According to the band, sadly Shaun Steels has decided to part from MDB. His continuing illness shows no sign of abating and he feels the uncertaintly could be having a negative affect on his relationship with the band members. His statement below:

"I would just like to salute MDB for the good times and wish them all well in the future, I feel I am not ready to fulfill the duties in a manner befitting MDB at this time and have decided to stand down. I am sad to be leaving but at this time I feel it is for the greater good of the band. Tak! The Winter."

MDB would just like to say thanks to Shaun and to say we are sorry to see him part, but fully understand his position. Good luck Shaun.

MDB

Source:	mydyingbride.org
Band profile:	My Dying Bride

Thy Majestie have posted the following message on their official website:

"We are really happy to announce that Dario Grillo (Thy Majestie's former singer) is again the singer of Thy Majestie! After many troubles it seems that now the line-up is stable. We have composed 6 new songs. A 7th is going to be composed. We hope to join the recording studio in the early 2007.
At the moment we don't know which label will release the album
Unfortunately the exeperience with a singer ih the USA didn't work. We wish the best of luck to Matt!
More news have to come, stay tuned!"

Source:	thymajestie.com
Band profile:	Thy Majestie

Reunited Norway's Immortal have been confirmed as the headliners of the 2007 edition of the Inferno Festival, set to take place April 5-7 at the Rockefeller and John Dee venues in Oslo, Norway.

Here goes the statemeent of Inferno Fest Team:
"Norway's Immortal disbanded in 2003, after 13 successful years as one of the pioneers of metal. After a solid break, the band has decided to enter the battlefield again, and what better way to do so than performing a few selected, exclusive concert appearances? During Easter the fans will finally get to see the new Immortal live again, headlining the Inferno Festival.
It will be a great show in front of a good mixture of Norwegian fans and people from all over the world. It will be a very special show", Abbath assures."

Immortal also confirmed already for Wacken 2007 and 2 USA dates in July.

Source:	infernofestival.net
Band profile:	Immortal
Event:	Inferno Festival

According to a short post on Battlelore's official website, the band is busy working on their fourth studio album.

"At the moment we are in Music Bros studio's recording the 4th Battlelore album. If everything goes fine the new album should be released in February 2007."

Source:	battlelore.net
Band profile:	Battlelore

Legendary death metallers Dying Fetus have entered the studio to record their as-yet-untitled new full-length album.

Dying Fetus have recently been joined by new drummer Duane Timlin to begin recording the follow-up to 2003's "Stop At Nothing" at Hit & Run Studios in Rockville, MD. Advance song titles include: 'Parasites Of Catastrophe', 'Unadulterated Hatred', 'Raping The System' and 'The Ancient Rivalry'. The band (John Gallagher - Guitars / Vocals, Mike Kimbell - Guitar, Sean Beasley - Bass, and Timlin on drums) will complete recording by winter for an early 2007 release through Relapse Records.

Additionally, Dying Fetus have been announced as the main support band on the upcoming Cannibal Corpse North American tour with Necrophagist and Unmerciful. A complete listing of tour dates can be found here with more to be announced soon.

Read more ››

Source:	dyingfetus.com
Band profile:	Dying Fetus

Swedish metallers Evergrey have lined up the following European tour dates with up-and-coming melodic death metal band Avatar as support:

Oct. 06 - Canary Islands, Canarias MetalZone Festival (without Avatar)
Oct. 24 - München (DE), Metropolis
Oct. 25 - Milano (ITA), Rainbow
Oct. 27 - Madrid (ESP), Caracol
Oct. 28 - Bilbao (ESP), Kafe Antzoki
Oct. 29 - Barcelona (ESP), Apolo
Oct. 30 - Lyon (FR), Transbordeur
Oct. 31 - Paris (FR), Nouveau Casino
Nov. 02 - Strasbourg (FR), Laiterie
Nov. 03 - Weert (NL), De Bosuil
Nov. 06 - London (UK), Dingwalls
Nov. 07 - Dudley (UK), JBs
Nov. 08 - Bolton (UK), The Soundhouse
Nov. 09 - Bradford (UK), Rio
Nov. 10 - Zaandam (NL), Kade
Nov. 12 - Bochum (DE), The Matrix
Nov. 13 - Copenhagen (DK), The Rock
Nov. 18 - Växjö (SW), Folkets Park (without Avatar)
Nov. 25 - Blomstermåla (SW), Blomsterrocken (without Avatar)

Evergrey recently parted ways with bassist Michael Håkansson. and replaced him with former Hammerfall member Fredrik Larsson.

