Iced Earth has officially launched the search for a new bassist. All interested parties are encouraged to send their bio packs to Iced Earth mainman Jon Schaffer's store at the following address:

Jon Schaffer
Spirit of 76 Collectibles, Inc.
1728 17th St
Columbus, IN 47448

Iced Earth recently announced the addition of Elkton, MD guitarist Ernie Carletti to the group's ranks.

Mastering his craft beyond 19 years and teaching guitar lessons to 100 students weekly in excess of 16 years, Carletti is equally versed in styles such as classical and jazz but his first love is heavy metal "shredding."

The central figure of Iced Earth is guitarist and songwriter Jon Schaffer, who originally formed the band as Purgatory in 1984. Though the band has undergone numerous lineup changes since its inception, Schaffer has remained steadfast in his passion to thrash. Schaffer officially announced the addition of Carletti on the band's message board on Friday, June 30.

Schaffer is currently working on a concept album based on the "Something Wicked This Way Comes" story that first appeared on Iced Earth's 1998 album of the same name. A 2007 release is expected.

Iced Earth's last release was the "Gettysburg (1863)" DVD, which came out in June 2005. The main program, a CGI-rendered video presentation of the epic "Gettysburg" trilogy from 2004's acclaimed album "The Glorious Burden", drew praise from fans and media alike. The DVD was also reportedly being used as a teaching tool in several high schools across the country.

Source:	roadrunnerrecords.com
Band profile:	Iced Earth

Ex-Nightwish frontwoman Tarja Turunen has posted eight rare Nightwish songs at her official MySpace profile. The tracks "Sleepwalker", "The Forever Moments", "The Wayfarer", "Nightquest", "Nightwish", "Once Upon A Troubadour", "A Return To The Sea" and "Lagoon" can be downloaded here.

The tracks will only be available for download until July 16th.

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Source:	metal-temple.com
Band profile:	Tarja

After W.A.S.P., Twisted Sister and Kamelot cancelled their appearance at the Ragnarock Festival (Oslo, Norway), the entire event has been cancelled by the organizers, with no reasons given. The only message on the festival's site states:

"Keep the tickets and send a e-mail with account number(for other countrys then Norway, please use your paypal account) We do have all the buyers registered and it will not be payed out any money if the name don't accour on this list."

Source:	ragnarock.as
Event:	Ragnarock Festival (CANCELLED)

The band has posted theese following messages on their official website:

Thomen Stauch: July 4th

Dear Savage Circus fans, friends and business partners,

Once again I unfortunately have to surprise you all with really sad news!

Due to ongoing serious private problems in the past months my psychological and physical constitution is completely broken and makes me unable to play the upcoming shows planned for this year! I know you all have been waiting a long time already to see Savage Circus live for the first time and I have been really curious to meet you all again as well, but there is just nothing I can do to change this situation

The doctors are convinced, that a long-term rest along with several psychological and physical treatments for the next months is the only way to make me feel better. After fighting this reality for a longer time I am ready now to take this road. It is the only way to get back on my feet. My entire body is totally power-drained and I am almost unable to concentrate on anything. Furthermore I am suffering from a chronic tonsillitis for almost 10 weeks by now which even with antibiotics is not getting better. According to the docs it seems that all is based on my stressed body and mind, which do not get a recovery if I go on like this. So I will take this advice and will give my body and soul a break to regain my powers and charge up my battery for the upcoming Savage Circus production in 2007.

Please understand that I cannot give you any information about the nature of my private problems since they should stay private. I am not exaggerating in saying, having still some power left in me is already a miracle under this circumstances. I hope you all do understand this serious situation. It breaks my heart to post this message, but I see no alternative.

