TIAMAT's promotional video for the song "Cain" has been posted online at the Century Media Records web site. Check it out: MPEG-1, Real Media.

"Cain" comes off TIAMAT's eighth studio album, available since last October via Century Media. The self-produced CD, which is being described as one of frontman Johan Edlund's most personal recorded statements to date, was mixed and mastered at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland. Although it is not a concept album, there is a strong unifying theme running through each of the 13 tracks.

New Orleans sludge-meisters CROWBAR and Danish thrashers HATESPHERE will be teaming up for a European tour beginning in late June. Confirmed dates are as follows:

Jun. 25 – Köln, GER - Underground
Jun. 26 - Pressure Fest (no HATESPHERE)
Jun. 27 – Tilburg, NETH – 013
Jun. 28 - Hamburg, GER – Knust
Jun. 29 - Salzgitter, GER - Forellenhof
Jun. 30 - Bielefeld, GER - Triebwerk
Jul. 01 - Aalen, GER – Rock It
Jul. 02 - Würzburg, GER – B-Hof
Jul. 04 – GER - With Full Force (no HATESPHERE)
Jul. 05 - Berlin, GER - Knaak

CROWBAR's forthcoming CD, tentatively titled "Life's Blood For The Downtrodden", was recorded in Louisiana with producers Warren Riker (DOWN) and Rex Brown (PANTERA, DOWN). Brown also handled the bass duties on the album, which marks a return to the group's recording lineup of drummer Craig Nunenmacher (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY). CROWBAR's last CD, 2001's "Sonic Excess In Its Purest Form", was released through Spitfire Records. CROWBAR recently recruited former BLACK LABEL SOCIETY bassist Steve Gibb as their new guitarist.

GORGOROTH singer Gaahl was sentenced Tuesday (May 4) to 18 months in a Norwegian prison on charges that he beat a 41-year-old man in what the victim called a ritual attack.

The 28-year-old black metal vocalist (view photo taken in court earlier today), who has several prior convictions including one for assault and battery, was sentenced at Sunnfjord court in Forde, Norway. In addition to the prison term, Gaahl was ordered to pay 75,000 NOK (approximately $11,000) to the victim, plus an additional 29,000 NOK (approximately $4,300) in damages.

The court's sentence matched the recommendation from prosecutor Ronny Iden (photo), who took into account the fact that Gaahl had a prior conviction for assault. In that 2001 incident, Gaahl brutalized his victim for hours and was sentenced to one year in prison without the possibility of parole. In addition, he was ordered to pay 158,000 NOK (approximately $23,000) in punitive damages. "Two people have had their lives irreparably shattered by the defendant's actions," the court said in the written sentence.

Gaahl, who appeared in court wearing a black GORGOROTH t-shirt, a leather jacket and a Thor's Hammer necklace (Photo#1, Photo#2, Photo#3, Photo#4), was accused of performing ritual violence that included collecting blood from his victim and drinking it. The victim, whose identity hasn't been revealed, was hit and kicked several times in the face and head and needed stitches to close cuts in his head. His nose was broken and he suffered major dental damage.

Formed in 1992, GORGOROTH took their name from J.R.R. Tolkien's book "The Lord Of The Rings". Gaahl, who joined the band in 1998, is believed to be involved with at least three other projects (GAAHLSKAGG, SIGFADER, TRELLDOM), all of which feature a musical direction described as "raw, unsophisticated black metal."

GORGOROTH drew international attention in early February after they were accused of "offending religious feelings" during a concert in Poland. The band were also suspected of breaching the Polish law on protection of animals by displaying the severed and impaled heads of sheep as part of their stage act.

For more information (in Norwegian) about today's sentencing, follow these links:

VG Nett
Nettavisen
Nationen
Gjengangeren

Finland's AMORPHIS have been confirmed as the opening act at the Aerodrome festival on June 11 in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. Other bands set to perform at the two-day event (June 10-11) include METALLICA, KORN, SLIPKNOT, MOTÖRHEAD, STATIC-X and LOSTPROPHETS. For more information, visit www.aerodrome.at.

As previously reported, AMORPHIS' most recent CD, "Far From The Sun", will receive its long-overdue North/South American release this spring through Nuclear Blast Records. The album will be packaged as a special version with three bonus songs, including an acoustic version of the title track, "Far From The Sun". The band are also working on a U.S. tour to promote the album. More information will be made available soon.

