Reactivated Finnish melodic extreme metal band ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW are continuing work on their as-yet-untitled fifth album for a tentative March/April 2006 release via Spinefarm Records. According to the band, "The material for the fifth album is heavier, much more diverse and more guitar-orientated compared to the fourth album 'A Virgin and a Whore' [2001]."

ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW's current lineup is as follows:

Altti Veteläinen - Bass, Vocals
Jarmo Puolakanaho - Guitar
Risto Ruuth - Lead Guitar
Janne Tolsa - Keyboards
Petri Sankala - Drums

Swedish black/death metallers THE LEGION, featuring current MARDUK drummer Emil Dragutinovic, have set "Revocation" as the title of their sophomore album, tentatively due in early 2006 via France's Listenable Records. The artwork was once again designed by Kris Verwimp (MARDUK, ABSU, IMMORTAL), who had previously worked with the group on their debut album, "Unseen to Creation".

"Revocation" track listing:

01. Grotesque Savior
02. Virtue of Sin
03. Annihilation Chaos
04. Horror Vacui
05. Impious Gathering
06. Bloodgate
07. Deadlight Afterglow
08. Carnal Harvest
09. Nocturnal Apparition

THE LEGION's debut album, "Unseen to Creation" was released in October 2003 through Listenable. The CD was recorded at Abyss Studios with producer Tommy Tägtgren and features "ten songs of complex and eclectic black/death metal, ranging in style from MORBID ANGEL to SETHERIAL."

According to their website, Finnish extremists IMPALED NAZARENE have decided to name their ninth studio album Pro Patria Finlandia. The band will head for Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki, Finland with producer Tapio Pennanen in mid-November. 'Cancer', 'For Those Who Have Fallen', 'KUT', 'Contempt', 'Hate-Despise-Arrogance' are among the cuts to be featured on the album. Osmose Productions has set March 28th as the street date for the album.
In other news, Impaled Nazarene will head for Latin American tour in late January 2006. Three shows in Mexico have already been confirmed and more to follow. Confirmed dates, venues will be announced soon.

Swedish black metallers DARK FUNERAL have posted the following message at their official website:

"It's not very often a black metal band hits the charts, but yesterday Dark Funeral entered the Swedish top 40 as # 35 and the Swedish Heavy Metal chart as # 3. Their new album Attera Totus Sanctus is receiving rave reviews from the press, and obviously from the fans too. Dark Funeral are currently planning a tour throughout Europe that will be handled by Dragon Productions. And this coming Saturday, November 5, they'll meet their fans and sign their new album in Gothenburg at CD-Specialisten (Kungsgatan)."

LEAVES' EYES have posted the following update at their official website:

"The last couple of weeks have made a lot of fun besides several stresses and strains. The shows just have been fantastic and we have met a lot of new people and friends. Of course we want to say a big thank you to all the fans that have celebrated with us!! We also want to thank the bands which we played with and our crew.

But, we also want to let you know some things that happened: After our accident in Detroit there have been several US shows that we couldn’t play or rather have been cancelled. This was beyond our discretion as well as the disastrous organization of the whole tour itself which was starkly in opposite to the great responses from the audience!! We want to apologize for all the people who came for nothing even though it wasn’t our own fault! We also want to say sorry for all the people who came to the show in Bochum that we played a shortened set after a 12 hour drive. A full closure of the highway was the reason and then we unfortunately couldn’t play any longer than one hour due to a strict curfew and a longer change-over. Metal Female Voices Festival in Wieze, Belgium has been a wonderful night, thousands of fans embraced all bands! Our first dates on the tour with SUBWAY TO SALLY have been gorgeous. We want to say another big Thank You to Subway to Sally and crew with whom we are going on tour in December again!! It was a very cool first trip with you guys and we are looking forward to the second part!! There will be several tour diaries in some magazines, keep your eyes wide open!! See you on tour soon."

