Roadrunner Records is proud to announce the signing of progressive metal pioneers Dream Theater.
A new studio album, Systematic Chaos is due in June. Dream Theater will hit the road in support of the album for a world tour, including major festival appearances in Europe.

"Dream Theater and Roadrunner Records have led parallel careers on the cutting edge of metal for many years," say A&R men, Derek Oliver & Dante Bonutto, "We're thrilled to be working with a genuine market-leader, and when you add everything the guys bring to the table to the independent spirit and work ethic of the label, the results can only be exciting in the extreme!"

Prior to teaming up with Roadrunner, Dream Theater was signed to a seven-album deal with Warner Music Group worldwide. The deal commenced with the critically acclaimed and commercially successful Images And Words (1992), a Gold-certified US release, and concluded, in equal style, with Octavarium (2005), a Top 40 Billboard outing. In August of last year the band issued Score, a live album/DVD (recorded at Radio City Music Hall in New York), which went straight to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard DVD charts, knocking Pink Floyd from the top!

Systematic Chaos, Dream Theater's ninth studio release, arrives at a time when the band is casting a longer-than-ever shadow across the rock and metal landscape. Their influence is being acknowledged by an increasing number of contemporary, cutting-edge acts such as Stone Sour, Trivium, Shadows Fall, Opeth as their fan base continues to grow.

Source:	dreamtheater.net
Band profile:	Dream Theater

Axel Rudi Pell has been hospitalized with a "serious illness" forcing the remaining European tour dates to be cancelled. The shows will be postponed to Autumn 2007.

The affected dates are as follows:

Feb. 06 - Zürich (Rohstofflager) Switzerland
Feb. 07 - Heidelberg (Halle 02) Germany
Feb. 08 - London (Mean Fiddler) England
Feb. 09 - Helmond (Plato) Netherlands

Source:	axel-rudi-pell.de
Band profile:	Axel Rudi Pell

The project now is not a rumour.

So in the early future will be a project with Kai Hansen (ex-Helloween, Gamma Ray), Roland Grapow (ex-Helloween, Masterplan) and Michael Kiske as singer.
Roland Grapow has said in a recent interview for a Spanish Website laEstadea.com. An excerpt from this interview is below:

Question: About Hansen and Kiske, there's a rumor of a project. Is that right?

Grapow: "It's not a rumor, it's true. We're just waiting for the right moment. We gathered together two or three times in the last two years. What happens is that Michael doesn't want to do anything with too much hard rock or too much heavy metal, too much dark or negative, he wants to do something more happier. So, probably, when I finish the tour with Masterplan, I'll begin to write some tracks for Mike. Kai too, we'll see what will come out. But, once and for all, we will do something".

Question: This project have a name?

Grapow: "No, not yet! Perhaps it will be titled Helloween! (laughs). No, it's a joke, at the moment we haven't thought of any names because we haven't planned yet. Now we only want to write a few songs which we feel comfortable with, that Michael doesn't find negative, but we all love. Because we don't want to make a Kiske solo album with two famous guitarists from the past. We search for music which speaks for itself without any need to be aggressive or negative".

Source:	michaelkiske.net
Band profile:	Helloween

After triumphantly headlining the annual Wacken Open Air festival in Germany and four capacity performances in America last summer, Norwegian black metal pioneers Emperor have announced their return to the United States for three encore appearances this spring.

"We have made a decision to return to the U.S. for a few additional shows," notes guitarist Samoth. "This time Chicago is also put on the map.

"The shows last summer were very successful and we had an amazing turnout and support from all the fans. It was also a bit stressful because of the embassy hassle that we unfortunately had to endure. So we feel a few more shows are due and this time, all visas are in order and the band will appear in its full command."

Confirmed dates are as follows:

May
30 - (US) The Metro - Chicago, IL

June
01 - (US) B.B. King Blues Club & Grill - New York, NY
03 - (US) Key Club - West Hollywood, CA

Ticket on-sale information will be announced shortly.

Source:	candlelightrecords.co.uk
Band profile:	Emperor
Event:	Emperor: US Dates

Statement from Tobias Sammet:

"I've heard rumors going around and - yes - they're true. Quite some time ago I've started working on another Avantasia adventure! Again it's going to be a conceptual album with different musicians and singers. More about it from now on at this site www.avantasia.net. You ask why I am doing it? Because I can! Because I am dying to go for it! And because the time has come that I feel ready and strong enough to start something big, bombastic and monumental again! Believe me: you won't find any other man on the face of the earth who has got more work and stress right now - and who's yet as happy as I am. It's so exciting to see another dream of mine take shape. I wish you a successful year 2007 and - most important - I wish you happiness, health and a lot of good sex!"

