Swedish thrashers DARKANE have posted the following message on the band's official web site:

"Within five days Christofer [Malmström, guitar] and Klas [Ideberg, guitar] each became proud fathers of beautiful baby girls. Christofer's wife Jennie gave birth to their daughter Freja on December 29th, 2005 while Klas' girlfriend Lina gave birth to their yet unnamed daughter on January 3rd, 2006. Both babies and their parents are doing well and are resting back home. Co-incidentally, all three DARKANE babies (including Peter's [Wildoer, drums] son Leon) were born in labour room No. 13 at the Helsingborg's hospital. Let's hope it will bring them good luck."

DARKANE recently completed a U.S. tour in support of their fourth album, "Layers of Lies", available now on Nuclear Blast Records. It is the follow-up to the band's third studio CD, "Expanding Senses", which was released in 2002.

Seminal technical metal pioneers ATHEIST have regrouped for a run of exclusive live performances.

Guitarist/vocalist Kelly Shaefer has reassembled what is widely considered the band's classic recording lineup (Shaefer, guitarist Rand Burkey, bassist Tony Choy, and drummer Steven Flynn) for two exclusive festival performances; Italy's Evolution Festival and Germany's Wacken Open Air. Shaefer comments, "We're very excited to be able to get back on the stage and play these insane tunes hit the air again the proper way with Flynn, Burkey and Choy. It's going to be very exciting and something not to be missed!"

ATHEIST will take part on Evolution Festival (scheduled for July 16 and 17 in Brescia, Italy) and Wacken Open Air (scheduled for August 3-5 in Schleswig Holstein, Germany). These will be the first in a series of exclusive festival performances announced. Shaefer continues, "We would like to make a great festival run this year and expose as many as possible to the music we lived and died for. Many thanks to the Evolution Festival and Wacken for helping to give many people who never got to see ATHEIST live a chance to see us one last time. This is our chance to make the music we worked so hard to create come alive one last time, and we guarantee that it will not disappoint."

ATHEIST has recently had its wildly-influential catalog (1988's "Piece of Time", 1993's "Elements", and the 1991's legendary "Unquestionable Presence") reissued internationally via Relapse Records. Additionally, "Unquestionable Presence" was recently featured in Decibel magazine as part of its ongoing Hall of Fame feature. The Hall of Fame feature highlights influential and pivotal releases in metal history, and "Unquestionable Presence" joins of ranks of previously profiled classics such as SLAYER's "Reign In Blood", SEPULTURA's "Roots", and AT THE GATES' "Slaughter of the Soul", among others.

Tobias “Eggi” Exxel (EDGUY bassist) has made a report about his new band EVERLEAF which is follow-up to his previous band TARAXACUM. The following message has been posted on the group’s official web site www.EVERLEAF.de:

“Hey folks out there! We proudly present our new band Everleaf! Somewhere out in the dark, Natalie's lovely voice meets the evil roaring guitars of four ugly sweaty Heavy Metal fans. This fairy tale will be without a happy ending! ;-)

EVERLEAF is:

Natalie Seng (Vocals)
Tobias "Eggi" Exxel (Guitars)
Volker "Volli" Born (Guitars)
Michael "Pichel" Peter (Bass)
Tobias Maus (Drums)

Somehow you could say that Everleaf is the "follow-up band" to Taraxacum, which unfortunately disbanded in early 2005. How we came to that sad decision, I'm going to explain a little later, but for now I want you to know that it happened without any trouble or any problems. Anyway, I didn't want to cry for the band, because I hate to be at a standstill. So, just one week after the split I started to talk to special people to form and found another band. Within a very short time there was a complete band again which got its name just a few days before the launch of this website. From the beginning we decided we didn't want to imitate Taraxacum or Edguy, but just to make some type of noise together is the important thing. It's unnecessary to underline that we are 100% Rock-n-Rollers, isn't it? Maximum Rock & watch for more updates soon!»

The EVERLEAF first show took place on January 7th in Schwalmstadt/Ziegenhain, Germany at the Kulturhalle AFM Festival "Henner Rocks" with Axxis, Squealer and Elvenking.

Finland's LORDI have revealed their new outfits for the "Arockalypse" touring cycle. The new "meaner and leaner" look of the monstersquad sees the band introducing leather, metallic studs and — of course — foam rubber. The band wanted to have lighter and more flexible new costumes, with live appearances especially in mind. The faces have also gone through a renewal phase. For example, Amen has not only lost a lot of his clothes, but the skin of his jaw as well.

