Hammerfall are entering Andy La Rocque's (King Diamond) Sonic Train Studios in Varberg, Sweden today to continue recording their eighth full-length album. The record is planned to be released on February, 20th, 2009 and will include an instrumental written by the group's latest addition, guitarist Pontus Norgren (The Poodles, Talisman, Great King Rat), and a song entitled One Of A Kind, which was written as a collaboration between Hammerfall guitarist Oscar Dronjak and In Flames axeman Jesper Strömblad (who was a member of Hammerfall in the band's earliest incarnation).'

Source:	nuclearblast.de
Band profile:	HammerFall

Amorphis have posted the following update:

"As announced earlier, Amorphis will embark on a North American tour in September. Esa Holopainen elaborates: "This is our first tour in this region with our latest album, "Silent Waters". Tickets are selling well so you can only be happy. We picked Samael, Leaves' Eyes and Virgin Black as support acts because we know the guys and this kind of musical combination offers something for everyone." The tour kicks off on ProgPower USA IX in Atlanta on September 26. All tour dates can be found here.

In November Amorphis will enter Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki to record a follow-up to their highly acclaimed "Eclipse" and "Silent Waters" albums. The band has received gold records for both albums in their native Finland. Esa reveals: "We have been working really hard on new material and the new record should be out sometime next spring. The new material will again be very epic."

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Source:	amorphis.net
Band profile:	Amorphis

Last week, Blood Tsunami announced the following:

"So, it's that time again; studio time. We are happy to announce that Blood Tsunami will once again enter Lion Heart Studios in Oslo during the bigger parts of the 2008 autumn to record our sophomore album, the follow up to 2007's "Thrash Metal".

This time around, the material is faster, darker and heavier than before. We have even added some slower parts, but still with the melodic twist to it all. A total of 7 tracks constituting approxemately 45 minutes of music will be recorded and song titles includes: "Castle of Skulls", "Grand Feast for Vultures", "Personal Exorcism", "Nothing but Contempt", "Laid to Waste", "Eceladus Rising", "One Step Closer to the Grave".

We will produce the album ourselves but Andre Cosmo Søgnen will partly help us out as a co-producer. Once again, the cover will consists of a painting made by the skilled Alex Horley. Blood Tsunami are on a mission to reclaim the painting as the cover artwork.

Blood Tsunami is still Pete (guitar/vocals), Dor (guitar), Bosse (bass/backing vocals) and Faust (drums). We are happy to have a line-up that proves stable and strong and the four of us is really excited to work together in the studio again.

The new album will be released by Candlelight/Nocturnal Art Productions during the first half of 2009."

Source:	candlelightrecords.co.uk
Band profile:	Blood Tsunami

Månegarm have issued the following update:

"On Monday 1st september we will enter Studio underground in Västerås (Sweden) for three weeks to record our 6th fullength album. The album will be named "Nattväsen", Nightcreatures. Some new song titles are: "I den svartaste jord", "Bergagasten" and "Vetramegin".

We will keep you updated of what is going on with reports from the studio here on MySpace. We will also launch a 3 part videoreport between the end of the recordings and the release date. This videoreport will start from the development in the rehersal place and until the album is completed. So if you not already have, make sure to subscribe to our official Youtube site.

This new album will be released on a yet unannounced new major record lable. Be prepared for the strongest release in the history of Månegarm."

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Source:	blog.myspace.com
Band profile:	Månegarm

According to their record company AFM Records' official website:

"The guys from Shakra will enter the Swiss Powerride Studios in the beginning of September to start with the recordings of their new album. The working title of the new album will be "Everest". All bass tracks will be recorded by the new Shakra bass player Dominik Pfister".

Source:	afm-records.de
Band profile:	Shakra

Norwegian metallers Gorgoroth have posted the following update:

"Gorgoroth will enter the studio in their home town of Bergen, Norway on August 25, 2008. Eight new tracks composed by King will be recorded for an as yet untitled new album. Along with Gaahl, King and Frost on drums, the full recording line up will include Teloch and Ice Dale . Enslaved's Herbrand Larsen will once again produce Gorgoroth in the studio."

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Source:	gorgoroth.org
Band profile:	Gorgoroth

Dark Funeral's guitarist Lord Ahriman has posted the following MySpace blog today:

"So, finally it's time... On Monday Aug 18, Chaq Mol and I will enter the studio together with producer Örjan Örnkloo (Misery Loves CO) to begin the songwriting process of a new, yet untitled full-length album.

Exactly how long it will take is hard to say, but the plan is to be done with a pre-production within the next 3-4 weeks. We already have quite some material written so I feel that we are as pre-prepared as we can be at this stage.

We will only work in the studio during the weekdays. So every weekend when we're home we'll post a studio report to keep you updated. Anyway, time to get busy. Talk to you in about a week again."

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Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Dark Funeral

Florida Black Metal band Kult ov Azazel have updated their website with the following message:

"We were originally asked and prepared to do the Horna tour that many have been emailing about. There have been numerous bulletins and news sources on the internet stating we are on the tour. However, this is not the case.

