Dark Lunacy returns with "The Diarist", new album produced by Fredrik Nordstrom, already famous for the jobs with In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Children Of Bodon. The band will be protagonist of the next Evolution festival with Dark Tranquillity, Moonspell, Death Angel, The Gathering, Cradle Of Filth and many more.

Tracklist:
1. Aurora
2. Play Dead
3. Pulkovo Meridian
4. The Diarist
5. Snowdrifts
6. Now Is Forever
7. On Memory's White Sleigh
8. Heart Of Leningrad
9. Prospekt
10. Motherland
11. The Farewell Song

Source:	darklunacy.com
Band profile:	Dark Lunacy

A string of titles from the Uriah Heep back catalog will be remastered and reissued in limited edition paper sleeve editions with bonus tracks (Japan) on June 21st.

Titles to be reissued include:
Very 'Eavy Very 'Umble (1970, + eight bonus tracks)
Salisbury (1971, + seven bonus tracks)
Look At Yourself (1971, + seven bonus tracks)
Demons And Wizards (1972, + five bonus tracks)
The Magicians Birthday (1972, + nine bonus tracks)
Live (1973, + bonus CD)
Sweet Freedom (1973, + six bonus tracks)
WonderWorld (1974, + six bonus tracks).

Source:	bravewords.com
Band profile:	Uriah Heep

Escapi Music has set a July 28 European release date (August 1 in North America) for the new Dissection DVD, entitled "Rebirth of Dissection".

With Jon Nödtveidt's release from an eight-year prison sentence on September 6, 2004, he recruited a completely new lineup. First to join the ranks was ex-Dark Funeral drummer Tomas Asklund, followed shortly by bass player Brice Leclerq (ex-Nightrage). After auditioning guitarists in the summer of 2004, ex-Aborym member Set Teitan finally entered to complete the lineup. Embarking on a vast European march of triumph, supported by Swedish black metallers Watain, Dissection's "Rebirth of Dissection European Tour 2004" turned out to be a huge success. This DVD includes lots of extras and bonus material recorded from this tour.

Source:	roadrunnerrecords.com
Band profile:	Dissection

In honor of their musical heroes Avenged Sevenfold, The Dillinger Escape Plan have decided to change their names. From this point on they shall be known as:

G. Pirahna
Blaster Master Weinman
Bullwhip Benoit
Corpsefucker Pennie
Leafeater Wilson

They added, "Those are gonna be the names on our new CD. 100% serious. 100 PERCENT."

Only time will tell how dedicated they are to their new identities.

Source:	smnnews.com
Band profile:	The Dillinger Escape Plan

Norwegian metallers Susperia are scheduled to enter the studio in August to begin recording their new album, tentatively due in early 2007. The follow-up to 2004's "Unlimited" will reportedly contain 10 "very diverse individual songs with a lot of variation." One of the tracks that will appear on the CD, entitled "More", was performed during the band's recent appearance at the Inferno Festival in Oslo, Norway.

Susperoa's most recent release was an EP entitled "Devil May Care". The band entered the single chart for the first time in their career in October when the EP made its debut at No. 21 on Norway's official "Hit List."

Source:	darksoul7.com
Band profile:	Susperia

The Finnish city of Rovaniemi says it will name a square after monster rock band Lordi, its surprise Eurovision Song Contest winners. The band was the first Finnish act to claim victory in the competition.

The mayor of Rovaniemi (the band's hometown) located on the Arctic Circle - said the town wanted to honour its sons for their success.
Both Finnish President Tarja Halonen and Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen have also congratulated the group.

Source:	news.bbc.co.uk
Band profile:	Lordi

Steamhammer/SPV, along with Cargo, have announced plans to release HELLOWEEN's "Keeper of the Seven Keys - The Legacy" album in a sought-after, popular-with-collectors vinyl version (double LP in a gatefold sleeve) around mid-June.

The band have also announced the impending release of a double DVD, filmed during shows in Sofia, Tokyo and Sao Paulo. In Sao Paulo alone, Helloween played in front of over 6,000 enthusiastic fans. 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.

Source:	blabbermouth.net
Band profile:	Helloween

Black Label Society's live DVD, entitled "The European Invasion - Doom Troopin' Live", has had its released date pushed back from the previously announced June 27. A new release date has not yet been announced.

"European Invasion" captures BLS live on their sold-out European tour last year. Witness the full Paris show as well as four tracks from the Astoria in London. Bonus footage includes a one-hour-long "on-the-road" documentary, three promo videos taken from the Billboard Top 20-charting album "Mafia" and the making of documentary for the promo video "Suicide Messiah".

Source:	blabbermouth.net
Band profile:	Black Label Society

On May 5th, drummer Robin Engström of Swedish metallers Morgana Lefay announced his departure from the band due to "due to personal differences." According to an update on the band's official website, "Our new drummer is Pelle Åkerlind (Lednote, Rock Tools and live session drummer with Blood Bound). We will continue as planed with playing festivals this summer, and a European tour in September. After that we'll start preparing for the recording of our next album."

