Michael LePond, the Bassist from Power/Progressive band Symphony X has now been released from hospital. He was diagnosed with Crohn's disease which is a bowel disorder. The disorder hospitalised him, and the band was forced to cancel some European tours. He has made a recovery however, and he has now been released from hospital.

Here is a message from LePond on Symphony X's offical website:

"Hello to Everyone !!!
I want you all to know that I had my surgery and have been released from the hospital. I am feeling so much better now. I am eating normally and getting stronger with each passing day. I should be fully recovered in about 3 weeks. I want to thank all of the fans who sent get well wishes to me. I will read every single one of them. I will never forget how kind and caring you are. I love you all."

The band will now resume work on a new album, which will be due out toward the end of this year. They will also tour once the new album is released.

Source:	symphonyx.com
Band profile:	Symphony X

Dream Theater's latest live CD and DVD "SCORE" is currently scheduled for release on Aug 29th 2006 on Rhino Records. (Date may vary slightly in different countries)

The 3-CD and 2-DVD sets will be available seperately.

Both versions will contain the entire "20th Anniversary World Tour" grand finale recorded live at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 1st 2006. (nearly 3 hours of music - over 90 minutes of which was performed with a full orchestra)

The DVD will also contain a 1 hour Documentary tracking the entire career of the band from the very beginnings at the Berklee College Of Music in 1985 all the way to the Radio City Music Hall grand finale. Including rare never before seen footage and interviews with current and previous members of the band.

Also included on the DVD are several live Bonus Tracks from through the years taken from the Portnoy Archives.

Source:	dreamtheater.net
Band profile:	Dream Theater

Italy's Thy Majestie have posted the following message on their official web site:

"Just a quick note to inform you that Thy Majestie composed five new songs for the new album. Five killer songs, maybe the best stuff we have ever composed. At the moment, we don't know which record label will release the new album."

Source:	thymajestie.com
Band profile:	Thy Majestie

A ton of live videos from the recent Download Festival 2006 (from all 3 days) that took place at Donington in England have been made available online. You can check out the likes of Guns N' Roses, Metallica , Avenged Sevenfold, Korn, Soil, Alice In Chains, Strapping Young Lad, Arch Enemy, In Flames, 36 Crazyfists, Lordi and more at this location.

Read more ››

Source:

forums.downloadfestival.co.uk

Producer Joerg Uken started on the mix of God Dethroned's new album called, "The Toxic Touch" last week.

Song titles will include:

"Typhoid Mary", "On Wings of Pestilence", "Falling Down", "Away From Emptiness", "Hating Life", "Bleeding Mirrors", "Fail to Exist", "Macabre World" and "2014".

The artwork is being made as we speak by Jacek Wisniewski who also did the cover for God Dethroned's "Lair of the White Worm". The band have seen the first concepts of the artwork and have said that "it looks very promising". Mix and mastering should be finished before the end of June and the release is scheduled for October through Metal Blade Records.

Source:	goddethroned.com
Band profile:	God Dethroned

"Chaos Ridden Years - Stockholm Knockout Live" will be the title of this milestone release in Children Of Bodom's young, yet extensive career. The worldwide release date of this DVD is October 10, 2006. The release is estimated to contain over 3 hours of nonstop Children Of Bodom action. Containing a live concert, videos, and a rare documentary on the band from past to present; this DVD will be a must for all Children Of Bodom fans and guitar fans all around. Directed by Patric Ullaeus from Revolver Film Company, the DVD will mainly focus on a live concert in Stockholm:

*Intro
*Living Dead Beat
*Sixpounder
*Silent Night, Bodom Night
*Hate Me!
*We're Not Gonna Fall
*Angels Don't Kill
*Bodom After Midnight / Bodom Beach Terror - medley
*Follow the Reaper
*Needled 24/7
*In Your Face
*Hate Crew Deathroll
*Are You Dead Yet?
*Lake Bodom
*Everytime I Die
*Downfall
*Outro

The DVD will also contain every official Children Of Bodom video ever made.

Here's a list of the videos:

*Downfall
*Deadnight Warrior
*Everytime I Die
*Needled 24 / 7
*Trashed, Lost & Strungout
*Sixpounder
*In Your Face
*Are You Dead Yet? (original version and alternative version)

Finalizing the material on this super packed DVD will be 2 interviews/documentary-films about the band's past, present and future directed by Yka Jarvinen (Indie Films OY), a "making of the DVD", and photogallery.

