Portugal's MOONSPELL are busy working on new songs at their home studio, according to a posting on their web site. "Even on a very early stage we can feel a strongly EPIC pulse on the newborn songs," the band write. "Also we are in the process of compiling and selecting the materials for the MOONSPELL upcoming DVD which is more a reality than ever. Without release date yet the DVD is shaping up and MOONSPELL is brainstorming with the production team to make this DVD a special, unique and original document of our career and representation in the hearts and minds of people that listen to what we have to say or to silence. News will be posted accordingly but the surprises will be only revealed upon its release."

In other news, MOONSPELL singer Fernando Ribeiro has contributed his vocals to recent recordings from two other Portuguese bands. Fernando is featured in two songs and has helped to arrange many other cuts on the new CD from longtime friends and Lusitanian pride THRAGEDIUM. Entitled "Isolationist", the CD can be freely downloaded from THRAGEDIUM's web site: www.thragedium.cjb.net.

Another band featuring Fernando's vocals is THE TEMPLE, who have just released their long-awaited new album, "Diesel Dog Sound". Fernando sings on "Devil's Lover", one of the many "great" songs that this "incredible" album contains, according to a posting on MOONSPELL's web site. The record will be presented live at Hard Rock Café Lisbon on May 11 and Fernando will be one of the guests performing live with the band. Show starts around 10:00 p.m. More information can be obtained at the group's web site: www.thetemple.com.pt.

Band profile:

Moonspell

Legendary Australian metal band MORTAL SIN will release a DVD of their first show back on the road (March 5, 2004 at the Annandale Hotel in Sydney). The release date is not confirmed, but the disc is expected to be ready by the time the band go on tour in June. The DVD will contain the group's complete set from the March 5 gig, an interview with the band about its history and some rare footage of the recording of their classic 1987 debut, "Mayhemic Destruction", and shows from 1987 through to 1997. "The production is awesome and the band are excited about the way the new songs are shaping up," commented singer Mat Maurer.

Projected DVD track listing:

01. Terminal Reward
02. Voyage of the Disturbed
03. Out of the Darkness (new)
04. My Nightmare (new)
05. H
06. Lebanon
07. Rise or Fall (new)
08. All About You (New)
09. I Am Immortal
10. The Infantry Corps
11. Mayhemic Destruction

MORTAL SIN — Maurer, Wayne Campbell (drums), Andy Eftichiou (bass), Joe Buttigieg (guitar, ex-ADDICTIVE) and Mick Sultana (guitar, ex-ADDICTIVE) — are scheduled to support the DVD release in June and July across Australia. The band are currently writing material for their new album, "Far From Extinction", tentatively due later in the year.

Band profile:

Mortal Sin

SIRENIA, the Norwegian band featuring former TRISTANIA guitarist/vocalist Morten Veland, are the latest band confirmed for this year's Summer Breeze festival, set to take place August 19-21, 2004 in Abtsgmünd, Germany.

For more info on this festival, go to our 'Summer festivals' section: http;//www.metalstorm.ee/festivals/

Band profile:

Sirenia

Stockholm, Sweden-based brutal death metallers INSISION have finalized the track listing for their sophomore album, "Revealed and Worshipped", due late summer through Earache/Wicked World Records.

The follow-up to 2002's "Beneath the Folds Of Flesh" was recorded at Soundlab studios in Örebro, Sweden with producer Mieszko Talarczyk of NASUM fame.

"Revealed and Worshipped" track listing:

01. No Belief
02. The Foul Smell Of Humans
03. Imminent Vision
04. In the Gallows
05. The Cleansing
06. Revealed and Worshipped
07. The Unrest
08. Grotesque Plague Mass
09. We Did Not Come To Heal
10. Havoc
11. The Ideas Of Revolution

Norwegian black metallers GORGOROTH have parted ways with Nuclear Blast Records, according to a post on their official web site.

"GORGOROTH are relieved to inform that their cooperation with the German label Nuclear Blast is now ended," reads the post. "They have already received a good offer from another label, but nothing is signed yet. Check back later for more news about this matter."

