Twisted Sister have posted their new video online for the song "I'll Be Home For Christmas". The song features the vocal contributions of Lita Ford, in her first video in 20 years. You can check it out at the band's Myspace page. The song is featured on the "A Twisted Christmas" album, released in 2006. "A Twisted Christmas" is the band's very own holiday CD and DVD featuring 'twisted' versions of Christmas classics.

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Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Twisted Sister

The Black Dahlia Murder have issued the following announcement:

"On the eve of our December tour with friends Misery Index and Soilent Green, we in The Black Dahlia Murder are faced with a heartbreaking dilemma: John K. has abruptly left the fold and refuses to accompany us on the tour. We are left with no choice but to carry on with the dates as a four piece. The remaining members of the band apologize for these unprofessional circumstances, but we feel that it is best to go through with the tour and not disappoint the other bands as well as the fans who are looking forward to these shows. Please come out and show some Black Dahlia love in our hour of need."

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Source:	blog.myspace.com
Band profile:	The Black Dahlia Murder

Belgian metallers Thurisaz have issued the following update:

"We regret to announce the departure of our bassplayer Lars Vereecke, due to reasons that will stay within the band. Lars has been around since the very beginning and together we've been through many highlights. We want to thank him for all the good times and laughter and wish him all the best in his future endeavours. A new bass player will be announced later. Thanx a lot to Jo Van Heghe from Oceans Of Sadness to fill in on the last gig, you did a great job!"

Source:	thurisaz.be
Band profile:	Thurisaz

Earache Records press release

Italian avant-garde metallers Ephel Duath have announced a new vocalist for the band, Guillermo Gonzales.

Ephel Duath guitarist and founding member Davide Tiso comments: "Guillermo has been close to Ephel Duath for some time - he almost joined the band before in 2003! He was going to take the place of the clean vocalist Davide Tolomei who left Ephel Duath after "The Painters Palette". Then we realized that Guillermo's aggressive vocal approach was going to clash with Lucio and we all agreed to abandon the idea. In any case, from that moment on Guillermo started to be very active with Ephel Duath, helping me with lyrics and the development of the concepts so far. The whole idea behind the songs "Vector" and "Vector Third Movement" from "Pain Necessary To Know" come from a conversation we had together. More recently, he was the person that pushed me to write the short stories I did for "Through My Dog's Eyes".

I always thought that one day I was going to have a band with my friend Guillermo, then when Lucio realized that he was forced to abandon the band, we both agreed that he was the right person to call to properly continue the activity of Ephel Duath. We are already working so hard, that I didn't have the time to realize how excited I am to start this new adventure... What I know is that I'm really, really happy and genuinely trusting for the future of my life, and my band."

New vocalist Guillermo is a professional poker player and the band even plan to finance some future tours through playing poker.

Guillermo comments: "I've been in the Italian extreme metal scene since 1992. For 15 years I've been the lead singer of Mothercare, one of the most important Italian underground extreme metal bands (boasting collaborations with Napalm Death and Nasum). I met Davide in 2002 when we both lived in Venice. He's been my dearest friend since then. We often tried to do something together, but our roads always went in different directions. Now it seems our roads have finally become one.

2 months ago I left Mothercare because of internal contrasts and I felt like my life was over. 2 weeks ago Davide told me that Lucio was going to quit and asked me to become Ephel Duath's new singer. A new life started. Lucio is a great performer and has been a great partner for Davide; I'm honored to be his heir and I'm insanely excited about being in a band that I always considered one of the most innovative and original in today's music. In my "regular" life I am a poker journalist and a professional poker player. Since 2006 I'm the editor in chief of Poker Sportivo, the main Italian poker magazine. I live now in Verona but I'm often touring Europe to follow all major poker tournaments. I've got a blog where I write about my poker life, cinema, music, creative writing and other stuff."

