MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine has posted the following message in the "Forums" section of the band's official web site:

"[I] spent the last few days tracking with [Glen Drover, guitar] and [Shawn Drover, drums], and it is the coolest thing to see them be a part of it for real now. And yesterday especially, was an interesting guitar day, when I witnessed the moment the songs went from an idea in my head to [Glen] getting it. And he is such a great player that each song immediately comes to life as soon as he played on it.

"Got some good news to report coming up this week and I wanted to personally thank every one of you that helped our new DVD ['The Arsenal of Megadeth'] debut at #6 in America.

"This is going to be a great year!!!"

MEGADETH's appearance at this year's Desert Rock 2006 festival on March 16 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates marked their debut performance with new bassist James Lomenzo, who has previously played with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and WHITE LION, among others.

Lomenzo joined MEGADETH as the replacement for James MacDonough (ex-ICED EARTH), who was fired from the group on February 10, 2006 due to "personal differences."

MASTERPLAN, the German/Norwegian band featuring ex-HELLOWEEN guitarist Roland Grapow, ex-HELLOWEEN drummer Uli Kusch and former YNGWIE MALMSTEEN/ARK singer Jorn Lande, will enter the studio in September to begin recording their third album, tentatively due in March 2007 via AFM Records. The recordings are expected to last through October and will once again be overseen by acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap (MACHINE HEAD, NEVERMORE, ARCH ENEMY, EXODUS).

MASTERPLAN's sophomore full-length album, "Aeronautics", came out in January 2005 via AFM. Lande last month entered the Norwegian national album at position No. 54 with his fourth solo album, "The Duke" (AFM). The CD was produced by Lande and PAGAN'S MIND guitarist Jörn Viggo Lofstad, and was mixed at Jailhouse Studios in Denmark by Tommy Hansen.

A representative for GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose has shot down persistent rumors that former GNR members Slash, Izzy Stradlin and Duff McKagan are in talks with Rose about taking part in a "reunion" tour this summer. The rumors gained strength a couple of days ago when unconfirmed reports surfaced that Slash had picked up his gear from VELVET REVOLVER's rehearsal studios after allegedly announcing that he was leaving the band.

Rumors of trouble in the VELVET REVOLVER camp have been swirling around the group for the past few months, with several reports suggesting that much of the strife between Slash and the rest of the camp stems from Slash's wife Perla's alleged involvement in the band's business affairs. The situation allegedly came to a head last week after an attempt was made by attorneys to mediate in matters related to the lawsuits filed by Slash, Duff and Axl over the rights to the old GNR songs.

Slash and Duff, who left GNR in the 1990s and are joined in VELVET REVOLVER by ex-GNR drummer Matt Sorum and former STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Scott Weiland, had filed suits in 2004 and 2005 seeking the rights to the early GNR material, accusing Rose of killing deals that would have put their songs in a half-dozen movies, including "Old School" and "Black Hawk Down". Rose filed a counterclaim last month asking a Federal Court to confirm his ownership of his "creative works" and defending his decision to choose when to license the music and to whom.

At press time, there has been no official comment from the VELVET REVOLVER camp regarding any of the rumors currently making the rounds. It is also not presently clear if VELVET REVOLVER will go ahead with their previously announced plans to enter the studio on April 10 to begin recording the follow-up to their double-platinum 2004 debut, "Contraband".

Reunited Swedish hard rockers EUROPE have posted the following message on their official web site:

"We're now getting very close to start recording our new album. We've decided to work yet again in good old Stockholm. The rehersal and pre-production will take place this spring, starting in May, and we're aiming to have the album recorded and mixed by July. The plan is then to have the CD ready for release in October/November. The production will be handled by us (EUROPE), and it will be recorded and engineered by Pontus Norgren [ex-TALISMAN, GREAT KING RAT, THE POODLES], who was also our live sound engineer during the 'Start From The Dark Tour'. At the moment, we have about 15-17 song ideas. Joey [Tempest, vocals] is writing in London, [John] Norum [guitar] in L.A. Mic [Michaeli, keyboards], Ian [Haugland, drums] and [Jon] Leven [bass] in Stockholm. We will probably record 12 tracks for the CD. Everything is running very smooth and there is a chance we'll meet up for one more writing session before we start the pre-production. We have a really great feeling about the new album, and we can't wait to get started so that we can get out on the road and see you guys again."

