According to a posting on the band's website, the new album by Týr will be called "Land". It is scheduled for release on May 8'th and it contains mostly Faeroese, but also Icelandic and Norwegian traditionals, re-arranged into Heavy Metal. The secondmost prevalent language will be English.

Source:	tyr.net
Band profile:	Týr

The following was written in a promotional publication by Roadrunner Records:

"The wait is over. The time is now. Many said it would never happen, that Max and Iggor Cavalera, the Brazilian brothers and visionaries that formed the groundbreaking Sepultura would reunite to make music together again. Despite having spent 12 years apart, the inescapable fact remains: Max and Iggor share blood and an unparalleled sonic kinesis. Hence, the Cavalera Conspiracy was born. While the Cavalera Conspiracy and their debut "Inflikted" may seem like the closest we'll get to a Sepultura reunion, make no mistake. The Cavalera Conspiracy is its own maniacal, untameable beast with its own set of rules.
Two tracks from the album, the title track "Inflikted" and first single "Sanctuary" are now up and doing the rounds at roadrunnerrecords.com.au website. Just go to the news section, follow the link and decide for yourself...in time it will become obvious that its only the music, not the rumours, that speaks the loudest."

Both songs are also available for download at the band's MySpace page.

"Inflikted" will be released internationally on March 24th and in the U.S.A. on March 25th.

01. Inflikted
02. Sanctuary
03. Terrorize
04. Black Ark
05. Ultra-Violent
06. Hex
07. The Doom Of All Fires
08. Bloodbrawl
09. Nevertrust
10. Hearts Of Darkness
11. Must Kill

Links:
http://www.cavaleraconspiracy.com
http://www.myspace.com/cavaleraconspiracy

Line up:
Max Cavalera - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Iggor Cavalera - Drums and Percussion
Marc Ruzzo - Lead and Rhythm Guitar (Soulfly)
Joe Duplantier - Bass (Gojira)

Read more ››

Source:	roadrunnerrecords.com
Band profile:	Cavalera Conspiracy

Finland-based band Kivimetsän Druidi has issued the following statement:

Kivimetsän Druidi and their female singer Jenni Onishko have decided that their paths will go different ways from now on! Due to personal reasons the co-operation is no longer possible. We are deeply sorry to say this, but we can't keep on fighting against the windmills.

Our former singer Annika Laaksonen kindly helped us out at Helsinki, Semifinal. On Thursday in Kouvola we will be supported live by several Metal Warriors - a kind of all stars team: Lainedil and Iné from Elexorien, Tuuli from Shattered Within etc. The gig in St. Petersburgh on Saturday will be played without female vocals. All the gigs in near future will definitely be very challenging both technically AND mentally for the band.

We wish Jenni all the best in the future. And although our paths part now, the friendship will live forever.

The band is now in search of a new female vocalist:

"Our new singer should be 18-25 years old and preferably she should have a classically trained voice. She should be suitable to our style and we appreciate charisma and performing skills. Anyway she'll be our new metal queen!
We have already agreed gigs both in Finland and abroad, so the sooner we find our new singer the better.
We are training in Kouvola, but as long as the singer can spend in Kouvola two weekends a month, it's no problem where she is living. However a great part of our songs are written in Finnish, so she should be able to sing in Finnish."

Source:	kivimetsandruidi.com
Band profile:	Kivimetsän Druidi

Swedish metallers Soilwork have issued the following statement on their website:

Soilwork, who recently completed the Lamb Of God/Killswitch Engage U.S. tour in support of their new album "Sworn To A Great Divide", have decided to part ways with guitarist Ola Frenning.
It was felt that Ola resisted the demands of the road and found it difficult to come to terms with the amount of touring scheduled.

Sworn To A Great Divide is Soilwork's fastest seller and the live demand for the band is growing. They intend to play everywhere and fulfill the album's potential.

Vocalist Björn "Speed" Strid says: 'It was a very difficult decision to make because Ola has been our friend and bandmate for a very long time'.

The decision will not affect any of Soilwork's plans. Guitarist David Andersson will fill in on their upcoming Finnish/Baltic tour as well as the "Scum Of The Earth" U.S. tour with Throwdown. The band will then tour Australia, Japan and South-East Asia before returning to Europe for festivals and a headlining U.S. tour in the Fall.

