, should be completed by the end of June.

"Pakana" track listing (not final sequence):

01. Under The Cloud Of Gloom
02. Northbound Reverend
03. Pakana
04. Against The Grain
05. The Path Of Screams
06. Frost Shines Blue
07. Through The Gates Of Desperation
08. The Second Over Tuoni's Realm
09. As Bronze May Be Much Beautified
10. Wheel
11. The Soul Of The Battle
12. Lost Gardens Beyond The Sunset

According to the band, fans can expect to hear "55 minutes of beautiful, dark, powerful and melodic metal."

SOULGRIND features:

• Azhemin - Vocals (also in THY SERPENT)
  
• Ms W Lilith - Vocals (ex-LULLACRY)
  
• Lord Heikkinen – Guitar (also in TWILIGHT OPHERA, GLOOMY GRIM, FIERCE)
  
• Agathon The Beast - Drums (also in GLOOMY GRIM)
  
• JP - Bass (also in PENTATONIK)
  
• TByte - Guitar (also in TWILIGHT OPHERA)
  

Finnish goth metallers TO/DIE/FOR will release their fifth album, "Wounds Wide Open", on October 4 in Finland. Release dates in other territories have not yet been confirmed. The first single from the CD, "Like Never Before", will be delivered to Finnish radio stations in July, and it wll be released in Finland on September 6.

The follow-up to 2005's "IV", "Wounds Wide Open" was recorded by Samu Oittinen at Fantom Studios and by Jari-Jukka Nippala at Sonic Image, and will now be sent to Sweden's Abyss Studios where it will be mixed by Peter Tägtgren (DIMMU BORGIR, CELTIC FROST). Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Wicked Circle", "Guilt Ridden State", "Quiet Room" and "Liquid Lies".

TO/DIE/FOR's new CD will be the follow-up to the "IV" album, which was recorded at Sonicimage studios in Kouvola, Finland and was mixed at Finnvox studios in Helsinki with Mikko Karmila.

Norwegian metallers NOCTURNAL BREED have posted the following message on their official web site:

"We have decided to leave Painkiller Records because of major communication problems and the fact that they have broken the contract we had with them.
Therefore we are now in the process of finding a new label. Also, the recording for the new album is complete and only the mix is left."

As previously reported, NOCTURNAL BREED are scheduled to release their follow-up to "The Tools of the Trade" (Holycaust Records), entitled "Code of Conduct", in September.

"Code of Conduct" projected track listing (in no particular order):

01. Code of Conduct
02. Fields of Rot
03. Man-Skinner
04. The Dead
05. In Sickness and in Hell
06. Behind the Front
07. Scything Harrow
08. Too Damned to Conquer
09. Iron Bitch
10. Wicked, Vicious, Violent
11. Metal Church

NOCTURNAL BREED recently announced the addition of guitarist A.E. Rattlehead (COCKROACH CLAN, CREST OF DARKNESS, HAMMERHEART) to the group's ranks. Rattlehead joins the band as the replacement for T. Thrawn (real name: Tom Kvålsvoll), who left the group last summer due to "internal conflicts."

NOCTURNAL BREED last year released a five-disc box set, entitled "The Remasters", through Painkiller Records. Limited to 1,000 copies, the set includes all of their previous releases, plus bonus tracks and demo recordings.

Norwegian symphonic black metallers DIMMU BORGIR will enter Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden with producer Fredrik Nordström in October to begin recording their new album, tentatively due in early 2007 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD, which will feature a guest appearance by MAYHEM's Hellhammer on drums, will be "a full story/concept album," according to a posting on the group's web site.

DIMMU BORGIR's current lineup is as follows:

• Shagrath - Vocals
  
• Silenoz - Guitars
  
• Galder - Guitars
  
• Vortex - Bass
  
• Mustis - Keys
  
• Hellhammer - Drums
  

Commented Silenoz: "[Hellhammer] is a hired hitman and will be playing festivals for us this year and on the upcoming album, and hopefully the world touring that will follow the new album."

DIMMU BORGIR recently became the first band on the Nuclear Blast USA roster to sell more than 100,000 copies of a full-length album with their "Death Cult Armageddon" (2003) release, according to sales figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan.

