THE HAUNTED bassist Jonas Björler has posted the following studio report on the band's official web site:

" Dolving is almost done with the vocals for the album. He has screamed his way through 12 songs already this past week, and now there are only 3 songs to go. We'll go through the material on Friday to check for possible dubs etc, but everything sounds fine.

"This time around we only recorded 2 guitar tracks ? that way we get a very distinctive guitar sound with a little less distortion ? not like 'Stained Class' with JUDAS , but you get my drift.

"For the bass tracks I used my new ESP amp and a Warwick bass. It's the best sound I have ever had. Heavy as hell!

"We can also reveal some new titles to add to the ones you already know: 'Abysmal', 'Liquid Burns', 'Drowning' & 'My Shadow'....

"Here you'll find a link to video clip teaser recorded in the studio a couple of days ago: http://lagavulin.gotdns.com/mov/flik.html
Note that you'll need Flash Player 6 to watch the clip."

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Band profile:

The Haunted

Swedish thrashers CARNAL FORGE have completed work on their brand-new, as-yet-untitled album, tentatively due in June through Century Media (Europe and USA) and Soundholic (Japan). 12 songs were mixed at Studio Underground for the follow-up to last year's "The More You Suffer", with the new material being described by guitarist Jari Kuusisto as " up from where the last album stopped. The new songs are a little bit more aggressive, but all of you that liked our previous albums won't get disappointed." The group's studio diary and photos can be viewed at this location: http://www.carnalforge.com/cf5_rec_diary.asp

The tentative track listing for the album (in no particular order) is as follows:

01. Decades Of Despair
02. Burn Them Alive
03. Waiting For Sundown
04. The Strength Of Misery
05. My Suicide
06. Ruler Of Your Blood
07. The Final Hour
08. Exploding Veins
09. Inhuman
10. Sacred Flame
11. Gods Enemy No.1
12. Totally Worthless

As previously reported, CARNAL FORGE recently completed work on their DVD containing footage from their January 2004 show in Krakow, Poland and clips from "The 2003 Metal Gods Tour" in New York and "Extreme Bleeding Japan Tour 2003" in Tokyo. A May release is expected.

Band profile:

Carnal Forge

UFO, DRAGONFORCE, INTO ETERNITY, STORMLORD and DARK LUNACY are the latest acts confirmed for the 2004 edition of the Gods of Metal festival, set to take place June 5-6 at Arena Parco Nord in Bologna, Italy.

The updated running order for the festival is as follows:

Saturday, June 5:

JUDAS PRIEST
STRATOVARIUS
UFO
NEVERMORE
SYMPHONY X
ANATHEMA
RAGE
T.B.A.
INTO ETERNITY
DARK LUNACY

Sunday, June 6:

ALICE COOPER
TESTAMENT
MOTORHEAD
TWISTED SISTER
W.A.S.P.
T.B.A.
SODOM
NAGLFAR
STORMLORD
DRAGONFORCE

Earache Records will be issuing a "best of" collection from legendary U.K. grindcore band CARCASS on May 17. Titled "Choice Cuts", the compilation contains over 20 tracks, including two full Peel Sessions broadcast back in 1989 and 1990. It also features a comprehensive booklet including an in-depth interview with drummer Ken Owen.

"Choice Cuts" track listing:

01. Genital Grinder
02. Maggot Colony
03. Exhume to Consume
04. Swarming Vulgar Mass of Infected Virulency
05. Tools of The Trade
06. Corporeal Jigsore Quandary
07. Incarnate Solvent Abuse
08. Buried Dreams
09. No Love Lost
10. Heartwork
11. Keep on Rotting in The Free World
12. R**k the Vote
13. This Is Your Life
14. Crepitating Bowel Erosion (Peel Session, Jan. 2, 1989)
15. Slash Dementia (Peel Session, Jan. 2, 1989)
16. Cadaveric Incubator of Endoparasites (Peel Session, Jan. 2, 1989)
17. Reek of Putrefaction (Peel Session, Jan. 2, 1989)
18. Empathological Necrotism (Peel Session, Dec. 16, 1990)
19. Foeticide (Peel Session, Dec. 16, 1990)
20. Fermenting Innards (Peel Session, Dec. 16, 1990)
21. Exhume to Consume (Peel Session, Dec. 16, 1990)

View Cover here: http://www.earache.com/images/cd_covers/mosh220.jpg

Band profile:

Carcass

Veteran Dutch death metallers THANATOS have set a June 12 release date through Black Lotus Records for their fourth full-length album, "Undead. Unholy. Divine".

