Roadrunner Records has announced the signing of Swedish heavy rockers GRAND MAGUS.

GRAND MAGUS is a three-piece band featuring "JB" Christofferson (guitar, lead vocals), Fox Skinner (bass, backing vocals) and Sebastian "Seb" Sippola (drums).

During the band's 10-year history, GRAND MAGUS has released two demos, one split EP and four full-length albums, and has received overwhelmingly positive reviews throughout. Their last opus, "Iron Will", was voted "Album of The Month" in the German Metal Hammer and Rock Hard magazines.

Drawing hefty influences from the hand-on-heart grandeur of the NWOBHM and the inspirational mythology of their forbears, GRAND MAGUS i ...

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Veteran German metallers RAGE will release their new album, "Strings To A Web", on February 5, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Twilight Hall Studio and was produced by Charlie Bauerfeind (BLIND GUARDIAN, HAMMERFALL). The cover artwork was created by Thomas Ewerhard (AVANTASIA, THERION), and it shows the soundchaser as a spider, caught in a web.

"Strings To A Web" track listing:

01. The Edge Of Darkness
02. Hunter And Prey
03. Into The Light
04. The Beggar's Last Dime
05. Empty Hollow
06. Strings To A Web
07. Fatal Grace
08. Connected
09. Empty Hollow (Reprise)
10. Saviour Of The Dead
11. Hellgirl ...

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Finnish power metallers KIUAS have just entered Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki to begin recording their fourth album for an April 1, 2010 release via Spinefarm Records. The CD is being produced by Janne Joutsenniemi, who previously worked with the band on the pre-production of their last album, "The New Dark Age". Mikko Karmila will mix the CD at Finnvox studios while the mastering duties will be handled by Svante Forsbäck at Chartmakers.

A studio diary has been launched and can be found at this location.

KIUAS' video for the song "The Decaying Doctrine" can be viewed below. The clip was directed by Owe Lingvall ...

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Swedish metallers DREAM EVIL have signed a new worldwide deal with Century Media Records. The band's new studio album, entitled "In The Night", will be released on January 25, 2010 in Europe and January 26, 2010 in North America.

Commented the band in a statement: "Finally, after three long years it's time to release a new album and at the same time we have again signed with Century Media Records. It's good to work with friends and that's what DREAM EVIL and Century Media has become over the past eight years.

"The new album will be called 'In The Night' and is again in DREAM EVIL's very own vein.

"We're sure that this will become the strongest DREAM EVIL rel ...

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Norwegian black metallers SATYRICON have issued the following update:

"Let's try and bring some clarity to the rumours that have been circulating lately.

"Although [SATYRICON's latest album] 'The Age Of Nero' is now a year old, the project is still very much alive to us as we've been working it more or less non-stop for almost three years.

"The last 12 months since release has been spent relentlessly touring and the fortunate success of the album has taken us to India, Australia, Japan, twice to America, across Europe and around Scandinavia and now we head out on the 'Finale In Black' tour, which will mark the end of the colossal 'The Age Of Nero' project. O ...

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Israel's progressive folk metal masters ORPHANED LAND will release their highly anticipated fourth studio opus, "The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR", in Europe on January 25, 2010 and in the U.S. on February 9 via Century Media Records. Mixed by Steven Wilson (PORCUPINE TREE, OPETH), who is also responsible for several keyboard parts on the new CD, the effort is a sophisticated concept album which takes ORPHANED LAND's unique brand of exotic, heavy music to soaring new heights in terms of complexity and catchiness.

The band is preparing to launch a series of introspective webisodes documenting the making of the album and the first album trailer can be viewed below. This clip featu ...

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Guitarist Paul Allender of British extreme metallers CRADLE OF FILTH has issued the following update:

"I'm about half way through writing the material [for the new CRADLE OF FILTH album] and it's turning out just the way I wanted it. I've mentioned to a few people that it's a lot faster and heavier than [2008's 'Godspeed On The Devil's Thunder']. Well, to be honest, the new material has been taken up quite a few gears."

"Godspeed On The Devil's Thunder" entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 37. The CD sold a little over 11,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 48 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"G ...

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Swedish progressive/experimental metallers THERION have issued the following update:

"It has been a long time since you have heard anything new from THERION now, so I thought I should give a few updates.

"As you may or may not know, THERION is in progress of recording a new album. As usual, THERION is being very secretive about the entire process, but I will reveal some details:

"A new studio has been built for most of the recording of this album. The mix, and a few recordings, will be done at another studio — 'A truly legendary studio!' according to Chris [mainman Christofer Johnsson]. Expect something spectacular, even by THERION's standards!

...

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DREAM THEATER's promotional video for the song "Wither" can be viewed below. Footage for the clip was shot at the following shows on the band's recently completed European tour:

Oct. 04 - Zenith - Paris, France
Oct. 06 - Zenith - Lille, France
Oct. 07 - Ahoy - Rotterdam, Netherlands
Oct. 09 - Apollo - Manchester, UK
Oct. 10 - Wembley - London, UK

DREAM THEATER recently released the "Wither" EP via online retailers.

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Wither (Album Version) (5:25)
02. Wither (Piano Version) (5:07)
03. Wither (John Petrucci Vocal Demo) (5:24)
04. The Best of Times (Mike Portnoy ...

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Varg Vikernes (a.k.a. Count Grishnackh), the BURZUM mastermind who was convicted of murdering MAYHEM guitarist Oystein Aarseth (a.k.a. Euronymous) in August 1993 and setting fire to three churches, has issued the following update:

"As you might already know, my dear ladies and gentlemen, and others individuals too, I am no friend of the modern so-called black metal culture. It is a tasteless, low-brow parody of Norwegian so-called black metal anno 1991-1992, and if it was up to me, it would meet its dishonourable end as soon as possible. However, rather than abandon my own music, only because others have soiled its name by claiming to have something in common with it, I will stick ...

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