As previously reported, EUROPE's acoustic version of "Yesterday's News", recorded during an appearance on the Stockholm, Sweden radio station 106.7 Rockklassiker on December 7, 2005, has been made available for download at this location.

EUROPE entered the Swedish Music DVD chart at position No. 9 in December 2005 with their live DVD, entitled "Live from the Dark". The two-disc set features the group's November 15, 2004 concert at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, England along with video clips, interviews, band information and a section called "Taxi Diaries."

Frontman Johnny Hedlund of the legendary Swedish death metallers UNLEASHED has issued the following update via the group's official web site:

"UNLEASHED are currently in the studio, completing the pre-production of our eighth full-length album. We have more qualified songs to choose from than ever before, and I am very confident that this will be the best UNLEASHED album ever. Our mission is to create one of the most memorable records in the history of death metal!!!

"This one will be slightly faster than 'Sworn Allegiance'. The songs will be anthems in the true traditional UNLEASHED way and will have you screaming along with the choruses. The guitar sound will be taking a step towards brutality and grind. The drums are the closest we have ever come to recording a 'live' kind of intensity. The vocals? Well, not far away from 'Sworn Allegiance'... just add a little harshness and a slightly deep aggression to that sound and you'll get the picture right there.

"Expect nothing but one of the most memorable records in the history of death metal."

UNLEASHED recently utilized the services of stand-in drummer Jonas Tyskhagen (INCARDINE, PELLE & THE POORBOYS) for their appearance at the Metalmania festival in Katowice, Poland after the group's regular skinsman, Anders Schultz was hospitalized following a lung-collapse.

UNLEASHED's seventh studio album, "Sworn Allegiance", was released in 2004 through Century Media Records. The follow-up to 2002's "Hell's Unleashed" was recorded and mixed by Fredrik Folkare at Chrome Studios and mastered by Peter In de Betou of Tailor Maid Productions (DIMMU BORGIR, AMON AMARTH, KATATONIA).

San Francisco power/thrash metallers IMAGIKA have signed a licensing deal with Crash Music Inc. for the North American release of the band's new CD, "My Bloodied Wings", due on July 11. A full-length MP3 of the song "Forever Darkened" has been made available for download at this location (6.1 MB). The follow-up to last year's "Devils on Both Sides" was recorded at Trident Studios in Pacheco, California and was mixed at Los Angered Recording in Gothenburg, Sweden with Andy LaRocque of KING DIAMOND fame.

"My Bloodied Wings" track listing:

01. The Tongue of Nyx
02. Hunter's Moon
03. Second Coming
04. Throw the Horns
05. Heart of Icarus
06. Weaken,br>
07. The Darkest of All Secrets
08. Inhuman
09. One More Day
10. Forever Darkened
11. My Bloodied Wings

Swedish death metallers NECROPHOBIC will release their fifth album, "Hrimthursum", on May 22 via Regain Records. The follow-up to 2002's "Bloodhymns" was recorded at the House of Voodoo Studio with engineers Anders Bentell and Fredrik Folkare (guitarist and producer of UNLEASHED) and was mastered at Tailor Maid Production in Stockholm with Peter In de Betou.

"Hrimthursum" (a word taken from the old Norse mythology which means "The Frost Giants") will feature the following track listing:

01. The Slaughter of Baby Jesus
02. Blinded vy Light, Enlightened by Darkness
03. I Strike with Wrath
04. Age of Chaos
05. Bloodshed Eyes
06. The Crossing
07. Eternal Winter
08. Death Immaculate
09. Sitra Ahra
10. Serpents (Beneath the Forest of the Dead)
11. Black Hate
12. Hrimthursum

Check out the "Hrimthursum" cover artwork at this location.

Legendary Swedish death metallers GRAVE have set "As Rapture Comes" as the title of their new album, tentatively due before the end of the year. Recorded at Studio Soulless in Stockholm and mixed by Peter Tägtgren at The Abyss Studio, the follow-up to 2004's b>"Fiendish Regression" contains "the most brutal songs and sound that we have ever created," according to a posting on the band's official web site. More information will be made available soon.