Swedish metallers ENTOMBED have set "Serpent Saints" as the title of their new album, due on June 6, 2006 via Threeman Recordings. The upcoming CD will be the group's first without the contributions of guitarist Uffe Cederlund, who left the band in September.

Speaking to Sweden's Close-Up magazine, ENTOMBED guitarist Alex Hellid had the following to say about the upcoming album, "Over the years we've built something, a name that is much bigger than its individual parts. Living up to that name is something we take very seriously. Of course, we feel an enormous pressure, albeit in a positive way, and a great obligation to maintain [the name] as well as live up to our own and other people's high expectations that come along with putting an ENTOMBED logo on an album."

ENTOMBED have no plans on replacing Cederlund and will continue as a four-piece, with Hellid as the sole guitarist. However, there is a possibility that former ENTOMBED drummer and current THE HELLACOPTERS frontman Nicke Andersson will contribute to the next album.

"I've just talked loosely with Alex and Peter [Stjärnwind, drummer] about it," Andersson told Close-Up. "I haven't really said anything, but they've basically asked me if I would consider being involved in one way or the other. Whether or not that's because Uffe has quit, I have no idea. . . .It's really down to having the time to do it. There are another thousand ideas I want to see through. But if it's possible, it would be a blast to do something [with ENTOMBED]."

Bassist Jason "Jasonic" Newsted (ex-METALLICA) has finished laying down tracks for the upcoming studio album from Canadian metal legends VOIVOD. Vocalist Denis "Snake" Belanger and drummer Michel "Away" Lanegvin are expected to enter the studio in December with producer Glen Robinson (ANNIHILATOR, NASHVILLE PUSSY) to complete the recordings, which are tentatively due in early 2006 via The End Records.

In other news, Langevin is still in the process of scanning hundreds of drawings for his book, to be released early next year on Troubleman Unlimited. The book will consist of 300 black-and-white drawings and 50 colored pictures. Away is also continuing work on the group's next DVD release, "DVOD-2", which will contain footage shot during the Eric Forrest era of the band. A follow-up DVD release, "DVOD-3", will cover the band's most recent lineup, which included Newsted.

VOIVOD guitarist Denis "Piggy" D'Amour died Aug. 26 in a Montreal hospital from complications of advanced colon cancer. The surviving VOIVOD members — Snake, Away and Newsted — vowed to complete the band's 14th album as a tribute to the late guitarist, who recorded his parts for the CD prior to his death.

Sweden's WOLF have posted the following message on their official web site:

"Nick [Niklas Olsson, guitar/vocals] is playing the evil priest 'Hannias' in 'Jesus Christ Superstar' in Stockholm right now. He's getting some great reviews, and the show seems to be a huge success. Very cool, and we are proud of him. His new vocal skills will show on the next WOLF album for sure. We are all looking forward to the recording.

"At the same time Tobbe [Tobias Kjellgren, drums; ex-DISSECTION, SWORDMASTER] is away on tour, working as a stand-in drummer for IN FLAMES. This means that Mumlan [Mikael Goding, bass] and Johannes [Losbäck, guitar] are the only Wolves at home right now. But writing is moving forward anyway. A couple of tracks have been put on tape and another bunch will be recorded as soon as Tobbe gets back home."

WOLF's third album, "Evil Star", was released in the U.S. in April 2004 via Prosthetic Records. The follow-up to "Black Wings" was produced by Peter Tägtgren (HYPOCRISY, PAIN) at Abyss studios in Sweden and features artwork by Thomas Holm.

DIMMU BORGIR bassist/ARCTURUS frontman Simen Hestnaes (a.k.a. ICS Vortex, ex-BORKNAGAR, LAMENTED SOULS) has recorded a guest appearance on two songs on the sophomore album from French metallers DAGOBA, tentatively due in February 2006 via Season of Mist. "Shawter's vocals mixed with Vortex's voice sound amazing!" the band write on their web site.

