It wasn't that long ago when German Power Metallers Primal Fear broke off from record company Nuclear Blast. And they haven't remained record-label-less for long as they've now re-signed to Nuclear Blast. The record label will be with them when Primal Fear releases an upcoming Best-Of Compilation. The compilation will be called 'Metal Is Forever' and will contain 16 tracks. There will also be a bonus CD accompanying it called 'Classic Metal Tracks'. The release date for the album is 29th September.

Here is what bassist Mat Sinner has said on Primal Fear's official website: "Nuclear Blast and Primal Fear will carry on their successful work to make this album a success and a worthy release, with special packaging, photos, story etc. - more information and a songlist with be follow here soon!"

Source:	primalfear.de
Band profile:	Primal Fear

Alabama Thunderpussy has announced the addition of vocalist Kyle Thomas (ex- Exhorder / Floodgate) to its lineup.

Thomas states: "This band is stocked with amazing musicians and most importantly quality people. It's great to be in the fold and an honor to be considered by such a great, hard working band as Alabama Thunderpussy. Above all, a big thank you to goes out to Karrie Hill for contacting me so that this could all be possible.".

"Kyle is a world class singer with an impressive résumé that includes being a founding member of seminal New Orleans metal band Exhorder and singing with other acts including Floodgate, Pitts Vs Preps And Trouble." comments ATP drummer Bryan Cox. Cox continues; "With the singer situation resolved, we will be headed quickly toward hitting the studio and getting it on tape. If you are at all familiar with Kyle's work, then you know what he is going to bring to this ATP record. It will be very special and we feel honored and fortunate to be taking the next step forward as Alabama Thunderpussy with him as a part of the team."

Guitarist Erik Larson adds "We knew right away that Kyle was the man for the singer spot when we heard him singing on some of the new material. Personally, as an Exhorder fan, I felt a bit star struck that this guy was singing on our music. It's amazing. So we got him up to RVA for a visit / meet and greet / rehearse - ie: alcoholocaust ATP style. It went perfectly. Couldn't have asked for a better dude to join the band. I'm f*cking stoked!"

Alabama Thunderpussy has been writing for the new record since last July with the music for 14 songs already completed. The writing process will be rounded out with the addition of Thomas's vocals for what will be their sixth full-length studio album. Expect to see ATP road-testing this new material soon.

Read more ››

Source:	relapse.com
Band profile:	Alabama Thunderpussy

Gojira has joined the already wonderful bill of the "Unholy Alliance" concert to take place in Paris at the "Palais Omnisport De Paris Bercy" on November 7th 2006. Doors open at 3:30 pm. The following bands will be performing in the following order :
Thine eyes bleed
Gojira
Lamb Of God
Children Of Bodom
In Flames
Slayer

Source:	gojira-music.com
Band profile:	Gojira

Gojira will open for Obituary for the UK's shows :

Jun. 11 - Mean Fiddler - London, UK
Jun. 12 - TBC - UK
Jun. 13 - Soundhaus - Glasgow, SCO

Source:	gojira-music.com
Band profile:	Gojira

Power Metallers Kamelot have a new album on the way. The band has been busy writing songs in Norway and have so far completed nine of them. They will be travelling to Wolfsburg, Germany in a month or so to do all the recordings, etc.

Here is a statement by guitarist Thomas Youngblood on the band's official website: "I am just returning from Norway and we were more productive than ever on this writing session. I am more pleased than ever with the progress of the new songs".

The album is set for an early 2007 release.

In other Kamelot news the band has announced some North American tour dates with special guest Epica. Here are the confirmed tour dates, as posted on their website:

Sep. 15 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL (USA) - Culture Room - (only Kamelot)
Sep. 16 - St. Petersburg, FL (USA) - State Theatre - (only Kamelot)
Sep. 19 - Springfield, VA (USA) - Jaxx Nightclub
Sep. 20 - New York, NY (USA) - B.B King
Sep. 22 - Poughkeepsie, NY (USA) - The Chance Theater
Sep. 23 - Rochester, NY (USA) - The Penny Arcade
Sep. 24 - Montréal, QC (CA) - Le Medley
Sep. 25 - Québec, QC (CA) - L'Imperial
Sep. 27 - Toronto, ON (CA) - The Opera House
Sep. 28 - Cleveland, OH (USA) - Agora Ballroom
Sep. 29 - Detroit, MI (USA) - Harpo's
Sep. 30 - Chicago, IL (USA) - The Pearl Room
Oct. 02 - Columbia Heights, MN (USA) - Star Central
Oct. 04 - Denver, CO (USA) - BlueBird Theater
Oct. 06 - Seattle, WA (USA) - Studio Seven
Oct. 07 - Portland, OR (USA) - Rock N Roll Pizza
Oct. 08 - San Francisco, CA (USA) - Pound SF
Oct. 10 - Santa Ana, CA (USA) - Galaxy Theatre
Oct. 11 - Los Angeles, CA (USA) - Key Club