AMORPHIS recently entered CCPC studio in Helsinki to record demos of new songs. The band hope to begin recording the follow-up to "Far From The Sun" later in the year.

DREAM THEATER and YES will be teaming up for a North American summer tour throughout August and September 2004. So far, only on date has been leaked: Saturday, August 28 at Tommy Hilfiger At Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, NY. More cities and dates will be announced soon.

According to Hits Daily Double, the first single from the retooled, Sammy Hagar-fronted VAN HALEN will be "Up for Breakfast", one of three tracks produced by Glen Ballard. The other two are "Learning to See" and "It's About Time". All three cuts are expected to surface on the band's upcoming best-of set, tentatively due this summer. The band will kick off the first leg of their massive North American tour on June 11 in Greensboro, North Carolina.

FEAR FACTORY vocalist Burton C. Bell has told Canada's Chart magazine that the group's new album, "Archetype", "basically wrote itself" once they worked through the emotional and financial turmoil that followed the departure of a founding member (Dino Cazares) and split with longtime record label (Roadrunner).

"It was a therapeutic album for us, even more so than older albums," Bell said. "With the changes that occurred [shifting band members… more on that later], this is how we dealt with it. The dynamics of the band shifted. We became tighter. There was a lot of pain to get through, but a lot of change is for the better. Things ran their course, so we took the steps that were important to get us here today. This evolving world of fate is insane. I had no intention of doing another record. I’m glad it came together."

"Creating 'Archetype'… it just happened," added guitarist Christian Olde Wolbers. "We all knew if were to make another record, it had to be a superior FEAR FACTORY record. When we shifted the line-up a bit, that sparked some creativity. I think that’s where we went wrong in the past with over-analyzing. [This time] we took more of a punk rock mentality: 'The song's done. Here it is,' matter-of-fact approach, instead of being so analytical and we’re proud of the result."

Bell concurred: "Sometimes being over analytical is detrimental. It's a sign of insecurity. We're culprits of that with past albums, but this one was more stream-of-consciousness, [not] forced. Everyone did it because they wanted to and it eventually snowballed. We were like, 'Fuck it, let's do a record!' I think you can hear that enthusiasm on the record. In fact, I think you'll see a lot more of that enthusiasm with everything we do from now on." [Read more]

LACUNA COIL guitarist Cristiano Migliore has revealed to Wichita's F5 that the Italian quintet have written roughly 15 tracks since the release of 2002's "Comalies" and will work on recording a new disc toward the end of this year with a projected release date of early 2005.

With regards to the band's upcoming appearance at this year's Ozzfest, Migliore said, "I grew up listening to OZZY, SLAYER — all those bands. So it's interesting that we should be on tour with them. I think this is the best lineup for an Ozzfest yet.

"We're really not going to make money from that tour," the 32-year-old guitarist said. "It's more about promotion. Which is good. Sometimes you only get a few people but the next time, you come back and there are more than you thought there would be."

According to Migliore, LACUNA COIL had no idea that its latest offering, "Comalies", would have the kind of legs that it has had since seeing the light of day in the dimming hours of 2002.

"We knew the record was good," he said. "But we had no idea that it would keep selling the way that it has." [Read more]

BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION guitarist Tracii Guns recently spoke to Chicago Innerview about his partnership with MÖTLEY CRÜE's Nikki Sixx.

"It's really weird, I knew Nikki differently before we started talking about the band," he said. "He was like an acquaintance but we used to argue a lot. Just about everything, I don't know why. We always liked each other but it was always like, 'Who the fuck do you think you are, dude?' So, I called him up on the phone and said, 'hey I know you're not doing anything and I've got a record coming out but I want to do something else,' and he's like, 'Okay, let's do it.'

"Then I had to go on tour but very quickly we bonded like we'd known each other for 20 years. We'd talk every so often like every two years but we really didn't know each other until we started talking every day, getting together, going out to eat, writing music and stuff like that. It was like I knew him longer than I knew my best friend. It was really cool and just like through these two years, he has become the best friend I have ever had.

