Prophecy Productions press release:

"The taste in your mouth for the last time. Then silence, the hours that go by slowly, the winding nights. Eyes lost in the Milky Way chasing memories. In the tail of a cold comet, with arms stretched out; the heavens suggest words unsaid, phrases unheard. Should we never meet again, this is the music we will listen to until we bleed. With our walkmen, across people who will never know. Hoping not to belong to anything but to distance, to solitary paths, to the city that sleeps, to ghosts of the past.

Klimt 1918's third album is set to be released in June and will be entitled "Just In Case We'll Never Meet Again (Soundtrack For The Cassette Generation)" cover]. It will be available as limited Digipak CD and Jewelcase CD - and there will be also a format for the cassette generation."

The album tracklist:
01. The Breathtaking Days (Via Lactea)
02. Skygazer
03. Ghost Of A Tape Listener
04. The Graduate
05. Just An Interlude In Your Life
06. Just In Case We'll Never Meet Again
07. Suspense Music
08. Disco Awayness
09. Atget
10. All Summer Long
11. True Love Is The Oldest Fear

Release dates:
Germany: 20.06.2008
World: 23.06.2008
USA: 24.06.2008

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Source:	prophecyproductions.de
Band profile:	Klimt 1918

Brazilian thrashers Chaosfear have entered the studio to record their new album, entitled "Images Of Disorder". The follow-up to "One Step Behind Anger" "will include 10 new songs and will be recorded with our original lineup," according to drummer Danilo De Freitas.

For more pictures of the recording sessions, go to http://www.chaosfear.com.

"Images Of Disorder" is scheduled for release in the fall/winter through Old School Metal Records.

Chaosfear was recently rejoined by original guitarist Edu Boccomino. Link]

After quitting Scars, Boccomino was interested in joining up with his brother Fernando once again. "Everything happened so naturally because we have been friends for such a long time," Chaosfear previously said in a statement. "We just had a quick talk and started playing again. The band is very excited to have the original lineup back together."

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Source:	osmrecords.net
Band profile:	Chaosfear

According to Blabbermouth, former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes and original Motörhead drummer Philip "Philthy Animal" Taylor have joined forces in a brand new band. The duo will discuss their collaboration on "The Donnie Lawless Show" on Sound Spectrum Radio this coming Monday, March 24 at 6:30 p.m. Holmes also comes clean about being in W.A.S.P. and his marriage to Lita Ford.

To listen to the show via the Internet, get the free tuner at this link

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Source:	roadrunnerrecords.com
Band profile:	Motörhead

Frontiers Records has announced the signing of White Lion for the band's first studio album in 16 years, entitled "Return Of The Pride". The CD was produced by Mike Tramp and Claus Langeskov during 2007 in both Australia and Copenhagen and is scheduled for release on March 14.

According to singer Mike Tramp, the album title could be interpreted in two ways. "In a musical sense, we have taken a step back in time rather than a step forward in time," he says. "Over the course of this album, lyrically and musically many concepts and themes have been explored. Maybe "Return Of The Pride" means something entirely different."

White Lion will hit the road again in the summer of 2008. "We are not interested in fixing what isn't broke," says Mike. "Our mission is simple: to bring the classic sound of White Lion to the people that still live for that music." Mike adds that the band's new album will be "classic rock in its truest form and a representation of the musical influences that have attached themselves over time.

"Return Of The Pride" tracklist:

01. Sangre de Cristo
02. Dream
03. Live Your Life
04. Set Me Free
05. I Will
06. Battle at Little Big Horn
07. Never Let You Go
08. Gonna Do It My Way
09. Finally See The Light
10. Let Me Be Me
11. Take Me Home (European Bonus Track)

In other news, White Lion is completing work on a 60-minute live DVD from its 2005 Bang Your Head!!! festival appearance, featuring interview footage along with other bonus material. A clip from the performance can be viewed here.

All info on http://www.miketramp.com and http://www.myspace.com/returnofthepride.