Source:	smnnews.com
Band profile:	Children Of Bodom

Cryptopsy will be touring through Europe starting in August. Here are the gig dates:

11.08.06 - Party Sans Festival, Germany

12.08.06 - The Ghostfest, Leeds, UK
13.08.06 - Nottingham, UK @ RockCity
14.08.06 - Liverpool, UK @ Roadkill 350
15.08.06 - Cork, Ireland @ An Cruiscin Lan
16.08.06 - Dublin, Ireland @ Temple Music Bar
17.08.06 - Glasgow, UK @ Barfly
18.08.06 - Birmingham, UK @ Edward No. 8
19.08.06 - London, UK @ The Underworld
20.08.06 - Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2

22.08.06 - Bladel n/Eindhoven, HOL @ Pazzop
23.08.06 - Bremen, GER @ SchlachthofMagazinkeller
24.08.06 - GER @ tba
25.08.06 - Malmoe, SWE @ Molle 2
26.08.06 - Linkoping, SWE @ Skylten
27.08.06 - Stockholm, SWE @ Debaser
29.08.06 - Helsinki, FIN @ Nosturi
30.08.06 - Turku, FIN @ Klubi
31.08.06 - Jyvaskyla, FIN @ Lutakko
01.09.06 - Oulu, FIN @ Teatria
02.09.06 - Umea, SWE @ Midnight
03.09.06 - Gavle SWE @ Monster
04.09.06 - Oslo, NOR @ Betong
05.09.06 - Gotheborg, SWE @ Musikens Hus
06.09.06 - Aarhus, DEN @ Train
07.09.06 - Kolding, DEN @ Godset
08.09.06 - Roskilde, DEN @ Gimle
09.09.06 - Kopenhagen, DEN @ The Rock
10.09.06 - Leeuwarden, HOL @ Het Podium

Source:	cryptopsy.net
Band profile:	Cryptopsy

Norwegian progressive/power metal band Communic replace Exodus on the billing of this year's Bang Your Head!!! festival, set to take place June 23-24, 2006 in Balingen, Germany. Exodus previously dropped out of the billing due to a disagreement over the running order.

Source:	blabbermouth.net
Band profile:	Communic
Event:	Bang Your Head!!!

Andromeda will play at Noveau Casino in Paris on September 11th and the following day (September 12th) at the Spirit of 66 in Verviers in Belgium.

One more show added on September 2nd in Copenhagen at the Rock. Also appearing on the bill is Danish band Manticora.

Source:	andromedaonline.com
Band profile:	Andromeda

Green Carnation singer Kjetil Nordhus on 31 st May commented on what he promises will be the band's biggest concert in terms of location and exclusivity:

"People will have to wait for a couple of weeks still to get the whole story, but we are creating a concert so spectacular that it will be of international interest. The reason why I'm commenting this today, is because people might need time to plan their summer, not least if Norway is going to be included in their plans. This is also a service from the band to our foreign fans, so they could have the chance to purchase tickets for the gig before it's sold out. There will be a national press conference in Norway on the location of the concert on June 13th, but Green Carnation would like to give away some information already today:

- The gig is on Thursday the 3rd of August near Kristiansand, Norway, where we all live. It's going to be something we'll only do once, and I can promise this will be something people that are there will never forget. For more information about the show and how to purchase tickets, use the following email address: kjetil@greencarnation.no."

Source:	smnnews.com
Band profile:	Green Carnation

After 25 years of existence, the legendary German heavy metal band Grave Digger has signed a long-term deal with the Spanish record label Locomotive Records.

Commented Goyo Esteban, President of Locomotive Records: "We are very proud that a heavy metal legend like Grave Digger puts that much trust in us. After the presentation of the first demo songs of the new album it was clear that something really BIG will come up for us, and it was obvious that we will release this new milestone of classic metal on Locomotive Records."

On September 22, 2006, Locomotive Records will release a new Grave Digger single, "Yesterday". The single will be accompanied by a bonus DVD of the band's performance on Rock Machina Festival in 2001. The new Grave Digger album will follow on January 12, 2007, with a subsequent Grave Digger/Therion European co-headlining tour to take place between January 18 and February 17.

