Metal news

Kvohst has posted the following on the band's myspace blog:

"After a pretty tough month and some deep contemplation, I have decided to call it a day and check out of the Dødheimsgard asylum. The reasons for my departure are personal and I'd like them to stay that way. My work in DHG and on Supervillain has been a labour of love but, unfortunately, love, as Bukowski once said, can often be "like trying to carry a full garbage can on your back over a rushing river of piss." I can only thank the rest of the band, especially Vicotnik and the fans, for their total support and dedication and for some of the best years of my life. As a fan of the band since I was young, I will continue to support DHG and I hope that you will do the same.

Metal til death

Kvohst"

Source:	blog.myspace.com
Band profile:	Dødheimsgard

Agalloch has recently posted a new song on their [url= http://www.myspace.com/agalloch]myspace page [/url]entitled "Sowilo Rune" from their upcoming EP "The White EP." The EP will be released by Vendlus Records on 29 February.

The White EP can be pre-ordered at [url= http://www.vendlus.com/store] Vendlus Store[/url]. The release is limited to 2000 copies.

Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Agalloch

Adrian Erlandsson (Cradle Of Filth, At The Gates, The Haunted, Nemheim) is going to tour with the Deathstars for their upcoming European tour with Korn during Jan/Feb 2008.

Deathstars's drummer, Ole "Bone W Machine" Öhman, will not be able to tour with the band for undisclosed personal reasons.

Source:	deathstars.net
Band profile:	Deathstars

The band has announced on their mypace blog that guitarist Johan Jacob no longer wants to be a part of Iron Fire. According to the band, Johan's passion for Jazz has over the years grown bigger then for good old Heavy Metal and he now wants to give that full attention. The band is currently looking for a guitarist to start recording for the next album in the spring.

Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Iron Fire

The Miskolc International Opera Festival proudly announces that Epica will be performing a classical show with symphonic orchestra and choir.

The "Epica: The Classical Conspiracy Show" is going to be a very unique event, because the Dutch symphonic-metal band will play a very specific musical program. They will perform classical pieces from Mozart, Dvorak, Verdi, Orff, Prokofiev, Grieg, Vivaldi in Epica's style and of course symphonic versions of Epica songs. Some Epica songs will be rewritten - to make it more bombastic - only for this event. Moreover there will be other surprises as well.

The Epica classical show is going to start on 14.06.2008 at 21:00.

Source:	epica.nl
Band profile:	Epica
Event:	Epica: The Classical Conspiracy Show

Sabaton has posted the tracklist for "The Art Of War":

01. Sun Tzu says
02. Ghost Division
03. The Art Of War
04. 40:1
05. Unbreakable
06. The nature Of Warfare
07. Cliffs Of Gallipoli
08. Talvisota
09. Panzerkampf
10. Union (Slopes Of St.Benedict)
11. The Price Of A Mile
12. Firestorm
13. A Secret

The band will enter the studio this Friday to start the recording.

Source:	sabaton.net
Band profile:	Sabaton

Deathgrinders have updated their MySpace with the following New Year's message:

"Hails dirty bastards! 2008, a year of likely recession and warpiss is upon us and I'm sure we can all drink to that. It will also mark Circle of Dead Children's 10th year in the ear-slaughter business. 2007 was a bum year for CODC and without a doubt our least active, but after all the craziness I think we're ready to step into 2008 with more fire than ever.

In February, Matt Francis joined as CODC's 4th and hopefully last drummer. Despite the 7-hour distance and infrequent band practices, we've been able to write the majority of a new yet-to-be-titled album which we're confident to say will be the most cataclysmic and venomous release that we've done in 10 years. Matt's addition has allowed the band to step into a new realm of noxious sonic hate.

Shortly after Matt's merger, Joe Horvath became seriously ill and spent several months battling through numerous surgeries and a nearly fatal MRSA staph infection. With the help of bass player Drew Harritan's recording abilities, Joe was able to put a cap onto at end of his health crisis by recording the already infamous guest vocals for the newest Anaal Nathrakh release, "Hell Is Empty and All of the Devils Are Here". A truly nasty audio synthesis; Joe handled all the vocals on their track, "Genetic Noose".