As previously reported, DIMMU BORGIR's video for the track "Sorgens Kammer – Del II" has been posted online at NuclearBlast.de (Real Media). The clip was shot last fall in Sweden with director Patric Ullaeus of Sweden's Revolver Film Company.

"Sorgens Kammer – Del II" is one of the new tracks included on the updated, re-recorded version of DIMMU BORGIR's 1996 album, "Stormblåst", which was released in Europe in November via Nuclear Blast Records (the North American release followed in February). The album was completely re-recorded with producer Peter Tägtgren (HYPOCRISY, PAIN) and MAYHEM's Hellhammer on drums.

In the two days since drummer Igor Cavalera announced his departure from SEPULTURA, there has been a great deal of speculation regarding the reasons for his split with the group and his future plans. While some fans have theorized that Igor became disillusioned with playing heavy metal and wanted to explore different musical styles, many others have taken it for granted that Igor would eventually rejoin forces with his brother Max in either SOULFLY or a reunited version of SEPULTURA's classic lineup. In this exclusive interview with BLABBERMOUTH.NET — conducted Tuesday evening (June 13) — Igor refutes many of the rumors currently circulating the Internet and explains the circumstances that led to his decision to leave the band.

Q: When I spoke to you in January, you told me that you were not leaving the band — that you were merely taking a break from touring to spend time with your new wife and kid, and that you were fully intending on returning to SEPULTURA at some point. That is obviously no longer the case. What happened in the last five months to change your mind with regards to your position within the band and to cause you to finally make the announcement that you were leaving the group?

Igor: "The main thing, really, that changed… It was after the European tour that SEPULTURA did with Roy [Mayorga, ex-SOULFLY, currently in STONE SOUR] on drums… I had a meeting with Andreas [Kisser, SEPULTURA guitarist] before he left for that tour, and then we had another meeting when he came back. And before he left, at the only meeting that we had, we pretty much agreed on all those things that everybody knew — that I was willing to take a break. I wasn't thinking or even saying anything about leaving the band, even though there was a lot of rumors going around. But my intention was really to continue doing this and taking a break. And we even talked about how we wanted to [have] an injection of new energy in the band, and that was something that with this break we might have been able to [achieve] that — to think about and reflect on a lot of different things; that was the plan. When he came back from that tour, we had another meeting, and in that meeting he just showed me a completely different side of it where he didn't feel like my break would be good for the band and good for everything, and he wanted to really continue doing a lot of touring and a lot of shows — they were already booking a lot of shows that I didn't know about — and things like that, which pretty much [led] me to make this decision. And not only that, but also in Brazil, a lot of things were going around, like a [news story in the media] 'A new drummer for SEPULTURA has been hired' — this guy [Jean Dolabella] from Belo [Horizonte], who was already playing in the band, which wasn't a lie, but the way that portrayed it, it was like he was the new drummer, and the band didn't come forward to say anything about that — not even on our web site — and I felt really disrespected [by that]. Not even to put something [on our web site to refute the rumors], since it was already out on the Internet and things like that. Like the time when you posted that story on Blabbermouth [referring to the January 13, 2006 article on this site stating that Igor was quitting the band — Ed.], right after that I put up something on the web site, explaining to the fans — at least like a little letter — just saying, if they [should] rely on [any information being spread about the band], it [should come] from the band directly — not to [believe anything] unless it came from us. And I think that's a pretty good relationship between a fan and a band — if they can go to a band web site, if they hear something, and if they see something from the band, there can be a little relief, or not — as was the case [on Monday, when the official announcement about Igor leaving was made — Ed.]. So those were the main reasons that I just started thinking completely differently, where I just felt that in their opinion, the [idea] of them moving on and continuing to play didn't include me as part of this plan. So I just felt that the most honest thing to do was to explain to everybody [what was going on] instead of just sitting at home [while] people [were] thinking that I was still taking that break, [but] where my mind was in a completely different place."

Q: One other thing that I have seen mentioned on various message boards, including the one on the official SEPULTURA web site, is that many people believe that you no longer have a passion for playing metal music — that you are more interested in getting involved in hip hop music and electronic sounds and DJing and all that stuff. Is there any truth to that? Do you still feel any kind of interest in playing hard-hitting metal, hardcore music or do you want to really do something completely different?

