According to a statement sent to the Blabbermouth website:

"It has been rumored that Gaahl and King have disbanded God Seed. However, this is not the case. Gaahl has chosen to retire from metal music. It should not be assumed that this decision has anything to do with Gaahl and King's working relationship. Gaahl has made this decision for his own personal artistic reasons."

King states: "There is no drama and there is no bad blood between us; Gaahl just wants a break from metal. God Seed will be frozen and I'm prepared to pick it up again when the time is right. Meanwhile, I will focus on other musical projects."

Source:

roadrunnerrecords.com

After almost 10 years, Maurizio "The Forger" Bugin has left DoomSword for personal reasons.

The band commented: "We are glad that our friendship and brotherhood is still intact and strong, although taking different paths. We in DoomSword thank The Forger from the bottom of our hearts for many years of friendship, fun, plundering and pillage, and we wish him the best of luck with his future."

There are no news about replacement, as the band continues to work for their fifth album.

Source:	dsforge.net
Band profile:	DoomSword

German metallers Destruction are set to release their new double live album, entitled "The Curse Of The Antichrist - Live In Agony", on September 25th via AFM Records. The live version of the track "The Butcher Strikes Back" is currently streaming on the band's official MySpace page.

"The Curse Of The Antichrist - Live In Agony" cover art] tracklist:

01. The Butcher Strikes Back
02. Curse The Gods
03. Mad Butcher
04. The Alliance Of Hellhoundz
05. D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N.
06. Eternal Ban
07. Urge The Greed Of Gain
08. Thrash Till Death
09. Metal Discharge
10. The Damned
11. Cracked Brain
12. Soulcollector
13. Death Trap
14. Unconscious Ruins
15. Life Without Sense
16. The 7 Deadly Sins
17. The Antichrist
18. Thrash Till Death
19. Reject Emotions
20. Total Desaster
21. Bestial Invasion

Read more ››

Source:	destruction.de
Band profile:	Destruction

GameDaily.com has revealed the complete tracklisting for the Brütal Legend video game, which will be available for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, on October 13 in North America and on October 16 in Europe.

"This soundtrack took years to put together as we wanted to represent every genre of Metal, and also have the perfect music for every epic moment in the game," says Tim Schafer, President of Double Fine Productions development studio. "It's designed to be loved by Metal fans, and for those who are not, it will either convert them or make their heads explode... or both."

"What can I say?," Emily Ridgeway Brütal Legend's music director adds. "It's metal. It's the best. It'll kick your f***ing teeth in."

According to a press release, Brütal Legend is the new heavy-metal themed action game, starring the voice of actor Jack Black. Brütal Legend tries to bring the funny along with a third-person action game will have you pulling off the proverbial kitchen sink of video game antics.

Brütal Legend tells the tale of Eddie Riggs, played by Jack Black, who is drawn back through time to a mythical world immersed in Rock and Roll folklore; where great Metal titans once ruled and power chords rang from the countryside for all to hear. When an oppressed people request Eddie's knowledge of modern warfare, he pulls from his own experience in the only occupation he's ever had, a roadie for a Heavy Metal band. From this springs the most hellacious army man has ever seen, and thus brings this ancient world into the Age of Metal.

More info about the game at this location and at http://www.brutallegend.com.

GameDaily is pleased to bring you the exclusive official setlist for Brütal Legend:

3 Inches of Blood - Deadly Sinners
3 Inches of Blood - Destroy The Orcs
Accept - Fast As A Shark
Angel Witch - Angel Witch
Anthrax - Metal Thrashing Mad
Anvil - March of the Crabs
Anvil - Tag Team
Apostasy - Sulphur Injection
Bishop of Hexen - A Serpentine Grave
Bishop of Hexen - The Somber Grounds of Truth
Black Sabbath - Children of the Grave
Black Sabbath - Symptom of the Universe
Black Sabbath - Never Say Die
Brocas Helm - Cry of the Banshee
Brocas Helm - Drink the Blood of the Priest
Budgie - Breadfan
Budgie - Zoom Club
Candlemass - Witches
Carcass - No Love Lost
Cloven Hoof - Nightstalker
Children of Bodom - Angels Don't Kill
Coroner - Skeleton on your Shoulder
Cradle of Filth - Her Ghost in the Fog

Read more ››

Source:

gamedaily.com

Devils Of Rome, the new Minneapolis, Minnesota-based band featuring members of Black Flood Diesel, have posted two songs ?"Real Life" and "Human Nature" ? on the group's official MySpace page. The two songs are also available for free download via the group's website.

Formed last year, the group says, "We have been working on about eighteen songs and we are very excited to get this new music out. It gives us a chance to reconnect with fans of Black Flood Diesel and show them what we have been developing with this new entity, Devils Of Rome."

