A message posted on the official homepage of the band:
We have uploaded a preview of the upcoming DVD. Feel free to check it out! Enjoy: http://www.evergrey.net/media/vid-evergrey-more_than_ever.wmv

Source:	evergrey.net
Band profile:	Evergrey

"Mikael Åkerfeldt has been confirmed as the vocalist for the first and last Bloodbath gig. This will take place at Germany's famous Wacken open air festival on the 4th of August. The band will perform songs from all three albums including the non-Åkerfeldt death-bomb "Nightmares made flesh" that featured Peter Tägtgren on vocals. The all star line-up will consist of: Anders Nyström (Katatonia), Jonas Renkse (Katatonia), Dan Swanö (legendary multi musician), Martin Axenrot (Nifelheim, Witchery etc) and Mikael Åkerfeldt. Be there or....well, of course you'll be there!!

Opeth will be entering Fashination street studios on March 15 to record their 8th yet untitled opus. The band are currently in rehearsal mode, which is a rare occasion having recorded the last 4 records without rehearsing. The recording will be overseen by the uprising recording mogul Jens Bogren. As of today no names for production duties have surfaced and it looks like the next record will be a band produced effort. Nothing has been decided regarding who's taking care of the mix either so we'll have to keep you wondering.

Opeth and their management have spent the last month meeting the 5 top label candidates for the next Opeth recording contract. The names are still secret but a decision will be made very soon and obviously announced here earlier than anywhere else".

Source:	opeth.com
Band profile:	Opeth

Long-running Dutch death/thrash metal band THANATOS are busy writing new songs for their fifth full-length album, to be recorded before the end of the year.

THANATOS' fourth album, "Undead. Unholy. Divine", was released last summer through Greece's Black Lotus Records. The follow-up to 2000's "Angelic Encounters", "Undead. Unholy. Divine" was produced by Hans Pieters and the band at Excess studios in Rotterdam, Holland and was mastered by Attie Bauw (JUDAS PRIEST, SCORPIONS, GOREFEST).

Source:	blabbermouth.net
Band profile:	Thanatos

According to Iltalehti, a new song from the forthcoming Stratovarius album has been suspended by the band's own record label, Sanctuary Music German Division. The opening intro of that song was supposed to start with the speech of Hitler. According to Timo Tolkki who points out the song is completely anti Hitler and therefore appeals to the freedom of the art. Tolkki adds that he has always been interested in Hitler and what made Hitler become such a monster, the song is as antifacist as possible. The lyrics of the song has been sent to the censorship department of the Ministry of the Interior Of Germany, which will make a decision about the legality of the song.

Source:	iltalehti.fi
Band profile:	Stratovarius

The spanish band had posted a mp3 of the song "Before The Duel" in their official website. Click here to download the song .

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Source:	dark-moor.com
Band profile:	Dark Moor

Sinergy, the acclaimed Finnish metal band featuring singer Kimberly Goss and Children Of Bodom members Alexi Laiho (guitar) and Roope Latvala (guitar), have spent the past few months quietly recording their fourth full-length album, tentatively due in late 2005.

As Goss announced on the internet:

"Sinergy does indeed still exist, though the absence of our website and having only played two gigs in the past six months may lead people to believe otherwise. Our fourth album will be called "Sins of the Past". We started recording drums and bass in June of last year at Finnvox Studios, and have continued recording the rest of it at Beyond Abilities Studios (the studio of Janne Wirman from Children Of Bodom). However, we've had to record the album in separate sections due to Children Of Bodom's busy touring schedule last year. We've sometimes had to take several months off in between recording.

"Alexi just got his cast off cast week , but still needs to wear a brace for another few weeks. He's able to play guitar now, but we're gonna wait until he's 100 percent recovered before he finishes his leads on the album. In the meantime, myself and Roope have been busy recording our parts. The album will then be mixed and mastered at Finnvox then the recording is finished.

"All I can say is that we are hopeful that the album will be released sometime this year. We'll have a new website up once the artwork for the new album is finished."

http://www.nuclearblast.de

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Band profile:

Sinergy

The swedish band posts in their official website sound samples from their just released(31/01/2005) album, to listen to the samples visit : http://www.runemagick.se/news.php .

Source:	runemagick.se
Band profile:	Runemagick

A preview clip of DISIPLIN's video for the track "Anti-Life" has been posted online at the group's official web site.

Check it out here: http://home.no/babalon/vid/anti-life-218.wmv

The first-ever video for the Oslo-based quintet, "Anti-Life" was directed by the internationally acclaimed photographer Marcel Lelienhof and takes place in a derelict house in a boys' neighborhood.

DISIPLIN's second album, "Anti-Life" is scheduled for release mid-March via Moonfog Productions. The CD will include 11 "demonic" tracks and a "blood-curdling, unholy" bonus video for the title track.

The follow-up to the group's 2003 self-titled debut was recorded at Akkerhaugen Lydstudio and features a guest appearance by CARPATHIAN FOREST's Nattefrost (lead vocals on one track and backing vocals on a few others).

DISIPLIN is the Norwegian extreme metal act featuring former members of MYRKSKOG and EVILIZER.

