Due to a recently diagnosed injury, DIMMU BORGIR drummer Hellhammer will be unable to play drums for the band on the remaining festival dates this summer and the upcoming European tour with AMON AMARTH and HATESPHERE.

Hellhammer's x-ray confirmed a severe neck prolapse causing numbness in his right arm. He will be going into treatment for soon and could — quite possibly — undergo corrective surgery.

Taking over drum duties for the upcoming dates will be Tony Laureano (NILE, ANGELCORPSE, AURORA BOREALIS), who played for DIMMU BORGIR during the band's North American stint on Ozzfest in 2004 and during festival performances throughout 2005.

DIMMU's record label said in a statement, "We wish Hellhammer a swift and successful recovery!"

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"Fuel for the Fire", the debut solo album from the winner of the Finnish national TV talent competition "Idols", 22-year-old heavy metal singer Ari Koivunen, has topped the chart in Finland for the eighth week in a row. View the chart at this location.

As previously reported, "Fuel for the Fire" has been certified platinum in Finland for sales in excess of 30,000 copies. Ari was presented with his gold and platinum plaques by Marco Hietala (NIGHTWISH, TAROT) and Tommi "Tuple" Salmela during Koivunen's performance at Pielavesirock on June ...

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Legendary thrash metal band OVERKILL has set "Immortalis" as the title of its new album, due this fall via Bodog Music. The group's collaboration with Bodog reunites OVERKILL with Jonny and Marsha Zazula, previous owners of Megaforce Records, the label responsible for putting metal on the map and bringing OVERKILL's New Jersey thrash metal to the world. The Zazulas ...

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Century Media Records has announced the signing of Swedish melodic death/black metallers DEVIAN.

DEVIAN was originally founded by Legion (vocal ...

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Death metal juggernaut DYING FETUS has issued the following update:

"We would like to announce the addition of new drummer Trey Williams, from Baltimore, MD. We regret it has become necessary to part ways with Duane Timlin. However, we thank Duane for his contributions to the band and we wish him the best in his future endeavors. This lineup change will not have any effect on our tour plans, which will go ahead as scheduled. Trey gave us a fantastic audition; we have seen first-hand that he has the professionalism and dedication we would expect. We look forward to our next tour plans with great confidence. We feel the fans will agree that this chang ...

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New tracks by IN FLAMES, VIKING SKULL, CHILDREN OF BODOM, CLUTCH and CKY, taken from the forthcoming "Viva La Bands, Vol. 2" album, are available for streaming on VLB Radio at this location.

In his position as one of the world's leading pop culture icons and most acclaimed action sports athletes, Bam Margera has made it his mission to expose an entire generation of his peers to some original high-energy

MOTÖRHEAD has issued the following update:

"It is with extreme sadness to inform you that Kelly Johnson, original lead guitarist of GIRLSCHOOL, passed away on Sunday night, 15th July. She has been suffering from spinal cancer for the last six years.

"Joining GIRLSCHOOL in 1978, Kelly was a face in the classic line-up alongside Kim McAuliffe (rhythm guitar, vocals), Enid Williams (bass, vocals) and Denise Dufort (drums). The band was an integral and major force in the New Wave of British

THERION mainman Christofer Johnsson has issued the following update:

"I'm happy to announce that I've officially just prolonged the contract with Nuclear Blast Records for another five albums. Our souls now belongs to the innovative and dedicated little label from the village of Donzdorf [Germany], who through hard work and and honest dedication over the years have become the pearl of metal labels of all times. It's been 12 years since we signed with them and I look forwards to the upcoming 12 years."

THERION recently announced the departure of vocalist Mats Levén (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, KRUX, TREAT, AT VANCE) prior t ...

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MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine has issued a response to an UN Dispatch article by Mark Leon Goldberg in which Goldberg dissects and challenges the information presented in the lyrics to the MEGADETH song "United Abominations".

Says Mustaine: "Whether my ...

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VOODOO GODS, the project featuring current and former members of such bands as MORBID ANGEL, MANOWAR and BEHEMOTH, will release its debut EP in August.

According to the group's official bio, VOODOO GODS was founded under the name SHRUNKEN HEAD in Tampa, Florida in early 2001 by Alex von Poschinger, Tony Norman (ex-MORBID ANGEL, MONSTROSITY, TERRORIZER) and Seth Van De Loo (SEVERE TORTURE). In early 2006 VOODOO GODS was joined by Hiro (DIES IRAE, SCEPTIC, DECAPITATED, VIRGIN SNATCH) on guitar and Nergal (BEHEMOTH) on vocals. Earlier this ye ...

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