German metallers Die Apokalyptischen Reiter have just announced the departure of their latest guitarist Lady Cat-Man (who was playing on the band's latest album, entitled "Licht").

According to the band: "She will be replaced by Ady picture] who will hit the stage with the band soon: for example on this year's Paganfest where Die Apokalyptischen Reiter will light autumnal fires as co-headliners! A new album is planned for 2010."

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Source:	nuclearblast.de
Band profile:	Die Apokalyptischen Reiter

Sonic Syndicate have posted the following update:

"Sonic Syndicate regrets to announce that Roland Johansson has decided to leave Sonic Syndicate due to personal reasons beyond our control. All of us in Sonic Syndicate wish Roland the best of luck in the future and we plan to continue our friendship/brotherhood outside the band. Thank you for all the hard work, and the good/bad times we had together.

Today we have started the search for a new singer. All of us in Sonic Syndicate are so full of energy and we can't wait to get a new member/family member into the band and continue our long life dreams. The last two years have been more then amazing for us, we've seen half the world, meet so many great fans and made even more along the way. You guys are what keeps us alive and makes life exciting.

Yesterday, the five of us sat down and agreed that our search should not be limited to our inner circle. This is a very big opportunity for us and we want everyone out there to have a chance to spread the word and be a part of the search. Maybe it will be you, a friend or a friend of a friend who will be the next singer of Sonic Syndicate. If you feel you would like to be a part of the search, click here."

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Sonic Syndicate

Official press release

Originally the brainchild of Arjen Lucassen's (Ayreon, Star One...), Stream Of Passion is now ready to release their second studio album. "The Flame Within" leaves its predecessor in the dust thanks to maturer songwriting that presents a further developed band able to give Gothic Metal a newfound profundity. Carried by Marcela Bovios' fantastic vocal lines, Stream of Passion delivers the entire spectrum of human emotions-at times dreamy and melancholic, at others uninhibited and forward pressing. In this way, heavy riffs merge with romantic undertones in majestic unity. Jens Bogren's (Fascination Street Studios) mastering work allows the tracks' subtle nuances to come into play. "The Flame Within" is more than a loosely arranged sequence of songs, but rather a holistic Gothic Metal masterpiece complete with mystic elements and sonorous symphonic romanticism.

"The Flame Within" cover artwork] tracklisting:

01. The Art Of Loss
02. In The End
03. Now Or Never
04. When You Hurt Me The Most
05. Run Away
06. Games We Play
07. This Endless Night
08. My Leader
09. Burn My Pain
10. Let Me In
11. Street Spirit
12. A Part Of You
13. All I Know

Release date: May 29, 2009

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Stream Of Passion

Pandemia have issued the following update:

"We are honored to announce that band Pandemia signs contract to their fourth full-length album with german label War Anthem Records. CD should be released in November 2009 and Pandemia will record it in Stage One Studio. This CD will produce Andy Classen which is known as a guitarist of Holy Moses and as a producer of Belphegor, Krisiun, Legion Of The Damned, Tankard, Holy Moses, Rotting Christ, Graveworm and more. New CD will be recorded in July 2009. The CD will be out with world wide distribution! So watch out!"

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Pandemia

Rudra have posted two new songs, from their upcoming album "Brahmavidya: Transcendental I", online. You can listen to the songs "Ravens of Paradise" and "Reversing the Currents" at the band's MySpace page. Rudra's forthcoming album is the second installment of the "Brahmavidya" trilogy, which is set to be released on the 15th of April via Trinity Records, Hongkong.

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Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Rudra

US trashers Bonded By Blood have announced an European Massacre Tour 2009 together with Fueled By Fire and Suicidal Angels. Some of the unknown venues will be announced soon.