Source:	kamelot.com
Band profile:	Kamelot

Evergrey and Necrophobic have been confirmed for the Mälarrocken Festival, set to take place June 30 - July 2 in Västerås, Sweden. More information is available at www.malarrocken.se

Source:	malarrocken.se
Band profile:	Evergrey
Event:	MälarRocken

Official press release (Relapse Records) :

Vincent McAllister, the guitarist and a founding member of seminal metal band Pentagram, has lost his battle with cancer at the age of 51.

McAllister played guitar in the classic 70's Pentagram line-up that also included vocalist Bobby Liebling, bassist Greg Mayne and drummer Geof O'Keefe. His recorded works can be heard throughout the various Pentagram collections.

McAllister was highly respected as a guitarist and person amongst his peers. McAllister had spent the past few years working on material in his home studio and planning to return to playing again with former Pentagram members O'Keefe and Mayne.

Go to http://www.bedemon.com for more news on Vincent McAllister.

Read more ››

Source:	relapse.com
Band profile:	Pentagram

Thrash Metallers Slayer are reportedly releasing a single to their new album. The single will be called 'Cult' and will feature the song Cult, a video of Cult and some 'rare fan footage'. The single is going to be a limited edition one (5000 copies) and should be released on 15th June. Slayer are also going to release a limited edition EP called 'Eternal Pyre'.

As the new album goes, it still doesn't have a name, but some unconfirmed track titles have been released. Here are the titles:

01. Cult
02. Consfearacy
03. Flesh Storm
04. Jihad
05. Eyes of the Insane
06. Black Serenade
07. Supremist
08. Skeleton Christ
09. Catatonic
10. Final Six
11. Catalyst

My money is on the album being titled 'Jihad'. Also, Slayer have posted a snippet of the new song 'Cult' on their official website: www.slayer.net Just open the site and the song will play automatically.

Source:	metal-temple.com
Band profile:	Slayer

Leaves' Eyes will be joining Blind Guardian on their North American tour this fall. Dates as follows:

08.11. USA Phoenix, AZ Marquee Theatre
09.11. USA San Diego, CA House of Blues
10.11. USA Santa Ana, CA Galaxy
11.11. USA Los Angeles, CA Avalon
12.11. USA San Francisco, CA Fillmore
14.11. CAN Vancouver Commodore
15.11. USA Seattle, WA El Corezon
17.11. USA Salt Lake City, UT Avalon
18.11. USA Denver, CO Gothic Theatre
19.11. USA Lawrence, KS Granada
22.11. USA Minneapolis, MN The Quest
23.11. USA Chicago, IL House of Blues
24.11. USA Cleveland, OH Agora Theatre
25.11. USA Detroit, MI Harpo's
26.11. CAN Toronto Opera House
28.11. CAN Quebec City, QE Salle Albert-Rousseau
29.11. CAN Montreal Medley
30.11. USA New York City, NY BB Kings or Irving Plaza
01.12. USA Worcester, MA Palladium
02.12. USA Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
04.12. USA Springfield, VA Jaxx
05.12. USA Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall
07.12. USA Orlando, FL House of Blues
08.12. USA Atlanta, GA Roxy
09.12. USA New Orleans, LA House of Blues
10.12. USA Houston, TX Meridian
11.12. USA Austin, TX Backroom

On other news Leaves' Eyes have announced a short signing session tour to celebrate the release of the new EP "Legend Land." They will visit music stores in 10 German cities, where they will also perform a acoustic set. The dates are as follows:

Sa., 10.06., 9 pm - Hameln (Media Markt)
Su., 11.06., 4 pm - Kaiserslautern (Media Markt)
Mo., 12.06., 2 pm - Heidelberg/Rohrbach (Media Markt)
Mo., 12.06., 5 pm - Karlsruhe (Media Markt)
Tu., 13.06., 1 pm - Stuttgart-Vaihingen (Media Markt)
Tu., 13.06., 6 pm - Nürnberg/Kleinreuth (Media Markt)
We., 14.06., 2 pm - Erfurt/Daberstedt (Media Markt)
We., 14.06., 7 pm - Grimma (AMM Musikmarkt/Klosterkirche)
Th., 15.06., 2 pm - Berlin Steglitz (Media Markt)
Th., 15.06., 5.30 pm - Frankfurt/Oder (Medi Max)

