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Sonata Arctica begin recordings

Finnish melodic metallers SONATA ARCTICA have commenced the recording sessions for the follow-up to 2003's "Winterheart's Guild", tentatively due later in the year through Spinefarm Records. In other news, SONATA ARCTICA drummer Tommy Portimo became the father of a "beautiful little baby girl" (46 cm, 2950 g) early in the morning on Saturday, March 6. "Both the child and the mother are doing well," according to a post on the band's web site. "The whole SONATA camp congratulates the parents and warmly welcomes the first newcomer of our 'extended family'!"

taken from Blabbermouth.net

Band profile: Sonata Arctica
Posted: 09.03.2004 by Undercraft | Comments (0)


Lilitu signs with The End Records

Atlanta's "artistic melodic dark metal" band LILITU have inked a deal with The End Records. The group will shortly be entering Ledbelly Sound Studio to re-record the rhythm guitars and began the final mixing process for their third CD, "The Delores Lesion". Mastering will be done at Glenn Schick Mastering and artwork will be provided by acclaimed artist Daniel Long. A June release is expected.

Band profile: Lilitu
Posted: 09.03.2004 by Undercraft | Comments (0)


Borknagar New Album Details

The new album will be realeased in June or July 2004. Epic features 12 new Songs, including one instrumental track, and promises not to disappoint anyone who is into this fantastic Norwegian band. Vocals once more were done by exceptionally gifted singer Vintersorg, who released another solo album through Napalm Records a couple of weeks ago. The band parted ways with bass player Tyr in a friendly manner before recording his parts of the album. All bass parts were done by drummer Asgeir Mickelson. Last weekend the band entered the studio to start the mix of Epic.

Band profile: Borknagar
Posted: 09.03.2004 by Undercraft | Comments (0)


Void Of Silence - Tracklist Of The New Album

Italy's VOID OF SILENCE have completed work on their new album, "Human Antithesis", at Sick Lab's Studios in Rome for an April release through Code666 Records (via its Aural Music imprint). "Human Antithesis" marks the recording debut with the group of PRIMORDIAL vocalist Alan Nemtheanga, who replaced previous frontman Malfeitor Fabban last September.

"Human Antithesis" track listing:

I. Human Antithesis
II. Grey Horizon (M.P.H. MMIII)
III: Untitled
IV. To a Sickly Child
V. Dark Static Moments
VI. CXVIII

Band profile: Void Of Silence
Posted: 09.03.2004 by Account deleted | Comments (0)


After Forever's Singing Lessons!!

AFTER FOREVER frontwoman Floor Jansen is currently offering singing and performing lessons to interested parties. For more information, send an e-mail to multimusicfloor@yahoo.com and Floor will inform you personally about the possibilities.

As previously reported, AFTER FOREVER have set a March 25 release date through Transmission Records for their new album, "Invisible Circles". The group's last full-length effort, "Decipher", was released in 2001.

AFTER FOREVER have been confirmed for this year's edition of the Pinkpop festival, set to be held May 29-31 in Landgraaf, Holland. Also scheduled to appear are PIXIES and STARSAILOR, with more acts to be announced soon.

Band profile: After Forever
Posted: 08.03.2004 by Undercraft | Comments (0)


Win A Phone Call From DAVE MUSTAINE!!

Registered members of the MEGADETH forums at Megadeth.com can enter a contest to win a phone call from Dave Mustaine and an ESP guitar. The rules of the contest are to guess the correct lyrics for a yet to be released MEGADETH song "Blackmail The Universe". Daily winners receive a phone call from Dave himself, and the person who submits all the correct lyrics to the entire song will win a limited ESP DV-8r guitar. To enter the contest, submit your guesses to webmaster@megadeth.com and check the daily contest announcement in the MEGADETH topics forum. Check out the "Dave Speaks" forum for recent MEGADETH updates posted by Dave Mustaine!

Band profile: Megadeth
Posted: 08.03.2004 by Undercraft | Comments (0)


Megadeth New Album pt2

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine has once again addressed the possibility of a reunion of the "Rust In Peace" lineup. Writing to the band's official forum, Mustaine said, "One question that keeps coming up that I have already answered, but still remains, is the reunion.

"People, it is not going to happen. Especially after seeing claims that I am unfair and inconsiderate. Who gives a fuck about why it isn't happening, it just isn't. And to tell people personal shit about 'what' happened or to say things like this about each other (note - I didn't say shit) only solidifies my decision. 'What happens on the mile, stays on the mile.'