Source:	tobiassammet.com
Band profile:	Avantasia

Steamhammer/SPV will has announced the details of two separate Helloween releases ? a CD and a DVD ? both recorded live during the band's "Keeper Of The Seven Keys - The Legacy World Tour 2005/2006". The track listing is as follows:

"Keeper Of The Seven Keys - The Legacy World Tour 2005/2006 - Live On 3 Continents" DVD (view cover here.):

DVD 1:

01. Intro (Sao Paulo)
02. The King For A 1000 Years (Sao Paulo)
03. Eagle Fly Free (Sao Paulo)
04. Hell Was Made In Heaven (Sao Paulo)
05. Keeper Of The Seven Keys (Sao Paulo - alternate view Sofia)
06. A Tale That Wasn't Right (Sao Paulo - alternate view Sofia)
07. Drum Solo (Edit from Sao Paulo, Sofia and Tokyo)
08. Mr. Torture (Sao Paulo - alternate view Tokyo)
09. If I Could Fly (Sao Paulo)
10. Guitar Solo (Edit from Sao Paulo, Sofia and Tokyo)
11. Power (Sao Paulo)
12. Future World (Sao Paulo)
13. The Invisible Man (Sao Paulo)
14. Mrs. God (Sao Paulo)
15. I Want Out (Sao Paulo - alternate view Sofia)
16. Dr. Stein (Sao Paulo - alternate view Tokyo)
17. Outro (Sao Paulo)

DVD 2:

01. Mrs. God (Sao Paulo)
02. Halloween (Masters Of Rock, Vicovice CZ)
03. Roadmovie, Interviews, "Mrs. God" (Video Clip), "Light The Universe" (Video Clip).

"Keeper Of The Seven Keys - The Legacy World Tour 2005/2006 - Live In Sao Paulo" CD

Track listing:

CD 1:

01. Intro
02. The King For A 1000 Years
03. Eagle Fly Free
04. Hell Was Made In Heaven
05. Keeper Of The Seven Keys
06. A Tale That Wasn't Right
07. Mr. Torture
08. If I Could Fly
09. Power

CD 2:

01. Future World
02. The Invisible Man
03. Mrs. God
04. I Want Out
05. Dr. Stein
06. Occasion Avenue
07. Halloween

Read more ››

Source:	helloween.org
Band profile:	Helloween

The following message has been posted on the Bloodstock Open Air website:

We are proud to announce that Blind Guardian will return to our shores in 2007 to do an EXCLUSIVE UK show performing at Bloodstock Open Air on Saturday 7th July. This will be Blind Guardian's first ever outdoor show in the UK and a welcome return following their last and first appearance at Bloodstock in 2002.

Source:	bloodstock.uk.com
Band profile:	Blind Guardian
Event:	Bloodstock Open Air 2007

Cradle Of Filth are set to team up with Finland's The 69 Eyes for a North American tour in January/February.
Confirmed dates so far are as follows:

Jan. 23 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
Jan. 24 - Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero
Jan. 26 - Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
Jan. 27 - Quebec, QU @ Theatre Du Capitole
Jan. 28 - Montreal, QU @ Metropolis
Jan. 29 - Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
Jan. 31 - Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues
Feb. 01 - Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
Feb. 02 - Detroit, MI @ Harpo's
Feb. 03 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Eagles Club
Feb. 04 - Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues
Feb. 06 - Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre
Feb. 08 - Edmonton, AB @ Edmonton Events Centre
Feb. 09 - Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Hall

Source:	blabbermouth.net
Band profile:	Cradle Of Filth
Event:	Cradle Of Filth: North American Tour

Marshall Law regret to announce that drummer Pete Hunt has left the band by mutual consent. Pete has made a valuable contribution and leaves Marshall Law on excellent personal terms and with the band's best wishes. The band are currently completing the forthcoming album on schedule but any interested UK based drummers who are within commuting distance to Birmingham should contact the band at vacancies@marshalllaw.co.uk, typing the word DRUMMER in the subject field.

Source:	marshalllaw.co.uk
Band profile:	Marshall Law

Finnish folk metallers Korpiklaani are the first confirmed band for the Bloodstock Open Air festival, set to take place Saturday, July 6th and 7th at Catton Hall in Derbyshire, England.

Also for Bloodstock Indoor Festival - Sinner, Power Quest and Blitzkreig have been confirmed.
Matt Sinner is no stranger to the Bloodstock stage having performed three times before with Primal Fear. Also Power Quest will be returning to the Bloodstock stage having graced the stage back in 2003.

These will also be the first Bloodstock festivals with the festival being partnered with Germany's Wacken Open Air festival.

Read more ››

Source:	bloodstock.uk.com
Event:	Bloodstock Open Air 2007

Andy C. has left Dark Moor due to incompatibility with his other musical projects. Dark Moor thank him for all the work and support dedicated to the band, and wish him good luck in his future musical career.