We had to reschedule our studio time from August to October. We are now entering Mana Studio in Tampa, FL to record the next album titled "Destroying The Sacred" from October 28 thru November 11.

This not only put an end to us doing the Horna tour but also a few one offs that we had been offered. Rest assure, once the new album is recorded we will turn our focus to touring/regional shows and destroying all with force!"

Songs set to appear on "Destroying The Sacred" are as follows: "Prelude To Holocaust", "The Plagues Of Mankind", "Slaughter The Prophet", "I Am The Devil", "Sacrilege: Destroying The Sacred, Gutting Religious Heritage, Conquer & Annihilate" and "The Lucifer Principal".

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Source:	kultovazazel.com
Band profile:	Kult Ov Azazel

As posted on the band's official website:

"We enter Castle Ultimate Studios in Oakland, CA tomorrow to start working on our fourth Metal Blade full length! We'll be doing the drums with the mighty Zach Ohren (All Shall Perish, Decrepit Birth) and then over to Sharkbite studios to record the rest and mix with our man Billy Anderson. This is going to be devastating, we promise. The new material is over the top. The lyrics, as hateful as "Karma.Bloody.Karma" but much more disgusting this time around.

We'll be announcing the name of the album, song titles and cover art when we have completed the recording! Details on that, studio reports and fly on the wall footage in the studio coming soon!"

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Source:	cattledecapitation.com
Band profile:	Cattle Decapitation

Century Media has issued the following update:

"After finishing their highly successful European tour with Suffocation and label mates Warbringer (a tour report/interview with Mitch Harris can now be watched here), British grindcore legend Napalm Death now has entered the studio to record the highly anticipated follow-up to 2006's "Smear Campaign".

Vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway provides more info:
"As always, when trying to decide when we should enter the studio, we threw a dart at a dartboard and, sadly, for all our sanities sakes, it landed on a date which was sooner rather than later. It's all working out good with about 10-12 songs complete thus far. It will be intense, naturally, and like always we'll be looking to move things along a notch production-wise and stylistically. Conceptually, it will, generally speaking, be a tale of analyzing life and stripping it back to the point where I'm asking the question: why are we killing ourselves to get ahead and not appreciating the real simplistic, beautiful things around us. If that sounds hippy-ish, I don't care ha ha. Cheers all!"

Napalm Death will interrupt their studio work only for a few festival shows this summer and will keep you updated on the recording process."

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Source:	www2.centurymedia.com
Band profile:	Napalm Death

The song "Hatelove" from the new Poisonblack album has just been posted at the official MySpace page.

Furthermore, you can now watch part two of a studio report, allowing further insights into very Finnish recording sessions. "Dead Heavy Sessions - Part II": watch it here.

The new Poisonblack album "A Dead Heavy Day" will be released via Century Media Records on the following dates:

27.08 - Finland
29.08 - Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, Italy
01.09 - UK, France, Greece, Denmark, Norway, rest of Europe
02.09 - Spain, Portugal
03.09 - Sweden, Hungary

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Source:	www2.centurymedia.com
Band profile:	Poisonblack

Finland's Celesty have posted the following update on the band's official site :

"It's only two weeks and then starts Celesty's 4th album recordings and this time with Samu Oittinen in Fantom Studio. It's the third time when we do the album with Samu and the whole band is very exited to work again with him. We have done lots of work during this year with our new songs and it's going to be most challenging album in Celesty's history ever.

Upcoming album will be wider than ever before including the booklet. All the main characters will be introduced with pictures and there also will be an updated map of "The Land Of The Cryon", so album contains more visual theme than earlier. ToxicAngel will design the album cover. Because of the cover idea and Toxic's style I'm sure it's going to be an elegant cover "

Source:	celesty.net
Band profile:	Celesty

Norwegian Power metallers Gaia Epicus have been generous enough to post a video of studio footage "from the recordings of the new album "Damnation" cover art], which is due out sometime this fall."
More info on the new album here.

The video is also available on their official website and their MySpace page.

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Source:	gaia-epicus.com
Band profile:	Gaia Epicus

To/Die/For have posted the following update:

"One of the newest TDF song is named "Johnny The Vampire", it is parody about a gothic boy. Is it going to be on TDF's next album? Who knows? Let's see.
TDF will hit the studio between the 8th and 11th in July. Recording demos. In July you can hear some samples here at TDF MySpace. Next album will include a cover song of course. It could be a song from the lords of the new church, or from Duran Duran."

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Source:	blog.myspace.com
Band profile:	To/Die/For

Norwegian metallers Sirenia have issued the following update:

"These days we are going through the final preparations for our next album. The songs are all finished and recordings will start in July. The album will be recorded in Sound Suite Studios, France and Stargoth Studios, Norway. The mixing and mastering will take place in Antfarm Studios, Denmark with Tue Madsen. We are really excited about this new album and can't wait to share the new songmaterial with all of you. The album will be complete in September, expect release early next year. We will keep you posted."

Source:	mortenveland.com
Band profile:	Sirenia