But there also is some good news: all shows will happen as planned! For good luck Piet could manage to hire Thomas Nack once more for the upcoming gigs, so the shows will happen for sure and with a more than worthy stand-in for me! So don't be sad, friends! Kick ass, as Piet, Thomas, Jens, Emil will do as well! Make every show a big party for me and have fun! This will give me the strength to go through all this. Right now I am not in the position of giving. This time I need you and your support. I know that none of you will let me down and this makes me feel better already.

I truly hope to see you all again soon!

Love and respect,
Thomen

The band: July 4th

Dear fans, friends and partners,

Read more ››

Source:	savage-circus.com
Band profile:	Savage Circus

Industrial Metallers Fear Factory have announced that they will be touring Australia this September. They will playing with support act Devildriver. Fear Factory will still be touring in support of their Transgression album. Tickets can be purchased from July 21. Fear Factory join a list of bands that will be touring Australia in the next few months, including Kreator and Cannibal Corpse.

Here are the Australian dates for Fear Factory:

September 15 - Brisbane, The Tivoli
September 16 - Sydney, Big Top Luna Park
September 17 - Melbourne, The Palace
September 19 - Perth, Metropolis Fremantle

Source:	brismetal.com
Band profile:	Fear Factory

Swedish black metallers MARDUK have been confirmed for the Black Metal Festival, set to take place August 13 at Stodola in Warsaw, Poland. Also scheduled to appear on the bill are ENSLAVED and MAYHEM.

As previously reported, MARDUK have set a September 4 release date for their new DVD, entitled "Blood Puke Salvation". The DVD will contain over 90 minutes of live material filmed in Tilburg, Holland and Antwerpen, Belgium during December 2004. Also included will be promotional videos for "Throne Of Rats", "Steel Inferno" and "The Hangman Of Prague", plus a photo gallery, behind-the-scenes footage, interviews and a section entitled "Deathmarch" with exclusive hand-filmed live material from over 20 cities from the "Deathmarch" tour. Check out the DVD cover artwork (http://marduk.nu/marduk/news/blood.jpg). Limited-edition CD/DVD boxsets of MARDUK's classic "La Grande Danse Macabre" and "World Funeral" albums were released by Regain Records last month.

Source:	roadrunnerrecords.com
Band profile:	Marduk

Anathema have announced their first-ever appearance in Jordan. The concert will take place on August 25 at the Al-Ahlyyiah Amman University Arena in Amman.

In other news, Anathema have added a third date to their upcoming Russian tour, which is scheduled to take place in September. The details are as follows:

Sep. 22 - Tochka Club - Moscow, RUS
Sep. 23 - Port Club - St. Petersburg, RUS
Sep. 24 - Youth Hall - Ekaterinburg, RUS

As previously reported, Anathema will be embarking on a full South American/Mexican tour in October. The trek will include stops in Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and Mexico. A UK tour will take place in early September.

Metal Mind Productions released a new Anathema DVD, entitled "A Moment in Time", on June 19. The main part of DVD was recorded in Poland at the famous Metal Mania Festival 2006 (the biggest hard rock/metal festival in Eastern Europe). The set list included their best songs plus a cover of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb". The guest performance was done by a string quartet. Bonus material includes live video footage, video clips, and a documentary. The DVD will be available also in a limited edition with bonus audio CD.

Anathema are currently unsigned as a result of having been dropped by BMG/Zomba after their previous label, Music For Nations, was folded into parent company Zomba Records Group (the world's largest independent music group).

Source:	blabbermouth.net
Band profile:	Anathema

Italian act Lacuna Coil have announced the details of their upcoming European headlining tour. Confirmed dates - so far - are as follows:

