Polish Death Metal veterans VADER have changed the title of their forthcoming album from "Epitaph" to "Revelations". The band's first CD with ex-HUNTER four-stringer Simon (who replaced Shambo last year), "Revelations" is currently being recorded at Red Studio (the same studio where the group's "Litany" and "Reign Forever World" CDs were recorded) with producer with Piotr Lukaszewski, and it will include 12 tracks, among them the following: 'Torch Öf War', 'The Wolftribe', 'From The Ashes Thy Create', 'Devotion', 'Begotten Son of Fire', 'When The Fallen Rise Again', 'Epitaph', 'The Absolut' and 'I Am Who I Am'. In addition, two cover versions will be recorded, including a rendition of MORBID ANGEL's 'Immortal Rites' for an upcoming MORBID ANGEL tribute album on Hellspawn Records (which will also include contributions from KRISIUN, EMPEROR, ANGEL CORPSE, and BEHEMOTH, among others). Although presently unconfirmed, 'Immortal Rites' may also appear as a bonus track on the Japanese or Polish edition of "Revelations". The follow-up to 2001's "Reign Forever World" is scheduled for a June 3rd release through Metal Blade Records.

DIMENSION ZERO, featuring IN FLAMES guitarist Jesper Strömblad are dismissing thoughts that they are just a "studio" group, and will be playing three Japanese dates in late May, and then the group plan on touring Europe.

Century Media are releasing NONEXIST, the new band featuring former ARCH ENEMY frontman Johan Liiva and ANDROMEDA guitarist Johan Reinholdz. Recorded at Studio Abyss (Hypocrisy, Destruction, Dimmu Borgir), the album "Deus Deceptor" is likened to the glorious ARCH ENEMY debut, "Black Earth" as Liiva confirms: "Black Earth" felt like an explosion of pent-up energy. I really want "Deus Deceptor" to have the same kind of feeling. You know, a bit like 'do or die'".

The South American Thrash Of The Titans festival scheduled to take place on April 20th in Sao Paulo, Brazil will feature SEPULTURA, MACHINE HEAD, TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX, EXODUS, VIO-LENCE, DEATH ANGEL, SADUS, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM (with Eric A.K.) and HEATHEN.

INTERNAL SUFFERING have finished recording and mastering their new album, "Chaotic Matrix", for Displeased. It's due out on May 25th. The band are currently preparing for the North American Extermination Tour II 2002, which will take in over 20 US dates.

Belgium's DEFORMITY have finished recording their second full length, "Superior", at Excess Studios in Rotterdam. Mastering will take place at Electric Studios in Brussels. The album is due out on May 25th through Displeased.

DEW SCENTED will be playing with DESTRUCTION, KREATOR and SODOM in Holland and Belgium, as well as one date in Leipzig, as part of the Hell Comes To Your Town Tour 2002 in April. A show has also been added for Ludwigsburg with IMMORTAL, HYPOCRISY and AGATHODAIMON. In other Dew Scented tour news, the shows in Bochum and Flensburg have recently been canceled by the promoters.

LUCIFERION are hard at work on their upcoming release for Listenable. The new album is scheduled for a September release.

CENTURIAN will be playing Poland in mid-February and will embark on a nine date UK tour with VADER in March.

DERANGED are working on their forthcoming album, "Plainfield Cemetary".

ABHORRENCE is currently recording the MOTÖRHEAD cover, 'Mean Machine', for a tribute album to be released in Brazil. They're also writing new songs for their second full length album, to be recorded during the summer and released in early 2003.

GRIEF OF EMERALD's Robert Bengtsson recently commented on the band's forthcoming album, "Well what can I say, we're fucking back! This CD contains 10 new tracks, bombastic guitar work, less melodic keyboards, blastbeats and a big dooze Death Metal. We still have our mid / fast tempos but this is more straight in your face. Some titles are: 'Christian Termination', 'Raped By The Servant Of God', 'Scum' and 'Alas Spiriti Sancti'. We're working a tour in late May. Robert is also engineering and mixing the album in his own studio".

SCARVE will release their new Daniel Bergstrand produced album on March 7th. The band will tour France in April with NO RETURN, DEW-SCENTED and RAIN. Scarve is currently mixing a live recording for possible release later in the year and will shortly begin working on a video for the track 'Emulate The Soul'

FLESHCRAWL are sad to announce that due to powers beyond their control, they will not be coming to America for their first American show. The band feels bad, and is looking forward to the next chance they have to come over.

NIGHT IN GALES release their new album, "Necrodynamic", this spring. The release will include bonus tracks taken from "Sylphlike".