GRAVE's latest CD, "Fiendish Regression", was released in August 2004 through Century Media Records. The group's sixth full-length effort was recorded and mixed at Abyss studio with producers Tommy and Peter Tägtgren. 11 tracks were recorded for the album, including nine brand new songs, a cover version of the SAINT VITUS classic "Burial At Sea" and a re-recording of an old GRAVE song, "Autopsied", which was originally written and recorded for promotion in 1989.

GRAVE recently completed the "The Domination Tour 2006" alongside CRYPTOPSY, DEW-SCENTED, ABORTED and VESANIA.

WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale is putting the finishing touches on the lyrics for the four new songs the band will be adding to their upcoming double live album, tentatively due later in the year. The set is currently being assembled and the group are preparing to begin the mixing process. If all goes well, WHITESNAKE may even perform one of the songs on their upcoming tour, which is scheduled to kick off in early May in Japan. European dates will follow through early July.

As previously reported, David Coverdale is tentatively planning on releasing a video compilation featuring all the WHITESNAKE clips, the COVERDALE/PAGE videos and as-yet-undisclosed "not-so-well-known" clips.

WHITESNAKE recently issued their first single-disc retrospective via Hip-O/Geffen/UMe. Entitled "The Definitive Collection", the CD spans nearly every studio album issued by WHITESNAKE, including their pre-U.S. fame LPs "Snakebite" (1978, with the band's first hit, "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City"), "Lovehunter" (1979, with "Walking in the Shadow of the Blues" and "We Wish You Well"), "Ready An' Willing" (1980, with the title track) and "Come An' Get It" (1981, with "Don't Break My Heart Again").

The new Bloodflowerz album "Dark Love Poems“ is going to enchant the world. Still kept in the cold darkness of the pressing plant the poems are impatiently waiting to conquer your ears and souls. On 23rd June 2006 (G/A/S - rest of Europe 26th June) they will be unleashed.

Last weekend a listening session took place which gave a bunch of journalists a chance to give the record a first try. The musical and emotional passion of “Dark Love Poems” convinced them all. Hypnotic melodies, heartbreaking confessions full of grief, dreamy ballads and smashing discoveries of human cruelty are the varied plot which puts you through ups and downs of th ehope of love. Foolish or dreamy, unlimited or dejected, perfect or fictionary - love has many faces. Which one will you be looking at once? Eleven tracks covered in atmospheric sound costumes created by Alex Krull and topped up by Timo Wuerz’s fantastic artwork and unusual pix from Spooky Sally. “Dark Love Poems” is a very special and deep going record with an attitude.

Candlelight Records has set a June 26 release date for the new album from Sweden's WOLVERINE, entitled "Still".

"Still" was recorded in part at Spacelab studio in Tönisvorst, Germany. The follow-up to 2003's "Cold Light of Monday" was produced by Oliver Philipps, Christian "Moschus" Moos and WOLVERINE and was mixed at the end of August.

"Still" track listing:

01. A House of Plague
02. Bleeding
03. Taste of Sand
04. Nothing More
05. Sleepy Town
06. Liar on the Mount
07. Hiding
08. This Cold Heart of Mine
09. And She Slowly Dies

Check out the "Still" cover artwork at this location.

HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta has posted the following message on the band;'s official web site:

"We've decided to become a five-piece again. Mainly because of the new album having a lot of parts that involve second guitar, but also because me and [bassist Chris] Beattie started this band as a five-piece and feel like it's an integral part of our sound and vision. We'd like to welcome Cleveland native, hardcore legend and all-around great guy Frank '3 Gun' Novinec to the band. Some of you may know him from his past bands RINGWORM and INTEGRITY, and more recently, TERROR. He's one of my oldest best friends, so he fits in perfect! We'll be making another big announcement in a day or two so stay tuned! We are in the studio now making the best album of our career. Be ready to hear the most charged, in-your-face, crushing HATEBREED album ever. It's pure adrenaline."

Drummer Matt Byrne added: "I'm psyched to be playing with this guy. I've known him for several years, playing in bands and being at shows, etc. He brings another dynamic to the fold that can only make us a tighter, heavier and stronger element in the metal/hardcore scene. All that... plus, now I have a new drinking partner."

As previously reported, HATEBREED's video for the song "To the Threshold" has been posted online at this location. The clip was shot on February 25 and "tells a story of young kid who uses our music to escape the abuse of a man his mother is seeing," says Jasta. "We shot our performance stuff at a really cool place called Fastlane Studios in Brooklyn [New York] and the majority of shots for the narrative part of the video were shot at Igor from GRAVESEND's apartment. He is the man for letting us take over his crib!"

