Italian act Lacuna Coil have announced the details of their upcoming European headlining tour. Confirmed dates - so far - are as follows:

Sep. 22 - Treviso, ITA - New Age
Sep. 23 - Cesena, ITA - Vidia
Sep. 24 - Rome, ITA - Palacisalfa
Sep. 25 - Florence, ITA - Auditorium
Sep. 26 - Milan, ITA - Alcatraz
Sep. 28 - Barcelona, SPA - Razzmatazz
Sep. 29 - Madrid, SPA - Arena
Sep. 30 - Bergara, SPA - Jam
Oct. 01 - Bordeux, FRA - Barbey
Oct. 02 - Clermont, FRA - Ferrant Cooperative de Mai
Oct. 03 - Paris, FRA - Olympia
Oct. 06 - Portsmouth, UK - Pyramids
Oct. 07 - Cardiff, UK - Coal Exchange
Oct. 08 - Birmingham, UK - Academy
Oct. 10 - Glasgow, UK - Barrowland
Oct. 11 - Nottingham, UK - Rock City
Oct. 12 - Manchester, UK - Academy
Oct. 13 - London, UK - Astoria
Oct. 14 - London, UK - Astoria
Oct. 16 - Dublin, IRE - Olympia
Oct. 17 - Sheffield, UK - Corporation
Oct. 18 - Tilburg, NETH - O13
Oct. 19 - Antwerp, BEL - Hof Ter Loo
Oct. 21 - Copenhagen, DEN - Pumpehuset
Oct. 22 - Malmo, SWE - KB
Oct. 23 - Oslo, NOR - Rockefeller
Oct. 25 - Helsinki, FIN - Nosturi
Oct. 26 - Tampere, FIN - Pakkahoune
Oct. 28 - Stockholm, SWE - Klubben
Oct. 29 - Gothenburg, SWE - Tragarn
Oct. 30 - Berlin, GER - Huxleys
Oct. 31 - Hamburg, GER - Docks
Nov. 02 - Muenchen, GER - Georg Elser Halle
Nov. 03 - Vienna, AUT - Planet Music
Nov. 04 - Linz, AUT - Posthof
Nov. 06 - Koeln, GER - Live Music Hall
Nov. 07 - Stuttgart, GER - Longhorn (LKA)
Nov. 08 - Zurich, SWI - Rohstofflager

Source:	metal-temple.com
Band profile:	Lacuna Coil

The following message has been posted by frontman John Tardy at thhe legenadry Death Metal band's official website:

"Where do I start! First, thanks to our crew and all our fans that came out to support us this festival season. Without you guys all this would not be possible!!!".

"I did not have Internet for the last few shows, so I could not update the website until now. I think the last I updated was in Italy. Since then we had two shows in Germany and one in Austria!".

"I am at home and trying to get things 'back to normal.' Yesterday we got together with friends and celebrated the 4th of July with some grilling, cool ones, fireworks and World Cup football! What an end to that Germany / Italy game. Our crew were from Germany, so I felt bad for them, but congratulate Italy on a big win. I am looking forward to the game today, it should be a good one. It was also great to see the Space Shuttle Discovery go up! I don't know if there is any better display of fireworks then watching that thing launch! Awesome! We are a few hundred miles from the Space Center, but can still see the shuttle from my house. It is really something and I congratulate NASA on a beautiful launch".

"We are home until the end of August , then we head back to Europe to record our first DVD, in Poland! I think we could be the last band on the planet to do one, so we are really excited about this. While we are there we will also be playing the Up From The Ground Festival in Germany".

Links:http://www.obituary.cc/

Source:	metal-temple.com
Band profile:	Obituary

German Power Metal pioneers Helloween have lined up the following dates in Russia/Ukraine during October 2006:

Oct. 05 - Ekaterinburg - KOSMOS Koncert Hall
Oct. 06 - Ufa Ogni - UFA Club
Oct. 07 - Kiev - DK Nau club
Oct. 08 - Moskow - DK Gorbunova
Oct. 10 - St. Petersburg - Port Club

The band is going to release a double DVD, featuring footage that was filmed during shows in Sofia, Tokyo and Sao Paulo. Alongside the live footage, the double DVD will include lots of exciting bonus material. The exact release date will be announced by SPV in the coming weeks.

A number of European festival appearances are scheduled in the coming weeks. The band will perform a best-of set, featuring all their important hits, including the odd cult number, for the first time performed by the current lineup. An extensive tour of North America and Canada will take place in the fall.

