Stratovarius have confirmed the dates for the European section of the Polaris world tour. It will take place in January/February of 2010 and so far the confirmed gigs cover Germany, Benelux, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Serbia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Austria, and Scandinavia.

Tour dates are as follows:

January 07, 2010: Zeche, Bochum, Germany
January 08, 2010: Hof ter Lo, Antwerp, Belgium
January 09, 2010: Melkweg, Amsterdam, Netherlands
January 10, 2010: Garage, London, UK
January 12, 2010: Elysee, Paris, France
January 13, 2010: Le Bikini, Toulouse, France
January 15, 2010: La Riviera, Madrid, Spain
January 16, 2010: Rockstar Live, Bilbao, Spain
January 17, 2010: Razzmatazz 1, Barcelona, Spain
January 19, 2010: Transbordeur, Lyon, France
January 20, 2010: Z 7, Pratteln, Switzerland
January 21, 2010: Alcatraz, Milan, Italy
January 23, 2010: SKC, Belgrad, Serbia
January 24, 2010: Hristo Botev Hall, Sofia, Bulgaria
January 26, 2010: Petöfi Hall, Budapest, Hungary
January 27, 2010: Szene, Vienna, Austria
January 28, 2010: PKO, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
January 30, 2010: Backstage, München, Germany
February 01, 2010: Longhorn, Stuttgart, Germany
February 02, 2010: Garage, Saarbrücken, Germany
February 03, 2010: Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany
February 04, 2010: The Rock, Copenhagen, Denmark
February 06, 2010: Mejeriet, Lund, Sweden
February 07, 2010: Trädgårn, Göteborg, Sweden
February 08, 2010: Rockefeller, Oslo, Norway
February 09, 2010: Tyrol, Stockholm, Sweden

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Source:	stratovarius.com
Band profile:	Stratovarius
Event:	Stratovarius: European Tour

Ensiferum have revealed the first details about their upcoming fourth studio album. The new album will be entilted "From Afar" and is scheduled for a September 9th release via Spinefarm Records. The record was produced by Tero Kinnunen (Nightwish, Amorphis) and Janne Joutsenniemi (who also produced "Victory Songs") and was mixed by Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, Sentenced, Amorphis).

"From Afar" tracklist:

01. By the Dividing Stream
02. From Afar
03. Twilight Tavern
04. Heathen Throne
05. Elusive Reaches
06. Stone Cold Metal
07. Smoking Ruins
08. Tumman Virran Taa
09. The Longest Journey (Heathen Throne Part II)
10. Vandraren (Nordman cover) (available only on the limited edition version)

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Source:	spinefarm.fi
Band profile:	Ensiferum

"Keelhauled", the new video from Alestorm, has been released. The track for the video comes off the groups recently released album "Black Sails at Midnight".


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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Alestorm

Guitarist Giulio Moschini of Italian brutal death metal band Hour Of Penance has posted the following update:

"After an almost three-years long hiatus, Hour Of Penance welcomes back the former guitarist and founder Enrico, who apparently got tired of the cold and dark Norwegian life... The band is now back as a quintet and will perform for the first time with the renowned line-up at the Armageddon In The Park Festival on August 1st. Join us there!"

Line up now is :

Giulio Moschini - guitars
Enrico Schettino - guitars
Mauro Mercurio - Drums
Silvano Leone - Bass
Francesco Paoli - Vocals

Soon more info about the new album to come.

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Hour Of Penance

Mike Portnoy has posted the following on the Dream Theater website:

"It is with the utmost disappointment that I am forced to share the unfortunate news of both Pain Of Salvation and Beardfish having to pull out of this summer's Progressive Nation tour....

Their label Inside Out just recently lost the financial funding for the tour as a result of their distributor SPV recently claiming bankruptcy...which effectively meant that both Pain Of Salvation and Beardfish lost the tour support that was essential to their ability to come to North America for Progressive Nation.

All parties involved (myself, both bands, Inside Out, etc) are beyond devastated at this turn of events and are truly sorry to all of the fans that were looking forward to this lineup. We tried everything we could do to salvage the situation, but in the end it was not possible...

Well as the album title says, every Black Cloud does indeed have a Silver Lining... so with this unfortunate news, I bring to you the good news of 2 incredible bands that will be jumping on board Progressive Nation to join Dream Theater and Zappa Plays Zappa this summer: Bigelf and Scale The Summit.

Los Angeles' Bigelf are my personal favorite new band to come along in many years...their latest CD "Cheat The Gallows" is my favorite album of the year and I already had positioned them onto the European run of Progressive Nation in the Fall....with them now joining us on PN09 in North America as well, it looks like world domination is now not that far out of reach for them!
Pretty soon, everyone will hopefully be falling for their retro, psychedelic, progressive, hard rock, doom metal as hard as I have!