Igor: "I think it's both. I really wanna do stuff that's really heavy and really powerful, but I also wanna do different stuff, like I always wanted to do with SEPULTURA. I always put my influences [into the music] and they've always been very different — from metal all the way to all kinds of styles of music, and that always came across really good when we were writing songs. So I think it's both, you know. It doesn't necessarily mean that I wanna stop playing metal and just playing whatever I'm listening to at the moment. I think, for me, that's… I don't know if I could even that. When I play, I play in a certain style that even if I'm trying to play in a certain style, it's gone come out the way I play my drums. So I think, in my point of view, I'm always gonna have that fire inside to play heavier music, and I definitely don't wanna stop playing that kind of music, because the stuff that I do outside of SEPULTURA, it's a lot more fun than anything else — it's just having fun. Like the whole DJ thing — it's just having fun here and enjoying different… It's almost like discovering a new instrument by doing the turntable stuff and also trying out new electronic stuff with drums, just like I did with percussion at the time — really researching a lot of percussion, and Brazilian music, and things like that. But I wouldn't exchange everything I had just to be in that style or changing the whole thing."

Q: One other thing that I have seen mentioned on various message boards is the possibility of you joining your brother's band, SOULFLY, now that you are no longer a member of SEPULTURA. If Max was to call you up and say, 'I'd like you to do a tour with my band,' or record an album with SOULFLY, would you consider it? Is that something that is a possibility for you?

Igor: "I don't know. It's hard. It's the same as when people ask me if Max was to call me and ask me if he could rejoin SEPULTURA, if I would accept, and I think the answer is pretty much the same. I can't really speculate about something that's not real. Once it's real, then you have time to think about it and really have a strong opinion about it. When it comes to something that's not real, I think it's a waste of time to try [and guess how I would feel about it]. It's not real."

Swedish Viking death metal heroes AMON AMARTH have set "With Oden On Our Side" as the title of their sixth full-length album, due in September via Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded at Fascination Street studios in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren.

"With Oden On Our Side" track listing:

01. Valhall Awaits Me
02. Runes to My Memory
03. Asator
04. Hermod's Ride to Hel – Lokes Treachery Part 1
05. Gods of War Arise
06. With Oden On Our Side
07. Cry of the Black Birds
08. Under the Northern Star
09. Prediction of Warfare

Metal Blade Records recently issued an AMON AMARTH DVD, entitled "Wrath of the Norsemen". The three-disc set was released in a deluxe 10-page digipack with special gold-laminated slipcase. The main body of the DVD is the Cologne show from last year — filmed with 11 cameras, this was the longest show AMON AMARTH have ever played (23 songs!). Bonus footage includes interviews, behind-the-scenes of the DVD recording and other stuff filmed around the Cologne show. Discs 2 and 3 feature professionally filmed shows from Summer Breeze 2005, the Metal Blade Rrroooaaarrr 2005 (a show with a really unusual setlist!), Wacken Open Air 2004 and the release show for "Fate of Norns" in Ludwigsburg (Germany) in 2004.

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

"We can now confirm that we'll be working with acclaimed Danish producer Tue Madsen for the next album. The effort will be mixed in his Antfarm studio, while the actual recording will take place in different premises here in Sweden. Drums will be set to tape at the old Studio Fredman, while guitars, bass, vocals and electronics will be immortalized at Rogue Music.

"The album is as yet untitled, but some working titles (that may or may not change) are 'Blind at Heart', 'The Lesser Faith', 'InsignifiCunt' and 'The Plunge'."

Finnish folk-influenced melodic death metal band ENSIFERUM have pushed back the projected release date of their "10th Anniversary Live" (Spinefarm) DVD to June 28 from the previously announced June 14. The delay is being attributed to a "slow manufacturing process." The disc was recorded at the band's 10th-anniversary celebration concert, which took place December 31, 2005 at Nosturi in Helsinki, Finland.

