The Finnish symphonic extreme band is working on their new yet-untitled album that's planned to be released on october of this year.

Italian Melodic Black metallers GRAVEWORM will record their new album "N(u)tobia" in the end of September with producer Andy Classen in the Stage One Studios in Borgentreich, Germany. The finished record is expected to show up in early 2005.

http://www.nuclearblast.de

Band profile:

Graveworm

The Norwegian gothic band is going to release a new album at late 2004 called "Free Fall into Fear". These are the songs of the new album (random order):
The Architect of my Downfall, Joyless Trance of Winter, Drink Away the Demons, Point Zero, Dry Well of Life, The Face of Jealousy, Carrier of the Scars of Life, Watch You Fall, Frail Expectation, Cold Hand of Retribution.

I have lots to report this time, so lets get to it!!! Guitar player Dee Harrington is now back in the band and we are very excited about it!! This summer we're going to re-record Warriors Of The Son in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of it's release In 1984. This will give us a chance to do some recording in our new studio before we put out the next full length project, next year. It will be limited to 1000 copies, and I know some of you cringe at the thought of limited production runs, but the market is saturated with Saint reissues. Of course Dee will be playing as well as Jerry Johnson and Josh Kramer, but on drums we're going to have Tim Lamberson play this time, please don't confuse him with the drum tracks on The Perfect Life, that wasn't him. I'm sure you will be (if you happen to buy this project) very impressed with Tim's ability to pound, I am. Two songs that weren't put on the EP will also be included on this project. The new tracks are The Reaper and Destroyers. Keep praying for us and hit those radio stations up!!! We need a full fledged SAINT revival.

Richard Lynch, Saint

Swedish power metallers Hammerfall entered Lundgaard Studios in Denmark with producer Charlie Bauernfeind (Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray, Rage) on Saturday (Sep. 4, thats today) to begin recording their new album, probably done on March 7, 2005 through Nuclear Blast Records. A single will be released on January 31. Songtitles set to appear on the follow-up to 2002's "Crimson Thunder" include "The Templar Flame", "Born to Rule" and "Fury of the Wild".

"After finishing the songwriting and rehearsing the material over the last week, I can honestly say I'm very, very excited!" guitarist Oscar Dronjak writes on the group's web site. "The feelings I get from the songs so far are heavy, metal, and HAMMERFALL. ;-) Seriously, I think everyone will recognize the band in the new songs, but I do think some of them tend to be a bit heavier than we have done before. You will see (hear...) eventually, as will we."

Band profile:

HammerFall

As you probably noticed, new album "Love's Burial Ground" suffered some delays with the final release-date, but it will be finally available next week!!

The band is currently assembling material for the mighty "Live Manipulation" DVD. The DVD will include a professionally shooted live-show + other 3/4 amateurish (yet good-sounding) gigs, as well as some other bonus material (backstage, interviews, pics gallery, rehearsals, studio-reports, etc.). Expect this monumental curse to be unleashed upon feeble mankind in the beginning of 2005!!

The band is working on the re-release of "Obscura Arcana Mortis" too. The remastering of the MCD as well as the recording of the "Obscura Arcana Mortis MMIV" track will be done around October. This new version will see the presence of a special-guest recording some extra-vocals...

We know it could sound really bizarre, but the band has been asked by a french underground label to take part in a Black Metal Motorhead-tribute LP!! The band is currently deciding what song will be covered. It seems that many other bands are already confirmed for this tribute, so expect a damn fucked up Black n' Roll release, as well as the most bizarre FT recording ever!!

http://www.forgottentomb.com

Band profile:

Forgotten Tomb

Slayer were forced to cancel their show in Myrtle Beach, SC Wednesday night (September 1) after the band's frontman, Tom Araya, was allegedly rushed to a hospital as a result of suffering a bad allergic reaction. There has been no official update with regards to Tom's condition.

Band profile:

Slayer

Orphanage, a heavy metal band from Utrecht, the Netherlands, anounced the following news:

"We decided to stop continuing to work with our keyboard player Lasse. It was a tough decision to make as Lasse is a very friendly and honest guy. At the other hand we still want to grow as a band in several ways and we need a radical change of plan to make this happen."

"Guus will play keyboards again, like he did in the past. At the moment we are working with two guitar players. We have good faith cooperation with both guitar players will work out well. We will introduce the new band members soon!"

Just keep an eye on their site: http://www.orphanage.nl/

Band profile:

Orphanage

Blaze, the British band led by former Iron Maiden/Wolfsbane singer Blaze Bayley, will be filming their Blaze Big Bash performance at JBs in Dudley, U.K. on Saturday, December 18 for an upcoming DVD, tentatively due in 2005. No further information is available at this time.

Source:	blabbermouth.net
Band profile:	Blaze Bayley

The band is in the process of writting songs for the yet-untitled album that is programmed to be released on next Spring. At the moment the band is making some demo songs.

Band profile:

Thunderstone

Joey DeMaio issued a statement today from Munich, Germany confirming that Manowar has left Nuclear Blast Records.

http://www.manowar.com/

Band profile:

Manowar

Dismember has from now on recruited Johan Bergebäck as their new bassplayer. Rickard Cabeza nowadays lives in Dallas, Texas which makes it too hard for him to be an active part of the band. We wish him all the best! Johan Bergebäck has been the session bassplayer for the last year supporting the latest release "Where Ironcrosses Grow". Johan has the right attitude and fits in the band both musically and personally. The swedish death metal slaying of the world continues this fall with gigs in Europe and South America!

http://www.dismember.se/

Band profile:

Dismember

Savatage's frontman is going to release a from his projet Jon Oliva's Pain called "Tage Mahal" at Octuber 25 of 2004.

The album was suppost to be out under simply Jon Oliva name but "Due to possible trade-name conflicts and to avoid "consumer confusion" the name of Oliva's solo project has been changed to Jon Oliva's Pain".

Also there now 4 new clips from the album on the Multimedia section of Jon Oliva's web site: http://www.jonoliva.net

Band profile:

Jon Oliva's Pain

A Greek heavy metal record label is born, Sonic Age Records. The label is formed by the people behind the label Cult Metal Classics.

Created in 2001, Cult Metal Classics was launched "mostly as a reissue label, trying to bring back to light some forgotten diamonds of heavy metal music," according to a press release. "The name of the label was related to re-releases, so due to the fact that we wanted to host some new bands too, a decision was made to start a label whose name and profile matched much better with a label that will be dedicated to new releases! The decision was made mainly after the big success of the JACK STARR'S GUARDIANS OF THE FLAME 'Under a Savage Sky' and also Greece's premier power metal band BLOODSTAINED 'Greetings from Hell' releases."

"We have already negotiated deals with great bands like Overlorde (U.S.A.), Valkija (Italy), Bloodstained (Greece), Made Of Iron (Germany), Euroforce (Greece / Germany) and more. Expect a new wave of fantastic releases that will be available pretty soon!"

Cult Metal Classics will continue to exist as a branch of Sonic Age Records and will focus on limited re-issues on vinyl and CD.

The French doom-metal band Despond has made some new changes, they have once again changed to a one-man band and also signed with Century Media America. The following is taken from their official website :

*DESPOND has become a one-man band once again. Thanks to JuanJo, Fred, Jo and Viriyah for their help during the 2002-2003 period... Good luck to all with your own bands.

*DESPOND has signed with Century Media America for an exclusive distribution in US, Canada, Mexico and South America.

Source : http://despond.free.fr/index2.htm