Houston instrumental band Scale The Summit are a recent discovery for me and their top notch musicianship will be a perfect fit to this Progressive Nation lineup stylistically falling very nicely between the musicality of Dream Theater and Zappa Plays Zappa. They bring the instrumental elements of prog rock and fusion into today's contemporary hard rock/metal sounds and are one of the most talented group of young musicians I've seen assembled in many years.

Once again, apologies to anybody disappointed in this unexpected and unavoidable lineup change...but the circumstances were beyond our control...
In any event, PN09 will carry on and still deliver the most musical bang for its buck this summer throughout North America and we look forward to sharing the evening with you!"

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Source:	dreamtheater.net
Band profile:	Pain Of Salvation
Event:	Dream Theater: Progressive Nation N. American Tour

Polish metal band Darzamat have posted the following statement about their new label signing with Massacre Records:

One of the most important Polish dark metal band Darzamat has inked a worldwide deal with German Massacre Records. The label is known for working with such bands as King Diamond, Atrocity, Crematory, Darkane, Legion of the Damned, Solitude Aeturnus, Theatre of Tragedy, Das Ich and Disbelief. The group's fifth album "Solfernus' Path", is scheduled for release on August 28 (In Japan album will be released by Spiritual Beast).

Commented Flauros, vocalist of the band: "We are more then happy to announce that we have signed a new record deal at Massacre Records. We hope that thanks to the experience of the Massacre Records crew our music will have a chance to reach more people now. We are really looking forward to working with them and promoting the "Solfernus' Path". We are also extremely happy to enter the Asian market through Spiritual Beast.''

Darzamat has tapped Jonas Kljellgren (Scar Symmetry guitarist) of Black Lounge Studios in Avesta, Sweden to mix "Solfernus' Path". The new album was recorded in Poland under the supervision of Jaroslaw Toifl, with whom the band had previously worked on 2005's "Transkarpatia" (Metal Mind Productions in Europe, MVD in the USA). There are two great guests on the album: Andy La Rocque (guitar solo in "King of the Burning Anthems") and Roy Mayorga (opening intro).

The artwork for the new CD was created by MentalPorn.com Agency, which has previously worked with such bands as Death Stars and Behemoth.

Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Darzamat

Napalm Death have posted their brand new video, for the song "Time Waits For No Slave", online. The video can be watched here. The track for this song comes of the group's latest album "Time Waits For No Slave", which was released in Junary this year.

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Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Napalm Death

DragonForce are embarking on a mammoth, Hammer-sponsored UK trek this November/December with full production. Grab your tin helmet and prepare for the invasion, the mighty DragonForce will be bringing a full-scale production to a town near you for their military-themed "Hearts N' Minds" tour. This tour will be the final round of the Ultra Beatdown world touring.

Hitting a plethora of regional areas, the full dates are:

November 19 - Folkestone, UK - Leas Cliff Hall
November 20 - Reading, UK - Hexagon
November 21 - Southend, UK - Cliffs Pavilion
November 23 - Southampton, UK - Guildhall
November 24 - Truro, UK - Hall for Cornwall
November 25 - Bristol, UK - University
November 26 - Wolverhampton, UK - Wulfrun Hall
November 28 - Preston, UK - 53 Degrees
November 29 - Bradford, UK - St. Georges Hall
November 30 - Sheffield, UK - Academy
December 01 - Hanley, UK - Victoria Hall
December 03 - Glasgow, UK - Barrowlands
December 04 - Dundee, UK - Fat Sam's
December 05 - Inverness, UK - Ironworks
December 07 - Middlesborough, UK - Empire
December 08 - Cambridge, UK - Corn Exchange
December 10 - Lincoln, UK - Engine Shed
December 11 - Manchester, UK - Academy
December 12 - Liverpool, UK - Academy

Source:	dragonforce.com
Band profile:	DragonForce
Event:	DragonForce: Hearts N' Minds Tour

French black metal band Glorior Belli have announced their line-up is complete again. Here is the official message from the band's MySpace:

"Gaël Barthelemy, known for his work with Balrog, Svartcrown, Diabolic, Drowning, Antaeus... is now officially drumming for Glorior Belli. Therefore, Glorior Belli will be available again for gigs shortly."

The line-up is:

Infestvvs (Composition - Guitar/Bass/Vocals)
Alastor (Guitar)
Gaël Barthelemy (Drums)
Caym (Live Bass)

The new Glorior Belli record "Meet Us At The Southern Sign" has been released on May 25th in Europe and June 2nd in North-America by Candlelight Records.

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Glorior Belli

Dutch gothic rock band Nemesea have welcomed Lasse Dellbrügge as the newest addition to the fold. The band comments: "We are proud to present to you our new fifth member, an amazing guy and a very talented DJ/keyboard player: Lasse Dellbrügge. He used to play with Orphanage and we are very happy to welcome him aboard."

