Vocalist Legion is no longer a part of Marduk. Marduk have cancelled the upcoming shows( Blackest of the Black Festival in London and the 2 shows in Greece) A replacment for Legion has already been found and will be presented very soon.

Band profile:

Marduk

Guitarist Timo Tolkki of Finland's Stratovarius has posted a statement on the band's website that he will be commenting on the band's future sometime next week. The band currently has no tour plans for the recently released Elements Part 2 and sources close to the guitarist state that the lines of communication between himself and singer Timo Kotipelto are so strained that they only communicate through their lawyers. Timo has also suggested that he's unhappy with some of the band members. Could a major change in personnel be forthcoming? This all comes just weeks after signing a three album deal worth over 3 million dollars with Sanctuary Records......stay tuned for details.

Band profile:

Stratovarius

Norway's THE KOVENANT are currently working on the material for the follow up to this year's "S.E.T.I." (Search For Extraterrestrial Intelligence), tentatively due in late 2004. "You can expect some real extravaganza," reads a post on the band's web site. "This time the band will break new grounds again and set the standards for the future metal scene. It will be recorded next year and hopefully released in 2004 as well."

The forthcoming CD, which is tentatively titled "The Dreaming Spires", will be THE KOVENANT's last for Germany's Nuclear Blast Records. On new songtitle has thus far been revealed: "Radiation King". Also planned for release is a DVD containing footage spanning the band's entire career.

As previously reported, THE KOVENANT recently added two new members to the group's lineup: RAM-ZET drummer Küth and APOPTYGMA BERZERK keyboardist Geir Bratland.

Band profile:

The Kovenant

The revised version of the latest Apocalyptica-Album offers a bonus DVD, containing all videos from the Album (incl. Seemann), EPKs and three different up-to-date live-performances. Additionally there are also a couple of songs on the revised-cd, such as rare vinyl-tracks, b-sides, vocal verisons of Faraway and the mega-single Seemann! The revised-version of "Reflections" will hit stores monday 17-11-03!

Band profile:

Apocalyptica

In a recent interview to the Swedish newspaper, Aftonbladet, Bruce Dickinson said that the band should just continue playing live in about 5 more years, and then only record albums, because of the ages of the Maiden members.
Though it doesn't really correspond with what Steve Harris used to say - that he would play live until he couldn't hold a bass anymore.

Band profile:

Iron Maiden

Sweden's IN FLAMES have set "Soundtrack To Your Escape" as the title for their forthcoming album, due in Europe on March 29, 2004.

The follow-up to 2002's "Reroute To Remain" was recorded at a rented house/converted studio in Denmark with producers Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD) and Örjan Örnkloo (ex-MISERY LOVES CO.) and is currently being mixed at Galaxy Studios in Mol, Belgium. Mastering will take place at the Cutting Room in Stockholm, Sweden.

The following is the tentative track listing for "Soundtrack To Your Escape" (in no particular order):

01. F(r)iend
02. The Quiet Place
03. Borders And Shading
04. Discover Me Like Emptiness
05. Touch Of Red
06. Bottled
07. Dead Alone
08. Superhero Of The Computer Rage
09. Like You Better Dead
10. Dial 595-Escape
11. Evil In A Closet
12. In Search For I
13. My Sweet Shadow

"Soundtrack To Your Escape" will be released in Europe through Nuclear Blast Records, with whom the group have two albums remaining under the terms of their present contract. IN FLAMES are currently in negotiations with several labels about a possible North American record deal. More information will be made available soon.

Band profile:

In Flames

NIGHTWISH studio engineer Tero Kinnunen has posted the following studio diary entry to the band's web site:

"Howdy ho!!! Greeting from our new studio! It has been a month full of work and fun since we started to work with the new NIGHTWISH album in these facilities. As a result of the demo recordings we now have twelve new songs and Tuomas still has couple of new songs on the way.

"Everything went on as scheduled and everybody did their part as a good ole 'MetalHead' should. Some of the takes were so good that they will propably end up being on the final album as they are. (Especially Tarja and Marco did their vocal parts so well that such a spontaneous performances can hardly be expected again...). Despite all this there is still plenty of work to be done. That's why we ended up postponing the drum recordings for a week. Lucky for us it was ok both for Karmila and Finnvox schedules. So even at the moment Yucca and Tuomas are rehearsing and giving the songs and arrangements their final touch.

"The songs are the best NIGHTWISH has ever had so we all have plenty of expectations!!! Also the guys know this and the enthusiasm in NW-camp is easily sensed and smelled...

"So the demo did its job and left everybody really hungry and anxious to get to do the final performance for the actual album!!!"