Source:	metal-temple.com
Band profile:	Helloween

According to the official Epica website, vocalist Simone Simons would join Kamelot on stage for 'The Haunting' (Somewhere In Time)' when the band hits the Plato venue in Helmond, Holland on Sunday, July 2nd. Simons performed the original guest vocals on the song for Kamelot's last album, The Black Halo, and performed the song with the band every night during their last European tour together

As previously reported Epica will support Kamelot on their North American tour, which kicks off in September. Dates are as follows:

September
19 - Jaxx Nightclub in Springfield, VA
20 - B.B. King's in New York, NY
22 - The Chance Theater in Poughkeepsie, NY
23 - The Penny Arcade in Rochester, NY
24 - Le Medley in Montreal, QC
25 - Imperial in Quebec, QC
27 - The Opera House in Toronto, ON
28 - Agora Theater in Cleveland, OH
29 - Harpo's in Detroit, MI
30 - The Pearl Room in Chicago, IL

October
2 - Star Central in Columbia Heights, MN
6 - Studio Seven in Seattle, WA
7 - Rock N Roll Pizza in Portland, OR
8 - Pound SF in San Francisco, CA
10 - Galaxy Theater in Santa Ana, CA
11 - Key Club in Los Angeles, CA

Source:	bravewords.com
Band profile:	Epica

According to a very brief video-blog at the official Nightwish website, the band have finished writing the material for their next album. They are now preparing to record pre-production versions of the songs, after which they will be edited and arranged. To check out the video-blog go here

The band are currently seeking a replacement for departed singer Tarja Turunen before entering the studio in September 2006 to begin recording the follow-up to 2004's "Once", tentatively due in mid-2007.

Source:	nightwish.com
Band profile:	Nightwish

As posted on Metallica's official web site, all nine shows from the band's recent European "Escape From The Studio '06" tour are now available for download via the LiveMetallica.com web site. The posting reads:

"Check out Berlin with the first-ever performance of The New Song or maybe Donington, which includes a performance of "Nothing Else Matters" with Jerry Cantrell on vocals. All nine shows have the complete "Master of Puppets" album played live and of course each show has its own unique vibe and local flavor".

Shows currently available for download are:

Jun. 03 - Rock Am Ring Festival - Nurburgring, GER
Jun. 04 - Rock Im Park - Nurnberg, GER
Jun. 06 - Waldbuhne - Berlin, GER
Jun. 08 - Gelredome - Arnhem, NETH
Jun. 10 - Download Festival - Donington, UK
Jun. 11 - Download Festival - Dublin, IRE
Jun. 13 - Song Festival Grounds - Tallin, EST
Jun. 15 - Novarock Festival - Nickelsdorf, AUT
Jun. 17 - Heineken Jammin Festival - Imola, ITA

Source:	blabbermouth.net
Band profile:	Metallica

TheRockRadio.com (www.therockradio.com) report that Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich told England's BBC Radio 1 that the group's new album is likely to be released in the summer or early autumn of 2007.

Ulrich explained, "I think we've realized that the creative process works a little slower for us than it used to, and we're OK with that. It's not a bad thing, unless, of course, you're waiting for a record."

Ulrich added that the band now is far more relaxed than the turbulent state in which it recorded 2003's 'St. Anger'. The drummer said, "Everybody's getting along, having a great time... Back on ('St. Anger'), it was just a very different experience 'cause we had to kind of get it back together. Now everything's cool."

Metallica is recording the new album, its ninth studio effort, with famed producer Rick Rubin.

The band is currently on a European festival tour, during which it has debuted a new song and has also played its classic 1986 album "Master Of Puppets" in its entirety.

Source: Bravewords.com

Source:	metal-temple.com
Band profile:	Metallica

Italy's Thy Majestie have posted the following message on their official web site:

"Just a quick note to inform you that Thy Majestie composed five new songs for the new album. Five killer songs, maybe the best stuff we have ever composed. At the moment, we don't know which record label will release the new album."

Source:	thymajestie.com
Band profile:	Thy Majestie

Primal Fear is very pleased to announce the signing of a new worldwide multi-album deal with Frontiers Records! Filled with plenty of adrenaline, the steady Primal Fear line-up of vocalist Ralf Scheepers, lead guitarists Tom Naumann and Stefan Leibing, bassist and vocalist Mat Sinner and drummer Randy Black have started the songwriting for their upcoming new album which is going to be released before summer 2007, followed by a headlining tour.

Bassist and Producer Mat Sinner: "After weeks of negotiations with a lot of well known record companies, we've finally decided to sign with Frontiers Records. Thanks to all the other labels for their interest and fairness"

Frontiers president Serafino Perugino comments: "We are extremely proud and excited to welcome on the Frontiers Records roster a metal legend like Primal Fear. We plan to have a long-term partnership with them and our aim is to bring their career forward and to new heights!"

