Original news, posted on 09.03.2009

Australian melodic death metal band Be'lakor have announced that their upcoming second release will be entilted "Stone's Reach." "Stone's Reach", the follow-up to the 2007 debut "The Frail Tide", is due to be released in June 2009. The album clocks in at around 55 minutes.

The full track listing is as follows:

01. Venator
02. From Scythe To Sceptre
03. Outlive The Hand
04. Sun's Delusion
05. Held In Hollows
06. Husks
07. Aspect
08. Countless Skies

The online release of some of the new songs from this album is due in late April.

UPDATE (thanks to 5933)

The cover art for Be'lakor's upcoming album "Stone's Reach" has been revealed here. Artwork was done by Sheri Tantawy at The Bodycage Media.

According to a press release, Be'lakor's highly anticipated second album, "Stone's Reach", is set for release on June 20, 2009. Be'lakor will be venturing across Australia for the first time, taking in performances in Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane & Sydney.

Sat, June 20@ The Espy, Melbourne, VIC -- (with 'Neath, Envenomed, Arbrynth & Untruth)
Sat, July 04@ The Enigma Bar, Adelaide, SA -- (with Black Orchid, Quasar & Quest)
Fri, July 10@ Monstrothic, Brisbane, QLD -- (with 'Neath, Archae & Aeternitas)

An additional Sydney date will be announced later.

Read more ››

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Be'lakor

Cover art and tracklist of the upcoming Kimaera album, entitled "Solitary Impact", have been revealed. "Solitary Impact" will be also released under the Russian label StygianCrypt productions, but no date is set yet.

Check out the new and updated website for all the info you need about Kimaera and the new album (including cover art), and to stay updated with the Kimaera news.

"Solitary Impact" tracklist:

01. Bloody Tourniquet
02. A Breath Of Despair
03. A Silent Surrender
04. Solitary Impact
05. Holy Grief
06. In The Shade Of Nephilim
07. All The I Am
08. The Taste Of Treason
09. Of Wine And Woe
10. The Garden Tomb

Read more ››

Source:	kimaera.info
Band profile:	Kimaera

Legendary vocalist Frank Knight (X-Wild, also known for his work with such bands as U.D.O., Accept, Majesty and Crystal Viper), and guitarist Majk Moti (Running Wild) have formed a brand new heavy metal band called Wild Knight.

The group's lineup is as follows:

Frank Knight - Vocals
Majk Moti - Guitar
Rob Ronson - Guitar
Simon Strangeway - Bass
Robin Hazelhurst - Drums

Wild Knight will make its live debut at the Hard Rocker Festival II in Katowice, Poland, on September 26. Their live show will include classic X-Wild and Running Wild songs. Also scheduled to appear are Mekong Delta, Tygers Of Pan Tang, Wizard, Lonewold and many others.

Wild Knight is working on material for its debut studio album, scheduled for 2010. The band will also record a cover of the Running Wild song "Tsar" for the forthcoming official Running Wild tribute album titled "ReUnaton" (Remedy Records).

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	X Wild

Ex-Mythopoeia member Patra Krajcerova has formed a new band, called Fortis Natura. The band are about to release a promo demo called "Duality".

"Duality" will feature the following three songs:

01. Ethereal Sample (mp3)]
02. Change The Future Sample (mp3)]
03. Fortification

The complete Fortis Natura line up looks as follows:

Petra Krajcerova - guitars/vocals
Forkwin - bass
Pepe - Drums

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Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Mythopoeia

Swedish metal act Månegarm have confirmed 22nd October as the release date for their new album "Nattväsen". This will be the band's very first release on Regain Records. Some tasty previews of the new album will be streamed during summer. Announced song titles include: "I Den Svartaste Jord", "Bergagasten", "Vetramegin" and "Nattväsen". Månegarm has been working on the new studio album since September last year.

Read more ››

Source:	manegarm.com
Band profile:	Månegarm

"Tonight", the new video from The Answer can now be viewed at this location. The clip features never-before-seen backstage footage of the band's life on the road with AC/DC. The song appears on the band's latest album "Everyday Deamons".

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Source:	myvideo.de
Band profile:	The Answer

Original news, posted on 28.03.2009

A new Alestorm song, entitled "Keelhauled" has been made available at this location. The song comes off the band's upcoming album "Black Sails At Midnight", which will be released via Napalm Records on the following dates:

May 27 - Finland, Spain
May 29 - Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, France, Italy, Spain
Jun. 01 - Rest of Europe
Jun. 02 - USA, Canada

It will be available in normal jewelcase format with the following cover art (designed by Ingo Romling), and also as a limited-edition digipack with different artwork and a bonus DVD featuring the band's gig from the Wacken Open Air festival in 2008.

"Black Sails At Midnight" tracklisting:

01. The Quest
02. Leviathan
03. That Famous Ol' Spiced
04. Keelhauled
05. To The End Of Our Days
06. Black Sails at Midnight
07. No Quarter
08. Pirate Song
09. Chronicles of Vengeance
10. Wolves of the Sea

UPDATE (thanks to 32160)

Alestorm have posted a new song online, called "That Famous Ol' Spiced". Check it out here.

