Atlanta's Withered have completed work on the band's latest album, "Folie Circulaire," which will see a June 24 release through Prosthetic Records. Withered posted the following on their MySpace Page:

"Our new record is officially completed and we're very satisfied," the band says. "Thanks to everyone involved, some very cool things have fallen into place for this release. Most of you are already aware of Barney Greenway's (Napalm Death) guest vocal appearance on "...The Fated Breath" and "Clamor Beneath." As always, his vocals are amazing and can't wait for everyone to hear them.

Also, the last song on the album is a cover song called 'Into Armageddon' by Necrophobic. If you're not already a fan of them, you need to be. They're in our top friends and some of the best black metal to ever come out of Sweden so check them out. Big thanks to them for being very cool about us recording their song and for writing it in the first place.

"The recording process was grueling but worth every 12 - 16 hour day. Phillip Cope (Kylesa, Baroness, Black Tusk) and the guys at The Jam Room Official Website and their MySpace page.

Track List for "Folie Circulaire":

01. To Embrace...
02. ...The Fated Breath
03. Dichotomy Of Exile
04. Gnosis Unveils...
05. ...The Forsaken Truth
06. Purification Of Ignorance
07. Drawn Black Drapes...
08. ...Reveal The Essence Of Suffering
09. Clamor Beneath
10. Into Armageddon

Tracks: 10 (8 songs, 2 interludes)
Length: 46 minutes approx.

"Folie Circulaire" is the follow-up to 2005's critically-acclaimed "Memento Mori." A demoed version of "Putification of Ignorance," from the forthcoming album, is also available on the band's MySpace page.

In related news: Withered has confirmed a handful of tour dates with Meshuggah, Ministry, Javelina, Spewtilator, Kylesa, The Ocean, and Lair Of The Minotaur.

Tour Dates:

4/25 Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade (with Waited, Meshuggah, Ministry)
5/17 Atlanta, GA - The Drunken Unicorn (with Javelina, Spewtilator)
5/22 Raleigh, NC - Volume 11 (with Kylesa)

(with The Ocean, Lair of the Minotaur, Withered)
5/24 Boston, MA - Church of Boston
5/25 Wallingford, CT - Cherry Street Station
5/26 New York, NY - Knitting Factory
5/27 Cleveland, OH - Reggie's Rock Club
5/28 Chicago, IL - Reggie's Rock Club
5/29 Covington, KY - Mad Hatter
5/30 Charlotte, NC - Tremont Music Hall

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Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Withered

Thrash metallers Testament are currently streaming their entire new album, "The Formation Of Damnation", on their MySpace page.

The album will be released on April, 25th in Germany (on April, 29th in North America) via Nuclear Blast Records. The cover artwork was created by Eliran Kantor. The band recorded "The Formation Of Damnation" in part with producer Andy Sneap (Machine Head, Exodus, Arch Enemy, Nevermore) at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California.

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Source:	nuclearblast.de
Band profile:	Testament

Posted on the official website on April 16th by Anders "Blakkheim" Nystrom:

"Bloodbath just spent the last week at Park Studio in Stockholm where Axe put down an (un)healthy doze of all the basic ingredients and more to get this death metal monster meal cooking in hell's oven. We're talking classic oldschool skinpounding, furious blastbeats, double bassdrums, all kinds of tempos and a heavy load of killer fills, yeah you name it? This time it turned out to be 11 brand new songs on the menu for the band's still untitled third album. So what direction does the material take this time? Well It's definately taking off where we left with "Unblessing The Purity". The material represents nothing but hateful brutality, so there's surely a lot of speed countered with heavy groove. Riff wise, we're playing a lot with dissonant harmonies for that feverish possessed feeling, but we also brought back the whole melodic yet haunting "bee-swarming" theme concept from the past albums to represent the classic sound, so there's definately gonna be a good deal of variety on here which we hope to pack together in the most crushing production yet. The recording will now be moved to engineer David Castillo's newbuilt studio where we'll put down the guitars and bass over the next month while waiting for Mike to return from his touring in June to cut the vocals before we enter mix mode. The cover artwork will once again be handled by Dusty Peterson. The album has been set for an October 6th release, but the album title, song titles, audio teasers and the coverartwork will show up during the summer. Stay tuned. Bloodbath is here to slay, Bloodbath is here to stay!"

