Following the departure of Mikko Kotamäki due to conflicting schedules a few months ago, Barren Earth had been looking for a new singer while working on new material, which has been described as "mournful, winding, hopeful, ambitious and rugged". They've just announced that Jón Aldará, Hamferð's vocalist, will join them as the new lead vocalist. He will take part in Barren Earth's third full-length album which the group plans to start recording during the spring of 2014.

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Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	Barren Earth

Symphonic metal band Xandria just revealed the details of the successor of acclaimed Neverworld's End. The new album will be named Sacrificium and will be released on May 2nd, 2014 via Napalm Records. This will also be the first album to feature new bassist Steven Wussow and new singer Dianne van Giersbergen.

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Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	Xandria

Orphaned Land and Yossi Sassi have parted ways. Yossi Sassi, founding member and key composer of the folk metallers, has announced his departure from the band. Not a great start of the day. Guitarist Matti Svatitzki had already left the band back in 2012 as well. Yossi Sassi is now focusing on his new solo album Desert Butterflies. What could this mean for the band?

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Source:	orphaned-land.com
Band profile:	Orphaned Land

The end of 2013 has been good for Beseech fanatics. After the news that the band was returning, the group shared a new song to showcase their new material. But why stop there? The band has confirmed that they are releasing a new album, hopefully this year, and are now streaming yet another new song called "One Last Call". You can listen to it on their website right now.

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Source:	beseech.se
Band profile:	Beseech

After unveiling the artwork and tracklist, extreme metallers Noctem have released the first taste of their upcoming album Exilium. You can hear the first sounds of the opus through the teaser clip below. There's some filthy stuff in there. In the next few days, Noctem will also shoot the first video for Exilium with Kronic Produccions.

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Band profile:	Noctem

Good news for Asylum Pyre fans. The power metallers are back in the studio and have started recording what will be their third album following Fifty Years Later. The French outfit has already been working on the album for several months and are hinting at their most powerful and modern songs to date.

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Source:	asylumpyre.com
Band profile:	Asylum Pyre

Vocalist Jill Janus wrote and recorded two demo songs in 2008 that were used to bait potential musicians for Huntress, who released Starbound Beast this year. In 2009, Janus met underground metal band Professor from Highland Park, CA. These two songs were played for the boys, they rehearsed once and immediately joined forces to birth Huntress. "Back From The Dead To Kill" remains unreleased and is offered up to fans of Huntress as part of their legacy. You can listen to the song right here.

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Band profile:	Huntress

After cheering us up with the new album details revealed last month, Benighted have today unveiled more bitter news. They've parted ways with bassist Eric Lombard, who has been part of the group since 2004, and has performed on 4 full-length studio albums. The band did not hesitate and already announced Alexis Lieu as the replacement for Eric.

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Band profile:	Benighted

2014 will be the year Origin releases a new album. The Americans will soon start recording the new opus to be released this spring with the title of Omnipresent. Vocalist Jason Keyser will record his first album with the tech death metal band. Entity, released in 2011, was their last album. Also, the band advises you to prepare for the impeding crushing heaviness.

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Band profile:	Origin

Inner Wound Recordings announced that the label will re-release the classic Andromeda progressive metal albums II = I and Chimera. The release dates are set for January 21st for North America and January 24th for Europe. Both albums are remastered and contain liner notes written by Andromeda guitarist Johan Reinholdz.

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Band profile:	Andromeda

With their new album expected this year, guitarist/vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt of Swedish progressive band Opeth spoke to Decibel magazine about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2011's Heritage. Åkerfeldt revealed that he plans to enhance at least a few of the new Opeth tracks with strings.

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Source:	ultimate-guitar.com
Band profile:	Opeth

Japanese avantgarde metallers Sigh have confirmed today that multi-instrumentalist You Oshima from the solo project Kadenzza is going to play guitars for the band's upcoming 10th album Graveward to be recorded this year. According to the band, Graveward will be a "very cinematic album, epic, symphonic and of course evil and scary."

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Band profile:	Sigh

Djent band Uneven Structure has been hard at work preparing the follow-up to Februus. Now the group has revealed some of the new tunes. You can listen to the new album teaser through the clip below. At this point, the band hasn't disclosed the release date yet but their label Basick Records promised it would be this year.

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Band profile:	Uneven Structure

The Portuguese festival Vagos Open Air 2014 will take place at Quinta do Ega in Vagos, from August 8th-9th, 2014. After announcing the first confirmations Kreator and Epica, the organizers now confirm Swedish bands Opeth and Soilwork for the festival. Joining these bands will also be Murk, a Portuguese band that just released the EP Tyrants Of Decay.

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Event:	Vagos Open Air 2014

Alexander Katsigiannis, the guitarist and co-founder of the Greek progressive metal outfit Wastefall, has recently left the band. Being part of it for more than 10 years, his contribution to the band is invaluable. Additionally, Wastefall have already announced the replacement for Alexander. Taking the position of guitarist will be John Aktypis.

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Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	Wastefall