Source:	morganalefay.se
Band profile:	Morgana Lefay

The new single Deliberation is out now. The b-sides are two new exclusives, with the first song being a complete re-make of the In The White, now stripped down with acoustic guitars in a contemporary approach for a true urban lullaby sound. The second b-side is yet another unreleased song from the album sessions entitled Code Against the Code. Furthermore, a video for Deliberation once again shot and directed by Charlie Granberg, will be accompanied by the single. The direction of the clip takes a more abstract turn this time, so be sure to expect a dark mixture of reality and animation.

Full track listing for the single:
1. Deliberation
2. In The White (urban dub)
3. Code Against the Code
4. Deliberation (video)

The Great Cold Distance has now been made available on a 16 track (incl all the 4 b-sides from the My Twin & Deliberation singles) red coloured double vinyl edition (ltd to 2000 numbered copies). You can pre-order your copy in the official web site. The vinyl will ship on June 5th.

Source:	katatonia.com
Band profile:	Katatonia

Slayer has been forced to postpone it's Unholy Alliance tour by 11 days because of surgery on their bass player Tom Araya. Araya recently had surgery on his gall-bladder and continues to have soreness, so he has been advised to take it easy and rest himself for about six weeks. His condition is a genetic one and he did damage to his gall-bladder through drugs, alcohol, etc. Slayer should be back on the road soon though.

Here is a statement by Araya:

"My doctor wants me to take it easy. He told me not to do anything stupid. No serious lifting. ... I couldn't lift anything heavier than five pounds the first week (following the operation), and you increase it by five pounds each week. So, by the time we hit the road, I should be able to carry my bass."

Source:	blabbermouth.net
Band profile:	Slayer

Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad, producer of about a million killer bands) will be co-producing the new GWAR record, tentatively entitled "Go to Hell!". The bulk of the material is already completed, and recording at Flattus/Cory's Karma Studio's begins in early April. Then Oderus and Flattus will travel to the semi-frozen wasteland of Vancouver (in the bat-shaped helicopter, of course), to mix and master what is without a doubt going to be the heaviest album in GWAR's discography. The concept of the album is the closest thing to a rock opera that GWAR has done since "Ragnarok", and concerns GWAR's epic journey into the tunnels and caverns that honeycomb your world, a journey not only to escape their earthly prison "from within", but also to find and confront this so-called "Satan", who seems to think that he is a bigger bad ass than Oderus. Along the way GWAR encounter's a bevy of demonic dickheads and hapless victims, all ready to die for your entertainment. Look for GWAR's latest and greatest album yet to hit the stores in September.

Source:	gwar.net
Band profile:	Gwar

Posted in the band's website (in German):

This year, In Extremo will become 10 years old. The band has decided to re-release their first two albums, which were only available in limited home editions. In Extremo provided these albums with a new cover and two bonus tracks each, from their very first demo ("Sinc Ein Gulden Hahn" and "Ei Ri Sasun" from Hameln 2006 as well as "Villeman Og Magnhild" and "Lute" from Die Goldene 2006). The songs have been re-recorded and reworked. A special surprise for In Extremo fans: Dr. Pymonte sings Villeman Og Magnhild!

Read more ››

Source:	inextremo.de
Band profile:	In Extremo

Swedish death metallers Visceral Bleeding have announced the departure of guitarist Marcus Nilsson with the following update :

Due to other commitments, Marcus has decided to discontinue his guitar work in Visceral Bleeding.

Marcus comments:
"It's been an interesting and exhilarating ride, that's for sure, but I feel my lack of commitment to the band at this point will likely only hold the other guys back. I therefore step aside to let someone else join forces and strengthen the Visceral momentum for future brutalization!

My musical endeavors do not end here though. I will never put down the guitar and will continue exploring the vast realm of music, indefinitely. I wish Visceral Bleeding the best of luck and hope they will succeed in whatever they aspire to!

I'd like to thank all the people I have met through the band, for their support and good times: Cheers to you all!!!"

There are absolutely no hard feelings involved in this departure and Marcus remains a very close friend to us all, we go way back and chare a lot of history and VB wishes him the best of luck with everything he decides to put his focus on in the future.

Martin "Germ" Bermheden (Enshrined) will be filling the spot as lead guitarist and is already preparing and focusing 100% at this and he will appear on the upcoming CD."

Source:	visceralbleeding.com
Band profile:	Visceral Bleeding

Finnish melodic death/thrash metallers Mors Principium Est will enter the studio in June to begin recording their third album, tentatively due in early 2007 via Listenable Records. The mixing for the follow-up to 2005's "The Unborn" will take place at Astia Studios in Finland in late August while the mastering will be done in September at Helsinki's Finnvox.

Source:	blabbermouth.net
Band profile:	Mors Principium Est