Source:	bloodbath.biz
Band profile:	Bloodbath

Therion has posted the following update on their website:

Dear Fans,

Today we have an announcement that will come as a shock to all of you. The four permanent members of the band have had some discussions and it is clear that we have different goals and visions for the future. Therefore it is best for the band, our selves as individuals and for the fans that we go separate ways now when there is still plenty of time before the next Therion album and World Tour. This means that Christofer will continue with Therion and the others will perform their music in other projects and bands.

We're all still friends, no one is disappointed and there's still some work we have left to do together in terms of editing of materials we have recorded for future DVD's.Best regards to all of you and thank you so much for the wonderful support you have given the band during the time we have played together.

Christofer, Kristian, Johan and Petter.

Source:	megatherion.com
Band profile:	Therion

Italian band Stormlord has posted a new song, entitled 'Mare Nostrum', on its MySpace page Link].
This track comes off the band's fourth full-length album, entitled "Mare Nostrum", which will be release on May 23th via Locomotive Records.
The album was recorded at Giuseppe Orlando's Outer Sound Studios (Necrodeath, Novembre, Klimt 1918) and was mastered at Finnvox Studios by Mika Jussila (HIM, Children Of Bodom, Nightwish, Sentenced).

Also the band adds:
"We'll upload 3 more songs in the last 3 weeks before the release, so stay tuned!"

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Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Stormlord

Finnish folk metal band have posted following at their website:

"We are crossing the Atlantic Ocean again this fall. This time we head out with support from American Death/Thrashers Warbringer! The dates can be found in the Live-section. Tickets on sale exclusively until May 3rd through www.EnterTheVault.com, later through all normal ticketing services.

Be there!"

The dates are:

22.08.2008 - USA, Springfield, VA
23.08.2008 - USA, Philadelphia, PA
24.08.2008 - USA, New York, NY
25.08.2008 - USA, Cambridge, MA
26.08.2008 - CAN, Montreal, QC
27.08.2008 - CAN, Quebec City, QC
28.08.2008 - CAN, Toronto, ON
29.08.2008 - USA, Cleveland, OH
30.08.2008 - USA, Mokena, IL
31.08.2008 - USA, Minneapolis, MN
01.09.2008 - CAN, Winnipeg, MB
02.09.2008 - CAN, Regina, SK
03.09.2008 - CAN, Calgary, AB
04.09.2008 - CAN, Edmonton, AB
06.09.2008 - CAN, Victoria, BC
07.09.2008 - CAN, Vancouver, BC
08.09.2008 - USA, Seattle, WA
09.09.2008 - USA, Portland, OR
10.09.2008 - USA, San Francisco, CA
11.09.2008 - USA, Hollywood, CA
12.09.2008 - USA, San Marcos, CA

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Source:	finntroll.net
Band profile:	Finntroll
Event:	Finntroll: N. American Tour

Graveworm have confirmed on their myspace page their participation in the metal fest Casa Gateways in Casablanca-Morocco, the event is going to be one of the very biggest in Africa with th participation of 16 bands, among the bands that haven't confirmed their participation yet on their pages Behemoth, Nightmare, Emeth, Nervecell, Kimaera,Tchi Hi Dis(Tunisia)..

More information here and here.

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Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Graveworm
Event:	Casa Gateways Festival 2008 [POSTPONED!]