DAGOBA's follow-up to their self-titled debut album was recorded at Antfarm studios in Denmark with producer Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, HATESPHERE, MNEMIC). The group made name for themselves in France, where their EMI-distributed debut was a chart success. The buzz quickly spread, and step by step, the rest of Europe started responding (DAGOBA opened for MACHINE HEAD in Brussels, FEAR FACTORY in Amsterdam, and did a North European tour with SAMAEL; more recently they opened for KORN in France).

MARILYN MANSON has told MTV.com that he's been writing and recording in two different California studios with KMFDM guitarist and MANSON studio bassist Tim Skold, keyboardist and drummer Pogo (Stephen Bier Jr.) and an assortment of other musicians. Most of MANSON's still-untitled sixth LP has been finished for weeks.

"I feel as if there's more like three albums' worth of material, [because] I don't want to cram a long record into a place that doesn't have the attention span for that," he said. "I'd like to return to the old-fashioned records that had eight or nine songs [that] were all very important. Not to say that I made records that had filler material. They were all based around a central idea, and the central idea in this one is my pain and its ability to be unashamed to repeat itself."

As for the musicians he's been working with, Manson said, "It's hard to call [them] a band because it's open and developing in a way where anything can happen. The songs have been ... a collaboration between Skold and myself, but we're at the point now where the people who will fulfill the positions that need to be there to make the MARILYN MANSON of end times, the MARILYN MANSON that, if it had to be the last form, this is the way it should be remembered — those people will stand forward and make themselves appreciated, and I feel like I've created an environment where that will happen."

Finnish weekly news magazine Suomen Kuvalehti has published a brand-new interview with NIGHTWISH mastermind Tuomas Holopainen regarding the band's decision to part ways with their longtime singer Tarja Turunen. The brief question-and-answer session follows (translated from Finnish):

Q: Tarja Turunen has described the way you handled this whole affair as "cruel." Do you regret the way it was done?

Tuomas: "Not for a second. The decision has been a long time coming — since last January — and all points of view were thoroughly considered before we went ahead and took this step. Even though I am the person in the band who had to do the firing, the decision to part ways with Tarja was made jointly by all bandmembers."

Q: How did you end up using an open letter to let the world know of your decision? Wouldn't the usual "artistic differences" explanation have been sufficient as far as the public is concerned?

Tuomas: "If we had announced our decision in two sentences, it would not have not painted the right picture of us, and it would have resulted in me having to spend the next two months sitting on the phone explaining why we had to do what we did. I do not think our letter contained any details that were too personal."

Q: What kind of response did you expect from Tarja?

Tuomas: "I heard that she was shocked and she has accused us of lying, but every single sentence in the letter is the absolute truth. The way she has treated us for the past year has been at least as cruel as the way she claims we have been by making this letter public."

Q: How were you able to keep things together for so long even though there was so much tension within the band?

Tuomas: "I survived because the other people in the band are so awesome and we all share the same goals. There were obviously two separate camps in the band — Tarja and her manager/husband Marcelo on one side, and the rest of the group, the road crew and the band's manager on the other."

Q: What were the things that you had disagreements with Tarja about?

Tuomas: "We are on completely different planets when it comes to working morals and spiritual attitudes. I do not want to have any person in the band who tells me that she doesn't need the band for her career anymore."

Q: Why did you go ahead and announce your deal with the Finnish bank Sampo to have a new bank card issued with a picture of NIGHTWISH on it when you knew that the next day you would be firing your singer?

Tuomas: "The deal with Sampo was worked out in January and it was arranged by our manager. I had completely forgotten about it and was only reminded about it in the week prior to the announcement. The Sampo bank representatives took it very well."

Q: So Turunen's image won't be removed from the cards then?

Tuomas: "No."

Q: Your fans have been shocked to learn of your decision to part ways with Tarja. How will this affect your popularity in the future?

