January 29, 2001

In April Belgian Painkiller Records will release a CENTINEX / NUNSLAUGHTER split picture 7"EP entitled "Hail Germania" . This EP will be dedicated to the german metal scene, featuring two cover tracks; CENTINEX – "Enchanted Land" (originally by SODOM) and NUNSLAUGHTER – "Preacher" (originally by RUNNING WILD). It’ll be limited to 1000 copies.

In June Repulse Records will re-release CENTINEX‘s "Malleus Maleficarum" CD. Totally re-edited with new supreme artwork, photos etc. The album will include at least four bonus tracks!

SINISTER will release their new album "Creative Killings" in autumn 2001.

Norway’s new extreme Metal sensation, ZYKLON unleash World Ov Worms in early February. Consisting of Zamoth and Trym of Emperor, Destructhor of Myrkskog, and Daemon of Limbonic Art (who is now an official member, handling the vocals), Zyklon create a vicious mix of high quality death and black metals. As Zamoth explains, "It started with an idea around ’98 to do another band, with a bit more of an aggressive attitude. Me and Trym had been jamming some material. Back then we were not sure if it was going to be a proper band, but in the end we had some rough material. And then we brought in Destructhor from Myrkskog and he joined the band earlier this year. Since he’s joined we have become a stronger unit and decided to go forth with it." "Well in a way it is a continuation," Zamoth replies when asked if this has any relation to do with Zyklon-B. "But I’ve stressed the fact that it’s not the same band. It’s not a reformation of Zyklon B. The name bears a resemblance as does the music and the concept, so it’s not something totally different. But it’s not the same band. I feel that the album we’re doing now, the World Ov Worms, is our debut album; it’s not our second release. But we have had a lot of questions about this: is this Zyklon B?, and I think a lot of people will make fuss about and it’s understandable because of the similarities in the name. But I mean the name Zyklon is a very cool name; it looks good, it sounds good and it’s quite original, and for us it represents a massive destructive force." And then of course there’s the speculation concerning Emperor (with Emperor not touring for the upcoming new masterpiece), but Zamoth assures that there will be no conflicts whatsoever. "There’s a lot of speculating around this and I understand. But the thing with us is that with Emperor we do one thing and Ihsahn is a very creative person and he feels he needs to have outlets for different musical ideas in different things and I am the same with Zyklon. So we just keep Emperor as one thing and we do things on the side, and now we decided for the new Emperor album we won’t be an active touring band. But maybe in the future we will play live again, who knows?"

OPETH are set to release their phenomenal new volume, "Blackwater Park", on March 13th in North America. While treading new waters, rest assured that Blackwater Park is another worthy gem that fits like a glove alongside the rest of the band’s illustrious back catalogue. The tracklisting is as follows: ‘The Leper Affinity’, ‘Bleak’, ‘Harvest’, ‘The Drapery Falls’, ‘Dirge For November’, ‘The Funeral Portrait’, ‘Patterns In The Ivy’ and ‘Blackwater Park’. Blackwater Park also marks the longest Opeth record to date, the first time they have worked with an actual producer (Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree) since Dan Swano, but Mikael Akerfeldt is confident as ever. "It’s not a shock for the listener. It’s still going to be an Opeth record in every sense. We introduce minor differences with each record we do; we just focus on having quality songs. As long you have quality songs it doesn’t matter if you do like ten that are the same if you know what I mean. I don’t feel any urge to change drastically in style because our music is so wide anyway because you can fit everything in one song. We just want to make exciting music. We just record the material that’s written. Then we can think afterwards if it’s a worthy Opeth album. We have some new ideas, especially with the production. We’ve used guitar sounds and vocal sounds that we’ve never used before and it’s kind of disguised and stripped down. For the listener it can seem like it’s really primal. I know what I like in music, but as a listener I don’t listen to it until we get the finished mastered CD. So I’ve been listening to it constantly since we got back home from the studio. I played it to my friends and the reactions have been great and I just feel more confident than ever that this is a worthy Opeth record. Right now it’s my favourite and that’s a good feeling."

A lawsuit alleging SLAYER‘s music caused a trio of the band’s fans to murder a 15-year-old girl was dismissed by a California court on January 23rd. The girl’s family has 60 days to submit a new complaint. Slayer’s attorney maintains, "There’s not a legal position that could be taken that would make the band responsible." As for their new album, the band began recording on January 22nd with producer Matt Hyde. According to Kerry King, there’s no title yet but 15 songs are ready, and the release date is projected for the end of May. In related news, the band have also recorded a track, ‘War Zone’, for an upcoming WWF compilation.

BENEDICTION have released their new album, "Organized Chaos".

