Obscura has recently completed work on their brand new album Omnivium. Omnivium was recorded at Woodshed Studio in southern Germany with engineer V. Santura (Triptykon, Dark Fortress) and is expected to see a March 2011 release date via Relapse Records. Additional album details will be announced shortly.

Obscura drummer Hannes Grossman commented on recording Omnivium: "The recording process was intense and time-consuming, but it brought us many steps forward as musicians both individually and collectively. The songs are still catchy, but there are more epic parts involved, as well as faster and more melodic songs. The extremes of the band's sound extend on all sides, so to say. Expect some things which have never been done before like this in Death Metal!"

Additionally, Grossman is working on his first instructional drum DVD titled "Progressive Concepts for the Modern Metal Drummer". The DVD will feature different chapters about hand/foot techniques, blast beats, advanced double bass drumming, rhythmic modulations, and song and performance tutorials.

Grossman commented on his forthcoming DVD: "After the recordings for Obscura's new album I decided to start filming because the energy of the recording process was still valid. The final motivation came from Nile drummer George Kollias, with whom we toured in Japan. Thanks again, Bro'! Of course the DVD will not only feature solo and song performances, but also very deep advice about the things that I use, like finger control technique, hybrid techniques, advanced foot technique or odd-time signatures."

Omnivium tracklist:

01. Septuagint
02. Vortex Omnivium
03. Ocean Gateways
04. Euclidean Elements
05. Prismal Dawn
06. Celestial Spheres
07. Velocity
08. A Transcendental Serenade
09. Aevum

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Source:	relapse.com
Band profile:	Obscura

Sirenia are set to release their fifth studio album, entitled The Enigma of Life, on January 21, 2011 via Nuclear Blast Records.

The Enigma of Life cover art] tracklist:

01. The End Of It All
02. Fallen Angel
03. All My Dreams
04. This Darkness
05. The Twilight In Your Eyes
06. Winter Land
07. A Seaside Serenade
08. Darkened Days To Come
09. Coming Down
10. This Lonely Lake
11. Fading Star
12. The Enigma Of Life
13. Oscura Realidad
14. The Enigma Of Life

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Source:	sirenia.no
Band profile:	Sirenia

Amon Amarth have released the following update:

"The last couple of months we have been busy working on our follow up to Twilight of the Thunder God. Ten songs were written and on October 1st we started tracking drums for the album in Park Studios.

After a short trip to Tokyo, which included our first ever show in Japan at the renowned Loupark Festival, we continued tracking bass and guitars at Fascination Street Studios. Recordings have been going well and we are now more than half-way through and the album starts to take shape. We'll keep you updated with more info soon!"

For now the band can confirm some shows in the UK as part as the "Defenders Of The Faith 2011" tour with Children Of Bodom. Those dates were posted yesterday at this location.

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Source:	amonamarth.com
Band profile:	Amon Amarth

Canadian death metal icons Kataklysm have revealed details regarding its upcoming headlining tour across North America. The so called "Spread The Venom Tour" will contain 23 shows across the continent, with support on the road coming from All Shall Perish, Decrepit Birth, Conducting From The Grave and Abysmal Dawn.

Spread The Venom North American Tour:

Feb. 24 - Peabody's - Cleveland, OH
Feb. 25 - Reggie's Rock Club - Chicago, IL
Feb. 26 - Harpo's - Detroit, MI
Feb. 27 - Station 4 - St. Paul, MN
Feb. 28 - Park Theatre - Winnipeg, MB - Canada
Mar. 02 - Starlite - Edmonton, AB - Canada
Mar. 03 - Lake City Bowl - Kelowna, BC - Canada
Mar. 04 - Rickshaw Theatre - Vancouver, BC - Canada
Mar. 05 - Studio Seven - Seattle, WA
Mar. 06 - Branx - Portland, OR
Mar. 07 - Slim's - San Francisco, CA - (no Abysmal Dawn)
Mar. 08 - The Whisky A Go Go - Hollywood, CA
Mar. 09 - Soma - San Diego, CA
Mar. 10 - Launchpad - Albuquerque, NM
Mar. 11 - El Cien - Amarillo, TX
Mar. 12 - Ridglea Theatre - Ft. Worth, TX
Mar. 13 - White Rabbit - San Antonio, TX
Mar. 15 - State Theater - St Petersburg, FL
Mar. 16 - Volume 11 - Raleigh, NC
Mar. 17 - Jaxx - Springfield, VA
Mar. 18 - Alrosa Villa - Columbus, OH
Mar. 19 - Evening Star Music Hall - Niagara Falls, NY
Mar. 20 - Club Soda - Montreal, QC - Canada