Coming hot on the heels of their platinum-certified two-CD hits package "Rock of Ages", DEF LEPPARD have announced that they will release their 12th studio album, "Yeah!", on May 23, 2006. View album cover here.

On their highly anticipated new album, DEF LEPPARD have created a heartfelt and hard-rocking tribute to their musical heroes of the late '60s and '70s — THE KINKS, BADFINGER, T. REX, DAVID BOWIE, SWEET, ROXY MUSIC, MOTT THE HOOPLE, FREE, FACES, and THIN LIZZY. Recording essential versions of the music that influenced their youth, the band have brilliantly merged the "Now" with the "Then" to create a buzz that can only be summed up in one word: Yeah!

Said vocalist Joe Elliott, "I thought it was about time we showed the world what our true roots were... British pop rock from the early-to-mid-'70s. The songs on this album are at least partly responsible for us making the kind of music that we do."

Added guitarist Phil Collen, "We didn't want to make the standard covers album and gave this a lot of deep thought as Joe has been going on about doing this sort of project for 26 years. We wanted to express ourselves through these songs and approached the recording process as if they were our own."

The final tracklisting for "Yeah!" is as follows:

01. "10538 Overture" - originally recorded by ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA in 1972
02. "20th Century Boy" - originally recorded by T.REX in 1973M
03. "Don't Believe A Word" - originally recorded by THIN LIZZY in 1976
04. "Drive-In Saturday" - originally recorded by DAVID BOWIE in 1973
05. "Hanging On The Telephone" - originally recorded by THE NERVES in 1977 and BLONDIE in 1978
06. "He's Gonna Step On You Again" - originally recorded by JOHN KONGOS in 1971
07. "Hell Raiser" - originally recorded by SWEET in 1973
08. "Little Bit Of Love" - originally recorded by FREE in 1972
09. "No Matter What" - originally recorded by BADFINGER in 1970
10. "Rock On" - originally recorded by DAVID ESSEX in 1973
11. "Stay With Me" - originally recorded by FACES in 1971
12. "Street Life" - originally recorded by ROXY MUSIC in 1973
13. "The Golden Age Of Rock & Roll" - originally recorded by MOTT THE HOOPLE in 1974
14. "Waterloo Sunset" - originally recorded by THE KINKS in 1967

MelodicRock.com is reporting that Island/Universal has set an April 25 release date for the CINDERELLA retrospective collection, entitled "Gold". The track listing for the two-disc release is as follows:

CD1:

01. Bad Attitude Shuffle
02. The More Things Change
03. Don't Know What You Got ('Til It's Gone)
04. Once Around The Ride
05. Shelter Me
06. The Last Mile
07. Shake Me
08. Through The Rain
09. Hard To Find The Words
10. Sick For The Cure
11. Second Wind
12. Still Climbing
13. Heartbreak Station
14. Coming Home
15. Talk Is Cheap
16. Free Wheelin'

CD2:

01. One For Rock And Roll
02. Long Cold Winter
03. Hot And Bothered
04. Dead Man's Road
05. If You Don't Like It
06. Love Gone Bad
07. Nobody's Fool
08. Winds Of Change
09. Long Cold Winter / Falling Apart At The Seams (previously unreleased, live)
10. Night Songs (previously unreleased, live)
11. Love's Got Me Doin' Time (previously unreleased, live)
12. Gypsy Road (live)
13. Somebody Save Me (live)
14. Make Your Own Way (previously unreleased, live)

A new CINDERELLA live CD, recorded last year on the Rock Never Stops Tour, is also expected in April.

Swedish melodic metallers SUPREME MAJESTY have announced the addition of guitarist Jimmy Hedlund (FALCONER) to the group's ranks. An audio sample of Hedlund's playing, also featuring SUPREME MAJESTY's other guitarist, Rille Svensson, can be downloaded at this location (.RAR file).

SUPREME MAJESTY were recently joined by bassist Håkan Nyander (ex-ROAD, SERENADE, SANZIA, INBLACK) and keyboardist Mattias Holmgren.

