The cover artwork for Dutch female-fronted symphonic metal outfit After Forver's new self-titled album has been posted online at this location. Due in Europe on April 20 via Nuclear Blast Records, the follow-up to 2005's "Remagine" will contain the following tracklisting:

01. Discord
02. Evoke
03. Transitory
04. Energize Me
05. Equally Destructive
06. Withering Time
07. De-Energized
08. Cry With A Smile
09. Envision
10. Who I Am
11. Dreamflight
12. Empty Memories

An "Energize Me" single is due on March 23, featuring the songs "Energize Me" (radio edit), "Energize Me" (album version), "Sweet Enclosure" (non-album track).
A videoclip for the news single "Energize Me" is expected to appear online soon, since the band has finished filming yesterday (February 21).

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Source:	roadrunnerrecords.com
Band profile:	After Forever

The following post was posted yesterday (February 21) at the official Tool website:

"Tool will be rescheduling their upcoming North American tour due to an injury in the band. Over the weekend, drummer Danny Carey tore a bicep. Danny underwent surgery today and is recovering well. Rescheduled tour dates will be announced shortly."

Source:	toolband.com
Band profile:	Tool

Pittsburgh's Circle Of Dead Children have added drummer Matt Francis to their line-up. Vocalist Joe Horvath comments:

"At a point when we had all but thrown dirt over our own casket, life has once more been injected with the vacancy of the drum position being finally filled. Binghamton, New York's, Matt Francis has recently joined Circle Of Dead Children and we plan to soon begin work on a yet-to-be-titled sixth release due out during the summer of 2007, on Willowtip Records. Matt's addition to CODC drives the band to its most caustic and explosive level to date. Blackened iron hails to the fans and fellow bands who have pushed us through the downtimes and continue to support us into the future. Keep screaming."

Source:	smnnews.com
Band profile:	Circle Of Dead Children

Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy has issued the following update:

"Hey Gang,
Well we just mastered the album today, so it is now officially finished and will be in the hands of Roadrunner Records tomorrow!

In order to be able to release the info before some obscure fan website in Poland does, here's the final track listing and production credits for ya:

"Systematic Chaos" tracklisting:

01. In The Presence Of Enemies (Part 1)
02. Forsaken
03. Constant Motion
04. The Dark Eternal Night
05. Repentance
06. Prophets Of War
07. The Ministry Of Lost Souls
08. In The Presence Of Enemies (Part 2)

Produced by John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy
Engineered and mixed by Paul Northfield

More info is coming soon, so stayed tuned!"

"This album's got all of the elements we've become known for," reveals drummer Mike Portnoy, who co-produced the CD with guitarist John Petrucci (Paul Northfield engineered and mixed the effort). "The focus on musicianship, the skull-crushing riffs, the big progressive epics and the heart-wrenching melodies. We've got one of the strongest and most devoted fan bases in the world, and they should certainly be happy with the new material." The disc sports seven new songs, one of which runs 25 minutes.

"Systematic Chaos" will be released in June via Roadrunner Records.

Source:	roadrunnerrecords.com
Band profile:	Dream Theater

There is a six-minute preview of music from the new Porcupine Tree album, "Fear Of A Blank Planet," available on the band's MySpace page.

Alex Lifeson (Rush) and Robert Fripp (King Crimson) are guesting on the album, due out through Atlantic Records in North America on April 24th and the 23rd in Europe via Roadrunner. Lifeson appears on the track 'Anesthetize', while Fripp solos on 'Way Out There'.

Here is the "Fear Of A Blank Planet" tracklisting once more:

01. Fear Of A Blank Planet
02. My Ashes
03. Anesthetize
04. Sentimental
05. Way Out Of Here
06. Sleep Together

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Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Porcupine Tree

The cover artwork for the new album "Angels", of Finnish Gothic Rockers The 69 Eyes, has been posted online at this location.
Due in Finland on March 5 via Virgin/EMI, the CD was produced by Hiili Hiilesmaa and Johnny Lee Michaels ? the same team that was responsible for 2004's "Devils". The video for the album's first single, "Perfect Skin", was directed by Ralf Strathmann and was filmed in Hollywood in mid-October 2006. You can watch the clip here.
The additional tracks on the single are live versions of "Devils", "Christina Death" and "I Just Want to Have Something to Do" (originally by The Ramones) recorded at Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood in March 2006.

