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The CD was recorded with producer Waldemar Sorychta (LACUNA COIL, TIAMAT, GRIP INC.) and will contain around 8 to 10 new songs, including "Once It Was Ours!", "Blood Tells", "Sanguine", "Finisterra", "Upon the Blood of Men" and "At the Image of Pain".

"Home" Tracklisting is as follows:

01. Shortest Day
02. In Between
03. Alone
04. Waking Hour
05. Fatigue
06. A Noise Severe
07. Forgotten
08. Solace
09. Your Troubles Are Over
10. Box
11. The Quiet One
12. Home
13. Forgotten Reprise

They will be playing the Camden Underworld (LONDON) on March 7th. Tickets are £8.50 in advance and available at the usual online retailers.

"We have just commenced writing for the follow-up to 'Alien'. We're only a week in, and we're already up to four wicked new tunes! I'm really psyched with the new stuff, hell, we all are. And Jed's [Simon, guitar] not even here yet! As everyone knows, STRAPPING is sort of an evolution in progress, and this album will be no different. Anyone looking for an 'Alien Pt. II', or a 'City Pt. II', or hell, even a 'Chicken Feather Pt. II', knows that's not how we work. Fresh new STRAPPING sounds for a fresh new chapter. And, what an exciting chapter this is looking to be. Because, one of the other reasons 2006 is gonna be so rippin' is that, come July, upon the new one's release, STRAPPING has some CRAZY touring plans, which we'll go into later. But, suffice it to say, this will be our most prodigious year, indeed. I'll tell ya all about it next month, no problem... Not that I'm gonna wait a month to drop a new a new batch of verbiage on ya or anything, but, indeed, next month we'll just know more...

The group will enter the studio in May to begin work on their as-yet untitled debut album, tentatively due later in the year. The CD will be recorded in Veszprem, Hungary and London, England with producer Brett Caldas-Lima, who had previously worked with the band on their July 2005 demo.

"The new year brings in a new line-up for Season's End - Daryl Kellie (guitar) and Tom Nicholls (bass) have amicably departed the band. We would like to thank Daryl and Tom for their time with us and wish them the best for the future. We are currently busy writing and recording demos for album number 2 as well as continuing work on the live DVD, scheduled for release at the beginning of April. The January and February dates will all be going ahead as planned (with the exception of the postponed Ilfracombe show). Temporary members have already been found, Jay from the mighty FourWayKill and David Lovell, a long-time friend and roadie of the band. Season's End, based in the north of Hampshire, require a permanent, experienced guitarist and bassist. Applicants must have their own transport, gear and be committed to a heavy rehearsing, recording and extensive touring schedule. Applicants may not necessarily be called Dave. Please email info@seasons-end.com if you are interested in auditioning (include your name, background, age and a photo). "

Metal Monk UK wishes Tom & Daryl all the best for the future, and good luck to Season's End in finding two worthy replacements!

DVD: Live At The Bizarre Festival, Germany, 1999 (Dolby Digital 5.1/stereo):
01. In The Flesh
02. Cinnamon Girl
03. Waste Of Life intro
04. Too Late: Frozen
05. In Praise Of Bacchus
06. Kill All The White People
07. Cornucopia
08. Wolf Moon (including Zoanthropic Paranoia)
09. Everything Dies
10. My Girlfriend's Girlfriend
11. Are You Afraid?
12. Gravity
13. Black Sabbath intro
14. Christian Women
15. Love You To Death
16. Black #1

CD single:
SANTANA medley, approx. 6:00 minutes, featuring
01. Evil Ways
02. Oye Como Va
03. Black Magic Woman

DVD extras:
* 33 minutes "Behind the Scenes" material
* a previously unreleased interview @ 30 minutes
* gallery, containing 40 (personal) pictures
* commentary track
* bandmembers' biographies
* four animated menus

Approximate running time: 2:15 hours

Sarah Jezebel Deva also commented: "Finally, a dream come true for me! A song with Aaron [Stainthorpe] from MY DYING BRIDE. I've waited years to sing with his immaculate voice! It's at last happened. No title for the track as of yet but the lyrics were written by the both of us."

ANGTORIA's debut album, "God Has A Plan For Us All", is tentatively scheduled for release in April 2006 via Listenable Records. To help out with engineering the drums, the band have hired Daniel Bergstrand, who has previously worked with such acts as IN FLAMES, SOILWORK, MESHUGGAH, DEVIN TOWNSEND, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD and BEHEMOTH. Other songtitles expected to appear on the upcoming CD include "Confide In Me" (KYLIE MINOGUE cover), "Little Girl", "Deity Of Disgust" and "I Cried Alone".