Tuomas: "If our next CD is of the same quality as the previous albums, I don't believe there will be a problem. If the CD sells 100,000 copies instead of a million, we will still be satisfied. Having huge commercial success is not our main concern."

Q: Is it possible that Turunen could block your upcoming book from being published or prevent band-related products from being sold based on legal issues?

Tuomas: "I really don't know much about this, but I asked our label and our manager if the split would result in legal problems and the response was that there wouldn't be any."

Q: Will your new singer be Finnish?

Tuomas: "I will not comment on this right now. I can only tell you that no decisions have yet been made on this issue."

Q: Do you foresee a scenario where Tarja Turunen could return to the band at some point in the future?

Tuomas: "At the moment, it is very hard to imagine. I wish her all the best."

MEGADETH/EIDOLON drummer Shawn Drover has posted the following message in the "Forums" section of MEGADETH's official web site:

"It doesent take me long to start sniffing around for something productive to do, so after winding down after this world tour, the inevitable question I always ask myself, 'OK, what do I do now??' began to creep in about one week into our hiatus.

"Unlike Glen [Drover, MEGADETH/EIDOLON guitarist], who is constantly occupied with his young son, my kids are much older and self-sufficient (much to my chagrin, if truth be told) thus not needing my constant supervision. Having said this, I have been keeping busy for the most part.

"I have been working on material for possible consideration for the next MEGADETH record. As I write this, I am currently on song #2 (this is apart from the riffs I submitted to Dave [Mustaine] a few months back).

"Since I have pretty much written about 80% of EIDOLON's entire catalogue (seven records now), this is certainly not a new challenge for me, but it is certainly something that I do enjoy greatly. I cannot predict the outcome of how much of this material — if ANY of it — will make the [next MEGADETH] record, and I have no problem with that, because I am doing this for the right reasons — I am not doing this for personal gain. If Dave digs some of it, then perhaps some riffs may make the cut — perhaps meshing with 'Dave's riffs,' but who knows?? The whole process of creating music is fun for me, and one thing's for sure, he will have a lot of my stuff to listen to over the next few months.

"I am going to see my friend's in NEVERMORE/INTO ETERNITY when they perform with OPETH here in Atlanta in about a week's time. It will be nice to see Warrel [Dane, NEVERMORE singer] and co. again, as I have not seen them since Gigantour (though we do shoot each other an occasional e-mail). It will be great to see Tim Roth again as well (INTO ETERNITY guitarist/songwriter). Tim was one of the 'very few' people who knew about Glen and then myself joining MEGADETH as it was happening, so we did have many telephone conversations at that time. Tim is a great positive guy who was genuinly as happy as we were when we joined the MEGS.

"Anyway, this will be a fun show to attend.

"Other than that, not much else new to report."

Finnish "pagan battle metal" act TURISAS have posted the following message on their official web site:

"To prevent any more rumours spreading, we need to make the following statement.

"Early Friday morning Georg [Laakso, guitar] was injured severely in a motor accident outside Hämeenlinna. Due to the unfortunate actions of the authorities, he was found unconscious at the scene of the accident no earlier than 18.00 [6:00 p.m.] on Friday evening. Georg is currently being treated at Meilahti hospital in Helsinki. He is still unconscious and in critical condition.

"We hope that you respect the anxiety Georg's family and we are feeling at this moment by not posting any questions in our guestbook or forums. We are actively monitoring the situation and will give more information on Georg's condition when we know more."

Back in July 2004, Laakso was stabbed six times in the back times in the group's hometown of Hämeenlinna, Finland after getting into a fight with a stranger.

TURISAS' debut album, "Battle Metal", was released in July 2004 through Century Media Records. "Battle Metal" was produced by Terje Refsnes (TRISTANIA, MORGUL) at Sound Suite Studios in Marseiile, France, and "offers the most precious ingredients of epic viking metal, almost sounding like a mixture of bands such as IN EXTREMO, FALKENBACH, NIGHTWISH and FINNTROLL," according to an official press release.

