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The Running Order for the WACKEN OPEN AIR is online, featuring bands like DEICIDE, MAYHEM, DESTRUCTION and exclusive performances like SATYRICON feat. NOCTURNO CULTO of DARKTHRONE or the reunion show of the NWoBHM legend SATAN featuring Steve Ramsey and Graeme English (both SKYCLAD) and Brian Ross (BLITZKRIEG) or even DORO getting together with her former band WARLOCK! Check out which bands you’re gonna see 2 months in advance at our tourdates section or more detailed at: www.wacken-open-air.de
Fans of aggressive old school Heavy / Thrash Metal with killing vokillz listen up. RELLIK from the US have made new songs available through their website www.rellik.us. No pseudo-retro shit, but heartedly performed Metal you 80s freaks might really enjoy, so check it out. For all people interested in namedropping: ex – GOREAPHOBIA / ex – IMMOLATION member Craig Smilowski plays in RELLIK.
The following bands are confirmed for this year’s UNDER THE BLACK SUN Festival: ANAEL, IMPALED NAZARENE, SATANIC WARMASTER, INQUISITION, ISVIND, AVENGER, DARK STORM, HEYDNBLUT, AZAGHAL, MERRIMACK, FLUISTERWOUD, ACHERON and NEGURA BUNGET. The festival takes place on July 09 – 10, 2004 at the Ahlimbsmühle in Milmersdorf (near Templin), Germany. Pre-sale tickets are available for 25,- Euro (+ tax and postage), at the door 30,- Euro, Day ticket: 20,- Euro. Camping and parking is for free.
A few weeks ago bassist Lenny Blade left NOMINON because of personal reasons. At the same time NOMINON inked a new deal with Singaporian record label Konqueror Records. As of now the band is writing new tracks for the album which is set to be recorded at Necromorbus studio later in 2004, for an early next year release. NOMINON is also auditioning several bassplayers to find out a special one to fill Lenny’s shoes. Interested parties should contact: nominon@lycos.com or else check the website www.nominon.com for all the latest news.
ARES KINGDOM, the current home of former ORDER FROM CHAOS / VULPECULA guitarist Chuck Keller, will be entering the studio in June to begin recording their album. The last VULPECULA release "In Dusk Apparition" is supposed to be released on Invictus Productions by the end of the year. Keller has furthermore finished recording and mixing vocals and leads for the next BARBATOS album "Fury and Fear, Flesh and Bone." No label has been announced for the release of it yet.
CONQUER SUMMER FESTIVAL 2004 will take place on Sunday July 4th in Gdynia, Poland at Club "Ucho" (capacity of 700 people). This year’s line-up is as follows: ACHERON, DEVILYN, HELL-BORN, SUHRIM, SUPREME LORD, ABGOTT, INFERNAL LEGION, TEHACE and other supporting acts being sought.
VADER‘s official website (www.vader.pl) has been updated with the following festival information: The band will play the Kaltenbach Open Air Festival (www.kaltenbach-openair.at) in Spital am Semmering, Austria on July 16th. Other acts on the bill include IMPALED NAZARENE, TANKARD, NAGLFAR, BEHEMOTH, PUNGENT STENCH, GOREROTTED, FLESHCRAWL and many others. Also, Vader will headline the Barther Metal Open Air Festival (www.barther-metal-openair.de) in Freilichtbühne / Bart, Germany on August 21st. Others on the bill include AGATHODAIMON, SUIDAKRA, DARK SUNS, NOCTE OBDUCTA, MINAS MORGUL and more.
Relapse Records recording artists NILE will see their new video for the song ‘Execration Text’, premier on this weekend’s edition of Headbangers Ball. Headbangers Ball airs Saturdays from 10-12 PM EST on MTV2. Taken from NILE’s "In Their Darkened Shrines" album, the ‘Execration Text’ video was directed and filmed by acclaimed director Darren Doane (DEFTONES, AFI, POISON THE WELL, KYUSS) and shot at Center Staging in Burbank, CA.