"It just makes me nauseous to see someone pouring out their guts over something that is as unlikely to happen as that.

"Remember, Menza was ready to go, and like I said, I was unable to accommodate the others. The reasons don't matter. And as respectfully as I can say this, it is not anyone else's business but the people I talked to. And . . . they know the number to my management if they reconsider.

"Now, please drop it.

"I have found some players that I believe in, and am assembling a group to play with me. No one questioned my choices when I picked anyone else in the past. I think I know what I'm doing. And if ya don't like it, well there's always that big super-group that all the ex-members were trying to form. Hahahahahaha!"

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Band profile: Megadeth
Posted: 08.03.2004 by Undercraft | Comments (0)


The New Megadeth Album

Former MEGADETH guitarist Chris Poland recently spoke to Ricky Garcia of Jemfest Radio about his guest appearance on the new MEGADETH album, tentatively due later in the year through Sanctuary Records. The following are some of the highlights of that interview:

On how he came to be involved with the new MEGADETH album:

Chris Poland: "Dave gave me a call and asked me if I would be interested in coming down and doing the solos on his latest MEGADETH record, and I was more than happy to do it. So we drove down to Tempe, Arizona and went to Phase Four studios and I think I recorded nine solos ? eight of them were electric distortion ? heavy, heavy guitar ? and then one was a nylon-string, acoustic kind of solo section. But it was all really fun. They had the best gear there ? they had a 50-watt Plexi Marshall head with vintage speakers, there was like 50 different vintage guitar pedals to pick from. So I was very excited about the whole thing. And working with Dave, I swear, it was just like I had never left the band. We worked a certain way when I was in the band ? he described what he needed here and there. Some of the solos, he let me just do exactly what I wanted, which I had a lot of fun doing, other solos, he basically directed me ? like with his finger. While I was soloing, he would move his hand up and down the neck, and I would just follow his hand. It was like a Ouija board or something. I would just follow him and try to emulate where he was going with his hand. We've done solos like that before when I was with MEGADETH. It was like I had never left the band as far as our working situation in the studio. It was great working with him. We're both sober, so it's like, all that added baggage and baloney that was going on with us before wasn't there ? it was just the music ? and he's actually a really pretty funny guy."

On whether he had kept in contact with Dave Mustaine during his time away from the band:

Chris Poland: " on and off, between doing the remixes and the 'Behind the Music' stuff, we'd talk once in a while. It's not like we're gonna start the band up again, but it's great being friends with Dave. He's a good guy."

On whether Dave Mustaine is able to play guitar again in light of the hand injury that caused MEGADETH's split in early 2002:

Chris Poland: "Oh, he's gotten over that. He went for physical therapy, and his guitar playing is as good as it's ever been, if not better. Probably because he's been practicing trying to get it back and didn't realize where he left off and he's probably a better player than he's ever been right now."

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Band profile: Megadeth
Posted: 08.03.2004 by Undercraft | Comments (0)


Windir Splits Up

Norwegian black metallers WINDIR have officially called it a day following the tragic death of the group's frontman Terje "Valfar" Bakken in January. The group's statement on the matter is as follows:

"The loss of our best friend and the founder of WINDIR have made these last months an extremely hard time. We have decided that WINDIR will not continue. Valfar created WINDIR, and we feel that WINDIR will not be WINDIR without him.

"After encouragement from Valfar's family, we have decided to release one last WINDIR CD. This will be a CD in honour of Valfar. It will be a 2-disc CD. The first CD will include new material, unreleased material, tribute songs from other bands and live tracks. The second CD will be a compilation of the great music made by Valfar. It will include tracks from the first demo 'Sognariket' to the last album 'Likferd'. Tabu Records will release the album in August/September 2004. We have decided that all income from this CD will go directly to Valfar's family.

"We also want to thank all friends, fans, bands, labels and magazines that have supported us in these difficult times. Information on future musical projects from WINDIR members will be announced later.

"The music of WINDIR is still alive!

"Hváll, Steingrim, Sture, Strom & Righ"
Posted: 08.03.2004 by Undercraft | Comments (0)


Stormlord - News About the New Album and New Mp3

Italian extreme metal act STORMLORD have posted a full-length MP3 of their new track "Under the Boards" at this location.

"Under the Boards" comes off the group's third album, "The Gorgon Cult", due in Italy on March 22 and in Europe/America in April through Scarlet Records.

The follow-up to 2001's "At The Gates Of Utopia" was recorded and mixed over a two-month period at The Outer Sound Studios in Rome with engineer Giuseppe Orlando (NOVEMBRE, NECRODEATH, DGM, THY MAJESTIE) and was mastered at the The Mastering Room in Sweden (IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR, OPETH, SOILWORK).

