Finnish metallers NORTHER have set "Till Death Unites Us" as the title of their new album, due on January 25, 2006 via Spinefarm. A single, entitled "Scream", will precede the album before the end of the year.

"Till Death Unites Us" track listing (in no particular order):

01. Scream
02. Throwing My Life Away
03. The End of Our Lives
04. Evil Ladies
05. Drowning
06. Die
07. Everything
08. Alone In the End
09. Norther
10. Omen
11. Fuck You
12. Wasted Years

NORTHER's last release was an EP, entitled "Solution 7". The band's third full-length album, "Death Unlimited", was issued last year through Spinefarm Records.

As previously reported, NORTHER's Petri Lindroos has been named a permanent member of the Finnish folk-influenced melodic death metal band ENSIFERUM. Lindroos is currently handling the vocals and guitar in the group, which parted ways with singer/guitarist Jari Mäenpää in 2004.

Norwegian progressive metal band CIRCUS MAXIMUS have parted ways with keyboardist Espen Storø. The group's official statement on the matter reads as follows:

"After five years, Espen has decided to leave the band due to personal reasons. After much consideration we also think that this is the right decicion by him and for the sake of the band. We wish him the best of luck with everything in the future. CIRCUS MAXIMUS is of course still alive and well and as of this moment the band is writing new ass-kicking stuff for all you metal heads out there. At the moment we’re trying out a new very skilled guy — but we need to see how he will function with us on the songwriting etc. We will keep you posted when we have found a definite replacement for Espen."

Espen issued the following statement regarding his decision to leave the group:

"After thinking about this for a long long time I have decided to leave the band. It was a tough decision, but I feel this is the right thing to do right now. I've had a great time paying in CIRCUS MAXIMUS, up until a while ago. I just want to say that I still look at the other guys as my buddies, and no one is mad at eachother. I wish CIRCUS MAXIMUS a great future, and I know that they will still make great music. Big thanks to everyone for your support!”

CIRCUS MAXIMUS released their very critically acclaimed debut album, "The First Chapter", on Frontiers Records earier this year.

German power metallers FREEDOM CALL have announced the addition of 26-year-old guitarist Lars (no last name given) to the group's ranks. The band's new lineup is now complete, having recently added bassist Armin Donderer as the replacement for Ilker Ersin (now in POWERWORLD). "We will start to practice early in December, so that we'll be [well] prepared for the upcoming tour with RAGE in March 2006," the band write on their web site. "We also began with songwriting for the next album…"

FIREWIND, the Greek power metal act led by guitarist Gus G. (DREAM EVIL, ARCH ENEMY), have announced the addition of singer Apollo Papathanasio (ex-MAJESTIC, TIME REQUIEM) to the group's ranks. "He is a world-class act and I'm very happy that the timing's right now and we're joining forces under the FIREWIND flag!" Gus said in a statement.

Apollo commented: "Since I met Gus in Gothenburg four years ago, we became good friends and back then we always talked about working together in the future. Now here we are together, taking the FIREWIND music to a new level. I love Gus' guitar style and it's a pleasure to listen to their music. The guys in FIREWIND are real magicians and I'm happy that you’re letting me be a part of this machinery."

In other news, the band have issued the following statement regarding their drummer situation:

"For purely logistical reasons, we've decided to get a drummer that lives in Greece. We'd like to thank Stian Kristoffersen for his amazing drumming and the great times we had together the past three years. So, out goes Stian and in comes the monster drummer Mark Cross (ex-HELLOWEEN, METALIUM)!! Although Mark is 50% German and 50% British, he’s been living in Greece for many years. This obviously makes rehearsals and preparations happen much easier."

Commented Mark: "Life's a spinning wheel and here I am aside to one of the few remaining great young guitar heros…. The Gus G. Firewindo metal fuckin' machine! Looking forward to their next album, a tour and FIREWIND heading your way!"

FIREWIND are currently in pre-production mode with eight new songs completed. The new album is expected to be recorded in early 2006 and FIREWIND plan to make their live debut with the new lineup at ProgPower UK festival on March 25, 2006.