NECRONOMICON will hit the stage again very soon with the new line-up: Rob "the Witch" (guitars / lead vocals), Dominik (bass / melodic voices) and Rick (drums & percussions). On February 27th, the band will share the stage with DIMMU BORGIR at the Medley concert hall in Montreal, with special guests KRISIUN and ONTOS ON. In related news, the band's "Pharaoh Of Gods" has now been reissued by Unique Leader Records and is available through its worldwide distribution. Originally released via Hypnotic Records in 1999, the band's debut full length album will see a new promotional campaign behind it.

MORTIIS will embark on his first ever European tour, in Spring 2002, in support of his album "The Smell Of Rain". The tour kicks off on April 9th at Marx in Hamburg, Germany and wraps up on the 28th at a yet-to-be confirmed venue in Sweden.

Japan's TYRANT are finishing up their new album, "Legend". The release is set for April.

NINNGHIZHIDDA have finished recording mixing and mastering their new album, "Demigod", for Displeased. A release is set for April 25th.

UNLORD will disappear into obscurity forever after the release of their album, "Lord Of Beneath", due out in April through Displeased.

NAGLFAR have finished recording and are preparing to mix their new album, "Sheol", due out this summer.

From Beyond Productions is set to release the "Early Years" album from SATHANAS and BATHYM. With overlapping line-ups, both bands stood at the birth of the American Black Metal scene in the late 80's / early 90's. The CD will cover the demos and 7" releases of both bands, as well as tons of unreleased, live and rehearsal material. The release is due in late April.

Osmose have released HOUWITSER's "Rage Inside The Womb" album on LP in Europe.

NECRO SCHIZMA have reissued their late 80's demo, complete with a live gig as a bonus, though From Beyond.

Nuclear Blast Germany has reissued DESTRUCTION's "The Antichrist" and "All Hell Breaks Loose" as a double-CD package

On April 22nd Metal Blade will reissue two BROKEN HOPE double CD's, each available for the price of a single CD. The titles are "Bowels Of Repugnance" / "Swamped In Gore" and "Repulsive Conception" / "Loathing". Both double CD´s will have fat booklets including liner notes and loads of previously unpublished photos of the band

DIVINE RAPTURE will soon be featured on a Morbid Angel tribute album entitled "Tyrants From The Abyss" alongside Zyklon, Vader, Krisiun and other bands. The album will be released by Hellspawn Records of Sweden. DIVINE RAPTURE will be covering 'World Of Shit (The Promised Land)' off of "Covenant" and have added their own flavor in the form of a few surprises in vocal patterns and arranging. The tentative release date is in Spring 2002. Due to Morbid Angel's plans and Erik Rutan's extremely packed schedule, DIVINE RAPTURE will enter the studio end of May / early June instead of in March as originally reported. They will still be traveling to Dimensional Sound Studios in Tampa, FL to record with Erik, but due to this development and an additional development, the sponsorship deadline has been moved to April 11th. Just to recap, the sponsorship program was put in place to allow any magazine, label, record store or other establishment to gain additional worldwide advertising through placement of their logo inside the forth-coming DIVINE RAPTURE full-length cd sleeve and on new DIVINE RAPTURE t-shirts, both of which will be distributed internationally in great quantities. Sponsors will also be advertised through a variety of other media available to DIVINE RAPTURE as true Death Metal supporters! A $50 donation secures a logo space on the back of the DIVINE RAPTURE shirt and an $85 donation secures a logo space inside the forth-coming cd sleeve as well. Any donation is welcome though and there are accomodations for friends of the band also. ALL proceeds from donations will go directly toward recording the new album!! Be sure to check out www.divinerapture.net or write info@divinerapture.net for other details. For snail mail correspondence: Divine Rapture, P.O. Box 159, Chester Heights, PA 19017 USA.

Its been a long time coming but HATE ETERNAL have confirmed that they will enter the studio to record the highly anticipated follow up to "Conquering The Throne". The band will record as a three piece, led by founder member Erik Rutan, complimented by Jared Anderson on bass and vocals and Derek Roddy on drums. The album will be titled "King Of All Kings" and will be recorded at Dimensional Sound Studio in Tampa, Florida, with sessions commencing March 1. Hate Eternal, despite Rutan's amd Anderson's committments with Morbid Angel, have promised full scale touring on both sides of the Atlantic once the album is released. In the meantime US fans can catch the fiercesome threesome at both the New England and New Jersey MetalFests in the coming weeks.

Australia's Carcass-worshipping death-grind mutants THE BERZERKER have entered the studio, somehwere beneath the barren deserts of the Australian outback, to record the as-yet-untitled follow-up to their self-titled 2000 debut. For those of you who missed the band on their first US tour in Spring '01 (with Dying Fetus, Gorguts, and Skinless), The Berzerker will be returning to America this summer for their second US tour.