Source:	bravewords.com
Band profile:	Evergrey

"Scum", the first ever album by Death/Grindcore band Napalm Death is going to be re-released next year as a 20th Anniversary version. The release will contain a remastered version of the original "Scum" album and also a bonus DVD. The DVD will contain (among things) interviews with the three original Napalm Death members Nik Bullen, Mick Harris and Justin Broadrick, getting their thoughts on "Scum" getting re-released. The album is set for an early 2007 release.

Here is a comment by head of Earache Records Digby Pearson:

"...the 20th anniversary of the recording of "Scum" should be a good way to re-introduce a new generation to the legendary album that kick-started extreme music and coined the grindcore genre".

Source:	earache.com
Band profile:	Napalm Death

Folk Metallers Skyclad have announced that they won't be doing any touring in the next month or two, so they can concentrate on writing new material. The band had said previously that there was a chance of a small tour in October, but they now stated that it would be too difficult. So for the next couple of months, Skyclad will be writing and recording material for their next album. More details about the new album should be announced soon.

Here is a comment by the band:

"...we will be concentrating on writing and recording some new material for the next album. Following on from the touring we did earlier in the year, we had hoped to organise a 'mini-tour' in October but 'joining up the dots' proved to be too difficult - and, as had happened in April, the band didn't want to drive halfway across Europe between gigs (Paris to Naples then Gent in four days is no fun - honestly)".

Source:	skyclad.co.uk
Band profile:	Skyclad

More dates for Arch Enemy's upcoming European tour in November/December have been announced. Coldworker and Path Of No Return have also been announced as supports for Arch Enemy and will be playing with them at all the shows between 16th November and the 27th November (except for the 20th in Helsinki, Finland).

Here is the complete list of dates:

November 16 - Malmö @ KB (Sweden)
November 17 - Karlskrona @ Kino (Sweden)
November 18 - Göteborg @ Trägårn (Sweden)
November 20 - Helsinki @ Nosturi (Finland)
November 22 - Stockholm @ Klubben (Sweden)
November 23 - Linköping @ Platens Bar (Sweden)
November 24 - Halmstad @ Diezel (Sweden)
November 26 - Copenhagen @ Pumpehuset (Denmark)
November 27 - Århus @ Voxhall (Denmark)
November 29 - Bochum @ Zeche (Germany)
November 30 - Hamburg @ Knust (Germany)
December 1 - Glachau @ Alte Spinnerei (Germany)
December 3 - Zurich @ Rohstofflager (Switzerland)
December 5 - Munich @ New Backstage (Germany)
December 6 - Aschaffenburg @ Colos-Saal (Germany)
December 8 - Antwerp @ Hof Ter Lo (Belgium)
December 9 - Arnhem @ Metal Meeting Festival (Holland)
December 10 - Strasbourg @ La Laiterie (France)

Here is a comment by Arch Enemy guitarist Michael Amott:

"Right now we are out on the Gigantour in the U.S. with Megadeth etc - having the time of our lives! But, we have not forgotten what an amazing festival summer we had in Europe and we are eager to return and play for the headbangers there!!! See you all soon!!!".

Source:	archenemy.net
Band profile:	Arch Enemy

Power Metallers Sonata Arctica have announced that a new album is on the way. The band has started the songwriting process, and has also been doing some rehearsals. Sonata Arctica have also launched their own rehearsal diary which details the band's progress as they create the album. No other details about the album have been announced yet.

You can see the rehearsal diary by clicking here.

UPDATED on 7 December:
Sonata Arctica have started recording their next studio album!!
The studio diary can be found here.

