Danish Folk Metal band Svartsot have posted 2 new demo songs (called "Æthelred" and "Højen På Glødende Pæle") on their MySpace with the following message:

"Seeing as many people have been wondering how the new line-up and new material sounds, we thought we'd put a couple rehearsal room demo tracks up. Those of you who have been fortunate enough to see the new line-up perform at one of the last three concerts will have heard these already. But we hope you enjoy them just the same..."

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Svartsot

Ensiferum can now reveal their European tour in support of the new upcoming album. More shows will be added shortly, accompanied with tour name and detailed information. Support acts: Metsatöll (EST) & Tracedawn (FIN)

The still untitled album is in the process of being recorded as we speak. Release date for the coming album is 9th of September 2009 in most countries.

Oct. 01 - Hamburg, Germany - Markthalle
Oct. 02 - Leeuwarden, Netherlands - Romein
Oct. 03 - Hamm, Germany - Devils Revenge Festival
Oct. 04 - Köln, Germany - Essigfabrik
Oct. 06 - London, UK - Scala
Oct. 07 - Nottingham, UK - Rescue Rooms
Oct. 08 - Glasgow, UK - Cathouse
Oct. 09 - Dudley, UK - JB's
Oct. 10 - Vosselar, Belgium - Biebob
Oct. 15 - Bilbao, Spain - Santana 27
Oct. 16 - Madrid, Spain - Heineken
Oct. 17 - Alicante, Spain - Nave 8
Oct. 18 - Barcelona, Spain - Salamandra 1
Oct. 20 - Bologna, Italy - Sottotetto
Oct. 21 - München, Germany - Backstage
Oct. 22 - Wien, Austria - Arena
Oct. 23 - Jena, Germany - F- Haus
Oct. 24 - Lichtenfels, Germany - Hellflame Festival
Oct. 26 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - Colos Saal
Oct. 28 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
Oct. 29 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Substage

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Ensiferum
Event:	Ensiferum: European Tour

The following update comes from the Eluveitie MySpace page :

"We have to announce that in the CD press factory some things went wrong, the press master had some defects. So, the complete press master had to be fabricated again. Unfortunately that entailed that the announced release date (April 11th) cannot be kept! We are sorry for these awkward circumstance.

The release of "Evocation I - The Arcane Dominion" is now officially set to April 17th (one week later)."

The following release parties are scheduled:

April 09th, Kiff Cub - Aarau (Switzerland)
April 10th, Salzhaus - Winterthur (Switzerland)

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Eluveitie

Norwegian metal band Glittertind have uploaded two new songs, from the band's upcoming new album "Landkjenning" on their Myspace page.

The band added the following song info:

Nordafjells (Mountains in the North): While journeying through the mountains in the north, a Norse fortune teller is engulfed by a vicious snowstorm and experiences a vision: A mountain grouse lends the traveler its wings and ears, enabling him to sense the entirety of the land and forthcoming events. He sees the coming of Olav Tryggvason and the end of his time, as foreign religion and culture will encroach upon his land.

Longships and Mead: In an age seemingly dominated by self-assertion and greed, we often long with a nostalgic view for the times when men of the sea shared a common spirit of brotherhood and glory. Whatever happened to such sentiments in our times?

"Landkjenning" release dates:

27 May: Finland, Spain
29 May: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, France, Italy, Sweden
01 Jun: Rest of Europe
02 Jun: USA, Canada

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Glittertind

Arkona have published the cover artwork and several release dates of the upcoming "Noch Velesova" DVD, released through Napalm Records.

27 May: Finland, Spain
29 May: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, France, Italy, Sweden
01 Jun: Rest of Europe
16 Jun: USA, Canada

The cover artwork was drawn by the Belgian artist Kris Verwimp who is famous for his design works made for Enslaved, Immortal, Marduk, Månegarm, Moonsorrow, Old Man's Child, Nevermore, Arch Enemy, Thyrfing and more.

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Arkona

Finland's extreme power metal outfit Wintersun have canceled all scheduled shows in 2009 due to further problems with the completion of their album "Time". The band's frontman Jari Mäenpää posted the following message on the band's official website:

"There has come again unexpected problems with technology, which will make finishing the "Time" album even more harder than it has been. Which will delay it even more. There's also some personal problems concerning my apartment.