"10th Anniversary Live" DVD (view cover here) track listing:

01. Intro
02. Hero in a Dream
03. Guardians of Fate
04. Tale of Revenge
05. Dragonheads
06. Windrider
07. Warrior's Quest
08. LAI LAI HEI
09. Old Man (Väinämöinen)
10. Slayer of Light
11. Finnish Medley:
* Karjalan Kunnailla
* Myrskyluodon Maija
* Metsämiehen Laulu
12. Tears
13. Token of Time
14. White Storm
15. Into Hiding
16. Into Battle
17. Kalevala Melody (intro)
18. Iron
19. Treacherous Gods
20. Näitä Polkuja Tallaan
21. Battle Song

ENSIFERUM are planning on entering the studio in November to begin recording their third album for a tentative early February 2007 release.

ENSIFERUM, who feature in their ranks NORTHER frontman Petri Lindroos, released an EP, entitled "Dragonheads", in February via Spinefarm Records. The mini-CD was recorded and mixed in November at Sonic Pump studios in Helsinki by Nino Laurenne (THUNDERSTONE) and was mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios. It contains one new track, new studio recordings of several old demo songs, and a couple of traditional Finnish folk covers.

Legendary bassist Bob Daisley — of OZZY OSBOURNE, URIAH HEEP, GARY MOORE, BLACK SABBATH and RAINBOW fame — has revealed that the LIVING LOUD project, which features Bob alongside Australian superstar Jimmy Barnes, the DEEP PURPLE duo of guitarist Steve Morse and keyboard player Don Airey plus URIAH HEEP drummer Lee Kerslake, has been assembling songs for a second album.

LIVING LOUD's self-titled 2004 debut created a stir as it included re-worked versions of the Daisley/Kerslake co-composed OZZY OSBOURNE "Blizzard of Ozz" staples "Mr. Crowley", "I Don't Know" and "Crazy Train", originally from the "Blizzard Of Ozz" album and "Over The Mountain", "Flying High Again" and "Tonight" from the 1981 album "Diary Of A Madman".

"There should be another writing session soon for LIVING LOUD at Steve Morse's place in Florida," said Daisley. "We had a brief get-together at Jimmy Barnes' place in May when PURPLE were here in Sydney and started to get a few new ideas together for another album."

Also underway is a further album from Daisley's blues project THE HOOCHIE COOCHIE MEN, fronted by former ROSE TATTOO guitarist Tim Gaze. Studio contributions will come from Jimmy Barnes, DEEP PURPLE frontman Ian Gillan and ex-DEEP PURPLE keyboard player Jon Lord. The bassist also has a third product in the works, his acclaimed 1970 progressive rock outfit KAHVAS JUTE are following up their July 2005 live reunion with a DVD, titled "Kahvas Jute, Then Again (Live at The Basement)", set to feature recent live footage, brand new studio tracks and interviews.

POISONBLACK — the Finnish band featuring Ville Laihiala (vocals, guitar, formerly of SENTENCED), Janne Markus (guitar), Marco Sneck (keyboards), Antti Remes (bass) and Tarmo Kanerva (drums) — have set "Lust Stained Despair" as the title of their long-awaited second album, due in the U.S. on August 22 via Century Media Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Escapextacy" was recorded in part at Tonebox studio in Oulu, Finland and was mixed and mastered at Antfarm studios in Aarhus, Denmark.

Laihiala had previously stated about the new album's musical direction: "The new one has the same spirit and theme that was on [the debut album, 'Escapextacy'], but presented with a lot more dirtier and rougher sounds without forgetting the melodies," he said. "But if you are waiting for a soft goth-rock album you'll be surprised."

POISONBLACK will be performing at the Qstock Festival in Oulu, Finland on July 29. Several new promotional pictures can be viewed at this location.

Brazilian thrashers SEPULTURA have yet to comment on yesterday's announcement that their drummer and co-founder, Igor Cavalera, has left the group due to "artistic differences." However, according to a posting on the band's official web site, guitarist Andreas Kisser, Derrick Green and Paulo Xisto Jr. have vowed to continue with the group despite this major setback. In the meantime, SEPULTURA's latest CD, "Dante XXI", will receive its long-awaited South American release (featuring two bonus tracks) next month. Tour dates in Brazil and North American are expected to be announced soon.

Igor announced earlier in the year that he was taking a break from the group's touring activities to spend time with his second wife and their new son (who was born in January). Filling in on drums during the band's European tour with IN FLAMES was Roy Mayorga, who played with Igor's brother Max in SOULFLY for several years in the late '90s and again in 2001-2003.

