ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist Jerry Cantrell's official web site administrator, who goes by the name of "ceojc", has confirmed that the band will be reuniting for an appearance at the Nova Rock festival in Austria in mid-June (web site), with "a lot more" concert dates yet to be announced.

"I hate to keep on saying this, but as most of you have heard, ALICE will be performing at Nova Rock in Austria," "ceojc" writes on Cantrell's official message board. "This is true. ALICE is back.

"Europe is a long way to go for just one show, so I feel that we are going to have ...

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As BLABBERMOUTH.NET first hinted on Jan. 6 and then again on Jan. 27, METALLICA have finally confirmed that they are working with producer Rick Rubin (SYSTEM OF A DOWN, AUDIOSLAVE, SLAYER, SLIPKNOT) on their new studio album.

In a posting on their official web site, METALLICA write, "We just wanted to let our friends know that we have been jamming, writing, just plain messing around an ...

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Audio samples of three songs from IMPALED NAZARENE's forthcoming ninth studio album, "Pro Patria Finlandia", have been posted online at the Dynamic Arts web site. Check out the tracks "Goat Sodomy", "For Those Who Have Fallen" and "Psykosis" at this location.

"Pro Patria Finlandia" is scheduled for release in Europe on March 28 through Osmose Productions (March 22 in Finland on Dynamic Arts). The CD will be issued in North America on April 18 via The End Records.

"Pro Patria Finlandia" was recorded and mixed at Soni ...

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Swedish metallers EVERGREY have uploaded audio samples of three new tracks from their upcoming album, "Monday Morning Apocalypse", at their official web site. Check out clips of the songs "Still in the Water", "Monday Morning Apocalypse" and "Unspeakable" at www.evergrey.net.

The follow-up to 2004's "The Inner Circle", "Monday Morning Apocalypse" (view cover here) was recorded at Division One Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden by the experienced production team of Sanken Sandquist and Stefa ...

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OPETH's April 1, 2006 performance at at the Theatre Club in Tel Aviv, Israel completely sold out within nine days of tickets going on sale, according to the concert organizers.

As previously reported, OPETH have been confirmed as the headliners of the Close-Up Festival, set to take place April 15-16 at Münchenbryggeriet in Stockholm, Sweden. The event, which is being arranged by Close-Up magazine to celebrate 15 years as Sweden's leading magazine for metal, hardcore and punk, will feature additional appearances by BOLT THROWER, AMON AMARTH, EVERGREY, BLINDSIDE, CULT OF LUNA, KHOMA, BURST, TAINT, S ...

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Drummer Stet Howland has announced his departure from W.A.S.P.. I na posting on the band's official web site, Howland wrote, "I appreciate the kind words and I am sorry if some of you are sad about my departure. Out of respect to the band and the upcoming tour, I didn't send out a press release about this, as I didn't want to cause possible worry to you good people.
I just got in from a long weekend and my ass is kicked, so I'll keep this short and to the point.

"Without going into detail that would most likely get turned into something negative, let me give a Reader's Digest version of what's up.

"In mid-January, Blackie [Lawless, W ...

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London-based "extreme power metal" band DRAGONFORCE have found themselves a new bassist. Stepping up to fill the slot vacated last year by Adrian Lambert, who left the band to spend more time with his family, is DRAGONFORCE's current "touring bassist" Frederic Leclercq. Formerly guitarist with French metal outfit HEAVENLY, Fred is a longtime friend of DRAGONFORCE guitarist Herman Li. While out on the road with DRAGONFORCE, the band realized that Fred fit into the band perfectly and invited him to join on a permanent basis.

Fred is a bit of a super-talented "multi-man." As well as being fluent in the English, ...

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A brand new THE GATHERING track, entitled "Shortest Day", has been made available for download at this location (MP3, 3.8 MB). The song comes off the Dutch rock act's upcoming album, "Home" (view cover at this location), due on April 18 via The End Records in North America.

Ever since their inception 15 years ago THE GATHERING have continued to evolve, never settling on one set style and rarely ever duplicating themselves. They have embraced chan ...

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REDEMPTION's primary songwriter and guitarist/keyboardist Nicolas van Dyk has posted the following message on the group's official web site:

"We have finished the writing for our new CD, 'The Origins of Ruin', and we have scheduled studio time in March and April to record the CD with a hopeful release in September.

"We are once again collaborating with well-known producer Tommy Newton (UFO, CONCEPTION, HELLOWEEN, ARK, ELEGY, etc.) and he will be joining us in Los Angeles to start tracking in a few weeks.

"The new material is in a similar vein as 'The Fullness of Time', and the band has really hit our ...

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