The Tygers Of Pan Tang are pleased to announce their new vocalist: Jacopo Meille. Jack has previously sung in Itallian band Mantra of which he is still very much a part. "...We are over the moon to have found such a great vocalist. This is something we should have done 3 years ago, gone for a totally professional singer. He fits more into the Jon Deverill way of doing things and that suits me just fine.We already have 3 new tunes done with Jack which just came out of an end of rehearsal jam which we are really happy with.We will be going into the studio with John Mitchell (Arena) to record the new CD and I cannot wait...", said Robb.

http://www.tygersofpantang.co.uk/

What do you want for Christmas, do you want something (or someone) for yourself, for someone else, or are you one of those pansy tree-huggers looking for some unattainable, unreachable, and unrealistic higher ideal? What kinds of traditions do you and yours follow for the holidays?

I asked Century Media artists for their answers and here is what I got:

Dear Santa,

I have a few requests for you. Please listen carefully as I can't reach my stereo, and who would want to turn down Finntroll at Christmas time anyways:

Snowy Shaw (drums Dream Evil) asks for peace on earth and the death penalty, he says somehow they are linked. Tanja (vocals Lullacry) has asked for one bottle of perfume, she says she really doesn't need much and she won't ask for anything else. Mark Briody (guitar Jag Panzer) has asked for the new Iron Maiden DVD. He says he's waited years to see that classic Maiden footage, and that when he was a kid, he'd watch MTV for 8 hours just hoping to see the 'Run to Hills' video. Sakis (guitar/vocals Rotting Christ) asked for snow - then he remembered he lives in Greece. Shane Embury (bass Napalm Death) asks that you leave him one or two cookies for Christmas morning, and while we are talking about your behavior here, Timo Kotipelto requests that you "use the door this time", and Max (drums Krisiun) says " don't bother me, you drunk fat ass ." Adam Sagan (drums Into Eternity) has asked for the impossible a Minnesota Vikings Super Bowl Victory, but will settle for the extended version of Return of the King, or an Into Eternity/Opeth tour.

Thanks for listening Santa while you are at it, can you please do the impossible and reunite some of my favorite bands, namely: Immortal, and Emperor. I know you worked hard and got us Bruce Dickinson back in Iron Maiden, and Rob Halford with Judas Priest, but now it's time to turn your sites on the underground.

Sincerely,

Heather Smith

As for holiday time-honored traditions I leave it to Sean McGrath (vocals/guitars IMPALED) to give us guidance on how to celebrate the holidays:

"On Christmas Eve I like to wrap my head in duct tape, wander out on the street, and expose myself to old ladies. Then I usually black out. When I wake up, the Holding Officer always has a wonderful breakfast ready for me of boiled oats and reconstituted orange juice. After I post bail I spend the morning outside the porno theater, drinking vodka and Tang. Then I go home and stick my head in the oven."

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Two years ago a meeting took place in Norway. A group of people convened to discuss the possibility of making an album that would impact the world music scene like never before. Some rehearsals took place in 2002 and ideas and plans were thrown back and forth. However, due to prior commitments and time conflicts, the line up was forced to change. But the core of the group maintained the idea and finally, in the fall 2004, the decision was made to make it happen. SCUM was spawned! Scum is a unique project in many aspects; first and foremost its line up is probably the most interesting gathering of people to record an album in a long time...

Casey Chaos (Amen), Samoth (Zyklon, ex-Emperor), Faust (ex-Emperor), Cosmocrator (MindGrinder) and Happy Tom (Turbonegro)

http://www.scumband.com/

Band profile:

Emperor

Things are going great with the writing of the new album. I am really excited and can't wait to get into the studio. We are really happy to announce that we will be playing the Wacken Festival this year! They always put on such a great festival that is a real honor to be playing it this year. I will get more info on this as time goes on...

http://www.obituary.cc/

Band profile:

Obituary

According to Queen's official website Queenonline:

QOL can confirm the rumours and now endorse both Roger and Brian's comments in regards to the Queen + Paul Rodgers Tour.

The tour is official and will take place in the Spring of 2005 across mainland Europe and the UK. The show will consist of both Queen and Paul Rodgers material.

Full details of venues and dates are to be confirmed very soon. Tickets will be made available here on www.queenonline.com so make sure you are signed up to the database.

www.queenonline-com

"?no problem to get a record deal with this name? We are proud to inform you that ROB ROCK (by the way, that´s his real name) signed a record deal with AFM Records. We are sure that we will have a great relationship and we are looking forward to working with you, Rob! The new album entitled "Holy Hell" is still in the recording process, nevertheless the release date is planned for spring 2005. As it currently looks like the album will be mixed by ROY Z, after he finished the mix of the new JUDAS PRIEST album."

http://www.afm-records.de/

After their grand finale show of the Atlantis Lovelorn Tour in La Locomotive, Paris, 28.11.2004, the bands experienced an arbitrary infringement by the French police.