Igor is the second Cavalera to leave SEPULTURA. In 1996, Max Cavalera exited the group after the rest of the band fired Max's wife Gloria as SEPULTURA's manager.

SEPULTURA have now officially selected Jean Dolabella (ex-UDORA) as their new touring drummer following Roy Mayorga's decision to join STONE SOUR as a full-time member.

Qntal will release it's new album Silver Swan this summer. The exact releasedate is just confirmed at 25 august 2006. The last touches to the production are now finished and the tour is already booked. It will be no suprise that the one responsible for the artwork of Silver Swan is Brian Foud, the designer of The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. The seal reminds of a secret door leading to a parallel universe. Perhaps the world where Syrah took the name Qntal from? This album is more ethereal and mysterious than before. Reminding of Dead Can Dance, Loreena Mckennit or Enya., but is recognizable as Qntal without doubt!

SIRENIA, the Norwegian gothic metal band featuring former TRISTANIA guitarist/vocalist Morten Veland, have posted the following message on their official web site:

"The song material for the upcoming CD is more or less complete; we are just working on the last details at the moment. It seems we will start the recordings by the end of July. The upcoming full-length album will consist of nine brand new SIRENIA songs — no cover songs or remix material this time."

SIRENIA recently announced the addition of 27-year-old Danish female singer Monika Pedersen (photo) to the group's ranks. "Monika has been dedicated to music all her life, and has loads of experience from from other bands, projects, choirs etc." the group wrote on their web site. "In addition, she has been working with several professional singing teachers in Luxemburg and Denmark. From now on she will have an important role in SIRENIA's music, and we all look forward to a future collaboration."

Pedersen joined SIRENIA as the replacement for Henriette Bordvik, who quit the band last September.

SIRENIA last year signed a new record deal with Nuclear Blast Records. The band have released two successful albums to date (2002's "At Sixes and Sevens" and 2004's "An Elixir for Existence") and in 2004 toured Europe with TIAMAT, PAIN and THEATRE OF TRAGEDY.

THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN will release "Miss Machine: The DVD" in North America on June 27 (with an international release on July 3). This low-priced limited edition DVD features a collection of behind-the-scenes footage, all the studio videos from the "Miss Machine" album and live clips spanning the band's worldwide tour. The tentative (unconfirmed) track listing for the DVD is as follows:

01. Panasonic Youth
02. Setting Fire To Sleeping Giants
03. Unretrofied
04. Sunshine The Werewolf (Live)
05. Panasonic Youth (Live)
06. Setting Fire To Sleeping Giants (Live)
07. A Perfect Design (Live)
08. Phone Home (Live)

THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN have just released a digital-only EP, entitled "Plagiarism". The EP features "Unretrofied" (from "Miss Machine"), interpretations of NINE INCH NAILS' "Wish", MASSIVE ATTACK's "Angel", SOUNDGARDEN's "Jesus Christ Pose" and JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE's "Like I Love You", as well as previously unreleased live material. Many of these covers have been heard during the band's live sets over the past several years but remained unrecorded until this EP. "Plagiarism" is available exclusively via iTunes.

Long-running German metallers PARADOX have set "Electrify" as the title of their upcoming album, due later in the year via AFM Records. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Second Over Third By Force", "Monument", "Portrait in Grey", "Hyperspeed Hallucinations", "Bridge to Silence", "Infected", "Disconnected", "Cyberspace Romance", "Electrify", as well as a cover of BLACKFOOT's "Good Morning". Check out the album cover artwork at this location.

PARADOX's current lineup consists of the following musicians:

• Charly Steinhauer - Vocals, Guitar
  
• Kai Pasemann - Guitar
  
• Fabian Schwarz - Guitar
  
• Andi Siegl - Bass
  
• Chris Weiß – Drums
  

Danish power metallers MANTICORA have announced the following release dates for their new album, "The Black Circus Part 1 - Letters":

• Japan (Art Union Group): August 23
  
• Europe (Massacre Records): August 25
  
• Asia (Melodic Heaven): August 28
  
• USA (Locomotive Music): August 29
  
• France (Replica Records): October 1
  

"The Black Circus Part 1 - Letters" was recorded at the Jailhouse studios in Horsens, Denmark with producer Tommy Hansen (HELLOWEEN, TNT, PRETTY MAIDS, FATE). Check out audio samples at Manticora.dk. The "Part 2" companion CD was also scheduled to be recorded during the same session, although details on that release are currently unavailable.

