SIRENIA, the Norwegian gothic metal band featuring former TRISTANIA guitarist/vocalist Morten Veland, have posted the following message on their official web site:

"We will start the recordings of our new album on the 17th of July. We have chosen a somewhat different solution this time, and will record in altogether three different studios. This is a solution that we feel can add something new and different to our sound, as well as keeping the essential basics of SIRENIA. First we will track the drums in Jailhouse studios in Norway with engineer Hans Eidsgard, then we proceed to Soundsuite studios in France to record everything else, to ...

---

Niko Kaartinen of Finland's Imperiumi webzine recently conducted an interview with STRAPPING YOUNG LAD mastermind Devin Townsend. A few excerpts from the chat follow (translated from Finnish by Mike Portnoy forum member "tommidt"):

Imperiumi: "The New Black" is STRAPPING YOUNG LAD's fifth and final record for Century Media. Is this the last record of SYL's career?

Devin: "I hope so. I believe so. I signed a five-album deal with Century Media and this is now the fifth. There you have five records; they are very happy with th ...

---

With over 40 bands performing on two stages, Metal Queen Management hosts the first ever MQMusicfest. Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 at the door and includes camping for the entire weekend. The event will go rain or shine with an indoor venue on site.

Bands: 7th Reign - Ape - AraPacis - Ash Lee Blade - Betrayer - Beyond Within - Breadfan - Burn To Black - Burning The Day -Bury The Past - Chaos Machine - Crazy Babies - Deterrence - Dook - Empyrean Plague - Endorphins - Evirus - Heartless Past - Hello Beautiful - Hollywood Murder - I Hate Sally - Insurrection - Labra (formerly Allogenic Child) - littleSUNDAY - Mister Bones -No Data - Omega A.D. - Papa Fogals Chair - Pitch Union -Psyc ...

---

An expanded version of the latest DEEP PURPLE album, "Rapture of the Deep", will be re-released on July 25th via Eagle Rock Entertainment. The new version pairs the original release with a second CD that has, among other things, a new version of the song "Clearly Quite Absurd" and five live performances from when the band reopened the Hard Rock Cafe in London last October. PURPLE guitarist Steve Morse told Launch the atmosphere that night helped the band play exceptionally well. "Any time you play in a club, the energy's fantastic. I don't know — just (an) excited crowd right at our feet, literally, 'cause it's a tiny little place, and just a packe ...

---

Finland's NIGHTWISH have finished writing the material for their next album and are now preparing to record pre-production versions of the songs so that they can be edited and arranged. The band are currently seeking a replacement for departed singer Tarja Turunen before entering the studio in September 2006 to begin recording the follow-up to 2004's "Once", tentatively due in mid-2007.

As previously reported, NIGHTWISH's "End of an Era" DVD and CD entered the German chart at a No. 3 and has already been certified gold for sales in excess of 25,000 copies. "End of an Era" was also certified gold in Finland the day after its release.

< ...

---

Former BURZUM leader and convicted murderer and arsonist Varg Vikernes (photo) (a.k.a. "Greven"), who has served 12 years out of a 21-year jail sentence, will not be released from prison just yet.

The Norwegian prison authorities have denied Vikernes' parole application, according to the newspaper Dagbladet.

Varg's attorney John Christian Elden says Vikernes' release is long overdue.

"He is disappointed by the decision because he feels he ...

---

TWISTED SISTER are celebrating their 30th anniversary with a new label, Razor & Tie, and a new album on the way. The band's new disc, A Twisted Christmas - featuring metal versions of holiday classics including 'Deck the Halls' and 'O Come All Ye Faithful' - is due October 17th. Twisted Sister are currently recording and have had to cancel performances at European festivals this summer to have the LP completed for the holiday season.

---

GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose could be kept locked up for up to three days by Swedish prosecutors before a court order will be required in order to hold him for a longer period.

"The reason I've decided to keep him locked up is that there's a risk that he'll disappear, and then we won't be able to have a trial," prosecutor Fredrik Ingblad told The Local.

"There is a possibility that there could be a hearing this evening, and I could decide to drop the decision to keep him in custody, but we have not reached that point yet," he told The Local at 5:30 p.m. CET on Tuesday (June 27).

Axl Rose was arrested early Tuesday after allege ...

---

Yes! Metalreviews.com has sold out! In an attempt to align ourselves with the current trendsters and emo troglodytes hiding behind dusty monitors, keyboards and webcams, under black lighted black velvet Avenged Sevenfold (not power metal!) and Bullet For My Valentine posters revealing all manner of...stains, we've created a MySpace page of our own!

Be our "friend" and go emo with us here: http://www.myspace.com/metalreviews.

©Sike!, Inc. 2006, All Rights Reserved.

---

A brand new LAMB OF GOD track, entitled "Redneck", has been posted online at www.sacrament2006.com.

"Redneck" is the first single off LAMB OF GOD's new album, "Sacrament", due on August 22 via Epic. A video for the song has reportedly been shot by director Bill Fishman (EAGLES OF DEATH METAL, GOOD CHARLOTTE).

"Sacrament" was produced by Machine (BLOODSIMPLE, WHITE ZOMBIE), who also helmed the group's 2004 effort, "Ashes of the Wake".

In a recent interview with MTV.com, LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Mo ...

---