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Source:	earachenews.blogspot.com
Band profile:	Ephel Duath

French progressive/death metallers Gojira will embark on a headlining tour in France in January/February 2009. The band also posted the following US tour update on their MySpace:

"Gojira are curre​ntly in the Unite​d State​s rampa​ging about​ in all major​ citie​s with In Flames. Drumm​er Mario​ Dupla​ntier​ recen​tly told Radio​ Franc​e Inter​natio​nal about​ their​ first​ show in North​ Ameri​ca: "We arriv​ed in Montr​eal where​ we had a great​ and warm welco​me, just as usual​,​ we notic​ed that the peopl​e from Quebec seem to like Frenc​h bands​ in gener​al.​ This first​ show at Metro​polis​ was sold out and peopl​e were very enthu​siast​c and wild durin​g our show,​ we felt somew​hat overw​helme​d by the crowd​'​s energ​y... that was aweso​me! We reall​y need to go back there​ for a headl​ining​ show next time!."

He added​:​ "Our set-​list is prett​y diffe​rent from when we play in Europ​e,​ we are opene​rs here.​ So we just play 35 minut​es every​ night​ and that'​s a littl​e bit frust​ratin​g with 4 album​s of songs​ to choos​e from.​ We try to strik​e a balan​ce betwe​en the more acces​sible​ track​s and the more viole​nt ones, also,​ when we only have such a short​ playi​ng time,​ we'​re just tryin​g to be effic​ient and strai​ght to the point​.​"

Gojira will hit the road again​ in Febru​ary 2009 for a full headl​ining​ tour in Franc​e :

Jan. 30 2009 - La Cartonnerie, Reims
Jan. 31 2009 - La Laiterie, StrasBourg
Feb. 01 2009 - Le Transbordeur, Lyon
Feb. 03 2009 - Le Brise Glace, Annecy
Feb. 04 2009 - Salle du Canton, Monaco
Feb. 05 2009 - Espace Julien, Marseille
Feb. 06 2009 - Le Rockstore, Montpellier
Feb. 07 2009 - Le Bikini, Toulouse
Feb. 09 2009 - Le Barbey, Bordeaux
Feb. 11 2009 - L'Olympic, Nantes
Feb. 12 2009 - L'Antipode, Rennes
Feb. 13 2009 - Le Big Band Cafe, Caen
Feb. 14 2009 - Le Grand Mix, Tourcoing
Feb. 15 2009 - L'Elysee Montmartre, Paris

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Gojira
Event:	Gojira: French Tour

Directed by Maxime Hebert of ProxyMite Productions, the brand new Kataklysm music video for the track "Blood In Heaven" is now available for viewing worldwide at MySpace Metal! Click here to watch it.

"Blood In Heaven" is the second video made in support of the group's latest album "Prevail", which was released on May 23 (Europe) and May 27 (North America) earlier this year. The album was also honored as "Album Of The Year" in the "Metal/Hardcore" category at the Quebec Indie Music Awards.

In September, Kataklysm singer Maurizio Iacono explained the band's song choice and the entire filming process as follows:

"A while back ago we made the decision to have the title track "Prevail" be the next video clip. After carefully thinking it over, we have now decided to go with our original plan and shoot the video for "Blood In Heaven". Lots of fans have been asking us to do a clip for that song so we decided, 'why not, it's all about the fans anyways!' Besides, "Prevail" is already a massive live song and doesn't need any more of a push. There are other gems on this album that we want to introduce so here it goes!

We wanted to do something cool with this one so we're hiring someone that will be filming us on the upcoming tour everywhere we go. We want you guys, the fans, to be in the video so come hang out at the shows; the camera will be rolling everyday! We will be incorporating some live Kataklysmic action as well.

The live shots will be from the band's hometown and final gig of the tour in Montreal, Canada. There will be a huge crew in place to film with five different cameras in all angles. We want to see all you sick motherfuckers going off! This will also be a special gig because we will only play "Blood In Heaven" at this show on the tour."