DEVILYN have inked a deal with Conquer Records. The band will release their fourth album through the label in late September. The new album will be recorded at Poland’s Hertz Studio in August. In live news, DEVILYN will be featured at the upcoming Conquer Summer Festival at Club Ucho in Gdynia, Poland. The band will then tour Europe with SUPREME LORD in September / October. More details as they become available.
MORBID ANGEL‘s Trey Azagthoth and Steve Tucker are confirmed to be guest hosts on MTV2’s Headbanger’s Ball, airing Saturday, June 12. With regular Headbanger’s host Jamey Jasta on tour for the month, Azagthoth and Tucker will be taking over the greater part of the show – introducing videos including some of their own favorite picks and discussing MORBID ANGEL, and generally "bringing light to the closed minds of the masses".
According to a posting at their website, Norwegian black metallers TIDFALL "are now starting the process of writing new songs. No plans are made for the coming summer, just having a relaxing time and put all our efforts in making one hell of a sequel to Nucleus (2003). The last gig in Tromsø went fucking great, people from the northernmost part of Norway really know how to metalparty! Thanx for the support! Things might be a little slow on the site for some time. We’re all starting holidays soon, but we’ll try to get some new pics and some words out in between. So long and have one hell of a summer! Cheerz!"
According to a posting at ANAAL NATHRAKH‘s official website (www.anaal-nathrakh.tk), the band are currently at Necrodeath Studios recording their second full-length album. The release is expected through the band’s new label, Season Of Mist Records, in September. As previously reported, in response to the band’s recent signing to Season Of Mist for two albums, the group commented, "The label has been naive enough to sign the deal, and ANAAL NATHRAKH will shortly commence making them rue the day they were born." Planned songs for the album include ‘Revaluation Of All Values’, ‘To Err Is Human, To Dream – Futile’ and ‘Procreation Of The Wretched.’
The long-delayed FUNERAL PROCESSION "Wolfish Storms…" t-shirt is finally available by the end of this week. It is limited to 50 copies and will be available in size XL only with print on the front and on the back. For details contact Nightfog at http://nightfog.cjb.net or sowulo14@t-online.de. It is recommandable to act quickly, as half of the edition is already pre-ordered.
SKULL FUCKED PRODUCTIONS is looking for a German groovy Grind band to be featured on an upcoming 4 way split CD, which is scheduled to be released around September – December this year. The confirmed bands so far are UNFORMED (France), GASTRICK BURST (France) and CYNICAL BASTARD (Germany). For further info get in touch via the following addresses: http://skullfuckedprod.free.fr or skullfuckedprod@wanadoo.fr
Kerstin (Nord-Pol-Events) and DJ Lepski announced that they won’t keep up the Metal-Night in Bremen, Germany. More important might be the fact that Nord-Pol-Events won’t put up Metal concerts at the Wehrschloss in Bremen, either. Consequently, it doesn’t look too good for a second VOICES festival over here. More information on Metal in Bremen is provided under: www.bremen-rockt.de
DEATHFEST 2004 is scheduled to take place at Ulu Club in London, England on June 19th. The complete line-up for the show includes: VADER, CANCER, DIAMANTHIAN, TORMENT, CADAVEROUS CONDITION, CADUCITY and CENTURIONS GHOST. The date will also feature two local acts that are yet to be announced. Stay tuned for more info as it becomes available.
DISSECTION have issued the following message via their official website (www.dissection.nu): "Finally the wait is over! Dissection will once again perform live and spread the sonic anti-cosmic chaos over the world! The first show will take place at Klubben in Stockholm, Sweden on October 30, 2004. Tickets can be bought through Ticnet and some info can be found at Skrikhult Productions (www.skrikhult.se)."