A brand-new VADER track, entitled "This Is the War", has been made available for download at this location. The song comes off the veteran Polish death metallers' latest mini-CD, "The Art of War", available now on Regain Records. The EP was recorded at Hertz Studio and produced by Slawek and Wojtek Wieslawscy. The complete track listing for the mini-CD is as follows:

01. Para Bellum
02. This Is the War
03. Lead Us!!!
04. Banners on the Wind
05. What Colour Is Your Blood?
06. Death in Silence
07. This Is the War (video)

Guitarist Michael J. Romeo of the New Jersey prog-metallers SYMPHONY X has posted the following studio update on the band's official web site:

"Well, it's November and we have most of the music [for the next SYMPHONY X album] written, and about half the lyrics finished. Over the next month, we'll work out the arrangements and start putting it all together. This one is taking a bit longer than we expected. There was a lot of 'starting and stopping' with the writing, (between the tours and other unexpected things happening... like flooded studios, that kinda crap). So there have been some monkey-wrenches thrown into our usual way of working.

"In the past, it was like this: we'd spend a few weeks talking about some basic ideas and direction for the music / lyrics — then spend eight months to a year writing and putting it all together. Things happen faster that way — you have a goal and direction and you just dedicate your time to make it happen. This time things were a bit different; writing for a while — then on the road — then back to writing — and so on... and inspiration isn't something that you can 'turn on and off', it comes when it comes. You might work on something one day — and like where it is heading — but then stop for a month, come back, and find it difficult to get your mind-set back to the point where you left off. And, although it sounded like a good idea at the time, the phrase 'we can write songs on the bus' wasn't happening — too many distractions and other crap going on.

"Anyway…to sum it all up, the initial writing process took a little longer than usual. Aside from all that, everything else is cool. Things are moving at a good pace now and I'm thinking we can start the actual recording in a month or two.

"Once we get to the point where we are tracking — we can get some updates happening (studio reports, some pics, etc.). I know the ‘natives are getting restless' — but for now, there isn't a whole lot to say… just tell everyone to hang in there!"

SYMPHONY X were one of the second-stage bands at this past summer's Gigantour, a six-week festival trek co-headlined by MEGADETH and DREAM THEATER. "Rarities and Demos", the first fan club CD from the official international SYMPHONY X fan club, Church of the Machine, was shipped out in July to fan club members. The CD includes demo material, rare unreleased material, and Michael J. Romeo's interpretation of the "Star Wars" theme, done with over 15 guitar tracks.

Finnish folk metallers KORPIKLAANI entered the studio on November 14 to begin recording their third full-length album, "Tales along This Road". The CD will be released in March 2006 on Napalm Records.

The recording sessions for the new album will be interrupted for a couple of weeks by the second leg of the band's European tour. The tour highlights will include a show at the Czech's Winter Masters Of Rock with HAMMERFALL and STRATOVARIUS on Decemebr 3 and a charity concert for sexually abused children in Celle, Germany on November 26. The European tour to support the release of KORPIKLAANI's upcoming album will begin March 30 and last approximately three weeks. European festival appearances during the 2006 summer season are also in the works: 10 confirmed festival gigs, as well as ongoing negotiations for further dates.

KORPIKLAANI's second album under their current moniker (the group released two albums as SHAMAN), "Voice of Wilderness", was released last January via Napalm Records.

ANGTORIA, the new Swedish/British orchestral/metal band formed by female singer Sarah Jezebel Deva (CRADLE OF FILTH, THERION, MORTIIS), composer Chris Rehn (ABYSSOS) and Tommy Rehn (MOAHNI MOAHNA), will enter Sidelake Studios in Sundsvall, Sweden on Saturday, November 19 to begin recording their debut album, "God Has A Plan For Us All", tentatively due in April 2006 via Listenable Records. The drums on the album will be handled by the very talented new and up-and-coming drummer Andreas Brobjer. At only 18 years of age, he's already received numerous awards for his achievments and is getting more and more renowned around the world for his skills. Among Andreas' accomplishments:

* In 2004 he won the "Swedish National Championships In Drumset Soloing", and went back in 2005 to defend his title and won once again!