In other news, LORDI have added two new "creatures" to the squad: keyboardist Awa and bassist Ox.

"The group is tighter now and more focused than never before," the band said in a statement. "Everyone can and will put their 100%. The future is exciting in many ways for us now, and we are hungrier than ever!"

Awa joined the band in October. She came into the group at a time when the band was still in the studio, and she played all the keyboards and piano parts on the new album, "Arockalypse". The Russian fans have already met her, as Awa's first gigs with LORDI were the Moscow and St. Petersburg shows in November. Ox joined the group in October as well. He rehearsed with the rest of the band, having personal guidance from previous LORDI bassist Kalma the whole time. So, for about a month, the band's lineup at the rehearsal loft had a real "stereo-bass" effect, with two bass players simultaneously punishing their amps (!).

As the new members come in, it sadly means that Enary and Kalma are no longer part of the group.

"It feels bad to let bandmates go", said LORDI maniman Mr. Lordi. "But sometimes the situations take a turn to the direction that no one wants them to. Things can develop into something that the band just can't cope with. No one wanted these separations to happen, but shit happens. When you can't turn away from trouble anymore — tough decisions have to be made. The band will go on and it needs all its individuals to work together smoothly."

Enary, who joined LORDI in 1997, was asked to leave the group in August. The band explained that the personal chemistry in the group became somewhat unbearable. Kalma, who joined LORDI in 2002, wanted to leave the group's performing lineup himself due to personal reasons.

Norway's THEATRE OF TRAGEDY have uploaded an audio sample of the title track from their forthcoming album, "Storm", at this location (MP3, 1:39 min, 64 KBit).

"Storm" (view cover here) is scheduled for release in Germany and Switzerland on Friday, March 24 via AFM Records. The rest of Europe will follow on Monday, March 27. A U.S. release date will be announced later. The CD was produced by Rico Darum and mixed by Greg Reely (PARADISE LOST, FEAR FACTORY, FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY, SKINNY PUPPY, etc.) at The Green Jacket studios in Richmond, B.C., Canada. Other songtitles set to appear on the album include "Begin and End", "Disintegration", "Fade" and "Dust".

THEATRE OF TRAGEDY's new album will be the group's first to feature singer Nell (THE CREST), who replaced Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull (currently in LEAVES' EYES) in early 2004.

As previously reported, Norway's GOTHMINISTER have been confirmed as the support act for THEATRE OF TRAGEDY on their upcoming European tour. GOTHMINISTER will appear on all shows except the Norwegian dates. A complete list of currently confirmed tour dates can be found at this location.

A demo version of a new SEPULTURA track, entitled "Convicted In Life", has been made available for download at SepulArmy.net. The song comes off SEPULTURA's 11th full-length album, "Dante XXI", due in North America on March 14 via SPV USA. The CD was recorded at Trama Studios in São Paulo, Brazil, where the group had previously laid down the "Revolusongs" EP, which contained cover versions of songs from such acts as MASSIVE ATTACK to HELLHAMMER to JANE'S ADDICTION (and was included in the limited-edition digipack version of 2003's "Roorback"). A demo version of the first single, "Convicted in Life", will be featured in the March 2006 issue of Revolver magazine (on stands January 10) as part of their "Revolver Bootleg Series."

Working under the watchful eye of producer Andre Moraes (with whom they've previously worked on various Brazilian film soundtracks), SEPULTURA's follow-up to "Roorback" is based on the epic poetic masterpiece "The Divine Comedy" written by Italian author Dante Alighieri in the early 14th Century. The three main components of "The Divine Comedy" are Dante's descriptions of Hell, Purgatory and Paradise.

"Dante XXI" track listing:

01. Dark Wood of Error
02. Convicted In Life
03. City of Dis
04. False
05. Fighting On
06. Ostia
07. Buried Words
08. Nuclear Seven
09. Repeating the Horror
10. Crown and Miter
11. Still Flame

In addition to the 11 tracks that are set to appear on "Dante XXI", SEPULTURA recorded two cover songs — JUDAS PRIEST's "Screaming for Vengeance" and SICK OF IT ALL's "Scratching the Surface" — which will be released as single b-sides in the future.