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Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Kataklysm
Event:	Spread The Venom Tour

Danish Death metallers Illdisposed have confirmed that the songwriting for their tenth full-length album is complete. The band will begin tracking the drum parts on January 8th 2011.

The new album will be released some time in March via Massacre Records. Stay tuned for updates.

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Illdisposed

British Doom/Goth Metal pioneers, Paradise Lost, are pleased to announce the re-release of their seminal 1995 album Draconian Times; 16 years since it first stormed the charts.

Sony Music are re-releasing the colossal Draconian Times through their Grammy-award winning Legacy series; which will feature the entire digitally re-mastered album including a 5.1 Dolby Surround mix in a brand-new collector's edition digi-pak box-set, so fans can hear the album like never before!

Along with this release the band will be performing their monumental album Draconian Times live at a series of 7 exclusive gigs in the following select cities around Europe: Utrecht, Bochum, London, Paris, Athens, and Thessaloniki.

Due to the unique and exciting nature of these events we will be issuing a small, limited number of VIP packages at all seven concerts. These will include:

VIP laminate and lanyard
The opportunity to meet and greet the band
Have your photo taken with Paradise Lost
Access to a closed sound-check before the gig
Early access to the concert
VIP goody bag (PL draw-string bag containing an exclusive T-Shirt and other exciting memorabilia)

VIP tickets will be exclusively available from the band's website website and go on general sale on Friday 19th November 2010. Please remember there are a very limited number of these highly sought after tickets available so we urge you to buy early to avoid disappointment. Fans will get special pre-sale access to tickets on Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th November via the official Paradise Lost website, so check back here then for this exclusive offer!

Frontman Nick Holmes had this to say: "It's going to be amazing to play the Draconian Times shows again, DT was a huge success for the band; it seemed to be exactly the right album to do at the right time and to a certain degree was definitely the end of a chapter for the band. We always considered the album to be a "better" version of its predecessor Icon and using Simon Effemy again for the third time, I think we were all on the same hymn sheet and knew exactly what we wanted and what the album should sound like.

We had done a pretty extensive touring schedule for the Icon album before it, and there was already a decent buzz around about the band, In the 1990s without the Internet you could only really gauge how things were going once you walked onto the stage and saw how the crowd responded to songs! But after the DT album was released the response was phenomenal. Knowing that DT is still considered by many as being among their favourite albums of all time fills me with great pride, and I'm very grateful to have been part of it all and now having the chance to be here again playing it in its entirety is phenomenal. We are all very excited and can't wait to do the shows live, I really hope we see you all there and you have as much fun as us!"

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Source:	paradiselost.co.uk
Band profile:	Paradise Lost
Event:	Paradise Lost: Draconian Times Tour

"Yarilo", the new video from Russian pagan folk metal mongers Arkona can now be watched below. The energetic track comes off the band's most recent album Goi, Rode, Goi!, which was released in October last year.

According to Napalm Record, the upcoming Arkona album is scheduled is scheduled for a 2011 release. More updates as we get them.


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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Arkona

In 2011, Children Of Bodom will embark on a two-month long tour through 23 European countries with label mates Ensiferum and Machinae Supremacy. On the UK and Ireland dates they will be joined by Amon Amarth.

