Vocalist Legion is no longer a part of Marduk. Marduk have cancelled the upcoming shows( Blackest of the Black Festival in London and the 2 shows in Greece) A replacment for Legion has already been found and will be presented very soon.

Band profile:

Marduk

Guitarist Timo Tolkki of Finland's Stratovarius has posted a statement on the band's website that he will be commenting on the band's future sometime next week. The band currently has no tour plans for the recently released Elements Part 2 and sources close to the guitarist state that the lines of communication between himself and singer Timo Kotipelto are so strained that they only communicate through their lawyers. Timo has also suggested that he's unhappy with some of the band members. Could a major change in personnel be forthcoming? This all comes just weeks after signing a three album deal worth over 3 million dollars with Sanctuary Records......stay tuned for details.

Band profile:

Stratovarius

London-based power metallers DRAGONFORCE have started work on the follow-up to their debut album, "Valley Of The Damned", released earlier this year.

The majority of the recording is taking place at Thin Ice Studios, Virginia Water, Surrey, England with producer Karl Groom, while all the guitars are being recorded at guitarist Herman Li's own private studio in West London.

Li, Z.P. Theart (vocals), Sam Totman (guitars), and Vadim Pruzhanov (keyboards) have now been joined by new bassist Adrian Lambert and drummer David Mackintosh (also with BAL-SAGOTH).

Said Li, "We are working hard every day in the studio, and I can tell you that the new album will exceed the boundaries of melodic, speed power metal."

The new, as-yet-untitled album will be released on the Noise Records label on March 22, 2004.

In other news, DRAGONFORCE will be heading out on their debut Japanese tour late January 2004 as special guests of German legends HELLOWEEN.

Band profile:

DragonForce

Golem are very proud to announce that we've reached an agreement with the French label Diamond Productions for an official distribution of the demo CD "Death Never Dies", which will be out in first of May with a re-mastered version done by Dario Mollo and distributed in almost all the European countries and also over Europe. We sincerely hope this operation will be successful and take the chance to thanks Jérôme from Diamond Prod. for his big interest and help in our work and also for the chance he's giving us to expand our music all over the world. We hope this relationship will last for a long time. Also a big thanks to Nicola Lonigro (sound engineer), Claudio Grilli (graphics) and to all our fans (this result comes also from you), by hoping that, from now on, you will increase. Thanks to all!!!

Band profile:

Golem (ITA)

Norway's THE KOVENANT are currently working on the material for the follow up to this year's "S.E.T.I." (Search For Extraterrestrial Intelligence), tentatively due in late 2004. "You can expect some real extravaganza," reads a post on the band's web site. "This time the band will break new grounds again and set the standards for the future metal scene. It will be recorded next year and hopefully released in 2004 as well."

The forthcoming CD, which is tentatively titled "The Dreaming Spires", will be THE KOVENANT's last for Germany's Nuclear Blast Records. On new songtitle has thus far been revealed: "Radiation King". Also planned for release is a DVD containing footage spanning the band's entire career.

As previously reported, THE KOVENANT recently added two new members to the group's lineup: RAM-ZET drummer Küth and APOPTYGMA BERZERK keyboardist Geir Bratland.

Band profile:

The Kovenant

The revised version of the latest Apocalyptica-Album offers a bonus DVD, containing all videos from the Album (incl. Seemann), EPKs and three different up-to-date live-performances. Additionally there are also a couple of songs on the revised-cd, such as rare vinyl-tracks, b-sides, vocal verisons of Faraway and the mega-single Seemann! The revised-version of "Reflections" will hit stores monday 17-11-03!

Band profile:

Apocalyptica

In a recent interview to the Swedish newspaper, Aftonbladet, Bruce Dickinson said that the band should just continue playing live in about 5 more years, and then only record albums, because of the ages of the Maiden members.
Though it doesn't really correspond with what Steve Harris used to say - that he would play live until he couldn't hold a bass anymore.

Band profile:

Iron Maiden

Sweden's IN FLAMES have set "Soundtrack To Your Escape" as the title for their forthcoming album, due in Europe on March 29, 2004.

The follow-up to 2002's "Reroute To Remain" was recorded at a rented house/converted studio in Denmark with producers Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD) and Örjan Örnkloo (ex-MISERY LOVES CO.) and is currently being mixed at Galaxy Studios in Mol, Belgium. Mastering will take place at the Cutting Room in Stockholm, Sweden.

The following is the tentative track listing for "Soundtrack To Your Escape" (in no particular order):

01. F(r)iend
02. The Quiet Place
03. Borders And Shading
04. Discover Me Like Emptiness
05. Touch Of Red
06. Bottled
07. Dead Alone
08. Superhero Of The Computer Rage
09. Like You Better Dead
10. Dial 595-Escape
11. Evil In A Closet
12. In Search For I
13. My Sweet Shadow

"Soundtrack To Your Escape" will be released in Europe through Nuclear Blast Records, with whom the group have two albums remaining under the terms of their present contract. IN FLAMES are currently in negotiations with several labels about a possible North American record deal. More information will be made available soon.

