Friday July 29th 2005

Last week Blindside shot a video for the single Fell In Love With The Game. They did this with director Shane Drake in California. Fell In Love With The Game is the first single from the new album The Great Depression. This record will be out on August 2nd in the USA, on August 5th in Germany and Europe and on August 15th in the United Kingdom and Sweden.

The Belgian black metal band Natan has two new singers. First of all, old Natan singer and violinist Jonatan returned. And the other new member has almost the same name... Jonathan. Natan won't be playing live for a while as drummer Ezra moves to Kosovo for four months. The band will be concentrating on their next album.

Mmhmm, the latest album from Relient K has been certified Gold in the USA. This means over a 500,000 copies were sold so far in the US alone.

The Brazilian band Sabbatariam will release their next album Left Behind through On Fire, a label from New Zealand.

Rivera/Bomma signed a deal with Mausolem Records. This Belgian label will release the album I Am God on November 7th. A follow-up release will come out next year.

This week your attention is asked for a special occasion. Frequent Art For The Ears forums visitor and devout Saviour Machine fan Peter Kompanje was diagnosed with the advanced stage of colon cancer last February. This week his doctor informed him he has only 3-8 weeks to live. As he's been in regular contact with Saviour Machine singer Eric Clayton, he asked him if he could get an advance copy of the next Saviour Machine album. This was the reason for Clayton to invite Peter Kompanje to his house in California, USA. However, Saviour Machine has called in the help of their fans to help raise the money to make this possible. Donations are very welcome. You can find all information about Peter Kompanje's situation on the Saviour Machine site. Look here for details and how you can be of help.

Friday July 22nd 2005

Divinefire is working hard on their new album Hero. The record is now mixed and mastered. The band recently signed a deal with AOR/Metal Heaven in Germany, for the European market. This label will re-release Glory Thy Name in late July. They will also include the videoclip for The World's On Fire as bonus material.

You can pre-order the DVD from Project 86 beginning on August 1st. This DVD will include footage from the making of ...And The Rest Will Follow, as well as brand new songs, photos, the Spy Hunter video and a two dollar off coupon for the new record which will be out on September 27th through Tooth & Nail Records.

No Innocent Victim has said goodbye to Corey, who left the band as he could combine being in the band with his work, family and his other band Thieves And Liars. Corey is replaced by Dave Quiggle from Jesus Wept. The NIV record is almost completely written. A release date is not set yet.

On August 1st Momentum Scandinavia will have two new releases. First of all the Abyssal Throne EP from Sympathy. This edition is limited to only 850 copies. The other release is the re-release of Sonrise from Schaliach. This edition is limited to 1000 copies.

The Brazilian metal band Sabbatariam have finished writing songs for their upcoming album. Tentative title is Left Behind and this will be a concept album. They'll start recording in October.

The Finish metal band Venia is working with Bombwork Records. This American label will release the new EP In Our Weakness in late August.

Braquet is a new band from the Faroer Islands. One of the members is Arni Zachariassen, also known from I Am. The band plays melodic rock/metal. Braquet recently signed a management deal with BTM Artist Management. From Purevolume you can download the track All I Want.

The first bands at this year's Nordic Fest have been announced. On this Norwegian metal festival you can expect: Crimson Thorn, Morphia, Zeenon, Drottnar, Grand Lux, Aspiration and more. The festival will take place from November 3rd through 6th in Oslo.

Friday July 15th 2005

The wait is almost over for Fire Fly. The British atmospheric rock band is going to release a new album. The record is called Breathe and will be brought out by Embryo Industries. You can download a pre-release track called Wish from Purevolume. Fire Fly is the band of Mark Broomhead (bass, formerly of Detritus & Seventh Angel), Simon Bibby (guitars & vocals, formerly of Seventh Angel) Scott James (keyboards, vocals) and Ben Griffiths (drums).

As I Lay Dying won the "who's next" contest on Yahoo. Visit Yahoo to view a live video stream and an interview with the band.

Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat is the striking title for the new The Juliana Theory album. Expect this album to be out on September 13th on Paper Fist/Abacus Recordings. The album was produced by John Travis (Social Distortion, Kid Rock) and vocalist Brett Detar. The mixing was done by Joe Barresi (Queens of the Stone Age, Rancid). "This is the fastest, most energetic, and urgent record we’ve ever made," explains Detar. "We really set out from the beginning of the writing process to make an album that's a lot closer to the energy of our live show."

The Hot Stewards is a new band on Sally Forth Records. They're described as rock 'n roll as it was meant to be. The line-up features members from The Spirit That Guides Us, Campsite, Oil and Face Tomorrow.

Venia is working hard on a new mini-CD. They recorded this four song disc in May. The new material is said to be heavier and more diverse than previous material from this Finnish metal band. Expect this CD in late Summer or early Fall.

