Silent Force's new record label, AFM Records, announced that their new album, "Walk The Earth", will be available February 16th. Cover art can be found at this location.

"This record is exactly how melodic Power Metal should sound in 2007! Honest, down to earth, powerful, cleverly arranged but not completely melodic. Silent Force once again utilised the services of producer Dennis Ward, so prepare for February. The Gods of Power Metal will Walk The Earth; once again!"

"Walk The Earth" will be available on December 21st via Nexus Japan, along with an as-yet-untitled bonus track.

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Source:	bravewords.com
Band profile:	Silent Force

Austrian metallers EDENBRIDGE have announced that their new studio album, The Grand Design, will be released on May 19th via Massacre Records.

The complete track listing is as follows: 'Terra Nova', 'Flame Of Passion', 'Evermore', 'The Most Beautiful Place', 'See You Fading Afar', 'On Top Of The World', 'Taken Away', 'The Grand Design', 'Empire Of The Sun' (Ltd. Edition Bonus Track).

The band will also release the single For Your Eyes Only, featuring a cover version of the James Bond classic (originally sung by Sheena Easton) on April 21st. The complete track listing is as follows: 'For Your Eyes Only', 'Evermore', 'The Grand Design (Edit)', 'For Your Eyes Only' (Acoustic Version).

In addition, Edenbridge will perform at this year's Ragnarock Festival, scheduled for August 17th - 19th at the Valle Hovin Sports Arena in Oslo, Norway.

Source:	bravewords.com
Band profile:	Edenbridge

Kevin Moore and Jim Matheos will be releasing a new OSI album entitled "Free" on April 21st, 2006.

The album will once again have Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater) on drums and will feature Joey Vera (Fates Warning) on bass on five tracks. A special edition double CD of "Free" is scheduled for release in Europe on April 24th.

Office of Strategic Influence - Free Tracklist:

1. Sure You Will (03:46)
2. Free (03:20)
3. Go (04:16)
4. All Gone Now (05:13)
5. Home Was Good (05:03)
6. Bigger Wave (04:30)
7. Kicking (03:52)
8. Better (04:06)
9. Simple Life (04:00)
10. Once (06:34)
11. Our Town (03:20)

Musicians:

Jim Matheos - guitars, keyboards and programming
Kevin Moore - vocals, keyboards and programming
Mike Portnoy - acoustic drums
Joey Vera - bass on Sure You Will, Free, All Gone Now, Bigger Wave, Kicking

Special Edition Double CD:

CD 1

1. Sure You Will (03:46)
2. Free (03:20)
3. Go (04:16)
4. All Gone Now (05:13)
5. Home Was Good (05:03)
6. Bigger Wave (04:30)
7. Kicking (03:52)
8. Better (04:06)
9. Simple Life (04:00)
10. Once (06:34)
11. Our Town (03:20)

CD 2

1. OSIdea 9 (03:33)
2. Set It On Fire (03:42)
3. Communicant (03:47)
4. When You're Ready (demo) (03:09)
5. Remain Calm (04:08)
6. Old War (01:06)

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Source:

osiband.com

Lacuna Coil's, 'Our Truth', from the up coming album KARMACODE - is now available for download at http://www.youtube.com/ and http://www.rapidshare.de/ . Just do a search for 'Lacuna Coil'.

Source:	BraveWords.com
Band profile:	Lacuna Coil

MASTERPLAN vocalist Jorn Lande (ex-ARK, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) will release his fourth solo album, "The Duke", shortly through Germany's AFM Records. The CD was produced by Lande and PAGAN'S MIND guitarist Jörn Viggo Lofstad, and was mixed at Jailhouse Studios in Denmark by Tommy Hansen. Recording musicians include:

Jorn Lande (vocals)
Jörn Viggo Lofstad (PAGAN'S MIND) - Guitar
Tore Moren (CARNIVORA) - Guitar
Morty Black (TNT) - Bass
Willy Bendiksen (COMPANY OF SNAKES) -Drums

Also featured on drums is Stian Kristoffersen of PAGAN'S MIND and FIREWIND, who appears on a newly recorded version of "Starfire", from Lande's debut, and the tracks "Stormcrow" and "After the Dying".

"The Duke" includes a cover version of THIN LIZZY's "Are You Ready". Japanese versions of "The Duke" add an extra track, entitled "Noose".