"The guy is amazing. He's very understanding. You know, a lot of times in a band everyone's got their own little problems and the other guys don't want to hear your problems, like 'We just want to rock, that's it.' And it's a lot more than that. Being in a band is a relationship and the way that bands have longevity is when they do listen to each other and understand each other, and then you can do it for a long time if you actually like the people as people. And so Nikki is really one of those guys and because he has, obviously, a lot of baggage too, there's always a lot to talk about. I think we're both fairly intelligent guys and we understand. And so, yeah, he's really become an amazing person in my life.

"When we first started talking on the phone I was a little bit in awe that we were doing this. I didn't sit and take it for granted. I was like, 'Wow, man!' I'd seen MÖTLEY CRÜE when I was like 16 at The Troubadour in L.A. and it made me reinvent my guitar playing. Because at that point I had pretty much already went through all VAN HALEN and Randy Rhoads and I was only playing punk rock, it was just like I didn't care anymore. And then I saw them. [laughs] And I was like, 'Oh my fucking god, that's the way to do it. You mix it all together.' So for him to actually say yeah, let's do it, you know, it kind of scared the shit out of me. Be careful what you wish for."

Read Tracii Guns' entire interview with Chicago Innerview at this location.

Polish black/death metallers BEHEMOTH entered Hendrix studios in Poland on May 2 to begin tracking their highly anticipated new album, "Demigod". This is the follow up to their acclaimed offering "Zos Kia Cultus" (Here and Beyond).

Drummer Inferno commented, "I've never worked on better equipment in my life...it seems like we've never been so well prepared. Wait and see, 'Demigod''s going to have the most technical, intense and inhuman drum parts ever used in this band's history."

Guitarist/vocalist Nergal described the recording process thus far: "We have completed 11 new tunes and it's the strongest shit we've ever come up with. I feel very excited, the band feels excited and we can’t wait to lay the tracks down. I'm pretty sure we'll have to spill the blood and sweat, but what you will get in the end is the most devastating BEHEMOTH album ever and that's a promise. No bullshit here. It's just a totally blasting, heavy and unstoppable machine. That's what we are all about.

"On this album we will exclusively use our new new guitar endorsements with Polish Mayones and American Dean. We're bringing some fresh sounds into the songs and bring up the quality level as well. Songtitles set to appear on 'Demigod' are: 'Sculpturing The Throne ov Seth', 'Nephilim Rising', 'XUL', 'Conquer All', 'Demigod', 'Dreams Shall Flesh', 'Mysterium Coniunctionis'."

BEHEMOTH will kick off a worldwide tour in Europe on October 21. The trek, dubbed the Clash of the Demigods European Tour 2004, will also feature KRISIUN and INCANTATION. Later on, BEHEMOTH will team up with PUNGENT STENCH to play about 10 shows in The Czech Republic and Slovakia. In December they will embark on their debut headlining tour in South America and a mini-tour in Mexico. A full North American tour is planned for early 2005.

"Demigod" is set for a fall release through Century Media Records.

Former GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan has declined to participate in the upcoming VH1 documentary covering the early days of GUNS N' ROSES, BLABBERMOUTH.NET has exclusively learned. McKagan's non-participation in the "Behind the Music"-style show leaves Slash (guitars) and Steven Adler (drums) as the only original members of the group who have opted to actively co-operate with the show's producers. As previously reported, other people that are expected to contribute to the project are Tom Zutaut (former A&R executive at Geffen Records), Josh Richman (video director), Teddy Andreadis (keyboard player), Dave Navarro (JANE'S ADDICTION, ex-RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS), Warren De Martini (ex-RATT), Gilby Clark (ex-GUNS N' ROSES) and Mike Clink (GNR producer). The documentary is scheduled to air first week in June, followed a week later by "The Making of Velvet Revolver", a behind-the-scenes look at how Slash and Duff's new band, VELVET REVOLVER, got constructed, from the songwriting process to the singer search and studio sessions. More information will be made available soon.

Bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes (ex-DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH), drummer Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS) and guitarist JJ Marsh (GLENN HUGHES, HTP) will be playing two shows at Sammy Hagar's Cabo Wabo in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico on Friday, May 14 and Saturday, May 15. Hughes, Smith and Marsh performed live late last month at The Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando, Florida as part of the April 2004 Velvet Sessions.

Alice Cooper is being awarded an honorary doctorate by a Christian liberal arts college, according to the Associated Press. The 56-year-old will receive the honorary degree at Grand Canyon University's commencement ceremony Saturday.