Sweden's ultra brutal masters SPAWN OF POSSESSION have just signed a deal with Unique Leader for their first full length release which will be recording in June. 

California's DECREPIT BIRTH will feature former members of Deprecated and will be recorded by Tim Yeung on drums. DISGORGE is in the studio in Chicago recording "Consume The Forsaken" now.

For the first time in 10 years, NUCLEAR ASSAULT will perform three reunion shows in April. The dates are: 6th - Metal Meltdown - Asbury Park, NJ, 27th - L'Amour - Brooklyn and 28th - Jaxx - Springfield, VA.

DECAPITATED's "Nihility" album is being issued on vinyl.

Ledo Takas Records have struck a licensing deal with Black Lotus Records to release the LP edition of NECROMANTIA's "IV Malice" album. The blood red vinyl album will include a bonus track, the cover of OMEN's 'Death Rider', and will be limited to 666 hand-numbered copies. Due out in May, the release also comes with a huge lyric sheet insert.

DISSIMULATION will soon begin recording their debut album, "Maras". They will enter Phoenix Studios in Riga in March.

HORNA plan to release a 7" EP through Ledo Takas Records. Recordings with new vocalist Sin K. Finnish, will be completed this spring.

WINDS release their "Reflections Of The I" album on April 9th through The End.

ARCTURUS' new album, "The Sham Mirrors", is out through The End on April 9th.

On February 26th, The End Records will release the compilation disc "At The End Of Infinity: Echoes & Thoughts Of Wonder". The disc will feature tracks from the labels upcoming releases from acts such as AGALLOCK, ARCTURUS, GREEN CARNATION, SCHOLOMANCE, SLEEPLESS, VIRGIN BLACK and WINDS.

PRIMORDIAL have finished recording their new album at Academy Studios in the UK with producer Mags (MY DYING BRIDE). Expect a release in mid-June. The band is confirmed to play the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany this summer.

THYRFING recently finished recording their new album, "Vansinnesvisor". The set was recorded at Dug Out Studio with producer Daniel Bergstrand. An early May release is expected.

The End Records and Prophecy Productions have entered a new collaboration. They have decided to exclusively distribute and promote each other's releases in their respective territories. Thus, The End Records will be handling releases from both labels in North and South America and Prophecy will do the same in Europe.

VIRGIN BLACK's "Sombre Romantic" album is out now in North America. The release includes a bonus disc with songs from the group's "Trance" EP.

ARRIVAL have inked a two album deal with EdgeRunner Records. Their debut album, "An Abstract Of Inertia", has just been released on CD and limited digi-pack CD.

EdgeRunner Records have just signed a deal with Norway's ARCH NEMESIS. Their first album for the label in due in April or May. Check out their website at: www.anemesis.com.

SADISTIK EXEKUTION's new album, "Fukk", will be released on vinyl.

Due to financial difficulties, DARK FUNERAL have been forced to cut ANOREXIA NERVOSA, OCCULT and RAGNAROK from the lineup of their current European tour. TIDFALL will remain as the only support band.

AGATHODAIMON's upcoming European tour with HECATE ENTHRONED and INFERNAL POETRY kicks off on February 27th in Stuttgart, Germany and runs through till March 23rd in Vigo, Spain.

IMMORTAL's "Sons Of Northern Darkness" Metal Box is officially sold out. The album recently entered the German album charts at #58.

Steve DiGorgio has been confirmed to handle the bass duties for the upcoming VINTERSORG album, "Visions From The Spiral Generator". Live bass duties will be handled by Tyr (BORKNAGAR) as the drums were handled by Asgeir Mickelson (BORKNAGAR, SPIRAL ARCHITECT). DiGiorgio work will take place on March 8th / 9th.

SATANIC SLAUGHTER completed their new album, "Banished To The Underworld". They have confirmed dates in Europe for April with LORD BELIAL and CORPORATION 187.

CARNAL FORGE guitarist Jari Kuusisto give the following band update, "The tour went really great and we had a lot of fun. I think that the show in Vienna was the best for all bands. Mortician was a really cool live band and they were also really cool guys. We're looking forward to some more shows - in fact, Smash Fest in Poland is already confirmed, and will take place June 28-29." CATASTROPHIC guitarist Trevor Peres gave the following band update, "Right now I am in my car heading up to New York to start writing new material, and learn a couple of cover songs too. Keith and I are trying to figure out what song from SACRIFICE to do!?" INCANTATION's website, www.incantation.com, has been updated. The band have been confirmed to join CANNIBAL CORPSE, DARK FUNERAL, and PISSING RAZORS for a 30 show US tour set to start in early April. Dates will be made available at the website.