* At only 17 years of age he was asked by acclaimed Swedish keyboard wizard Rikard Andersson (MAJESTIC, TIME REQUIEM, SPACE ODYSSEY) to lay down the drums on the album entitled "The Astral Episode" with his highly technical metal project called SPACE ODYSSEY.

* Andreas is also active in various other bands and projects like for instance prog metal band PLATITUDE.

To help out with engineering the drums, the band have hired Daniel Bergstrand, who has previously worked with such acts as IN FLAMES, SOILWORK, MESHUGGAH, DEVIN TOWNSEND, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD and BEHEMOTH. A full-length MP3 of the ANGTORIA demo track "Six Feet Under's Not Deep Enough" has been made available for download at Angtoria.com. Other songtitles expected to appear on the upcoming CD include "Confide In Me" (KYLIE MINOGUE cover), "Little Girl", "Deity Of Disgust" and "I Cried Alone".

CRADLE OF FILTH forntman Dani Filth has posted the following studio update on the band's official web site:

"Excuse the following exercise in bad grammar, doctrinal expletives and general buffoonery but i am writing this report from 'The Chapel' studios here in deepest, darkest rural Lincolnshire following a night out at the local pub (the only means of entertainment in the entire region) and a fall into a deep ditch full of water, having partially succeeded in rescuing a drowning football. Suffice to say I awoke this morning having half-laughed myself to death watching the two pseudo-documentaries on our soon-to-released new DVD to find my shoes caked in mud and my pants on the wrong way around (but that's entirely another story).

"So far so good in respect to the new album, the producer Rob Caggiano having successfully crossed the Atlantic on what must be his fourth attempt in under a week and the band having been nicely tucked away in their respectful bedrooms, where I would indeed be now if it weren't for the fact that Rob has chosen to put the bass cabs directly beneath me in an attempt to shake all the teeth out of my head.

"Incidentally Rob has been rather ill for the last four months with a stomach parasite he ingested from some dodgy food he ate in Mexico. No, the food didn't have ANTHRAX, but it did have something in it that causes Rob to have to take fifteen different homeopathic tablets three times daily. He actually showed us a picture of the horror he ate as taken by Scott Ian, who apparently warned him not to eat what looks like a meat 'Millenium Falcon'. In actual fact it was a skinned raw Goat's face complete with sagging eyeballs, but to a pissed-up Rob it looked like heaven.

"You can see more of Rob in this state on our forthcoming DVD. He is also available for weddings and Bar Mitzvahs.

"On the studio front there's not a great deal to report other than Paul's face has instantly begun to melt, sitting in front of his 50-inch computer screen (you know what they say about big screens don't you...), rehearsing the tracks and smoking the herb as if his facial elasticity depended on it. Charles is his accomplice in the rehearsal side of things although he prefers a box of nineteenth century nasal snuff to weed and a lengthy piss up at the pub with me and various sheep farmers. Adrian and Dave are busy recording drums and bass whilst i wile away the first few days amending the latest chapter to 'The Gospel Of Filth' and writing this pile of old baloney.

"Incidentally, the book is still progressing nicely although as you can imagine the whole process is a lengthy one what with the constant migration of ideas between conspirators and the amount of research that has gone into its construction, although author Gavin Badderley has promised to deliver it early next year. Still, the wait will be worth it, I can promise you, the chapter I have just finished proof reading on (to tie in with the chapter headed 'Cruelty And The Beast') is extremely cantankerous, tracing the history of serial murder from Medieval attributions to werewolves through to modern day vampire-killers and cannibals. This chapter also features an alternative narrative on the Norwegian black metal murders of the mid-Nineties as well as quotes and useful insights by everyone from MUSHROOMHEAD to EMPEROR to Charlie Manson. The next time I put poisoned ink to paper I will include a preview of one of the more juicier parts of the text for your delectation and much-sought after approval. But only if you're good girls and boys...