Meanwhile, SMNNews.com is reporting that GORGOROTH's webmaster has revealed via a posting in the forums of Norway's Scream magazine that the band's drummer, Kvitrafn, has quit the band and has been replaced by none other than Frost (SATYRICON, 1349, KEEP OF KALLESIN).

GORGOROTH drew international attention in early February after they were accused of "offending religious feelings" during a concert in Poland. The band were also suspected of breaching the Polish law on protection of animals by displaying the severed and impaled heads of sheep as part of their stage act.

Band profile:

Gorgoroth

Lords Of Metal (www.lordsofmetal.nl) report that TESTAMENT have split with guitarist Steve Smyth. The band are now in search of a replacement to fill in on their upcoming European tour dates.

Word has it that Smyth has left the band to join NEVERMORE permanently. He has been playing with Nevermore in a session/touring guitarist capacity for the last couple of years.

Reports say that guitarist "Metal" Mike Chlasciak (PAINMUSEUM, ex-HALFORD) could be Smyth's replacement in Testament.

More details on this situation as they become available.

Band profile:

Testament

Swedish power metallers ISENGARD have announced the addition of bassist Ted Lundin to the group's ranks. Lundin replaces Janne "Goat" Tillman, who is said to have left the band in January for "family reasons."

ISENGARD are currently writing material for their fourth full-length album, tentatively due later in the year.

Norwegian black metallers TSJUDER have inked a deal with France's Season of Mist. The group, who issued two albums through Drakkar Productions, will enter the studio in July to record their third CD, entitled "Desert Northern Hell". A fall release is expected.

TSJUDER's second album, "Demonic Possession", was issued in 2002.

MOTÖRHEAD have reportedly set "Inferno" as the title of their new album, due in North America on June 22 through the Sanctuary subsidiary Metal-Is Records (the album will arrive in Europe on June 21 via SPV/Steamhammer Records). Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Terminal Show" (featuring a guest appearance by Steve Vai), "Smiling Like a Killer", "In the Name of Tragedy", "In the Black", "Year of The Wolf", "Life's a Bitch", "Keys to the Kingdom", "Suicide" and "Whorehouse Blues". The cover for the CD is once again being provided by esteemed cover artist Joe Petagno. No further information is currently available.

Band profile:

Motörhead

HATE ETERNAL guitarist Erik Rutan has posted the following message on the group's web site:

"Hello, my evil friends. Rutan here. I apologize for the lack of updates on our site but we've been touring forever. We finished the ARCH ENEMY tour, the HATEBREED tour, and then the DEICIDE/KRISIUN tour and our headliner in Europe with DYING FETUS, DEEDS OF FLESH and PREJUDICE. We did 8 full tours for this album and it was all an incredible success. We, HATE ETERNAL, personally want to thank all the listeners, fans and friends of this band that have helped us become what we are today and for showing your incredible support for us, through our accident and the rough times and all the good times. You guys keep us inspired. Leading on to what's going on with us right now, we are currently working on new material for our 3rd album, which we will record in the late summer, hopefully with a winter 2004 release or early next year. All I can say is that fans of HATE ETERNAL and fans of my old material with MORBID ANGEL will be so very pleased, for this album has all those elements and more! The material is very diverse in an evil and heavy, dark way. Still intense, still fast, still heavy, still lots of twisted melodies but I think this album is going to make some waves. We've never been more focused than we are right now and I wanted to let everyone know what is up with HATE ETERNAL. Keep looking on our site for more info. We will be making changes in the site very soon and once again thank you for your patience and your support. You guys rule."

Florida's Death Metal maniacs MALEVOLENT CREATION have completed their ninth studio album named "Warkult". Stated to be the band's most diverse and punishing record to date, "Warcult" was recorded at Liquid Ghost Recording Studio in Boca Raton, FL, by Phil Plaskon, produced and mixed by producer Jean Francois Degenais (KATAKLYSM) and mastered by Bernard Belley in Montreal, Canada.