THE CROWN release their new album, "Crowned In Terror", on April 9th through Metal Blade in North America. The band will tour in support of the release beginning on April 5th at the New Jersey Metal Fest. The dates wrap up on May 2nd at The Palladium in Worcester, MA. DARKEST HOUR will support The Crown on this tour.

KREATOR will team with DESTRUCTION and SODOM for two shows in Greece this month. The dates are: February 16th at Woodstock i in Athens and 17th at Hydrogios in Thessaloniki.

Here's an official press statement / update from SIRIUS: "Okay folks, it’s cleaning time! For quite a while, some months actually,  people have been expecting me to react to the latest happenings and mishappenings in the core of SIRIUS. I hereby apologize to the fans and supporters for the delay in such update. Let it be known, that only in the best interest of SIRIUS did I decide to hold all band-related information from public opinion since October 2001. In a lamentable occurrence, wrong information about SIRIUS has been widely spread. Several news and quotes were presented as being official from the band, well they’re not. Once and for all, those words were not an official band statement, and do not represent my position. Keep in mind what Chuck Schuldiner once said: “Support music, not rumours.”  As many of you might know by now, I have inked a deal for SIRIUS with Nuclear Blast Records, and both parts look forward for a great co-operation in years to follow. I feel this is an important step for the development of SIRIUS. Also inside the band, substantial changes have occurred. In the year that celebrates 5 years of full activity with SIRIUS, I take the chance to welcome “extraordinaire” new members Ca-2 (ex-Red Harvest) as new drummer, Konstrukt (ex-Myrkskog) on bass and vocals, LRZ (also in Red Harvest) Sampling & Electronix and D-Void as new lead guitarist. Expect nothing but top-notch performance from the best group of musicians I’ve worked with. On a short last note, I am currently assembling the new SIRIUS material that is tentatively set for release in the second-half of 2002. As of now the only thing I’ll state is that it’ll be a great leap into the future. Keep an open mind! The band’s website should also be back online soon, fully redesigned. Be sure to check www.neverland.nu/sirius once in a while. See you there… [Nexion]. Draconiis, mastermind of Sirius" 

German Death / Grinders RESURRECTED have a new website, which has been online for some weeks now. The new domain is http://www.resurrected.net. For any questions concerning general info on the band, booking or mailorder make sure to use the new email address from now on, which is blood@resurrected.net.

PENTACLE's website http://httpd.chello.nl/m-verhoeven has been updated -  there two mp3's on the releases section. More songs will follow in the next couple of weeks.

CANNIBAL CORPSE is back from Colombia, after show wrap up via Alex Webster. "We just played two shows in Colombia, in Cali and Bogotá. The audience was killer, and the shows went well. We had a crazy in-store at Tower Records in Cali, we nearly got trampled, the kids overran the signing table, we were surrounded, and they were going wild. We loved it; it was a total adrenaline rush. The fans in Colombia are REALLY brutal. George got his shirt torn off by fans while shaking hands after the Bogotá show. Colombia's Much Music also covered the Bogotá concert. There was around 600 people at the Cali show, and around 1000 in Bogotá."  On Thursday February 7th, Proscriptor from ABSU (Russ R. Givens) was chosen, out of numerous drummers nationwide, to audition for the almighty SLAYER! With only three days notification to rehearse 11 Slayer songs, Proscriptor was asked to be video taped performing these tracks simultaneously with the original Slayer music. The videocassette was delivered to Slayer’s management the next day and then directly sent to Kerry King while on tour in the US. Kerry then asked Proscriptor to audition with him the day of the concert and to select 4 out of the 11 songs of his choice, which were 'Post Mortem', 'Raining Blood', 'Disciple' and 'Hell Awaits'. The audition was an immense success and now he waits for the final conclusion. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled due to relative emergencies between both Tom Araya and Jeff Hanneman. We shall see in due time. "GOD DETHRONED is currently writing songs for the new album. The working title is "The Universal Slavedriver". The new drummer works out very well. We're doing some headlining shows in Holland on festivals etc. One of the highlights this year will be a show in the world famous Milkyway Club in Amsterdam. We will perform together with a VJ. This guy also did our videos. The show will contain all kinds of footage of these videos, but also lots of new stuff. All the images shown say something about the songs we're playing. Further we will have TV screens built up like Satan's Crosses and also a freak show during the show. Hopefully we can shoot all this and release it as an official home video." - Henri Sattler (guitars / vocals) ANCIENT RITES is confirmed for the Eurorock Festival this summer. BLOOD RED THRONE crime just finished the recordings for the bonustracks of the upcoming "Affiliated With The Suffering" mini-CD. This mini-CD will feature three songs from the unreleased "Deathmix 2000" promo, one regular album-song, one unreleased track from the "Nordic Metal II" - compilation and last but not least a cover-song of MASSACRE's classic 'Cryptic Realms'. Release of the mini-CD is scheduled for early May. Furthermore the band is writing new material for their second album on Hammerheart Records. Recordings for the new album are scheduled to start in May. Latest news is that Blood Red Throne recruited a new drummer in the person of Espen "Beist" Antonsen. www.get.to/bloodredthrone