SUPREME MAJESTY's third full-length album, "Elements of Creation", was released in March 2005 via Massacre Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Danger" was recorded at JFK Studio and mixed at Gothenburg's Studio Fredman by Fredrik Nordström and SUPREME MAJESTY.

The Pacific Northwest's AGALLOCH have unveiled the track listing and artwork for their forthcoming album, "Ashes against the Grain", to be released later in the year on The End Records. The album is the follow-up to the critically–acclaimed 2002 opus "The Mantle". A new track, titled "Falling Snow", is available now on The End Records' sampler "Alternate Endings: A Diverse Sound Collective Featuring a Distinguished Ensemble", and can also be downloaded at this location.

Commented vocalist/guitarist John Haughm: "The album sounds distinctively like AGALLOCH but heavier and with elements of pure black metal, folky Scandinavian prog, and a touch of post rock. I was heavily influenced by recordings like THULE's 'Natt' album while writing 'Limbs' and 'Fire Above, Ice Below' and you can definitely hear that sort of brooding darkness in those songs. 'Not unlike the Waves' is easily the heaviest thing we've ever recorded; yet at its foundation it is a neo-folk song. There's also some up-tempo material like 'Falling Snow' and moments of total ambience as well. This is definitely not an album that can be judged by one or two songs. Everything flows together as a dynamic whole and the red thread of the lyrics holds the album together. The lyrics this time unfold as an abstract and surreal folk tale. Although there is a framework of a concept, I wanted to create more of a dreamlike feeling with words than to merely 'tell a story.' My source of inspiration for the lyrics came from the surreal films of Alejandro Jodorowsky, Andrei Tarkovsky, and Sergei Parajanov as well as Northern Folklore and myths, Siberian Vodka, and the crumbling world around us all."

"Ashes against the Grain" will be released in standard jewel case and digipack formats. The digipack will contain different artwork, courtesy of Tolonen from NEST. There is also a plan for a vinyl edition to be released a couple months after the CD. A studio gallery is available here.

"Ashes against the Grain" (view artwork at this location) track listing:

01. Limbs
02. Falling Snow
03. This White Mountain on Which You Will Die
04. Fire Above, Ice Below
05. Not unlike the Waves
06. Our Fortress Is Burning... I
07. Our Fortress Is Burning... II - Bloodbirds
08. Our Fortress Is Burning... III - The Grain

This beautiful and unique documentary piece, recorded at the Walker Stage in New York City on November 10, 2002, is a career-spanning collection of 30 tracks, each receiving a definitive live performance in Death in June's more recent stripped-down acoustic arrangements.

Evolving from the seminal political-punk band Crisis in the early 80s, Death in June has been the vehicle for Douglas P. to create a unique fusion of electronics, martial drumming, and esoteric lyrics and visual symbolism. His work has spawned a new musical genre of its own, which some have called “neo-folk.” Along the way, he has collaborated with most of the influential artists in the industrial, neo-folk and experimental/noise scenes, including Boyd Rice, Rose McDowall, John Balance and Michael Cashmore.

While this disc will help the uninitiated to catch-up with one of the most important musical voices performing today, fans will appreciate that this DVD memorializes a concert that was nearly 21 years to the day that the band made its live debut, opening for The Birthday Party in London. The intimate setting allows Douglas P. to interact directly with the audience, taking spontaneous requests from fans and providing charming background stories for each song: which one was written while sleeping on David Tibet’s library floor, or which one actually knocked the Rolling Stones off the British charts.

88 minutes long. Available in NTSC and PAL formats.

Traclist:
KU KU KU
HE'S DISABLED
LITTLE BLACK ANGEL
WE SAID DESTROY II
ROCKING HORSE NIGHT
DISAPPEAR IN EVERY WAY
TORTURE BY ROSES
ALL PIGS MUST DIE
HULLO ANGEL
OMEN FILLED SEASON
SHE SAID DESTROY
SMASHED TO BITS (IN THE PEACE OF THE NIGHT)
COME BEFORE CHRIST AND MURDER LOVE
TICK TOCK
FALL APART
LEPER LORD
TO DROWN A ROSE
HOLLOWS OF DEVOTION
GOLDEN WEDDING OF SORROW
DEATH OF THE WEST
ROSE CLOUDS OF HOLOCAUST [NTSC version only]
SYMBOLS OF THE SUN
RUNES AND MEN
KAMERADSCHAFT
THE HONOUR OF SILENCE
GIDDY GIDDY CAROUSEL
LUTHER'S ARMY
FIELDS OF RAPE
HEAVEN STREET
THE ENEMY WITHIN

24 years after the release of their live classic, "The Eagle Has Landed I" (1982), and 10 years after "The Eagle Has Landed II" (1996), Steamhammer/SPV are due to release SAXON's brand-new live album, "The Eagle Has Landed Pt. III" on June 6, 2006 (Germany: June 2, U.S.: June 27), featuring the first recordings with drummer Nigel Glockler, who has returned to the SAXON fold following an extended creative break.