"The Duke" track listing:

01. We Brought the Angels Down
02. Blacksong
03. Stormcrow
04. End of Time
05. Duke of Love
06. Burning Chains
07. After the Dying
08. Midnight Madness
09. Are You Ready (THIN LIZZY cover)
10. Starfire (2005 version)
11. Noose (Japan only)

Check out audio samples at http://www.melodicrock.com/minibytes.html

Source:	MetalReviews.com
Band profile:	Jorn

The new Vanden Plas album "Christ.0" will be released on the 24th of February 2006. It is a concept album inspired by Alexandre Dumas' novel "The Count of Monte Cristo". The recordings are taking place at the moment at Bazement studios near Wiesbaden, Germany. Here is the track listing:

1. Christ 0 (music: G. Werno/lyrics: A. Kuntz)
2. Postcard to god (music: S. Lill/lyrics: A. Kuntz)
3. Wish you were here (music: G. Werno/lyrics: A. Kuntz)
4. Silently (music: S. Lill/lyrics: A. Kuntz)
5. Shadow I am (music: S. Lill/lyrics: A. Kuntz)
6. Fireroses dance (music: G. Werno/lyrics: A. Kuntz)
7. Somewhere alone in the dark (music: S. Lill/lyrics: A. Kuntz)
8. January sun (music: A. Kuntz, G. Werno/lyrics: A. Kuntz)
9. Lost in silence (music: A. Kuntz /lyrics: A. Kuntz)

Bonus track on initial pressing: Gethsemane (lyrics: Tim Rice/music: Andrew Lloyd Webber)

Also, the "cover artwork" is posted on the band's website (under latest news). Though NOT the final piece, it will look similar.

Source:	vandenplas.de
Band profile:	Vanden Plas

Queensryche returned to the studio this summer to record the long-anticipated sequel to 1988's acclaimed concept album "Operation: Mindcrime". Praised by critics and certified platinum, the original remained on Billboard's album chart for more than a year and its dynamic music and powerful message still resonate today. Rhino Records helps unravel the mysteries of the original with "Operation: Mindcrime II". The album is available March 14 at regular physical and digital retail outlets and at www.rhino.com for a suggested retail price of $18.98.

"Operation: Mindcrime II" contains a 15-song story and is performed by the Seattle-based quintet ? singer and chief songwriter Geoff Tate; guitarists Michael Wilton and Mike Stone; bassist Eddie Jackson, and drummer Scott Rockenfield.

Tate says the current political and social climate inspired him to revisit the storyline. "I left the original open-ended with the intent to come back with a sequel to finish the story up," he says. "Considering where we are today and how little things have changed, it was too ironic not to continue the story."

"Operation: Mindcrime's" intriguing and complex plot revolves around Dr. X, a political puppet master who brainwashes Nikki, the story's main character, to assassinate corrupt public figures. The story also includes Nikki's lover, Sister Mary. A former teenage prostitute who becomes a nun, Sister Mary is murdered mysteriously, leaving the cliffhanger "Who Killed Sister Mary?"

Set 20 years after the original, "Operation: Mindcrime II" explores Nikki's fate after being released from prison and reveals the identity of Mary's killer. "I tried to put myself in Nikki's shoes and imagine what it would be like for him to come back to society after spending 20 years in jail stewing about what happened to him," Tate says. "I became fascinated with the concept of revenge and what that would do to a person like Nikki. The story is ultimately about how Nikki wrestles with his conflicted emotions. On one side, his base instincts are pushing him to kill those who wronged him. On the other side, his conscience ? represented by the spirit of Sister Mary ? urges him to learn from his past mistakes and find salvation."

Earlier this year Queensryche launched a sold-out tour featuring the original "Operation: Mindcrime" performed in its entirety with actors on stage portraying the characters alongside the band. Tate says the band plans to launch a tour in 2006 that will feature a stage performance of both "Mindcrime"s in their entirety. "The actors on stage with us add a new dimension to the music," he says. "It's different than your typical rock show, but the audiences really got into the 'Mindcrime I' tour. It's exciting to have the opportunity to combine both albums into one show. It's going to be epic."

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Source:	bravewords.com
Band profile:	Queensrÿche

OSI (Office Of Strategic Influence), the project featuring Fates Warning guitarist Jim Matheos, ex-Dream Theater keyboardist Kevin Moore and Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, have posted the following message on their official web site:

"Jim, Kevin and Mike were at Carriage House Studios in Connecticut on November 18-20 tracking drums for the forthcoming OSI album. Jim and Kevin are now tracking guitars and vocals, and mixing will take place in January. More information will be posted on this site (track listing, release dates, etc.) as it becomes available."

Initially Mike Portnoy looks like he wasn't going to be involved - he said "Initially I wasn't going to partake in the album and had passed on the offer, but I guess the moral of the story is, 'Never say never,'".