Upcoming White Lion tour dates:

APRIL 2008

04/17 Canyon Club Las Vegas, NV USA
04/18 House Of Blues Hollywood, CA USA
04/19 Club Studio 183 Monterey, Mexico
04/20 Nebu Bar Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico
04/21 Hard Rock Live Mexico City, Mexico
04/23 Voce Lima, Peru
04/24 Galpon 6 Galpon 6, Chile
04/26 Circo Voador Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

JUNE 2008

06/08 Sin City Swansea, UK
06/09 The Yardbirds Grimsby, UK
06/10 The Cluny Newcastle, England
06/12 Astoria 2 London, England
06/13 The Rosetta Bar Belfast, Northern Ireland
06/14 The Corporation Sheffield, England
06/15 JB's Dudley, UK
06/18 Smuget Oslo, Norway
06/19 U.L Ørnen Leknes Ungdomshus Leknes, Norway
06/20 Drammens Teater Drammen, Norway
06/21 Flora Hallen Flora, Norway
06/25 Nieuwe Nor Heerlen. Holland
06/26 Elysee Montmartre Paris, France

Read more ››

Source:

miketramp.com

Dutch metallers Epica have announced the following statement on their website:

The extra weeks of rest, as a result of the cancellation of most of this month's shows, have helped Simone a lot in recovering from her MRSA infection. Three out of the four aspects in her latest test already showed negative, which is a major step forward! Unfortunately this also means that one of these still showed positive. As optimistic as we may be about these final test results, we just cannot risk her health by having her go on tour this soon already.

We have come a great way already and we must continue this way to overcome this. Therefore we have decided to ask our good friend Amanda Somerville to substitute Simone on our upcoming USA tour. As you all know, Amanda has been involved with Epica from the beginning as a vocal coach and can also be heard on every album as backing vocalist as well as part of our choir. We are very happy that Amanda is willing to help us out on this and we are most positive that these extra weeks of rest will give Simone enough time to fully recover from this infection so that she can join us on stage again during our Dutch club shows.

Read more ››

Source:	epica.nl
Band profile:	Epica
Event:	Symphony X + Epica: N. American Tour

Ayreon official website have published a press-release about a new Ayreon EP to be released at the end of April 2008 called "Elected."

On January 25, 2008 the rock operas of Arjen Lucassen and Tobias Sammet, respectively Ayreon's "01011001" and Avantasia's "The Scarecrow," were released simultaneously. The music press, always eager for a story, called this event the "Clash of the Titans," gleefully portraying the two musicians as bitter rivals and urging each to comment on the other in countless interviews. There was much speculation about which album would be more successful, but upon release both albums immediately charted in several countries around the world. When asked about the so-called rivalry, Arjen explains: "I'd not yet even heard Tobias's album, but when I found out he'd managed to get my all-time favourite artist Alice Cooper to guest on The Scarecrow, I totally freaked out and sent a hate-mail to Tobias's MySpace. Fortunately, he never received it."

Coincidentally however, Tobias, who was fed up with having to talk about Arjen in interviews, grudgingly decided it was time to get acquainted. He emailed Arjen, and in the stream of email and insults that followed "it turned out that Tobias hated me just as much for having got Bruce Dickinson to guest on an Ayreon album, haha!" Arjen explains. Despite their mutual hatred, the two musicians eventually hatched a plan to put some fuel on the fire created by the press by doing the unthinkable: recording a song together. The result is a mind-blowing over-the-top cover version of Elected, the original version of which was a big hit for Alice Cooper back in 1973.

The song "Elected" will be featured on a 4-track EP released by Inside Out Music/SPV (release dates: 25 April for Germany/Austria/Switzerland; 28 April for Europe). The 3 other tracks featured on the EP are an acoustic live radio session of the "01011001" track "E=mc2" with Marjan Welman on vocals, "Ride the Comet" taken from the album "01011001," and a touching piano-only version of "The Human Equation" track "Day Six: Childhood" featuring Joost van den Broek and Marjan Welman.

The cover can be viewed here.

In other news. The latest Ayreon album "01011001" will be released on vinyl.

As reported in the Arjen Lucassen newsletter #82, the new Ayreon album "0011001" is to be released on vinyl. It will be a triple-album set on clear vinyl. However, the mid-March release date has been postponed. The new (but still tentative!) release dates are as follows: Germany, Austria, Switzerland: 11 April; Europe: 14 April; USA: 22 April.