Cooper, whose classic albums include "Killer", and "Welcome to my Nightmare", has been a financial supporter of the school, university officials said.

"Alice Cooper is a guy who made it big in a very tough business and has made his faith a priority," said Michael K. Clifford, vice chairman for the university, in a written statement. "He can become a real mentor for our students, sharing his knowledge, valuable contacts and real-life experiences in the performing arts."

Alice Cooper was previously known for shocking audiences with gruesome concert performances featuring simulated hangings and infant dolls gushing blood. More recently, he's been known in the Phoenix area as a family man who sometimes coaches Little League.

Dutch progressive metallers SUN CAGED, who feature in their ranks STAR ONE keyboardist Joost van den Broek, won the April 2004 monthly band competition on the popular Dutch radio station 3FM. "People could vote for the competing bands on the Internet and there was also a professional jury who gave the bands a rating," reads a post on the band's web site. "SUN CAGED got the most Internet votes and also the highest ratings from the jury, which made SUN CAGED the winner for the 3FM Buzz Awards for the month April. This means the band will start recording a session for 3FM radio soon and will be competing at the end of the year with 11 other bands for the yearly finals." Download the MP3 files from the radio show: Week Finals, Month Finals.

SUN CAGED's self-titled debut album was released last October through Finland's Lion Music. "Sun Caged" was mixed by AYREON/STAR ONE mastermind Arjen Anthony Lucassen.

Canada's STAMPEDE QUEEN will release their new album, "A Night At The Cockfights", on May 11 through Perris Records. STAMPEDE QUEEN was featured on the 2002 compilation "Hollywood Hairspray" with the track "Woman In A Fast Car" on Perris Records. "A Night At The Cockfights" features 14 tracks of in your face, hard driving rock 'n' roll in the vein of AC/DC, KISS, JUNKYARD and GUNS N' ROSES. The first single will be "Never Turn Your Back On Rock 'N' Roll" and the video will be featured on Perris Records first-ever DVD release, "Hollywood Hairspray - The DVD", coming this summer.

MACHINE HEAD frontman Robert Flynn has slammed ARCH ENEMY for "lying" about the reasons for their cancellation of their participation in the MH-headlined "Weapons of Mass Destruction" U.S. tour. Speaking to Cleveland, Ohio's The Metal Show Sunday night (May 2), Flynn said about the trek, "It's been killer, man. The tour's been great. I think we've got a really strong package. We've got GOD FORBID and 36 CRAZYFISTS. ARCH ENEMY — it's unfortunate that they've decided to do things the way that they have. They kind of made up a bunch of excuses about going out, you know, because [ARCH ENEMY singer Angela Gossow] couldn't get her visa...you know, whatever. If you buy that, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you too. The thing is that they needed this tour more than we needed them, you know. No one's asked for their money back, so...it's unfortunate that they had to go the whole lying route, but whatever. No one's hurting from it."

In the same interview, Flynn was asked about a statement from one of his older interviews in which he was quoted as saying that he didn't understand how an "an incredibly average band" like GODSMACK could go on to sell millions while a band like MACHINE HEAD retained a largely underground cult status. Asked if he's surprised that GODSMACK "continue to sell and that the world hasn't caught on to MACHINE HEAD yet," Flynn replied, "I can...I can definitely see why they sell as many records as they do. They write a lot more commercially ready, radio-friendly music, and we've taken a different path. Especially with this record. Again, it's an extremely unconventional record. Radio stations, especially mainstream ones, pretty much loathe to play seven-minute songs. I mean, on some of them the vocals don't kick in for three minutes and go into all kinds of changes. With all due respect, they're writing three minute songs that are pretty simple kinds of things. I still stand by those comments. They're not the worst band in the world, but I don't get it."

Flynn's entire interview with "The Metal Show" can be heard online at this location.

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach has booked two shows in Europe this summer. "This is the first time I have played in Europe since around 1995!!!" Bach writes on his web site. "I am totally excited to rock again in Europe & can't wait to get over there & start screaming!" Confirmed dates are as follows:

Jun. 25 - Pratteln, SWI @ Z7 (w/ ANGEL, LILLIAN AXE)
Jun. 26 - Balingen, GER @ Bang Your Head Festival

As previously reported, Bach's first DVD, "Forever Wild" is due on June 15 through Eagle Vision Entertainment. The disc will feature a 1998 live performance at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood as well as footage from Bach's ill-fated VH1 show, "Forever Wild". For more information on the DVD's contents, click here or visit Bach's official web site at this location.