Read more ››

Source:	sonataarctica.info
Band profile:	Sonata Arctica

Canadian Death Metallers Cryptopsy have announced a tour of North America. The tour will go all through October this year, and will cover Canada and the USA. The tour will continue to be in support of Cryptopsy's latest album 'Once Was Not'.

Here is a list of dates:

04/10/06 - Ottawa, On @ Maverick's
05/10/06 - Hamilton, On @ Absinthe
06/10/06 - Rouyn Noranda, QUE @ Petit Théatre du vieux Noranda
07/10/06 - Toronto, On @The Opera House
08/10/06 - London, On @ Embassy
09/10/06 - Sudbury, On @ Jubilee Centre
11/10/06 - Thunder Bay, On @ Kilroy's
12/10/06 - Winnipeg, Man @ Royal Albert
13/10/06 - Regina, Sask @ Exchange
14/10/06 - Edmonton, Alb @ The Moad Hall
16/10/06 - Victoria, BC @ Sugar NightClub
17/10/06 - Vancouver, BC @ The Lamplighter
19/10/06 - Calgary, Alb @ The Stetson
21/10/06 - Minneapolis, MN @ Quest Club
22/10/06 - Mokena, Ill @ The Pearl Room
23/10/06 - Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's

Source:	cryptopsy.net
Band profile:	Cryptopsy

Long-defunct Florida-based band Cynic has confirmed plans to embark a reunion tour in the spring/summer of 2007, beginning with possible U.S. warm-up performances and culminating in a number of festival appearances across Europe.

Reunion lineup:

Paul Masvidal - Vocals / Guitar
Sean Reinert - Drums / Keys
Tony Teegarden - Vocals / Keyboards
Chris Kringel - Bass
Santiago Dobles - Guitar

Concerts dates will be posted in the near future.

Source:	cynicalsphere.com
Band profile:	Cynic

More details about Death Metal band Obituary's upcoming DVD have been announced. The DVD now has the title of 'Frozen Alive'. The band has spent the last week in The RedRoom with Mark Prator mixing the audio part of the DVD. The DVD is now also to be expected to be released around December 2006-January 2007. It's a recording of the band's show in Poland on the 24th August and it will be Obituary's first ever DVD.

Here is a comment by vocallist John Tardy:

"So far it sounds pretty heavy and I am really getting excited. I still can't believe we have waited this long to do one but, that is just the way it worked out".

Source:	obituary.cc
Band profile:	Obituary

Moonsorrow, Arch Enemy and Tankard have all just been confirmed for this years Arnhem Metal Meeting. The festival will take place on Saturday 9th December this year at Musis Sacrum in Arnhem, Holland. More bands are said to be announced soon.

Here is the list of bands announced so far:

Aeternus
Ancient Rites
Antaeus
Arch Enemy
Immolation
Melechesh
Moonsorrow
Necrophobic
Skyforger
Tankard
Thronar

Source:	arnhemmetalmeeting.nl
Band profile:	Moonsorrow

More dates for Power Metal band Edguy's South American tour have been announced. Originally, only three dates were confirmed, but a larger lineup of seven shows will now happen. Edguy have also said the even more South American appearances should happen as the booking for further dates in other countries and cities is in progress.

Here is a full list of the so far confirmed dates:

01 Nov 2006 - Estadio Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
03 Nov 2006 - Credicard Hall, Sao Paulo, Brazil
04 Nov 2006 - Claro Hall, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
05 Nov 2006 - Master Hall, Curitiba, Brazil
07 Nov 2006 - Opinião, Porto Alegre, Brazil
18 Nov 2006 - Monterrey Metal Fest, Monterrey, Mexico
19 Nov 2006 - TBA, Mexico City, Mexico

In other Edguy news, the band, along with Brainstorm and Mercenary have been confirmed for next year's 'Bang Your Head!!!' festival. The festival will take place on 22-23 June, 2007 at Messegelände in Balingen, Germany. More acts for the festival are said to be announced soon.

Source:	edguy.net
Band profile:	Edguy