07 May 2009 - Leeds, UK @ Rios
08 May 2009 - Glasgow, UK @ Barfly
09 May 2009 - UK - TBA
10 May 2009 - London, UK @ Purple Turtle
11 May 2009 - UK - TBA
12 May 2009 - Nottingham @ Seven
13 May 2009 - Gent, Belgium @ The Frontline
14 May 2009 - The Netherlands - TBA
15 May 2009 - Arnhem, Netherlands @ Willemeen
16 May 2009 - Niederküchten, Germany @ Pitch Black
17 May 2009 - Darmstadt, Germany @ Steinbruch Theater
18 May 2009 - Germany - TBA
19 May 2009 - Berlin, Germany @ Club Darkside
20 May 2009 - Zielona Gora, Poland @ Kotlownia club
21 May 2009 - Germany - TBA
22 May 2009 - Czech republic - TBA
23 May 2009 - Plzen, CZ @ Serikovka
24 May 2009 - Bratislava, Slovakia @ Randal club
25 May 2009 - Banska Bystrica, Slovakia @ Irish Pub
26 May 2009 - Pécs, Hungary @ Toxic Music Club
27 May 2009 - Budapest, Hungary @ Trafo Bar
28 May 2009 - Zupanja, Croatia @ MKC
29 May 2009 - Rijeka, Croatia @ Klub Palach
30 May 2009 - Wien, Austria @ Escape Metalcorner
31 May 2009 - Ljubljana, Slovenia @ Channel Zero
01 June 2009 - Ronchi dei Legionari, Italy @ Rock Club
02 June 2009 - Bologna, Italy @ BRC Fest
03 June 2009 - Italy - TBA
04 June 2009 - Italy - TBA
05 June 2009 - Marseille, France @ TBA
06 June 2009 - Barcelona, Spain @ TBA
07 June 2009 - Madrid, Spain @ TBA
08 June 2009 - Lisboa, Portugal @ TBA
09 June 2009 - Porto, Portugal @ TBA
10 June 2009 - Vigo, Spain @ TBA
11 June 2009 - A Coruña, Spain @ Casa das Atochas
12 June 2009 - Palencia, Spain @ At.Mosh.Phera.
13 June 2009 - Rennes, France @ TBA
14 June 2009 - Paris, France @ TBA
15 June 2009 - Switzerland - TBA
16 June 2009 - Switzerland - TBA
17 June 2009 - Austria - TBA
18 June 2009 - Esslinger, Germany @ Komma
19 June 2009 - Kleinwenkheim, Germany @ Queens of Metal Open Air
20 June 2009 - Halle Saale, Germany @ Marktwirtschaft

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Source:	earache.com
Band profile:	Bonded By Blood

Posted on the Bloodstock website:

"The Bloodstock team are delighted to announce that both Blind Guardian and Cradle Of Filth have been added to the bill for Bloodstock Open Air 2009. The pair will co-headline one day of the festival and the event will mark the ONLY UK shows of 2009 for both bands!

Following Blind Guardian's unfortunate cancellation in 2007, the Bloodstock Open Air team have responded to constant demand from the festival's core fans and brought the band back to Bloodstock at the earliest possible opportunity.

Neither Cradle Of Filth nor Blind Guardian will need any introduction to metal fans. Both are leaders in their genres, and both have built long and successful careers through hard work, dedication, a refusal to compromise and, of course, some very fine metal music along the way.

Cradle Of Filth; influenced by the Scandinavian black metal scene of the early '90s, they soon developed their own unique take on its frenetic sound, delivering a gothic and decidedly English take on the genre which broke into the mainstream consciousness with the release of the landmark Dusk And Her Embrace album in 1996. Since then, the band has steadily expanded their base without diluting either their sound, their spectacular stage shows or the controversial themes which their music so vividly brings to life.

When it comes to power metal, few bands have proved as influential or inventive as Blind Guardian. Starting life in Germany in 1984, the band issued their debut album Battalions Of Fear in 1988, following it up with Follow The Blind in '89. It was with their third opus, however, 1990's Tales From The Twilight World that they began to move in a more epic direction which later culminated in the classics Nightfall In Middle Earth (1998) and A Night At The Opera (2002).

Blind Guardian mainman Hansi Kürsch sent the following message:
"It's almost seven years since we played Bloodstock for the first time. Still we have never forgotten our first appearance in front of a fantastic British audience. Easy to imagine how thrilled we are by the chance to play there for a second time. I expect nothing but some outraging bards singing our songs with us and a band in perfect shape - take that for granted."

Cradle sent the following message:
"Cradle Of Filth, metal forged from the hot friction of wanking nuns, are very much looking forward to headlining the Bloodstock heavy metal festival this summer, especially knowing and loving most of the other bands playing on the bill over the three day weekend. But obviously not in a gay way. Carcass, Kreator, Moonspell, Arch Enemy, The Haunted, Apocalyptica, Satyricon, Enslaved, Saxon, Gwar, Candlemass, Turisas... this line-up alone places this up-and-coming British festival right up there with its sometimes-a-pain-in-the-arse-hard-to-reach European rivals. So hail to England! Hail to Bloodstock! This is a proper metal festival for proper festive metallers. No shoddy haircut screamo pap allowed! F.O.A.D.!" (Insane screaming continues and then fades to black...)

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Source:	bloodstock.uk.com
Event:	Bloodstock Open Air 2009

"To The Nines", the new video from Danish metallers Hatesphere, has been made available online. The clip was produced by Michel Winckler-Krog from www.intense-images.dk.

The song comes off the band's latest album, entitled "To The Nines", which was released on March 23, 2009 via Napalm Records. The album was recorded at Antfarm Studio in Aarhus, Denmark with producer Tue Madsen (The Haunted, Moonspell, Dark Tranquillity, Gorefest).