"Never before in the history of this band have we been so ready for an album prior to going in. All of the songs have been rehearsed and demoed relentlessly, Paul is actually going over one even as we speak, over and over again to the point where I wish I'd never been born with ears. Like a bat. Still, in my sensory radar is the smell of dinner being slowly cooked, which is one great benefit of being cooped up in a residential studio. The food! By the time i go to India at the end of the year I will doubtless be about the size of a balloon with a face like Vince Neil back on the booze. To be fair though, everyone is making an effort to stay a little in shape this time around, even to the point of an early morning jog. And Dave has upped wanking himself off to five times a day AND with the other hand! Apparently. The threat of an upcoming UK tour will do that to a man you know.

"On the tour front the tickets sales are going so well we subsequently decided to add in a warm-up show in sunny Colchester the day prior to Southampton. Tickets for this are scant and going fast so you'd better grab them quick if you wish to see us at our musical and possible physical worse (five weeks worth of studio banquets later...).

"Anyway, that seems to be all for now, I promise to keep you updated on a regular basis although as of next week i will be starting vocal duties concurrently in studio two. This is so I'm not left to the last minute with a stomach full of flutterbies.

"We are also doing several covers during this recording period and if someone out there can guess what they are, then a signed photo of Charles wearing our new girlie knicker and bra set shall be yours. You lucky fuckers! Till next I befoul the air with my presence.... hope you all had a happy Halloween!"

SAVAGE CIRCUS/COLDSEED drummer Thomen Stauch (ex-BLIND GUARDIAN) has posted the following message on his official web site:

"I'm really sorry for there hasn´t been any update from my side for so long, but as most of you might have known, I moved to another house in Spain where I will build my own studio for demo recordings with other bands and where I can go on giving drum lessons again, finaly. So I didn't have and still don't have much time, but if I want to get done with that studio I need to go on straight with that work, and it is a lot of work, I can promise you!

"Anyway,there are several news about SAVAGE CIRCUS and COLDSEED at this moment......

"1. We finally have to announce the perfect booking agency for SAVAGE CIRCUS: Dragon Productions, the metal department from ASS!!! For being our first tour we will play only some single shows in most of the possible countries. Supports will be mostly local bands in the yet confirmed shows, but we still are open to requests from bands that maybe would like to support us on our still upcoming shows. Finaly it is always a question of the local promoter, so if you like to get information, better get directly in contact with Schrörg at www.dragon-productions.com (contacts). There are already some shows confirmed and also big interest from several countries like Austria, USA, Russia, France, etc...! In Japan we will play 2 shows in Tokyo in March, as support for our good old friends EDGUY!!!

"There's much more to come, we just started with Schrörg! So please don't kill us with questions like 'When will you play in......?' We either don't know it, yet. We'll for sure keep you informed on our homepages, promise!

"2. We proudly announce to have contracted exclusively with EMP Merchandising company. Some of you may have noticed that already in the EMP winter issue, or on their homepage. But for our upcoming tour, that will start aprox. in February 2006 we for sure will create more great layouts for the merch stuff.

"3. In the next few days we finaly will confirm the winners of the competition and the prizes for that will reach you latest around Christmas, so you have already a little Christmas present. Is that a word? We are very sorry for that big delay, but we hope that all of you can understand that things kept us more busy than we thought by ourselves! Sorry, a big, big SORRY for that, friends! Anyway, I hope it's needless to say: Doesn't matter who are the other winners.....YOU ALL did a great job sending us all those fantastic ideas, but we can only chose 5 of each!!

"4. We are proud to confirm that COLDSEED will contract with NUCLEAR BLAST!!! They have been the only company with the right and perfect view for this project and we are convinced to have made the right choice. We plan with a release between April and June 2006. About this we´ll also keep you informed on COLDSEED's and this homepage."

According to a posting on the IRON MAIDEN fan site MaidenFans.com, MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson revealed in an interview with MTV Brazil this past week weekend that the band will enter the studio in March 2006 to record a new studio album, tentatively due next fall. A European tour is expected to kick off in October 2006, with South American dates tentatively penciled in for February 2007.