The Ugly World Tour 2011 featuring Children Of Bodom with Ensiferum and Machinae Supremacy:

March 19 - Teatria, Oulu (FIN)
March 20 - Pakkahuone, Tampere (FIN)
March 22 - Ice Hall, Helsinki (FIN)
March 24 - Arenan, Stockholm (SWE)
March 25 - Trädgårn, Gothenburg (SWE)
March 26 - Rockefeller, Oslo (NOR)
March 27 - Vega, Copenhagen (DEN)
March 29 - Grosse Freiheit 36 (GER)
March 30 - O13, Tilburg (NED)
April 01 - UEA, Norwich (UK) (Additional support: Amon Amarth)
April 02 - Academy 1, Manchester (UK) (Additional support: Amon Amarth)
April 03 - ABC, Glasgow (UK) (Additional support: Amon Amarth)
April 05 - Vicar Street, Dublin (IRL) (Additional support: Amon Amarth)
April 07 - Rock City, Nottingham (UK) (Additional support: Amon Amarth)
April 08 - Academy, Birmingham (UK) (Additional support: Amon Amarth)
April 09 - Forum, London (UK) (Additional support: Amon Amarth)
April 11 - Turbinenhalle, Oberhausen (GER)
April 12 - Z7, Pratteln (SWI)
April 13 - Alcatraz, Milan (ITA)
April 16 - Gagarin 205, Athens (GR)
April 18 - Kucukciftilik Park, Istanbul (TUR)
April 19 - Universiada Hall, Sofia (BUL)
April 20 - Arenele Romane, Bucharest (ROM)
April 22 - Petöfi Csarnok, Budapest (HUN)
April 23 - Backstage, Munich (GER)
April 24 - Stadthalle, Langen (GER)
April 26 - Stodola, Warsaw (POL)
April 27 - KD Vltavska, Prague (CZE)
April 28 - Arena, Vienna (AUS)
April 29 - Posthof, Linz (AUS)
April 30 - Werk 2, Leipzig (GER)
May 02 - Elysee Montmatre, Paris (FRA)
May 03 - Krakatoa, Bordeaux (FRA)
May 05 - Club Hard, Porto (POR)
May 06 - La Riviera, Madrid (SPA)
May 07 - Razzmatazz 1, Barcelona (SPA)
May 08 - Rock Star Live, Bilbao (SPA)
May 09 - Le Bikini, Toulouse (FRA)
May 10 - LKA Longhorn, Stuttgart (GER)
May 12 - Rockhal, Esch / Alzette (LUX)
May 13 - Atak, Enschede (NED)
May 14 - Halle Gartlage, Osnabruck (GER)
May 15 - Hof Ter Lo, Antwerp (BEL)

36521 for the news]

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Source:	spinefarm.fi
Band profile:	Children Of Bodom
Event:	Children Of Bodom: The Ugly World Tour 2011

Wintersun has finally shown a sign of life. Drummer Kai Hahto posted the following short announcement on his personal Facebook page:

"Wintersun will be playing 4 shows at least next year: 3 Metalfest shows in May 2011 and also Metalcamp 2011. That´s good news."

Some overly optimistic fan made the assumption that perhaps the long overdue album Time would be done by then... to which Hahto responded:

"Time has progressed very well and we hope that we can start mixing in December. But the shows are confirmed and after the new album is out, we start playing more actively. Let´s see what happens next year."

The Wintersun drummer also promised there would be "some updates" somewhere next week at the band's official website. Stay tuned.

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Source:	facebook.com
Band profile:	Wintersun
Event:	Metalfest Open Air Helvetia

Here's the press release for "The Circle", Process Of Guilt's new release:

"Closing the process started with Erosion, The Circle presents five reinterpretations of the closing song on Process Of Guilt's highly acclaimed sophomore album and opens the door for the composition process of their third full length.

