Echoterra (the US Symphonic Heavy metal band featuring Pyramaze keyboard player Jonah Weingarten, ex-Into Eternity drummer Adam Sagan and former Aesma Daeva and Visions Of Atlantis vocalist Melissa Ferlaak) have revealed more details concerning their upcoming EP In Your Eyes.

This mini album - the first to feature new singer Melissa Ferlaak (who replaced Suvi Virtanen (known from Therion and Mortiis) at the beginning of November) - contains three re-recorded songs from the band's debut cd The Law Of One: "In Your Eyes", "A Tear of Her Heart", and "Say, Try, Lie, Die". The EP will also feature an orchestral version of "Bear Mountain", a song that will be featured on our next full length album. Another song "The Echoterra Overture" will also be included. Release date will be in the spring of 2010. The cover art for In Your Eyes can be found here. The band's new full-length album will be released in late 2010/early 2011.

More info about the band on http://www.myspace.com/echoterra.

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Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Echoterra

First we want to thank Ann Boleyn (Hellion) for her help with the Détentereunion shows; it was great working with her and we wish her the best in everything she does. We are pleased to announce the addition of Tiina Teal as the new vocalist for Détente.

Originally starting out behind the kit as a drummer, Tiina has been singing & screaming for the last 10 years. Having influences ranging from Jarboe to Nina Simone as well as Strapping Young Lad's Devin Townsend, she's collaborated with various musicians and bands in Los Angeles and won "Best Anti-War Band" with her metal group, Burn The Empire.

We have already put down 4 of the 9 new tracks with her and can tell you that both old and new supporters of the band will be blown away by her and the new tracks. Check back at http://www.detenterna.com and http://www.myspace.com/detenterna in the next few weeks for a sneak preview.

Decline is coming along very well, taking longer than expected but it will be worth it; we should have an official street date announcement mid December.

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Détente

With a career spanning 36 years, more than 100 million records sold, and an absolutely crazy number of delirious concerts, for sure KISS is one of the most famous Hard Rock bands in the world. They're finally back with their new studio effort, the already acclaimed "Sonic Boom".

Kiss is the first revealed headliner of the Hellfest 2010, which will take place in Clisson the 18th through 20th of June 2010. This UNIQUE concert will end three days of the biggest extreme music festival of France, which has sold out every year since 2008!

KISS joins the 32 others bands (Immortal, Twisted Sister...) which were announced in September.

Next Sunday, the 29th of November, Hellfest will present the names of more band who will be on the final bill. From this date too you'll also be able to buy the Hellfest 2009 DVD on www.hellfestshop.com and everywhere in France!

To finish, from the 29th of November to the 31th of December, the "Christmas Hellbanger" tickets will be available at the special price of ?109. Act fast! This offer will be limited in time and quantity!

Have a good week and see you Sunday for the next announcement!

Hellfest Team

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Source:	hellfest.fr
Band profile:	KISS
Event:	Hellfest Open Air 2010

The holy fire of the gods is blazing upon the horizon. Hailing from all points of the compass, hordes of all imaginable heathen tribes arrive to continue their march through Europe in 2010: Paganfest - a celebration for trolls, black magicians and pagan warriors - approaches and promises to become once more an unforgettable heathen spectacular. Insatiable drinking hymns or dramatic war-epic - Paganfest leads every pagan metal fan into a world of mythology, mystic and heathen believe.

As the saga continues, Finntroll, Eluveitie, Dornenreich, Varg and Arkona are confirmed to team up as part of the Paganfest: Reconquering Europe Tour in February and March 2010. Dates are as follows:

Feb. 19 - CH - Pratteln Z7
Feb. 20 - AT - Linz Posthof
Feb. 21 - DE - Berlin Postbahnhof
Feb. 23 - DE - Hamburg Markthalle
Feb. 25 - DE - Nürnberg Hirsch
Feb. 26 - DE - München Backstage
Feb. 27 - AT - Wien Gasometer
Feb. 28 - SK - Bratislava
Mar. 01 - AT - Graz Seifenfabrik
Mar. 04 - DE - Frankfurt Batschkapp
Mar. 05 - DE - Leipzig Hellraiser
Mar. 06 - DE - Stuttgart LKA Longhorn with special guests Equilibrium and Alestorm)
Mar. 07 - NL - Tilburg 013 (with special guests Equilibrium and Alestorm)
Mar. 09 - FR - Rennes Antipode
Mar. 10 - FR - Paris Elysee Montmartre
Mar. 11 - FR - Lyon Ninkasi Kao
Mar. 12 - DE - Bochum Ruhrcongress (with special guests Equilibrium and Alestorm)
Mar. 13 - NL - Amsterdam Melkweg
Mar. 14 - BE - Antwerpen Hof Ter Loo (with special guests Equilibrium and Alestorm)