Devils Of Rome will be making their live debut in Minneapolis soon and will be giving away 100 CDs of the 2 song sampler for the first attendees of Black Flood Diesel's show at the Cabooze in Minneapolis on Friday, August 7th.

Devils Of Rome are currently looking for a drummer.

Devils Of Rome line up:

Raymond Breed - Guitar and Programming
Greg Moog - Vocals
Kerry Dalton Hanson - Bass and Programming

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Source:

myspace.com

Italian thrash/death metallers Fomento signed with Coroner Records for the release of their debut album entitled "Either Caesars Or Nothing". The album, presented as a no-frills hardcore and straight-to-your-face metal slaughter, is a metaphor of how after thousands of years man still makes the same sad mistakes. The album will be released in October by Coroner Records.

A preview of the new tracks can be heard at the official Fomento MySpace or at Coroner Records MySpace.

For more information about the band click here.

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Source:

coronerrecords.net

UK metallers Pantheist have issued the following update on their MySpace blog:

"Greetings from the English summer of doom. Since the constant weather fluctuations, incessant rain followed by brief spells of sun and then dark clouds etc don't give us much opportunity to enjoy the summer (in a most un-doomly way), we decided to sit behind our laptop instead and give you a small update about what has been going on in our camp lately.

I have been informed today by Rami that the "O Solitude" reissue has been finally sent for printing, and it will be available in a few weeks time. This critically acclaimed (so I've been told, I'm not making this up) debut album will feature stunning new artwork with cold natural landscapes (literally, as the photographs have been taken at the Black Park near Slough under freezing weather conditions) from our in-house artist, Cheryl Pinnock. We will notify you when this long out-of-print album is again available for ordering.

We are also excited to announce our first gig in Poland at the third edition of the Brania Fest on the 31st October. This gig has been set up by our friends the Polish ancient doomsters from Gallileous. It will be combined with a second gig in the Czech Republic (Karvina) set up by another legendary band, Dissolving Of Prodigy (whoever hasn't checked our their first two albums doesn't know enough about doom death). In return, we are planning a gig in London at some point early next year featuring special guests Gallileous and possibly also Dissolving Of Prodigy. More news about that soon. Also finally, for our friends up north, we will play at The Witchwood in Ashton-Under-Lyne again on the 6th of February next year. We promise a very special gig with tons of atmosphere."

Read more ››

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Pantheïst

...In Deviltry - the new band of ex-Theatre Of Tragedy guitarist Tommy Lindal - has issued the following update:

After months of searching and testing to find the "perfect" member, it is with great pleasure that we now can anounce that ...In Deviltry is complete and has started working and writing their own material. "It's been a very long, hard and confusing prosess, but we now feel very comfortable with our full lineup, says mainman Tommy Lindal. I really was loosing my hope to find the right people, but in the last stage of testing, something happened. During the test, everybody was playing, banging and the singing was perfect, the chemistry between everybody was united. This was it, this moment is what I've been waiting for all these months".

The full line up for the band is:

Larisse Katarine - Vocals
Filipe Santos - Vocals
Tommy Lindal - Guitars
David Cantidio - Guitars
Raul Damasceno - Bass
Lourran Antonio - Keyboard
Marcelo Costa - Drums

About two vocals, Tommy explains that the main vocal will be Larisse Katarine, but as the contrast in our music, the male vocals will be an important issue. ...In Deviltry will not be a typical "Beauty and the Beast" band, but will place male vocals strategicaly in some of our songs. A name that probably will be noticed out there, is our drummer Marcelo who is currently playing for the grindcore metaller's "Expose Your Hate" from Natal, RN. He's an exellent drummer and convinced us all that his skills is needed in the band. The sound is yet to be set, but to give you an idea, it will be melodic, obscure, heavy, psycotic with classical elements. The first liveshows and recordings will hopefully appear at the end of this year."

...In Deviltry was formed in august 2008 by Tommy Lindal in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Tommy were one of the founders of the Norwegian band Theatre Of Tragedy in 1993. More info here.

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Source:

myspace.com

Metal Blade Records press release

The Gates Of Slumber has completed work on its new studio album, "Hymns Of Blood & Thunder". The album is slated to drop in North America on September 13, 2009 via Rise Above Records.

The band's hotly anticipated new album, "Hymns of Blood & Thunder", drops on the heels of the brightest and busiest year in the respected power trio's history; one that saw The Gates Of Slumber pack clubs during its first U.S. headlining tour and land atop many year-end media polls with "Conqueror", an album that was hailed as "a breath of fresh air within the doom/true metal underground." The record placed at the #5 position in Decibel's "Top 40 Albums of 2008" and made Village Voice Media's "Top 10 Metal Albums of 2008", joining an impressive list of some of the genre's finest including AC/DC, Judas Priest and Metallica.