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 (to be issued in North America on February 7). The album was completely re-recorded with producer Peter Tägtgren (HYPOCRISY, PAIN) and MAYHEM's Hellhammer on drums.

The new version of "Stormblåst" adds two brand-new audio tracks: the aforementioned "Sorgens Kammer – Del II" and "Abmaktslave", plus a live DVD of an entire set filmed at Ozzfest 2004.

DIMMU BORGIR have begun writing material for their next studio, tentatively due before the end of the year. 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.

Finnish melodic death/thrash metallers MORS PRINCIPIUM EST will enter the studio in June to begin recording their third album, tentatively due before the end of the year via Listenable Records. The mixing for the follow-up to 2005's "The Unborn" will take place at Astia Studios in Finland in August while the mastering will be done in September at Helsinki's Finnvox.

MORS PRINCIPIUM EST's debut album, "Inhumanity", will be reissued through Listenable, with completely new artwork and with three bonus songs, on February 20.

The band's most recent CD, "The Unborn" was recorded at Tico Tico studio (SONATA ARCTICA, SENTENCED, FOR MY PAIN…, ALTARIA) in Kemi, Finland. Mastering duties were handled at Finnvox studios. The album cover was designed by Mattias Norèn.

Sweden's THERION will be starting pre-production for the new album next week, according to a posting on the group's official web site. "The recordings will be interupted to do some festivals in March," the posting adds. "There will be some surprises on stage on the MetalMania festivals..."

THERION are one of the bands confirmed for the MetalMania 2006 festival, set to take place March 4 at Spodek in Katowice, Poland. Other acts scheduled to appear at the event include ACID DRINKERS, ANATHEMA, CALIBAN, HIERONYMUS BOSCH, HUNTER, MOONSPELL, NEVERMORE, PAINMUSEUM, SOILWORK, U.D.O. and UNLEASHED.

IN FLAMES' video for the song "Take This Life" has been posted online at Aftonbladet.se. The clip was shot in late October in Sweden with director Patric Ullaeus, who has previously worked with DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL and KAMELOT, among many others. "Take This Life" is the roll-out single and video from the group's upcoming album, "Come Clarity", due in North America on February 7 through Ferret Music. The follow-up to the band's 2004 album, "Soundtrack to Your Escape", "Come Clarity" was mixed at Tonteknik studio in Umeå, Sweden and is "the best [CD] we've ever done," according to IN FLAMES guitarist Jesper Strömblad.

IN FLAMES will a launch a North American headlining tour in support of "Come Clarity" on January 25 at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe, AZ. The tour will run through February 26 in Lake Buena Vista, FL with support provided by TRIVIUM, DEVILDRIVER and ZAO.

Dope Stars Inc. will be featured on the upcoming Soundtrack release of the american movie "SAW 2" alongside artists such as Marilyn Manson, Skinny Puppy, Queens Of The Stone Age, London After Midnight, Papa Roach, Mudavayne and many more! To make things even more interesting, the band has recorded an exclusive version of their smash hit "Make A Star" for that purpose.

The soundtrack will be released in February on Trisol Records and will be available worldwide via different mail-orders and local retailers. A s special surprise, this album also contains new exclusive studio-tracks, one from ASP and one from SAMSAS TRAUM. There also will be a limited edition, including bonus-DVD. More info about that soon.

LACUNA COIL are set to release their latest full-length effort, "Karmacode", on April 4 via Century Media Records. The highly anticipated follow-up to their acclaimed commercial breakthrough album, "Comalies", was co-produced by Waldemar Sorychta and LACUNA COIL in Germany and Italy while the album was both mixed by Ronald Prent (RAMMSTEIN, H.I.M., IRON MAIDEN) and mastered by Darcy Proper (STEELY DAN, PORCUPINE TREE, R.E.M.) at Galaxy Studios in Belgium. Asterik Studio (TRAPT, FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND, THE USED), the Grammy-nominated design firm, is handling the package design for "Karmacode".

Says vocalist Cristina Scabbia, "I imagine it's easy for everyone to understand how truly excited we are for the world to hear the new material. It'll give everyone the chance to hear the growth that the band has experienced over the past couple of years. I simply cannot wait to get out and play the new songs live. There will definitely be a lot of energy coming from the stage next year!"