Norwegian black metallers GORGOROTH wil record several shows on their current European tour with 1349 for an upcoming live album, entitled "True Norwegian Black Metal". Scheduled for a late autumn release in 2007, it will mark and celebrate GORGOROTH's 15-year anniversary.

GORGOROTH's new album, "Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam", is tentatively scheduled for release early next year via Sweden's Regain Records. The band were most recently signed to Nuclear Blast Records, who released the band's last three efforts: "Twilight of the Idols" (2003), "Incipit Satan" (2000) and "Destroyer" (1998).

GORGOROTH last year inked a deal with the French label Season of Mist for the reissues of their first three albums: "Pentagram" (1994), "Antichrist" (1996) and "Under the Sign of Hell" (1997). All three were re-released earlier this year in a remastered, digipack version.

FIREWIND, the Greek power metal act led by guitarist Gus G. (DREAM EVIL, ARCH ENEMY), have posted the following message on their official web site:

"As many of you know by now from other online sources, Chity Somapala [vocals] has decided to leave FIREWIND due to 'personal reasons.' But this doesn't mean that FIREWIND stops right here! We're already working with an incredible new vocalist and have eight brand new songs that kick ass!!

"Due to Chity's sudden departure, our plans for an extensive European tour this fall had to be cancelled. But we will be back on the road as soon as the new album is completed. Although nothing's confirmed by now, we're looking at entering the studio in late January/early February 2006. More details and new singer info to follow soon."

Somapala originally joined FIREWIND in early 2004 as the replacement for Stephen Fredrick. Chity appeared on "Forged by Fire", which was produced by band leader/guitarist Gus G. and mixed by Fredrik Nordström at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden. Guest musicians on the album included former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman and ex-TESTAMENT/DEATH axeman James Murphy.

Gus G. recently toured with ARCH ENEMY on Ozzfest 2005 as the group's touring guitarist after Christoper Amott bowed out of that band in order to "fully concentrate on his studies at home in Sweden," according to ARCH ENEMY axeman Michael Amott.

BEYOND FEAR members Tim "Ripper" Owens (vocals; ICED EARTH, ex-JUDAS PRIEST) and John Comprix (guitar; SPAWN, 13 FACES) will be traveling to Florida next week to put the finishing touches on the band's debut album, tentatively due in early 2006 via SPV Records. The final recording and mixing sessions will take place at the legendary Morrisound studios in Tampa under the watchful eye of Jim Morris (ICED EARTH, DEATH, JAG PANZER).

Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "I Don't Need This", "And You Will Die", "It Is Me", "Telling Lies", "The Faith", "The Human Race", "Your Time Has Come" and "My Last Words". Joining Owens and Comprix in the new group are Dennis Hayes (ex-WINTERS BANE, SEVEN WITCHES) on bass, Dwane Bihary (MISSING SKIN) on rhythm guitar, and drummer Eric Elkins (CRYPTKICKER, ALL YOU FEAR).

NIGHTWISH mainman Tuomas Holopainen has finished composing two new songs for the group's next studio album which is not expected to surface until 2007, the keyboardist revealed in a brand-new interview published in the Finnish newspaper Keskisuomalainen. According to Holopainen, the band are hoping to begin recording their next album in September 2006, but if need be, they are willing to push back the projected recording sessions for their next CD even further so that a suitable replacement for the recently departed singer Tarja Turunen can be found.

Like 2004's "Once", the group's next CD will likely take at least six months to record, which means that the new singer's contributions to the new album will not be put down on tape until sometime in early 2007 — giving the band more time to find the right person to replace Tarja.

Holopainen told the Keskisuomalainen newspaper that the band's style will not change now that Turunen is gone. The next NIGHTWISH album will follow the same musical path as the band's most recent releases, but with a new female vocalist.