"The Gorgon Cult" track listing:

01. The Torchbearer
02. Dance Of Hecate
03. Wurdulak
04. Under The Boards (195, M.A.)
05. Oath Of The Legion
06. The Gorgon Cult
07. Memories Of Lemuria
08. Medusa's Coil
09. Moonchild (IRON MAIDEN cover)
10. Nightbreed
11. A Sleeping River (bonus track, Japan only)

The CD will also contain a special multimedia section featuring the following:

- 10 unreleased tracks in high-quality mp3 format for over 43 minutes of extra songs. The material is taken from four of the members' side projects (RUN WITH WOLVES, OUTBREAK, VALAR, .0+1)
- The "I Am Legend" video clip in high-quality movie format. The song is taken from the previous album, "At The Gates Of Utopia"
- Tons of live and studio pictures
- Full detailed biography and members profiles
- Discography
- Links

Cover art was handled by J.P. Fournier, the talented artist behind the covers of such acts as IMPALED NAZARENE, IMMORTAL, DIABOLICAL MASQUERADE, YEARNING, MYSTIC CIRCLE, EDGUY, AVANTASIA, AXIS OF ADVANCE and IMPIETY.

According to the band, "The Gorgon Cult" is "the most obscure and extreme work of our career. Basically you'll find two different sides of STORMLORD in the new album: from a side, you can expect the typical STORMLORD fast and majestic songs, in their best expression ever! From another side, you'll travel to the darkest realm of the Gorgon with obscure, fast and atmospheric songs."
Posted: 08.03.2004 by Account deleted | Comments (0)


The Crown - Split Up!

Drummer Janne Saarenpää has posted the following sad news:

"We give up.

Today, the 7th of March 2004, we, the dudes of The Crown, have decided to call it quits. I'm sure every member in the band can still come up with 10 reasons for continuing and 10 reasons for giving up, but after some heavy consideration we have decided to finally find out what life is like without playing in The Crown.

It's been a blast writing/performing together all these years, taking this band to levels that we never even knew of. Also getting to know other people in other bands on the road has been amazing. Seeing new places and getting to see and hear new, great bands has totally blown us away - we sure had our share of fun!

Too many tours gone bad due to not at all professional tour arrangements is maybe the main reason for giving up. (We do indeed have stories about tour managers/agencies and the business in general, the best ones would surely make a best selling book...). Coming home from tours with empty pockets, equipment falling apart and having a pile of bills on the doorstep is simply "horns down". Paying the bills with tour memories and floor scores is just not possible. We do love standing on stage but we don't know much about the business part, and that's a bad combination. Trust me on that one.

The timing for giving up now is both good and bad:

Bad because Possessed 13 is an incredible album that deserves some decent touring, but I guess all professional booking agencies have their hands full as it is.

Good because we decided to not sign a new deal with Metal Blade, and now that we finally have Crowned in Terror (Crowned Unholy!!!) sounding like it was supposed to, the timing is superb.

We made six killer albums, we did stuff our way, and we sure as hell paid our dues. Or as we say to conclude usual setbacks: "We came, we saw and we fucked up!"

So we want to thank our fans for the support: you people made it last for 14 years! Thanks to Metal Blade, thanks to all bands that we've shared the stage with. Our apologies to the festivals that had us booked for the summer of 2004. And last but not least: thanks to our girlfriends for putting up with us through the rehearsals, gigs, studio sessions and tours!

- Janne and The Crown"

Band profile: The Crown
Posted: 08.03.2004 by Account deleted | Comments (0)


In Flames - wooden box for the new album!

IN FLAMES' forthcoming album, Soundtrack To Your Escape, is being released in a wooden box through Nuclear Blast mail order only. Limited to 1000 pieces, the solid, heavy wood box includes two audio bonus tracks and a CDR with three live video bonus tracks only available in this box, an extra booklet (20 cm x 20 cm), matches and a numbered certificate. The weight is 2 kg and measurements are: 22.5 cm x 22.5 cm.

As previously reported, the first edition of Soundtrack To Your Escape is being issued as a digipak with exclusive artwork and one bonus track and as a limited edition picture LP.

All formats are due out on March 29th.

Band profile: In Flames
Posted: 07.03.2004 by Account deleted | Comments (0)


Iron Maiden release special souvenir EP

In recognition of their highly successful tour and critically acclaimed No 1 international album, IRON MAIDEN thank their fans by releasing a very special CD on 29th March 2004.