In addition to the previously announced "Choice Cuts" (best of album) from CARCASS, due on July 13th, Earache Records will be re-issuing three other classic Carcass albums. On July 27, "Necroticism: Descanting The Insalubrious" and "Heartwork" will hit stores followed on August 10 by "Swansong". The re-issues will not contain any bonus tracks. But all three albums are remastered with bonus videos and they come in slipcases with fold-out posters inside.
Norwegian Black Metal newcomers, DISIPLIN are currently working on the follow-up to their acclaimed self-titled debut album, whose mix of old school Black Metal and tinges of Thrash and Death Metal inspired more than the specialised media to take notice. The band, who recently invited bassist, Invictus to join the line up as a permanent member, will be entering Akkerhaugen Studios in August to record their new opus, "Quimbanda".
SATHANAS are working on new material for their next release. They have added two new members to their line-up, namely Wayne Dudley on guitar and ex-ACHERON drummer Jim Strauss. Labels should get in contact for a new promo at sathanaspaul@yahoo.com
Metal Devastation Records have officially re-released EMBALMED‘s "Unholy Torment" album on CD for the first time. The album was remastered and sells for $15 (ppd. everywhere). For wholesale prices contact: montenegro666@msn.com. The band’s 7" EP "Prelude To Satan’s War" on Legion Of Death Records is also still available for $9 (ppd.). A live / rehearsal cassette release will be out on Hellspike Productions soon.
ARCH ENEMY‘s Japanese label Toy’s Factory will release a six track EP entitled "Dead Eyes See No Future" on June 9th to coincide with their upcoming Japanese tour. The track list is as follows: ‘Dead Eyes See No Future’ (from "Anthems Of Rebellion"), ‘Burning Angel’ (live), ‘Heart Of Darkness’ (live), ‘Kill With Power’ (MANOWAR cover), ‘Symphony Of Destruction (MEGADETH cover) and ‘Incarnated Solvent Abuse’ (CARCASS cover). Both live tracks were recorded during the band’s recent European tour.
Former PESTILENCE bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling, who played on the group’s jazz / fusion – influenced fourth album, "Spheres" (1993), has launched his official web site at www.jeroenthesseling.com
RAZOR‘s previously announced Toronto date on July 24th with ANVIL and EXCITER is actually part of the Gates Of Hell 2004 festival, scheduled to take place at FunHause. With a possible SACRIFICE reunion on deck for the festival, other acts scheduled to perform include WARMACHINE, ROTTING, NITEMARE, VISIONS OF THE NIGHT, WILL OF THE ANCIENTS and SOUL LESS DIVINE. More details to be announced soon.
Finnish melodic Death Metallers OMNINIUM GATHERING will begin to record their second album with the working title "FallGraveSilence", in June. The follow-up to their debut album, "Spirits And August Light", will be released in fall through Rage Of Achilles.
On Thursday, June 3rd, IN FLAMES will play an exclusive concert at the Underground – a club offering space for about 300 people – in Cologne, Germany. The gig will be filmed and broadcasted at a later date on the German TV show, Rockpalast, on the WDR network. On the following weekend (June 4th – 6th), In Flames will play Germany’s two largest open air festivals, the Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park.
ENSLAVED have inked a deal with Tabu Recordings. The band are currently confirming their upcoming recording schedule at Grieghallen Studios and the mix will be done in Duper Studios by Sir Duperman. The production team will consist of Jorgen Traen, Eirik Hundvin and Enslaved.
Death Metal bastards KAAMOS will release their new album, "Lucifer Rising", in September through Candlelight / PHD. The track list is as follows: ‘Black Revelation’, ‘Gnosticon’, ‘Inaugurating Evil’, ‘Theriomorphic Pandaemonium’, ‘Dark Void’, ‘Lucifer Rising’, ‘Sacrament In Red’, ‘Mysterious Reversion’, ‘Khthonic’ and ‘Outro’. For more information on the band, go to this location www.kaamos.nu.