Roberto Cappa is announced the new drummer of Dark Moor. Roberto is from Madrid and he is an experimented live and studio performer.
He used to play in the spanish metal band Anima Sola.

Dark Moor have also recently signed a deal with Italy's Scarlet Records.
The group's new album, "Tarot", is said to be "an intriguing" conceptual effort about the major arcanes of the tarot, covering in depth the meaning of each arcane and the esoteric halo that surrounds it. Production duties were once again handled by renowed producer Luigi Stefanini (Rhapsody, Labirynth, Vision Divine). The impressive artwork was created by Derek Gores (Edguy, Kamelot).

The album will be out in late February/early March 2007
the complete tracklist is now available:

01 - The Magician
02 - The Chariot
03 - The Star
04 - Wheel Of Fortune
05 - The Emperor
06 - Devil In The Tower
07 - Death
08 - Lovers
09 - The Hanged Man
10 - The Moon

Source:	dark-moor.com
Band profile:	Dark Moor

Here are the dates for the second leg of the Mystica Tour in 2007. Get your tickets soon... the first part of the tour in Sept./Oct. was sold out very quick nearly everywhere !

Jan. 30 - Fulda (Kreuz) Germany
Jan. 31 - Augsburg (Spektrum) Germany
Feb. 2 - Madrid (Heineken) Spain
Feb. 3 - Bergara (Jam) Spain
Feb. 4 - Barcelona (Razzmatazz 2) Spain
Feb. 6 - Zürich (Rohstofflager) Switzerland
Feb. 7 - Heidelberg (Halle 02) Germany
Feb. 8 - London (Mean Fiddler) UK
Feb. 9 - Helmond (Plato) Netherlands

May 25 - 27 - Gelsenkirchen (Amphitheater) - Rock Hard Festival

Source:	axel-rudi-pell.de
Band profile:	Axel Rudi Pell
Event:	Axel Rudi Pell: Mystica Tour

After months of rumors and speculation, British extreme metallers Cradle Of Filth have officially confirmed the departure of drummer Adrian Erlandsson. According to an official press release, "Erlandsson has found that his two side projects Needleye and Nemhain are taking up more and more of his time and has made the decision to leave Cradle Of Filth so he can concentrate more of his energies on them."

Commented Adrian: "I have enjoyed my time with Cradle but it is now time to move on. I feel I am going out on a high as 'Thornography' is definitely our best album to date."

Over the course of the last few months, rumors of Adrian's departure have been gaining strength, with several "in-the-know" parties claiming that Adrian was fired from the group just days before they were to sign a new publishing deal. As a result, it was reported (but not officially confirmed) that Erlandsson was relegated to the status of a "session" member (whereby he was paid only for time worked and was not entitled to any publishing or artist royalties), a situation which was rumored to have strained his relationship with the band's frontman Dani Davey (a.k.a. Dani Filth).

In the last few weeks, Erlandsson ? a native Swede who was in At The Gates and The Haunted prior to joining Cradle Of Filth ? has been getting increasingly involved in outside projects ? such as Nemhain (which is fronted by Erlandsson's wife, fetish model Morrigan Hel; a.k.a. Amber England) and Needleye ? culminating in his non-appearance in Cradle Of Filth's new video for the song "Temptation".

Source:	blabbermouth.net
Band profile:	Cradle Of Filth

Angra's video for its new single, "The Course of Nature", has been posted online here.
The clip was filmed in early September in São Paulo under the guidance of director Carina Zaratin.

"The Course of Nature" comes off the band's forthcoming album, "Aurora Consurgens", due on October 24 (one day earlier internationally).

Read more ››

Source:	blabbermouth.net
Band profile:	Angra

Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford has announced plans to post a monthly blog on his official web site and MySpace page. "I've got some pics and stories which I'll post later next month and I'm looking forward to sharing," he said.

On the subject of his current activities, Halford said, "I spent my recent break from the Judas Priest writing sessions looking in on the assembling of the forthcoming Fight and Halford music and film releases. They are f**kin' hot. You all have some great surprises in store."

Halford has laid out an ambitious release schedule for his new company called Metal God Entertainment (MGE). This year, Halford will reissue some of his non-Judas Priest material through MGE, starting with the Halford albums he made in 2000, 2001, and 2002, and he's also planning two DVDs and possibly some other music for next year. Halford told Launch he started MGE so that he could better control how things are released and promoted. "We really are very possessive of what we create, and we nurture it, obviously, from conception to its release," he said. "Most labels do an incredible job, and, and that's always been the case for me, but here's an opportunity now for me to look after things a little bit better, and give me a little bit more peace of mind in that area."

Besides working on MGE projects, Halford is in the midst of writing with Judas Priest. They're making a concept album about the 16-century prophet Nostradamus.

Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Halford