DEMONS OF DIRT is currently rehearsing for upcoming live-shows. The "lost" information from the Killer Engine-booklet will soon be updated on the website. www.demonsofdirt.net

The recordings for the DIMENSION F3H album are a little bit delayed because of preparations for the new Limbonic Art-album. Morfeus is planning to a have big choir of 38 people (the oldest person in the choir being 90 years old!) and the female vocalist of Trail of Tears as guests on the album. Recordings are scheduled to be finished at the end of March. www.dimensionf3h.com

DISMEMBER is planning to record their long-awaited new opus in April / May in Das Boot-studio. Furthermore there are strong rumours that Dismember will play the Waldrock Festival in Holland this summer with a "Best of Dismember" live-set.

IMPIOUS are currently busy rehearsing material for their upcoming album. The band will enter Studio Mega on the 22nd of March with producer Chris Silver. Working-title of the album is "The Killer" and some of the song-titles are 'Dead Eyes Open', 'Stabbed 69 Times', 'Sick Sex Six', 'Digital Devil', 'Deathsquad' and 'The Hitman'. Interested in downloading some pre-production soundclips? Then check out the website. www.come.to/impious

MACABRE are preparing to enter the studio, once again with Neil Kernon (a.o. Cannibal Corpse, Queensryche, Nevermore) to record the long-awaited new "Murder Metal"-album, which will be a continuation of "Sinister Slaughter". www.murdermetal.com or www.mindmelt.com/macabre

NECROPHOBIC will play the Wacken Open Air and the Party San Open Air-festivals in Germany. The new album "Bloodhymns" will be out at the end of March. For more live-dates check out our tourdates section. www.necrophobic.net MONSTROSITY have been touring a lot lately to promote their latest release "Enslaving The Masses". The band will soon enter the Morrisound Studios to record the follow-up to their highly acclaimed "Dark Purity"-album. Furthermore there are plans in the making to tour Europe in September (40-50 shows) to promote their upcoming album. www.conquestmusic.com

The recordings for the new PRIMORDIAL album are finished. More epic and mighty than ever but still in the typical Primordial-vein. The album was recorded at Academy Studios in the UK with producer Mags (a.o. My Dying Bride). Expect a release halfway June. Furthermore the band is confirmed for the Wacken Open Air-festival in Germany. www.hammerheart.com/primordial

SEVERE TORTURE is currently busy recording the follow-up to their very succesful debut-album "Feasting On Blood". The new crusher will be titled "Misanthropic Carnage" and the recordings take place again in Franky's Recording Kitchen with Robbie Woning (Dead Head). According to the band the new material will be even faster and more brutal than the previous album. Release planned for late August. Furthermore Severe Torture will support Cannibal Corpse on their upcoming European tour in September. Latest news is that the band is planning a 4 week tour in the USA / Canada with Deeds of Flesh. For tourdates check out our tourdates section. www.severetorture.com

SKYFIRE will enter the Abyss Studio in the summer to record their 2nd longplayer with Tommy Tägtren. Unfortunately the planned Benelux mini-tour with Callenish Circle was cancelled due to problems with the booking-agency. http://listen.to/skyfire

SINISTER found a replacement for leaving member Bart in the person of Pascal (also God Dethroned stand-in and member of Cantara). Pascal will join Sinister on their upcoming live-shows to promote their latest output "Creative Killings". http://sinister.wingsofdeath.nu

THYRFING recently finished the recordings for their 4th attack titled "Vansinnesvisor". The album was recorded at Dug Out Studio with producer Daniel Bergstrand (a.o. Strapping Young Lad, Meshuggah). The release is scheduled for early May. www.thyrfing.com

VIU DRAKH's new album "Death Riff Society" will be released in March 2002 via Moonstorm Records. Visit www.viudrakh.de to
learn more about the latest activities of the band and feel free to download a brandnew track off "Death Riff Society" under www.viudrakh.de/mutant.mp3 As an appetizer, the VIU DRAKH / DRILLER KILLER split 7" EP will be released on Xetal Records soon . The guys have recorded a brand new song as well as a cover of an ACCION MUTANTE song for this release. 

Italy's HORRID have signed a deal with the Russian label Morehate Prod. for the re-press of their MCD. The re-issue will have a completely new packaging, title and additionally features HORRID's second demo, one live song and the brand new track 'Evil's Birth'. The band will furthermore sign a new deal with Deadsun Records.