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Nemesea

British doom metal band My Dying Bride has announced the following statement about some line-up changes:

"Katie is no longer taking part in My Dying Bride. After confirming to play all of the shows we presently have booked she decided she did not want to do them, stating the reason being as "I want to concentrate on my career". She is presently a part time psychology student. So make of that what you will.

The kind chap who came in to replace her is called Shaun Macgowan. He has been rehearsing with us for no time at all and has shown great commitment already. He will not be being classed as a full time member until he has passed his probationary period with us, which is now 30 years. If you would like to welcome Shaun in the only way MDB fans can, that would be a great test of his character. And by 'the only way' I mean to complain that he is not Martin. For ever.

The band overall are saddened by the line up change, we think more for you than us. But as anyone who saw the show at the Wave Gotik in Leipzig will confirm, we have lost nothing."

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Source:	mydyingbride.org
Band profile:	My Dying Bride

Greek melodic black metal band Rotting Christ has revealed that they will be entering the studio soon to record their next album. A statement from the band reads as follows:

"New songs composing process has almost been completed and the band is ready to enter the studio for the recording sessions of its upcoming album that will follow up the very successful latest band's album Theogonia.

Sakis will take care of the production again and as being the main composer too he declares that he had his most tripy and exhausted simultaneously experience on his career squeezing his mind drowing down ideas that will follow up the band's latest album Theogonia and the end of the process find him as well as the whole band totally convicted that they finally managed it.

We haven't more to say than proving it with the upcoming recordings and ofcourse with its release that roughly estimated to be released in January 2010."

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Source:	rotting-christ.com
Band profile:	Rotting Christ

Swedish melodic Doom/Death metallers Slumber have issued the following update about new album recordings and line-up:

"The recording of Resonance (the new Slumber album) has been re-set to October 5th - November 15th. It will be recorded at the isolated sphere of "Panic Room Studios" in Skara as the last album. This time though, we have twice the time and much more knowledge. The album will shine!!"

New line-up for the album recording and live performance:

Ehsan Kalantarpour - Vocals / Synth
Jari Lindholm - Guitar
Siavosh Bigonah - Bass / Growl
Markus Hill - Guitar
Ted Larsson - Drums
Mikael Brunqvist - Live 3rd guitarrist and percussionist

Female performances by Ida Sundquvist, Lina Svärd and Vinköl choir.

"This is the moment some of us has been preparing our whole life for. The era of majestic melancholy in music that in time, hopefully can grow into a real live performing large orchestra of... dooom haha. We'll give this album our everything!

I hope you're enjoying the preview of Resonance. We'll put up more songs as we go along.

Take care

/Ehsan and Slumber"

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Slumber

Portuguese gothic metallers Moonspell will team up with Switzerland's Samael for the "Night Eternal Above America Tour", which is scheduled for October/November this year. The support on the road will come from America's Book Of Black Earth and German Black metal band Secrets Of The Moon.

Tour dates are the following:

Oct. 14 - Tampa, FL - Czar
Oct. 15 - Atlanta, GA - Masqueerade
Oct. 16 - Springfield, VA - Jaxx
Oct. 17 - Allentown, PA - The Sterling Hotel
Oct. 18 - New York, NY - B.B. King Blues Club
Oct. 19 - Montreal, QC - Les Foufounes Electriques
Oct. 20 - Toronto, ON - The Mod Club
Oct. 21 - Cleveland, OH - Peabodys
Oct. 22 - Detroit, MI - Blondie's
Oct. 23 - Mokena, IL - The Pearl Room
Oct. 24 - Kansas City, MO - Beaumont Club
Oct. 25 - Denver, CO - Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom
Oct. 27 - Vancouver, BC - The Venue
Oct. 28 - Seattle, WA - Studio Seven
Oct. 29 - Portland, OR - Satyricon
Oct. 30 - San Francisco, CA - Thee Parkside
Oct. 31 - San Marcos, CA - The Jumping Turtle
Nov. 01 - Hollywood, CA - The Knitting Factory
Nov. 02 - Tempe, AZ - The Sets
Nov. 03 - Albuquerque, NM - The Launchpad
Nov. 04 - Tulsa, OK - The Marquee
Nov. 05 - Dallas, TX - The Ridglea Theater
Nov. 06 - San Antonio, TX - Warehouse Music Venue

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Moonspell
Event:	Moonspell: Night Eternal Above America Tour

The British metal band To-Mera has posted the following statement about splitting from Candlelight Records:

''After releasing two albums on Candlelight Records, we have reached a mutual decision that it is time for this band to move on to pastures new in order to progress. We would like to thank all the staff at Candlelight for all their help during our 4 year relationship.''

''Our current focus will now be on recording a demo of some of the new material to showcase the musical evolution of this band since the release of Delusions. Tracking should begin sometime in July.''

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	To-Mera