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Source:	www2.paganfest.eu
Band profile:	Finntroll
Event:	Paganfest: Reconquering Europe

German forest dwellers Finsterforst have parted ways with their vocalist Marco Schomas. They have also announced the search for a replacement for the vacant position. The band's announcement reads as follows:

"Wanted: new Singer
After five successful and definitely funny years we unfortunately have to announce that Finsterforst and Marco will go seperate ways from now on. The band would like to express their gratitude for all his dedication. Thank you Marco!!

The vacant lead singer's job of course has to be filled, so Finsterforst search for a new screaming hobgoblin. If you are interested, please send your detailed application to our contact. You should include:

current photo
short description which answers the following questions: Who, Where from, How old, musical experience: singing and, if any, instrumental!
recordings, if you have"

If you are interested in the position, send your application to kontakt@finsterforst.de.

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Source:	finsterforst.de
Band profile:	Finsterforst

This Wednesday, Kiss will be streamed live in concert from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The live web concert will be broadcasted via Ustream on November 25 at 9pm PST.

Users can watch and interact by visiting Ustream (or the official Kiss Facebook page) to connect with other Kiss fans for a personal chat and live video experience in real-time during the show.

Kiss chose Ustream, the leading live video platform on the web, because of its powerful platform and scalability in reaching a global audience of unlimited size. The band wanted to connect with their legion of fans that might not have had the chance to catch them during the North American leg of their 35th-anniversary Kiss/Alive 35 tour, a 44-city tour that continues through December 15. Anheuser-Busch's newest beer brand, Bud Light Golden Wheat, is the exclusive sponsor of the online concert.

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Source:	kissonline.com
Band profile:	KISS
Event:	Kiss: Alive 35 N. American Tour

Black Majesty have set In Your Honour as the title of the forthcoming new album. Roland Grapow (Masterplan) will mix the new album at Grapow studios in Slovakia. New songs set to appear on the album include: "Far Beyond", "Millenium", "Further Than Insane", "End Of Time" and "Break These Chains".

In Your Honour is scheduled to be released in early 2010 through the band's German label, Limb Music.

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Source:	blackmajesty.com
Band profile:	Black Majesty

Gamma Ray, Freedom Call and Secret Sphere will team up for the To The Metal European Tour in 2010. Confirmed dates are as follows:

Feb. 06 - Dock's - Hamburg, Germany
Feb. 07 - Biebob - Vosselaar, Belgium
Feb. 09 - Zeche - Bochum, Germany
Feb. 10 - Le Trabendo - Paris, France
Feb. 12 - Sala Totem - Navarra, Spain
Feb. 13 - La Riviera - Madrid, Spain
Feb. 14 - Sala Apolo - Barcelona, Spain
Feb. 16 - Magazzini Generali - Milan, Italy
Feb. 19 - Gagarin 205 - Athens, Greece
Feb. 20 - Block 33 - Thessaloniki, Greece
Feb. 21 - Blue Box Club - Sofia, Bulgaria
Feb. 23 - SKC - Belgrade, Serbia
Feb. 24 - Boogaloo - Zagreb, Croatia
Feb. 26 - Sport Hall - Presov, Slovakia
Feb. 27 - MSK Centrum - Ziad Nad Hronom, Slovakia
Feb. 28 - PKO - Bratislava, Slovakia
Mar. 12 - H2O Halle - Reichenbach, Germany
Mar. 13 - Kaminwerk - Memmingen, Germany
Mar. 14 - Z7 - Pratteln, Switzerland
Mar. 16 - Garage - Saarbrucken, Germany
Mar. 18 - Stadthalle Langen - Langen, Germany
Mar. 19 - Stadthalle Lichenfels - Lichtenfels, Germany
Mar. 20 - (tba) - Prague, Czech Republic

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Source:	gammaray.org
Band profile:	Gamma Ray
Event:	Gamma Ray: To The Metal European Tour

Already a few days ago, Dio's European tour has been cancelled after Ronnie was taken ill. "Ronnie has been hospitalized and we are waiting for further news," explains Ronnie's wife/manager, Wendy Dio.