Ola Frenning comments: "After 10 years, 7 albums and several world wide tours, we've realised that we have developed in different directions and have a different set of values, profession wise. The disagreements have reached their peak and it has become an untenable situation. The band's solution is that I part ways with them so that I won't be in the way for the future plans of Soilwork.
However, since I'm not gonna be on the road (at least for a while), I will now be able to continue with my songwriting and producing at another level. For further information, visit www.myspace.com/olafrenning. The page will be updated in the near future.
Cheers to ya all... And thanks for making these 10 years with the band memorable."

Read more ››

Source:	soilwork.org
Band profile:	Soilwork

According to a posting on the Six Feet Under website, legendary death metal vocalist Chris Barnes has officially parted ways with the Finnish death metal band Torture Killer, who took their name from a Six Feet Under song back when they were a SFU and Obituary cover band.

"I am no longer involved with, or a member of the band Torture Killer. The split is mutual; it was just time for me to move forward. I wish the band well in all future plans and musical endeavors" comments Chris Barnes.

Torture Killer have commented the split and announced their new vocalist on their Myspace site:

"From this point on we will continue with Sallinen on vocals. No drama, we agreed it will be less confusing and better for us and Chris to continue on our own paths. We're very grateful for his help during the past few years and wish him the best of luck - he's been cool to us all this time. With Sallinen we now have a complete and solid line-up and will concentrate on finishing the 3rd Torture Killer album."

Read more ››

Source:	sfu420.com
Band profile:	Torture Killer

Lifeforce Records posted the following news on the label's official website:
"Lifeforce Records is proud to announce the signing of a multiple album deal with French melodic Death Metal band Destinity. The band's first worldwide (excluding France) release via Lifeforce Records will be their album "The Inside" which was previously released through Rupture Music in France only. "The Inside" was recorded, mixed and mastered in August 2007 with Jacob Hansen (Mercenary, Raunchy, Deadlock).

Destinity, who is currently on the road with Dew-Scented (Nuclear Blast) and Severe Torture (Earache Records), was formed in 1996 and released 3 albums with Adipocere Records.

"The Inside" is set to be released on April 28th in Europe and June 24th in the US/ Canada."

Read more ››

Source:	lifeforcerecords.com
Band profile:	Destinity

Last night (Sunday, February 10) at Los Angeles' Staples Center, the 2008 Grammy Awards were held. Slayer won a Grammy for "Best Metal Performance" (For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, with vocals. Singles or Tracks only) for the song "Final Six". The other nominees were:

Nothing Left - As I Lay Dying
Track from: An Ocean Between Us

Never Ending Hill - King Diamond
Track from: Give Me Your Soul...Please

Aesthetics Of Hate - Machine Head
Track from: The Blackening

Redemption - Shadows Fall
Track from: Threads Of Life

Slayer also won a Grammy last year for the song "Eyes Of The Insane". This year, Foo Fighters won best Hard Rock Performance for the song "The Pretender", beating out Ozzy Osbourne, Evanescence, Tool and Queens Of The Stone Age. Meanwhile Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) and Alison Krauss won Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals for the song "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)". Also Metallica were nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance with " The Ecstasy Of Gold", but lost to Bruce Springsteen's "Once Upon A Time In The West".

All winners and nominations can be found at this location.

Watch a video report on Slayer's latest Grammy win on YouTube.

Read more ››

Source:	grammy.com
Band profile:	Slayer

Guitarist Andreas Kisser from Brazil's Sepultura has posted the following message:

"We started the writing process for the Sepultura new album today in our studio in Sao Paulo. All the equipament was prepared yesterday by our crew and today we tried some ideas for songs. We will follow kind of the same steps we did in our last album, "Dante XXI", but this time we will be inspired by the book "A Clockwork Orange", first released in 1962 written by Anthony Burgess and it´s a movie, a classic, made by Stanley Kubrik. We will write our soundtrack for this story and Burgess´ life will be an inspiration also to write the music, lyrics and for the artwork.
Today at the studio, really good ideas came up, the vibe is great and the songs are coming in a easy and brutal way. Keep checking the news for more info soon!"