Source:	osiband.com
Band profile:	OSI

Queensryche have set a March 14, 2006 release date for the sequel to their concept album, Operation: Mindcrime, tentatively titled Operation: Mindcrime II. Guitar overdubs for the CD were completed last week, according to a posting on the group's website. The album will be released through Rhino Entertainment.

Source:	Dutch Progressive Rock Page
Band profile:	Queensrÿche

Progressive Metal band, Vision Divine, have launched their new website (http://www.visiondivine.com/) in relation to their soon to be release album, "The Perfect Machine". An mp3 sample of the complete song, God Is Dead, can be found online along with many new features.

As previously reported, Timo Tolkki from Stratovarius produced the album with the band. Release dates are October 26th (Japan) and November 7th, 2005. The final track list for "The Perfect Machine" is:

1. The Perfect Machine
2. 1st day of a never-ending day
3. The ancestor's blood
4. Land of Fear
5. God is Dead
6. Rising Sun
7. Here in 6048
8. The River
9. Now that You've gone
10. The Needle Lies (Queensryche cover, Bonus Track for Japan only)

Source:

visiondivine.com

The fifth studio album by Edenbridge is called "The Grand Design" and will be released in Spring 2006. The production will take place in "Farpoint Station studio" (Austria) and "Thin Ice Studio" in England together with Karl Groom (Threshold). The prominent guests that are confirmed are Dennis Ward and Robby Valentine ! Both will be responsible for backing vocals and choirs on the new album.

Lanvall: " A dream has come true for me that Robby Valentine will take part on the next album. I´ve been in contact with him for a long time now, but unfortunately we never met personally when we were on tour in Holland. When then he also invites you to come to Holland and work with him in his studio, it´s something really special ! Wonderful that Dennis is again doing choirs, his voice is perfectly harmonizing with Sabine´s and had a very important role on "Shine", this is something to continue with and build upon. I´ve been knowing Karl Groom for more than 10 years now, Threshold are one of my and Sabine´s absolute favorite bands and I love Karl´s productions."

The first single will be the song "Evermore". As a special bonus on the single, Edenbridge have done their first cover version ever, the James Bond classic "For your eyes only" originally sung by Sheena Easton!

Source:	edenbridge.org
Band profile:	Edenbridge

The recordings for the next Vanden Plas album "Christ 0" will finally start mid october in the Bazement Studios (where the band already recorded "Beyond Daylight"). The band will probably record 9 songs, plus one bonus track. Out of the nine selected songs, 4 are written by Stephan, 3 by Günter and 2 by Andy. As usual, Andy was also responsible for all the lyrics. As stated before, "Christ 0" will be a concept album based on Alexandre Dumas' "Monte Cristo". No exact release date has been confirmed yet, but it is likely to come out around March/April 2006.

Source:	vandenplas.de
Band profile:	Vanden Plas

BATS (Bexhill Amateur Theatrical Society, http://www.thebats.co.uk ) writer/director Danni Segal has contacted BW&BK with the following news...

Dream Theater's acclaimed 1999 concept album "Scenes From A Memory" is being turned into a full-length stage play. Adapted and directed by long-time Dream Theater fan Danni Segal, this is a prose play, not a performance of the CD.

The play runs for four performances from 17th - 19th of November, 2005 (that's 3 evening performances and 1 Saturday matinee) at the De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill, East Sussex (between Hastings & Eastbourne in South-East England).

As this may be the only time this is ever done, anyone interested is warmly encouraged to come along and see it while they can.

Full details can be found at the BATS website at http://www.thebats.co.uk , which will be regularly updated as work progresses.

Source:	bravewords.com
Band profile:	Dream Theater

As previously reported, Corey Brown (Magnitude Nine, Section 16) met with London band Balance Of Power to audition as their new singer, to replace departing vocalist Jon K. Balance of Power officially announces Corey as their new vocalist and work has already begun on their 6th studio album for release next year.

Source:	balance-of-power.com
Band profile:	Balance Of Power

Fates Warning drummer Mark Zonder has updated his website ( http://www.markzonder.com ) with news on his side project, TempleWithin.

TempleWithin is a new band featuring the talents of Wayne Findlay, (guitars-keys-bass) Gregg Analla (vocals) and Mark Zonder (drums). Currently they are looking for the proper label for the band. A new audio clip will be posted every week or so on their website, http://www.markzonder.com/templewithin.html .

Sample clip online: 'Swept Away'

Source:

bravewords.com