"It will be interesting to see how many singers will apply for the position," Tuomas is quoted as saying. "After all, Tarja is is a first-rate singer, and replacing her will not be easy.

"The new singer will be chosen not only for her singing skills. She must also be beautiful, charismatic and she must possess a great deal of self-esteem.

"We will not necessarily pick a Tarja clone," Holopainen continued. "We will be open to a slightly new sound, especially when it comes to the vocalist."

Although the band's requirements for the new singer are high, Holopainen knows that the group's fan base will not necessarily welcome their return with open arms.

"Of course, we will get a few beer cans thrown on the stage when we fist start playing out with the new singer," Tuomas said. "Some of our fans are die-hard Tarja devotees and those people will never accept the fact that we can go on without her."

After a two-month adventure in Australia, bassist Stein Roger Sordal has rejoined Norway's GREEN CARNATION. Sordal will play all currently scheduled dates with the group following their trip to Finland in November.

"I had a great time in Australia, that's for sure. But it was a long time to stay away from the band and my wife," Stein Roger explained.

Australian band THE KARMA, whose demo Sordal had previously recorded and produced at his studio in Norway, were invited by an Australian management company to do a showcase for major labels, including Warner, Sony, EMI and Universal, at the end of September. And although Stein Roger admits the showcase went very well, he is not up to speculating about the future.
"Right now I'm just happy to be back home. Hopefully there will be a deal for THE KARMA, but probably it's going to take a while before we know anything

Stein Roger underlines the importance for him to have a rock'n roll band to play in:

"I have a big desire to play rock music, something with balls. And for me no bands are like GREEN CARNATION when it comes to that, with the versatility, the songs and the friendships within the band. I have never even thought about leaving the band, and right now I am just looking forward to what promises to be a very exiting 2006 for GREEN CARNATION."

GREEN CARNATION will spend much of next year promoting their new album, "The Accoustic Verses", which is scheduled for release in Europe in mid-January.

EIDOLON guitarist Glen Drover (MEGADETH) has posted the following update on the band's official web site:

"Here is an update to let you know where we stand with the progress of recording the new EIDOLON album, 'The Parallel Otherworld'.

"All that is left now are two bass tracks, my solos and Nils' [K. Rue, vocals; also in PAGAN'S MIND] vocals, which we will have in our hands in about three weeks' time.

"This will also be the first time that we mix and master the album in my studio, with the help of my great ProTools teacher, Tony Crea. Learning all these different things in ProTools is so cool, as it really opens the doors to many more possibilities in recording. through the process of doing this new album, right up to the completion, i will have really good handle on what i need to do for all the different stages of recording in the future!

"Anyway, my next post will be when the album is 100% complete!"

Songtitles set to appear on the new EIDOLON CD include "Strong Winds", "Spirit Sanctuary", "Arcturus No. 9" and "Ghost World". Also included on the album will be a cover version of MERCYFUL FATE's "The Oath", featuring guest appearances by MERCYFUL FATE guitarists Hank Shermann and Michael Denner.

Danish power metallers IRONFIRE, featuring singer Martin Steene (FORCE OF EVIL), have uploaded an audio sample of a new track, entitled "Wings of Rage", at this location.

"Wings of Rage" comes off the group's recently completed third album, tentatively due in early 2006 via an as-yet-undisclosed label.

IRONFIRE issued two full-length albums through the Sanctuary/Noise label: 2000's "Thunderstorm" and 2001's "On the Edge".

According to a posting on the band's official web site, Dutch rock act THE GATHERING have commenced the recording sessions for their eighth full-length album with producer Attie Bauw, who has previously worked with the group on their "How to Measure a Planet?" CD (1998).