Because of all the problems, I have fallen under a serious amounts of stress, which is sometimes causing me "writer's blocks". This album making is now turned into such a "risky business", that I have no , but to cancel Summerbreeze and Bloodstock.

The thing is, the album has to be done first, before we can play any shows. Playing just old songs after many years isn't something we want to do and what probably no one wants to see.

After the album has been mixed, I need to mix again a "backuptrack livemix" (of the synths&orchestrations). Then we have to of course practise the new songs and arrange them into "live format" (especially mine and Teemu's guitar parts). We also need to update our humble live gear.

All these arrangements take time, so we don't want to risk it, that we might have to cancel the shows last minute. It must be done now and put finishing the album the number one priority. After the album is done, we will start booking shows again.

I know there's lots of disappointed people and I have to apologize. But I hope that you..ll understand my decision under these circumstances. I have to put the album first and finish it before we play any shows. Thanks for listening!

Jari"

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Source:	wintermadness.net
Band profile:	Wintersun

Danish Folk Metal band Svartsot have announced the following on their MySpace:

"After having been in contact with a few vocalists and trying one or two of them out, we have finally found one just two weeks before the first show with the new line up! The new man is Thor Bager of Disintergrated (DK) who only had a week to prepare himself for the first rehearsal. We have just held a rehearsal weekend with him and he has settled quite well into the band already. We can also announce that drummer Danni Lyse Jelsgaard has now joined the band on a permanent basis.

Work on the new material has already started, and we will concentrate on this over the next few months. We hope to enter the studio as soon as the material is ready and all the formal procedures have been sorted."

In January, the band already announced the addition of several new musicians: "Rhythm guitar duties will be filled by the Danish-American Cliff Nemanim and ex-Feverfew bassist, James Atkin has also joined. We have also been fortunate enough to borrow the extremely talented Illnath drummer, Danni Jelsgaard. These guys have joined Hans-Jørgen Martinus Hansen (whistles, mandolin, accordion, et.al.) and Cris J. S. Frederiksen (lead guitar), of the previous Svartsot line-up. We can also confirm that Stewart Lewis, though taking a more passive role due to his wife's illness, is still in the band."

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Svartsot

Arch Enemy have not only announced a Latin American tour for April - May, but will also be returning to European stages in May 2009 (with label mates Mercenary as support on some dates) to deliver an unforgettable lesson in pure fucking metal.

Confirmed 2009 Summer Tyranny Dates so far:

21-May-2009 - Metal Dayz Festival (Switzerland)
22-May-2009 - Legacy Fest (Germany)
23-May-2009 - Summer Nights Festival (Austria)
24-May-2009 - Zagreb, Croatia @ Boogalo (Support Act: Mercenary)
26-May-2009 - Budapest, Hungary @ Diesel (Support Act: Mercenary)
28-May-2009 - Rome, Italy @ Blackout (Support Act: Mercenary)
29-May-2009 - Roncade, Italy @ New Age Club (Support Act: Mercenary)
30-May-2009 - Pinarella di Cervia, Italy @ Rock Planet (Support Act: Mercenary)
09-July-2009 - Kvinesdal Rock Festival (Norway)
10-July-2009 - Rockweekend (Sweden)
11-July-2009 - Rock Harz Open Air (Germany)
12-July-2009 - Masters Of Rock (Czech Republic)
18-July-2009 - ProRock Festival (Ukraine)
24-July-2009 - Zwarte Cross Festival (The Netherlands)
2x-July-2009 - Lorca Rock (Spain)

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Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Arch Enemy

Danish Folk Metal band Svartsot have announced the following news, in a statement from Michael Lundquist Andersen (guitar), Martin Kielland-Brandt (bass), Niels Thøgersen (drums) and vocalist Claus B. Gnudtzmann:

"We are sorry to announce that because of different opinions on how to run a band and how the music should sound, we have decided to leave Svartsot. We will surely miss all of you people out there who have supported us at live gigs, and by listening to our songs. It has been a great adventure with you all, boys and girls, and who knows. Maybe we will see you all out there at the venues again in the future, in other bands. We will all continue playing music together outside of Svartsot.