Source : BlabberMouth.Net

Source:	metal-temple.com
Band profile:	Grave Digger

The following message by Mike LePond has been delievered via newsletter:

"Hello to Everyone !!!
I want you all to know that I had my surgery and have been released from
the hospital. I am feeling so much better now. I am eating normally and
getting stronger with each passing day. I should be fully recovered in
about 3 weeks. I want to thank all of the fans who sent get well wishes
to me. I will read every single one of them. I will never forget how
kind and caring you are. I love you all.................

Mike L"

Source:	- Symphony X Newsletter -
Band profile:	Symphony X

Rabarock 2006 festival in Järvakandi have completed their lineup and have announced the time schedule. There are two stages on which bands play alternately: the Jäger Stage and ISIC Stage.

Friday, 9th June:
15:30 Slide-Fifty - ISIC Stage
16:30 Cleaning Women (FIN) - Jäger Stage
17:30 J.M.K.E - ISIC Stage
18:30 Suburban Tribe (FIN) - Jäger Stage
19:45 Brides In Bloom - ISIC Stage
20:45 Oomph! (GER) - Jäger Stage
22:15 No-Big-Silence - ISIC Stage
23:30 The Misfits (USA) - Jäger Stage

Saturday, 10th June:
13:00 Ultima Thule - ISIC Stage
14:00 Korpiklaani (FIN) - Jäger Stage
15:15 Rosta Aknad - ISIC Stage
16:15 Hardcore Superstar (SWE) - Jäger Stage
17:30 Onu Bella Band - ISIC Stage
18:45 Negative (FIN) - Jäger Stage
20:00 The Skreppers (FIN) - ISIC Stage
21:00 Kreator (GER) - Jäger Stage
22:30 Metsatöll - ISIC Stage
23:45 The Cooper Temple Clause (UK) - Jäger Stage

Source:	rabarock.ee
Event:	Rabarock 2006

Novembers Doom are scheduled to begin recording the follow-up to 2005's "The Pale Haunt Departure (on The End Records) on June 16th, 2006. Once again, the production team will consist of Chris Djuricic for tracking and Dan Swanö to mix the final recording. Mastering will again be handled by James Murphy.

In a statement about the upcoming studio work, the band says: "Consistency and quality are very important to us, to insure that anyone who was a fan of the previous CD, will once again be able to comfortably expect nothing less then a stellar production. Chris Djuricic, Dan Swanö and James Murphy were the perfect choice for "The Pale Haunt Departure" and the perfect compliment to Novembers Doom. We're honored to be working with them once again."

"Working hard on the new material, we've reached the final stage of pre-production, creating well rounded, and a natural progression of songs, which continue where "The Pale Haunt Departure" ends. Always adding new elements to our sound, there will be a few surprises mixed in, but remaining true to the band you expect."

Source:	novembersdoom.com
Band profile:	Novembers Doom

A brand new Entombed track, entitled "When in Sodom", was premiered Tuesday night (May 23) on the "Mike Davies Rock Show" on BBC Radio 1. Listen to a replay of the program at this location (the Entombed track appears at around the 19:43:30 mark).

"When in Sodom" is the title cut off the band's new EP, due on June 6 via Threeman Recordings. A full-length album, "Serpent Saints", will follow on September 18.

Entombed's new album was recorded at Soundland studio in Upplands Väsby, Sweden. The CD will be the group's first without the contributions of guitarist Uffe Cederlund, who left the band in September 2005.

"When in Sodom" (view artwork at this location, http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/BlabberPhotos/Entombed/?action=view¤t=entombed_ep.jpg) track listing:

01. When in Sodom
02. Carnage
03. Thou Shalt Kill
04. Heresy
05. Amen

Drummer Peter Stjärnvind has left Entombed in order to concentrate on his membership in the Swedish cult act Nifelheim. Nifelheim guitarist Sebastian Ramstedt (a.k.a. Vengeance from Beyond; also in Necrophobic) said, "No bad breakup or anything personal between him/us and the guys in Entombed, but heavy touring didn't fit his situation right now". Entombed are currently utilizing the services of session drummer Olle Dahlstedt (Alpha Safari, Ex-Misery Loves Co.) for all of their upcoming European gigs. Stjärnvind and his wife recently welcomed their first child, a daughter.

Read more ››

Source:	roadrunnerrecords.com
Band profile:	Entombed