Friday March 31st 2006

Melisend, the Dutch doomy death metal band, is gone! Well, in fact, the band split up after the departure of singer Arjan and drummer Ruben. However, as the band ceased to exist, Arjan met former guitar player and song writer Jonathan and decided to start a project together. Though this is not a real band, they have adopted the old name Melisend. So, the band lives on as a project from now on...!

Seventh Avenue has finished writing songs for their next album. They hope to start recording it in June and they will finance it themselves as they are without label support this time. The new album will be a concept album and according to singer Herbie it will be Seventh Avenue's highlight release!

The Finnish metalcore band Callisto finished their new album, but are still waiting for the art work. There's no release date yet...

Friday March 24th 2006

The American metal band Jacobs Dream is back in the studio. They are recording the follow-up to last year's Drama Of The Ages. The band hopes to finish recording this summer. There's no news as to the release date...so, keep an eye out!

On Monday, Threshold will release a new live CD called Surface To Stage. This album contains ten tracks, recorded in Switzerland during their last European tour. The songs on Surface To Stage are: Mission Profile, Ground Control, Into The Light, Echoes Of Life, Long Way Home, Opium, The Art Of Reason, Pressure, Flags And Footprints and Light And Space.

Norma Jean release the Deluxe Edition of their successful album O' God, The Aftermath. This version features two new tracks plus a bonus DVD with over two hours of videos and behind-the-scenes footage.

Bride has - once again - a new drummer. His name is Denny Johnson. He used to play in the band Bullet Boys who play eighties hits. With Denny Bride is writing songs for a new CD. Although the band is still without a label deal, they plan to record their new album and release it, with or without label support.

The alternative metal band Blissed has been added to the roster of the Silent Planet Festival.  This festival will be in Pennsylvania, USA, on Saturday June 10th. The other bands that will appear on stage, are: Jacob's Dream, Rivera/Bomma, Revelation Project, Orphan Project and Trinity FSG.

Friday March 17th 2006

Morphia has found replacement for guitarist Roger Koedoot. His name is Vincent Eisen. Also bassist Erik van Tulder will leave the band. He's replaced by singer Jasper Pieterson, who will continue with his vocal duties. The final show to see Roger Koedoot and Erik van Tulder live, is at the Gigant in Apeldoorn, Holland, on April 28th. Don't miss this show!

Stryper has expressed their wish to release their first DVD as soon as possible. Unfortunately, a deal with their record company Big3 Records fell through. Right now the band is looking for other companies willing to release the DVD. If that fails, Stryper will release it independently!

Kekal is still working on their new album. The recording sessions are going well. Interestingly, their will be guest appearances from Jason De Ron and Kenny Cheong from Altera Enigma. Kekal's last album Acidity sold well in their home country Indonesia. Over 4,000 copies were sold within a year, with almost no major promotion.

Speaking of Altera Enigma, this Australian/Indonesian band put another song on their Audiostreet page. The track is called Perpetual Motion and can't be found on the band's debut album Alteration.

Silence The Foe have inked a deal with Playground Music. This means their album Shaking Hallelujah will be released in Norway on April 24th. The release will also be available in the rest of Scandinavia and the Baltic states.

The Live, Rare And Raw DVD from Holy Soldier will be released on April 22nd by Roxx Productions.

Emocore band Flee The Seen released their debut album on Facedown Records. This disc is called Doubt Becomes The New Addiction.

On Saturday June 10th their will be a Silent Planet Fest in Pennsylvania, USA. And it will be far from silent, with the following bands appearing on stage: Jacob's Dream, Rivera/Bomma, Revelation Project, Orphan Project, Trinity FSG and other formations yet to be announced. Tickets are $20 in advance; $25 at the gate. 

Friday March 10th 2006

Mortification will release their new album Erasing The Goblin through the German company MCM Music. This label is already working with Narnia and Veni Domine. Rowe Productions, the band's Australian home label, will be able to bring out a special and limited edition of Erasing The Goblin. This edition is limited to 500 copies, all of which will be hand-numbered and signed by the band members. The Rowe Productions edition will have a studio remake of Dead Man Walking that will not be on the MCM Music release and it also comes with different artwork. Expect his one by the end of the month. The MCM Music release of Erasing The Goblin will have the song Servants Of The Supreme Message that will not be on the Rowe Productions edition. This version will come out by mid-year.

Another Australian band, Virgin Black, will release 3 (!!) albums in 2006. Each of these records is a separate entity. When fully unfurled in all its grandeur, listeners will experience a grandiloquent two and a half hour Requiem Mass with three stages of evolution.

The first Virgin Black disc is called Requiem - Pianissimo. This is an entirely classical album performed by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. It will also feature choral arrangements along with tenor, mezzo-soprano and soprano solo voices.

The second record is called Requiem - Mezzo Forte. This disc is where the band joins the orchestra.

And the third Virgin Black album is the heaviest: Requiem - Fortissimo. This record is supposed to unleash a sound heavier than anything in the band's history. While still retaining an air of classical sensibility, it concludes the series with an intense dose of death/doom.

Pop punk band Hawk Nelson released a third song for you to listen to at Purevolume. It's a track from the upcoming album Smile, It's The End Of The World.

Strike First Records signed two bands. First of all, the German hardcore band Today Forever. Listen to them at Purevolume.com. Today Forever is also on the roster of the German label Guideline Records.

The other band signed by Strike First Records is Within from Chattanooga in Tennessee. They play a mixture of southern rock and hardcore. Their upcoming album is The End Is Near, Consider Yourself Warned. You can also listen to this band at Purevolume.com.