Sep. 22 - Treviso, ITA - New Age
Sep. 23 - Cesena, ITA - Vidia
Sep. 24 - Rome, ITA - Palacisalfa
Sep. 25 - Florence, ITA - Auditorium
Sep. 26 - Milan, ITA - Alcatraz
Sep. 28 - Barcelona, SPA - Razzmatazz
Sep. 29 - Madrid, SPA - Arena
Sep. 30 - Bergara, SPA - Jam
Oct. 01 - Bordeux, FRA - Barbey
Oct. 02 - Clermont, FRA - Ferrant Cooperative de Mai
Oct. 03 - Paris, FRA - Olympia
Oct. 06 - Portsmouth, UK - Pyramids
Oct. 07 - Cardiff, UK - Coal Exchange
Oct. 08 - Birmingham, UK - Academy
Oct. 10 - Glasgow, UK - Barrowland
Oct. 11 - Nottingham, UK - Rock City
Oct. 12 - Manchester, UK - Academy
Oct. 13 - London, UK - Astoria
Oct. 14 - London, UK - Astoria
Oct. 16 - Dublin, IRE - Olympia
Oct. 17 - Sheffield, UK - Corporation
Oct. 18 - Tilburg, NETH - O13
Oct. 19 - Antwerp, BEL - Hof Ter Loo
Oct. 21 - Copenhagen, DEN - Pumpehuset
Oct. 22 - Malmo, SWE - KB
Oct. 23 - Oslo, NOR - Rockefeller
Oct. 25 - Helsinki, FIN - Nosturi
Oct. 26 - Tampere, FIN - Pakkahoune
Oct. 28 - Stockholm, SWE - Klubben
Oct. 29 - Gothenburg, SWE - Tragarn
Oct. 30 - Berlin, GER - Huxleys
Oct. 31 - Hamburg, GER - Docks
Nov. 02 - Muenchen, GER - Georg Elser Halle
Nov. 03 - Vienna, AUT - Planet Music
Nov. 04 - Linz, AUT - Posthof
Nov. 06 - Koeln, GER - Live Music Hall
Nov. 07 - Stuttgart, GER - Longhorn (LKA)
Nov. 08 - Zurich, SWI - Rohstofflager

Source:	metal-temple.com
Band profile:	Lacuna Coil

One new track, "Blood," and 3 sample edits of other new tracks are currently available for listening on To-Mera's official myspace webpage, http://www.myspace.com/tomeraband.

To-Mera will be releasing their debut CD, "Transcendental," September 11th through Candlelight Records in Europe. Worldwide release dates have not been set or confirmed.

Read more ››

Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	To-Mera

Guitarist Frank Harthoorn of the reunited Dutch metallers GOREFEST has posted the following message on the band's official web site:

"We'd been asked to fill in for DEICIDE on the Nummirock festival in Finland two weeks ago, an invite we gladly accepted since we'd never been there before. Nummirock is held at a site somewhere in the Finnish woods, a hot and cramped four-and-a-half-hour drive from Helsinki Airport.

"We got there just in time to see MARDUK coming off stage, which really annoyed me since I've never seen them perform. I know, I really should get out more...

"Anyway, the gig was cool, the food was crap, the people were drunk, the sun set for about half a minute, and then came right back up again. All was well in Finland, and we hope to get back in the near future to do some club shows. You just gotta love a country where moose walk in the mist, where everyone seems to have their own private lake, and where people wander about the highways naked and drunk at four in the morning

"Last weekend saw us hammering in the Waldrock weekend at the pre-party in some disco in Friesland. We had THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT opening for us, and they really brought the place to a boiling point. Which is great, as everyone seemed to be in the right mood for some seriously heavy shit. One of the hottest shows we did since Graspop last year, and I'm not just talking temperatures here. Next day we got to hang out at Waldrock, and watch bands as diverse as AFTER FOREVER, NILE, BORN FROM PAIN, Y&T and MOTÖRHEAD. I thoroughly enjoyed BFP (thanks for the shirts guys!) and MOTÖRHEAD, but totally got off on Y&T. What songs, and Dave Meniketti has got to be one of the coolest guitarists ever.

"Come Sunday, we arrived in Leipzig for the With Full Force festival. Like yesterday, and the day before that, people really seemed to dig our bus. I wonder why?