Source:

www.blabbermouth.net

Novembers Doom are pleased to announce that we have enlisted the services of BRIAN WHITED (ex-Avernus, Dead Serenade) on bass, replacing the recently departed Mike LeGros. Brian has played with us occasionally in the past, and fits in very well with us both musically and personally. We're pleased to have him back with us now, and he will make his public debut with us in the music video for "The Pale Haunt Departure", the title track of our new CD which is due to be released March 8th, 2005.

http://www.novembersdoom.com/

Band profile:

Novembers Doom

LAMB OF GOD has been BANNED from performing at the Forum in Los Angeles. The band is being forced to step aside from one of their arena concerts on the upcoming Subliminal Verses Tour with Slipknot.

The venue, The Forum in Los Angeles, is owned by The Faithful Central Bible Church who decided to impose a ruling to BAN LAMB OF GOD from performing at their venue.

LAMB OF GOD have come off of several extremely successful headlining runs through L.A. in the last year, so this move comes completely unexpected for the band and the tour as a whole. Los Angeles is, and has always been, a huge market for the band, building steadily with each one of their releases and tours and exploding with the bands current release Ashes of the Wake.

In deciding to BAN the band, The Faithful Central Bible Church are restricting freedom of speech, choice and assembly, and our art and ability to conduct commerce.

In response, drummer Chris Adler points out the following:
"The "situation" in LA can only be described as ridiculous. It has already been a huge waste of energy trying to turn this around. The powers that be are not interested budging - or doing their research apparently - and we have never been a band to placate anyone to get our way, smooth things over or make anyone feel better. They have made it clear that they do not want us because of our name, our show and our crowd - because of that ignorance, LAMB OF GOD is not being permitted to appear on the Subliminal Verses Concert in LA. It is truly a shame for the show overall, especially for our friends and fans in LA that are being forced to miss our part of the show. Trust that this was not our decision, we would love to kick some ass in LA, but apparently the word from the powers that be is that LAMB OF GOD is not the wholesome family fun that the good people of Los Angeles deserve."

Source:	lamb-of-god.com
Band profile:	Lamb Of God

Subliminal Crusher are currently in the recording studio to begin working on their yet unnamed first full length record, tentatively due on late spring. The track list counts 11 tracks, and some of the track names are "Unfertile Suggestions", "A Poetry", "Slavery", "Fuck-simile". A cover version of a Testamet classic will also be recorded, to be included as a bonus track at the end of the album.

- On 3th February, at 6:30pm Subliminal will held a radio interview on Kristall Radio Milano ( http://www.kristallradio.it ) during the "Non Solo Metal" show, hosted by Simone Anaclerio.

- Next live performs:

19 March 2005 :: DISCIPLES OF THRASH :: Hyades + Subliminal Crusher + Death Mechanism + Eyeconoclast :: "Ossario", Martinengo (BG, ITALY)

Band profile:

Subliminal Crusher

26-01-2005 - After Forever will record a new album!

At the end of February the recordings of the fourth album of After Forever will start! After Forever will record the drums, bass guitar and the guitars in the Excess Studio in Rotterdam (The Netherlands) again. The vocals, classical stuff and the mix will be done in the Gate Studio of Sascha Peath and Miro in Wolfsburg, Germany.

The writing proces has just finished and we are very happy about the results again! The songs are more compact, fresh, catchy and again; typically After Forever. In melodic aspect, the album will be more simular to Decipher.For more specific updates about the music: check our forum!!!!!!

It will not become a concept album just like Invisible Circles. The songs have several subjects, some about your imagined life when you dream, some about the reality of this world. The title will be REMAGINE.

Remagine means you can reflect on life and you imagine in. Both ingredients are there in the lyrics and in the music. The word is a combination between Reflection and Imagination.

The album will be released in September 2005!!! We would love to see you on some of the summer festivals we are now planning to do to introduce some of the new songs there!!!

Keep checking www.afterforever.com about the progress of the recordings. After Forever will write a studio report every week when the recordings have started!!!

www.afterforever.com

Band profile:

After Forever

Tony is making great progress with his new album which, as we reported previously, features Glenn Hughes (www.glennhughes.com) on vocals and Kenny Aronoff (www.kennyaronoff.com) on drums. They've cut 13 tracks, all produced by Bob Marlette, who worked on Tony's first solo album in 2000 and the Black Sabbath 'Reunion' album in 1998, and whose recent productions with Seether and Shinedown are currently in the US Billboard charts.
The album is now at the mixing stage and discussions are taking place regarding the release date which will be later this year. Tony is also hoping to be able to take this album out live.
We'll keep you posted as things progress!

http://www.iommi.com

Band profile:

Black Sabbath

"Consign to Oblivion" will be the title of the upcoming Epica album which will be released in March/April of this year.

Philip and Sascha have just worked out the last details on the mix and the result is really amazing!!! The cd is now waiting to be mastered which will happen next Monday by Peter van '/t Riet at Soundfactory. More info will follow soon so stay tuned!

Source:	epica.nl
Band profile:	Epica

Sonata Arctica is one of the nomineés at the emma-gaala (Finnish Grammys)
in the category, best hardrock / metal - album. The band will also perform one song live at the event on the 26th of February.

Source:	sonataarctica.info
Band profile:	Sonata Arctica