Recorded in Chicago's Semaphore Studios with producer Sanford Parker (Nachtmystium, Pelican), The Gates Of Slumber unleashes its holy grail in the formidable "Hymns of Blood & Thunder". A mighty document of both powerful songwriting and instrumental skull-crushing, the album is heavy and chillingly bleak; in an almost unrelenting way that hasn't been heard since Judas Priest's heyday ("Sad Wings of Destiny", "Sin After Sin", etc.). Displaying a powerful focus and direction and demonstrating a very compelling emotional range, The Gates Of Slumber have upped its levels of both technique and melody, resulting in an album that is at once frighteningly dark in its effect, tight in its grooves and unrivaled in its sheer power.

"Just prior to the band's 2008 U.S. headlining tour, I started working on songs for the new record with the goal in mind that it had to be a step forward for us compositionally as well as production wise," The Gates Of Slumber front man/guitarist Karl Simon remarks. "I knew that I personally wanted to work on more integrated and composed solos to allow for different sides of me to come out - sides that are more influenced by Judas Priest and Scorpions, rather than the flurries of hammer-ons that I owe to Tony Iommi and Wino. The songs are more aggressive, more riff-y this time, but they also retain the musical elements that we've explored over the last couple of records. Lyrically it's a continuation of our obsession with war, and death and the fantasy worlds where those things are all so common and cool."

Read more ››

Source:	metalblade.com
Band profile:	The Gates Of Slumber

Sad news in the Belgian newspapers today. Dietrich Hectors, a 29-year old Belgian metalhead (and a doctor of engineering) killed himself last Friday because he was suffering from a severe form of tinnitus and hyperacusis. Tinnitus is an incurable condition, where the ear is permanently damaged, resulting in an over-sensitivity to certain frequency ranges of sound. Despite taking some sort of medication, in the end, every single sound hurted his ears, especially his own voice. "This disease controls my life: every word hurts."

His ears got damaged permanently after a Sepultura concert in 1996. From then on, he used ear plugs for almost every loud activity. After a rehearsel with his metal band - where he forgot his plugs because he was in a hurry - his condition got worse. Eventually, Dietrich Hectors was forced to quit the band in 2003. He also gave up most of his social life - avoiding pubs etc. - locking himself up in total loneliness and silence. After visiting a small, local music festival in 2006, he took off his ear plugs, just when people started firing fireworks right next to him. When he got his plugs back in, already a few explosions had passed. The next few days, his ears started hurting like never before.

In his goodbye letter, Hectors wrote: "For the first time in my life, the ringing noise in my ears is totally unbearable. It goes beyond anything. Despite the heavier medication, EVERYTHING is hurting my ears, especially my own voice. I can no longer communicate - just when I really needed to talk with the people around me the most. A hundred times, I tried to fight back, kept myself in silence, involved in antisocial behaviour - waiting for some sort of improvement. But there is a line somewhere. That line is reached. Please respect my choice, my life has become a living hell."

He also added he now regrets his switch in musical preferences from hard-rock to heavy metal...

Dutch-speaking people can read the whole letter at this location.

May you rest in Peace and Silence, Dietrich.

Read more ››

Source:

gva.be

Norwegian schizo metallers Atrox have uploaded a previously unreleased track on their official website and MySpace page. The song is called "Den Store Hvite Stillhet", which means "The Big White Silence" in Norwegian. It is inspired by polar explorer Roald Amundsen. An outtake from the "Binocular" recording sessions, "Den Store Hvite Stillhet" did not make the final cut for the album.

In other news, guitarist Rune Sørgård will not be joining the band for the upcoming gigs, since he will soon become a father. He will be replaced on those shows by Trond Engum from The 3rd And The Mortal, who will step in as a live session guitarist.

Read more ››

Source:	season-of-mist.com
Band profile:	Atrox

Queensrÿche's touching ballad "Home Again" from their latest album "American Soldier" has really struck a chord with the military community and now the band wants your help making a video. Queensrÿche is asking members of the Military to submit pictures of themselves with their families to be featured in the upcoming music video for the song "Home Again."

Photos can be uploaded to http://americansoldieralbum.com/homeagain from 7/14/09 - 7/27/09. One Grand prize winner will be seIected at random from all eligible entries. No purchase necessary. The Grand prize winner will receive an ESP LTD Michael Wilton Signature Series Guitar, autographed by Queensrÿche.

About "Home Again": like all the songs on "American Soldier", "Home Again" is based on a real soldier's story as told to singer Geoff Tate. The song features a rare duet between Geoff and his 11-year-old daughter Emily and examines the emotional toll of war from two perspectives - Geoff singing from the soldier's point of view and his daughter singing from that of the child left behind.