Guitarist Cristiano Migliore adds, "It's taken a long time to put together these songs and I can say they're the best ones we've ever written! Working with old friends as well as new ones has been incredibly exciting and we had the chance to mix in one of the best studios in the world so, really, what else could we ask for? I'm definitely sure our fans will love the music just as much as they'll love the artwork that Asterik has created for 'Karmacode'!"

The track listing for "Karmacode" is as follows:

01. Fragile
02. To The Edge
03. Our Truth
04. Within Me
05. Devoted
06. You Create
07. What I See
08. Fragments Of Faith
09. Closer
10. In Visible Light
11. The Game
12. Without Fear
13. Enjoy The Silence

A video for "Our Truth" was shot in Los Angeles by Fort Awesome, a brand-new directorial duo, whose individual directing credits include QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, LINKIN PARK, DISTURBED, CHEVELLE, ATREYU, SHADOWS FALL, and more. "The experience of shooting the video was a wonderful one, for sure," states Cristina. "Both the band and the crew worked from sunset to sunrise in the Hollywood Hills, remaining 100% focused and after all was said and done we believe we pulled off a masterpiece of a video we're sure everyone's going to love."

Only two days after announcing their split with singer Kelly Sundown Carpenter (also of OUTWORLD), Danish prog-metallers BEYOND TWILIGHT have already acquired a replacement. The group's official statement on the matter reads as follows:

"We are proud to announce that our new lead vocalist is Björn Jansson. Coming from Sweden we warmly welcome him as new family member in BEYOND TWILIGHT. We are absolutely thrilled about our new reinforcement. Björn is an outstanding vocalist and fits the band perfectly. This also makes it possible for us to finally use our base in Scandinavia bringing back and setting up our camp here. No doubt this is a healthy situation for us as for playing live and touring which we have been dreaming about for a long time.

"Björn is experienced and you might also know him from his albums with TEARS OF ANGER and Bob Katsionis' IMAGINERY.

"When getting in touch with Björn, we found out that he had been a BEYOND TWILIGHT fan for several years. What better commitment and conditions could we ask for? What really matters to us is that within less than 24 hours Björn showed his commitment by delivering vocal recordings. Not just vocal recordings but fantastic vocals in our own humble opinion. So there you have it!"

BEYOND TWILIGHT's most recent album, "Section X", was issued in 2005 via Massacre Records.

KINGDOM COME's webmaster Marko (brother of KINGDOM COME mainman Lenny Wolf) has posted the following message on the group's official web site:

"After several breaks, due to a tendinitis in Lenny's arm, he is back rocking the studio, but the end is in sight. As I mentioned before, especially after hearing a few almost finished songs, the new album will have more of an 'up' vibe, and more of an edge to it than 'Perpetual' (which is one of Lennys more experimental and moody records). The word is, that there may be a new recording of 'Get It On' coming our way. I have not heard it yet, but can't wait to do so.

"The label situation for the next release, is still not clear yet, therefore a tour will not be planned before things are solved, but our tour chief Frank Trzaskowski is on the case. The good side about things taking so long, is that Lenny is coming up with (mostly) good ideas, due to him being unable to sit still, unless he is having apple pie with vanilla ice cream or is cruising late at night. Right now he is cruising mostly late at night due to his haircut, which according to his words is: 'Far too fucking short. My egg head needs hair!'"

KINGDOM COME's follow-up the 2004's "Perpetual" is tentatively scheduled for release later in the year. The band cancelled their U.S. tour in early 2005 due to problems in obtaining correct work permits in time for the trek.

US arrests Leaether Strip fan with words 'suicide bomber' written in his journal It looks like a first victim has fallen under the spell of Leaether Strip's "Suicide Bombers" EPCD. Reuters reports that an airline passenger with the words 'suicide bomber' written in his journal was arrested by the FBI when his plane arrived in San Jose, California, on Wednesday, January 4th.

The man was able to explain that the words referred to the music by Claus Larsen and was free to go after hours of interrogations. The fan was observed by fellow passengers as having a journal and hand written on the journal were the words 'suicide bomber'. That, combined with the fact that he was clutching a back pack and 'acting a little suspiciously' prompted law enforcement to act so the FBI declared in a statement. Authorities boarded the plane and arrested the man on the Frontier Airlines plane. Alfa Matrix and Leaether Strip have asked the fan to make his identity known so that he can be compensated in a musical way for the trouble undergone.

