French metallers Gojira are now touring in the USA as part of the Sacrament Tour, together with Lamb Of God, Trivium and Machine Head. Upcoming shows can be found on Gojira's MySpace page.

Short video clips from the band's current North American tour are posted every day. You can find them at this location, or on YouTube here.

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Source:	gojira-music.com
Band profile:	Gojira

Swedish Progressive Metallers Andromeda has revealed details of their live DVD entitled "Playing Off The Board".

The main feature was recorded on 31st October 2006 in Wyspianski Theater in Katowice (Poland) when Andromeda supported Pendragon at a 21st Anniversary of "The Jewel" concert. The band (line-up: David Fremberg - vocals, Johan Reinholdz - guitar, Martin Hedin - keyboards, Thomas Lejon - drums and Fabian Gustavsson - bass) concentrated mostly on their latest "Chimera" album but the set-list also includes older tracks from "Extension Of The Wish" and "II=I" albums. Get ready for a strong dose of progressive metal! The Swedish quintet offers powerful and sublime sound compositions that are both structurally intricate and overflowing with a vast spectrum of emotions.

DVD includes 1.5 hour of progressive music at its very best, more than an hour of bonus video footage (featuring, among other materials, bootlegs and documents from the band's tour and gigs across Europe), 2 interviews and much more!

"Playing Off The Board" will be also available in a limited swing case edition, including a CD with songs recorded at the concert!

Release date: 10th April in Europe / 24th April in US.

Tracklist

DVD:
01. Periscope
02. Mirages
03. In The Deepest Of Waters
04. Two Is One
05. The Hidden Riddle
06. Chameleon Carneval
07. Inner Circle
08. Eclipse
09. In The End Clip]
10. Encyclopedia
11. Reaching Deep Within
12. The Words Unspoken

CD (only available in limited swing case edition):
01. Periscope
02. Mirages
03. In The Deepest Of Waters
04. Two Is One
05. The Hidden Riddle
06. Chameleon Carneval
07. Inner Circle
08. Eclipse
09. In The End
10. Encyclopedia
11. Reaching Deep Within
12. The Words Unspoken

Bonus video:
Interview with Johan Reinholdz and Martin Hedin
Interview with David Fremberg and Thomas Lejon
Rehearsal, October 2006
Andromeda Goes Dutch
European Tour Tales
Three Days in Poland
Old Live Footage

Others:
- Photo gallery
- Biography
- Discography
- Desktop images
- Weblinks
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound

A comment by the band, posted on their website, goes as follows:

"We are all very excited about this release, we have put our hearts and souls into its creation. It´s full to the brim with stuff to dig your teath into. The concert was professionaly filmed in an old theatre in Poland this fall and it looks and sounds awsome. There are loads cool of bonus material, stuff we filmed on tour, pictures, interviews etc. Don´t miss it!"

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Source:	metal-rules.com
Band profile:	Andromeda

The new King Diamond album will probably be released late June/beginning of July. Nothing is certain yet but it looks that way. The album will be titled "Gimme Your Soul? Please".

The CD contains 13 tracks and the song titles are as follows:

01. The Dead
02. Never Ending Hill
03. Is Anybody Here?
04. Black Of Night
05. Mirror, Mirror
06. The Cellar
07. Pictures In Red
08. Gimme Your Soul
09. The Floating Head
10. Cold As Ice
11. Shapes Of Black
12. The Girl In The Bloody Dress
13. Moving On

According to King Diamond: "I guarantee you this is the best album yet I am positive about it. Its more King Diamond there have ever been. It has the best King Diamond top class through the whole album. The story is very dark, perhaps one of the darkest I have ever done before."
More comments about the album by King Diamond can be found here.

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Source:	covenworldwide.org
Band profile:	King Diamond

Sonata Arctica's guitarist Jani Liimatainen has posted an announcement on the band's official website, stating that he will sit out the coming live activities due to civil duty. Guitar virtuoso Elias "E.Vil" Viljanen has been announced as substitute.

The complete translation of the statement from Finnish, provided by Blabbermouth, reads as follows:

"Unfortunately, we have come to a situation in where I'm unable to play Sonata Arctica's scheduled gigs this spring. The reason for this is that I have to fulfill my civic duties. The band will, in any case, perform the agreed gigs with a substitute guitarist and I'm sure he will meet the high standards the fans expect from Sonata Arctica's gigs. I hope I'll be able to return to the band as soon as possible, because the tour break has already taken too long and I miss the sweaty nights on stage and the sweaty days in the tour bus! I want to wish a nice spring to all fans; hopefully we will meet soon!"

In other news the band has published the release dates, covers and tracklists of the upcoming album "Unia" and the preceding single "Paid In Full".