In other words, "The Eagle Has Landed Pt. III" was recorded by two different line-ups: the cuts from 2004 feature drummer Jörg Michael, the 2005 material presents Nigel Glockler. Consisting, next to Glocker, of founding members, Biff Byford (vocals) and Paul Quinn (guitar) plus the long-serving Nibbs Carter (bass) and Doug Scarratt (guitar), SAXON are still one of the hottest contemporary live acts.

The double album, "The Eagle Has Landed Pt. III", will be released in a top-value digi-pack. CD1 contains many of the classics from the band's early years up to 1984, including the release of their landmark album, "Crusader". CD 2 features the most important songs from the recent past, starting with tracks from their 1991 comeback release, "Solid Ball Of Rock", and ending with material from "Lionheart" (2004) — with one exception: "Broken Heroes" from their 1985 recording, "Innocence Is No Excuse".

"The Eagle Has Landed Pt. III" track listing:

CD 1:

01. This Town Rocks (Stockholm 2005)
02. Backs To The Wall (Nuremberg 2005)
03. Redline (Hamburg 2005)
04. Stand Up And Be Counted (Berlin 2005)
05. Never Surrender (Berlin 2005)
06. Frozen Rainbow (Fulda 2005)
07. Suzie Hold On (Nuremberg 2005)
08. Play It Loud (Nuremberg 2005)
09. Warrior (Nuremberg 2005)
10. See The Lights Shining (Hamburg 2005)
11. To Hell And Back Again (Hamburg 2005)
12. Stallions Of The Highway (Fulda 2005)
13. Wheels Of Steel (Nuremberg 2005)
14. And The Bands Played On (Wacken 2004)
15. Crusader (Wacken 2004)

CD 2:

01. The Return (Paris 2004)
02. Lionheart (Paris 2004)
03. Man & Machine (London 2004)
04. Beyond The Grave (London 2004)
05. Searching For Atlantis (London 2004)
06. To Live By The Sword Pt. I (London 2004)
07. Unleash The Beast (London 2004)
08. To Live By The Sword Pt. II (London 2004)
09. Flying On The Edge (Paris 2004)
10. Jack Tars (Kiel 2004)
11. English Man 'O' War (Kiel 2004)
12. Court Of The Crimson King (Kiel 2004)
13. Broken Heroes (Kiel 2004)
14. Dragon's Lair (Kiel 2004)
15. Rock Is Our Live (Wacken 2004)
16. Travellers Time (Wacken 2004)
17. Solid Ball Of Rock (Wacken 2004)

BLABBERMOUTH.NET can reveal that Floridian extreme metallers HATE ETERNAL have enlisted drummer Kevin Talley (CHIMAIRA, DYING FETUS, MISERY INDEX) to replace Derek Roddy on their upcoming North American tour with CHIMAIRA, ARCH ENEMY and NEVERMORE (as well as GOD FORBID later in the trek).

Roddy recenty announced his departure from HATE ETERNAL, citing "real-life situations" as the reason for his exit. Kevin Talley last month filled in for THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER drummer Pierre Langlois for several dates after Langlois was denied entry to the U.S. from his native Canada.

HATE ETERNAL's North American tour with CHIMAIRA, ARCH ENEMY and NEVERMORE is scheduled to kick off April 3 at the Gothic Theater in Denver, Colorado.

A representative for Dark Essence Records has confirmed that TAAKE frontman Hoest is doing time in a Norwegian prison at the moment. "He will be out in a couple of months, and will then finish the work on the new TAAKE release," the representative said. "Yes, there will be more coming from TAAKE in the near future! More info about that will come. We can also mention that C. Corax who plays guitar on the '...Doedskvad' and '...Bjoergvin...' albums, also is in prison at the moment, but for a bit longer time."