The follow-up to 2000's "Angelic Encounters" was produced by Hans Pieters and the band at Excess studios in Rotterdam, Holland and was mastered by Attie Bauw (JUDAS PRIEST, SCORPIONS, GOREFEST). Among the songtitles set to appear on the CD are "Lambs To The Slaughter", "The Sign Of Sadako", and "Born To Suffer". Famous Polish artist Jacek Wisniewski has contributed a "great painting" for the album cover of 'Undead.Unholy.Divine'. Additional artwork was done by Seth and Don Marco de Bruin.

According to the band, the album, which includes a guest appearance on backing vocals by Ashmedi (MELECHESH) and Ed Warby (STAR ONE, AYREON, ex-GOREFEST), "has a killer sound and features the band's strongest material to date ranging from slow, grinding parts to furious blast beats."

In other news, THANATOS drummer Yuri Rinkel will play more dates with Mesopotamian metal merchants MELECHESH in May (since MELECHESH's regular skinsman, Proscriptor, is unable to join the group for the dates), including shows in Paris and Israel.

Band profile:

Thanatos

PRIMORDIAL vocalist Alan Nemtheanga has posted the following message on the group's official web site:

"The re-release of the now actually looks like it will happen before summer, the Karmageddon guys are just searching for a slot in their timetable right now. On a personal note, I finished the vocals for the VOID OF SILENCE album. In case any of you don't know, they are an Italian doom metal band I joined and went to Rome to record the vocals for their third album in Rome. It came out immense and I haven't stopped listening to it since I got it back, so dark I think some of you will be really surprised with it. It's out on May 10th through Code666 so check it out. As for the new PRIMORDIAL album, we are looking or rather I am pushing to record something during the summer and at least my working title, concerning the lyrics and concept is 'Harvest'. However, everything could change before then..."

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Three more tracks from the forthcoming IN FLAMES album, "Soundtrack to Your Escape", have been posted online in streaming format at the German Metal Hammer web site. Listen to the songs "F(r)iend", "My Sweet Shadow" and "In Search For I" at this location: http://www.hammer-mag.de/audio_video/audio/2004/03/22/820372.shtml

"Soundtrack To Your Escape" is scheduled for release in North America on April 6 through Nuclear Blast Records. The CD will arrive in Europe one week earlier (March 29).

Moreover, IN FLAMES will be teaming up with KILLSWITCH ENGAGE for a co-headlining North American tour beginning on May 3 in the Midwest. The month-long run will tentatively wrap up on June 4 on the East Coast. Also appearing on the bill will be AS I LAY DYING.

Band profile:

In Flames

Finnish folk-influenced melodic death metal band ENSIFERUM have posted the cover artwork for their new single, "Tale of Revenge", at this location: http://www.ensiferum.com/Ensiferum_kuvat/disco_taleofrevenge.jpg

"Tale of Revenge" comes off the group's forthcoming album, "Iron", due on April 19 through Spinefarm Records. In addition to the title cut, the "Tale of Revenge" single features ENSIFERUM's cover version of METALLICA's "Battery".

The follow-up to 2001's "Ensiferum", "Ion" was recorded last summer at Sweet Silence studios in Copenhagen, Denmark with producer Flemming Rasmussen (METALLICA, ARTILLERY).

ENSIFERUM will be embarking on a European tour with FINNTROLL beginning on April 14 in London, England.

Band profile:

Ensiferum

Norwegian symphonic black metallers DIMMU BORGIR have recruited Asgeir Mickelson (BORKNAGAR, SPIRAL ARCHITECT) as the session drummer for their upcoming live appearances, BLABBERMOUTH.NET can exclusively reveal.

Mickelson joins the DIMMU ranks as a temporary replacement for Nick Barker, who was unceremoniously "removed" from the group's lineup in January.

In his first interview since being fired from DIMMU BORGIR, Barker told BLABBERMOUTH.NET that the group's decision to let him go came as a "total surprise" to him, with Nick attributing the split to "the distance thing ? me being English and those guys being Norwegians. And me commuting from England to Norway all the time. I guess they thought things just weren't working out. I think there might have been a few cultural differences, with me being English and those guys being Norwegians."

DIMMU BORGIR are scheduled to play a few live shows in South America in late April, to be followed by several European festival appearances and a much-anticipated main-stage slot at this year's Ozzfest.

Band profile:

Dimmu Borgir

IN FLAMES vocalist Anders Fridén has slammed ICED EARTH mainman Jon Schaffer over comments Schaffer made during ICED EARTH's 2002 North American tour, which featured IN FLAMES in the support slot.

