Still holding the flame, metal vets Queensrÿche stopped by MP3.com to play an acoustic set.

In a career that has spanned nearly three decades, Queensrÿche has released 20 albums and toured relentlessly. In doing so, it has been a long-time favorite of both headbangers and fans of more operatic music.

Some people might know this band only from its biggest chart hit "Silent Lucidity," but Queensrÿche was around long before that and shows no sign of slowing down. Frontman Geoff Tate and company recently announced that a new album is in the works.

In San Francisco on yet another tour, the band stopped by MP3.com to play a short set, including "The Killing Words" from the 1986 album "Rage For Order", "Eyes Of A Stranger" from its 1988 breakthrough "Operation: Mindcrime", and "The Hands" from "Operation: Mindcrime II".

The quintet also threw in a cover of Crosby, Stills & Nash's "Almost Cut My Hair" from their 2007 covers album, "Take Cover".

Check out the live set at this location.

Read more ››

Source:	mp3.com
Band profile:	Queensrÿche

An expanded version of Antimatter's rarity compilation "Unreleased 98-03" is set to be released through Prophecy later in 2008. Mick Moss is already keen on this project and looking forward to its realisation: "The tentative title for this is "Alternative Matter", and if all goes well should be making progress in summer this year. The DVD which is supposed to be included should be fun to compile, there are loads of bits lying around, the more I looked, the more I found."

Additionally the successor of last year's highly acclaimed album "Leaving Eden" is already in the works. Mick Moss: "I have another album burning holes in my head, and this year I'll be slowly sifting through that and refining the songs and motifs in there. The theme this time is the question of sanity in people's actions, and also the things that are likely to drive you to distraction in the modern political and social climate. Once again it's a shade different from the previous album. There's a nice piece of artwork lined up for the release, which I should start recording either the end of 2008 or the start of 2009."

Source:

prophecyproductions.de

Frontman Nocturno Culto of Norwegian Black metallers Darkthrone has issued the following update:

"Darkthrone has completed four new songs for the new album, and will record a couple of new ones in a couple of weeks. Ah, and I have to tell you about the new box set from Darkthrone, "Frostland Tapes". It really came along better than I hoped, it's nice actually. Three discs, containing all demos, including "Land Of Frost" of course. Rare original rehearsal tape, "Goatlord", plus live from Denmark, drum solo by Fenriz (!) and so on. We can now, simultaneously grabbing our balls, say that after this box, we have no more 'rare' stuff to offer. "Frostland Tapes" is all of our early history. It's the right timing for it as well actually, since some clever fella has started Gylve Records to release a demo, to put it mildly, the man himself is not very pleased of this shit."

Source:	darkthrone.no
Band profile:	Darkthrone

Dutch metallers Epica have posted the following update on their website:

After having had a couple of weeks of rest we were very much hoping that Simone's situation would have improved already. Unfortunately the last MRSA test was still positive and also the infections still haven't stopped completely. We have the feeling Simone's health is improving but unfortunately not enough yet. We cannot risk the health of Simone and therefore, with pain in our hearts, we cannot come to Mexico and Colombia again. Also two of our three shows in the UK are cancelled for this reason. It's still impossible for Simone to make long trips. As you can imagine we feel really bad about this, especially since our Mexican/Colombian tour was already postponed once before, but we also hope you understand and respect our decision on this. You all have our word that we will come back as soon as possible to make up for all this. Unfortunately at this moment we just can't tell when this will be but we hope before the end of this year.

Read more ››

Source:	epica.nl
Band profile:	Epica
Event:	Epica: Mexican And Colombian Tour [CANCELLED]

Guitarist and vocalist Oddleif Stensland has written the following album update on the band's myspace page:

Finally, the mixing of the new album is done, and the master has been sent to our record company Nuclear Blast. Hopefully they will like what we have been working on, cause they have not a single clue on what this album contains, as they have not previewed any demos or anything prior to entering the studio, until the master drops on their office table. But we have tons of confident and this is some of the most insane work we have ever done. The guitar and drums sounds fantastic, and Tor-Atle is playing his best stuff ever, Erik's bass lines are more in your face than it has been before and my vocals has never been as varied as this before. We have no clue on what you guys out there will think of this new material, or what the magazines will have to say about it, but we know it will be hard to top the reviews and sound check positions from "Waves of Visual Decay", because they were so raving all over, so it will be exiting to follow the coming months of promotion.