STRAPPING YOUNG LAD drummer Gene Hoglan has posted the following message on the group's official web site:

"We have just commenced writing for the follow-up to 'Alien'. We're only a week in, and we're already up to four wicked new tunes! I'm really psyched with the new stuff, hell, we all are. And Jed's [Simon, guitar] not even here yet! As everyone knows, STRAPPING is sort of an evolution in progress, and this album will be no different. Anyone looking for an 'Alien Pt. II', or a 'City Pt. II', or hell, even a 'Chicken Feather Pt. II', knows that's not how we work. Fresh new STRAPPING sounds for a fresh new chapter. And, what an exciting chapter this is looking to be."

"Now, on a side note, I've been hearing from a lot of folks that many of you have not been able to see the 'Zen' video, and we don't have it posted on this site. Well, I promise to get that thing uploaded on here [as soon as possible]. As soon as I figure out how to upload stuff, as I am still a web-troglodyte. Fuck, a 10 year-old kid is a GENIUS compared to me on computers. Yeah, but I bet I could kick ANY 10-year-old's ass in a fight! 'Put 'em up, ya little ankle-bitin' fuckers!' Hey, it could happen..."

VREID, the new Norwegian band formed by former WINDIR members Hváll (bass), Steingrim (drums) and Sture (vocals, guitar), have posted the following message on their official web site:

"We have been working in our dungeon (studio 1184) with our second album since September. The recordings were finished by late November, and we have now been mixing the album for a couple of weeks. The mixing of the album was done at Subsonic Society studio together with Lars Klokkerhaug. Working with Lars was a pleasure as always. We feel that we have really found the formula and the right sound for this album; raw, powerful and grooving as hell. The last step of the process is the mastering of the album. On the 20th of January we will go to Tailor Maid studio in Stockholm and put the last make up on this beast. Release is set [for] March 27, 2006 through Tabu Records and worldwide distribution by Candlelight Records."

Entitled "Pitch Black Brigade", the album will contain the following eight songs:

01. Då Draumen Rakna
02. Pitch Black
03. Left To Hate
04. The Red Smell
05. Hengebjørki
06. Our Battle
07. Hang ‘Em All
08. Eit Kapitell For Seg Sjølv

Commented Hváll: "I am very satisfied with the album. I sincerely think this is the best album I have ever been working on. It is a continuance of 'Kraft', but yet rawer, far more rocking and more epic than ever before. Lyrically, the album is inspired by a lot of the brutal and grim historical events from the last centuary. Science-fiction seems bleak compared to the ugly history of our ancestors.

"We will also be making a video for the song 'Pitch Black'. The recording for this video will take place in January, and the video should be available at the same time as the release of the album.

"We hope to play as much live as possible after the release of 'Pitch Black Brigade', and we have already started the process of booking concerts. If you want to watch VREID live this year, make sure that you tell your local concert/festival management so. Spread the word and we’ll be coming to a scene near you soon. All booking related questions can be send to vreid@vreid.no."

Nuclear Blast Records has announced the finalists of their "unsigned band" competition which was held last year. More than 1,500 submissions were received, and according to a posting on the label's web site, "especially the packagings were really impressive. [For] that reason, we decided to award the five most innovative packages with a special prize. Within the next weeks we'll announce the final winners of the contest!"

Nuclear Blast last August announced that it was offering young unisigned bands a chance to sign a record deal. In a unique contest that was said to be the first of its kind in Nuclear Blast's history, bands were given an opportunity to win a contract with one of the leading independent labels for heavy music.

The finalists are as follows:

WINTERBORN (Finland)
DEAD MEANS NOTHING (Spain)
THE SHOWGUNS (Sweden)
REPULSED (Germany)
EDDIE BUZZARD (USA)
FOREVER NEVER (England)
AMMOTRACK (Sweden)
DOMINIK MARX (Germany)
FROM ALMOST THE END (England)
AGONIZER (Finland)
EARSHOT 7 (Germany)
Mystery Contender (Unknown)

Irish folk metal band CRUACHAN will enter the studio on January 17 to begin recording their fifth album, tentatively due later in the year via Greece's Black Lotus Records. "We are returning to Sun Studios in Dublin, where we recorded 'Tuatha Na Gael', 'The Middle Kingdom' and 'Folklore'," the band write on their web site. "The studio has been hugely upgraded since we were last there. We are also pulling out all the stops and getting a well respected producer flown in from Holland. Jo Peeters (a.k.a. GAIL OF GOD) will be doing the production work for us."

