Los Angeles-based Cleopatra Records has inked legendary actor William Shatner to a worldwide recording deal for a space-themed concept album entitled "Searching For Major Tom" (formerly "Seeking Major Tom"), to be released later this year.

Comprised of 19 "interpretations" of classic intergalactic rock anthems, the release features guest appearances by Ritchie Blackmore (RAINBOW, DEEP PURPLE), Ian Paice (DEEP PURPLE), Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE), Carmine Appice (VANILLA FUDGE, ROD STEWART, OZZY OSBOURNE), Mike Inez (ALICE IN CHAINS) and Michael Schenker (MSG, UFO, SCORPIONS).

Of Wylde, Shatner previously said, "He's fantastic! I'm energized." Wylde ...

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Longtime DISFEAR bassist Henrik Frykman passed away last week after a battle with cancer. The surviving members of the band — Björn Pettersson, Marcus Andersson, Ulf Cederlund and Tomas Lindberg — have released the the following statement regarding the matter:

"It is with heavy hearts we inform you that on Friday the 25th of March Henrik Frykman passed away in his home after a long battle with cancer. Henrik will be greatly missed by family and friends."

Frykman joined ANTI-BOFORS in 1990, a year before the band underwent a name change to DISFEAR. The group morphed and evolved over the past 20 years into an internationally recognized and respected act.

DISFEAR has toured the world over and released a number of acclaimed full-length albums, including 2008's "Live The Storm".

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We're happy to welcome Cory and Brian to the Metalreviews.com team. Both have reviews up as of this moment - Cory actually joined a couple of weeks ago, but thanks to my own forgetfulness I didn't welcome him officially aboard. Time to make up for it! Please give him and Brian all your love.

Metal uber alles!

Goat
on behalf of the MetalReviews.com team

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Longtime ICED EARTH vocalist Matt Barlow has announced his retirement from the band.

In his heartfelt statement, Barlow cites his commitment to his family and the need for ICED EARTH to tour more as the reasons for his retirement; however, he has committed to perform with ICED EARTH on all 2011 European festival dates, which will be his last with the band.

Matt Barlow's official statement is as follows:

"Brothers and sisters,

"Let me begin by saying how much of an honor it has been to share my time in ICED EARTH with Jon and the guys…and with all of you! Since my return to the band in 2007, it has truly been extraordinary. I have had the oppor ...

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U.K. based metal heroes DRAGONFORCE have announced that their long search for a new vocalist is finally over. After entries from thousands of hopefuls across the globe, the shredmasters supreme welcome 23-year-old Marc Hudson to the band to fill the boots left by ZP Theart, who parted ways with the band in March of last year.

"I'm really excited about being a part of the DRAGONFORCE family," says Marc. "It's always been my dream to dedicate my life to making music. I'm going to bring all the power and emotion I can to the songs, and help make the killer new record the fans have been waiting for!"

Born in Oxford England, Marc was picked from the thousands of application ...

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U.K. extreme metallers ANAAL NATHRAKH have completed work on their new album, "Passion", due later in the year via Candlelight Records.

ANAAL NATHRAKH was created for one purpose — to be the soundtrack for armageddon, the audial essence of evil, hatred and violence, the true spirit of necro taken to its musical extremes. Since being founded in 1999, the band has gained a reputation for embodying precisely these things, with a history including not only the release of four albums and an EP to rapturous acclaim, but collaborations with such legendary figures as Attila Csihar (MAYHEM), Shane Embury and Danny Herrera (NAPALM DEATH), Nick Barker (TESTAMENT, DIMMU BORGIR), Joe Horvath ...

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Phil Vane, the founding co-vocalist of the British crust punk/grindcore band EXTREME NOISE TERROR, reportedly passed away last Thursday (February 17) at the age of 46. Although no official cause of death has yet been released, it is rumored that he died in his sleep.

The surviving members of EXTREME NOISE TERROR have released the following statement regarding Vane's passing:

"The rumors are true. We're sorry to announce that Phil passed away recently. The band will make a full statement soon but for now we need to take the time to come to terms with this terrible loss."

EXTREME NOISE TERROR (often abbreviated to ENT) is widely considered one of the earliest and most influential European grindcore bands.

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Holed up in the studio for the better part of this spring, Finnish/Swedish symphonic metallers NIGHTWISH are not only putting finishing touches to their new album, "Imaginarium", but also planning a movie of the same name. If all goes well, the CD will be released in early 2012, to be followed by the movie at some point further down the line. The first single off the album as well as the trailer for the film should arrive well before the end of 2011.

For the movie, NIGHTWISH has teamed up with director Stober Harju's production team and Solar Films.

In the following question-and-answer session, NIGHTWISH leader and main composer Tuomas Holopainen talks about the "Imagin ...

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Irish pagan metal masters PRIMORDIAL have revealed the artwork and track listing for their upcoming album, "Redemption At The Puritan's Hand", due on April 26 via Metal Blade Records.

"Redemption At The Puritan's Hand" track listing:

01. No Grave Deep Enough
02. Lain With The Wolf
03. Bloodied Yet Unbowed
04. God's Old Snake
05. The Mouth Of Judas
06. The Black Hundred
07. The Puritan's Hand
08. Death Of The Gods

Commented PRIMORDIAL vocalist Alan "Nemtheanga" Averill: "So it's finished, ready, done and dusted, as they say.

"The cover was done again by our by now resident art executioner Paul McCarroll from Unhin ...

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THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN frontman Greg Puciato is collaborating with Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, SEPULTURA) on "an album of thrash brutality," according to a recent Facebook posting from the singer. Puciato previously said that the as-yet-unnamed project would be similar in spirit to NAILBOMB, Cavalera's 1994 one-off industrial punk-infused metal pairing with FUDGE TUNNEL's Alex Newport.

Puciato joined SOULFLY on stage at the 14th annual "D-Low Memorial" on August 28, 2010 at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe, Arizona to perform the song "Rise Of The Fallen".

Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be viewed below.

In an interview with I ...

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