Circle of Dead Children plans to book studio time in February or March of 2008 and deliver a new full-length album later in the year on Willowtip Records.

We are also planning to book a 2008 US west coast tour as well as a 2008 European and possibly South American tour. We'll also be looking for sporadic weekend shows around the east and midwest. Anyone seriously interested in assisting with booking/promotions is asked to get in touch.

New shirt design in the merch store! Grim hoodies and more... All printed with reverse-osmosis virgin lamb blood, no doubt.

Thanks to all who've stuck with us over the past 10 years and to all the new friends we've made. With your help we can kill this fucking world!"

Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Circle Of Dead Children

The 2008 Gigantour's lineup has been officially announced. According to Megadeth's [url= http://www.megadeth.com/]website[/url], the tour is scheduled to kick off mid-April and run through end of May with the lineup as follows:

Megadeth
In Flames
Children Of Bodom
Job For A Cowboy
High On Fire

Tour dates to be revealed soon.

Dave Mustaine has posted the following:
"The breaking news is we are going to have five bands this year, instead of eight. The decision to drop it down from eight bands to five was based on timing, set lengths, stage sizes, unions, and most importantly allowing 'us' - the musicians - to deliver to 'you' - the fans - the best shows we can."

Source:	megadeth.com
Band profile:	Megadeth

Cattle Decapitation has announced on their myspace [url= http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=3926649]blog[/url] that David McGraw (ex-Sleep Terror) is the band's new drummer. David had toured the US with the band during the Death By Decibels tour with Vader and Malevolent Creation.

The band has also announced that they will start writing for the new album next month and is also planning an Australian tour in the second half of 2008.

Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Cattle Decapitation

Ayreon's official web site (here) is currently premiering "Beneath The Waves", a stunning CGI film produced by Simon van Vegten. The film was made to accompany the song of the same name from the upcoming Ayreon album, "01011001", which is scheduled for release on January 28 via InsideOut Music. The "Beneath The Waves" movie with 5.1 mix will be included as one of many bonus DVD features on "01011001".

"01011001"will be available in three editions:

- a regular two-CD edition with a 28 page booklet.
- a special edition: a box containing the regular 2CD edition and a bonus DVD.
- a deluxe limited edition, a DVD size fold-out case with embossed silver lettering on the slipcase. This edition contains the 2 CDs and a bonus DVD plus a 36 page booklet with additional artwork.

The bonus DVD contains:
- Behind the Scenes - Making of 01011001
- Beneath the Waves - CGI Movie (5.1/2.0)
- Guide Demos (audio) - feat. Arjen on vocals
- Ed Warby's Session - Recording drums
- Bloopers (audio)

Source:	ayreon.com
Band profile:	Ayreon

The following update was issued on Eluveitie's Mypace page:

"New song tonight!! 2008 is near - and the release of our new album "Slania" is coming closer!
While you've probably been enjoying your holidays we haven't been lazy, so here you go with some goodies for the start of the new year...
First of all: tonight, at 00:00 CET, we will upload a first song out of our new album "Slania", called 'Inis Mona'! (song available by clicking here).
You may want to enjoy the new new wave of folk metal on our new designed Myspace-page together with the final cover artwork for "Slania" (by clicking here), done by Manuel Vargaz (http://www.manvarle.com/).
...while some notes on the new song as well as even more good news will follow up tomorrow! We wish you all a happy new year... Stay tuned!"

Source:	profile.myspace.com
Band profile:	Eluveitie

More fine details have been posted on the Myspace blog of recently split Chicagoan extreme metal band Usurper. In November it was announced that a 10th anniversary re-release was in the works for the group's critically acclaimed CD EP 'Threshold of the Usurper'. Here are the specifics straight from the band's fingers:

"Greetings Warriors of Iron and Rust! This is just a quick update on the new Usurper album slated for early January 2008.