CRUACHAN's upcoming album will be their first CD for Black Lotus, with whom they inked a deal in June 2005. The band's final release for their previous label, Karmageddon Media, was scheduled to be a reissue of their 1994 "Celtica" demo, featuring unreleased tracks, including "Timmy", which has been performed live at quite a few CRUACHAN shows.

CRUACHAN's fourth full-length album, "Pagan", was recorded and mixed at Radio Na Life Studios in Dublin, Ireland with producer Al Cowen and is the follow-up to 2002's "Folk-Lore". The cover artwork for "Pagan" was created by John Howe, the leading JRR Tolkien illustrator and the conceptual artist from the "Lord of the Rings" movies.

Norwegian extreme metallers ENSLAVED are currently at Amper Studio recording the follow-up to their Norwegian Grammy- and Alarm award-winning album "Isa" (2004). Despite "some misplaced amps, stolen guitars and a small fire," everything is going "smoothly" in the studio, according to a press release. A May release via Tabu is expected.

ENSLAVED will take some time off in early February to head up to the city of the northern lights, Tromsø, to headline By:Larm, Norway's answer to SXSW (South by Southwest). They will be playing two gigs, and audience and press can catch them on February 9 and February 10. They will also play a gig in their hometown of Bergen on March 24 at Club Bizarre.

ENSLAVED will be teming up with KHOLD and VREID for a European tour in the fall. More information will be made available soon.

Legendary Chicago doomsters TROUBLE are tentatively scheduled to release their long-awaited live DVD, entitled "Live in Stockholm", in March via Escapi. The disc, which was recorded in November 2003 in Stockholm, Sweden, will feature the following track listing:

01. R.I.P.
02. Come Touch The Sky
03. End Of My Daze
04. Plastic Green Head
05. Fear
06. Memory's Garden
07. The Misery Shows (Act II)
08. Psalm 9
09. Run To The Light
10. All Is Forgiven
11. Psychotic Reaction
12. The Skull
13. Revelation (Life Or Death)
14. The Tempter

Check out the DVD artwork at this location.

TROUBLE are currently mixing their new CD, tentatively titled "Simple Mind Condition", with producer Vinny Wojno (KREATOR, MACHINE HEAD) for a spring release via Escapi Music in Europe and Century Media in the U.S. The group's current lineup includes vocalist Eric Wagner, guitarists Rick Wartell and Bruce Franklin, drummer Jeff Olson and bassist Chuck Robinson (formerly of THIS TORTURED SOUL). 15 songs were reportedly recorded for the follow-up to 1995's "Plastic Green Head", including "Mindbender", "Seven", "Beginning of Sorrows", and "After the Rain". The group's previously announced "unplugged" EP is currently "on hold" and will be completed at a later date, Wartell recently told BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Also scheduled for release are reissues of the band's first two albums, 1984's "Psalm" and 1985's "The Skull".

Former BIOHAZARD drummer Danny Schuler has released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET:

"Recently I've been asked if I'm still a member of BIOHAZARD. The answer is no. I've recently formed a new band with John Joseph (CRO-MAGS), Scott Roberts (SPUDMONSTERS, CRO-MAGS, BIOHAZARD) and Craig Setari (SICK OF IT ALL, AGNOSTIC FRONT) called BLOODCLOT! and we're all really excited about it.

"I thank everyone who supported BIOHAZARD. I've enjoyed every second of it since 1989. I owe everything I am to the people who came to see us and hear our music so much over the last 17 years. Time for the new shit.

"Check out BLOODCLOT! at www.myspace.com/bloodclotnyc."

BIOHAZARD's tenth album, "Means to an End", was released in August via SPV Records.

After playing a string of European dates last year, Danish/American hard rockers ROYAL HUNT picked the historic stage of St. Petersburg, Russia's Music Hall to film their new "live in concert" DVD on. A beautiful old theatre and some 1500+ enthusiastic fans created great atmosphere for this Nov. 2, 2005 event, which lasted about two hours (the band played a wide selection of songs from all of their releases since 1992 and some tracks from the latest CD, "Paper Blood") and was captured by six cameras. The package will also include some backstage/pre-production footage as well as interviews with all the bandmembes and their roadcrew. A spring release is expected.