Legendary hard rock singer Graham Bonnet (RAINBOW, MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, ALCATRAZZ, IMPELLITTERI, BLACKTHORNE) recently spent time at a California studio laying down vocals on the track "Not Dead Yet" from MOONSTONE, the new project of Italian guitarist Matteo Filippini. "The song is an up-tempo rocker and also will feature a guest appearance of the guitarist Howie Simon [JEFF SCOTT SOTO]," according to a posting on the MOONSTONE web site. Check out photos from the Bonnet recording sessions at this location.

The musical direction of MOONSTONE is being described as "genuine British-oriented '70s classic rock," not a million miles removed from the likes of FREE, JIMI HENDRIX and DEEP PURPLE. Among the other musicians set to contribute to the project are Ian Paice (DEEP PURPLE), Glenn Hughes (ex-DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH), John Lawton (ex-URIAH HEEP) and Tony Franklin (ex-BLUE MURDER, WHITESNAKE).

A brand new heavy metal collection consisting of current Estonian bands has been made available for free download at this location.

The compilation, entitled "The Beast Released", consists of 18 bands playing thrash, death, doom and prog metal. All files include an authorization letter, but the compilation producers and the participating bands are encouraging everyone "to make more copies and spread the music."

"The Beast Released" track listing:

01. HERALD - "My Judgement Cometh"
02. MUST MISSA - "Patuoinas" ("The Scapegoat")
03. ECHOSILENCE - "Utopian Reality"
04. SYMBOLIC STATE - "Close To the Rays"
05. MANATARK - "The Serpent's Tongue"
06. CONNECT[&]CUT - "Lies Around Me"
07. LOITS - "Tuleristsed" ("Baptism By Fire")
08. IGNORABIMUS - "Tibet"
09. KANTOR VOY - "Past the Doorstep"
10. METSATÖLL - "Hundi loomine" ("Creation Of the Wolf")
11. BESTIA - "Hallutsinatsioon" ("Hallucination")
12. EAST TRADING WANG - "Marketized"
13. HORRICANE - "Coup De Grace"
14. THARAPHITA - "Metsades, soodes ja rabades" ("In Forests, Swamps And Bogs")
15. RECYCLE BIN - "Fucking Hardcore Software Developer"
16. MEINARDUS - "Cristendom's Perdition"
17. WHISPERING FOREST - "Gothic Scripts And Keltic Runes"
18. LOOM - "U-Turn"

Dutch thrash metallers INSTIL have posted another track online at the Garden of Exile Records website. The song "Sole Rights" is taken from the group's upcoming full-length CD, "Fire Reflects In Ashes", due on May 14 through Garden of Exile. Download it at this location.

INSTIL play a mix of melodic and aggressive metal in the vein of UNEARTH, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, HATEBREED, ARCH ENEMY and THE HAUNTED, according to a posting on the Garden of Exile web site. The group had previously released a mini-CD, "Questioning Like Only Consciousness Can Question", on Beniihana Records and a split CD with KYDS VS. COLUMBUS on Burning Season Records.

The planned collaboration between Norwegian black metallers GORGOROTH and drummer Kjetil "Frost" Haraldstad (SATYRICON, 1349) has been cancelled, according to an official statement from Khaoz Productionz.

"The main reason [the collaboration has been called off] is the planned Europe tour in October with GORGOROTH and 1349, which is a strong wish from both bands that will happen," reads the statement. "Frost's present dedication and full-time work with his main bands 1349 and SATYRICON makes it difficult to focus 100% on GORGOROTH due to more assignments the rest of the year.

"GORGOROTH is currently working on another solution for the forthcoming album and live performances."

As previously reported, GORGOROTH have parted ways with Nuclear Blast Records and are currently negotiating a new record deal with an as-yet-undisclosed label.

GORGOROTH drew international attention in early February after they were accused of "offending religious feelings" during a concert in Poland. The band were also suspected of breaching the Polish law on protection of animals by displaying the severed and impaled heads of sheep as part of their stage act.

A video for the new OTEP song "Warhead" can now be viewed at the group's official web site, www.otep.com. "Warhead" comes off OTEP's forthcoming sophomore album, "House of Secrets", due on July 27 through Capitol Records. A streaming audio version of the song is also available at the site.