Founding member/drummer Hans Rutten had previously said about the recording process for the follow-up the well-received electronic/atmospheric-tinged opus "Souvenirs", "We will start recording in an old church in the south of Holland by the end of November. We will build a studio, together with Attie Bauw, in the main part of this little church. How it will sound? We have no idea, it's an experiment, as always! [laughs] We will start recording end of November 2005 and have a possible release date by the end of March 2006. We will master half of the album by January 2006. It will be a huge return of guitars! Yes, a guitar-orientated album."

THE GATHERING have just released their double-DVD, "A Sound Relief", in the U.S./Canada via The End Records. The DVD was made available in Europe through the band's own label, Psychonaut Records. The two-disc set features a live concert the band recorded on May 23, 2005 at the famous Paradiso in Amsterdam, plus bonus extras like the band's own tour impressions caught on video, video interviews and a TV special about 15-year career of THE GATHERING. The bonus disc also showcases a collection of beautiful 3-D animation clips, which were especially designed for the band by promising Dutch and Polish 3-D artists Michel de Klein and Marcin Pazera.

A representative at the Warner/Rhino video department has confirmed to BLABBERMOUTH.NET that the new JUDAS PRIEST live DVD, "Rising in the East", will be released in North America on November 15. In addition, the DVD's artwork has also been confirmed to the image currently being displayed by most online retailers, including Amazon.com.

"Rising in the East" was recorded at the band's May 18-19, 2005 shows at the Budokan in Tokyo, Japan and will include the following track listing:

01. The Hellion
02. Electric Eye
03. Metal Gods
04. Riding On The Wind
05. The Ripper
06. A Touch Of Evil
07. Judas Rising
08. Revolution
09. Hot Rockin'
10. Breaking The Law
11. I'm A Rocker
12. Diamonds and Rust
13. Worth Fighting For
14. Deal With the Devil
15. Beyond the Realms of Death
16. Turbo Lover
17. Hellrider
18. Victim of Changes
19. Exciter
20. Painkiller
21. Hell Bent For Leather
22. Living After Midnight
23. You've Got Another Thing Coming

In other news, JUDAS PRIEST frontman Rob Halford recently told the San Diego CityBEAT that no one in the band is thinking about the fact that they're on the downhill toward 60.

"When you start to think about that, you start slowing down, you start to diminish," said Halford. "People asked me 10, 20 years ago if I was done.... But I don't think JUDAS PRIEST will ever do a farewell tour. I think one day it will just stop. But as long as I can do the work at the right level, I'll keep going."

Former HELLOWEEN singer Michael Kiske has confirmed that he has inked a new solo deal with Italy's Frontiers Records. The deal is over two records and "is an excellent option after the successful cooperation and experience with the label during the PLACE VENDOME project," Kiske writes in a statement.

Kiske will enter the studio in early November to begin recording his new solo album for an early 2006 release. The singer had previously issued three "solo" releases, including a 2003 effort with a band project dubbed SUPARED. The self-titled SUPARED CD featured songwriting collaborations between Kiske and guitarists Sandro Giampietro and Circio Taraxes, the latter of whom had previously contributed to the singer's first two solo offerings, 1996's "Instant Clarity" and 1999's "Readiness to Sacrifice".

NIGHTINGALE, the Swedish progressive-metal band headed by Dan Swanö, 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.

As previously reporteed, 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 bandmember Dag Swanö (Dan's brother, a.k.a. Tom Nouga) 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.

Finnish melodic metallers ALTARIA have finished mixing their third album, "The Fallen Empire" at the Black Lounge Studios in Sweden. Former DIO guitarist Rowan Robertson makes a guest appearance on a track called "The Lion" and keyboardist Henrik Klingenberg (SONATA ARCTICA, SILENT VOICES) is featured on a song called "The Dying Flame", which is an 8-minute epic. Other tracks set to appear on the CD include "Crucifix", "Abyss of Twilight", "Frozen Hearts" and "Disciples". An early 2006 release is expected.