Read more ››

Source:	leaveseyes.de
Band profile:	Leaves' Eyes
Event:

The following message by Mike LePond has been delievered via newsletter:

"Hello to Everyone !!!
I want you all to know that I had my surgery and have been released from
the hospital. I am feeling so much better now. I am eating normally and
getting stronger with each passing day. I should be fully recovered in
about 3 weeks. I want to thank all of the fans who sent get well wishes
to me. I will read every single one of them. I will never forget how
kind and caring you are. I love you all.................

Mike L"

Source:	- Symphony X Newsletter -
Band profile:	Symphony X

Melodic Death Metallers Nightrage have recently parted ways from Century Media Records. The band have almost finalised a contract with 'a new label'. There will be more news on the record label front soon.

Also, the band are working on some news songs for an upcoming album, which will presumably be released under their new label. The band are just preparing at the moment, and hope to hit the studio in August. They say that they are 'really pleased' with the material they've knocked up so far.

In other news, Nightrage will be doing a Scandinavian tour this November with Vader and Bloodthorn. The dates are as follows:

11/11 - DEN @ TBA
12/11 - DEN @ TBA
13/11 - Gothenburg, SWE @ Musikens Hus
14/11 - Oslo, NOR @ TBA
15/11 - Kristiansand, NOR @ TBA
16/11 - Bergen, NOR @ TBA
17/11 - Trondheim, NOR @ Blaest
18/11 - Orebro, SWE @ Satin
19/11 - Stockholm, SWE @ Klubben
20/11 - Gavle, SWE @ Monster
21/11 - Umea, SWE @ Midnight
22/11 - Oulu, FIN @ TBA
23/11 - Jyvaskyla, FIN @ TBA
24/11 - Helsinki, FIN @ TBA
25/11 - Turku, FIN @ Klubi

Source:	nightrage.com
Band profile:	Nightrage

German Power Metal band Primal Fear have parted ways with their record label Nuclear Blast. Also the bands songwriter and bass player Mat Sinner who was employed at Nuclear Blast as a label manager isn't working there anymore. The band is currently searching for a new label.

Source:	blabbermouth.net
Band profile:	Primal Fear

2006 Eurovision winners Lordi have about 15,000 of their fans demanding an appology from one of the French television hosts of the contest. The fans have all signed an internet petition at www.ipetitions.com

Alegedly, the French tv host said "Finland has been participating in the Eurovision contest for the past 44 years and has never won. They're certainly not gonna win with this." After Lordi's May 20 show. Another host said "It's fresh, it's light, it's sober. I didn't picture the Finns like this. They'll be at the Vincennes zoo in the fall."

Lordi ended up winning Eurovision with a record number of points and both remarks have greatly angered Lordi fans. And so they are demanding an apology. To sign the petition, visit http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/excuses_eurovisions/

Source:	blabbermouth.net
Band profile:	Lordi

Veteran Heavy/Power Metallers Virgin Steele are almost finished their upcomming new album. The mixing process started about a month ago, and the whole thing should be completed in a couple of weeks. All the tracks are basically written and finalised and the mixing/mastering is nearly done. The title and track names haven't been released yet but the album has a September (2006) release date. More information about the album will be released soon.

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

Ministry's days are numbered, according to group leader Al Jourgensen.

Jourgensen, who has led the group and its numerous side projects since 1981, says that after Ministry finishes its current MasterBaTour, he plans to go right back into the studio for what he says will be "the last Ministry album." And, he promises, this is no cheap ploy to get attention for the band.

"I've got other things to do," Jourgensen explains. "I just started a label (13th Planet Records), and I want to sign some bands and really build it up like I did with WaxTrax in the '80s, not just a vanity label. I think it's time -- and I'll be leaving on the top of my game instead of hanging on too long and doing crappy Aerosmith and Rolling Stones albums 30 years later."

"The next one's going to be called 'The Last Sucker,' and it's also about this corrupt administration. That seems to be my muse; everyone seems to think I write real shitty music when a Democrat's in office. So we'll do that one, and then me and George Bush go riding off hand-in-hand, into the sunset."

Source:	thegauntlet.com
Band profile:	Ministry