With excitement building around the new studio album, the news that re-releases of their classic albums "Tab" and "Spine of God" will be coming as well have excited many longtime fans of the band. These re-issues will feature new artwork and liner notes, as well as bonus tracks, as part of SPV's SuPerValue re-issue series, and will again be available worldwide. A DVD is also in planning for late 2006.

01. Intro
02. Misplaced
03. Blinded No More
04. Fullmoon / White Pearls Black Oceans
05. Victoria's Secret
06. Broken
07. 8th Commandment
08. Shamandalie
09. Kingdom for a Heart
10. Replica
11. My Land
12. Black Sheep
13. Sing in Silence/the End of this Chapter
14. San Sebastian
15. Gravenimage
16. Don't Say a word
17. The Cage
18. Vodkaa... (hava nagila)

"Kill" track listing:

01. The Time To Kill Is Now
02. Make Them Suffer
03. Murder Worship
04. Submerged In Boiling Flesh
05. Five Nails Through The Neck
06. Purification By Fire
07. Death Walking Terror
08. Barbaric Bludgeonings
09. The Discipline Of Revenge
10. Brain Removal Device
11. Necrosadistic Warning
12. Maniacal
13. Infinite Misery

"Too Old, Too Cold" single (projected release date: January 2006):

01. Too Old, Too Cold
02. High on Cold War (feat. Grutle from ENSLAVED on guest vocals)
03. Love in a Void (SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES cover)
04. Graveyard Slut

"The Cult is Alive" album (projected release date: February 2006)

01. The Cult Of Goliath
02. Too Old, Too Cold
03. Atomic Coming
04. Graveyard Slut (Fenriz on vocals)
05. Underdogs And Overlords
06. Whisky Funeral
07. De Underjordiske
08. Tyster På Gud
09. Shut Up
10. Forebyggende Krig

"Sinner's Intuition" track listing:

01. Witness to the Fall
02. Words in Red
03. The Slain
04. Halo of Ruin
05. Enemy Angel
06. Sever the Ties
07. Blacklist Assassin
08. The Course to Oblivion

"Sinner's Intuition" will feature back-up vocals from Swedish multi-instrumentalist/producer Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH, PAN THY MONIUM).

"When London Burns" DVD track listing:

01. Scars of the Crucifix
02. They Are the Children of the Underworld
03. Bastard Of Christ
04. When Satan Rules His World
05. Once Upon the Cross
06. Kill the Christian
07. Serpents of the Light
08. Dead but Dreaming
09. Lunatic of God's Creation
10. Sacrificial Suicide
11. When Heaven Burns
12. Dead by Dawn
13. Behind the Light Thou Shall Rise
14. Deicide
15. Crucifixation
16. Christ Denied
17. Oblivious to Evil

DECAPITATED recently parted ways with original vocalist Sauron, and replaced him with Covan, formerly of ATROPHIA RED SUN.

Jan. 10 - London, UK @ The Electric Ballroom
Feb. 15 - Nottingham, Rock City
Feb. 16 - Manchester, Satans Hollow
Feb. 17 - Dublin, IRE, Temple Bar
Feb. 18 - Glasgow, SCO, Cathouse

HYPOCRISY are continuing to tour in support of their latest album, "Virus", which came out in September via Nuclear Blast Records. Check them out if you can!

"Many thanks to all who supported the releases and appreciated the ethic behind the label," said label founder and TO-MERA bassist Lee Barrett in a statement. "I’ll now be A&Ring for another label. More news when it's available." Elitist was founded in 2002 as an imprint division of the legendary Earache Records. It was solely A&R'ed by Barrett, the ex-owner of Candlelight Records and the person reportedly responsible for discovering such acts as EMPEROR, OPETH, ENSLAVED and many other.

This means many great bands such as FARMAKON, FOREST STREAM and notably WOLVERINE are left without a label. WOLVERINE actually split from the label themselves shortly before it was disbanded. A message on their official website reads:

"It's with mixed feelings we have to announce that WOLVERINE is no longer a part of Earache Records.

"We released 'Cold Light of Monday' through Earache and we also re-released 'The Window Purpose' through them, two albums that we are very proud of. However, during the last months it became obvious that Earache wasn't the right label for us and that they wouldn't do 'Still', our upcoming album, justice.

"Being without a label is of course not the most ideal of situations for a band but at the same time we are confident that we'll find a label that suits us much better than Earache did.

"We would like to appologize to the fans that have been expecting 'Still' to be released soon. We hope you find comfort in the fact that the entire band feels that parting ways with Earache was the only right decision to make. With a little luck the album will be out in a not too distant future. Hopefully you'll feel when you listen to it that it was worth the wait. "The hunt for a new label is on. Wish us luck! We'll keep you posted!"