Florida death metallers Obituary have issued the following update:

"We leave today for South America for a couple of weeks. This is always a great time with insane fans!!! This trip will take us to places we have been and places we have not been too yet, so we are really getting excited! We have 4 shows in Brazil and 1 in Chile, Venezuela, Columbia and Ecuador! (all dates: Link]).
We have so much going on when we get back it is just crazy. We started to write new music for an EP that we plan on releasing in a few months and we need to get that recorded, so Redneck Studios will be getting fired back up for that! We have to get our new setlist ready for a really busy European Summer Festival Tour (full list here) and we finally have a show set up in Tampa!!!! We will be playing at The Crowbar in Tampa, FL (Ybor City) on Friday - May, 23 2008."

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Source:	obituary.cc
Band profile:	Obituary

A trailer for the upcoming horror film "Wicked Lake" has been released. Al Jourgensen of Ministry composed the music to this film, and also acts as a music supervisor.

Jourgensen described the film as "Faster Pussycat Kill Kill gone very bad" and is also expected to play the small role of a perverted art professor. Wicked Lake's director Zach Passero also directed Ministry's last video clip "LiesLiesLies".

The trailer is available on the official website or here. Please be warned that there is some brief nudity and gore in the trailer and might therefore be not safe for work.

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Source:	wickedlake.com
Band profile:	Ministry

Italian metallers Elvenking have some news regarding their upcoming album on their website:

Hello everybody!

It's been a while since the release of our last album "The Scythe", which moved a whirlwind of different reactions on the metal crowd (thing that we love so much ) and is growing as a great success for this band.

Now we'd like to announce that Elvenking are working on a brand new exciting project. The next release from Elvenking will be another great challenge, something that once again will create curiosity: a totally acoustic album.

So no hard riffing and headbanging amount of metallic mayhem this time, but softer, romantic but still strong and emotional rhymes in music. We can consider this as an experiment, something that shows once again how much this band needs everytime new paths to follow and to express itself and its musical ideas.

If someone thinks that this decision may come as a reaction to "The Scythe" album we can say that we are working on this idea since a lot of time and that is also why "The Scythe" contains a lot of heavy material and less folky stuff for example. The concept of that album didn't allow us to use some of the softer and easier melodies we are also used to, and there they will come to life.

The acoustic album will contain a lot of new songs and different approaches to the non-electric side of the band but also some older songs revisited in a totally new version. So be ready for something different, hoping you can appreciate also this side of the bans, that by the way you already know well for episodes like Skywards, On the Morning Dew, Disillusion's Reel, Totentanz, Hobs an' Feathers, Loser's Ball, ...just to name a few.

While we are working on this new project though, we are also songwriting for the next "standard" electric Elvenking album, choosing which ideas can be represented at best in acoustic or heavy form. This just to let you know that we are simultaneously working on the two things so you can consider the acoustic album as an intermezzo before the new Elvenking electric album

We have no release dates ideas for them yet, but in the meantime we'd love to invite you to visit us on stage for the next gigs and to share a beer with us!

May the winds blow fair at your backs!!

- Elvenking

Source:	elvenking.net
Band profile:	Elvenking

According to the official website of the Swedish metallers, Darkane have now decided to name the album "Demonic Art" after one of the songs. The lyrics are based on the same theme as on "Organic Canvas" (from our previous album "Layers of Lies"), about an individual planning his next exhibition of flesh.

Here are a few more song titles:

Varitations Of An Eye Crush (Intro)
Still In Progress
Leaving Existence
Exectution 44
The Killing Of I
Sole Survivor
Absolution
Wrong Grave
Wrath Connection
Demigod

"Right now Peter and Klas are mixing the new album. We are also rehearsing and preparing for our trip to Chicago and the Chicago Powerfest in a few weeks. You don´t wanna miss that if you live in the area! We are gonna play in direct support to Testament May 3rd. This will also be Jens debut on American soil!"

Darkane also confirmed the following two Swiss live shows in November:
Nouveau Monde, Fribourg November 7th 2008
Metalfest Uri, Ersfeld November 8th 2008

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Source:	darkane.com
Band profile:	Darkane

It's been more than a decade, but all four original members of Mötley Crüe are back together in full force. "Saints Of Los Angeles" is the title track and lead single off the notorious rock band's new album due this Summer. With its powerhouse hook, the track aims to prove that the gang is still on top of its game, rocking harder than ever.