Right after crew and band had finished the loading of their bus in front of La Locomotive and the adjacent varieté Moulin Rouge, policemen appeared and told the bus driver to leave the street immediately. Due to traffic jam this was not possible at once. The policemen started to speak in a very aggressive tone that culminated in the threat of arresting the bus driver. Moreover, they took his papers away, thus Liv Kristine and Alexander Krull complained about the rude behaviour of the police. Then, suddenly a bunch of policemen, some in civil dresses, rushed the bus and attacked the musicians. As a result of their action, Alex Krull was injured, as several policemen beat him and violently pulled him out of the bus and down to the grown. Also, Liv Kristine was thrown against the wall of the bus and was hurt, too. Without any explanations, Alex Krull was arrested, along with him bus driver Helge, the Dutch tour guide Harald and the German journalist Robert Suß who had only tried to calm the policemen and keep them from attacking Liv Kristine again. They were all arrested in front of hundreds of visitors at Moulin Rouge and other clubs who witnessed the happening. The four of them were taken to the police station, where they had to stay for about three hours without any explanation for the arrest, any hearing or announcing of their rights. Only intensive pressure from the German embassy lead to their release. Still the police gave no explanation for their aggressive treatment, nor any excuse.

All these facts concerning these inconceivable happenings will be announced to both the German Foreign Bureau and the Head of Police in Paris.

Info taken from the Napalm Records newsletter

Band profile:

Atrocity

This is the content of the DVD:

1) IMPALED NAZARENE - Armageddon death squad
2) MELECHESH - Genies, Sorcerers and Mesopotamian Nights
3) DRILLER KILLER - From Out Of Nowhere
4) PHAZM - Loneliness
5) NOTRE DAME - Spiderella 's XXX
6) ANTAEUS - Blood War III
7) IMPALED NAZARENE - Penis And Circ e s
8) IMMORTAL - Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark)
9) DIVINE DECAY - Divine : Decay
10) DARK TRANQUILLITY - Zodijackyl Light
11) ARKHON INFAUSTUS - Whirlwind Journey
12) IMPALED NAZARENE - Hardboiled and Still Hellbound
13) ABSU - Mananän
14) LOUDPIPES - Morphin Trip
15) NOTRE DAME - Booffon Bloody Booffon
16) ABOMINATOR - Renegades of Hells Command
17) IMPALED NAZARENE - Cogito Ergo Sum
18) SETH - Die Weihe
19) DIABOLOS RISING - Satanic Propaganda
20) IMMORTAL - Grim And Frostbitten Kingdom
21) DIVINE DECAY - Silence Of Decades
22) IMPALED NAZARENE - 1999: Karmageddon Warriors
23) GEHENNAH - Decibels Rebel
24) DARK TRANQUILLITY - Hedon
25) LOUDPIPES - Down Hill Blues
26) NOTRE DAME. - Scarecrows
27) IMPALED NAZARENE - When All Golden turned to shit
28) ABSU - Fantasizing to The Third of the Pagan Visions/Quoth The Sky Nevermore/Act II

Bonus Video listing :

- BLASPHEMY (Live - Fuck Christ Tour 93)
- Ritual
- Blasphemy

- SUBLIME CADAVERIC DECOMPOSITION (live)
- XX . 06 . 01
- XX . 04 . 02
- XX . 07 . 01

- IMMORTAL (Live - Fuck Christ Tour 93)
- Unsilent Storms In The North Abyss
- The Call Of The Wintermoon
- A Sign For The Norse Hordes To Ride + Intro The Sun No Longer Rises
- Unholy Forces Of Evil
- Pure Holocaust

- INHUME (live)
- Blood Process To Decelerate
- Orgy At 7th Street

- ANGEL CORPSE (live)
- Black Solstice
- Wartorn
- Christhammer

- NOTRE DAME
- At Home With Snowy Shaw

http://www.osmoseproductions.com/

"Audio horror masters NECROPHAGIA have almost completed the recording of their upcoming monsterpiece "Harvest Ritual Vol.1" to be released in Europe by Season of Mist in the Spring of 2005. Songs include "Cadavera X", "Return to Texas", "Dead Skin Slave", "Unearthed", "Deathtrip 69", "London (13 Demon Street)", "Excommunicated" and "Stitch Her Further" (which was co-written by Joey Jordison / SLIPKNOT, MURDERDOLLS, who also contributed guest vocals and will be in the video for the song as well). NECROPHAGIA will be hitting the road as the new release hits stores this Spring with all new Horrific stage show. Bill Mosely aka Chop Top from Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and Rob Zombies' House of 1,000 Corpses has also contributed to the new record and will star in the video for London (13 Demon Street). "Harvest Ritual Vol.1" was recorded in state of the art studios around the world and has been ten months in the making and will be mixed in Tampa Florida by Mark Prator (MORBID ANGEL, DEICIDE, OBITUARY, etc.)."

www.season-of-mist.com

Band profile:

Necrophagia

"It is hereby official :

Maniac is out of legendary black metal band MAYHEM and back in comes Attila Csihar. He will - with immediate effect - take over Maniac's role as front figure. Although many rumours flourished over the past months, nothing was decided until now. The reason for this change in line-up lies in more private matters, but has also to do with Maniac's inability to tour.