"Yes, Waltzin' Andre Rieu had been so kind as to let us abuse one of his coaches, and many a Strauss-loving couple had a nasty surprise when we stepped out of the bus at selected gasstations. Remember, if you come across pics of supposedly Rieu behind a coachwindow, flipping the bird, throwing the horns or showing his butt: it ain't us, right?!

"WFF was really cool, if a bit windy on stage. If anyone was waiting for us to play Erase: sorry, we had to skip it because of time regulations! It's too bad SOILWORK had to cancel their show, but we did get to see the quite wonderful ARCH ENEMY from up close — a true feast for the metal senses! Like Waldrock, MOTÖRHEAD was headlining today, and I swear I could hear Lemmy chuckling at our bus when we drove off. You'd think Lemmy would like a German waltz or two…"

Source:	roadrunnerrecords.com
Band profile:	Gorefest

The following message has been posted by frontman John Tardy at thhe legenadry Death Metal band's official website:

"Where do I start! First, thanks to our crew and all our fans that came out to support us this festival season. Without you guys all this would not be possible!!!".

"I did not have Internet for the last few shows, so I could not update the website until now. I think the last I updated was in Italy. Since then we had two shows in Germany and one in Austria!".

"I am at home and trying to get things 'back to normal.' Yesterday we got together with friends and celebrated the 4th of July with some grilling, cool ones, fireworks and World Cup football! What an end to that Germany / Italy game. Our crew were from Germany, so I felt bad for them, but congratulate Italy on a big win. I am looking forward to the game today, it should be a good one. It was also great to see the Space Shuttle Discovery go up! I don't know if there is any better display of fireworks then watching that thing launch! Awesome! We are a few hundred miles from the Space Center, but can still see the shuttle from my house. It is really something and I congratulate NASA on a beautiful launch".

"We are home until the end of August , then we head back to Europe to record our first DVD, in Poland! I think we could be the last band on the planet to do one, so we are really excited about this. While we are there we will also be playing the Up From The Ground Festival in Germany".

Links:http://www.obituary.cc/

Source:	metal-temple.com
Band profile:	Obituary

Mexican Death Metallers Brujeria will be touring Spain for three days this September. The band found their show at Viña Rock Festival in Villarobledo to be very successful, so they decided to embark on their own tour there.

Brujeria will be supported by Spanish band Hora Zulu who are promoting their new album, which is entitled 'El que la lleva la entiende'.

Here are the three dates:

Sep. 21 - Madrid, ESP @ Heineken
Sep. 22 - Bergara, ESP @ Gipuzkoa (Jam)
Sep. 23 - Barcelona, ESP@ Razzmatazz II

Source:	blabbermouth.net
Band profile:	Brujeria

A press release from Celtic Frost's website announced the bands that will be supporting the metal titans on their upcoming North American tour. The bands announced for the first leg of the tour running from September 12th til October 2nd are Norwegian black metallers 1349 and Norwegian doom metal supergroup, Sahg. Sagh features members from Manngard and Audrey Horne as well as former Gorgoroth members King and Kvitrafn. The support for the second half, running from October 3rd til November 11th will be the American black/death band Goatwhore. Also, for the week of west coast shows, the drone/doom band Sunn0))) will be on the bill as well. The dates of the shows are as follows :