"I have fucking little love for a certain guy in that band," Anders Fridén told Sweden's premiere rock/metal magazine Close-Up for its March issue, referring to Shaffer. "I'm not the kind of person who talks shit about people ? but this isn't bullshit, for that matter ? expose someone . We supported ICED EARTH in the U.S. and did amazing well. We got a really great response and ? the rest of the band were cool ? was upset, I guess. It ended with him calling us 'spoiled European pussies,' saying that I was a fucking rock star and a lot of other things. I'm fucking far from being a rock star, so I didn't feel guilty, but it was weird how he could make us out to be 'spoiled European pussies.' There were lot of complaints , and our part of the stage was getting smaller and smaller, even though we'd sold out some of the venues before on our own. I could barely stand by the mic stand, that's how tight it was between the drum set and me. Then his statements, which are pro-America, to say the least. He talked shit about Swedes and Europeans in front of us and the other support act JAG PANZER, whose drummer is of Swedish descent. The drummer said 'What are you saying? I'm half Swedish,' to which responded, 'Yeah, but you've lived in America for a long time, so we're not talking about you.' I've gotten along with everyone we've toured with, and I didn't think it was , even though we had differences of opinion, but is the only person on this planet that I can't stand."

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Band profile:

In Flames

ICED EARTH guitarist Ralph Santolla demanded to be let off a flight to England earlier today (March 17) after he spotted two fellow passengers behaving strangely while boarding the plane. The following is Ralph's detailed account of the whole experience, as provided exclusively to BLABBERMOUTH.NET:

"OK. First of all, let me say unequivocally that I am not a racist. I have three Moroccan-Arab nieces, and more than a couple of Muslim family members (I'm Catholic).

"I was leaving today for the Manchester/Liverpool area of England to work on mixes for my modern rock/metal project, STARE. At the gate in Tampa, there were two Arab dudes getting on the plane. The three of us were at the end of the line boarding. One guy was dressed in a suit, the other like a college student. They were acting (?) like they didn't know each other. They seemed very nervous. About four elderly folks got in between the two guys. I noticed that the guy next to me, the one in the suit, had, at a minimum, his hands and wrists shaved. I thought that was weird, in a disturbing kind of way (shaving one's body hair is a religious obligation often observed by would-be suicide bombers so that they are 'clean' before entering heaven). They both noticed that I was watching them closely. The college-looking guy kept looking back and making eye contact with the other guy and then looking away. When we got on the plane, the guy in the suit turns out to be a pilot getting a free ride of the jumpseat in the cockpit. After the other guy looked around making eye contact with me several times, as if to see if I was still keeping an eye on them, I called the flight attendant. I told him there was something not right about these guys, and I wanted off. They had to bring the jetway back out to get me off the plane! The airline will let me use the same ticket on Friday, but I was pretty spooked!"

ICED EARTH will kick off a U.S. headlining tour with CHILDREN OF BODOM and EVERGREY on April 18 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Taken from Blabbermouth.net

Band profile:

Iced Earth

The Great Deceiver are poised to release their second full album for Peaceville - "TERRA INCOGNITO". Recorded at Dug Out Studios in Uppsala and produced by Daniel Bergstrand, this album packs a mean punch and is unleashed on APRIL 12TH. There is also a promo video for the track "Lake Of Sulphur" directed by PATRIC ULLAEUS which will be an enhanced feature on the album. A stunning follow up to "A Venom Well Designed" - their much talked about debut!!

Band profile:

The Great Deceiver

CRADLE OF FILTH bassist Dave Pybus has posted the following studio update on the band's official web site:

"Recording of the last few songs has gone amazing. Playing very tight, as a band in the studio should, making the stand out track on the album well worth the battle to arrange at the end. Regardless of three amps blown up, we can now see light at the end of the tunnel. People here have mentioned more than once the words 'Ghosts', 'Jinx' and... 'Bollocks'. Sounds changing for no reason. Tuning problems. More amp problems. Takes hours sometimes to get things back to where they were before. Keyboards are now starting to go onto the tracks late at night. Martin refuses to play before midnight as he demands a very grim atmosphere in the studio. Reminds him of being 'down the pit'. Simple... but effective. Paul and James have added extra guitars over this weekend. Mapped out parts for the choir which we will record soon (probably in the studio 'cos there's no way they'll let the band in the local church) when Martin completes the scoring, which is quite a big job in itself. Gives the songs such a different direction than just drums, bass and guitars. It's nowhere near equalized on the desk but sounds huge. We always get very excited when Rob turns it up on the big speakers for us to listen back to. Catsfield massive innit!

"This week we got drums to do on like 3 songs and that's it for Adrian. I got bass tracks done on 9 songs already. The guitars I've been using is my Maverick 5 string, Ibanez and Fender Precision (4 string USA model). All Black of course! We've been visited over the last few days by Anny of Line 6 who interviewed Paul for their website. Check that out later this week. Vocals for Dani will also start at the end of this week. Sarah is now back in the U.K. and will be recording her parts soon as well.

