From the official homepage, some weeks ago (yeah, I know, quite late, but better late then never, right?)

After 3 weeks in Abyss studio the new album entitled FIENDISH REGRESSION is finally finished. 11 tracks were recorded including 9 brand new songs+a cover version of Saint Vitus
classic "Burial at sea" and a re-recording of a old song named "Autopsied" which was originally written and recorded for promotion in 1989.
The cooperation with Tommy and Peter Tägtgren really payed off and we are very satisfied with the result both song and soundwise.
To say that the songs are brutal would be an understatement. The new blood of Pelle Ekegren on the drums really shows through the whole album.
Fast, heavy and brutal is the only way to describe it.
European release through Century Media rec's is planned to late August.

Band profile:

Grave

Due to original vocalist Pay who is studying opera in Leipzig (Germany), she will not tour with Seraphim in this summer.
Ms. Quinn Weng is the new vocalist of Seraphim from April 2004. Pay may be the guest vocalist for Seraphim in the future.

Band profile:

Seraphim

DIO have pushed back the release date new studio album, "Master of the Moon", to September, according to ElectricBasement.com. The follow-up to 2002's "Killing the Dragon" was recorded at a Los Angeles studio and features lyrics that are are "cynical" and "political", with the music being a mixture of up-tempo and doomy tracks, according to frontman Ronnie James Dio. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "The Man Who Would Be King", "Living A Lie" and "The End of the World". "Master of the Moon" will be released Sanctuary Records in the U.S. and SPV in Europe.

Band profile:

Dio

RAGE guitarist Victor Smolski fell "seriously ill" following the group's performance at the Gods of Metal festival last weekend. Smolski is now "in the hospital" and "he will not take part at the 24h race at the Nürburgring, and he also can't play the Helfenstein concert in Geislingen ," reads a post on the group's web site. Replacing Victor at the Helfenstein festival will be former RAGE guitarist Manni Schmidt. However, the group point out that Manni's appearance with RAGE in Geislingen will be a one-time-only event and no additional joint live appearances are currently planned. Smolski is expected to fully recover in time for the band's performance at the Raismesfest in Raismem, France on September

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Band profile:

Rage

InsideOut site announced the title of the new Dead Soul Tribe album: The January Tree. The album will be release on on 30.08.2004.
for artcover, follow this link:
http://www.insideout.de/indexx.php?arg=AgcEGgRLQUFMXIsB

Canadian death metallers KATAKLYSM plan on taking most of 2005 off to write their next studio album, according to their latest newsletter. " something we have never done before," said KATAKLYSM vocalist Maurizio Iacono. "Even new drummer Martin Maurais only had one month to put all his drum tracks on 'Serenity In Fire'! So with 4 albums out in 5 years, which have all outdone each other and all have been highly acclaimed, we wanna make sure the next one will be up to par. Hell, we want it to be our 'Masters of Puppets', our 'Reign in Blood'!!!...

"Unlike previous statements, the album will not be self-titled. I have a killer title for it and will unleash it when the time comes.

"The reason we are talking about the next album already is because we have so many ideas floating around and the writing level is peaking right now. Brutality is flowing to the next level, so we just wanna start putting shit together and keep working on it 'till it's perfect. We are still extremely satisfied with 'Serenity In Fire', we just feel we have some great momentum and wanna keep moving forward."

With regards to the band's touring plans, Iacono said, "The band is playing for sure in late August at the Up From The Ground Festival in Germany. We will be headlining Saturday the 28th. This will be the only show of the summer for KATAKLYSM. We will debut round 2 of the 'Serenity in Fire' touring campaign this fall. We will start with a massive headlining European tour in October, including a stop to Iceland and followed by another North American tour, if everything goes according to plan."

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Band profile:

Kataklysm

CHILDREN OF BODOM's upcoming EP, Trashed, Lost & Strungout, which is set for a late summer release will feature two new songs, and a number of covers, has been released. ALICE COOPER's 'Bed of Nails', and ANDREW W.K's 'She Is Beautiful' will be the featured cover songs according to Finnish paper Sonera Plaza. The disc was completed, mixed, and mastered just this past April.

Band profile:

Children Of Bodom

DARK TRANQUILLITY guitarist Niklas Sundin has posted the following update at the band's official website:

"Korea, here we come! It just got confirmed that we'll play at the Busan Rock Festival on the 7-9th of August. The exact date will be announced shortly. We're recieving lots of emails from people wondering about the status of the new album, so it's probably time to let you in on some of the news. The recording and mixing of the as-yet-untitled magnum opus is finished, and we'll soon begin work on the mastering. As we're currently in label negotiations with some of the most interesting players out there, it's too early to know any details concerning the release date and so forth, but rest assured that we'll do our best to make the album available to you as soon as possible. A bit late, but nevertheless: Exposures (: In Retrospect and Denial - new two CD collection) made an appearance on the national Swedish chart and reached #85 a mere two days after it was released. No mean feat for a metal compilation album!"

Band profile:

Dark Tranquillity

Legendary U.K. record label Music For Nations ? current home of OPETH and ANATHEMA and past home of METALLICA, CRADLE OF FILTH, TESTAMENT and countless other metal bands ? has officially closed its doors. The company's catalog ? which has previously included titles from artists as varied as LOST HORIZON and FRANK ZAPPA ? will be folded into parent company Zomba Records Group (the world's largest independent music group).

Launched in 1983 by Martin Hooker, Music For Nations established itself as a European leader in the rock and metal world, with early signings like METALLICA (who had three gold albums while on MFN), SLAYER and MEGADETH paving the way. As Music For Nations grew, the company expanded its operation to include not just licensed acts from the USA, but its own signings.

After a performance at the Dynamo festival on June 5, the band entered the U.K. but declined to play the London show on June 8 ? opting instead to fly home to Florida, citing their anger and frustration at the transportation and financial arrangements provided by the tour agent. It does not affect any other shows DEICIDE have booked in the USA.

Band profile:

Deicide

Due to a car crash Massemord's leader Warmachine has broken his arm and has stopped the recording sessions of the fourth CD. Meanwhile, the third CD will be out on June 28th.

The keyboarder Lando Van Gils is no longer a member of After Forever.
A new keyboarder is announced, Joost Van Den Broeck (ex- Sun Caged).

Band profile:

After Forever

Fates Warning is right now working on a brand new album, and the drummer Mike Zoner is leaving the band directly after the album is recorded.
The album is planed to be released in October through Metal Blade.

Band profile:

Fates Warning

Singer André Vuurboom and keyboarder and mastermind Joost Van Der Broek quits Sun Caged and the concert on Sweden Rock Festival is the last ever with those on the band.

Joost has joined After Forever, where he replaces Lando Van Gils on keyboards.

Band profile:

Sun Caged

In Flames were confirmed to appear on stage with Metallica and Slipknot on June 16th at the Weserstadion in Bremen, Germany!

Band profile:

In Flames