"Pro Patria Finlandia" track listing (in no particular order):
01. Weapons to Tame a Land
02. Something Sinister
03. Contempt
04. For Those Who Have Fallen
05. Cancer
06. Neighbourcide
07. This Castrated World
08. Leucorrhea
09. Kut
10. I Wage War
11. Goat Sodomy
12. One Dead Nation under Dead God
13. Psykosis
14. Hate – Despise – Arrogance

IMPALED NAZARENE will be heading out on a long European tour between April and June 2006. Exact cities and dates will be announced soon.

"The Winter Wake" track listing:

01. Trows Kind
02. Swallowtail
03. The Winter Wake (feat. Schmier of DESTRUCTION)
04. The Wanderer
05. March of Fools
06. On the Morning Dew
07. Devil's Carriage
08. Rats are Following
09. Rouse Your Dream
10. Neverending Nights
11. Disillusion's Reel

Check out the album cover artwork at www.elvenking.net.

"Filmed at their Bloodstock 2005 appearance, Season's End's first live DVD will be released in early 2006. The release will contain the complete (5K rated) show from the festival as well as plenty of extras including interviews & Bloodstock backstage footage, videos of a few songs from the recent University of Surrey show, the promotional clip (and making-of feature) for Ghost In My Emotion and more. "

Art direction has been lovingly interpreted by Travis Smith. Photography by Olle Carlsson. The album will be preceded by the excellent single "my twin". Available Monday 13th February 2006. (Download single available from Monday 6th February 2006)."

"Sign of Devotion" track listing:

01. Calling
02. Time
03. Conscience's Awake
04. Close to the Bone
05. My Defence
06. Day You Take Me Over
07. Back To Reason
08. Silver Ligning
09. Disbelief
10. Prove Me Wrong
11. Lose the Moment

Says lead singer Paul Kuhr about the forthcoming release: "We are currently in the writing process of the new CD, and early plans are to begin recording in April 2006. The new material is a huge step forward in songwriting, not only separating our sound from our peers, but digging deep into our roots of early Chicago death metal. Faster, heavier, and relentless. It will be quite difficult to label us in the 'doom' category after this release.”

01. Bitter Metallic Side
02. Defeat
03. The Groan of Wind
04. One from the Stands
05. The Black Waltz
06. With Terminal Intensity
07. To the Gallows
08. Time Takes Us All
09. Mindrust
10. Man of the King

A bonus cover track was also laid down during the sessions and will be included on various releases.

The set times are as follows:
ARCTURUS - 1 hour 31 minutes
TSJUDER - 53 minutes
RED HARVEST - 52 minutes
CONFESSOR - 1 hour

Download the gigs at this location.

Q: Tarja Turunen has described the way you handled this whole affair as "cruel." Do you regret the way it was done?

Tuomas: "Not for a second. The decision has been a long time coming — since last January — and all points of view were thoroughly considered before we went ahead and took this step. Even though I am the person in the band who had to do the firing, the decision to part ways with Tarja was made jointly by all bandmembers."

Q: How did you end up using an open letter to let the world know of your decision? Wouldn't the usual "artistic differences" explanation have been sufficient as far as the public is concerned?

Tuomas: "If we had announced our decision in two sentences, it would not have not painted the right picture of us, and it would have resulted in me having to spend the next two months sitting on the phone explaining why we had to do what we did. I do not think our letter contained any details that were too personal."

Q: What kind of response did you expect from Tarja?

Tuomas: "I heard that she was shocked and she has accused us of lying, but every single sentence in the letter is the absolute truth. The way she has treated us for the past year has been at least as cruel as the way she claims we have been by making this letter public."

Q: How you were able to keep things together for so long even though there was so much tension within the band?

Tuomas: "I survived because the other people in the band are so awesome and we all share the same goals. There were obviously two separate camps in the band — Tarja and her manager/husband Marcelo on one side, and the rest of the group, the road crew and the band's manager on the other."

Q: What were the things that you had disagreements with Tarja about?

Tuomas: "We are on completely different planets when it comes to working morals and spiritual attitudes. I do not want to have any person in the band who tells me that she doesn't need the band for her career anymore."

Q: Why did you go ahead and announce your deal with the Finnish bank Sampo to have a new bank card issued with a picture of NIGHTWISH on it when you knew that the next day you would be firing your singer?

Tuomas: "The deal with Sampo was worked out in January and it was arranged by our manager. I had completely forgotten about it and was only reminded about it in the week prior to the announcement. The Sampo bank representatives took it very well."

Q: So Turunen's image won't be removed from the cards then?

Tuomas: "No."

Q: Your fans have been shocked to learn of your decision to part ways with Tarja. How will this affect your popularity in the future?