Bringing together the creative minds of Sanford Parker (of Minsk, Buried At Sea, Twilight, Circle Of Animals, The High Confessions and overall producer extraordinaire), Echoes Of Yul (the Polish creators of one of the most interesting ambient/industrial debuts in recent years), DJ Mofo (of Portuguese best kept secret Bizarra Locomotiva), Bosque (one of the leading forces of bleak drone/doom/black art) and Sons Of Bronson (featuring members of Spanish sludge masters Lords Of Bukkake), The Circle offers a deconstructive circle through an erosive world of calm versus chaos. Besides the five remixes, this abstract descent begins with a new prespective on Erosion's closing track, now (re)mastered - as all the other tracks - by the well known James Plotkin (of O.L.D., Khanate fame).

Pressed as a beautiful limited (and numbered) digisleeve edition of 300 copies, through a partnership between the band and the newly founded Bleak Recordings, this record will be first available throughout the next month as two separate pre-orders on both the band's and the label's site. Either you buy just the record or a special package featuring the CD and an exclusive t-shirt printed on demand - all orders will be shipped during December. A very reduced quantity of The Circle will be obtainable through select record shops and on digital format in January.

Spreading their wings and expanding their ever growing fan base, both the sold out debut Renounce and Erosion will be available for the first time as a reduced price 320k mp3, FLAC or just about any other format you could possibly desire on the new Process Of Guilt digital store."

There's even a video one Youtube here!

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Source:	processofguilt.com
Band profile:	Process Of Guilt

German beer-lovers and cult-thrashers Tankard will release their 14th (in words: fourteenth!) studio effort on December, 17th via AFM Records. The album will appropriately be entitled, Vol(l)ume 14.

The limited-edition digipak version will include a bonus DVD containing footage of Tankard's show at last year's Headbangers Open Air Festival.

Vol(l)ume 14 cover art] tracklist:

01. Time Warp
02. Rules For Fools
03. Fat Snatchers (The Hippo Effect)
04. Black Plague (BP)
05. Somewhere In Nowhere
06. The Agency
07. Brain Piercing Öf Death
08. Beck's In The City
09. Condemnation
10. Weekend Warriors

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Source:	afm-records.de
Band profile:	Tankard

Dutch death metallers Sinister have finished recording their ninth studio album, Legacy Of Ashes. Recorded earlier this year at Soundlodge studios in Rhauderfehn, Germany with producer Jörg Uken (God Dethroned, Obscenity), Legacy Of Ashes will hit the streets on December 17th through Massacre Records.

The limited-edition digipack includes four exclusive bonus tracks.

Vocalist added the following: "We like to tell you that everything is finished from the recordings and it turned out absolute great. For sure this is one of our most brutal, fast and aggressive records till now, so we hope you all will enjoy this piece of brutality."

In other news, the band welcomes new bass player Joost van der Graaf, who also plays in Cypher.

Legacy Of Ashes cover art] tracklist:

01. Herd Of Damnation
02. Into The Blind World
03. The Enemy Of My Enemy
04. Anatomie Of A Catastrophe
05. The Sin Of Sodomy
06. Legacy Of Ashes
07. The Hornet's Nest
08. Righteous Indignations
09. The Living Sacrifice

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Source:	sinister-hailthebeast.com
Band profile:	Sinister

The album artwork for Counting Our Scars, the highly anticipated brand new full-length release from reunited Swedish Death Metallers Desultory is now revealed. The album artwork and layout was meticulously designed and conceptualized by world renowned introspect artist Travis Smith (Nevermore, Opeth, Amorphis, King Diamond, etc).

In addition, the album cover for Counting Our Scars will also feature an exclusive alternate Slipcase cover, once again showcasing Travis Smith's elaborate and impressive detail to the concept for Counting Our Scars.

In conjunction with the soon-to-be released album, the album-opener entitled "In A Cage" is now available for preview for the first time on the Pulverised Records official MySpace page.