Says Geoff Tate: "This song is inspired by a series of letters between a soldier and his young daughter back at home. He was laughing about how he thought it was really cute to him that in the letters, they were both saying the same things and even using the same terminology. There is a lot of emotion attached to this song. The whole idea of separation between loved ones is one of my favorite topics, perhaps because I live and breathe it being away from my kids and my wife while touring. You miss them so much, and it's like you live two separate lives. When you're a soldier and you're away, it's very difficult to bridge those two worlds."

Read more ››

Source:	queensryche.com
Band profile:	Queensrÿche

Finnish metallers Noumena have issued the following update:

"No news from the Noumena camp since the dawn of modern time! Now, we are going to change this thing once and for all.

We have had a slow-motion period going on for some time. Things will change as we enter frantic rehearsing and composing stage. There are a couple of new Noumena songs written already, but we need more. Just to show Noumena is alive and kicking, please visit Noumena MySpace and get familiar with a demo version of a brand new song called "Sleep". The song also introduces a stunning new voice in Noumena soundscape. Female vocalist Suvi Uura will give you some shivers...

At the moment we don't have a record deal with any label. No need to mention, but our goal is to get one and release a convincing album in future!

We might play some gigs in Finland later this year or in the beginning of 2010. Let's see. Nothing is certain, but we shall continue our journey as stubbornly as the previous 11 years.

By the way, in Spotify you can find our latest album "Anatomy of Life" and the digital EP "Triumph and Loss". Now all you foreign fans can enjoy that release.

We want to thank you, our dear fans, for couraging words and correspondence. We won't let you down!"

Read more ››

Source:	noumena.info
Band profile:	Noumena

The band has uploaded a new song titled "Atlantis" from their upcoming album to their myspace page. Also the following message has been posted on the Ascendance Records blog:

"Ascendance Records are proud to announce the release of the début album from Whyzdom entitled "From The Brink Of Infinity" on the 21st September.

Go here to see the album cover.

Think of a huge orchestra and a massive symphonic choir intertwined with powerful riffs and enchanting melodies from a clear and passionate feminine voice, and you'll get an idea of what Whyzdom have managed to create. Their classical influences ranging from the romantic to the contemporary period, as well as the appealing melodies that drive the songs, make their sound utterly unmistakeable in an ever growing scene.

The project was founded by the guitarist and orchestrator Vynce Leff in early 2007, already well known in the progressive sphere having produced several successful albums for the British label Cyclops Records. It is fronted by Telya Melane, a singer and actress, fond of metal, classical music and theatre. The other members Regis Morin, Tristan Demurger, Nicolas Chaumeaux and Marc Ruhlmann joined soon after and a first EP '"Daughter Of The Night" was recorded less than 6 months from the band's inception. It got instant acclaim from reviewers and music fans around the world, as well as several awards and plaudits (Best French Band 2008 - Metalsymphonique.com, Best EP - HeavyLaw.com, etc).
Go here for the Metal Storm review of "Daughter Of The Night".

Although still a young band, Whyzdom were invited to play in several festivals in France - most of the time as headliner - and won the Metal Female Voices Fest Contest in Belgium in October 2008. They will play in the 7th edition of this great Festival (17/10/2009) to launch their début album.

Lyrically "From The Brink Of Infinity" is an attempt to explore the feelings of human beings when confronted with the mystery of life and death. The album deals with the fear of crossing the line between the finite lapse of life and the infinity of death. Different characters, having come very close to that line, express themselves in the songs through Telya's voice, to tell their story as a form of catharsis.

It's a very strong album from a new band that has an unmistakable well of experience to draw upon within their ranks. Bombastic, ambitious and epic, Whyzdom have already made their indelible mark on the scene!

Read more ››

Source:	ascendancerecords.com
Band profile:	Whyzdom

The ninth Gorgoroth album, "Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt", has now been completed. The album was recorded in Tomas Asklund's Monolith Studio, and features Infernus on guitars, Frank Watkins (Obituary) on bass, Pest on vocals and Tomas Asklund on drums. Since Infernus wrote all the music for the album and extensive rehearsals and a pre-recording had also been made before second guitarist Tormentor re-joined the band last year, it was decided that it would be more convenient for Infernus to record all the guitars on the album. The album is produced by Infernus and co-produced/engineered by Tomas Asklund. It will be mastered at Cutting Room Studios in Stockholm in July. It will be released in Europe by Regain Records on October 21st and in the US on November 11th.

"Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt" tentative tracklisting:

01. Introibo ad Alatare Satanas
02. Aneuthanasia
03. Building a Man
04. Prayer
05. Rebirth
06. Cleansing Fire
07. New Breed
08. Human Sacrifice
09. Satan-Prometheus

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Source:	gorgoroth.info
Band profile:	Gorgoroth