EXMORTEM have updated their website with new photos, MP3's and more. You can check it out at: www.exmortem.com

Here's an official statement from MÖRK GRYNING's Goth Gorgon concerning the reasons why they decided to cancel their upcoming tour: "As many of you might know, Mörk Gryning was supposed to do a European tour in March, together with Aeternus, Agathodaimon and Hecate Enthroned, for World Progress Booking. A week ago, headliner Aeternus cancelled there appearence and strongly recommended us to do the same. They told us a lot of strange stuff concerning the tour, and the man behind it (a guy called Phil, who wouldn't give us his phone number). After we heard similar stories from other sources, we came to the decision that it would most likley only end in disaster if we did this tour. We and Aeternus made this decision on good reasons, and believe me, it was not because of our "rockstar" attitude or similar that this tour was cancelled. Still, we feel more eager than ever to kick out some great music across Europe and are currantly looking for a new tour and new gigs. Most likely, you'll be able to catch us on tour later this spring.

The CALLENISH CIRCLE / SKYFIRE mini-tour, that was originally planned at the end of March, was cancelled because of problems with the booking-agency, that was supposed to book the dates.

Anyone who's still interested in former MORBID ANGEL frontman DAVID VINCENT and what he's up to, should click here... But be prepared for a massive shock! VOMITOR's "Neutron Hammer" 7" has been sent to the pressing plant after all. After months of delays and postponements, it is finally getting ready to be pressed. The first 100 copies will come with a limited edition patch. Some limited VOMITOR "Neutron Hammer" shirts will be available soon as well, one sided and printed in red (on black). Watch for badges also.

Aussie Death / Thrash maniacs GOSPEL OF THE HORNS (ex-DESTROYER 666 / BESTIAL WARLUST) have now signed to Invictus for the release of their yet to be titled, debut LP. The album, which has been recorded since last summer, is scheduled for a late June / early July 2002 release. It will initially be available on limited edition LP and CD. Invictus Productions is now looking for magazines, labels, distributors etc. to send promos to. Everyone interested should get in touch at promoinvictus@hotmail.com G.O.T.H have released 2 demos ("The Satanist's Dream" in '94 and "Sinners" in '98), a 7" ('Monuments Of Impurity') and a MCD ('Eve Of The Conqueror" on Damnation Recs.) to date and have previously toured in Europe playing in Holland, Belgium, France, England and Ireland in the summer of 2000, solidifying their European fan base. They have also played the highly acclaimed Australian Metal Fest 'Metal for the Brain'. For further info on GOSPEL OF THE HORNS, check out http://gospelofthehorns.cjb.net The band will be in Europe from the start of August and will be touring throughout Europe. If you're interested in booking the band, please get in touch with Invictus. A limited edition t- shirt is also in the planning stage. All further info at the new Invictus Productions website: http://www.unconquerable.net There you can also buy a limited edition PRIMORDIAL 'Ancient Blood' shirts for Euro 10 / $10 US. Invictus Productions is also running a mail order / distro in Ireland so if you are interested in having material distributed there, please get in touch at necro_hammer@hotmail.com

EXMORTEM is now officially no longer on Hammerheart Records. The band is still looking for a possible company to release the "Berzerker Legions" album on vinyl, so interested labels should contact Exmortem directly. The Danish bunch has also begun the search for a new label to release their next album, that will be recorded around July. For further information see www.exmortem.com Spain's Gore grind legend HAEMORRHAGE have completed the recordings for their fourth longplayer "Morgue Sweet Home“. The releasedate will be March 25^th. A limited picture LP edition will be available. After the co-headlining tour with CRYPTOPSY between April 12^th and Mai 5^th  the band is booked as the first grindband ever on this year's WITH FULL FORCE Festival.  March 25^th will also see the release of OBSCENITY's seventh album on CD and vinyl. The album has been mastered at the “unholy grail” of Death Metal, the famous Morrissound Studios. "Cold Blooded Murder“ turns out to be the band's fastest and most brutal output.  Cult US porngrinders LIVIDITY will be back with their third strike "...Till Only The Sick Remain“ on June 24^th. The recordings will take place in March. 2 Songs have been released in advance. Finally the sickos will hit Europe for three weeks in September (e.g. Morbid Fest 2002).  Satanic old school Death Metalheads EVIL INCARNATE plan the release of their new album (workingtitle: "Waiting For His Return“). Zion (DISINTER) and Xaphan (HATE PLOW) have been recruited as guestmusicians. Their new drummer is noone less than Skull (KRABATHOR).  VIRULENCE have added Darren Cesca, "Insane Superhuman Grindbastard-Brilliant“ drummer, to their line-up. A European tour is in the planning stages and there is a chance of seeing the crazy grinders on the Morbiden Festspielen (06.09.-07.09.)  Roman Bellec and Nicolas Haron have joined GURKKHAS as full-time members on bass and drums respectively. The French warmachine will prove its technical skills on this year's Fuck The Commerce & Summer Breeze  festivals.  ORTH are looking for a skilled drummer. Everybody interested in working with the Berlin Deathmetalheads, should contact Morbid Records at: info@morbidrecords.de

It's official. MOTÖRHEAD's new album will be called "Hammered" and will be released in Europe on April 8th and in North America on April 9th.

DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER have signed a multi-abum deal with Nuclear Blast. They've already booked the Stage One Studios for June to record the new album, which has the working title "Everything Is True - Have A Nice Trip", due out in November. The Gothenburg Death Fest will occur on June 1st and will feature CENTURIAN, SOLIS OF FATE, IMMERSED IN BLOOD, INIQUITY, IMPURE, KAAMOS and INSISION among others.

DIMMU BORGIR, EMPEROR and BORKNAGAR are nominated for the Spellemannsprisen Award in the Hard Rock category. The awards ceremony will be aired on primetime Norwegian television in March.

According to SOLEFALD bassist / vocalist Cornelius Jakhelln, "We are finishing writing music for our fourth album. It will be a concept album based on the common European heritage of philosophy, science, art and literature. We will start recording in the end of March, in Oslo. The music will be a continuation of that on "Pills Against The Ageless Ills", slightly baroque and more based on acoustic instruments".

DHG DODHEIMSGARD are still working on their new album which has been slightly delayed as their drummer has been occupied touring with another band. The band is confirmed on the upcoming Inferno Metal Festival in Oslo.

MARDUK have decided not to return to the US before the planned dates in support of their next album due to the latest indications given from the US embassy regarding the band's Visa's.

GARDENS OF GEHENNA have acquired guitarist Bastian Rosner (ETERNAL SILENCE).

The Inferno 2002 Festival takes place in Oslo, Norway on March 29th/30th. Acts scheduled to perform include: 1349, AURA NOIR, BEHEMOTH, BLACK COMEDY, BLOOD RED THRONE,  CARPATHIAN FOREST, DHG, DIMMU BORGIR, ETERNAL SILENCE, LOCK UP, LOST IN TIME, LOWDOWN, MANATARK, MINAS TIRITH, NOCTURNAL BREED, SCARIOT, SOURCE OF TIDE,  VINTERSORG, WINDIR, WITCHERY and ZECTION 8.

The End Records will release ARCTURUS' new album, "The Sham Mirrors", in North America. The US release date will coincide with the release of WINDS' new album, "Reflections Of The I", both due out on April 9th.

ECLIPSE have released their new album, "The Act Of Degradation", in Europe through Blackend.

According to Metal Update, GORGOROTH are currently on hold as vocalist Gaahl is in jail. According to a Nuclear Blast press release "his fist was in the wrong face at the wrong time". The length of his sentence has not been determined by the court.

OCULTAN has just released its second album, "Remembrances Of Evil - The Crucifixion", available through Evil Horde Records. Check out the MP3 for the track 'The Seven Caldrons Of Hell' at www.evilhorderec.com. The band also have a website at www.geocities.com/ocultanblackhorde.

GREAT VAST FOREST will release their Evil Horde debut, "Battletales And Songs Of Steel", in late February. An MP3 for the track 'Wolvesclan' is available at www.evilhorderec.com. Check out the band's website at www.greatvastforest.com.

AZAGHAL will release their new album, "Of Beasts And Vultures", in April through Evil Horde. The band have posted an MP3 for the track 'Peto - 666' at www.evilhorderec.com.

Brazilian labels Evil Horde and Zenor have joined forces to form the sub-label Black Metal Attack. Their goal is to release licensed albums for the Brazilian and South American market. They have already signed a licensing deal with Moonfog and their first release will be DARKTHRONE's "Plaguewielder" album in February.

Blabbermouth reports that AETERNUS will headline the Visions Of War tour, beginning in March. Other acts on the bill include AGATHODAIMON, HECATE ENTHRONED, MORK GRYNING and INFERNA POETRY. For more info go to: www.worldprogressbookings.com.

Due to venues dropping shows the AMON AMARTH / DIABOLIC tour has been canceled. The last show was January 31st in Corpus Christi, Texas. 

On February 4th, Shellshock Distribution will release ABBADON INCARNATE's "Nadir" in the UK.

THE FORSAKEN's forthcoming album, "Arts Of Desolation", was recorded with Tommy Tagtgren at Abyss Studios in Sweden. The band have also recorded covers of METALLICA's 'Creeping Death' and SLAYER's 'Spirit In Black' to be used as as bonus cuts or B-sides.