"Angels" track listing:

01. Angels
02. Never Say Die
03. Rocker
04. Ghost
05. Perfect Skin
06. Wings & Hearts
07. Star Of Fate
08. Los Angeles
09. In My Name
10. Shadow Of Your Love
11. Frankenhooker

The limited edition of "Angels" will include a bonus DVD containing the "Perfect Skin" video, a five-song live set from Hollywood's Whisky a Go-Go in 2006 and "On The Route 69", a short film based on Ville Juurikkala's photos.

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Source:	roadrunnerrecords.com
Band profile:	The 69 Eyes

Pelican has posted an update regarding current and forthcoming happenings regarding the band:

I"f you hadn't heard already, the new full-length, "City Of Echoes," will be hitting the streets on May 22nd. Check here for some more info on that. There's a very strong chance that LP and CD will come out at the same time. You can check out the title track here now, and we hope to post a larger version of the cover art soon.

As has become customary at this point, we'll be hitting the road in a big way. Confirmed live dates have been posted here for the months of March and April.

In March we kick off with a benefit for our really good friends in Sweet Cobra. It's on Sunday March 4th, at Chicago's Subteranean, with Sweet Cobra, Minsk and special guests. Consider coming to see a sweet bill and helping our friends fight the good fight with the corporate leeches at insurance companies.

We will then be heading down to Austin, Texas for the South By Southwest Festival to take part in the Hydra Head Records Showcase along with Jesu, Big Business, Daughters, Oxbow and Stephen Brodsky's Octave Museum. In addition, we've booked some dates on our way down there and on our way back home. These shows will include Russian Circles and Young Widows with Daughters hopping on for a few of them right before SXSW. Insound is sponsoring one show, and their site has a good summary of all our appearances and all the indie shows to see here.

In April we are heading over to Europe to play some festivals, including the Roadburn Festival, which according to their website is now sold out. also we have a short UK tour with our friends in These Arms Are Snakes. this tour is sponsored by the great people at Rock Sound magazine and Drowned In Sound.

We will also be taking part in the Primevera Sound Festival in Barcelona, Spain at the end of May. more info on this can be found here. Before this festival, we have two shows in Portugal. Details will be on this site, of course.

The rest of the summer we'll be on the road in some capacity, whether back in Europe for festivals, tearing up the U.S./Canada, or heading over to Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. So stay tuned."

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Source:	hydrahead.tortugarecordings.com
Band profile:	Pelican

There is a new live performance video of Goatwhore playing their track 'The Serpent That Enslaves What Is Worshipped', from the band's 2003 album "The Funeral Dirge For The Rotting Sun", available for viewing at the Underground Video Television website, here.
The footage was filmed at Magic City Music Hall in Binghamton NY last November during their tour with Celtic Frost.

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Source:	uvtv.info
Band profile:	Goatwhore

Greek Power Metallers Firewind have posted the following update on their official website:

"The second part of our World Allegiance Tour has already started and the first four shows have been fantastic so far! However, we're in the unfortunate position to announce that Apollo has to cancel the last seven dates of the European tour we're now on with Angra and Power Quest, due to a family emergency. Apollo will be performing the whole French leg of the tour, his last show being on February 25th in Toulouse. However, we've all discussed the situation and we decided to continue with a replacement singer. The person who will help us out in this difficult moment will be Henning Basse of Metalium. Henning is truly a world-class singer and a great frontman. We are excited to have him on board for the remaining dates! Please note that Apollo is NOT leaving the band, we have his blessings to continue as we all feel that canceling the rest of the tour would be the last option. Apollo will return for the UK headline shows and all upcoming tour dates."

Upcoming Firewind, Angra, Power Quest live dates include:

February
20 - Pratteln, Switzerland at Z7
22 - Lyon, France at Ninkasi Kao
23 - Paris, France at Elysee Montmartre
24 - Bordeaux, France at Barbey Theatre
25 - Toulouse, France at Havana Café
27 - Lisboa, Portugal at Cino Teatro de Corroios

March
1 - Madrid, Spain at Copernico
2 - Santiago de Compostela, Spain at Capitol
3 - Bilbao, Spain at Santana 27
4 - Barcelona, Spain at Apolo
6 - Rome, Italy at Alpheus
7 - Milan, Italy at Alcatraz

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Source:	firewind.gr
Band profile:	Firewind
Event:	Angra - French Tour 2007

The following message was posted by guitarist Nino Laurenne, a couple of days ago:

Thunderstone finished 2nd in the Finnish Eurovision finals with 54000 votes! The first place went to platinum-selling Finnish Idols-competition winner Hanna Pakarinen, but the Finnish Mayhem Machine beat teen favorites Lovex. A Big Thank You to everybody who voted and supported us!!!