In other news, Dickinson delivered a keynote speech to Access All Areas delegates on November 9 in Stockholm, Sweden (Access All Areas is Sweden's annual showcase and networking event for the international music industry). 58girl, a member of the Scream For Me community (a Bruce Dickinson forum), has issued the following report on Bruce's speech at the event:

"[Bruce] was quite hard on the music industry and compared it to the porn industry — it's all about making money and it needs new faces all the time, which makes it hard to stay in the limelight for long. On the other hand he wasn't happy about the Internet with its possibilities of downloading music for free. He looks on music as a work of art that has a worth. He made the comparison to T-shirts — people can pay 30 dollars for a T-shirt with the band name, but they don't want to pay 10 bucks for the album. He thinks that the future lies in smaller and more specilalized selling units. I think he is right about that, several other speakers said the same thing during the day."

Check out pictures of Bruce giving his Access All Areas speech at this location. A video where where you watch Bruce saying that selling telephones or iPods is not selling music, can be downloaded from IronMaidenSweden.se (.AVI, 3MB).

According to an article in the Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, MORTICIAN vocalist/bassist Will Rahmer was arrested by the Polish police after threatening a taxi driver with a knife and stealing a taxi cab following the group's performance in the Polish city of Zielona Gora on Sunday (Nov. 13).

Rahmer reportedly called a cab after MORTICIAN's concert in Zielona Gora (which the other MORTICIAN members performed without Rahmer) and requested to be taken to the Berlin airport so that he could fly back to the United States. He allegedly went berserk in the car and threatened to stab the driver of the cab with a small knife. The taxi driver escaped and called the police. In the meantime, Will stole the car and drove himself to the Polish/German border crossing in Swiecko where he was subsequently picked up by the authorities.

According to the report, Rahmer was placed under arrest and is being held on several charges which carry a maximum penalty of 3 to 15 years.

To view the original Gazeta Wyborcza article (in Polish), click here.

MORTICIAN were in the middle of a European tour with BLOOD RED THRONE and AKERCOCKE when the incident took place. The group are said to be continuing the trek, with members of BLOOD RED THRONE and AKERCOCKE assisting with bass and vocal duties.

Swedish death/thrash metallers DEFLESHED have officially split up. The group's bassist/vocalist Gustaf Jorde has issued the following statement on the matter:

"Fellow comrades, with a schizophrenic mixture of grief and relief we hereby announce our departure from all DEFLESHED activities. Activities that has become more of obligations with the years, which has driven us individually to become more ambitions or less. We are in no way splitting up as unfriends, if anything reversed, and we'll thank you all for your the support through the years in the only way we know how to: a farewell to the flesh gig at Fellini, Uppsala, Sweden the 25th of December. This night we'll do anything in our power to BLAST YOUR FUCKING FLESH OFF!!! However, since we've never been to the States (which is an old dream of ours), we'll still try to nail that DISMEMBER tour in April, but this is up to our U.S. label & co.

"Hope you understand our wish not to become tired, blood-drain has-beens but to end this while we're still potent. We will still go on with metal in diverse bands and future projects of course, of which I'm sure you will hear of in a near future, but as for DEFLESHED we've simply feel the last chapter has been written. After all, you don't stop playing 'cause your getting old — you get old 'cause you stop playing. Be well and thanks for your attention in our band."

DEFLESHED's latest album, "Reclaim the Beat", is available now on Sweden's Regain Records. The follow-up to 2002's "Royal Straight Flesh" was recorded at Dug-Out Studios in Uppsala, Sweden and contains 12 songs plus a "slightly demolished" cover version of MÖTLEY CRÜE's "Red Hot".

According to a posting on OBITUARY's official web site, "a good possibility" exists that the band will be shooting a new video at their December 9 concert at the Masquerade in Tampa, Florida. Also appearing on the bill will be PATHS OF POSSESSION (the Florida-based band fronted by CANNIBAL CORPSE vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher) and UNDIVIDUAL.