The album will be the first Sepultura effort without involving any Cavalera member.

Source:	blog.myspace.com
Band profile:	Sepultura

Swedish metallers Shining has posted the following on the band's myspace page:

Bassist Phil A. Cirone have decided to once again leave Shining. There is absolutely no bad blood him and the band inbetween. Shining thank him eternally for his years of edication and death!

This will not effect our coming ceremonies as Phil will remain a live-musician until a replacement has been found.

We have decided that in the search of a new bassist we are going to hold an audition where we invite you to try out for us. We are not looking for any session-members whatsoever so the place is permanent to whoever might suit the band, thus, the requirements as seen below. We need you to record a videoclip where you show off your skills and send it to us along with a motivation of why you want to join Shining and what you think you could contribute with as both musician and person to the band. We need all applications in hand before the 1st of March as we intend to tour pretty much the rest of the year as well as recording our sixth album. Once we have gone through the material you have sent we will choose the best ones and invite you to Oslo, Norway where we will play a few songs together to see who will become the new bassist of Shining.

Requirements:
- Shining has to be your main priority and nothing can come between your obligations towards the band.
- You have to live in Sweden or without hesitation move to Sweden once you are offered to join.
- You have to either know or learn our past to be able to participate in promotional matters.
- You have to have live-experience and preferably touring-experience.
- You have to be able to tour more than 100 days per year.
- You have to be able to enter the USA.

Send your video-clip along with your motivation to: bookingshining@hotmail.com
Our by snail-mail to our manager at: Conny Jarlestål, A-ringen 71, 30255 Halmstad, Sweden

Read more ››

Source:	blog.myspace.com
Band profile:	Shining

Reunited Dutch Death Metallers Asphyx have posted the following news on their MySpace:

"Last year Asphyx reunited for doing just one show at the Party San festival. But it turned out a bit different. We're enjoy playing the tunes of brutality and we're having lots of fun together that much, that quiting isn't an option. We wrote already 3 new songs and there a more to come!!! One of them, the fastest track, is recorded a few weeks ago. Finally today the mix is finished: please check out "Death... The Brutal Way" (unmastered).

It's not yet downloadable, but it will be soon!!"

In other news, Asphyx have confirmed they will headline a gig dubbed "Triumph Of Death", scheduled for March 29th at Knaack Club in Berlin, Germany. Also on the bill for the show: Drowned, Necrovation, Tribulation and Slugathor.

Read more ››

Source:	blog.myspace.com
Band profile:	Asphyx

Season Of Mist are very proud to inform that legendary Norwegian black metallers Mayhem were honoured in the "Metal" category at the 36th annual Spellemann Awards (the Norwegian equivalent to the Grammy Awards) for their latest release, "Ordo Ad Chao". The largest and oldest Norwegian music awards show was held last Saturday, February 2nd at the Spektrum in Oslo, Norway and was broadcast live on the Norwegian channel TV2.
Click here for a picture of the winning band receiving their Award.

The nominees in the "Metal" category were as follows:

Mayhem - "Ordo Ad Chao"
Red Harvest - "A Greater Darkness"
Dimmu Borgir - "In Sorte Diaboli"
Audrey Horne - "Le Fol"

Read more ››

Source:	season-of-mist.com
Band profile:	Mayhem

Deathchain has posted the following updates on their website:

"We have decided to announce this due to all questions regarding this issue: Our long-time guitar player Bobby Undertaker has decided to step off from this roaring machinery. It did not come as a complete surprise but somehow it was inevitable, as one will find out when reading the Undertakers last obituary. It is with full understanding we part our ways with long-time friend and brother, so cheers to you and may Cthulhu guard your steps!"

Bobby Undertaker has also posted his statement on the website:

"Deathchain has come to a point where in order to grow bigger and more known as a band, more and more tours outside Finland must be done. It seems that Deathchain is going to be pretty busy on that matter. That means months away from Finland and for me, also months away from my day job. In my current situation in life, that job is something I just can't afford to lose. Especially when doing tours as a support, usually there's no income of any kind and for me that situation is financially impossible. It's not fair that the whole band would be held back just because of me. Furthermore, I totally agree with the rest of the band that using someone to replace me on tours is totally lame and just plain stupid. Either you're in, or you're out and I'm sad to announce that under these circumstances, I am out of Deathchain.