Actually it is not really a new album, it is a re-issue of our long out-of-print "Threshold of the Usurper" MCD. It does however have 2 unreleased tracks in addition to new killer artwork from JUHA VUORMA (Usurper: Skeletal Season/Autopsy fame), as well as never-seen-before photos, a 16 page booklet with extensive liner notes, and a new interview with founding members/songwriters Rick Scythe and General Diabolical Slaughter. This is a must have for anyone who followed Usurper over the years.

It will be released by Primitive Reaction Records (Finland) on CD and gatefold vinyl, and there will be a limited edition of 150 CDs and 50 vinyls that we will sell right here on http://www.myspace.com/usurpermetal which will be individually autographed by founding members Rick Scythe and General D. Slaughter."

The tracklist posted in the November announcement is as follows:

1. Necrocult Pt. 1 (The Metal War)
2. Slavehammer
3. Black Funeral (Mercyful Fate cover)
4. The Dead of Winter
5. Threshold of the Usurper
6. Anno Satanas (demo version)
7. Stormtroopin' (Ted Nugent cover - previously unreleased)
8. The 13th Son (previously unreleased)

Usurper decided to disband around the end of August 2007; their official statement can be found here, along with a much longer explanation from the perspective of guitarist Rick Scythe.

Source:	blog.myspace.com
Band profile:	Usurper

Sold Out Promotion has issued a press release stating that Marduk's show on 15 January 2008 which was suppose to take place at the Underworld Club in Athens has been cancelled.

The booking agency stated that the cancellation was from the band. The reasons were that the transportation of the band from Turkey to Athens via ferry is impossible and so there is no other option than to cancel the show.

Source:	sold-out.gr
Band profile:	Marduk
Event:	Marduk: The Vanitas Tour

German power metallers Mob Rules have been working on writing songs for the upcoming album since November. The band reports that almost half of the material has already been finished and the current work concentrates on three to four songs at the same time. Next May, the band will be back in the studio to record the next album. The album, with no title yet, will be released in late summer, after that the band heads for a brand new tour.

Source:	mobrules.de
Band profile:	Mob Rules

As many of you know, Middian received a cease and desist demand in October from Midian of Milwaukee LLC. This demand required Middian to stop using our name completely, stop selling our album, and further demanded that all of our recorded cds and albums be destroyed. Middian was served a cease and desist by a band that has never played outside of Wisconsin, hasn't put out a single record, or had a steady line up in the last 7 years. They hadn't even updated their website since year 2000, as of a few weeks ago. We played Milwaukee in May, and no one there even mentioned a local band Midian of one "d". Nor did one of their "fans" come to the show.

Prior to this demand, we had never heard of them. Upon further research into the group, we discovered they had not used their name or trademark in years or even played outside of Wisconsin, ever. Our initial response was that our bands could peacefully co-exist. Especially since we learned that our usage combined with their non-usage entitled us to the name, rendering their trademark useless. But we felt it would be wasting everyones time and money to send the issue to litigation. Besides, before the name Middian was chosen, a careful online search was done, proving that no other active unit had the same spelling.

Instead of responding or agreeing to our offer of co-existence, they filed a federal suit against the three of us individually, our label (Metal Blade, who dropped us because of the suit), our booking agent Nanotear Booking, and an online merchandiser we had never even heard of until we saw the complaint.

We sent them word that we would give the name up and even agreed to some other demands that seemed unreasonable, simply because we're not in a financial position to fight it.

They refused to accept our settlement, demanding we pay them tens of thousands of dollars. By right of actual usage worlwide, the name Middian is ours. Regardless of that we have no choice but to FIGHT and defend ourselves in court. We intend to strip them of their trademark and deny them their unfair demands of money and of our music.

We're humbly asking for YOUR help. Spread the word far and wide, to wherever you can. If you can afford it, please donate some money to our defense fund. We're going to have A LOT of legal fees and we're simply not in a position to pay for it by ourselves.

We would like to thank everyone that has sent us messages. The underground metal community's love has simply been overwhelming.

Read more ››

Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Middian