September 12, 2006 Springfield, Virginia Jaxx
September 13, 2006 Springfield, Virginia Jaxx
September 14, 2006 New York City B.B. King's
September 15, 2006 New York City B.B. King's
September 16, 2006 Montreal, Quebec Medley
September 18, 2006 Toronto, Ontario The Opera House
September 19, 2006 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Rex Theatre
September 20, 2006 Cleveland, Ohio House of Blues
September 22, 2006 Detroit, Michigan Harpos
September 23, 2006 Chicago, Illinois Vic Theatre
September 24, 2006 Minneapolis, Minnesota First Avenue
September 25, 2006 Winnipeg, Manitoba Royal Albert Arms
September 27, 2006 Calgary, Alberta The Warehouse
September 28, 2006 Edmonton, Alberta The Starlite Room
September 30, 2006 Victoria, British Columbia Sugar
October 1, 2006 Seattle, Washington El Corazón
October 2, 2006 Portland, Oregon Roseland
October 3, 2006 San Francisco, California Fillmore
October 4, 2006 San Diego, California House of Blues
October 5, 2006 Anaheim, California House of Blues
October 7, 2006 Los Angeles, California House of Blues
October 8, 2006 Phoenix, Arizona Marquee Theater
October 9, 2006 Las Vegas, Nevada House of Blues
October 11, 2006 Englewood, Colorado Gothic Theatre
October 12, 2006 Albuquerque, New Mexico Sunshine Theatre
October 13, 2006 El Paso, Texas Texas Avenue Live
October 14, 2006 San Antonio, Texas Sunset Station - Lonestar
October 16, 2006 Lawrence, Kansas Bottleneck
October 17, 2006 Saint Louis, Missouri Pop's
October 19, 2006 Fort Worth, Texas Ridglea Theater
October 20, 2006 Houston, Texas Warehouse Live
October 21, 2006 New Orleans, Louisiana House of Blues
October 23, 2006 Saint Petersburg, Florida State Theater
October 24, 2006 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Culture Room
October 25, 2006 Orlando, Florida House of Blues
October 27, 2006 Atlanta, Georgia The Masquerade

Read more ››

Source:	celticfrost.com
Band profile:	Celtic Frost

Italian experimentalists EPHEL DUATH are currently collaborating with Eraldo Bernocchi to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of his groundbreaking group SIGILLUM ES. The album will also feature contributions from longtime Bernocchi co-conspirators Bill Laswell, Toshinori Kondo, Raiz, Zu, Xabier Iriondo, Thomas Fehlmann (THE ORB), Crisis and many others.

In other news, EPHEL DUATH has announced that Bernocchi will produce its next album. Guitar player, producer and electronic musician with more than 20 years of musical experience and 75 full-length albums under his belt, spanning many different audio and visual projects, Bernocchi has also scored various soundtracks, including "Nirvana" and "Denti" by the Oscar winner Gabriele Salvatores. The pre-production of the new EPHEL DUATH CD will begin later in the summer.

Source:	roadrunnerrecords.com
Band profile:	Ephel Duath

Satan's favourite sons Deicide spent 12 hours locked up in baking
Floridian conditions last weekend while they filmed the video for the
skin-flaying new track 'Homage For Satan'. In temperatures reaching
almost 100º Fahrenheit, the band ripped through the track again and
again with a level of energy and enthusiasm that would destroy many less
committed bands, drummer Steve Asheim in particular pulling of the
almost inhuman feat of playing for 12 hours straight in broiling
conditions without dropping a beat.

Never one to be outdone, Glen Benton then upped the stakes considerably
by donning the now legendary God deflecting armour, last seen at the
Roadrunner All Stars show, and performing the latter part of the video
shoot effectively wearing a second skin. Add to that some blistering
guitar work from Jack Owen and Ralph Santolla and the climactic scene of
the video where Glen is seen spewing forth bile and you just know that
this might just be one of the most intense videos of 2006. Directorial
duties on 'Homage For Satan' are handled by Detroit based crew Scrambled
Visual, who will be filming some additional Christ-baiting material back
in Detroit this weekend.

Expect 'Homage For Satan' to be hitting your TV screens later this
month, if you can't wait that long, head on over to iTunes where you can
currently download an exclusive early mix of 'Homage For Satan' as part
of 'The Stench Of Redemption 666 EP'. The album 'The Stench Of
Redemption' will be in stores August 21st (UK/ Europe) August 22nd (USA).

Read more ››

Source:	earache.com
Band profile:	Deicide