With Stewart C. Lewis on a break from the band, for now, guitarist Cristoffer J.S. Frederiksen will continue the band on his own."

Source:	blogs.myspace.com
Band profile:	Svartsot

Russian Pagan/Folk Metal band Arkona have issued the following message on their MySpace:

"Arkona started to record the fifth album, named "Goi, Rode, Goi!" which will include 12 tracks with common duration more than 70 minutes. Musically, the album continues the conception of previous two albums of the band, but something new will appear in arrangements - the band invited a string orchestra and a real chore. The list of invited musicians is already known: all live parties of ethnic instruments are performed, as before, by Vladimir Cherepovskiy - the specialist in old instruments and music. Accordion is played by Alexander "Olen'" Oleinikov of Kalevala band. The band plans to widen the list of instruments never being used before. Shaman drums are already ordered from a famous master Dmitriy Ravich + line of jaw harps and some other ethnic percussion.

The special stuff of the new album is a 15 minutes long song "Na Moey Zemle" ("In my land"), a kind of pagan metal opera about the travelling of Slav around countries of Europe. Guest vocal parties are performed by Skyforger (Latvia), Obtest (Lithuania), Månegarm (Sweden), Menhir (Germany) and Heidevolk (Holland). The design of the new album is already developed and soon will be realized by well known artist Kris Verwimp.

The album will be released under Napalm Records label, not earlier than end-spring 2009. Conversations about Russian release of this album are still being held.
First pics from the studio are available here"

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Source:	blog.myspace.com
Band profile:	Arkona

Månegarm have issued the following update:

"On Monday 1st september we will enter Studio underground in Västerås (Sweden) for three weeks to record our 6th fullength album. The album will be named "Nattväsen", Nightcreatures. Some new song titles are: "I den svartaste jord", "Bergagasten" and "Vetramegin".

We will keep you updated of what is going on with reports from the studio here on MySpace. We will also launch a 3 part videoreport between the end of the recordings and the release date. This videoreport will start from the development in the rehersal place and until the album is completed. So if you not already have, make sure to subscribe to our official Youtube site.

This new album will be released on a yet unannounced new major record lable. Be prepared for the strongest release in the history of Månegarm."

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Source:	blog.myspace.com
Band profile:	Månegarm

The Black Metal band from Norway have issued the following update on their Myspace page:

"The spring/summer has been spent working on the 4th Vreid album. In early May we recorded the drums at good old Subsonic Society. We have a strong working bond with Lars Klokkerhaug, and I dare say that we have created the best drum sound for Vreid so far. We spent quite some time testing before we found the drum sound we were searching for. The recordings themselves went fast. Steingrim impressed us all with this drum work this time. Absolute killer and bombastic. Some of the songs are the fastest we have ever done, and some of the other stuff is heavy as hell.

In the beginning of June we went back to the base camp: Studio 1184.

We set up our Engl & Peavy stash and searched for the ultimate guitar sound for this album. Plenty of tracks were recorded, and at the moment it seems as we will go for the pure German Kraft of Engl. Both Ese & Sture worked their shirts of, and laid down some fantastic guitar tracks. Let's just say there is more of everything on this album.

The bass recording went quite fast, even though I had some problems with a broken bass guitar and an amp that broke down the minute we started the recordings. Eventually it all worked out. In the same session we also recorded the vocals for 2 tracks, with Sture sounding more harsh and furious than ever. At the end of these sessions we mixed a couple of songs to see how it all sounded so far, and we were amazed. It was a very positive thing to try and mix some of the songs so early in the process. We will continue to work on the album for the next couple of months, and has put October as a deadline for ourselves. This means that the album will be out in January.

All the lyrics and a lot of the artwork is completed, and with song titles such as: "Alarm", "Blücher" & "Speak Goddamnitt", I guess that everyone understand that we continue to serve you stories from WW2 , with the invasion of Norway and the Norwegian resistance as focus point."

Source:	myspace.com
Band profile:	Vreid