TAAKE's third album, "Doedskvad", was released last year via Dark Essence Records. The band had previously released two albums on the Wounded Love label: "Nattestid..." (1999) and "Bjoergvin" (2002). "Doedskvad" is the last installment in this trilogy.

Deine lakaien will release a very special song; Some of you should have heard the name of the writer Neil Gaiman ("The Sandman") before, especially comics fans. A movie adaptation of Neil Gaimans "The Sandman" is now in pre-production and star actors Robert DeNiro and Michelle Pfeiffer already signed for it.

There will be a sampler release in connection on Dancing Ferret USA with this
movie, including a new Deine Lakaien song: "A Fish Called Prince"!

The planned release date for this sampler in Europe is the 17th July, 2006. (The
sampler will be released in the USA one month ahead.)

German power metallers GAMMA RAY will be filming their May 6 show at Medley in Montreal, Quebec for an upcoming double DVD, to be released in September. In addition to the concert, which will be filmed with several cameras, the DVD will contain lots of bonus features, like a road movie (the band will be accompanied by a cameraman for their entire North American tour), a documentary covering the group's history, behind-the-scenes footage, video clips etc. More information will be made available soon.

GAMMA RAY's latest album, "Majestic", was recorded and mixed at Hansen Studios in Hamburg, Germany. Mastering duties were handled at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland by Mikko Karmila and Kai Hansen. The band's North American toru will kick on April 30 in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Legendary California metallers LEATHERWOLF have uploaded two songs from their upcoming album, "World Asylum", and the CD cover artwork to their MySpace.com page. Check out the tracks "Derailed" and "Dr. Wicked (Rx O.D.)" at this location.

"World Asylum" is scheduled for release in Europe on June 23 via Massacre Records. The CD introduces new voice Wade Black (ex-CRIMSON GLORY, SEVEN WITCHES), guitarist Eric Halpern (ex-DESTINY'S END, HELSTAR), and bassist extraordinaire Pete Perez (RIOT, SPASTIC INK) alongside original members, guitarist Geoff Gayer and drummer Dean Roberts.

States Roberts who also served as producer and engineer on the new outing: "We've had a lot of obstacles to overcome to finally get to this point, including losing members along the way, but it was well worth the effort. I can honestly say that this is our best record ever — it's heavy, it's progressive, and it’s metal through and through. This is the album we've always wanted to make but couldn't for various reasons, but we got it right this time around. We can't wait for people to hear the new songs and we look forward to playing them live this summer."

Mixed by Danish studio wiz Jacob Hansen (ROB ROCK, COMMUNIC, RAUNCHY), "World Asylum" marks the group's first album since their storming 1999 live disc, "Wide Open".

The "World Asylum" track listing reads as follows:

01. I Am The Law
02. King of the Ward
03. Behind The Gun
04. Live or Die
05. Disconnect
06. Dr. Wicked (Rx O.D.)
07. Institutions
08. Derailed
09. The Grail
10. Never Again

MP3 samples of five new songs are currently posted at www.leatherwolfmusic.com.

Norwegian metallers NOCTURNAL BREED have pushed back the projected release date of their follow-up to "The Tools of the Trade" (Holycaust Records) to September from the previously announced May. Entitled "Code of Conduct", the CD is "taking shape but there is still work to be done," the band write on their web site. In addition , the group's previously announced European mini-tour with DEMONIZER has also been postponed.

"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.

EVANESCENCE frontwoman Amy Lee has posted the following message on the EVANESCENCE message board:

"Terry [Balsamo, EVANESCENCE/ex-COLD guitarist] and I are sitting here in the control room at the studio — we'll be done mixing [the new album] next week! I can hardly believe it, we've been working on this album for so long. The stuff sounds so good... Wow, what a trip this has been.

"I just wanted to say hi, check in with you and let you know that Terry is doing really well [after suffering a stroke in November] (he is downloading PANTERA ringtones right now and trying to get one of us to call him), [producer Dave] Fortman is ruling it (in deep thought at the mixing board) and I am trying to figure out the order of the songs for the album. It's going to be hard to hold this music in all summer.

"Terry just said to thanks for all you guys' support, and all the kind words. I really want to thank you guys again for being so patient — I know it's gonna be worth it. Hang in there! Ill keep you guys posted."

