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

VIRGIN STEELE are back in the Studio completing the final recordings and mixes on David DeFeis' "Barbaric-Romantic Movie Of The Mind" ..... the "LILITH" soundtrack.

All is going quite well, and apparently there is enough music recorded for at least two CD's. No word yet as to if this Work will be released as a single, or a double CD set.

In addition to the recordings for LILITH, the group is also working on another collection of songs based on ... "the end of the world".

In still yet another project, David & Edward are working on an album of acoustic songs. I attended one of their "Acoustic" rehearsals ... it was one of the loudest performances I've heard in quite some time!

Meanwhile the "LILITH OPERA" starts up again for another round of performances on NEW YEARS EVE. All dates to be posted shortly.

As regards the video/DVD project it is still in the works for the coming year, along with a live album. What will be released first ... I have no idea!!! But stay tuned ... I will find out! Contrary to any rumours the band is still all in one piece, with the same lineup. David DeFeis, Edward Pursino, Frank Gilchriest and Josh Block are preparing for the up coming GREEK Concerts as well as several other dates.

Source:	virgin-steele.com
Band profile:	Virgin Steele

From arena tours to the biggest festivals in the world, MANOWAR slaughter their way through another world tour delivering what heavy metal fans crave! Pure Power!

Hell On Earth III features more than 90 minutes of ear-numbing performances private behind-the-scenes footage, interviews and pre post show rituals.

This package also features the program 'Live In Germany The Ringfest', the legendary one-hour show that dominated the city of Cologne during the PopKomm. 2002 filmed and recorded in front of 27,000 people. This performance has been completely re-edited from at least a dozen cameras and remixed in 5.1 digital surround sound.

But that's not all! For the first time ever the bands entire video collection is included.

Beginning with "Gloves Of Metal" to the latest "I Believe" plus several never before seen documentaries about the making of these videos.

Featuring more than 60 camera angles from performances in 17 countries and 35 cities, live footage from across the world, and the wildest, craziest and heaviest metal fans in the universe.

With the release of this double DVD MANOWAR have set the standard in heavy-metal video.

Get ready you're about to go to HELL for the third time in your life!

Source:	manowar.com
Band profile:	Manowar

DISSECTION guitarist/vocalist Jon Nödtvedt and drummer Bård "Faust" Eithun (ex-EMPEROR) have spent the past few weeks looking through the audition videos that have been sent to them from all over the world. In the beginning of next year, real auditions will be held for some of the musicians needed to complete the group's lineup. It is, however, not too late for interested musicians to send in their tapes.

All material should be sent to:

"audition"
DISSECTION
Mail Box 209
111 73 Stockholm
Sweden

In other news, plans exist for a DISSECTION documentary to be filmed over the course of the next year. Starting in the prison, it will follow the group through bandmember auditions, Jon's release from prison, the recording of the next album, and will include footage from their comeback tour in December 2004.

The tour will reportedly be "something out of the ordinary," with shows around two hours long and containing only old material ? more or less every song from the first two albums, "The Somberlain" and "Storm Of The Light's Bane".

Band profile:

Dissection

Dear people,

Big news this time. A new special semi-acoustic live album "Sleepy buildings" is coming and a tour next year. A lot is happening and changing, as it always does.
But the biggest change of all is that Hugo, our bass player, is leaving the Gathering. After a period of soulsearching, he came to the conclusion he wants to spend his time otherwise, taking on new challenges profession-wise and focus on his private life. He and his wife just had a beautiful baby girl.
This means he will end the year with us and do one last show which will be in 013 in Tilburg, Holland the 16th of November. Of course we wish him all good luck and happiness in the future.

We went on a quest to find a suitable replacement for Hugo. Luckily we did not have to search very far. We found a female bass player named Marjolein from Oss, Holland, the place where most of us come from and started our Gathering career. She studies at the Dutch 'Rock academy', She's a nice and funny girl and a natural talent indeed. We welcome her to our band.
You will get a chance to meet her when we will tour around Europe after the release of "Sleepy buildings" end of January 2004.

Band profile:

The Gathering

We are really sorry to announce the departure of Pasi Hiltula. He wanted to concentrate on his own projects. We are looking for replacement but at the same time considering to leave the position unfilled and leave the space for guitars. Let's see what the future has to offer for us. It was great to work with Pasi. He really is one of the best keyboard players we have ever known and heard. With swamp we thank and bow!

Band profile:

Kalmah

Threshold have now finished mixing the audio for their forthcoming Critical Energy DVD and double CD. Karl and Richard also recorded an additional commentary track for the DVD. The track list for the release is as follows:

1. Phenomenon
2. Oceanbound
3. Choices
4. Angels
5. Falling Away
6. Virtual Isolation
7. Innocent
8. Long way home
9. Fragmentation 10. Clear
11. Life Flow (acoustic version)
12. Narcissus (hybrid version)
13. Sunseeker
14. The Latent Gene
15. Light And Space
16. Sunrise On Mars (encore)
17. Paradox (encore)
18. Sanity's End (encore)

Band profile:

Threshold

Finnish power metallers STRATOVARIUS will be leaving their current label Nuclear Blast Records after the release of their next album, "Elements Pt. 2", which is due later this month.

In an interview with Russian Darkside E-Zine (http://www.darkside.ru) conducted on October 20, keyboardist Jens Johansson said the band is considering various options, but the return to their previous label Noise Records is the most likely of them. According to Johansson, STRATOVARIUS never had any serious problems with Noise, and the only reason they changed to Nuclear Blast was money. It was not clear from Johansson's words which label will be releasing the band's live DVD, which is scheduled for spring next year.

Band profile:

Stratovarius

OPETH have set "Lamentations - Live At Shepherds Bush Empire" as the title for their forthcoming live DVD, due on November 24 through Music For Nations.

As previously reported, the disc, which was recorded September 25 in London, will contain both the mellow and heavy set with a running time of approximately an hour each, as well as a unique 65-minute documentary about the band with in-depth focus on the recording of "Deliverance" and "Damnation". "Lamentations?", which was mixed by "Deliverance" mixer and co-producer Andy Sneap, will also include exclusive interviews with the band and producer. A two-CD live album will also be issued in the coming months.

Band profile:

Opeth

Beginning on November 15th, Zakk will be in the studio with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY through the first week in December recording an "all covers" CD which will also feature two brand new songs. The CD will feature about 10 covers and is likely to include versions of songs by RAY CHARLES and the ROLLING STONES. An early spring 2004 release is expected.

Band profile:

Black Label Society

We just received the following news from Gorgoroth:

"Gaahl is heading to court the 20. October.
He is accused for unordinary vile use of violence. Gaahl risks a 6 years sentence if he gets condemned, the outcome of the court trial
will be announced in a couple of weeks."
Other news:
"If things will turn out better with the local promoters, Gorgoroth will hopefully play on the metal festival in Tel Aviv the 7th of March 2004, be sure to check their website www.gorgoroth.tk for confirmation. Gorgoroth are also working on possibilities of touring in USA and Mexico etc, check back on this issue too."

Band profile:

Gorgoroth

VOMITORY bass player/growler, Erik Rundqvist, announces his departure from the vocal duties in the band, continuing to play bass only. So therefore, VOMITORY is now looking for a new growler. Erik will still do the vocals on the new VOMITORY album and he will continue in the band as the stable bass player he is!

So if you feel you are the one for the job, please get in touch with us, but if you're not 100 % serious, don't waste our time! band@vomitory.net

Band profile:

Vomitory