"Other crazy shit going on at the studio? Well, since the BB guns have been banned from this session we have devised studio challenges consisting of me eating the hottest curry available to humanity. Adrian attempting to eat 10 big Macs. Studio engineer Dan was turned into an old man by having his head shaved like a monk. James wasn't allowed to shave his beard for the first 4 weeks. Dani's challenge will see him attempt to eat 100 bags of Space Raiders (if we can find them?). Rob's challenge is to finish the album on time hehe! More being devised as we speak. It's all tame stuff really as we are just too busy this time to fuck about too much. You'll get to see all the best stuff on the DVD we are filming for at the moment which will be a future release. The competition will hopefully be ready for next week."

Band profile:

Cradle Of Filth

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine posted the following message in the group's official forum earlier today:

"Droogies!

"Well, the 'lil 'vaca' was good, although I couldn't stop thinking about what I had to do when I got back to the zone. It felt like a homecoming going back to the studio. All the team was there and 'TNP' is done.

" 'Peace Sells' was sent off for mastering yesterday, along with two bonus tracks and an additional track for later use in 2006 (I know, it seems like an eternity until then).

"Newsflash: While working on 'Risk' yesterday, I was very surprised and disappointed to see the album split open, guts and all and that Dann Huff had recorded over some of my parts. There were sounds on there that I know were not recorded while I was around. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

"I love 'Risk' and all of the music on it, I stand by it, and once I got over the fury yesterday, I got to work.

"The first song done is 'Breadline' and it is awesome now. I also looked for the lead solo that Marty put down, but Dann never kept it. And for those of you who were wondering about that whole saga, Dann and Bud Prager AND Mike Renault had made clear they wanted it redone. I just did what I was told to do.

"Although, now that I found out Dann redid my parts, I am surprised he didn't redo Marty's parts too. Shit, maybe he redid my part of redoing Marty's part.

"And to all this I say, 'WGAF?'

"It is going to be better, that's all I care about, but I had to give people something to chew on until the next, 'Where's so and so,' or 'Get back you know who,' or 'Dave vs. James vs. Rowan Atkinson vs. . .' thread appears. Jeez!

"And BTW, the reason I am not letting anyone know where I am at, i.e. the JITS slag on me is 1) the studio is not a great studio, 2) I don't have the time, money, or personnel to do this, and 3) I would not be able to avoid letting you all in and saying 'Hello.'

"Then of course you would have to kill them for getting to do what you all may want to do too.

"Anyway, the whole project is coming along great and Jeff Balding wants to come back out March 29th, but I am faced with a dilemma: do I finish the remixes or do I get back to work on the new record?

"For the record, some of you may be thinking, 'Wasn't Jeff in on the re-recording over Dave's tracks' bit since he was the engineer on those records? But I knew otherwise. I talked to him yesterday and we agreed he was caught in the middle of Bud Prager destroying MEGADETH and trying to turn the band into FOREIGNER or an alternative band.

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Band profile:

Megadeth

STRATOVARIUS' split with singer Timo Kotipelto was the result of years of alcohol abuse and non-communication, the vocalist has revealed in an interview with Holland's Lords of Metal. "It lies in the Finnish mentality not to openly talk about problems," Kotipelto said. "That is what ultimately ended STRATOVARIUS. For all those years we never spoke about our problems but kept them to ourselves, which allowed trouble to build up."

According to Kotipelto, problems first arose when STRATOVARIUS mainman Timo Tolkki started drinking heavily during the "Destiny" tour. In the years that followed, the resentment between bandmembers intensified, made worse by Tolkki's insistence on keeping Kotipelto out of the creative process. "Everybody could see the split coming from miles away," the singer admitted.

The tension within the band was largely to blame for the group's decision not to support the "Elements Pt. 2" album with a tour and to take a break instead. "Well, we sure managed to do that," Kotipelto added rather cynically.

The alcohol abuse of various bandmembers contributed to the explosive situation within STRATOVARIUS. Concerts where Timo Tolkki would be drunk onstage, such as the recent Piorno Rock appearance in Spain, complicated matters. The fistfight that eventually ended the co-operation between Tolki and Kotipelto was shrouded in an alcoholic haze. "I do not remember anything of that night," Kotipelto said. After the disastrous performance at Piorno Rock, guitarist Timo Tolkki is contemplating abandoning the remaining festival dates that were booked by the old lineup. "I personally would not mind if those concerts got cancelled," Kotipelto concluded.

Band profile:

Stratovarius