Click here and check out "Saints of Los Angeles" on AOL Music, or via YouTube here.

Bassist Nikki Sixx has issued the following update: "The album's done, the video's done, the artwork is done, the photo sessions are all wrapped up and the single is ready to go to radio, rehearsals start tomorrow; wow??it's been so busy, it feels like I'm leaving a few things out?.and I probably am. I know a lot of you have heard "Saints Of Los Angeles" on the web?.if you like the single, just wait 'til you see the video. OK, my eyes are red, and its a rare night to not have to work, so im gonna sit back and feel good about all the hard work. I hope you all like it as much as we do."

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Source:	motley.com
Band profile:	Mötley Crüe

Indiana's death thrashers Year Of Desolation have posted the beginnings of some new material at an alternative MySpace page available here. A brief statement about their new songs on their real MySpace page, reads as follows:

"5 songs... (count em: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!) have been posted on an alternative myspace!
Disclaimer: These songs are very very rough. Guitars and a Drum machine is all they are. They are being put online because we're honestly unsure if you'll hear em otherwise. Hope you enjoy the tunes!"

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Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Year Of Desolation

Canadian Black metallers Eclipse Eternal have posted the following news on their Myspace page:

"We regret to announce that after 3 years of blood, sweat and black metal, bassist Rose Sodomy and Eclipse Eternal have parted ways. We wish her all the best in her future and are proud to have known her and called her comrade. Effective immediately we are on the hunt for a new bassist. Interested? Check out our ad in the "Musicians Forum" for more details.

Also, in more positive news: Eclipse Eternal has made a video. And not a shitty performance video or a live on stage video. The video will be for the song "The Dragon Has Come To Blot Out The Stars" (featured on our Myspace for those who haven't heard it). It features a full storyline and multiple shoot locations. With a cast and crew of over fifteen people and Adrian Kent and Rouzbeh (if you've ever been to a Noel show you will know who I'm talking about) as the driving forces behind, you can be sure that this video will fucking kill. It features shitloads of blood, prosthetics, creepy fucking locations and a deep story with lots of twists. It took 4 full days of shooting in freezing temp. to do but we all think it was totally worth it. It is currently in post production so look for it in the near (a month or so) future. Tonight I will upload some more shots from the shoot so you can get an idea of what I'm taking about. Please remember they are low-fi compared to the video which was shot in HD."

"The Dragon Has Come to Blot out the Stars" is taken from Eclipse Eternal's latest album, "Ubermensch: Evolution Beyond The Species", which was mixed in Sweden by head knob-twiddler Fredrik Nordström (Dimmu Borgir, Zyklon, Old Man's Child). The CD is available now through The End Records distribution.

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Source:

blog.myspace.com

Vitamin Records press release:

"Metallica is the little engine that roars. That's Motorbreath. This heavy metal locomotive fuels its fire with anger, rage, and uncertainty. Your conductors are Hetfield and Ulrich. By making stops all over the world, Metallica has become the most popular metal band of all time. Beginning with 1983's Kill 'Em All, each subsequent album has brought car loads of new fans. The ride hasn't always been smooth, but Metallica has never been derailed.

This Piano Tribute to Metallica pulls away the iron panels of speed and coal-blackened distortion to reveal the fundamental element of the band's success: grandiose melody. With these arena-sized anthems laid bare, the haunting melodies are heard in their pristine beauty. Fortunately, it is impossible to fully suppress the Wagnerian sturm und drang of the music. Enter Piano Man!"

Release Date: 4/8/2008

"The Piano Tribute to Metallica: Bite The Ivory" cover] tracklist:

01. The Ecstasy Of Gold
02. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
03. Fade To Black
04. Hero Of The Day
05. Escape
06. Mama Said
07. Nothing Else Matters
08. Astronomy
09. One
10. Turn The Page
11. Bleeding Me
12. The Unforgiven

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Source:	vitaminrecords.com
Band profile:	Metallica