In addition, Primal Fear have signed a brand new merchandise deal with Artworx Germany and will sort out a lot of more business affairs within the next couple of weeks. Guitarist Tom Naumann: "This is a new start for us and we will change a lot of business things. We have learnt a lot about the business and the human nature in the past days!"

Vocalist Ralf Scheepers: "After a successful partnership with Nuclear Blast Records and 6 chart albums, we are all set and fully loaded for the next chapter of Primal Fear, together with a professional and such a motivated label like Frontiers Records! Of course we will have some drinks to celebrate this fantastic event and then we will directly stick our heads together to continue our songwriting for the new album and play some fantastic festivals during the summer - Cheers!"

Upcoming Primal Fear open air shows are as follows:

June
18 - Zaragossa, Spain at Monsters Of Rock
28 - München, Germany at Tollwood Festival

July
7 - St. Leonhard, Italia at Badia Rocks
29 - Jerez, Spain at Metalway Festival

August
4 - Wacken, Germany at Wacken Open Air
6 - Varna, Bulgaria Monsters Of Rock
11- Groningen, Netherlands at Open Air
19 - Martin, Slovakia at More Than Fest 4

September
29 - Derby, UK at Bloodstock Festival

October
7 - Reichenbach, Germany at H2O
12 - Buenos Aires, Argentina at Live' N Louder - River Plate Stadion
14 - Sao Paulo, Brazil at Live' N Louder - Caninde

Source:	primalfear.de
Band profile:	Primal Fear

Evergrey and Necrophobic have been confirmed for the Mälarrocken Festival, set to take place June 30 - July 2 in Västerås, Sweden. More information is available at www.malarrocken.se

Source:	malarrocken.se
Band profile:	Evergrey
Event:	MälarRocken

Sonata Arctica's live DVD, "For The Sake Of Revenge," has entered the Finnish Music DVD chart at position No. 1. The CD version of "For The Sake Of Revenge" landed on the national album chart at No. 26.

"For The Sake Of Revenge" was recorded at Shibuya AX in Tokyo, Japan on February 5th, 2005 and was mixed by Pasi Kauppinen at Studio57. The mastering duties were handled by Svante Forsbäck at Chartmakers.

Source:	metal-temple.com
Band profile:	Sonata Arctica

Green Carnation singer Kjetil Nordhus on 31 st May commented on what he promises will be the band's biggest concert in terms of location and exclusivity:

"People will have to wait for a couple of weeks still to get the whole story, but we are creating a concert so spectacular that it will be of international interest. The reason why I'm commenting this today, is because people might need time to plan their summer, not least if Norway is going to be included in their plans. This is also a service from the band to our foreign fans, so they could have the chance to purchase tickets for the gig before it's sold out. There will be a national press conference in Norway on the location of the concert on June 13th, but Green Carnation would like to give away some information already today:

- The gig is on Thursday the 3rd of August near Kristiansand, Norway, where we all live. It's going to be something we'll only do once, and I can promise this will be something people that are there will never forget. For more information about the show and how to purchase tickets, use the following email address: kjetil@greencarnation.no."

Source:	smnnews.com
Band profile:	Green Carnation

After 25 years of existence, the legendary German heavy metal band Grave Digger has signed a long-term deal with the Spanish record label Locomotive Records.

Commented Goyo Esteban, President of Locomotive Records: "We are very proud that a heavy metal legend like Grave Digger puts that much trust in us. After the presentation of the first demo songs of the new album it was clear that something really BIG will come up for us, and it was obvious that we will release this new milestone of classic metal on Locomotive Records."

On September 22, 2006, Locomotive Records will release a new Grave Digger single, "Yesterday". The single will be accompanied by a bonus DVD of the band's performance on Rock Machina Festival in 2001. The new Grave Digger album will follow on January 12, 2007, with a subsequent Grave Digger/Therion European co-headlining tour to take place between January 18 and February 17.

Source : BlabberMouth.Net

Source:	metal-temple.com
Band profile:	Grave Digger

Swedish power metallers Axenstar have finished recording their fourth album, "The Final Requiem", due in September via Germany's Massacre Records. According to the band, "it is by far the heaviest release in the history of Axenstar. We are all extremely happy with the result. The European version will contain 12 songs and the Japanese bonus version 13 songs." Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Pagan Ritual", "Seeds of Evil", "Condemnation", "Final Requiem", "The Hide" and "End of the Line".

Source: BlabberMouth.Net

Source:	metal-temple.com
Band profile:	Axenstar