The follow-up to 2002's "Sevas Tra", "House of Secrets" was produced by Greg Wells, who has previously worked with a diverse range of artists, including the DEFTONES, MICHELLE BRANCH, and ELTON JOHN. The album — recorded late last year at Los Angeles' Rocket Carousel Studios — features guest drumming on six tracks by SLIPKNOT basher Joey Jordison.

OTEP have secured a second-stage slot at this year's Ozzfest, kicking off July 10 at ctnow.com Meadows Music Theatre in Hartford, Connecticut.

Brazilian heavy metallers HIBRIA have finished mixing and mastering their debut album, "Defying the Rules", with Piet Sielck (IRON SAVIOR) at a studio in Germany. A release date for the CD has yet to be announced.

Based out of Porto Alegre, HIBRIA play traditional metal in the vein of HELLOWEEN and JUDAS PRIEST. The songs "Steel Lord on Wheels" and "Change Your Life Line", taken from the group's recently released "Steel Lord on Wheels" single, can be downloaded at this location.

EDENBRIDGE, SEASON'S END and an as-yet-undetermined third band will be performing at the Bloodstock Festival warm-up party on Thursday, September 2 at Junktion 7 in Nottingham, England. Tickets are limited to 150 and available for £7.50 by calling 0115 9855251.

The 2004 installment of the U.K.'s Bloodstock Festival is set to take place September 3-4 at The Assembly Rooms in Derby, England. Among the bands scheduled to perform at the event are CHILDREN OF BODOM, GAMMA RAY, THRESHOLD, SONATA ARCTICA, EVERGREY and PRIMAL FEAR.

Chicago prog/power metallers ION VEIN were forced to pull out of this weekend's Upstate Metal Fest due to an unfortunate accident in which their bassist broke his hand. "We've tried to find a replacement for the gig but there simply just isn't enough time to make it happen," the band said in a statement. "We sincerely apologize to everyone planning on coming out to see us and to our friends, ENERTIA, who organized this cool event but this is completely out of our control and definitely unexpected."

Upstate Metal Fest will take place May 7-8 in Gloversville, NY and will feature the following lineup: ENERTIA, HAVOCHATE, LUCID REALITY, DIVISION, LIVESAY, XFACTORX, CONQUEST and HYPNOTICA. For more information, visit www.upstatemetalfest.com.

Danish thrash/death metallers URKRAFT have posted the track "At the Border of The Known World" in MP3 format at their official web site. Download it at this location.

"At the Border of The Known World" comes off the group's debut album, "Eternal Cosmic Slaughter", which was released in March through Germany's Cartel Media. The CD was recorded at Antfarm Studios in Århus, Denmark with producer Tue Madsen (MNEMIC, RAUNCHY, 2TON PREDATOR). An additional album cut, "Blessed Be the Human Beast", can be downloaded here.

HAMMERFALL vocalist Joacim Cans will hold a release party for his solo project, CANS, on Saturday, May 8 at the Metallterrassen Club in Gothenburg, Sweden. Joacim will act as DJ, and the evening will also include a performance by the "all-star" band METAL MONARCHS, featuring HAMMERFALL guitarist Oscar Dronjak as well as a number of other local metal musicians.

CANS' debut album, "Beyond The Gates", was released last month through Sanctuary Records. The CD was recorded between November 2003 and February 2004 at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden, Frankie's Hideaway in the U.S. and House of Music Studios in Germany, and was mixed and mastered at Twilight Studios in Germany. The recording lineup on the album was as follows: Cans (vocals), Mat Sinner (bass, SINNER), "Metal" Mike Chlasciak (guitars, ex-HALFORD, PAINMUSEUM), Stefan Elmgren (guitars, HAMMERFALL) and Mark Zonder (drums, FATES WARNING).