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Kataklysm

American brutal metallers Embryonic Devourment will be embarking on a North American headlining tour in February along with Lecherous Nocturne and Sol Asunder.

The tour dates are as follows:

February 27 - Los Angeles, CA @ Black Castle
February 28 - San Marcos, CA @ The Jumping Turtle
March 01 - Tempe, AZ @ The Sets
March 02 - Albuquerque, NM @ The Compound
March 03 - El Paso, TX @ Chic's Billiards
March 04 - Dallas, TX @ Reno's Chop Shop
March 05 - Houston, TX @ Jet Lounge
March 06 - New Orleans, LA @ Dragon's Den
March 07 - Tampa, FL @ The Brass Mug
March 08 - Orlando, FL @ The Dungeon
March 09 - Atlanta, GA @ Lenny's Bar
March 10 - Baltimore, MD @ The Talking Head
March 11 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Khyber
March 12 - Pittsburgh, PA @ The Smiling Moose
March 13 - Indianapolis, IN @ Melody Inn
March 14 - Chicago, IL @ Metal Shaker Lounge
March 15 - St Paul, MN @ Big V's
March 16 - Kansas City, MO @ The Riot Room
March 17 - Denver, CO @ The Funhouse
March 18 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Club Vegas
March 19 - Boise, ID @ The Gusto Bar
March 20 - Seattle, WA @ The Comet Tavern
March 21 - Portland, OR @ The Red Room

Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Embryonic Devourment
Event:	Embryonic Devourment

Grammy-award winning hard rockers Slipknot announced today their first U.S. headline tour in support of their #1 album "All Hope Is Gone". The tour, which kicks off on January 23rd in St. Paul, MN, will hit 33 cities across the country, and include an historic stop at New York's Madison Square Garden, a first for the band. Coheed and Cambria and labelmates Trivium round out the bill.

Frontman Corey Taylor says of the trek, "2009 is the 10 year anniversary of the world's first taste of this band. To celebrate we are coming back out with a killer tour, a couple great bands and the same ferocity with which we attack life. We want all of our maggots to come and celebrate with us, because if it wasn't for you we wouldn't have been here for 10 years. Get ready for chaos!"

A special iTunes presale will start on December 3 and be open to those who took part in the band's digital album presale earlier this year. Internet presales via Ticketmaster, will commence on December 5, and the majority of dates will go on sale December 6th.

The "All Hope Is Gone World Tour" marks Slipknot's first headline run in America since the release of the album in August. The band is currently playing to sold out arenas on the other side of the globe; including stops in Russia, Japan, Australia, Europe and wrapping in the United Kingdom with three sold-out nights at London's Hammersmith Apollo.

Preceding "All Hope Is Gone"'s #1 debut, the band held the headline slot on this summer's sold-out inaugural Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival, which drew the biggest crowds to a metal festival since Slipknot played Ozzfest in 2004.

To celebrate the tour, Hard Drive, hosted by Lou Brutus will be airing a Slipknot "All Hope is Gone World Tour" Special from December 3rd-6th on radio stations all across the country. The special will feature exclusive live tracks from their current tour as well as candid interviews and other surprises.

The band has also launched a new website, http://www.allhopeisgone.com to coincide with the launch of the tour. All pre-sale and onsale information will be made available there.

The dates are as follows:

01/23/09 - Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, MN
01/24/09 - Sprint Center - Kansas City, MO
01/25/09 - Mid America Center - Council Bluffs, IA
01/27/09 - Alliant Energy Center Memorial Coliseum - Madison, WI
01/28/09 - Wells Fargo Arena - Des Moines, IA
01/30/09 - Allstate Arena - Rosemont, IL

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Source:	slipknot1.com
Band profile:	Slipknot
Event:	Slipknot + Trivium

Amon Amarth will be headlining a European tour next year alongside death metal legends Obituary. The "Full Of Hate" tour tour flyer] will also include Legion Of The Damned aswell as Keep Of Kalessin.