Both of Thunderstone's Eurovision songs are found on the newly released "Forevermore/Face in the Mirror" single that is available worldwide at the Nuclear Blast shop. The bands fourth studio album will be released on March 14th in Finland and March 16th in the rest of Europe. Stay tuned for US and Japan release dates.

Take care,
Nino

Source:	thunderstone.org
Band profile:	Thunderstone

Nightrage's new video for their song 'Scathing' is now available for streaming. Go to this location to check it out. The song is taken from the band's forthcoming album, "A New Disease Is Born".

"A New Disease Is Born" is available for streaming at this location.
The album will be issued in Europe on February 26th and in North America on April 17th, via Lifeforce Records.

A tracklist goes as follows:

01. Spiral
02. Reconcile
03. Death-Like Silence
04. A Condemned Club
05. Scars Of The Past
06. De-Fame
07. Scathing
08. Surge Of Pity
09. Encircle
10. Drone
11. Spiritual Impulse
12. A New Disease Is Born

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Source:	bravewords.com
Band profile:	Nightrage

Nightwish will release a new single, entitled "Eva", on May 30. "Eva" will be an Internet-only single release, all profits from which shall be donated to a charity that will be announced later. In Finland, the single will be available exclusively from NetAnttila.

"Eva" will feature the new Nightwish, chosen from about 2,000 applicants. The singer's identity will be revealed simultaneously in a press statement and on the band's website, http://www.nightwish.com, on Wednesday, May 30. A radio promo of the Internet single will ship on the same day.

The sixth Nightwish album will be released on September 26, preceded by a second, regular single release in August.

Nightwish will embark on a North American headlining tour beginning on October 15 in Springfield, VA. A list of upcoming shows can be found at this location.

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Source:	bravewords.com
Band profile:	Nightwish
Event:	Nightwish + Paradise Lost: North American Tour

Obituary frontman John Tardy has posted the following message on the band's official website:

"All is going well with the new DVD and we really appreciate all the support! 'Frozen Alive' has sparked a bunch of new shows that we have set up! Here they all are and we are really looking forward to all of them. Some of the newer shows are in France, Mexico with Sadus and believe it or not we are finally going to make it to Australia! We have had offers in the past, but they just never worked out. This will be our first time in Australia, so for all of you that have emailed over the years about coming there, we finally will have a chance to meet! We also have some South American dates we are working on and as soon as I find out for sure I will let you know.

"We are still working on the new CD and are getting really excited about these new songs. This is some pretty sick shit! I still do not know what we are going to do about a record label. We are still talking with a few labels and trying to work something out! Hopefully something gets done soon, so we can move forward and concentrate on future events! We still plan on starting to record in March!!!"

Source:	obituary.cc
Band profile:	Obituary

Danish symphonic black metallers Illnath announced late last month that they had tapped Reno Kiilerich (ex-Dimmu Borgir, Panzerchrist, Dew-Scented to play drums on their third album, entitled "Three Nights In The Sewers Of Sodom". They have since issued the following update on their drummer situation:

"No luck again... The recent drum recordings in the studio weren't what we had hoped for. So now we're once again looking for a drummer to step up to the challenge and do the drums on the next Illnath album. Furthermore, we are going on tour this year, and for that we need a drummer as well. Anyone interested, please contact Illnath ."

"Three Nights In The Sewers Of Sodom" is being recorded at Borsing Studios and will feature artwork by Wilhelm Steiner.

"Three Nights In The Sewers Of Sodom" is expected to be released via Illnath's own label following the band's split with Worldchaos Production (which was supposed to put out the band's long-completed second full-length offering, "Second Skin of Harlequin"). "The new material will reflect the new situation we're in ? new drummer and new bass player, plus almost three years since the last album was recorded," the group previously said.

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Source:	roadrunnerrecords.com
Band profile:	Illnath

Belgium's Brutal Death Metal outfit Aborted have issued the following update:

"Well, yes, finally, after months of auditioning and looking for the right person for the spot, we're glad to announce we have found a new permanent drummer in Dan Wilding. Dan completely knocked us off our feet at his audition and will without a doubt prove to be the perfect addition to complete the lineup we were looking for. Dan's first show will be on March 16th in Bamberg, Germany."

You can find a photo of Dan Wilding at this location.

Aborted recently launched an e-card for its new album, "Slaughter & Apparatus: A Methodical Overture", at this location. The e-card features the group's striking new video for the track "The Chondrin Enigma".
A February 20 release via Century Media Records is expected.

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Source:	goremageddon.be
Band profile:	Aborted