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Source:	youtube.com
Band profile:	Hatesphere

Black Sun Aeon, the new band of the Before The Dawn/The Final Harvest mainman Tuomas Saukkonen have made their new album, "Darkness Walks
Beside Me", available for streaming in its entirety on their MySpace page.

Due in Europe on March 27th via Cyclone Empire and in Scandinavia on April 1st via Stay Heavy Records, "Darkness Walks Beside Me" cover art] features the following track listing:

Chapter 1. (A Song For The Introduction)
Chapter 2. (A Song For My Wrath)
Chapter 3. (A Song For My Demise)
Chapter 4. (A Song For My Sorrow)
Chapter 5. (A Song For My Weakness)
Chapter 6. (A Song For This Winter)
Chapter 7. (A Song For My Illness)
Chapter 8. (A Song For My Funeral)

Bonus track:
Chapter 9. (A Song For The One Who Passed Away 4.9.2008)

The debut album of the band features guest vocals by Tomi Koivusaari (Amorphis), Ville Sorvali (Moonsorrow), Mynni Luukkainen (Sotajumala) and Mikko Heikkilä (Sinamore). Information about the album order can be found at the band's official website, as well as planed gig dates with the lineup Saukkonen/Luukkainen/Heikkilä.

The official album teaser can be found here.

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Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Black Sun Aeon

Stand And Deliver Records press release

The dark horse rides again! After a 4 year hiatus Skinlab has inked a deal with Stand and Deliver Records.

The California based metal band is back in the saddle after a 4 year hiatus, and this time they're pulling out all the stops. The band was formed in 1994, by singer/bassist Steev Esquivel, former guitarist Mike Roberts and drummer Paul Hopkins. Skinlab quickly made a name for itself in the metal scene, with releases such as, "Bound, Gagged and Blindfolded", and "Revolting Room". In support of these albums the band has toured with the likes of Slayer, Hatebreed, Fear Factory, and Napalm Death.

They are currently in the studio finishing the final tracks to the new album entitled "The Scars Between Us". The album is scheduled to hit stores on July 7th, 2009. The band also plans to release a full length DVD. The release date and title of the DVD have not yet been confirmed.

Lead singer Steev Esquivel had this to say about the bands new record deal: "We are pleased to announce our signing with Stand and Deliver Records. After spending most of 2008 in negotiations we feel Stand and Deliver is the right home for Skinlab and look forward to releasing this fucking beast of a record on July 7th EVERYWHERE!"

"The ink is barely dry on the contract and they already have several great touring opportunities, it great to add a veteran band like Skinlab to our roster, they have a lot to offer", says Stand and Deliver Records owner Matt Polena.

Skinlab has also joined forces with Red Rocket Entertainment. TKO Booking Agency, and Jagermeister.

Stand and Deliver Records is an indie record label located in Cleveland, Ohio. Their current distribution is handled by Uprising/Sony Red, and all digital distribution is taken care of by The Orchard.

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Source:

standanddeliverrecords.com

Official press release

Frontiers Records is excited to announce the release of the new album from Saint Deamon "Pandeamonium" on May 22nd in Europe and June 9th in the USA.

Named after a fictitious ghost rider called S. Deamon, and with a nod towards the contrast between the heavenly/diabolical feel of the name, the Saint Deamon was put together in 2006 by drummer Ronny Milianowicz (ex-Dionysus and songwriter for Primal Fear, Cans and Place Vendome among others), together with bass player Nobby Noberg (also ex-Dionysus), guitar virtuoso Toya Johansson and the golden voice of the Norwegian Jan Thore Grefstad (ex-Highland Glory). The band debuted in early 2008 with a stunning album "In Shadows Lost From the Brave", a record that garnered great acclaim from both critics and fans.

Saint Deamon toured extensively in support of the release during 2008, with gigs in Sweden, Norway, Austria, Italy, England and USA appearing in some of the world's finest metal festivals like Prog Power US and Bloodstock UK creating a vast buzz being one of the hardest working band in the scene.

Just over a year after the release of their debut album, Saint Deamon are back with a strong head wind in their sails with the worthy follow up "Pandeamonium". Produced by two of the world's most famous Heavy Metal producers, Roy Z (Judas Priest, Halford, Helloween, Bruce Dickinson, who also co-wrote the album's title track with the band) & Jens Bogren (Opeth, Paradise Lost, Amon Amarth), "Pandeamonium" shows a well oiled Metal machine that has no limits in terms of inspiration, musical direction and focus, dedicated members or professionalism. "The chance to work with Roy was actually pure luck", explains founder and drummer Ronny Milianowicz "He had been renting our studio for 4 weeks to work with the new Wolf album and I was just there to brew some coffee, drive his equipment here and there to different recording places and to make his time in Sweden as pleasant as possible. But after 4 weeks together we became friends and I really mean friends, you know that kinda friend you can call in the middle of the night if you really need to. So one night at the local bar the night before his flight were supposed to go back he decided to stay, and this after being 4 weeks in our studio already! And with Jens we have the solid ground that never let us down and that make us perform that little extra out of every take in the studio. I hardly think we will ever work without him".