The tour dates are as follows:

05.03.2009 - NL - Heerhugowaard, Waerdse Tempel
06.03.2009 - DE - Erfurt, Stadtgarten
07.03.2009 - DE - Hamburg, Große Freiheit
08.03.2009 - BE - Antwerpen, Hof Ter Lo
09.03.2009 - UK - London, The Forum
10.03.2009 - FR - Paris, La Locomotive
11.03.2009 - DE - Köln, Palladium
12.03.2009 - DE - Saarbrücken, Garage
13.03.2009 - DE - Dessau, Hangar *
14.03.2009 - DE - München, Tonhalle *
16.03.2009 - DE - Stuttgart, LKA Longhorn
17.03.2009 - CH - Pratteln, Z7
18.03.2009 - IT - Bologna, Estragon
19.03.2009 - AT - Innsbruck, Hafen
20.03.2009 - AT - Linz, Posthof
21.03.2009 - AT - Wien, Gasometer
22.03.2009 - HR - Zagreb, Boogaloo
23.03.2009 - SI - Maribor, Stuk
24.03.2009 - CZ - Prague, Abaton
25.03.2009 - DE - Hannover, Capitol
26.03.2009 - DE - Berlin, Postbahnhof
27.03.2009 - DE - Lichtenfels, Stadthalle **
28.03.2009 - DE - Oberhausen, Turbinenhalle **
29.03.2009 - NL - Enschede, Atak

* with Equilibrium, Secrets Of The Moon
** with Equilibrium, Hail Of Bullets, Secrets Of The Moon

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Source:	sonicdice.com
Band profile:	Amon Amarth
Event:	Full Of Hate Tour

As posted by Nuclear Blast website:

The new Hammerfall album, which will be out on February 20th 2009, is called "No Sacrifice, No Victory". The cover, which can be viewed here, was made by Sam Didier and Thomas Ewerhard did all the layout of the record.

Tracklisting:

01. Any Means Necessary
02. Life Is No
03. Punish And Enslave
04. Legion
05. Between Two Worlds
06. Hallowed Be My Name
07. Something For The Ages
08. No Sacrifice, No Victory
09. Bring The Hammer Down
10. One Of A Kind
11. My Sharona

Official press photos haven been taken by Michael Johansson and Caroline Rosmark. The video for the first single Any Means Necessary will be shot in Belgrad next week. The band will be doing a headlining tour early 2009, supported by Sabaton and Bullet. You can check all tour dates at the band's info.

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Source:	nuclearblast.de
Band profile:	HammerFall

Elis have posted the following statement about the new upcoming album:

"We decided that the new Elis record will be named "Catharsis". We were discussing a lot about what fits best to the stories the songs on our new album tell, and we hat a lot of different options, some of them really quite funny, but when we finally came to the name "Catharsis" it was clear that this says it with one word.

Vocalist Sandra Schleret comments: "Some time ago, shortly before I joined Elis, I had to go through a very hard time, physical wise the hardest experience in my life. I was fighting against a severe disease, and while my body was struggling I felt my soul started to go it's own way. I came to new insights, and started to develop a very intense strength, like I never would have imagined I would be able to, but which was really essential for me at that time. I was taken out of the "real life" for about half a year, and felt like an onlooker, not participating in the real world. With the stories I tell on "Catharsis" I am kind of digesting this period in my life, sharing my feelings, fears and also the things I saw as an "outcast" watching the world. The word. "Catharsis" has some different meanings, but for me it represents "the healing of the soul by going through tragedy". As I see it now, to see how magic life can be I also had to experience it's dark side..."

The new album is planned for an early 2009 via Napalm Records. "Catharsis" was recorded at Mastersound Studio in Germany with producer Alex Krull (Atrocity, Leaves' Eyes) and marks the band's first full-length recording with new singer Sandra Schleret, who joined the band in December 2006.

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Source:	elis.li
Band profile:	Elis

Earache Records press release

Ol Drake, lead guitarist of UK thrashers Evile fractured his jaw last night (Wednesday November 19) after the band's show in Rotterdam, Netherlands supporting Satyricon.