No further information is available at this time, "but we wish Ronnie a speedy and complete recovery".

Source:	ronniejamesdio.com
Band profile:	Dio

Mastodon are happy to announce that they will be headlining Europe and the UK in February 2010. Check out all the dates below. More info will be coming shortly so keep checking back for all the details.

Feb 04, 2010 Megazzini Generali Milan, ITA
Feb 05, 2010 Fri-Son Fribourg, SWI
Feb 06, 2010 Melkweg Amsterdam, HOL
Feb 08, 2010 Grünspan Hamburg, GER
Feb 09, 2010 Columbia Club Berlin, GER
Feb 10, 2010 Batschkapp Frankfurt, GER
Feb 12, 2010 Arena Vienna, AUT
Feb 13, 2010 Backstage Munich, GER
Feb 14, 2010 Essigfabrik Cologne, GER
Feb 16, 2010 Wulfrun Wolverhapmton, ENG
Feb 17, 2010 Academy Bristol, ENG
Feb 19, 2010 Barrowland Glasgow, SCO
Feb 20, 2010 Academy Machester, ENG
Feb 21, 2010 Academy Newcastle, ENG
Feb 23, 2010 Rock City Nottingham, ENG
Feb 24, 2010 Roundhouse London, ENG

Source:	mastodonrocks.com
Band profile:	Mastodon
Event:	Mastodon

Posted on the Sabaton website:

Sabaton joins the Nuclear Blast family.

After 10 years as a band and 4 albums we have decided what the next step in the evolution of Sabaton will be.

A contract with the biggest Heavy Metal label in the world has been signed and the next album will be released by Nuclear Blast in the spring of 2010.

The last album "The Art Of War" touched the hearts of tousands and tousands of metalfans around the world, and with their help we are now ready to hit the studio and record our new album.

What way could we better end our 10th year?
-See you all in 2010 under the Coat of Arms!

--

"Nuclear Blast is very stoked to announce another great signing:
Sabaton - one of the most promising upcoming bands in heavy metal these days!

Although they have already released four great albums, they are still unknown to the majority of the metal legions - which is a shame!
We noticed the band's potential to become one of the leaders of nowadays metal scene - especially by visiting their festival appearances and club shows.

Together Nuclear Blast and Sabaton are prepared for the next step to bring the band on a much higher level!
-Watch out for their new album in spring 2010!"

(Jaap Wagemaker / A&R of Nuclear Blast)

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Source:	sabaton.net
Band profile:	Sabaton

Metal Blade Records is pleased to announce the signing of extreme modern metal act System Divide, featuring Sven De Caluwe (Aborted) and Miri Milman (ex-Distorted) on vocals, Cole Martinez (ex-Years Of Fire, Antenora) and Joseph Spiller (ex-The Binary Code) on guitars, Andrew Lenthe (Antenora) on bass, and Mike Heller (Malignancy) on drums.

System Divide has already completed a video for the song "The Apex Doctrine" off the bands current EP, which will also be on the band's full-length Metal Blade debut. Check out a trailer for the new video and be sure to head over to System Divide's MySpace page to listen to the tracks "The Apex Doctrine" and "(n)Ether". Stay tuned for more information including when and where the video for "The Apex Doctrine" will premiere, track listing and release date of the band's debut full-length album The Conscious Sedation, and tour dates.

Vocalist Sven De Caluwe comments: "We couldn't be more thrilled to be part of the Metal Blade roster, a label that has been pushing the boundaries of extreme music and putting lots of great new acts in the spot light. We know System Divide is in the hands of a competent team of driven music FANS in the first place who believe in what we do, and we're going to give them their money's worth!! We are completing the songwriting for our first album The Conscious Sedation and are about to enter the studio to start tracking by the end of the month, for those who checked out our EP, get ready for some surprises and more extreme modern metal madness!"

Comments Michael Faley of Metal Blade Records: "Heavy, Brutal, Extreme, Melodic In Your Face Metal. These ingredients result in a unique visual and audio assault that numbs the senses. Vocalists Sven De Caluwe (Aborted) and Miri Milman (ex-Distorted), deliver a one-two punch unseen in Metal. We are very proud to add them to the Metal Blade Records family."