ROYAL HUNT recently completed a tour in support of their latest album, "Paper Blood". The follow-up to 2003's "Eyewitness" was recorded at North Point studio in Copenhagen and was mixed at EMI/Medley Studio in Copenhagen with André Andersen (keyboards) and Lars Overgaard behind the board.

ROYAL HUNT recently announced the addition of bassist Per Schelander (HOUSE OF SHAKIRA, SPIKE) to the group's ranks.

Swiss melodic metallers CRYSTAL BALL have parted ways with bassist Dany Schallibaum. "Dany wants to focus on his family in the future, to which we wish him all the best," the band write on their web site. "For 10 years Dany was a solid member of the band. We thank him for everything he contributed. We will miss his easy-going and humorous character a lot! Of course, Scott [Leach; guitar, backing vocals], Marcel [Sardella; drums] and Mark [Sweeney; vocals] will go on and soon announce some new gigs for spring/summer 2006! CRYSTAL BALL will work with some guest musicans for that reason."

CRYSTAL BALL's latest effort, "TimeWalker", entered the Swiss national album chart at position No. 56 last September. The follow-up to 2003's "Hellvetia" was once again produced by Stefan Kaufmann (ACCEPT, U.D.O.) and includes 12 tracks.

American/Norwegian melodic metallers KAMELOT will be filming their first live DVD on February 11, 2006 at the Rockefeller Music Hall in Oslo, Norway. The shoot will be handled by acclaimed Swedish director Patric Ulleaus (DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL) and promises to be full of surprises for all the fans. "This has been in the works now for more than two years and we are very pleased to have all the gears in motion now," stated guitarist Thomas Youngblood. "This will be a very, very special event for us and all the fans of the band."

According to lead singer Roy Khan the crew is already in full swing preparing for the show in Oslo, most certainly destined to be another milestone in the career of the band. More details are expected for this muchnticipated DVD, including track listings, bonus footage and special guest appearances. Release date is scheduled for summer/fall 2006 via SPV Records. Ticket sales, flight and hotel information for fans traveling from outside of Norway is available at the tour section on Kamelot.com.

KAMELOT are continuing to promote their latest album, "The Black Halo", released in March 2005 through SPV Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Epica" was produced by Sascha Paeth and Miro at Gate and Pathway studios in Germany and features guest appearances by Shagrath (DIMMU BORGIR), Jens Johansson (STRATOVARIUS), Simone Simons (EPICA), Mari (MASQUERAID), as well as the KAMELOT choir, featuring Herbie Langhans (SEVENTH AVENUE), Amanda Somerville-Scharf, Miro, Gerit Göbel, Thomas Rettke (HEAVEN'S GATE) and Elisabeth Kjaernes, among others.

Italian film-score metal icons RHAPSODY have announced that they will release their first live album on January 31 via Magic Circle Music. Entitled "Live In Canada 2005 – The Dark Secret", the release is a testimony of pure energy, with over 60 minutes of footage recorded at the Metropolis in Montreal/Canada on June 14, 2005 during leg one of the MANOWAR's "Demons, Dragons and Warriors World Tour".

"This album is exceptionally magical,” said guitarist and composer Luca Turilli. "It combines the song visions with the fun we had on stage and the amazing reaction from the fans."

Keyboardist and composer Alex Staropoli added, "The reaction of the fans in Canada and the U.S. was just unbelievable. That's why we simply had to name this album 'Live In Canada'. A true dedication!"

"Live In Canada 2005 – The Dark Secret" will be released in two configurations: as a CD format that features the complete Montreal show and as a limited edition CD package (with the complete album recorded in 5.1 surround sound) that will include a bonus DVD that contains exclusive behind-the-scenes-material. The track list includes old favourites from previous years as well as tracks from their latest release "Symphony of Enchanted Lands II - The Dark Secret".

"Live In Canada 2005 – The Dark Secret" track listing:

01. The Dark Secret
02. Unholy Warcry
03. Wisdom Of The Kings
04. The Village Of Dwarves
05. Erian´s Mystical Rhymes
06. Dawn Of Victory
07. Lamento Eroico
08. Nightfall On The Grey Mountains
09. The March Of The Swordmaster
10. Emerald Sword
11. Grand Finale