Rick Ray is working on a new album called Temporary World that he believes is his best musical endeavor he's involved in since he started playing guitar in 1966. The Rick Ray Band will be performing live in concert at the Shore Theater in Euclid, Ohio, on Saturday, July 30th, 2005.

Friday July 8th 2005

Four days ago Alice Cooper released his new album Dirty Diamonds in Europe. American fans will have to with till August 2nd for the disc to come out.

On Sunday Brain:FAQ will enter the Tin Roof Studio to record their new album. They're taking two weeks for it. The album will be produced by Tobias Kurrle and Daniel Konold (Opposition Of One, Semtex).The new record will be released by Whirlwind Records. Brain:FAQ still has the intention to change their name...

Friday July 1st 2005

The British doom metal band Ashen Mortality no longer exists. The band of former Seventh Angel singer/guitarist Ian Arkley played their last concerts in Norway and the United Kingdom last year. However, you can still get their music as Cold Fusion reissued the first two albums (Sleepless Remorse & Your Caress).

My Silent Wake is the brand new band formed from the dying embers of Ashen Mortality. The line-up features Ian Arkley and also Andi Lee and Jasen Whyte who played bass and drums in the list live performances of Ashen Mortality. The formation is completed by Alan Southorn who also plays in The Other Window, another band from Ian Arkley. My Silent Wake have recorded a two song last month which contains the songs Your Cold Embrace and Encircle and weighs in at over 16 minutes. My Silent Wake play gothic death/doom which will appeal to fans of My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost and Dark Tranquility. Jasen Whyte is also a member of death metal band Bloodwork.

The Other Window, Ian Arkley's other musical outlet, play what is called Hawkwind style space rock. The Other Window recorded a demo and are playing the Greenbelt Festival in August.

And Ian Arkley's collaboration with James Allin of Visionaire under the moniker of Century Sleeper will result in the release of a debut album this summer. Look for it out on Cold Fusion.

And if that's not enough, the first two Seventh Angel album are re-released by Retroactive Records. This company also released the Heed The Warning demo on CD, adding live material to it.

Solid State Records posted an unmastered version of the song Elegy from Becoming The Archetype on hxcmp3.com. This is one of the tracks on the upcoming album Terminate Damnation and it features guest vocals of Ryan Clark of Demon Hunter. Terminate Damnation will be out on August 30th.

On Purevolume.com you can listen to a new Nodes Of Ranvier song called Glass Half Nothing. It's from their upcoming album The Years To Come that'll be out through Facedown Records in September.

Transfigural Form (the former band of Todd Pope of Eden In Ruins) is going to have a collection released through Centurion Outpost Records. The title of the CD will be The Only Collection and will contain a lot of previously unreleased material. It's still unsure when this album will be out.

Friday June 24th 2005

The Great Depression is the title for the next Blindside album. According to rumors, this album is the heaviest Blindside record ever.

Veni Domine are mixing their new album. This is their fifth record and it was mainly recorded at the Room Of Doom studio. It was produced by guitarist Torbjörn Weinesjö and the band. Veni Domine is negotiating their contract with Thunderload Records.

Narnia have finished tracking drums and rhythm guitars for their next album. The songs cover the whole spectrum from heavy riffs to catchy up-tempo songs. Narnia have been digging among their melodic roots, but are also working on a modern sound for the new material.

Kekal have announced the return of lead guitarist Leo Setiawan to the line-up. Leo left the band four years ago when he went to Melbourne in Australia. Now he's back in Indonesia and back in Kekal.

In case you didn't know, The Agony Scene released their new album The Darkest Red. It's released by Roadrunner Records. You can check out a live video of the song Prey at UMTV.com.

As I Lay Dying are doing very well with their new album Shadows Are Security. In the first week of its release, over 33,000 copies were sold. This enabled the album to enter the Billboard Charts in the USA on position # 35!

Ashton Nyte announced the name of his newest project: Ashton Nyte And The Accused. Their debut CD Headspace will be out in South Africa on July 18th. On the website of the band The Awakening, another outlet for Ashton Nyte, you can download another previously unreleased track. It will be available as of July 1st (and not June 1st as previously announced).

Solid State Records released the debut album from As Cities Burn. The CD is called Son, I Loved You At Your Darkest. You can listen to material at Purevolume.com.

And the new Haste The Day album When Everything Falls will be out on June 28th.You can also listen to songs on Purevolume.com.

Thousand Foot Krutch have completed their new disc called The Art Of Breaking. Expect this album to be out on July 19th.