OBITUARY's latest CD, "Frozen in Time", was released in July via Roadrunner Records. The group's first collection of new songs since 1997's "Back from the Dead" was self-produced by the band, with Mark Prator and Scott Burns engineering, and was mastered by Tom Morris at Morrisound.

ZYKLON, the Norwegian band featuring EMPEROR members Samoth (guitar) and Trym (drums), have begun recording of their third album, tentatively titled "Disintegrate". The album is being recorded at Akkerhaugen Lydstudio in Norway with time already set at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden for the album's mix in early February. The band have confirmed nine song titles for the album, including "Wrenched", "Cold Grave", "Disintegrate", "In Hindsight", "Skinned and Endangered", "Vulture", "Subversive Faith", "Underdog", "Ways of the World", and "Vile Ritual".

As recording starts the band are also hard at work with final edits on their planned first DVD, titled "Storm Detonation Live". Recorded at Germany's 2004 Party.San Open Air festival, the DVD will contain the band's live show plus exclusive on-the-road/backstage footage, an exclusive look into reheasals for the band's new album and both "Psyklon Aeon" and "Core Solution" videos.

Guitarist Samoth says, "We've just hit the studio this past week and already on the second day of tracking Trym has nailed down seven tracks. So we're on the go! Some of the material is really heavy while other tracks are blasting fast. We're really excited to finally be recording this album and are eager to start tracking guitars soon. We're very confident that it will be a solid follow-up to 'Aeon'."

Candlelight is planning a spring release for both "Disintegrate" and "Storm Denotation Live".

Finland's KALMAH have set the tentative track listing for their fourth album, "The Black Waltz", tentatively due early next year via Spikefarm Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Swampsong" will contain 10 songs. A bonus cover track was also laid down during the sessions and will be included as a bonus cut on various releases.

"The Black Waltz" track listing (in no specific order):

01. Bitter Metallic Side
02. Defeat
03. The Groan of Wind
04. One from the Stands
05. The Black Waltz
06. With Terminal Intensity
07. To the Gallows
08. Time Takes Us All
09. Mindrust
10. Man of the King

Commented guitarist Antti Kokko: "So, this is the second week in studio and the recordings have gone smooth this far. Right now I closed my rhytmn guitar sessions and Pekka [Kokko] is starting. We spent time to find the guitar sound for rhytmn section and I'm glad we did it because what I hear now is brutal and 'ear-taking.'"

Check out pictures from the studio at this location.

Earlier in the year, KALMAH inked a new deal with Spikefarm Records (a division of Spinefarm). Demo samples of the new songs "Bitter Metallic Side" and "Infernal Death" are still available for download at
this location.

KALMAH last year announced the addition of keyboardist Marco Sneck (POISONBLACK) to the group's ranks. The group's current lineup is as follows:

Pekka Kokko - Guitar, Vocals
Antti Kokko - Lead Guitar
Janne Kusmin - Drums
Timo Lehtinen - Bass
Marko Sneck - Keyboards

Swedish gothic doom metal band DRACONIAN have pushed back the projected release date of their special "bonus" album, tentatively titled "The Burning Halo" (Napalm Records), to February 2006 from the previously announced November. The CD will feature three new songs, two or three demo songs in new versions and three covers.

DRACONIAN's sophomore album, "Arcane Rain Fell", was released in January 2005 through Napalm Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Where Lovers Mourn" was recorded at Studio Underground in Västerås, Sweden and contains more than 60 minutes of music, including the 16-minute epic "Death, Come Near Me" (previously released on the 2002 demo "Dark Oceans We Cry").

Norwegian black metallers TIDFALL have posted the following message on their official web site:

"This will be a final update for a while. Not forever, but for the time beeing we have not any plans and/or projects with TIDFALL to broadcast. Several of us are so tied up on a personal level with things that comes natural at a certain stage of life that we just have to lay down our weapons for a while, and finish some other 'projects.' If you have any questions, but don't get any answers, we're sorry... We wish all of you fans a happy metal X-mas and for all of you who are awaiting a new album, all we can say is 'future brings many things!'"