Tracklist "Unia" - release date: May 25th, 2007 (cover)
01. In Black And White
02. Paid In Full
03. For The Sake Of Revenge
04. It Won't Fade
05. Under Your Tree
06. Caleb
07. The Vice
08. My Dream's But A Drop Of Fuel For A Nightmare
09. The Harvest
10. The Worlds Forgotten, The Words Forbidden
11. Fly With The Black Swan
12. Good Enough Is Good Enough

Tracklist "Paid In Full" - release date: April 27th, 2007 (cover)
01. Paid In Full
02. Out In The Fields
03. Paid In Full

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Source:	sonataarctica.info
Band profile:	Sonata Arctica

Guitarist/vocalist Anders Lundemark of the Danish extreme metallers Konkhra has issued the following update:

"Alright folks, we are getting closer: we just tracked the drums for song number 9 , which has yet to be named properly, but could very well be doomed to carry the monicker "Nothing Is Sacred". We are planning on two more, and we are almost getting ready with them. We have also been talking to someone about doing some lead work once again, will let everyone know what happens with that as soon as I can. Best guess is record finished around May, since finish the thing might include some international travelling."

A new Konkhra instrumental demo track, which has the working title "Killswitch One", has been posted online at the band's MySpace page.

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Source:	roadrunnerrecords.com
Band profile:	Konkhra

Axel Rudi Pell has updated on his official website that he "Just would like to let you know that my health is getting better."
And also "we´ll be in the studio in April to record a new album which will be a cover album! Yes, that´s right... but all NEW recorded material, no songs from earlier releases, just 10 songs which I picked personally out of some really great tunes! And... surprise...there will be NO cover version of either a Deep Purple or a Rainbow song! Expect all the songs sounding typically in the style of Axel Rudi Pell ! I´ll promise you'll really be satisfied ! The record will be released by SPV after the summer."

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

Katatonia's brand new video for the song 'July', shot and directed by Charlie Granberg, has been posted online at YouTube.com.

Commented Granberg: "It's basically a perfomance video. But I wanted the feeling of the band playing in a very rough, abandonded or even bombed out house, in an extremely warm country like Mexico or somewere in the middle east. Dark on the inside, but with sunbeams searching their way through the dust, hitting the bandmembers here and there. I really wanted the feeling of the outside world being so much better and brighter than the place the band is in. The biggest challenge with this video I think, was that I wanted to use really warm and grainy colours, wich is kinda rare in this type of music, but at the same time wrap it in a gloomy, apocalyptic feeling. But I think the balance is there and I'm happy the band liked it so much."

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Source:	roadrunnerrecords.com
Band profile:	Katatonia

Hammerfall bassist Magnus Rosén has left the band today (Tuesday 06.03.). An official statement on the band's official website goes as follows:

"Breaking news: The bass player of HammerFall, Magnus Rosén, will not be a part of the band in the future. This is all the information available at the moment, but expect an official statement from the band as soon as possible."

Magnus Rosén became a member of Hammerfall in 1997/1998, around the recordings of "Glory To The Brave".

UPDATED on 8 March 2007:

Here's the official statement from the band members regarding the situation. English:

"Bass player Magnus Rosén has elected to step down from HammerFall to be able to focus on his own projects. While it is surprising, it's not a total shock to us since he has seemed to be unhappy with the situation in the band and on tour for quite a while. We wish him all the best with his future endeavors and turn our attention to the future, immediate and distant.

This will change nothing for us as far as booked gigs and other planned activities are concerned. Rest assured, HammerFall will continue blazing its trail just like before. The process of selecting the right replacement both musically and personally is already set in motion, and we will announce it as soon as a decision is made."

/Joacim, Stefan, Oscar and Anders

Source:	hammerfall.net
Band profile:	HammerFall

Samples for the tracks appearing on the new Within Temptation album, "The Heart Of Everything," are currently available at this location.
Also, Roadrunner UK are offering a free MP3 download of the track 'The Howling'. Says the label, "To download your copy of 'The Howling', taken from the band's forthcoming album, The Heart Of Everything, simply fill in your details here and we will send you a link to the download."

"The Heart Of Everything" will be released in Europe on March 12th through Roadrunner. A North American date has not yet been announced.

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Source:	bravewords.com
Band profile:	Within Temptation

Pre-release audio samples of each track from Visions Of Atlantis' forthcoming album, "Trinity," can now be heard using the link's on the official Visions Of Atlantis website here.

The album (artwork) will feature the following tracklisting:
01. At The Back Of Beyond
02. The Secret
03. Passing Dead End
04. The Poem
05. Nothing Left
06. My Darkside Home
07. Wing-Shaped Heart
08. Return To You
09. Through My Eyes
10. Flow This Desert
11. Seven Seas

"Trinity" will be released around May through Napalm Records.