ALTARIA, who recently announced the addition of guitarist J-P Alanen to the group's ranks, released their sophomore album, "Divinity", in May 2004 through AOR Heaven sub-label Metal Heaven Records. "Divinity" was mixed at Tico Tico Studio (SONATA ARCTICA, SENTENCED, FOR MY PAIN…) and was initially made available as a limited-edition digipack, featuring one bonus track — a cover version of ACCEPT's classic "Balls To The Wall" (including a guest appearance by ex-LION'S SHARE singer Andy Engberg).

German power metallers SYMPHORCE, featuring BRAINSTORM frontman Andy B. Franck, have issued the following update:

"Right after an amazing tour, Sascha [Sauer, drums] suddenly decided to leave after more than four years in the band. His decision was based on personal reasons. But since we have to take things as they come, we're proud to announce two guest drummers for the shows that are already booked and confirmed! We will be helped out by Andy Flache (who is well known as one of our chief roadies from hell) and Steffen Theurer (ex-CHINCHILLA, WOODPECKERS). We hope to get everything fixed in time and hope Sascha will find his way. We're looking forward to even more amazing shows and are ready to rock da house!"

SYMPHORCE's latest album, "GodSpeed", was released in September via Metal Blade Records. The follow-up to 2004's "Twice Second" was recorded at House of Music studios in Winterach, Germany and features 10 tracks. A limited-edition version of the album includes a bonus DVD of approximately 45 minutes of "live and backstage" footage and the video clip for "Cause of Laughter". The cover artwork was designed by Travis Smith (ICED EARTH, NEVERMORE).

Bassist Ilker Ersin (ex-FREEDOM CALL, MOON DOC) and vocalist Chitral "Chity" Somapala (ex-FIREWIND, AVALON, FARO) have joined their creative forces to forge a new identity in metal, POWERWORLD.
Based on Ersin's inspired reflections of life, POWERWORLD will convey their conceptual brand of heavy metal with class and melody, delivered with a lyrical message of hope and strength. The band is currently writing material for their debut album.

BATTERED, the new Norwegian band featuring former EINHERJER members Frode Glesnes (a.k.a. Grimar, vocals/guitar), Aksel Herløe (guitar) and Gerhard Storesund (a.k.a. Vivar, drums), have signed a deal with the Norwegian label Tabu Recordings. The group's debut album, which was recorded at Sifa Lydstudio this past summer, will be mixed next month and is set for release in Europe in February 2006. A U.S. release date will be announced later.

BATTERED's current lineup is rounded out by bassist Ole Moldesæther and vocalist Sigurd Olaisen (HEADBLOCK).

Tentative track listing for BATTERED's debut album (in no particular order):

01. Oblivion Awaits
02. New Lament
03. Industrial Killing
04. The Flagellant
05. Not One
06. Perfect Illusion
07. The Dig
08. Demagog
09. Parasight
10. Derelict

Often cited as the leading "viking metal" act, Haugesund-based EINHERJER released several albums and EPs (1994's "Aurora Borealis" EP, 1995's "Leve Vikingånden", 1996's "Dragons of the North", 1997's "Far Far North" EP, 1998's "Odin Owns Ye All", 2000's "Norwegian Native Art" and 2003's "Blot") before folding in May of 2004.

ContactMusic.com is reporting that Finnish goth-metal band H.I.M. prefer to indulge in group masturbation sessions rather than succumb to the allure of groupies, because they are scared of bedding a transsexual by mistake.

Frontman Ville Valo claims that joint viewing of pornographic channels on hotel televisions keeps their sexual desires at bay, and avoids any band members getting into embarrassing situations.

Valo says, "There's always temptation, but it's not hard to resist. In H.I.M. we synchronise our watches by having collective masturbation sessions. It keeps the urges down. Thank God for hotel porn. Why would I want to pick up a girl from the front row and go straight at it? Especially nowadays, you can never be sure — there's so many 'shemales' around. Plus, I'm not so fast that I could do it in one night."