TIDFALL's most recent album, "Nucleus", was issued in August 2003 via Nuclear Blast Records.

RHAPSODY guitarist Luca Turilli is currently putting the finishing touches on a new solo album, tentatively due in January/February 2006. Turilli's last solo CD, "Prophet of the Last Eclipse", came out in 2002.

RHAPSODY will be releasing their first live album ever in early 2006. The recordings will be based on performances made during leg one of MANOWAR's "Demons, Dragons and Warriors World Tour" where RHAPSODY appeared as the special guests in spring 2005.

RHAPSODY released "Symphony of Enchanted Lands II - The Dark Secret", in September 2004 via Magic Circle Music/SPV. The CD features a very special appearance by acclaimed actor Christopher Lee ("Star Wars - Episode 2: Attack of the Clones", "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring", "Gremlins II", "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow").

DARK TRANQUILLITY guitarist Niklas Sundin has posted the following message on the group's official web site:

"As many of you know, I'm not only a criminally overrated guitarist but also a freelance graphic designer, having created artwork for bands like IN FLAMES, ARCH ENEMY, SENTENCED and so forth. During the years I've received lots of requests for some sort of book with my work, and now the time has come.

"'Gadus Morhua' features 132 pages of b/w drawings created between 1993 and 2005. These days, when everyone and his dog can toy around in Photoshop and create 'artwork' by blending a few layers, it feels nice to release a collection of old-fashioned pencil drawings, created directly in my sketchbook without any preparational work. Just spontaneous ink-on-paper.

"Those who are interested can head over to CabinFeverMedia.com for some previews as well as video clips that show the typical development process of a drawing. It usually starts with an eye..."

DARK TRANQUILLITY will be embarking on a European headlining tour beginning in late November in support of their latest effort, "Character" (released in January 2005). After supporting KREATOR on their European tour in spring 2005, a trip to the U.S. and numerous festival appearances, the sextet will be headlining this time, with support from thrash/metalcore hybrid CHIMAIRA, HATESPHERE and BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE.

AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry has told The Providence Journal that the band will start work on a new studio record in the spring. Ever since the second album of their comeback, 1987's "Permanent Vacation", the band have worked with outside songwriters such as Desmond Child, Diane Warren and Jim Vallance. Perry says he's not sure yet whether that'll happen again, but whatever happens, he's OK.

"It's inspiring. When you bring someone in, they have an idea of what an AEROSMITH song should be, and it's interesting to hear what their interpretation of the AEROSMITH sound is — whatever that is," he explained. "It's always fun to do. We've got piles of stuff — some of it works and some of it doesn't. . . . It depends on what the vibe is when we start rolling."

AEROSMITH are currently on tour in support of their latest disc, "Rockin' the Joint".

NIGHTINGALE, the Swedish progressive-metal band headed by Dan Swanö, have set "White Darkness" as the title of their upcoming album, tentatively due next year. About 75 percent of the material for the forthcoming CD was composed by Dan Swanö's brother Dag (a.k.a. Tom Nouga). The record will reportedly be very 1970s-inspired.

As previously reported, NIGHTINGALE have been confirmed as one of the support acts for KINO (featuring members of such bands as MARILLION, IT BITES, ARENA, and PORCUPINE TREE) on December 17 at John Dee in Oslo, Norway. Also scheduled to appear on the bill is GAZPACHO.

NIGHTINGALE recently posted a live recording from their gig at Sweden Rock Festival 2005. The song "Into the Light" can be downloaded from the homepage of Dag Swanö at this location.

NIGHTINGALE completed their "10-Year Anniversary Tour" — covering Germany, Netherlands and Denmark — in April. A collection of re-recorded songs from the group's first three releases, "Nightfall Overture", was made available earlier in the year.