Read more ››

Band profile:

Nightwish

Sweden's OPETH recently returned from their first-ever Scandinavian tour. The band performed live in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. The Finns finally had a chance to see the band live in concert for the first time ever, and OPETH tried to repay their "debt" by playing a set over two hours 20 minutes long in Helsinki. Surprise for this tour was the inclusion of "April Ethereal" from the 1997 album "My Arms Your Hearse". This has only been played live twice before back in 1997.

The long-awaited DVD, "Lamentations - Live at Shepards Bush Empire" will be released in late November through Music For Nations. American release is set for the end of February 2004.

Candlelight Records have re-issued the first three OPETH albums ("Orchid", "Morningrise", and "My Arms Your Hearse") in embossed tin-can editions. This is a very limited release and they're available now.

Since OPETH have been in North America three times in support of "Deliverance" and "Damnation", there will be some drastic changes in the band's live set list for the upcoming 2004 tour. To keep the interest from the fans, the band will pull out a series of never-before-played numbers from albums past and present. Some songs up for rehearsals are "The Moor", "Nectar" and "Blackwater Park", among others.

Band profile:

Opeth

Spinefarm Records will release three Nightwish box-sets in November. The reason is the existence of illegal boxsets called "Nightwish Memory Boxes" in central Europe. Those boxes are spreading quickly and something has to be done so that fans can support the band and not the pirates.

The legal boxes will also contain photos of the bandmembers as a special goodie. Please visit this page for a full description of the three boxsets.

Source:	nightwish.com
Band profile:	Nightwish

On Monday, 17th November 2003, WITHIN TEMPTATION will release their new double DVD featuring breathtaking live material, captivating backstage reports and many other specials.
It will be released in a stylish double DVD box.

Band profile:

Within Temptation

Norther's third studio albums will be named: Death Unlimited.

The album was recorded in Astia Studio in Lappeenranta.
10 songs and one cover song was recorded.

Mixing of this album is taken place at Finnvox studios now in November.

Band profile:

Norther

The former Angel Dust bassist Frank Banx contacted BW&BK with the following message:

"I would like to let you know, that I officially left the band on Friday, October 24th. this year. Because of unbridgeable personal differences with singer Dirk Thurisch, I've seen no other choice but to leave the band. Also, many so called "fans" in Germany are attacking me because of this decision in a very unkind verbal way in our guest book, what just underlines what I already posted in our guest book in July last year. I will play no more shows in Germany, until... (???) What so ever.

I will soon found my own record company, Frank Banx Enterprises, and I'm looking for a distributing partner for Canada and the USA to re-release Into The Dark Past from 1986 including unreleased bonus tracks from our 1985 demo Marching For Revenge, plus lyrics and more pictures, etc., and my future outputs and a.s.a.p. '88s To Dust You Will Decay with unreleased live video tracks from 1988 - 2002.

Also, if I get my visa, what I badly hope, I will found both, the company and my new band in America. So, I'm also looking for highly ambitioned musicians from wherever they like to come to Indianapolis then.

All right people, that's what I wanted to say. I hope to meet all you people very soon on the road (again...).

Sincerely yours, Frank Banx, musician."

Band profile:

Angel Dust

Guitarist Thomas Youngblood have reported in the following message to the official homepage:

"I just got back from a whirlwind 3 weeks in Norway and Germany. We have written 5 new songs for the next Kamelot follow-up to EPICA. Here are some working titles that may change on the album - March of Mephisto, Nothing Ever Dies and Serenade. The new songs range from HEAVY to Fast and we worked on a new ballad."

The Album, that will be the second part of the Epica story is expected early 2004, their first through SPV/Streamhammer.

Band profile:

Kamelot

"Lost Horizon have now decided that a session guitarist is needed for upcoming livegigs. Hans Boström has joined the band and played his first gig at Militärpalatset in Borås. He will also be with us at Chalmers!"

So it stands on their website. And they have officially confirmed that they will play on next years Sweden Rock Festival, June 10-12 2004, Sölvesborg, Sweden.

Lost Horizon have said, after the departure with Wojtek Lisicki, that they have no immediate plans to seek a permanent replacement. And will carry on as a five-piece.

Band profile:

Lost Horizon

Canadian technical death metallers CRYPTOPSY have officially parted ways with vocalist Martin Lacroix (ex-SPASME). No reason was given was given for Lacroix's departure. The group are currently seeking a replacement frontman while continuing to write material for their fifth studio album, tentatively due in early 2004 through Century Media Records.

The as-yet-untitled effort will be recorded at Wild Studio in St-Zenon, Quebec, Canada with producer Pierre Rémillard (KATAKLYSM, GORGUTS, KRISIUN). No further information is available at this time.

Band profile:

Cryptopsy