OPETH frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt has started writing material for the group's next album, tentatively scheduled to be recorded sometime in the early spring of 2005. In other news, Åkerfeldt recently visited No Man Studios in Hemel Hampstead, U.K. to lay down some guitars and backing vocals for the next, as-yet-untitled PORCUPINE TREE record. Mikael plays guitar on one track and sings backing vocals on another five songs. The album is due for release late this year. Also on the OPETH-related front, it is likely that OPETH will put out an audio version of the Shepard's Bush (DVD) concert. If this becomes a reality, there will be some "fantastic and super-exclusive extra features," according to a posting on the band's web site. With regards to their label situation, the band write, "Music For Nations is likely to close their doors within a near future, leaving their roster in the hands of BMG. What will happen to the bands is so far unknown, but it's possible that OPETH will be without a record contract in the near future. This is an effect of the massive merge between Zomba Records and BMG."

Band profile:

Opeth

Former STRATOVARIUS singer Timo Kotipelto has revealed via his official website that he and the band's guitarist/founder Timo Tolkki are now on speaking terms following months of slagging one another in the press: "I can announce that I am talking to Timo Tolkki and actively trying to come to terms with what happened between us. Despite what many people would wish, I can not confirm that I am back in the band, but whether I do go back or not, at least I can say that we have some sort of dialogue now and that we all are trying to help solve all the many problems that his mental illness has caused. Recently (promoter) Olof Wikström from Skrikhult had a real emergency when Running Wild dropped out of their commitment to headline Gates Of Metal. I have agreed to sing more show with Stratovarius, partly because I want to help Olof, partly because I want to help Jörg, Jens, Jari and Timo, and of course also because I love to perform live. This means that I will be at Gates of Metal in Hultsfred on July 31st with Stratovarius, and with my solo band at Ankkarock on August 1st instead of the previous day. So, hope to see you there on either concert! Timo"

Kotipelto was given the boot last year along with drummer Joerg Michael following some severe disagreements within the band. The hiring of AURORA K singer Katriina Wiiala as Kotipelto's replacement was met with a brutal thumbs down from the fans, and Tolkki ended up checking himself into a mental hospital following a nervous breakdown. Through all the upheaval, however, the beloved Stratovarius line up of Tolkki, Kotipelto, Michael, bassist Jari Kainulainen and keyboardist Jens Johansson - together since 1995 - honoured all of the band's live commitments.

Band profile:

Stratovarius

earlier this week, at the club in Slovakia, guitarist Eric Peterson took a
bad fall down a flight of stairs and broke his leg in three places - Eric
has had surgery to put pins in his leg and he will have a full leg cast
and cannot walk - former guitar player Steve Smyth will return to the band
to help finish the tour

Band profile:

Testament

NEW SIGNINGS
SPV / Steamhammer: Type O Negative
Metal Blade: Neaera
Neoblast Records: Red Tide
Deathwish Inc.: Nine
Retribute Records: Strangulation
Hellion Records: Sunseth Midnight

Canadian death metallers KATAKLYSM plan on taking most of 2005 off to write their next studio album, according to their latest newsletter. " something we have never done before," said KATAKLYSM vocalist Maurizio Iacono. "Even new drummer Martin Maurais only had one month to put all his drum tracks on 'Serenity In Fire'! So with 4 albums out in 5 years, which have all outdone each other and all have been highly acclaimed, we wanna make sure the next one will be up to par. Hell, we want it to be our 'Masters of Puppets', our 'Reign in Blood'!!!...

"Unlike previous statements, the album will not be self-titled. I have a killer title for it and will unleash it when the time comes.

"The reason we are talking about the next album already is because we have so many ideas floating around and the writing level is peaking right now. Brutality is flowing to the next level, so we just wanna start putting shit together and keep working on it 'till it's perfect. We are still extremely satisfied with 'Serenity In Fire', we just feel we have some great momentum and wanna keep moving forward."

With regards to the band's touring plans, Iacono said, "The band is playing for sure in late August at the Up From The Ground Festival in Germany. We will be headlining Saturday the 28th. This will be the only show of the summer for KATAKLYSM. We will debut round 2 of the 'Serenity in Fire' touring campaign this fall. We will start with a massive headlining European tour in October, including a stop to Iceland and followed by another North American tour, if everything goes according to plan."

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Band profile:

Kataklysm

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

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!"

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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

MOTÖRHEAD have set a June 22 North American release date through Metal-Is Records (subsidiary of Sanctuary) for their as-yet-untitled new album (the previously announced title, "Flash", has now been scrapped, according to the band's webmaster). 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

Austrian "angelic bombast metal" act EDENBRIDGE have set "Shine" as the title of their fourth full-length album, tentatively due in October through Germany's Massacre Records.

The follow-up to 2003's "Aphelion" will be recorded between May and July. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include:

01. October Sky
02. Centennial Legend
03. Shine
04. The Canterville Ghost
05. What You Leave Behind
06. On Sacred Ground
07. On Top Of The World
08. Flame Of Passion
09. And The Road Goes On
10. The Wild Chase
11. Elsewhere
12. Move Along Home

In other news, EDENBRIDGE will play a warm-up show at a small club in Nottingham, England on September 2 prior to their appearance at the Bloodstock Festival. Tickets are extremely limited. For more information, contact vince@bloodstock.uk.com.