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Source:	visionsofatlantis.com
Band profile:	Visions Of Atlantis

Swedish Death Metal band Death Breath, featuring ex-Entombed songwriter/vocalist/bassist/drummer Nicke Andersson, have posted the following message on their website:

"We're sorry to inform you that our upcoming Mini Album "Let It Stink" cover art] is slightly delayed. We'll let you know the new release date soon. However, it will brutalize mass ass!
Here's the track list:

01. Giving Head To The Dead
02. His Protoplasmic Worship
03. Maimed And Slaughtered
04. Dead But Walking
05. Lycanthropy
06. Sacrifice
07. Twisted In Distaste

Head over to our MySpace page (here) and check out one of the songs, 'His Protoplasmic Worship'.

The CD version will contain a brand new version of our video for the song 'Death Breath' as well as the original one. The vinyl version will be 10 pitch black inches. You can use this link to pre order."

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Source:	deathbreath.se
Band profile:	Death Breath

The following messages were posted on the Celtic Frost homepage:

"On the eve before embarking on the European leg of the "Monotheist" tour and then returning to the United States, Celtic Frost announce the band's new touring guitarist, V Santura of German black metal group Dark Fortress."

In other Celtic Frost news, the band's much acclaimed "Monotheist" album, the band's first in 14 years, has been elected "album of the year" for 2006 by Terrorizer magazine in the UK and Hard n Heavy magazine in France.

Source:	celticfrost.com
Band profile:	Celtic Frost
Event:	Kreator + Celtic Frost: European Tour

German Gothic Metal band Crematory have posted the following message on their website:

"Crematory have started to write new songs in February and the new studio album with working title *Gothic Metal* is set for a January 2008 release.

Lyrics and singing wise the songs are supposed to have a darker vibe, although the separation between Felix and Matze with the dark and the cleaner vocals will be retained. The album will have English lyrics, but the appearance of a German track finding its way on the record is not impossible.

Musically it will be a treat to the ears with the familiar catchy melodies, paired with massive guitar riffs, even more brutal and darker than in the past.

With the keyboards the sound will be like in the earlier days and orchestral arrangements will be integrated. Moving away from the technoid samples and analogue sounds, going more in the direction of the early days with strings and choirs.

Once again the record will be produced with Kristian "Kohle" Kohlmannslehner in the Kohlekeller Studios in the Odenwald, who had already produced the records "Revolution" and "Klagebilder" with the band."

Source:	crematory.de
Band profile:	Crematory

Guitarist Chris Caffery (known from his work for Savatage and Trans-Siberian Orchestra) has posted the title track from his upcoming third solo album "Pins And Needles" on his MySpace page.

"Pins And Needles" will be released in Europe on March 23 via Metal Heaven Records. The album will be available in North America and the rest of the world in June.

"Pins And Needles" tracklist:

01. Pins And Needles
02. Sixty-Six
03. Torment
04. Walls
05. YGBFKM
06. Sad
07. Chained
08. Worms
09. Crossed
10. The Time
11. Metal East
12. Qualdio
13. The Temple
14. Once Upon A Time

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Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Chris Caffery

An new interview with Arjen Lucassen has been posted on the official Ayreon website. Lucassen mainly talks about what happened to him the past few months, his departure from Stream Of Passion and his work on the upcoming Ayreon album.
A couple of relevant excerpts follow, the entire interview can be found here:

* First off, a lot has happened in the past few months, we all are curious to know how you are doing.

- I'm sad to say that I've been through a personal hell the last couple of months. I worked non-stop for many years and due to living on my own after the divorce with Jolanda, I have had a new (at first completely different) lifestyle. It has taken its toll, I guess.

On top of everything else, I lost my sense of taste and smell (Anosmia) two months ago and sunk into a deep depression. With medical help and, most of all, the help of my closest friends (including Jolanda) I'm slowly climbing out of the black hole now. Last week I kicked my own butt back into the studio and fortunately the inspiration is slowly beginning to flow again.

* What are your plans concerning Stream of Passion at this moment?

- Because I will be fully concentrating on the new Ayreon for at least the next year, I have no more time for SoP, so I quit the band. It would be unfair to have them wait until I'm ready, especially now things are going so well for SoP.

* Does this mean the end of Stream of Passion?

- Fortunately not, the band will continue without me. They will write their own songs and I'm sure there's enough talent in the band to make a great new album and undertake successful tours without me pulling the strings.

* Now onto the new Ayreon:

When did you actually start recording?

- Basically I started recording a few months ago but due to my depression and the SoP tour I hadn't been in the studio until a week ago.

* Can you give us a tiny hint of what we can expect musically?

- Because of my frame of mind the material so far is quite dark. There are some pretty heavy passages and the soft parts are quite mysterious. Though, to even it out, I will probably record some folky and happier stuff in the coming months when I feel better. I do think I will succeed in having it sound different from my previous albums again. I'm also thinking of releasing a single album this time, and using the remaining tracks as bonustracks for those who are interested. As some know, I hate to repeat myself and do the expected! Don't know if I will succeed though, things often turned out differently than the way I planned them...

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Source:	ayreon.com
Band profile:	Ayreon