Original news, posted on 13.01.2010

German metallers Grave Digger have issued the following update:

"An eventful year 2009 lies behind us. It started with the release of the Ballads Of A Hangman album together with the successful European tour. Then the split with Thilo Herrmann (guitar)... Another successful trip to Russia. The festival season in summer with the Rock Harz festival and the Wacken Rocks South. Our first shows in Mexico and then finally Manni Schmidt (guitar) leaving the band, that was a real big shock to us all.

We had already booked some concerts (before) the end of the year and we didn't want to cancel them. So we decided to play the shows with a substitute guitarist. An old friend stepped in: Axel Ritt (Domain. So we had the chance to finish the year in a peaceful way with these concerts. We are glad to announce Axel as the new guitar player of Grave Digger. His playing and his behaviour on and off stage totally convinced us that he is the right man for the job.

We are already in the middle of the songwriting for the new album. In May we will enter the Principal Studios again to record the new material."

UPDATE (thanks to Bad English)

German metallers Grave Digger have issued the following update on their MySpace blog:

"Hi everybody,

Last weekend, we've been at the TLC studio, Cologne /Pulheim to put down the first song ideas of the upcoming album. Holy shit, what a blast! Although we only got the first compositions on the list, you can imagine the direction of the songs. Let's call it typical Grave Digger!

Once again you'll get the full monty, but spiced with some tiny little finesse. After all that stress within the last year, finally we had the chance to leave the ballast behind and rock it off our chest. Axel and Jens put down some awesome riff ideas, which will be hammered to real hot steel within the next 3 months.

At the middle of May, we'll be at the Principal studio once again, let the Resetti Brothers (never change a winning team) produce the new album.

All you fans out there will get what you want us to do and for what you loved and kept faith with us.

According to the motto: "The Clans Will Rise Again"
Metal On.
Chris, Jens, Axel, Stefan and HP."

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Source:	grave-digger-clan.com
Band profile:	Grave Digger

Chimaira's 10th annual hometown Christmas show on December 27 at the House of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio will be filmed for a forthcoming concert DVD.

Commented guitarist Rob Arnold: "It's hard for us to believe that the first time Chimaira played the Cleveland area over the holidays was ten years ago this Christmas. And the fact that the show became an annual event, drawing metal heads from not only the Cleveland area but from all over the globe, makes it all the more special.

I remember being excited years ago, when fans started showing up from places as far as Texas, and now seeing fans flying in from places like Europe and the U.K. is, to say the least... astonishing.

So here we are... our tenth annual Chimaira Christmas show, and we plan to make it special. The production will be the biggest and the best yet, and the set list will span our entire catalog."

Chimaira is currently on tour in the U.S. with Trivium.

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Source:	chimaira.com
Band profile:	Chimaira
Event:	Chimaira

Here's the official word from the band:

"Polish tech death metal masters Decapitated are finally back with a vengeance! After the band had to suffer tragic losses during the past two years, the last remaining founding member Vogg managed to put together a whole new line-up that will represent Decapitated in 2010 as powerful and brutal as they were ever before. To open that new chapter, Decapitated will embark on a co-headlining UK tour with fellow label mates Kataklysm in February 2010!

Commented Vogg: "Hello, what's up UK! As you all know, 2 years after the tragedies we had to suffer, I decided to continue the band. There's no sense in stopping this amazing thing we built up so many years ago together with Witek, Sauron, Martin and Covan. We chose to do our first tour in the UK because we have only good memories from this place and we are sure that you guys will support us... we need you!

I am very pleased to announce the new killer line-up of Decapitated: Kerim "Krimh" Lechner on drums - he's a new blood, very talented and used to play in bands like Thorns Of Ivy and Tone Intimacy. Amazing Rafał Piotrowski comes from bands like Ketha and Forgotten Souls and will take over vocal duties, where masterous Filip "Heinrich" Hałucha from Vesania, Rootwater, UnSun and Masachist will be destroying the bass!

See you all soon! We honestly can't wait!"

Decapitated/Kataklysm UK Tour:

01 Feb - UK - Birmingham - 02 Academy 2
02 Feb - UK - Glasgow - Ivory Blacks
03 Feb - UK - Manchester - Moho Live
04 Feb - UK - Bristol - Blerkeller
05 Feb - UK - Reading - Sub89
06 Feb - UK - Leeds - Rios
07 Feb - UK - Wrexham - Central Station
08 Feb - UK - London - 02 Academy Islington (without Kataklysm)

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Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Decapitated

Therion's webmaster has offered the following update:

"It has been a long time since you have heard anything new from Therion now, so I thought I should give a few updates.

As you may or may not know, Therion is in progress of recording a new album. As usual, Therion is being very secretive about the entire process, but I will reveal some details: a new studio has been built for most of the recording of this album. The mix, and a few recordings, will be done at another studio - "A truly legendary studio!" according to Chris. Expect something spectacular, even by Therion's standards!

The recording will continue for the rest of the year, and probably also through January."

Source:	megatherion.com
Band profile:	Therion