'NO MORE LIES' the 7 minute epic from the 'Dance Of Death' album will open the specially formatted and unique Collectors EP CD. Packaged in a silver and red printed box with free Woven Jacquard IRON MAIDEN wristband and 12 page colour booklet the EP celebrates what has been a remarkable year since the band completed recording 'Dance Of Death'. Iron Maiden hit the road in May 2003 and have subsequently played to 1.5 million people in 28 countries across 4 continents along the way. From headlining every major rock festival in Europe to selling out football stadium dates of their own, the band have continued to show they continue to be one of Britain's greatest rock exports.

The EP features special mixes of 'Journeyman' and 'Paschendale' plus a live video of the band's performance of 'No More Lies' from the sold out recent Dance Of Death World Tour. The length of the EP (over 30 minutes of music) and packaging contents will exclude the release from any charts. However, as manager Rod Smallwood explained, 'This release is as a special thank you to all our fans in celebration of an amazing year. The album dominated the international album charts* (debuting at Billboard's International chart at No 1) so we have nothing to prove, except that great music gets recognition from the public, despite the prejudice of mainstay Radio and TV."

To coincide with 'No More Lies, The Dance Of Death Souvenir E.P' EMI Records release the 'Dance Of Death' album on DVDA with 5.1 surround sound specially mixed by producer Kevin Shirley and Steve Harris. For the Audio buffs the DVDA portion contains the album in full crystal clear Hi-definition 24-bit/96 Khz glory while fans who own DVD 5.1 home cinema set ups will be able to enjoy the album in Surround-sound in Dolby Digital or DTS. Listening to the album in this format takes it to a whole new experience level especially with tracks such as 'Paschendale' taking on epic proportions.

Also included on the DVDA as a bonus are two full length videos of the singles 'Wildest Dreams' and 'Rainmaker', both directed by Howard Greenhalgh and which can also be viewed accompanied by full 5.1 audio.

The band have just finished their 'Dance Of Death World Tour', which included nine exceptionally successful British Arena shows to ecstatic fans and critics, finishing with a sold out show at Earl's Court, and playing to over 90,000 fans in the UK alone.

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Band profile: Iron Maiden
Posted: 06.03.2004 by Dream Taster | Comments (0)


Annihilator - news on the forthcoming album

Long-running Canadian thrashers ANNIHILATOR have set a May 24 European release date through Germany's AFM Records for their new album, "All For You". A five-song EP, entitled "The One", will surface on April 26, and will include two bonus video clips.

As previously reported, "All For You" (view cover here) marks the recording debut with the group of new singer Dave Padden, who replaced previous vocalist Joe Comeau last June. The album also features a return appearance by drummer Mike Mangini (EXTREME, STEVE VAI) following the departure of Randy Black (PRIMAL FEAR) in early October.

"All For You" track listing (not final sequence):

01. All For You
02. Weapon X
03. The Nightmare Factory
04. The One
05. Demon Dance
06. Rage Absolute
07. Both Of Me
08. Bled
09. Dr. Psycho
10. Holding On
11. The Sound Of Horror

Commented mainman Jeff Waters in a recent online posting: " is probably the most brutal ANNIHILATOR song EVER written. I honestly would compare it to 'Battery' by METALLICA ? and I would NEVER ever try to compare something I did with a classic tune like that unless I could back I up. Dave, Mike and I can!

"The song 'All For You' will 'probably' be the single as it is one of those darn tootin' tunes that you will hear once and NOT be able to forget the chorus!"

With regards to the songwriting process for the new album, Waters said, "I demoed 18 songs . Weeded out the weakest ones and then got Dave/Mike to do their stuff over the 11 I picked. It was 12, but one was noticeably weak ? could made it on any other CD, but not this one."

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Band profile: Annihilator
Posted: 05.03.2004 by Account deleted | Comments (0)


TOLKKI 'Shocked' And 'Depressed'

STRATOVARIUS webmaster Fred Derf has posted the following message on the band's official web site:

" Timo Tolkki sent me an e-mail in which he stated that he is too shocked and depressed to publish any statement about the attack.

"His wife and daughter have been deeply shocked about the stabbing . Timo wrote that he will probably issue a statement about the future of STRATOVARIUS next week."

Photo of the stabbing wound:
http://www3.soneraplaza.fi/GetImages/GetImages_GetImage_jpg/0,3174,45646,00.jpg

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Band profile: Stratovarius
Posted: 04.03.2004 by Undercraft | Comments (0)