Read more ››

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Alestorm

Forgotten Tomb have issued the following update regarding their recent activities:

"The new monumental double live in studio "VOL.5: 1999-2009" has been finally mastered and it's ready to enter the printing factory. This means we'll have it out and available pretty soon, like in June 2009 or so. Negotiations with the label who's gonna release it are work-in-progress too. An European release will come first, then a US release will follow shortly after. New samples from 3 songs of it are online now! Be sure to check them out and leave a comment, and spread the word!

In the meantime, the band has been confirmed for the big Italian open-air festival Agglutination XV and a few other gigs, be sure to check them out! The band is also working hard on the new full-lenght album "Under Saturn Retrograde", and it's negotiating a deal with labels to produce it and release it. The band could enter the studio again soon to record it, most probably in the end of 2009."

Read more ››

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Forgotten Tomb

Cryptic Wintermoon have issued the following statement, already a couple of days ago:

"It's finally done. The recordings for our new album are finnished Outstanding are just mix and mastering.

After long discussions, we decided to release the record by ourselves, without Label. And so we need YOU to spread the news! The album will be released in September and can be ordered directly from us and chosen Mailorders which will be announced here when the record is out. With the release we do a live release party in Naila (near Hof/Germany) on September 26th together with some other great bands. Stay tuned for further news and the exact release date."

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Cryptic Wintermoon

Evocation have posted a new video for the track "Tomorrow Has No Sunrise" online. The video comes from the bands latest release, "Dead Chalm Chaos". The video was directed by René U Valdes (Hardcore Superstar, Avatar etc.) fand was shot at Kvarnbyn in Gothenburg (Sweden) on the 14th of April.


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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Evocation

Carpathian Forest guitarist/bassist Terje "Tchort" Vik Schei announced that he is leaving the band:

"Its been more than 10 years with perversion and provocation and I have seen, heard and done shit I didnt even know excisted and the past decade has been like a rollercoaster from hell! And since I got too addicted to this shit I can also announce that I am starting a brand new band and I cant wait to see unexplored depths of hell with the new stuff. I am confident that I will find a killer line up and be back to fuck you up! My deepest respect and grattitude goes to vocalist Nattefrost for letting me into his personal hell and keeping me there for a decade! I will return..."

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Carpathian Forest

In September begins the shooting of the movie based on the book "Lords of Chaos", written by Didrik Søderlind and Michael Moynihan.

"It is a facinating subject, a great visual world, and a funny portrait of Norway", says the producer Stuart Pollok of Saltire Entertainment who is in Cannes to sell the project. "This is a story about teens and youthful energy", says Pollok, who also says that the movie will be in the genre of psychedelic horror.

"Lords of Chaos" is going to be directed by Sion Sono from Japan. Sion has won three movie awards, at the Filmfestival in Berlin, for "Ai no mukidashi" and "Kimyô na sâkasu". The movie will be his first movie in English.

The main role in the movie, Varg Vikernes, will be played by Jackson Rathbone, who acts the vampire Jasper Hale in "Twilight". Rathbone, however, is busy shooting of the third "Twilight"-movie, which may delay the recording of Lords Of Chaos. Pollok confirms that he will cast Norwegian actors as well.

The flick starts production in Norway this September following three years of delays prompted by a lack of funding. Chances are the film will not be getting two thumbs up from Vikernes who, in 2004, took to the Burzum Web site to chide the book's authors.

Calling the book "a pool of mud," Vikernes claimed, "the vast majority of all the statements made in this book are either misinterpretations; taken out of context; misunderstandings; malicious lies made by enemies; a result of ignorance; extreme exaggerations; and/or third-hand information at best. This includes the statements attributed to me.

"This book serves only one single purpose and that is to create a myth around my name and to mystify me," he said. "If that was their objective, they have indeed succeeded with their work. The authors have managed to fill the heads of a generation of metal fans with lies. What could have been a righteous revolt has been made into some pathetic, embarrassing, brain-dead, impotent and traditional poser-culture best exemplified by bands like Dimmu Borgir ? and indeed Venom!"

Source:	dagbladet.no
Band profile:	Burzum

Cleveland groove metallers Chimaira have just announced a European tour alongside their old friends from Boston, Unearth, as well as California's straight-edge outfit Throwdown. After a highly successful US tour supporting the likes of Killswitch Engage and Disturbed, Chimaira are finally going to hit Europe and spread the infection!

Commented Chimaira singer Mark Hunter: "We're very excited to get back to Europe and headline. We'll be playing a bunch of new countries we've never been to, including Russia. We plan to play a great mixture of old and new songs, and we're bringing some of the best bands our genre has to offer with us."