We have also received a preview of the album artwork and it is simply amazing, and fits the theme and atmosphere that this album withholds, it will be shown here as soon as we are able to release it, along with the title of the album and the complete track list.

I have said earlier that the album would contain shorter songs but I guess that was a tiny lie, as most of the songs clocks in over 8 minutes. One on 7, one over 9, while two on 6. Well that's Communic I guess!

Source:	blog.myspace.com
Band profile:	Communic

Swedish death metallers Coldworker have posted updates about their forthcoming album on their website:

Coldworker's second album is entitled "Rotting Paradise" cover art] and will be released worldwide, tentatively, in May 2008. The album was recorded at four different locations and mixed and mastered at a fifth. The drums were recorded over a couple of days at Soundlab Studios. The guitars (all digital this time) were recorded at Johan from his Haven's house, while the bass was recorded at drummer Anders Jakobson's house and the vocals in Coldworker Studios. After all that, Dan Swanö mixed and mastered everything at his own Unisound Studios.

Rotting Paradise tracklist:

01. Reversing The Order
02. Citizens Of The Cyclopean Maze
03. Symptoms Of Sickness
04. The Black Dog Syndrome
05. Comatose State
06. Paradox Lost
07. The Last Bitter Twist
08. Seizures
09. The Machine
10. I Am The Doorway
11. Scare Tactics
12. Deliverance Of The Rejected
13. Necromancer

Two more songs were recorded during the session ("Cold World Paranoia", "Identify with the Aggressor") which will end up on a split 7" EP during the year. More info to come about that. Orion Landau from Relapse has done the album's artwork. The CD will be a six-panel digipack with a 12-panel booklet. The album will also be released on vinyl in a gatefold cover with a slightly different front image.

A sample track is available for streaming at this location

Read more ››

Source:	coldworker.com
Band profile:	Coldworker

Gojira have issued the following update on their MySpace page:

"Having completed more than 220 shows in order to promote the much acclaimed "From Mars To Sirius" album, Gojira are now about to finish up the writing of their much awaited new full length to be released in Autumn 2008. The band will lock themselves in the studio from April to June.
The new and yet untitled album will include all new original material and will be released by French label Monslip / Warner in France and Listenable Records and various licensors in other territories.

The band will immediatly embark on a series of major tours in Europe and throughout the U.S. right after the release. More infos soon."

Read more ››

Source:	blog.myspace.com
Band profile:	Gojira

The new EP of Circle II Circle - the band around the former Savatage singer Zak Stevens - will be released on March, 28. The name of the 4 track single will be "Every Last Thing" and it will include a non album track as well as a live video clip.
The full length studio album "Delusions Of Grandeur" will be released on April, 25. Besides the standard CD, AFM Records will release a limited version including bonus material as well as a limited picture vinyl.

Read more ››

Source:	afm-records.de
Band profile:	Circle II Circle

The video for the single "Blooddrunk" off Children Of Bodom's upcoming album has been posted online. The video can be viewed at this location.

The clip, which was produced by Katapult Filmproduktion, was shot in the former Nazi barracks in Krampnitz in the vicinity of Berlin, Germany, where the Russian army was stationed before the German reunion.

Another Children Of Bodom song entitled "Banned From Heaven" was already made available for streaming on the band's MySpace page.

Read more ››

Source:	myspacetv.com
Band profile:	Children Of Bodom

Canada's Voivod have posted the following update on their website:

"There remain 13 songs that Denis D'Amour (Piggy) had written with the band that have yet to be recorded. Michel Langevin (Away) and Denis Belanger (Snake) will track the last songs this spring bringing all the past and present members together to participate in a homage to the guitar legend of Piggy and the legacy of 25 years of a brotherhood forged by exploring metal, rock and punk ethics with an other worldly premise. Jean-Yves Theriault (Blacky) and Eric Forrest (E Force) have eagerly agreed to contribute bass tracks along with Jason Newsted (Jasonic). The End records and Nuclear Blast will release this final record once completed. Voivod may play select shows after the release as a thank you to the fans and to bring closure to a great career."