Evile frontman Matt Drake comments: "Ol collapsed last night and fractured his jaw and split his chin on the ground. Luckily his beard absorbed some of the blow. He's been in hospital and had X-rays and been stitched up, but he's unable to play - he can't really move - he's a mess. Ol doesn't drink, it seems to be some medical problem that's being investigated. They did an ECG and we're awaiting results. Unfortunately we're having to pull out of the tour to get home to the UK where Ol can recuperate and have some follow-up tests.

We apologise to all our fans and to anyone planning to see us at the shows. As you can imagine we're devastated we can't play, but Ol's health comes first and that's currently our priority. We will update our fans through the MySpace with news when we're back home. We won't be on any of the Satyricon tour from today."

Evile plan to resume touring duties in 2009. Keep up-to-date with news on Ol Drake's condition by checking for updates on the band's MySpace page.

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Source:	earachenews.blogspot.com
Band profile:	Evile
Event:	Satyricon: European Tour

Samael will embark on the "Solar Soul Balkans Tour 2009" in January/February (after the Winterfest 2009 European Tour with Deicide and Vader). The trek will consist of 14 shows and will include support from Norway's Keep Of Kalessin and Slovenia's Noctiferia.

The dates are as follows:

Jan. 24 - Lodz, Poland - Dekompresja
Jan. 25 - Kraków, Poland - Loch Ness
Jan. 26 - Budapest, Hungary - Diesel
Jan. 27 - Cluj Napoca, Romania - Irish & Music
Jan. 28 - Bucarest, Romania - Preoteasa Hall
Jan. 29 - Burgas, Bulgaria - Sport Hall Izgrev
Jan. 30 - Istanbul, Turkey -
Jan. 31 - Sofia, Bulgaria - Blue Box
Feb. 01 - Thessaloniki, Greece - Mylos
Feb. 02 - Athens, Greece - Texas Necropolis
Feb. 04 - Belgrade, Serbia - SKC
Feb. 05 - Zagreb, Croatia - Boogaloo
Feb. 06 - Nova Gorica, Slovenia - Mostovna
Feb. 07 - Prato n/Firenze, Italy - Siddharta

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Source:	samael.info
Band profile:	Samael
Event:	Solar Soul Balkans Tour 2009

Silentium has set their forthcoming album on prelisten. "Amortean" will be released on December 3rd in Finland. All the 9 songs are available for listening at the band's MySpace site.

The band's new album was recorded at a studio in central Finland with the multi-talented mainman of Waltari, Kärtsy Hatakka. The band previously said the following about the new material: "some major surprises reserved for loyal fans, who have been more than patient in the wait for the new album. All the Silentians agree that the new material is the most impressive up to date! Prepare yourselves for a massive music experience. This fall, Silentium will be back, more powerful than ever!"

"Amortean" cover art] tracklisting:

01. Leave The Fallen Behind
02. The Messenger
03. A Knife In The Back
04. The Fallen Ones With You Tonight
05. My Broken Angel
06. The Cradle Of Nameless
07. Storm Sight Solicitude
08. Embrace The Storm
09. La Fin du Monde

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Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Silentium

Opeth have announced new South American/Mexican tour dates. The band commented as follows: "We receive a lot of mail from you guys in South America and now we can announce that Opeth will come to South America in 2009! During March and April Opeth we will appear in Mexico City, Bogota, Santiago de Chile, Buenos Aires and Sao Paolo."

Mar. 28 - Monterrey, Mexico - Café Iguana
Mar. 29 - México City, Mexico - Circo Volador
Apr. 01 - Bogota, Colombia - Teatro Metro
Apr. 03 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - The End
Apr. 04 - Santiago, Chile - Teatro Caupolicán
Apr. 05 - São Paulo, Brazil - Santana Hall

Source:	opeth.com
Band profile:	Opeth
Event:	Opeth