Read more ››

Source:	ayreon.com
Band profile:	Ayreon

A new full song from the forthcoming Circle II Circle album "Delusions Of Grandeur" has been posted at the band's official website, in the "Sounds" section. The song is called "Fatal Warning" and is the opening track of Circle II Circle's fourth album. Click here to check it out.

"Delusions Of Grandeur" is set to be released on April 25 2008 via AFM Records.

Read more ››

Source:	circle2circle.net
Band profile:	Circle II Circle

Todesbonden - the US classical, renaissance influenced gothic/doom-metal band created by Laurie Ann Haus (Autumn Tears, Ephemeral Sun, Nest, Rain Fell Within, Garden Of Shadows) - are finally releasing their long-awaited album "Sleep Now, Quiet Forest" through Prophecy Recordings on June 24.
"Sleep Now, Quiet Forest" was mixed, produced and mastered by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Katatonia, Daylight Dies, Pain Of Salvation) from Fascination Street Studios.

"Sleep Now, Quiet Forest" tracklisting:

01. Surrender To The Sea Listen]
02. Surya Namaskara
03. Trianon
04. Angus Og's Fiddle
05. Fading Empire
06. Ghost Of The Crescent Moon Listen]
07. Flow My Tears
08. Sailing Alone
09. Lullaby
10. Battle Of Kadesh Listen]
11. Sleep Now, Quiet Forest

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Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Todesbonden

A few days ago, Swedish Heavy Metallers Wolf have posted the following message on their MySpace:

"As many off you know, and many of you DON'T know, Wolf did a cover of Mercyful Fate's "A Dangerous Meeting" on the 2002 release "Black Wings". We thought we'd share that with those off you that missed out, so we "gave" the song to the Wolf UK MySpace site. We're fans of metal, good metal that is, and there's no doubt about the impact Mercyful Fate have had on Wolf so we did a cover of 'em to show our appreciation. Getting the (devilish) blessing from several Mercyful Fate members for that version made us believe in metal even more! So go to http://www.myspace.com/wolfwarriorsuk and enjoy goddamnit, enjoy!"

Wolf are currently writing the follow-up to 2006's "The Black Flame" which they will be recording this summer.

Read more ››

Source:	blog.myspace.com
Band profile:	Wolf

Press release Obscura, March 21, 2008

"German technical death metallers Obscura have posted three brand new tracks on their official MySpace page. The unsigned band is currently working on a pre-production for the second album, which will be released in 2008. The new material will be very brutal again but with a more technical approach.
Late 2007 - after several line-up changes - Obscura announced drummer Hannes Grossmann (ex-Necrophagist) and fretless bass player Jeroen Paul Thesseling (ex-Pestilence) as new permanent members. Early 2008 the new lineup was completed by Christian Muenzner (ex-Necrophagist) as permanent guitarist.
For further information please visit http://www.myspace.com/realmofobscura."

Obscura is:
Steffen Kummerer - guitars, vocals
Christian Muenzner - guitars (ex-Necrophagist)
Jeroen Paul Thesseling - bass (ex-Pestilence)
Hannes Grossmann - drums (ex-Necrophagist)

Read more ››

Source:	obscura-metal.com
Band profile:	Obscura

Frontiers Records is pleased to announce all the details for the release of Michael Kiske's new album entitled "Past In Different Ways" on May 9th 2008.

This much talked about album includes the reworking in a new fully acoustic and stripped back mood of some of Helloween's classics that Kiske wrote and recorded in his early days with the legendary German Heavy Metal band. "When Serafino Perugino brought up the idea to do this record" says Michael, "my first reaction was: "No way! I don't want to be dealing with my past all the time anymore!". But after a few days my thinking changed and I thought: maybe it's not such a bad idea at all? Because on one hand it shows that I don't reject my past just because I'm a different person today and on the other hand it can maybe give people who were part of that past a different view at those songs. It's my music, I can still identify myself with its spirit, so why should I not do this?"