EVANESCENCE's major-label debut, "Fallen", has sold 6.44 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

MY DARKEST HATE, the German death metal band featuring former PRIMAL FEAR drummer Klaus Sperling and members of SACRED STEEL, have parted ways with singer Chris Simper and bassist Oliver Schort. Replacing them in the group's current formation are Claudio Enzler (SACRIFICIUM) on vocals and Alex Palma (LUNA FIELD) on bass.

MY DARKEST HATE have just released their fourth album, "Combat Area", via Massacre Records. The band recorded the follow-up to 2004's "At War" at Stage One studios in Borgentreich, Germany with producer Andy Classen (CALLENISH CIRCLE, TANKARD, OCCULT).

Drummer Derek Roddy has announced his departure from HATE ETERNAL. Roddy's official statement on the matter reads as follows:

"Real-life situations have forced me to resign as a member of HATE ETERNAL. I can on longer afford the expenses of touring. I have put MUCH thought into this for the last several years and kept coming to this conclusion. I must be able to afford the quality of life that I enjoy, and thus far... touring in extreme bands has not allowed me to do anything other than go into a financial hole. Every tour has put me in finanancial burden. Now, I'm not complaining (because I never expected to 'make it' playing metal), but I cannot continue to pay to do it either!!! Too expensive. Besides, I value the scene and would rather GIVE my music away than be insulted at the end of the year with a $600.00 royalty check!!!! This in NO WAY means I won't be recording and releasing extreme music. In fact, you will hear more from me (as I now have the freedom to do what I want when I want.)

"I wish HATE ETERNAL the best of luck."

HATE ETERNAL will be teaming up with ARCH ENEMY, CHIMAIRA, NEVERMORE and GOD FORBID for a North American tour beginning in early April. A replacement drummer has yet to be announced.

The current lineup of POISONBLACK — Ville Laihiala (vocals, guitar, formerly of SENTENCED), Janne Markus (guitar), Marco Sneck (keyboards), Antti Remes (bass) and Tarmo Kanerva (drums) — are continuing to write material for their sophomore album, which they hope to begin recording this spring for a tentative late summer/early fall release via Century Media Records.

Commented Kanerva: "We haven't entered the studio yet 'cos we've been working on some killer songs that we definitely want to be included on the album. We'll start the recordings in April and right after we're done, the album will be mixed at the Antfarm studios in Denmark. The release date is still not confirmed, but most likely the album will be out in August/September (and this time we're talkin' about THIS year!)."

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 released their debut album, "Escapextacy", in 2003 via Century Media. CHARON frontman Juha-Pekka Leppäluoto sang on the CD, but his touring and recording commitments with his main band eventually forced him to quit POISONBLACK.

According to a posting on the SickthingsUK web site, "Alice Cooper - Live In Montreux 2005", the long-awaited DVD from ALICE COOPER's "Dirty Diamonds" tour, is due May 29 in Europe and one day later in the U.S. Eagle Rock have confirmed the tracklisting for both the DVD and the CD (which comes with the DVD). It is as follows:

DVD:

01. Department of Youth
02. No More Mr. Nice Guy
03. Dirty Diamonds
04. Billion Dollar Babies
05. Be My Lover
06. Lost in America
07. I Never Cry
08. Woman of Mass Destruction
09. I'm Eighteen
10. Between High School and The Old School
11. What Do You Want From Me?
12. Is it My Body?
13. Go to Hell
14. The Black Widow
15. Gimme
16. Feed My Frankenstein
17. Welcome To My Nightmare
18. The Awakening
19. Steven
20. Only Women Bleed
21. Ballad of Dwight Fry
22. Killer
23. I Love the Dead
24. School's Out
25. Poison
26. Wish I Were Born in Beverly Hills
27. Under My Wheels

CD:

01. Department of Youth
02. No More Mr. Nice Guy
03. Dirty Diamonds
04. Billion Dollar Babies
05. Be My Lover
06. Lost in America
07. I Never Cry
08. Woman of Mass Destruction
09. I'm Eighteen
10. Between High School and The Old School
11. What Do You Want From Me?
12. Is it My Body?
13. Gimme
14. Feed My Frankenstein
15. Welcome To My Nightmare
16. School's Out
17. Poison
18. Wish I Were Born in Beverly Hills
19. Under My Wheels