The album also marks the return of long time drummer Dave Culross back in the line up.

"Warkult" shall be released on June 28th across Europe, in the USA and other territories about a month later.

Tracklist "Warkult":

01) Dead March
02) Preemtive Strike
03) Supremacy Through Annihilation
04) Murder Reigns
05) Captured
06) Merciless
07) Section 8
08) On Grounds Of Battle
09) Tyrannic Oppression
10) Ravaged By Conflict
11) Shock And Awe
12) Jack The Ripper * (bonus track) Cover song from Australian cult thrash gods Hobbs Angel Of Death.

Read more ››

Band profile:

Malevolent Creation

Sweden's IN FLAMES are documenting their current world tour for a future DVD, tentatively due sometime in 2005. Working with the group on the project is director director Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Films, who has previously collaborated with such acts as DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, WITHIN TEMPTATION, EVERGREY, TIAMAT and PASSENGER, as well as with IN FLAMES on their "The Quiet Place" promotional clip. Filming for the DVD will take place all over the world.

IN FLAMES kicked off a European tour with a hometown gig in Gothenburg, Sweden on Friday (April 16). The group are performing in Stockholm tonight before traveling to continental Europe for the first German date of the tour on Tuesday (April 20).

Band profile:

In Flames

Finnish goth-metallers CHARON have selected FOR MY PAIN? guitarist Lauri Tuohimaa as the permanent replacement for of Jasse Von Hast, who left the group last November. Tuohimaa has spent the last few months playing with CHARON as a session guitarist during their winter live dates.

CHARON have several gigs lined up in Finland during the spring/summer, including appearances at the Tuska, Nummirock and Qstock festivals. The band plan on entering the studio later this year to begin recording the follow-up to last year's "The Dying Daylights", tentatively due in early 2005 through Spinefarm Records.

Band profile:

Charon

STRATOVARIUS keyboardist Jens Johansson has posted the following message in the band's official forum:

"This is a sort of informal update.

"I went to Helsinki, basically to try and help with anything I could. Am here now.

"Jörg Michael will play on the next STRATOVARIUS record (as he is very good of course, and there was no other good drummer materializing out of thin air.)

"He has finished most of the drums, whether Timo will like them or not when he is ready to listen we will see.

"The drums are being recorded in Helsinki. Timo disappeared right on the day they were starting the basic tracks. So for the week before I came, Jörg has been recording in the studio, ALONE, only with a click and nothing else to guide him, just remembering the songs in his head! He was the only guy slaving away in the studio and he's not even in the band! Yes, this is bizarre stuff but if anyone rises to such an occasion it is Jörg I think.

"The new singer Katriina ('Miss K') I haven't actually met yet. And Jari really seems to have dropped off the face of the planet.

"So let's see. So far I have: a singer I never met, a drummer who's not in the band, a bass player who is on another planet, and the main songwriter and producer went to a psychiatric hospital last week. I know all this looks very bad, but the strange thing is that I still very much have some hope left.

"Because I can say is that the songs are really killer, and the drums are good.

"This means anything is possible.

"There are many other things going on, I suppose everyone heard about a few of them already...

"I'm doing fine personally, I still have the hope that like many problems, these will right themselves given some time.

"I have collected my recording gear that was stored here. It all survived the winter and it works. I try to will record... something. I will help with anything that I can. Timo's studio is not operational quite yet, but it is pretty close I believe.

"There is a sauna in the apartment me and Jörg are staying in. There are beers in the fridge. The songs and the drums are good. I am one of the worst pessimists out there. If I say there is hope, then be sure that there actually is hope!"

Read more ››

Band profile:

Stratovarius

German power metallers FREEDOM CALL, who feature in their ranks GAMMA RAY drummer Dan Zimmermann, have set a May 10 release date through SPV Records for their long-awaited live album, "Live Invasion".

The disc, which was recorded on the band's tour with BLIND GUARDIAN, will include a special bonus CD featuring the "Tears Of Taragon" EP plus two tracks that were previously only available in Japan.

Band profile:

Freedom Call