More info about the band at http://www.myspace.com/systemdivide.

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Source:

metalblade.com

Suffocation will be touring Europe in 2010. Next March the band will headline the Legacy Of Blood European Tour with support coming from Annotations Of An Autopsy, Nervecell, Fleshgod Apocalypse and Burning The Masses.

The schedule looks as follows:

12/03 Utrecht @ Tivoli
13/03 Karlsruhe @ Substage
14/03 Hamburg @ Markthalle
15/03 Aarhus @ Voxhall
16/03 Berlin @ Columbia Club
17/03 Warsaw @ Klub Progresja
18/03 Bratislava @ Randal
19/03 Prague @ Chmelnice
20/03 Leipzig @ Conne Island
21/03 Graz @ Seifenfabrik
22/03 Wien @ Arena
23/03 Ljubljana @ Kino Siska
24/03 München @ Feierwerk
25/03 Arcene @ Soundtrack Club
26/03 Rome @ Blackout Club
27/03 Pinarella di Cervia @ Rock Planet
28/03 Erstfeld @ Transilvania Live Club
29/03 Paris @ Glazart
30/03 London @ Underworld
31/03 Dublin @ Whelans
01/04 Leeds @ Rios
02/04 Birmingham @ O2 Academy 2
03/04 Essen @ Turock
04/04 Antwerp @ Trix

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Source:	suffocation.us
Band profile:	Suffocation
Event:	Legacy Of Blood European Tour

Due to a heavy infection of his vocal chords, vocalist Tony Kakko had to visit a hospital in Budapest yesterday. The show in Graz (18.11.2009) had to be cancelled as well as the two following shows in Vienna (19.11.2009) and in Munich (20.11.2009) as the severity of the infection does not allow him to perform on next few days.

Sonata Arctica regret to disappoint their fans in Graz, Vienna and Munich, but of course these shows will be re-scheduled and the new dates will be announced soon. Tickets for all shows will remain valid. Sonata Arctica apologize for any inconvenience.

The band hopes that Tony will convalesce from his illness fast, so that the tour can go on with the show in Pratteln/Z7 (22.11.2009).

Here are the new, re-scheduled dates. All tickets remain valid.

04.02.2010 Vienna / Gasometer
05.02.2010 Graz / Seifenfabrik
06.02.2010 Munich / Backstage

(Also thank to 32160 for the news)

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Source:	sonataarctica.info
Band profile:	Sonata Arctica

Swedish Black Metallers Valkyrja have finished recordings for their second album Contamination. Again recorded at Necromorbus Studios (Deströyer 666, Watain) with Tore Stjerna at the helm, Contamination is the logical successor to the bands debut album The Invocation Of Demise (re-issued by Metal Blade Records in July 2009). Valkyrja act even more relentless than on their first effort and they have also refined their sense for compelling melodies close to perfection.

The band comments on Contamination as follows: "The two years which have passed since the The Invocation of Demise session has been a hectic period of composing, crafting and some line-up changes. During this last summer Valkyrja manifested the second album. There were no doubts that we would return to Necromorbus Studio, again with Tore Stjerna as producer, and the outcome of this session formed an abominable weapon. January 2010 Metal Blade Records will unleash this dweller of the underworld - by far the strongest material thus far - namely Contamination, a mark of violent and dark Metal for the predator and beast of opposition within man."

Every Black Metal fan in general and followers of Dissection and Naglfar in particular will love the hymnic riffing and the vicious atmosphere Valkyrja unleash on their new album.

Crowned by a top-notch, freezing cold and brutal production, Contamination is indeed the first Black Metal highlight of the new year and makes Valkyrja THE Black Metal band to watch out for in 2010. Contamination will be released all over Europe the 15th/18th of January 2010.

Contamination cover art] tracklist:

01. Advent...
02. Oceans To Dust
03. Catharsis (Contaminate The Earth)
04. Solstice In Withdrawal
05. Laments Of The Destroyed
06. Ambience Of The Dead
07. The Womb Of Disease
08. Welcoming Worms
09. A Cursed Seed In The World
10. The Adversarial Incentive Within All

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Source:	metalblade.com
Band profile:	Valkyrja