CANNIBAL CORPSE's forthcoming "Gore Obsessed" album will have the following tracklisting: 'Savage Butchery', 'Hatchet To The Head', 'Pit Of Zombies', 'Dormant Bodies Bursting', 'Compelled To Lacerate', 'Drowning In Viscera', 'Hung And Bled', 'Sanded Faceless', 'Mutation Of The Cadaver', 'When Death Replaces Life' and 'Grotesque'. The Japanese bonus track for the record is a cover of METALLICA's 'No Remorse'.

The release of DEATH's demo album, "Zero Tolerance", on February 11th has been canceled.

In support of their new album, "Crowned In Terror", THE CROWN will be touring North America with support from DARKEST HOUR and another currently unnamed band. Tour dates will be posted at www.metalblade.com and The Crown's website at www.thecrownonline.com

41-year-old EXODUS frontman PAUL BALOFF (birth date: April 25th, 1960), whose unique personality and distinctive vocal style have endeared him to thousands of Metal fans all over the world, passed away just before noon yesterday, February 2nd, 2002(Pacific time), after suffering a massive stroke Thursday night (January 31st) that has left him lying in a coma with irreparable damage to his brain in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Highland Hospital in Oakland, California. Paul was a unique, high spirited individual and his presence will be sadly missed. R.I.P. Paul

PAUL BALOFF, vocalist of Bay Area Thrash vets Exodus, reportedly suffered a massive stroke and is said to be on life support and barely clinging to life at a local hospital. Baloff was rushed to an Oakland hospital suffering from what was initially believed to be a brain aneurysm, but doctors have since determined that what he actually experienced was in fact a stroke. According to Blabbermouth.net, hospital officials say Baloff is “not expected to survive and it is just a matter of time before he passes.” We'll keep you posted on any more information as it comes in.

I know that a lot of you reading this are still waiting for the SADISTIC INTENT debut full length to see the light of day, that's why we got in touch with guitarist Rick Cortez, who gave us a few updates on the band's latest happenings... 
"Unfortunately we have not been in the studio since October, 2001. Bernie (Versailles - producer of the album - Ed.) has been busy with both his bands (AGENT STEEL / ENGINE) recording their full lengths. However, I think we'll be back in really soon. As a matter of fact I'll give him a call tomorrow to check the status. I wish we were finished already!!! I want to go out and tour, especially Europe because I've heard great things about the Metal scene out there! At least I can say I am very pleased with what we've done so far!! It's gonna be our tightest recording yet! We have not wimped out either, as a matter of fact, some of it is our fastest and darkest material to this point! We re-recorded all the songs from "Ancient Black Earth" MCD and we have a couple older songs but mostly newer stuff..." 
Before the release of the album Iron Pegasus Records is gonna release a SADISTIC INTENT 7" which features two exclusive tracks... 
"'The Exorcist' is the POSSESSED song Jeff Becerra did vocals for us!! That was a great honor for us and 'Morbid Faith' is actually a song we wrote back in 1988 but this is the new version which is a lot faster than the original, not to be confused with the 'Morbid Faith' we used on the "Thrashing Holocaust" compilation (Necropolis Records). We recorded this song twice at the time in two different studios and decided to use this other version for this 7" EP." After more than a year of inactivity SADISTIC INTENT will finally start playing out live again. They will be on the bill in New York and New Jersey at "The Destruction Festivals" with DESTROYER 666 and several more. There's also a couple more gigs in the works for Los Angeles - one of them is supposed to be with EXODUS, AGENT STEEL, DREAMS OF DAMNATION (ex-DARK ANGEL), ABATTOIR and more. Also not confirmed yet is a support slot for CANNIBAL CORPSE, DARK FUNERAL etc. 

MANES have recently signed a four-album deal with the Italian label Code666 (Ephel Duath, Aborym, Rakoth, Aghora etc.) After the release of the "Under Ein Blodraud Maane"-album on Hammerheart Recs., Manes had a pause for introspection and configuration and are now back in pre-production with a full line-up for the new album "Vilosophe". The album will be recorded around spring 2002 at Skansen Studios (Wurdulak, Gorelord, Atrox etc.) in Manes' hometown Trondheim, Norway. Some of the tracks have been given names like 'So Damn Cold', 'Worsen' and 'Son Of Night, Brother Of Sleep'. Some related news are that Code666 have signed a deal with Necropolis Recs. for American distibution and that ATROX have signed a multi-album deal with Code666 as well. For Manes history and discography check out http://www.go.to/manes For more updated info check out www.code666.net For direct contact, interview, booking use ulcero@hotmail.com

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