GODIVA announce FERNANDO GARCIA (ex-VICTORY) as their new vocalist
After the departure of the original singer ANTHONY DE ANGELIS, who left the band due to personal reasons, the Swiss Heavy Metal band GODIVA is proud to announce the former VICTORY shouter FERNANDO GARCIA as their new singer. FERNANDO came in during the recordings of the second album "Call me under 666" (working title) and the band is very happy about that: "We are proud that we can announce one of our heroes and probably one of the best singers as our new frontman" so a bands spokesman. FERNANDO himself is also very enthusiastic about the new constellation: "It feels like coming home. My voice and my way of singing just fits perfectly to the GODIVA sound. This is the sound I have been searching for for years now. Just listen to the album and you will understand my decision."
FERNANDO decided to leave his old band WICKED SENSATION to concentrate one hundred percent on GODIVA. Here is what he has to say about the situation: "To put an end to all these rumours, I would like to inform you that I have left WICKED SENSATION only because of musical reasons! Because of the narrow set frame they wanted me to sing in, I felt artistically tight down, so I could not decline the offer to join GODIVA. I do wish them lots of success and think they will recognise sooner or later, that they are better of with a new singer".
The recordings to the follow up of the 2002 release are already done. At the moment the producer ACHIM KÖHLER (PRIMAL FEAR, SINNER, BRAINSTORM) is in the mixing process. The release is scheduled for early April, but could be slightly postponed because of the change on vocals. Check out www.godiva.ch, or return here for more info.

Source:	limb-music.de
Band profile:	Godiva

You can download a new song of the upcoming album 'At The Dawn Of War' at the Downloads/Music section. Enjoy!

Directly after the release of our new album 'At The Dawn Of War' and DVD 'Upon The Fields Of Battle' we will go on tour through Europe. Check the concertdates to see if we visit your country or even your town!

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Source:	slechtvalk.com
Band profile:	Slechtvalk

Former SLAYER/TESTAMENT drummer Jon Dette has joined forces with ex-MEGADETH/current F5 bassist David Ellefson in a brand new project tentatively called ENEMY OF GOD. Completing the group's current lineup are Peter Scheithauer (PUSHED, KILLING MACHINE) on guitar and Todd Barnes (13-A) on vocals.

ENEMY OF GOD are in the final stages of signing a "major record deal" and are scheduled to start recording their debut album in March. "The music is heavy and brutal! The songs are not for radio, they're for starting the pit!" Dette told BLABBERMOUTH.NET.

More information will be made available soon.

Source:	blabbermouth.net
Band profile:	Megadeth

In their next gig "scheduled for the 3rd of February. The show will take place at "Barby" club in Tel Aviv.
Open act: Excessum", the band will present their new members :

Oren Balbus - Vocals
Dror Goldstein - Drums
Auria Sapir - Guitars

http://www.eternalgray.com

Band profile:

Eternal Gray

Nuclear Blast have announced that CANDLEMASS, the Swedish Doomsquad around Leif Edling and Messiah Marcolin, have signed a new deal with the label.

After their return two years ago at several summer festivals, the band is more alive than ever. Although several rumours were spread that the band had split up again, Candlemass was in fact working on a new doompiece.

The new Candlemass album will be released on May 2nd and marks a return towards the band's classic sound of such albums like Nightfall and Tales Of Creation.

The album will be self titled.

Source:	bravewords.com
Band profile:	Candlemass

The finnish band have posted in their website their first demo "Helvetissä On Syntisen Taivas" and the video of the song "Haureus" from the album Kuolema. To Dowload them you must enter in their website http://www.ajattara.com/ and enter on the Gallery section.

Band profile:

Ajattara

According to a post on their oficial site the band from U.K. get a deal with the label Majesty Rock Records. The band is currently working on their new album "Magic Never Dies" that's is expect to be out at 6 June of 2005.

http://www.power-quest.co.uk/

Band profile:

Power Quest

Acording to a update posted in his website Bobby Jarzombek was working on the new Demons & Wizards as well with Roc Rock, here are his words:

"Hey all,
We're already two weeks into the New Year - high time to fill you in on what's been cooking and what's in store for the immediate future.

Last month I flew out to Tampa, Florida to record my drum tracks for the new Demons & Wizards CD. This was my first time recording at the famous Morrisound Studios and it was great working with Jim Morris. He's an excellent engineer/producer and gets some KILLER drum tones. Jon (Schaffer) and Hansi (Kuersch) wrote some real cool songs for this one. No release date as of yet though. Another album I recorded drums for a while back, Rob Rock's AFM debut "Holy Hell", should be out in April. My Halford band mate Roy Z co-wrote the tunes, produced and plays guitar on it so you know it's gonna rock!