Here are the European tour dates featuring Chimaira, Unearth, Throwdown, and Dååth:

September 15th Biebob, BEL - Vosselaar
September 16th Hamburg, GER - Markthalle
September 17th Kopenhagen, DEN - Pumpenhuset
September 18th Oslo, NOR - Betong
September 19th Gothenburg, SWE - Brew House
September 20th Stockholm, SWE - Klubben
September 22nd Helsinki, FIN - Nostori
September 23rd Tallinn, EST - Rock Cafe
September 24th Riga, LTA - Melnā Piektdiena
September 25th Warsaw, POL - Progresia
September 26th Berlin, GER - Colulmbia Club
September 27th Vienna, AUT - Szene
September 29th Frankfurt, GER - Batschkapp
September 30th Osnabruck, GER - N8
October 01st Praha, CZE - Abaton
October 02nd Budapest, HUN - Diesel
October 03rd Munchen, GER - Backstage
October 04th Bologna, ITA - Estragon
October 06th Paris, FRA - Locomotive
October 07th Limonges, FRA - Espace de L'Ecluse
October 08th Pratteln, CH - Z7
October 09th Koln, GER - Essigfabrik
October 10th Metz, FRA - Tattoo Fest
October 11th Rotterdam, NET - Watt
October 12th London, UK - Electric Ballroom

Read more ››

Source:	chimaira.com
Band profile:	Chimaira

The two recently departed band members, Hupogrammos and Sol Faur issued the following statement today:

"This statement is signed by Sol Faur and myself (Hupogrammos). Our aim is to shed light on the recent developments in relation to Negura Bunget. We also want to prevent further abuse of the name Negura Bunget and our past activities. Our decision should be well understood and fans and media have a right to be correctly informed of the current development. We owe this to the public and Negura Bunget itself. There is no intention to turn this into a personal issue between us and our former drummer Negru. We do not wish to create a public scandal, but a line has been crossed and it is time now to stand up and fight for what we believe in.

With the last "official" Negura Bunget statement, things went too far. The selfish and greedy acts of a single person are doing too much harm. We cannot accept how our issues were presented to the world. In truth our gesture to step aside from the band was generated by the selfish behavior of our drummer Negru and by his lack of ability to connect, to work in a team as well as by his lack of honesty.

We initially intended to remain silent on the reasons of our split. We all agreed to end our joined work and
to release a simple and unspectacular statement to the press in order to prevent our personal animosity to become part of the story. It was agreed by all that none of the members would use the name "Negura Bunget" ever again in the future since the band as an entity was comprised by all three of its members. Negru's act of making a public statement that is completely different from what has been agreed upon proves once more a total lack of respect for the other members of our and his own band. It proves his honor to be questionable as his acts are serving only his personal interest.

Our own statement, which we had sent to Negru for approval and adjustment read like this:

"After fifteen years of experience in the metal scene Negura Bunget decided to end its activity. Negru will continue with his own project called Din Brad, while Hupogrammos and Sol Faur will continue the direction of the band under a different name that will be announced at a later date. The band would like to thank to everybody, who supported and believed in Negura Bunget and invites you to follow our further musical activities."

Unfortunately we did not the chance to see his final statement before it was sent. We were unable to change or to prevent it from becoming public in that form. Being in charge of all the logistic part of our work (i.e. all our contacts, our Myspace page, our official website, our newsletter and activities of Negura Music) Negru was entitled to send our statement to the media and to the public. However, he didn't consult us before posting a statement that did not care about our opinion, even though his statement makes believe this was a mutual decision.

Read more ››

Source:	metalhead.ro
Band profile:	Negură Bunget

Festival organisers for the Download Festival at Donington Park have today announced that all camping tickets have now officially SOLD OUT.

This includes all RIP Park Farm packages, including Tipis and Shacks. In addition, all combined coach travel & camping tickets have also now completely sold out. There are still a LIMITED number of the RIP "Platinum" hotel packages available.

Organisers are now urging anyone planning to attend this year's Download who haven't yet picked up their tickets to do so NOW - arena tickets for the full weekend and day tickets are still on sale but are likely to all be snapped up soon. For all tickets and packages please visit http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/tickets.

--

For the first time in Download history, this year's festival will be extended to four stages, with over 100 bands playing across the weekend of 12-14 JUNE.

Courtesy of Red Bull Bedroom Jam, the new stage will host performances from the previously announced We Are The Ocean,White Man Kamikaze And Auger Bane, plus My Passion, Dissolved In, This City, Twin Atlantic, Linchpin, Fall From Grace, Don Broco, None The Less, Exit Avenue, Young Guns and First Strike.

--

In addition to these exciting new acts, For the first time ever an unknown band will get to play the main stage in a live broadcast from their Bedroom. This world first will see the virtual gig beamed to thousands of rockers ahead of the performance from Marilyn Manson on the Saturday.

Here's how...

Upload your video to http://www.redbullbedroomjam.com . Don't worry about the quality, a mobile phone video of you playing in your bedroom will do?it's the talent that counts (a good tip would be to check out Don Broco's video on the homepage!)
Get your fans to log on and watch and rate your video?
The most popular artists get seIected for a live-streamed performance?on broadcast day, the Red Bull Bedroom Jam crew collect the musicians and seIected mates and fans, and the winners rock out in front of the camera!

For this one off special, videos will have to be uploaded by Friday 5 June. The winners will then be informed on Monday 8 June.

Read more ››

Event:

Download Festival 2009