This is probably the hardest decision I've ever made. Deathchain has been a huge part of my life. We have done three albums and over 100 shows all around Europe, I've made a lots of friends on our gigs and met great bands, not to mention the fellow band members who have become one of my best friends. I will continue playing and with Corpse we have agreed to work together in the future. I wish all the best for Deathchain and thank you for the best years of my life.
Stay metal,
B.Undertaker"

The band continues to post the following:

"We have found a new brother, who will join our hordes under the name of Kult! There is no need to write about his past in here, because the future will show you that he is the right man for the job. We are already writing the next opus and Kult is deeply involved in the writing process, this is how strongly we trust him. So greet him with a pint of lager when you see him on this years shows!"

Read more ››

Source:	deathchain.com
Band profile:	Deathchain

Argentinian folk metal act Skiltron have announced very special guests to play on their upcoming album ''Beheading The Liars'', set to be released in May 2008. The guests include Kevin Ridley, Steve Ramsey and Georgine Biddle of Skyclad, Jonne Järvelä of Korpiklaani and Patrice Roques and Patrick Lafforgue of Stille Volk.

The tracklist with the guests musicians reads as follows:

01. Skiltron
02. The Beheading
03. I'm What You've Done
04. Praying Is Nothing (featuring Jonne Järvelä)
05. Calling Out
06. The Vision Of Blind Harry
07. Hate Dance
08. Signs, Symbols And The Marks Of Man (featuring Kevin Ridley, Steve Ramsey and Georgina Biddle)
09. Let The Spirit Be
10. Fast And Wild
11. Crides (featuring Patrice Roques and Patrick Lafforgue)

Read more ››

Source:	skiltron.net
Band profile:	Skiltron

Hail Of Bullets will enter Excess studios in Rotterdam, Holland in February to begin recording their debut album for a May release via Metal Blade Records.

Comments drummer Ed Warby: "Yesterday we had our last band rehearsal before we enter the studio. Worked out some final arrangements and played the last two songs we wrote for the first time. One is the epic closer to the album (we'll have fun building this one up in the studio), and another is the proposed bonus track; a groovy beast of a tune that actually has a dual guitar solo in it. Martin couldn't attend, so we'll leave the vocal fine-tuning for the studio. I'm also working on a nice, moody intro for the album. Some strings, some bombs... it's turning out a lot cooler than I expected; God bless ProTools! Meanwhile our creative department is hard at work on putting together the artwork, it's starting to look very promising indeed. And finally we're close to securing a U.S. deal... more information will follow shortly."

Hail Of Bullets' entire four-song promotional CD is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page http://www.myspace.com.

Read more ››

Source:	metalblade.de
Band profile:	Hail Of Bullets

Finnish Melodic Death Metallers Omnium Gatherum have issued the following update:

"OG will begin to record the 4th magnum opus extravaganza in March and this time the album will be done in three different studios; recordings will be done at Sound Supreme Studios by Janne Saksa and at SouthEastSounds by Teemu Aalto and the mixing and mastering will be done at legendary Unisound Studio at Örebro, Sweden by Dan Swanö (Nightingale, ex-Edge Of Sanity, ex-Bloodbath etc.) who´ve produced the albums for Opeth, Katatonia and Dissection for example. So, we could say that we´re really enthusiastic about this, surprise!

First time the album composing process have been really easy task and this pure fresh spirit can really be heard from the songs. The next level have been entered, so beware folks - autumn 2008 will be time for THE OG INVASION!"

In other news the band have posted the following: "Evile have cancelled "The Great British Fiction Tour" and this means that OG will be the main support act and are playing just before Dark Tranquillity - which means a little bit longer set list! Evile will be compensated with local opening acts. See ya in UK!!"

Read more ››

Source:	omniumgatherum.org
Band profile:	Omnium Gatherum
Event:	Dark Tranquillity: UK Tour