MANTICORA's fourth CD, "8 Deadly Sins", is available now on Massacre Records. The follow-up to 2002's "Hyperion" (Scarlet Records) was recorded at Jailhouse and features artwork by Mattias Norén.

Finland's CHILDREN OF BODOM have set "Chaos Ridden Years – Stockholm Knockout Live" as the title of their upcoming DVD, due on October 10, 2006. The disc is estimated to contain over three hours of non-stop COB action, including a live concert, videos, and a rare documentary on the band from past to present.

Directed by Patric Ullaeus of the Revolver Film Company, the DVD will mainly focus on the February 5, 2006 live concert in Stockholm, Sweden, featuring over 90 minutes of live excitement. The track listing is as follows:

01. Intro
02. Living Dead Beat
03. Sixpounder
04. Silent Night, Bodom Night
05. Hate Me!
06. We're Not Gonna Fall
07. Angels Don't Kill
08. Bodom After Midnight / Bodom Beach Terror (medley)
09. Follow the Reaper
10. Needled 24/7
11. In Your Face
12. Hate Crew Deathroll
13. Are You Dead Yet?
14. Lake Bodom
15. Everytime I Die
16. Downfall
17. Outro

The DVD will contain every official COB video ever made! Here's a list of the videos:

01. Downfall
02. Deadnight Warrior
03. Everytime I Die
04. Needled 24/7
05. Trashed, Lost & Strungout
06. Sixpounder
07. In Your Face
08. Are You Dead Yet? (original version and alternative version)

Finalizing the material on this super-packed DVD will be two interviews/documentary-type films about the band's past, present and future directed by Yka Jarvinen (Indie Films OY), a "making of the DVD," and photo gallery.

SHADOWS FALL's new CD, "Fallout from the War", is available for streaming in its entirety at AOL.com. The album, which is scheduled for release tomorrow (June 13) via Century Media Records, was once again produced and mixed by longtime friend Zeuss (HATEBREED, GOD FORBID) at Planet Z Studios in the band's home state of Massachusetts. "Fallout from the War" is a must-have for the band's dedicated following as each of the album's eleven tracks is either a brand-new, original SHADOWS FALL track, an exclusive, brand-new cover song, or a newly re-recorded version of rare material from over the years.

"Fallout from the War" follows the group's most acclaimed disc to date, "The War Within", which originally debuted at No. 20 on The Billboard 200 chart. It has since gone on to sell over 250,000 units in the U.S. alone, and features the Active Rock hit and Grammy-nominated track "What Drives the Weak".

Long-running New York power metallers VIRGIN STEELE have posted the following message on their official web site:

"The new VIRGIN STEELE album is truly on schedule! David [DeFeis, vocals] is literally one day away from completing all mixing and mastering, and I can now honestly tell you with complete confidence that it will be out in September. The name of the album is to be... 'Visions of Eden', and it is quite epic. It is I believe the group's longest album to date, clocking in at 79 minutes and 57 seconds. We hope you will enjoy it. More information, track listing etc., will appear in the weeks ahead..."

VIRGIN STEELE's last studio release, "Book of Burning", came out in 2002.

MOTÖRHEAD have revealed the track listing for their new album, "Kiss of Death", tentatively 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.

Drummer Igor Cavalera has officially announced his departure from SEPULTURA. In a statement released today (June 12) to the Brazilian media, Igor attributed the split to "artistic incompatibility" with his SEPULTURA bandmates — guitarist Andreas Kisser, bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. and vocalist Derrick Green.

"I believe my time in SEPULTURA has come to an end," Igor said in the statement. "I have a lot of pride in everything we have done, but I feel that the group's current formation does not meet my expectations as a musician and a person. Since my last tour with SEPULTURA, which took place in Europe in December 2004, I have sensed that my ideas were not compatible with those of the rest of the band.