Comments Desultory singer/guitar-player Klas Morberg: "It's been more than a year now since we entered the studio to record the first Desultory album in over a decade. This album will write a new chapter in the history of the band and it has been with great anticipation and endurance we have waited for the cover art to take form. We wanted the whole package, from music and lyrics to the visual appearance to communicate the same feeling, and as it turned out, this work had to take time. Now, at the very last hours of this long year, we are finally ready to reveal it all to you. We hope you think it was worth the wait, we do."

Counting Our Scars cover art] tracklist:

01. In A Cage
02. Counting Our Scars
03. Ready To Bleed
04. This Broken Halo
05. The Moment Is Gone
06. Uneven Numbers
07. Dead Ends
08. Leeching Life
09. A Crippling Heritage

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Source:	pulverised.net
Band profile:	Desultory

In just two weeks, Sweden's most successful Heavy Metal band Hammerfall will enter the studio to record the follow up to their gold album No Sacrifice, No Victory.

The songwriting is almost finished, and guitarist Oscar Dronjak reveals: "The new material contains a lot of fresh ways to look at the musical ideas, we're trying to preserve the essence of what HammerFall is while at the same time updating the execution and approach. Definitely heavier and less straight forward than the previous albums, yet remaining true to what we believe heavy metal is all about."

Expect the unexpected! The quintet also decided to work with a new producer, which is significant since the last four albums have been produced by Charlie Bauerfeind. The choice fell on James Michael, who recently worked with Mötley Crüe, Scorpions, Meat Loaf and others.

James Michael comments: "We are about to make a fantastic album. The band is firing on all cylinders and I am excited to be part of this project."

Oscar Dronjak explains: "Working with James Michael is going to be very, very exciting. The two Mötley Crüe album James has been involved in (songwriter on New Tattoo and songwriter/producer on Saints Of Los Angeles) are great, and easily stack up against the classic albums of the 80's. That, and the fact that HammerFall have used the same producer (Charlie Bauerfeind) since 2002 has me very psyched about this collaboration, it will automatically bring a freshness to the proceedings! A lot of what HF was got refined when we started working with Charlie, and I'm sure we'll get a similar kind of reaction here. Sort of like a kick in the ass, to get going in the right direction."

Vocalist Joacim Cans adds another important aspect: "I see James Michael as one of my favorite singers of today and his work with SIXX:AM is simply fantastic. Not only is the album one of the best ever made production-wise, but James also delivers a vocal performance that most singers today are not capable of. James will be the perfect co-producer for us and I really think he will be able to get me up a notch in the vocal department"

The yet untitled record will be released in Europe on May 20th.

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Source:	nuclearblast.de
Band profile:	HammerFall

Official press release

Celebrated "True Heavy Metal band" The Gates Of Slumber will enter England's Orgone Studios with producer Jaime Gomez Arellano (Ghost, Angel Witch) later this month to lay down tracks for its forthcoming new album. The follow up to the Indianapolis trio's critically acclaimed LP Hymns of Blood and Thunder will see a spring, 2011 release via Rise Above Records.

The Gates Of Slumber recently announced the addition of new drummer, "Cool" Clyde Paradis into its ranks. A New Orleans native and Hurricane Katrina survivor, Paradis joins The Gates Of Slumber hot off stints in Sourvein, Substance Abuse and the New Orleans blues act T-bone and The Rhythm Makers.

"The new music is taking on a more troglodyte doom metal feel," exclaimed The Gates Of Slumber frontman/guitarist Karl Simon. "With Clyde now in the band, the feel of things was bound to change; he's not only a different drummer, but from a totally different school of thought with regards to the drums. It's no secret that Saint Vitus' shuddering doom crawl was the root that inspired this band and we'd both felt that over three albums we'd taken the raw epic feel as far as we could. Now, it's time to get back to basics, shed some of the bulk and get ugly again. No warriors this time, no acoustic guitars, no keyboards, no lofty Nietzschean ideals. Just black bile and a bit of the old 'white magic; black magic'."

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Source:	riseaboverecords.com
Band profile:	The Gates Of Slumber