NASUM are set to tour Scandinavia with THE HAUNTED and NILE. The tour kicks off on March 5th in Sandviken, Sweden and wraps up on March 18th in Oslo, Norway. A full list of dates is available at www.nasum.com Nasum will also perform at this years Wacken Open Air this Summer

REBAELLIUN have finished the writing process for their new album, Annihilation. Recording will commence at Stage One Studio in February. The album will have eight new tracks and a re-recording of ‘Bringer Of War’. A limited edition CD and vinyl will also include a bonus track

VADER‘s next studio album won’t be in the works before 2002, but the band will be busy promoting Reign Forever World for the next 12 months. Before the Polish tour kicks off in March, the band will play a series of dates in Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany. This warm-up will begin on March 1st in Ostrava and fold up on March 9th in Halle, Germany. During these dates Vader will be supported by VIU DRAKH, CRUSHER and KRABATHOR. Fans can expect a new stage design and new sets comprising new and old tracks, the latter including some never played live. Each set will be also extended with BLACK SABBATH, SLAYER and CELTIC FROST covers. On the Polish tour support comes from DECAPITATED and TRAUMA. On the Scandinavian leg support comes from VOMITORY. April 12th marks the beginning of another edition of the prestigious No Mercy Festival featuring VADER, MARDUK, MORTICIAN, AMON AMARTH, SINISTER, GOD DETHRONED, SOILWORK, MYSTIC CIRCLE and many others (for further details check out our tourdates section). This time the tour will comprise 13 big festivals, including the Tilburg and Antwerp events where the bands will be joined by NAPALM DEATH, HYPOCRISY, BENEDICTION, GEHENNA, and VOMITORY. The whole tour is organised by Metallysee Agency. VADER will then do a 30 date U.S. club tour with DECAPITATED.

DARK FUNERAL have entered Abyss Studios to record their third full length album, Diabolis Interium, for No Fashion. Peter Tagtgren will produce the album, planned for a European release in late May. The band are currently in negotiations to decide the label for the U.S. release.

WOLFEN SOCIETY will re-record their forthcoming EP, "Conquer Divine", in early March. This time, Tommy Tagtgren will engineer the project. The band apologize for the delay releasing the project.

IN THE WOODS‘ played their final concert in Kristiansand recently. They performed all the highlights of their albums and surprised the listners with three new songs, the standout track being ‘I Don’t Care’.

DORNENREICH have finished their new album, Her Von Welken N’chten, set to be released in late February.

BLAZING ETERNITY’s Magnus ‘Darkenfald’ Ringling has left the band. Anders I. Kristiansen is the new bass players. The band’s next album may be released this year.

BLOOD RED THRONE have signed to The Plague. The band will begin recording at Dub Studio in Norway in April.

NAERVAER‘s debut album, "Skiftninger" will be released on February 19th through Ember.

BETHLEHEM will begin recording their new album, "Schatten Aus Der Alexander Welt", in March.

IN AETERNUM and ROTTEN SOUND, with support from MALEVOLENT CREATION and HATEPLOW, will tour Europe this Spring. The dates begin on February 6th in Newport, England and wrap up on February 26th in Chile.

In the next few weeks several tracks from ANCIENT CEREMONY‘s "Synagoga Diabolica" album will appear on compilations in the US, Australia, Asia and East Europe. In late May the band will embark on short underground tour, making stops in Berlin and the Czech Republic. They are also working on material for their next album, The Third Testament, to be released in the Fall. Also, the band will cover the track ‘Hunger Of The Undead’ for a forthcoming DARK ANGEL tribute.

Germany’s MYSTIC CIRCLE will release their new album, "The Great Beast", on March 26th. Check out the band’s website at www.mystic-circle.de

PESSIMIST have inked a deal with Lost Disciple Records to release their third CD, tentatively titled "The Greater Of Two Evils".

SATHANAS are set to release a new MCD, "Cruentus Diabolos", through Pulverized Records.

DECAPITATED are still working on a U.S. tour. The tentative date has been set for July 2001. Digger International and Earache America confirm that the band will open for VADER and two other bands, so everything depends now on the Immigration Office and the American Embassy in Poland.

Brazil’s NEPHASTH have signed for two albums with Mighty Music. The debut album, Immortal Unholy Triumph, is scheduled for a May release.

SOULGRIND will release their new CD, Elixir Mystica, on February 19th through Holy Records.

DARKSIDE have inked a deal with Season of Mist. Their fourth album, Cognitive Dissonance, is set to be released this Fall.

DESTRÖYER 666 will be on tour in Europe with IMMOLATION, DERANGED and DECAPITATED (for the exact dates check out our tourdates section). The jaunt begins at The Underworld in London on May 1st and wraps up on May 20th at the Remise in Will, CH.

ATROX vocalist Monika, and guitarist Eivind were forced to return to Norway during the recording of their new album in Finland. Both suffered throat infections that needed to be treated in the hospital. The albums release will now be delayed by two or three months.

YATTERING will record their next album in March at Red Studio in Poland. It will be produced by VADER’s Piotr Lukaszewski and is set to be released through Season Of Mist in Europe, and Relapse in the U.S. in September.

…AND OCEANS are preparing for a tour with MARDUK, MYSTIC CIRCLE and others.