"I would really like to thank all of the fans that supported me and continue supporting our music. I would also like to thank everybody that worked to make SEPULTURA the band that it had become."

Igor announced earlier in the year that he was taking a break from the group's touring activities to spend time with his second wife and their new son (who was born in January). Filling in on drums during the band's European tour with IN FLAMES was Roy Mayorga, who played with Igor's brother Max in SOULFLY for several years in the late '90s and again in 2001-2003.

Igor is the second Cavalera to leave SEPULTURA. In 1996, Max Cavalera exited the group after the rest of the band fired Max's wife Gloria as SEPULTURA's manager.

SEPULTURA are rumored to have selected Jean Dolabella (ex-UDORA) as their new permanent drummer following Roy Mayorga's decision to join STONE SOUR as a full-time member.

BORKNAGAR mainman Oystein G. Brun has issued the following message regarding the group's current activities:

"We are right now finishing the production of our upcoming, acoustic-based album. The music is hard to describe in simple words, but you should expect an album with a heart and a nerve that is truly unique. We are really looking forward to unleash this epos of musical magic upon the world as we have been planning this album for ages...

"The album is set to be released during October through Century Media Records worldwide. A more specific release date will be issued soon. There will be nine songs on the album. The titles are: 'Earth Imagery', 'White', 'Cynosure', 'Human Nature', 'Grains', 'Acclimation', 'Signs', 'The Spirit of Nature' and ... a surprise. The album will contain one re-arranged/ re-recorded song from one of our previous albums.

"On this album we have had to pleasure to work with Erik Tiwaz (a.k.a. Tyr) once more. He was the man behind the brilliant basslines on 'Empirisicm' and has truly granted us with his magical low frequencies on this album as well.

"More news regarding a specific release date, additional guest musicians and the album title will be issued very soon!"

BORKNAGAR's sixth album, "Epic", was released in June 2004 through Century Media Records.

Finnish melodic death metallers NOUMENA have entered Savonlinna's Sundi Coop studio to begin recording their third full-length album, tentatively due October-November 2006 via Spikefarm Records. 11 songs are being tracked for the CD, which should be completed by the end of June. According to a posting on the band's web site, the "new material is more diverse and has more twists and turns, but NOUMENA trademark elements are definitely present."

NOUMENA's sophomore effort, "Absence", was also recorded at Sundi Coop and was released last year via Spikefarm.

Finland's THYRANE have officially split up, according to a posting on the band's web site. All previously announced shows have been cancelled and there are no plans to play any "farewell" concerts.

THYRANE's latest album, "Travesty of Heavenly Essence", was released last November via Spikefarm Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Hypnotic" was recorded and mixed by Ahti Kortelainen at Tico-Tico studios in Kemi, Finland and was mastered at Finnvox Studios by Mika Jussila.

German electro-metallers OOMPH! — who recently finished a tour of their home country in addition to having performed at several festivals — will release the third single, "Die Schlinge" (The Noose), from their latest album, "GlaubeLiebeTod" (Belief, Love, Death).

The single, due out on July 28, is a collaboration with Finnish cello-rockers APOCALYPTICA, and is based on the harmonica-melody of Ennio Morricone's film music to "Once Upon a Time in the West". The signature harmonica line is not sampled, but was re-recorded anew with permission by the composer and was then combined with OOMPH!'s own songwriting contributions.

DEF LEPPARD's video for "Rock On", the first single from their brand-new release, "Yeah!", has been posted online at the band's official web site.

"Rock On" is a classic radio smash originally done by DAVID ESSEX in 1973, when DEF LEPPARD were just a bunch of young lads in England starting to learn about music. It's the perfect introduction to "Yeah!", a 14-song collection of glam-rock covers that serves as a long-awaited tribute to DEF LEPPARD's hard-rock heroes.

Captured in the desert climes of Placerita Canyon outside Los Angeles, the video, directed by award-winning filmmaker Nigel Dick, envisions the band getting ready to play a post-apocalyptic stage, with grit, grime and nothing but guitars, drums and the spirit of rock to guide them.

"We're really pleased how that came out," guitarist and vocalist Phil Collen says. "It was fantastic. It's 'Mad Max' meets something nasty and gritty and fancy and dusty. It's very iconic and we just love the way it turned out."