Friday March 3rd 2006

The American metal band Saint is working on a new album, the follow-up to In The Battle. Recently Saint also released a live CD.

Youngside Records signed the band Circus Dawn. This alternative metal band released their first album Avant Garde in 2004. Youngside Records will release the project in August 2006.

Facedown Records also signed a new band. This formation is called xDeathstarx. The line-up of this hardcore band features eight members, including three singers! In May xDeathstarx will be recording their first album for Facedown Records. Expect this CD out in August.

If you tried to listen to the Art For The Ears radio show through the livestream last Friday, you'll have noticed this option didn't work. As it happened one of the computers at the radio station got into trouble. This is fixed now, so you can listen tonight to Art For The Ears, starting a few minutes past 8.00 PM CET. The play list includes material from As I Lay Dying, Extol, Descend To Rise, Antestor and a Holy Soldier special!

The reiteration is Tuesday, from 11.00 PM-12.00PM!

Friday February 24th 2006

Stairway are putting the finishing touches to their new album. They hope to have it ready by the end of March. The record is called The Other Side Of Midnight and Stairway thinks it's their heaviest album ever.

After being absent from the scene for four years, Spitfire returns with a new album. Originally the band released its only full length album back in 1999 through Solid State Records. The disc was called The Dead Next Door. This was followed by an EP called The Sideshow Whiplash. The EP was released by Goodfellow Records. This label is now about to release a new CD called Self-Help.

The Brazilian band Shaphal is still working on their new album. They hope to start recording soon.

And the German hardcore outfit Opposition Of One have a new guitar player. His name is Nathan. At the moment the band plays live as a quintet, with a temporary bass player to fill the shoes of David, who left Opposition Of One in January. The quintet will be on the road again in April, with Seventh Star.

Friday February 17th 2006

Opposition Of One recently did their 5th Anniversary Show. At this concert they also released a new EP. This disc contains three new songs, plus a Figure Four cover, plus their video for In His Promise.

Pillar is still in the studio recording their new album. The band hasn't decided on a title yet, but the record should be released in the summer. A few possible titles for songs are: Last Goodbye and Wake Me Up.

As I Lay Dying finished filming the video for The Darkest Nights. It will be released at the end of the month...

Also Demon Hunter has a new video, this time for their song Undying from the new album.

Friday February 10th 2006

Evanescence is still working on their new album. Their guitarist Terry had a stroke in November. He has made a full recovery and is back in the studio. The band hopes to have the album mixed by March 1st. The new Evanescence album will probably come out in early fall.

Shadow Of Sorrow is the title for the debut album from My Silent Wake. Bombworks Records will release the record in March. My Silent Wake also has a new member: Kate Hamilton. She will be contributing cello, keyboards and other assorted instruments. The band is currently writing new material. Right now you can download Shadow Of Sorrow, the title track. Check out the download page on the Bombworks Records website for other interesting downloads, including the song Voyage from Century Sleeper.

The new album from Veni Domine will be released on March 6th through MCM Music. The record is called 23:59 and there are eleven songs on it, including: Electrical Heaven, Valley Of The Visions and Die Another Day.

The Lionheart Brothers from Norway are working on a new album. The recording started in January.

Also The Spirit That Guides Us is releasing new material soon. The new record is called We Are Under Construction, Part 1. This is a compilation album giving an overview of the first five years. The disc will contain sixteen songs, either new, remixed or remastered.

Soundtrack Of A Soul from Liberty n' Justice will be released in Europe on March 24th by MTM Music. Fans in Northern America will have to wait till March 28th when LNJ Records will bring the album out. Avantage Records in Brazil is yet working on a release date.

The re-release of the first two As I Lay Dying CD's on one disc will happen in May or June

Narnia moved from Nuclear Blast to Massacre Records. Their new album Enter The Gaste will be released on April 21st. The record will be released in Japan by Attic Arcade/Gencross on March 23rd.

Friday February 3rd 2006

The Swedish melodic metal band Harmony is recording their next album. This will be the follow-up to Dreaming Awake that came out through Massacre Records in 2003. They will be recording thirteen songs, including Kingdom, Rain and Weak that they played at some of their gigs. Expect an album that's faster and heavier than Dreaming Awake.

Roxx Productions is putting together the finishing touches with Holy Soldier for their DVD Holy Soldier - Live, Rare And Raw. In the meanwhile Holy Soldier is writing and demoing new material that will be used for their tour this Summer.

I Am God, the new album from Rivera/Bomma will finally see the light of day. On February 10th this disc will be released in Europe and Japan through Mausoleam Records. Fans in the USA, however, can already get I Am God through The End Records.

Pop punk band Hawk Nelson have finished up recording their new album, called Smile, It's The End Of The World. This disc will be released by Tooth & Nail Records on April 4th.

POD is doing well with Testify. Their new album entered at #9 on Billboard.

Guardian is working on getting their albums Fire And Love and Miracle Mile licensed for re-issue. The plan is to release those two hard rock albums together and include some bonus material as well.

Fountain Of Tears hopes to have their new record out as soon as possible. The album will be called Fate. Interestingly, they got Kurt Bachman of Believer involved in the production, along with drummer Joey Daub. Both formed the so-called Trauma Team producer duo back in the early nineties.

Speaking of Believer, Joey Daub burned a disc of some rough new tracks for Kurt Bachman. They are still making progress, so you'll have to wait and see what the future holds...