EDENBRIDGE reportedly recorded a live DVD on March 20 at the Building a Force Festival at Stadthalle Widdern near Heilbronn, Germany. More information about the DVD's contents and release date will be made available soon.

Band profile:

Edenbridge

CRADLE OF FILTH bassist Dave Pybus has posted the sixth installment of his regular online studio report at the group's official web site.

As previously reported, CRADLE OF FILTH are currently recording their Roadrunner Records debut, tentatively titled "Nymphetamine". The follow-up to last year's "Damnation and a Day" is being produced by ANTHRAX guitarist Rob Caggiano, who has previously worked with the group during the mixing stage for "Damnation?".

Band profile:

Cradle Of Filth

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine has revealed the track listing for the group's new CD, tentatively due later in the year through Sanctuary Records. It is as follows:

01. Blackmail The Universe
02. Shadow Of Death
03. My Kingdom
04. Of Mice And Men
05. Truth Be Told
06. The Scorpion
07. Kick The Chair
08. Something That I'm Not
09. Tears In A Vial
10. Die Dead Enough
11. Back In The Day

Mustaine has also posted the following message in the band's official forum:

"Droogies!

"Well, the day has come and I am packing it in.

"Yesterday was the last day in the studio, I finished the last solo and the last sentence of the last song, and the week before all of the remixes were done, so . . . it is time now to prepare all of the goofy administrative stuff that goes into an album.

"I was listening down to all of the songs until after 11:30 PM last night when I finally told Jeff Balding that I had to go. I had a meeting to be at, at 7:00 AM this morning, but as you can see I didn't make it because I got really ill again.

"The songs to me are fantastic. There is a lot going on, there are amazing solos by both 'Polie' and myself, loads of double bass, fast parts, slow parts, beautiful singing, Mustaine snarls, yelling, gang vocals, voice-overs, special effects, and layers of intricate sounds in the background that Jeff and I are deciding on what will help the song and what will not.

"For example, last night we were working for almost half an hour on whether or not to put the sound of a jail cell door clanging shut (kinda like in 'Captive Honour') in a song called 'Kick the Chair'. We ended up muting it for now, but it was a tough decision because there is a lot going on right there already (you'll see soon).

"This incredible amount of layering, I believe, will be 100% acceptable and expected when I start on my solo work, but for the MEGADETH music that we have all grown to love and enjoy, I have to be cautious.

"Don't want to get slagged here at my own boards now, do I?

"I am excited as hell to know that I am going to see the old guard today. Jeff Young got in last night, and Chuck Behler and Nick Menza come in today. I have told them all that I am not going to be there, because I wanted to surprise them, and pop in to see the looks on their faces after they hear what we all did to make them shine!

"I also just want to see them and tell them thanks and that I love them and I wouldn't be where I am today without what they did with me.

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Band profile:

Megadeth

Norwegian black metallers WINDIR have announced plans to perform on final concert as a tribute to late frontman Terje "Valfar" Bakken, who tragically passed away in January. The concert, dubbed "Heidra Valfar", will take place on Friday, September 3 at the Rockefeller Arena in Oslo, Norway.

"The 3rd of September would have been Valfar's 26th birthday, and we would like to honour his memory by doing one last show," the band said in a statement. "Sture will be doing most of the WINDIR vocals. We are also glad to announce that 3 bands will be joining us this night. ENSLAVED, FINNTROLL and MINDGRINDER will be doing shows in honour of Valfar. The 3rd of September will also be the release date of the last WINDIR album, out on Tabu Recordings."

Tickets for the "Heidra Valfar" concert can be purchased at www.billettservice.no beginning on Saturday, March 27.

As previously reported, WINDIR's forthcoming CD will be a two-disc set. The first CD will include new material, unreleased material, tribute songs from other bands and live tracks, while the second CD will be a compilation of the music made by Valfar. It will include tracks from the first demo, "Sognariket", to the last album, "Likferd". All proceeds from this CD will go directly to Valfar's family.

Earache Records will be issuing a "best of" collection from legendary U.K. grindcore band CARCASS on May 17. Titled "Choice Cuts", the compilation contains over 20 tracks, including two full Peel Sessions broadcast back in 1989 and 1990. It also features a comprehensive booklet including an in-depth interview with drummer Ken Owen.

"Choice Cuts" track listing:

01. Genital Grinder
02. Maggot Colony
03. Exhume to Consume
04. Swarming Vulgar Mass of Infected Virulency
05. Tools of The Trade
06. Corporeal Jigsore Quandary
07. Incarnate Solvent Abuse
08. Buried Dreams
09. No Love Lost
10. Heartwork
11. Keep on Rotting in The Free World
12. R**k the Vote
13. This Is Your Life
14. Crepitating Bowel Erosion (Peel Session, Jan. 2, 1989)
15. Slash Dementia (Peel Session, Jan. 2, 1989)
16. Cadaveric Incubator of Endoparasites (Peel Session, Jan. 2, 1989)
17. Reek of Putrefaction (Peel Session, Jan. 2, 1989)
18. Empathological Necrotism (Peel Session, Dec. 16, 1990)
19. Foeticide (Peel Session, Dec. 16, 1990)
20. Fermenting Innards (Peel Session, Dec. 16, 1990)
21. Exhume to Consume (Peel Session, Dec. 16, 1990)

View Cover here: http://www.earache.com/images/cd_covers/mosh220.jpg

Band profile:

Carcass