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Saint Deamon

"Broken, Beat And Scarred", the new video from US metallers Metallica, has been made available at Metallica.com. The performance clip was shot by Metallica's longtime friend and collaborator, famed video director Wayne Isham, on December 12, 2008 at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California and December 13, 2008 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California.

The band adds: "We're having so much fun out on the road that we thought, hey, why not film it for the video of our next single? So we invited our good friend Wayne Isham and his crew to join us for a few shows in California in December of 2008... Ontario and Fresno to be exact. We go way back with Wayne (several vids from the "Black" album up through "Frantic" and the "Cunning Stunts" DVD) and as always, Wayne rocked it!"

More info about the single release of this song can be found at this location.

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Source:	metallica.com
Band profile:	Metallica

Swedish death metallers Vomitory have completed work on their seventh album, entilted "Carnage Euphoria", for a May 11 European release via Metal Blade Records (May 8 in Germany). The artwork of the album can be viewed here.

Commented drummer Tobias Gustafsson: "Carnage Euphoria" was a bit harder album to record than our predecessor, but damn, it was worth it! We are ridiculously happy with how the album turned out in the end! Engineer/producer Rikard Löfgren of Leon Music Studios did once again a killer job to get what we wanted for this album, and then some. Compared to our previous albums, "Carnage Euphoria" is a lot wider, warmer and more natural sounding-wise. But still, "Carnage Euphoria" runs you over like a steamroller, just as expected. The true Vomitoryelements are all in there, but there are also some more mid-paced groovy stuff that adds diversity to this album like never before. Even some ore melodic hooks that won't go unnoticed. Songs like "The Ravenous Dead" and "Great Deceiver" add fresh slices of flesh to the Vomitory slab, while "Rage Of Honour" and "Possessed" are rotting chunks of the relentless death metal Vomitory is known for."

To celebrate Vomitory's 20th anniversary, a limited first edition of "Carnage Euphoria" will be available with a 90-minute bonus DVD. Titled "Dead & Drunk For 20 Years", the disc will contain footage spanning the band's entire career - from the very first Vomitory show in 1990 to shows in 2008. Also featured will be one previously unreleased song, "Putrefaction", performed live in 1990, live clips from different shows during the '90s with different lineups and drunk moments on the road and in the studio. "It's all material from our own private archives, so this exclusive DVD has a certain "Cliff 'Em All" vibe to it - for good and for bad," says Tobias. "I hope you will enjoy it. We certainly do!"

"Carnage Euphoria" tracklisting:

01. The Carnage Rages On
02. Serpents
03. A Lesson In Virulence
04. Ripe Cadavers
05. Rage Of Honour
06. The Ravenous Dead
07. Deadlock
08. Rebirth Of The Grotesque
09. Possessed
10. Great Deceiver

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Source:	stormbringer.at
Band profile:	Vomitory

Finnish metallers Eternal Tears Of Sorrow will release their new album, entitled "Children Of The Dark Waters", on May via Suomen Musiikki in Finland (via Massacre Records in the rest of Europe and via Marquee/Avalon in Asia). The album was recorded at Tico-Tico Studio in Kemi, Finland.

"Children Of The Dark Waters" cover artwork] tracklisting:

01. Angelheart, Ravenheart (Act II: Children Of The Dark Waters)
02. Baptized By The Blood Of Angels
03. Tears Of Autumn Rain
04. Summon The Wild
05. Sea Of Whispers
06. Midnight Bird
07. Diary Of Demonic Dreams
08. When The Darkest Night Falls
09. Nocturne Thule

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Eternal Tears Of Sorrow

"Vicious Circle" - Chain Reaction's debut is out now in Europe and USA though Kolony Records.The specific release dates are: March 13 - Europe, March 16 - UK-Eire, March 17 - USA.

"It took us a while but, finally, we have found a label that we are satisfied with and our debut will be out soon. It is all very exciting. After all, we've been searching for a right contract for almost a year and now that Kolony offered us cooperaition we believe that everything will turn out great for the album and the band. Actually, it took us so long that we have most of the songs for the new album ready and the studio is booked too. Though the record will come out in 13 countires, we and our label weren't able to find a distributor/label willing to publish "Vicious Circle" in Poland. Nevertheless we are pleased with the cooperation with Kolony so far. Lorenzo, the owner, is a great guy and one can immediateely see that he puts all his heart into his work and devots himself entirely to the labels' bands."

Chain Reaction's music is based on solid groove-thrash and stoner foundation, but one can also find metalcore influences. The musicians themselves like to call their music "Modern Metal" and right now they are working on their next LP album.

Band profile:

Chain Reaction