Friday June 17th 2005

Slechtvalk will hit MTV with their new clip Thunder Of War. Make sure you watch the MTV show Rockzone to see Slechtvalk entering your living room! Also the maxi-single Thunder Of War is now available from Fear Dark. The disc include two exclusive bonus tracks: Loss and Illusions.

This summer Fear Dark will release a double CD digi-pack from Immortal Souls. This double disc contains the Once Upon A Time In The North compilation album with two new songs, the EP The Cleansing, the EP Divine Wintertime, some early demo songs, and the Under The Northern Sky album.

The recording of the next Mortification album is delayed due to the departure of drummer Mike Forsberg. Mike will be pursuing other projects and will be working with former Mortification guitarist Mick Carlisle once again. Mortification expects to record their new album later this year. Tentative title is Erasing The Goblin.

Mortification singer and bassist Steve Rowe recently attended a show of former guitarist Lincoln Bowen's new band The Eternal. This doom act is signed to Firebox. The Eternal will be touring Europe in mid 2006.

Friday June 10th 2005

Royal Anguish has signed a record deal with Fear Dark. This Dutch label will do a limited release of the band's latest EP Tales Of Sullen Eyes. The disc was recorded at Mana Studios in Tampa, Florida, USA, with Erik Rutan. Royal Anguish will also be recording a brand new full length CD during the fall of 2005. The scheduled release is for the first quarter of 2006. "We are proud to welcome Royal Anguish to our label", says Roy, co-owner of Fear Dark. "We noticed the band several years ago and feel that the right moment has come for us to make a deal with them. Royal Anguish has become a very talented band mixing extreme metal with a bit of gothic metal influence. By signing them we also will get a stronger influence on the USA-market." A European tour in early 2006 is already being planned.

As I Lay Dying needs your help. You can vote for the band to become Yahoo's Who's Next? artist. As I Lay Dying recently shot their first video for the song Confined from the Shadows Are Security album. This video was directed by Chris Sims, known for his work with Lamb Of God, Norma Jean and Zao.

Project 86 started mixing their new album with Josh Wilbur (Atreyu, Still Remains). The title for the CD will be ...And The Rest Will Follow. Expect his album to be out on September 27th 2005.

Momentum Scandinavia will release a limited editioned EP from Sympathy. This disc will be called Abyssal Throne and it will have two new tracks, brand new versions of Immolation Of The Dragon and Occupy, plus a cover from Suffocation. The EP will be limited to 850 copies.

Underoath shot a video for It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door. This song is one of the tracks from the They're Only Chasing Safety album which sold over 180,000 copies so far.

Stairway have finished recording most of the parts on five tracks for their new record. They'll hope to have the CD out this year. On October 1st you can see them live at a Metal Festival in Germany, along with Narnia and Rob Rock.

Friday June 3rd 2005

The goth-industrial band Leper released their new album Kreischen. It's their fourth CD and the first released by Grrr Records.

Headnoise has completed work on their new album titled For Now We Know: In Part I. Originally this CD was planned to be only an EP. The CD will not only be full-length, but will also contain two live videos. Expect it out in July.

Inked In Blood are currently recording their debut full length Lay Waste The Poets. A release date will be scheduled very soon.

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Here's some Brazilian news, collected by Flávio de Souza and Rosemari de Melo Souza of Metal Mission:

Black metal band Berith is re-recording their first album Symphony of the Suffering. Berith split up in 1999. Last year Extreme Records proposed to re-release the band's debut. After meeting for rehearsals, the former musicians considered the return of the band. This re-recorded album will probably be released this summer.

Two bands decided to quit: Serenade In Darkness and Stauros.

From the store of Metal Mission you can get the EP Forged from Bloodforge. This EP contains three gothic metal songs with female vocals. The running time is 16 minutes.

Heavy metal band Pentecost released the CD Princípio Do Fim.

A new black metal band is Destruction Seol. They're influenced by Horde, Dark Endless and Sorrowstorm. Destruction Seol will be recording their demo CD called Armagedom Dark this year.

Also power metal band Seventh Symphony has plans to record a demo CD.

Another new band is Vestigium Dei featuring members and former members of Clemency, Völlig Heilig and Silver Blade. Musically you can expect elements of heavy metal and thrash metal as well as nu metal. Vestigium Dei released a demo CD with four songs.

Arcanjo will release a new CD. This album is entitled Evidence Of Persistence and it will contain thirteen tracks. Expect thrash metal influenced by Slayer, Pantera, Lamb Of God and Living Sacrifice. Arcanjo also announced the release of a DVD called Arckvives.

Seven Angels is finishing the production of their new album Faceless Man. This CD will feature guest appearances from Marco Caporasso (Dragon Heart), Ronaldo Simolla (Matriz) and Osias (Serenade In Darkness).

And The Joke? is currently recording their new album Cockroach. This CD will contain 11 tracks..