Tuomas: "If our next CD is of the same quality as the previous albums, I don't believe there will be a problem. If the CD sells 100,000 copies instead of a million, we will still be satisfied. Having huge commercial success is not our main concern."

Q: Is it possible that Turunen could block your upcoming book from being published or prevent band-related products from being sold based on legal issues?

Tuomas: "I really don't know much about this, but I asked our label and our manager if the split would result in legal problems and the response was that there wouldn't be any."

Q: Will your new singer be Finnish?

Tuomas: "I will not comment on this right now. I can only tell you that no decisions have yet been made on this issue."

Q: Do you foresee a scenario where Tarja Turunen could return to the band at some point in the future?

Tuomas: "At the moment, it is very hard to imagine. I wish her all the best."

Feb 07th - Manchester / Jilly´s Rockworld
Feb 08th - Dublin / The Voodoo Lounge
Feb 09th - Glasgow / Barfly
Feb 10th - London / Camden Underworld

The band's official statement reads: "Due to circumstances beyond our control we regrettably have to cancel the U.K. tour. We are very sorry/pissed off about this but it's totally out of our hands. Maybe next time!"

"Rosenrot" is scheduled for a UK release on October 31st via Universal/Island Records.

The full letter can be read at Nightwish.com and TARJA's responses to the sacking can be found at Tarjaturunen.com

The first broadcast is now confirmed for November 24, 2005 on BBC 2 at 9:00 p.m. The program series asked MAYHEM for their documentary about extreme music around the world, because one part of the film focuses on the black metal scene in Norway. The goal of the documentary was to investigate some of the controversies surrounding extreme metal music and explore the popularity of extreme metal bands like MAYHEM.

"From recent internal discussions it appeared that there was too much irritation and a lack of mutual trust to be able to make a new ORPHANAGE product by the high-quality standards that the band has been known for throughout the years. An end has come to 11 years of 'innovative gregorian celtic groovy melodic doom death metal.' We've had a great time. A lot of special moments are in our hearts forever. We were there, YOU were there.

"Please send the news to all that have supported us in all these years, in what form whatsoever. Doesn't matter if you read this for the 100th time, just be sure that we want to thank YOU ALL!!!

"No ORPHANAGE without you; everyone that visited our concerts, that listened to our music, those who have worked for us, worked together with us, those who have shared the ENERGY with us . . . . forever: THANKS!!!"

The UK dates are as follows:

Mar. 04 – Wolverhampton @ Wulfrun Hall
Mar. 05 - Nottingham @ Rock City
Mar. 06 - Manchester @ Manchester Academy 2
Mar. 08 – Glasgow @ QMU
Mar. 09 – Leeds @ The Cockpit
Mar. 10 - Sheffield @ The Corporation
Mar. 12 - London @ Astoria

The band will be bringing their brand of extreme noise violence to the following venues:

DEC 15th - Camden Underworld, London
DEC 16th - Edwards No. 8, Birmingham

Tickets are onsale now from all the usual outlets.

"Strangely enough, this is the first record I've done that was made to be enjoyed," Townsend said. "I'm expecting people to hate this music, because it's really sensitive and heavy and epic, and everything's really pleasing about it. I don't know how many people want to listen to pleasing music. A lot of people are still into being assaulted every time they turn on their stereo. Those people will think it's a wussy, pain-in-the-ass record. People who're sick of dudes yelling at them will love it."

Still, he added, "It's super fucking heavy — like bludgeoningly heavy. But they're all bludgeoningly heavy lullabies. This is a record you can put on that'll make you feel good. It's like a celebration — something you put on in the morning, or when you want to sing along and laugh and smile, but still have it so heavy that when you crank it up, it will level any of your death-metal competition."

Songtitles set to appear on "Synchestra" include "Let It Roll", "Hyper-Geek", "Notes From Africa", "Judgment", "A Simple Lullaby" and "Sunshine and Happiness". Six of the album's 13 cuts clock in at or just under 10 minutes and one features a guest appearance by guitarist Steve Vai (Townsend sang on Vai's 1993 album, "Sex & Religion").

"I love writing music and songs, but I'm getting more and more tired of playing guitar and singing," Townsend told MTV.com. "There's this big long part I'd written for this solo, and sometimes, I'm in the headspace for guitar and other times, I'm just not. Right now I'm not. I just couldn't give a fuck. So I gave [Vai] a call."

The new single will be released in two versions:

The 2 track single (release date October 21st):
- Quietus (Silent Reverie) - single version
- Linger - previously unreleased track

The 4 track maxi single (release date October 28th):
- Quietus (Silent Reverie) - single version
- Crystal Mountain - previously unreleased orchestral version
- Quietus (Silent Reverie) - grunt version
- Crystal Mountain - previously unreleased track

For full details of the tour please visit the Century Media Website.