Band profile:

In Flames

NIGHTWISH studio engineer Tero Kinnunen has posted the following studio diary entry to the band's web site:

"Howdy ho!!! Greeting from our new studio! It has been a month full of work and fun since we started to work with the new NIGHTWISH album in these facilities. As a result of the demo recordings we now have twelve new songs and Tuomas still has couple of new songs on the way.

"Everything went on as scheduled and everybody did their part as a good ole 'MetalHead' should. Some of the takes were so good that they will propably end up being on the final album as they are. (Especially Tarja and Marco did their vocal parts so well that such a spontaneous performances can hardly be expected again...). Despite all this there is still plenty of work to be done. That's why we ended up postponing the drum recordings for a week. Lucky for us it was ok both for Karmila and Finnvox schedules. So even at the moment Yucca and Tuomas are rehearsing and giving the songs and arrangements their final touch.

"The songs are the best NIGHTWISH has ever had so we all have plenty of expectations!!! Also the guys know this and the enthusiasm in NW-camp is easily sensed and smelled...

"So the demo did its job and left everybody really hungry and anxious to get to do the final performance for the actual album!!!"

Read more ››

Band profile:

Nightwish

Sweden's OPETH recently returned from their first-ever Scandinavian tour. The band performed live in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. The Finns finally had a chance to see the band live in concert for the first time ever, and OPETH tried to repay their "debt" by playing a set over two hours 20 minutes long in Helsinki. Surprise for this tour was the inclusion of "April Ethereal" from the 1997 album "My Arms Your Hearse". This has only been played live twice before back in 1997.

The long-awaited DVD, "Lamentations - Live at Shepards Bush Empire" will be released in late November through Music For Nations. American release is set for the end of February 2004.

Candlelight Records have re-issued the first three OPETH albums ("Orchid", "Morningrise", and "My Arms Your Hearse") in embossed tin-can editions. This is a very limited release and they're available now.

Since OPETH have been in North America three times in support of "Deliverance" and "Damnation", there will be some drastic changes in the band's live set list for the upcoming 2004 tour. To keep the interest from the fans, the band will pull out a series of never-before-played numbers from albums past and present. Some songs up for rehearsals are "The Moor", "Nectar" and "Blackwater Park", among others.

Band profile:

Opeth

The German Power Metal act Freedom Call have found their missing link,
and added Nils Neuman to the band.
Freedom Call have for a long time said that they would add a Keyboard player if they found someone that would fit in the band, and now it seems like they have found him.

Band profile:

Freedom Call

IRON MAIDEN producer Kevin Shirley, who has worked with the group on their last two studio releases as well as the live album "Rock In Rio", has taken the unusual step of publicly defending the production on MAIDEN's latest CD, "Dance Of Death", calling it a perfect replica of the band's live sound.

Writing to his web site, Shirley said, "I have been getting all sorts of e-mails (yeah I read 'em, but don't reply to them all) about the sonic quality of 'Dance of Death'. Now, I don't need to qualify anything, except it sounds like that 'cos it's meant to sound like that! The band love it! Nicko prefers the energy of the drum/guitar balance to 'Brave New World', which actually featured more drums (which he liked). Steve says the bass finally sounds like his rig sounds. The three amigos love the guitars - including the odd amp crackle and distortion which is the sound of them live - and that, my friends, is Bruce singing like he sings! Not coaxed, and digitally enhanced, tuned and corrected. IRON MAIDEN - captured. The songs are great, but not necessarily reflective of nu-metal themes - because THEY ARE NOT NU-METAL! That is IRON MAIDEN, and no one is stopping you filling up your CD players with LINKIN PARK, LIMP BIZKIT or CHEVELLE, or whatever the hell you think is a fine sounding record. (they all sound sonically pretty similar to me, whereas NO-ONE else sounds like MAIDEN. I love the album. So, Up the Irons - and for the know-it-all detractors = Up yours!"

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Band profile:

Iron Maiden

Spinefarm Records will release three Nightwish box-sets in November. The reason is the existence of illegal boxsets called "Nightwish Memory Boxes" in central Europe. Those boxes are spreading quickly and something has to be done so that fans can support the band and not the pirates.

The legal boxes will also contain photos of the bandmembers as a special goodie. Please visit this page for a full description of the three boxsets.

Source:	nightwish.com
Band profile:	Nightwish

On Monday, 17th November 2003, WITHIN TEMPTATION will release their new double DVD featuring breathtaking live material, captivating backstage reports and many other specials.
It will be released in a stylish double DVD box.

Band profile:

Within Temptation

Norther's third studio albums will be named: Death Unlimited.

The album was recorded in Astia Studio in Lappeenranta.
10 songs and one cover song was recorded.

Mixing of this album is taken place at Finnvox studios now in November.

Band profile:

Norther