Speaking of recordings, I recently did an interview with the 'Brazil Under Ice' Iced Earth fansite where I commented on several of my favorite CDs that I played on. Here's the link: http://www.icedearth.com.br/novidades05.php

For those of you that don't know, I released my drum video "Performance & Technique" on VHS a year and a half ago. Well, after a year of shooting new footage, editing, authoring, contract negotiations, etc. - it's finally done: My instructional drum DVD "Performance & Technique" has just been released by Warner Bros. Publications and will be making its debut appearance at the NAMM show this week in Anaheim, California from (Thur.) Jan. 20th - (Sun.) 23rd. "P&T" will be getting heavy rotation on the TVs in the Warner Bros. Publications booth (#3500) - so stop by and check it out.

The DVD version of "Performance & Technique" contains footage not included in the original VHS version including 4 bonus segments and PDF transcriptions for DVD-ROM. I will update my website in a couple of weeks with complete descriptions of the new segments and a link to order the "Performance & Technique" DVD.

Last but not least, I will also be making a couple of personal appearances at the NAMM show. I'll be at the Vic Firth Sticks booth (along with a few other drummers) at 3:00pm on Saturday doing a signing session and I'm also performing a drum solo at the Pearl Drums booth at 10:00 on Sunday morning. See you there!

Later,

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Band profile:

Demons & Wizards

Here is the note posted by the canadian band:

THOR has just signed a major multi-media contract
with the fast-rising label, Smog Veil Records (SV Records)

A new album, Thor Against The World has already been recorded,
and should be unleashed very soon. This is Rock the way Rock SHOULD
be tapping into and channeling the very heart & soul of the genre! It's
extremely catchy and addictive, with a timeless quality that will make it just
as fresh decades from now as it will be on its release.

A video has already been shot for the song: Glimmer (which will
include scenes from the upcoming movie, Murder in the Presidio
which will air on the USA Network on April 29, and features Thor).

Watch for a tour to be announced soon in support of this stellar album!

Besides the release of Thor Against the World (release date has not yet been set),
there is also a DVD in the works that will chronicle the Thor history.

For more information, keep checking www.thorcentral.com and www.smogveil.com

http://www.thorcentral.com/

Arcturus are again on the news, this time because they get a deal with Season of mist, also they have schedule the release of new album at august and will be touring after that.

Also the band will have a special performance in February, check out the details:

"ARCTURUS will play at by:larm in Stavanger 11. February!
by:larm is a 3 day conference for the music busines, with seminars and over 80 concerts.
This year the best live act will get a stipend on NOK 100.000!!!
Vote for ARCTURUS in two ways:

1) Web: follow this link, and search for ARCTURUS, and vote:
http://www.bylarm.no/mp3catalog.php

2) SMS: "ARTIST 6 " TO NUMBER 2000

Best regards,
ARCTURUS"

http://www.arcturus.no

Band profile:

Arcturus

The Irish doom/death band have posted in their website the cover art from the new album "A Mourderous Circus" here , also they posted sound samples here and some updates from the sutdio here .

http://www.mourningbeloveth.com

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Band profile:

Mourning Beloveth

The album will be call "Darkness In Stereo", here is the comments of the band:

"New album of the band, the 4th full-lenght, will be titled simply "DARKNESS IN STEREO". Even if it could sound expected, you'll understand why the band decided to call the new album this way when you'll finally have the chance to listen to the new material... No other title could describe in a better way the feeling of this new opus. If you thought "Love's Burial Ground" was the absolute climax of Negativity and despair, you'll be astonished listening to "Darkness In Stereo". You can start trash all the supposedly "Depressive Black Metal" releases you bought in the past 5 years now..."

http://www.forgottentomb.com/

Band profile:

Forgotten Tomb

The band decide to part ways with the bassit and the drummer here are the details:

"for various reasons we have decided to part ways with kevin falk and jason roe... there's no bad blood between anyone, and we wish them all the best in the their future endeavors. -we have acquired percussionist extraordinaire blake richardson (glass casket)... and the bass situation should be figured out in the next few weeks."

Also the band is writting material for a new album.

http://betweentheburiedandme.com/newsite/

The german thrashers decided to sign with the label AFM Records, here is the statement from the frontam of the band:

"We would like to bring the speculations and rumours about a label chance of DESTRUCTION to an end!"

"After four terrific and successful years with NUCLEAR BLAST, the decision to work with a new label wasn´t easy at all"

"We would like to thank Markus Staiger and his Team for the great friendship and the fantastic work! They had a big participation of the positiv progress of our reunion!"

"AFM RECORDS is the new partner of our trust! The contracts will get signed within the next days! The new album will be released via AFM/ Soulfood here in Centre Europe and thru other distribution partners of the label worldwide, a little later this summer!"

"The pre-production is running at full blast. Because of the intense worldwide touring, it feels that the band never sounded tighter and more motivated than at this present moment!"

"Watch out for the new riffmonster that will write Thrash Metal history! And that´s a fuckin´ promise!"
Cheers!

SCHMIER, MIKE and MARC

http://www.destruction.de

Band profile:

Destruction

The death metal band have found the replace of Sherwood Webber who leave the band in novembre, the new singer is Jason Keyser who plays in Detriment and is Joy Keyser's brother (who is the bassist of the band). The band have some gigs to attend in march.

blabbermouth.net