Working in a creatively free environment helped Michael to look at his past with different eyes and brought the idea of working again on the songs that Michael wrote for Helloween during his years with the band. The result is "Past In Different Ways", a record which includes brand new recordings of Kiske's songs taken off the two "Keeper" albums, "Chameleon" and "Pink Bubbles Go Ape", plus the brand new song "Different Ways".

The unconventional arrangements of many of the tracks will surprise and delight many of his fans and more surprising is to see how well these songs sound with a basic acoustic arrangement, without the "useless weight" and with new keys. "Songs like "In The Night" or "When The Sinner" which where never favourites of mine are much cooler and much more convincing now for my ears", says Michael.

The album was recorded and mixed in Hamburg under Michael Kiske's direction and features long time collaborators such as Sandro Giampietro on guitar, Fontaine Burnett on bass and Karsten Nagel on drums.

Kiske concludes: "It was not always easy for me emotionally to deal with this material. Music somehow seems to preserve emotional memories and I connect big human disappointments with the last years of that time. There's also something very unsatisfying about re-recording old songs; it's always MUCH better to write new stuff, but I wanted to make those songs mine again. And in spite of the fact that I strongly felt for the last couple of years that I rather have to build myself a new base of friends, it's always good

Read more ››

Source:

frontiers.it

According to a report from Realtid.se Candlemass guitarist Mats Björkman will spend two years in a Swedish prison, convicted of grand theft following an investigation that revealed that he and an accomplice stole CDs with a retail value of SEK 3 million (approximately $490,000) from the Entertainment Network Scandinavia AB warehouse, where the pair worked.

The full report can be found here (in Swedish). An English translation of the story can be found at this location.

UPDATED on 24 March:

Candlemass have issued the following statement: "Candlemass' answer to the crap that's been published lately is very simple: NOTHING HAS CHANGED!! The band will record the planned EP, "Lucifer Rising", in April WITH MAPPE... Candlemass will also tour the States WITH MAPPE in May and June and also record the follow up to "King Of The Grey Islands" this coming autumn WITH MAPPE!! Despite what's been said in the press the band is very optimistic about the future. 2008 and 2009 will be two great years for Candlemass. Don't believe everything you read!!"

Read more ››

Source:	bravewords.com
Band profile:	Candlemass

Finnish Progressive metallers Malpractice have uploaded another new song, entitled "Deception", to the band's MySpace page.
This new song comes from the band just-released third album, entitled "Triangular".

Another new song, entitled "Maze Of Inequity", was previously released on their MySpace page as stated here.

Read more ››

Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Malpractice

On 11th of April Vader will play an exclusive show in Egypt. That's gonna be one of the first death metal shows in that part of the world! The show will take place in Kair at La Villa Club. Local acts Worm and Dark Philosphy will appear on stage as support acts. The show will be organized by Music Gates agency. "That will be definitely an exciting outing, Vader have never played in Egypt and frankly speaking, we feel almost like pioneers trying to put up a death metal flag on a "no-man's-land". We have some doubts (concerning safety and gig's organization) but hopefully the organizers of the show will do the best to make this show an unforgettable experience both for the fans and the band. We are going to play a great concert for a great audience and be back home safe and sound." - Mariusz Kmiolek (Massive Music).

In the meantime, also Dubai-based death/thrash band Nervecell have been confirmed as the support act on the night. It will mark Nervecell's second appearance in Egypt, as the band had previously headlined the Egypt Metal Festival in March 2007.

Two weeks before this show Vader will appear on South American tournee, playing 10 shows together with Marduk in such countries as Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela.

Read more ››

Source:	vader.pl
Band profile:	Vader
Event:	Vader [CANCELLED]

The following short message was posted on the home page of Elis:

''We will play at the 'Festival For Free' at the P.M.K. in Innsbruck (A) on April 19th 2008! So if you want to see Elis for free, be there!''

Also this:

''We proudly announce that we are going to play this year at Wave-Gotik-Treffen and M'era Luna Festival! We are very happy to be part of the line-up, and can't wait to play! Hope to see you there!''

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Source:	elis.li
Band profile:	Elis