Guitarist Denis "Piggy" D'Amour lost the battle against colon cancer in August 2005.

Source:	voivod.net
Band profile:	Voivod

UK Metallers Venom have announced their album "Hell" is set for release in May 2008 through Universal.

Packed with 13 brand new malevolent tracks from the masters of Black Metal, Venom are now preparing to unleash this thunderous sequel to their 2006 "Metal Black" album. With song titles such as "Armageddon", "Straight To Hell", "Hand Of God", "USA For Satan", "The Power & The Glory", "Evil Perfection", "Kill The Music", and the title track "Hell".
The new album truly shows the power and intensity that is Venom, the trio of Cronos, Antton and Rage deliver the metal album of 2008.

Click here for more information.

Read more ››

Source:	venomslegions.com
Band profile:	Venom

German gothic metallers Flowing Tears have posted news on their upcoming album:

We can announce a major update on the upcoming studio album: after some very creative months, we're almost done with the songwriting. There are 12 songs so far, not sure if all of them will find their way to the album or if some new ones might come up at last minute, but we're close to the end of the writing mode. Studios are already booked and the production will start in May. A release is scheduled for autumn.

"We don't want to reveal too much about the material yet, but I can tell you it sounds much more atmospheric than we used to sound on our last few albums. Some of the songs have that certain mood that reminds me of what we did on albums like "Jade" or "Joy parade" while still having the power of the stuff from the "Razorbliss" era. Way less synths this time and way more guitars. There's heavy stuff, there's trippy stuff ? and there's some serious doomy stuff. Terribly pessimistic lyrics by the way

"There's no working title yet, but some of the songs that are finished so far are entitled 'Pain Has Taken Over', 'Words Before You Leave', 'Until The End' and 'For My Enemies'."

Read more ››

Source:	blog.myspace.com
Band profile:	Flowing Tears

US Thrashers Hirax have posted the following update:

"We have begun pre-production for the new Hirax album "El Rostro de la Muerte" cover art]. Song titles to date include "Baptized By Fire", "Death Militia", "Battle Of The North", and re-recorded versions of "Blind Faith" and "Broken Neck".

Expect more new songs and a lot of surprises. This will be our FASTEST and HEAVIEST album to date, with an emphasis on the technical playing, aggressive double bass drumming, and dual guitar attack! Massive guitar riffs, pounding bass guitar, the vocals - sharp, clear and up front! The production will be top notch with John Hadad back at the helm again. He also handled the duties for "Assassins Of War" and "Chaos And Brutality" EPs.

There will be a new Hirax DVD "Thrash And Destroy", including our entire performance at the Keep It True Festival 9 - November 2007. Six camera angle video shoot, high quality, professional audio and video. Wait til you see it!!!

That's it for now... I will keep you posted on more Hirax news very soon.

I would also like to thank ALL the metaleros in Mexico and Colombia for the great times we had recently playing there! We will see you again SOON!"

Read more ››

Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Hirax

New sound-clips from Jon Oliva's Pain's "Global Warning" are now up for your listening pleasure! Samples from the tracks "Before I Hang", "Adding The Cost", "Firefly", "Open Up Your Eyes" and "You Never Know" can be found at this location.

AFM Records is set to release Jon Oliva's Pain's "Global Warning" on March 8th and Circle II Circle's "Delusions Of Grandeur" on April 25th.

Read more ››

Source:	blog.myspace.com
Band profile:	Jon Oliva's Pain

Madder Mortem has posted this update on their website:

Some people have uttered their concern about our long period of public silence. We assure you all, that there's nothing to worry about! At the moment of writing, we're in the last stages of preparation before starting to record our newest compilation of Madder Madness onto disk. There are quite some things that needs to be settled, and that's partly the reason why things have been taking such a long time, but do not fear; we're absolutely still together as the band you all know, highly alive and kicking, so look forward to more news to come, as we get into the recording process, and a new Madder era starts to take shape!

Source:	maddermortem.com
Band profile:	Madder Mortem