Former STRATOVARIUS bassist Jari Kainulainen has joined forces with drummer Atte Sarkima (AJATTARA, VERENPISARA), vocalist Tommi "Tuple" Salmela (TAROT, CARDIANT) and guitarist Elias Viljainen (E.VIL) in a new Finnish heavy metal band called MESS. The group, whose musical style is being described as "BLACK SABBATH meets PANTERA," was originally formed in 2001 but went on hiatus the following year after Jari and Atte were unable to find the right singer for the project. Check out audio samples of the songs "Demolished by Fire", "Anathematized" and "Behind the Gates" at www.messmetal.net.

QUEENSRŸCHE have set a March 14, 2006 release date for the sequel to their platinum 1988 concept album, "Operation: Mindcrime", tentatively titled "Operation: Mindcrime II". Guitar overdubs for the CD were completed last week, according to a posting on the group's web site.

As previously reported, QUEENSRŸCHE have tapped Reiner Design Concepts — the art direction company that did all the artwork for "Operation: Mindcrime" — to work on their upcoming album. Production has already begun and the group expect artwork by the end of the year.

QUEENSRŸCHE's follow-up to 2003's "Tribe" will be released via the group's new label, Rhino Entertainment. "Bootleg"-quality live recordings of two tracks slated to appear on the new CD — "Hostage" and "I'm American" — are available for download at Queensryche.com.

Canadian thrashers ANNIHILATOR have posted a free full-length MP3 of the song "Maximum Satan" at their official web site. The track comes off the group's eleventh studio album, "Schizo Deluxe", which was released in North America this past week via Locomotive/Warner. The CD was issued in Japan on October 21 via Marquee Inc. Also available for download at the band's site is a free seven-minute collage of some of the guitarwork from the "Schizo Deluxe" CD.

"Schizo Deluxe" is the follow-up to 2004's "All for You", which marked the recording debut with the group of new singer Dave Padden following the departure of previous vocalist Joe Comeau (ex-OVERKILL, LIEGE LORD) in June 2003.

Music Video Distributors and Metal Mind will be releasing PAIN's "Life is Overrated" DVD in the U.S. on January 24, 2006. View the DVD cover at this location.

This is the first DVD in the discography of PAIN, the brainchild of Peter Tägtgren, famous musician and multi-instrumentalist (PAIN, HYPOCRISY) and producer (DIMMU BORGIR, DARK FUNERAL, AMON AMARTH, MARDUK, RAGNAROK)! It features two great, energetic shows played at Metalmania 2005 and at Cracow TV Studio, covering PAIN's whole discography. It also includes Peter Tägtgren's unique version of THE BEATLES' "Eleanor Rigby"!

Bonus features: bootleg from Tavastia Club in Helsinki Finland, seven video clips, interview with Peter, biography, discography, photo gallery, downloadable desktop images, and weblinks.

Track listing from Metalmania 2005:

01. Supersonic Bitch
02. End of the Line
03. On Your Knees
04. Dancing with the Dead
05. It's Only Them
06. Just Hate Me
07. Same Old Song
08. Shut Your Mouth

Bonus Live Video

Krzemionki TV Studio, Kraków:

01. Greed
02. Breathing In Breathing Out
03. Suicide Machine
04. Nothing
05. Eleanor Rigby
06. On and On

Tavastia Club, Helsinki:

01. Supersonic Bitch
02. End of the Line

Bonus Video Clips:

01. End of the Line
02. Suicide Machine
03. On & On
04. Shut Your Mouth
05. Just Hate Me
06. Same Old Song
07. Bye / Die

Danish metalcore act AS WE FIGHT are currently working on material for their sophomore full-length album, tentatively due next summer via an as-yet-undetermined label. If all goes according to plan, the band will begin recording the new CD in the spring. Songtitles set to appear on the effort include "Left In Torment", "Walk of the Dead" and "Coldhearted".

AS WE FIGHT's full-length debut, "Black Nails and Bloody Wrists", was issued in April 2004 via Goodlife Recordings. The CD was produced by Tue Madsen at Antfarm studio and features artwork by Michael Lauritsen Dahl. Samples from the album can be heard at this location.