"Maniac was, and will always be a part of our legacy, and it has been an honour to work with him for the last 10 years. Respect!""

http://www.season-of-mist.com

Band profile:

Mayhem

"Novembers Doom have recently parted ways with bass player Mike LeGros. Mike played bass with the band for the past 2 years, and contributed to the recording of the upcoming CD, "The Pale Haunt Departure." It was brought to our attention that he was not comfortable in the band, due to creative differences, and the dedication to his instrument we require suffered because of this. Very simply, it was time for a change, on both sides. Mike is an amazing person, and we are forever grateful for everything he did for Novembers Doom during his time with us. We wish him nothing but the best with Disinter, Nachtmystium, and any other project he aligns himself with!

We are in the process of filling the vacant Bass position, and this will not hinder us from touring, and promoting "The Pale Haunt Departure" in 2005. Any interested parties should email: info@novembersdoom.com"

Source:	novembersdoom.com
Band profile:	Novembers Doom

Canada's Infernal Majesty, whose 1987 album "None Shall Defy" has gained cult status in the underground, have dropped off the North American tour in support of Norway's Satyricon citing personal reasons.

The following message was posted on the band's website (http://www.infernalmajesty.ca):
"Due to personal reasons Infernal Majesty have had to cancel the Satyricon US tour, 3 Inches of Blood will now be the direct support for the tour. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused."

Infernal Majesty is currently supporting their 2004 release "One Who Points to Death"
Satyricon is supporting their 2002 release "Volcano" which was released domestically in North America for the first time in 2004.

Band profile:

Infernäl Mäjesty

A newsletter came in earlier today:

The Final Experiment 10th aniversary!

The last re-issue in the Ayreon series will be The Final Experiment which celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2005! To mark this special occasion Arjen decided to create a bonus album containing over 30 minutes of extra music!

The tracks are completely new arrangements of 9 songs of The Final Experiment featuring drums, bass, cello, flute, electric and acoustic guitars plus 9 different vocalists and various instrumentalists from past, present and future albums.

Arjen is currently having a great time in the studio recording the newly arranged versions of 'Dreamtime', 'Eyes of Time', ' The Accusation', 'Ye Courtyard Minstrel Boy', 'Sail Away to Avalon', 'Nature's Dance', 'Waracle', 'Merlin's Will', 'Charm of the Seer'.

This double album will be re-issued February 28, 2005 by InsideOut Music. Stay tuned for more information!

www.ayreon.com

Band profile:

Ayreon

My Dying Bride are busying themselves preparing for their next full-length DVD release, planned for spring 2005. They are working with David Palser again to produce a new video clip exclusively for this release. The track is "The Blue Lotus" and "it is going to be a stunning work," according to a posting on the group's web site. "A great new photo shoot by Lady Morgana has also been completed, which shows the band like you have never seen them before. Expect to be amazed. The previously available DVD, 'For Darkest Eyes', has been repackaged and will be available at a special price from March. If that wasn't enough, we're also expecting the writing of a new studio album for 2006 release."

Source:	blabbermouth.net
Band profile:	My Dying Bride

On the website of the band were posted one full version of the track "Equilibrium" and three extracts from other tracks on the album.
Follow the link for hearing them:
http://www.tristania.com/main_pages/news/011204_2.htm

"The new album, Ashes, will contain 9 (8) tracks. The limited digipack release will contain one extra track not on the regular jewel case release.
The promo CDs were printed while the band was on tour, at the same time as the artwork was completed. Some confusion ensued, and the promo CD was printed with only 7 tracks. Thus - most reviews will list this as a 7 track release with a running time of 42 minutes, while the first releases will indeed be closer to 56 minutes in length (and still no fillers).
"Bird" is the closing track on both releases, most likely not listed in reviews and early advertisments".

Also, the band is planning a tour in Norway, for the first time.
"In early March 2005, Rikskonsertene will arrange a tour of Norway, featuring Tristania and Gothminister. Some 8-10 selected cities will be visited by the bands, with exact dates and venues to be published soon.
The band is very enthusiastic about the the planned tour, as this will be their first opportunity to perform around Norway. They've earlier only performed single gigs in Stavanger + Tau/Jørpeland, in addition to Kristiansand. They view this tour as an excellent opportunity to reach other parts of the country with their music".

Source:	tristania.com
Band profile:	Tristania