In a recent interview with Belgium's Conreteweb.be, Cans was asked how difficult it was for him not to write in the same style as the approach utilized by his main band. "Actually, it was not that difficult at all!" he replied. "Of course I was kinda nervous that the outcome of the whole album would come too close to HAMMERFALL, that I wouldn’t be able to 'defend' myself more. People asking, 'Why the hell did he bother doin' this?' When I sat down and made the plan to record a solo album, I had a couple of reasons of why I wanted to do it. One of them is that I have actually a darker side of me as a singer and a songwriter that I couldn't really channel into the music of HAMMERFALL. And all these feelings and emotions I wanted to actually put on an album! That's why I decided to do this! Also, when I decided that I wanted to work with a lot of different songwriters, I gave 'em a couple of key words of where I wanted this album to go. The keywords I gave 'em was I wanted to have it darker, and heavier than HAMMERFALL. I wanted to have it semi-progressive, but still melodic. And with these key words everything more and less started to happen! I got a lot of song ideas from people, sat down and listened to it, and took out what went into the direction I wanted it to go. Of course I was nervous at a time, wondering if it was gonna actually sound different with me as a singer…that people wouldn't be able to look beyond the vocals, so to speak, but until now it feels very, very good. Because a lot of people have said that it actually feels very different from HAMMERFALL. You know, it's still metal, but you can't actually say it sounds the same!"

Hungarian "traditional" metallers WISDOM have completed work on their debut album, tentatively due later in the year through an as-yet-undetermined label. A video for the track "Strain of Madness", filmed over a month ago in Budapest, can be downloaded from the group's official web site.

Drawing influences from such bands as HELLOWEEN, GAMMA RAY, STRATOVARIUS, and IRON MAIDEN, WISDOM have performed extensively in their home country, opening for the likes of IRON MAIDEN, U.D.O., HELLOWEEN, SAXON and DORO in addition to playing headlining gigs of their own.

Finnish metallers PAIN CONFESSOR will be playing at the Tavastia club in Helsinki on Friday, July 16 as part of this year's Tuska Festival.

As previously reported, PAIN CONFESSOR will enter the studio on May 7 to begin recording their debut album, tentatively due in the fall through the Finnish label Megamania. A live recording of a song called "Soul Eraser", which will appear on the upcoming CD, can be downloaded from this location.

PAIN CONFESSOR, who feature former members of such groups as A.R.G., JANE DOE 69 and NONSLIPLEVEL, play "melodic metal with clean and death metal vocals mixing various metal sub-genre influences into their unique style," according to an official press release. "Lots of guitar and vocal harmonies intertwine with atmospheric keyboards and tight rhythms. This is thrashy metal but there are no limits to the band's musical expression and imagination."

In a recent interview with Holland's Lords of Metal, former AT THE GATES/current THE GREAT DECEIVER frontman Tomas Lindberg spoke very openly about his relatively brief tenure as the singer for the now-defunct Swedish thrashers THE CROWN.

"They see life in a totally different way than I do," Lindberg said. "Totally opposite [to] how I deal [with] life, music and friends. This kinda destroyed my feelings for a band that I used to love before I was in the band. No offence to the guys from THE CROWN, but when you meet a band you love for the first time — let's say if you meet SLAYER — and they proved to be really stupid or something, you could still probably say: 'Yes, they're good, but they're assholes.' For me, having such an intimate look into the life of THE CROWN makes me unable to even listen to their old records. Because I know how they think, and they think so much different than I do. But I still think it's a loss for the metal scene. They were a good band, a lot of people liked them. But I can't get really into it as I used to do before I was in that band. We had so much different outlooks of life: it was really hard for me to work with them. We shared nothing!

In the same interview, Lindberg spoke about his singing approach with he various bands he has been in over the years and his musical inspirations for THE GREAT DECEIVER's latest CD, "Terra Incognito".

"Well, I'm the first one to admit that I don't know if I can sing or not," he said. "But I cannot think that everyone can't sing more or less. I know I don't have that beautiful, high-pitched, elevated voice or something. I could never sing in a normal band. There are tons of better singers than I am. The kind of music that I was inspired by 'trying to sing' with THE GREAT DECEIVER are the weirder, alternative rock bands where you can get away with not being able to sing in one way. Bands like SONIC YOUTH: they can't sing, but they do it anyway. So I can't sing, but I do it as well. For instance the song 'Worm Of Truth' on our new album 'Terra Incognito': when I heard the song for the first time I thought it would be really stupid to try to bark over something like that. That would kinda ruin the mood. It also had a bit of an Arabic feeling with it, so I wanted to bring the atmosphere of a minaret, with chanting prayers from high towers and so, in that song. It has some kind of monotonous vibe to it."

Read Tomas Lindberg's entire interview with Lords of Metal at this location.