Finnish cello-rockers APOCALYPTICA have lined up the following tour dates:

May 25 - Liquid Room - Tokyo, JPN (showcase)
Jul. 15 - Olympic Stadium - Helsinki, FIN (supporting METALLICA)
Oct. 08 - Riga Arena - Riga, LAT
Oct. 09 - UPA - Vilnius, LIT
Oct. 10 - Linnahall - Tallinn, EST
Oct. 11 - R-Beat - Turku, FIN
Oct. 12 - Lippupalvelu - Tamper, FIN
Oct. 13 - Sibelius Hall - Laht, FIN
Oct. 17 - Tavastia - Helsinki, FIN
Oct. 19 - Arena - Stockholm, SWE
Oct. 20 - KB - Malmo, SWE
Oct. 21 - Grosse Freiheit - Hamburg, GER
Oct. 22 - Jolly Joker - Braunschweig, GER
Oct. 23 - Gebläsehalle - Dortmund, GER
Oct. 24 - Ringlokschuppen - Biele ...

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Progressive metallers SYMPHONY X will release their new album, "Paradise Lost", on June 26 via Inside Out Music. The CD was mixed by Jens Bogren (OPETH, SOILWORK, AMON AMARTH) at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden.

The follow-up to 2002's "The Odyssey", "Paradise Lost" will feature the following track listing:

01. Oculus ex Inferni
02. Set the World on Fire (The Lie of Lies)
03. Domination
04. The Serpent’s Kiss
05. Paradise Lost
06. Eve of Seduction
07. The Walls of Babylon
08. Seven
09. The Sacrifice
10. ...

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KING'S X frontman Doug Pinnick has issued the following update:

"The new KING'S X [album] is finished. Ty [Tabor, guitar/vocals] is mastering it now. The release date is tenative right now. It's called 'Go Tell Somebody', so if you like what you hear, then go tell somebody, if you like what you hear, then go tell somebody, if you like what you hear, then go tell somebody, it's judgement time, it's judgement time...

"More info coming soon!

"I am in L.A. now making my solo CD! Got a bunch of people playing on it! Wally Farkas on guitar (GALACTIC COWBOYS), Dave Henning on bass (BIG WRECK), Kelli Scott< ...

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Swedish melodic metallers HAMMERFALL have once again entered Mi Sueno studios in Tenerife, Spain to record several songs for the "best of" album coming out in October.

Commented the band: "We're celebrating our ten-year anniversary as a record-releasing band in 2007, remember? We spent seven weeks or so here five years ago, recording 'Crimson Thunder', and a fortnight for the mix of 'Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken', so it was a great pleasure to once again walk into the arms and home of the Deris [Andi Deris; HELLOWEEN vocalist] family."

You can follow HAMMERFALL's progress online at

Jane Stevenson of the Edmonton Sun reports that veteran Toronto prog-rock band RUSH is going through a major renaissance right now.

Together for 33 years, singer-bassist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer-lyricist Neil Peart are enjoying their most successful single in a decade, "Far Cry", from the band's just-released studio album, "Snakes & Arrows".

Meanwhile, ticket sales for the accompanying tour, which kicks off June 13 in Atlanta and hits Canada for a slew of dates in July and September, are up 35% from the last time RUSH hit the road in 2004. ...

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RACER X bassist John Alderete (a.k.a. Juan Alderete) has issued the following message to his fans:

"To my friends,

"I have recently been diagnosed with a rare blood disease called Polycythemia Vera. It is classified as one of the Myeloproliferative disorders. Myeloproliferative disorders are an overproduction of platelets, white blood cells, or red blood cells in the bone marrow, which may result in serious complications that include enlargement of the spleen and liver, anemia, bleeding, stroke, heart attack or leukemia. The survival rate varies greatly, from 3-20 years depending on the type of disorder and which complications ensue. You can read more abou ...

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BBC News reports that a film first made as a podcast by three "bored" friends is about to be released on DVD for UK-wide distribution.

"Legalize Murder" (trailer) — a comedy about a "black metal" band — was made for £1,000 by Joseph Salerno, Nick Warden and Phillip Adams, from Pembrokeshire.

The film was initially a serialized podcast, but was made feature length and posted on a video sharing site where it received thousands of views.

After its unexpected success, the trio now plan ...

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Ali "The Metallian" of the Metallian webzine recently conducted an interview with former CRYPTOPSY frontman Lord Worm (a.k.a. Dan Greening) about his departure from the group. A few excerpts follow:

Metallian: Can you explain why you are no longer in CRYPTOPSY?

Lord Worm: Pretty much because every time we went out on the road for any stretch of time I ended up catching something and killing my health. It gets worse as time goes on. It is better for my health and better for CRYPTOPSY if I leave now.

Metallian: Are you referring to something as common as f ...

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Launch Radio Networks reports: SYSTEM OF A DOWN singer Serj Tankian plans to release his first solo album this fall, while the rest of his bandmates are also working on individual projects. But as for when SYSTEM itself will get back together, Tankian says it's not really on anyone's radar. "I don't know," he said. "That's the truth. I mean, we've taken an indefinite hiatus and we just said, you know, when we're all ready to come back and take time from our own things and do something together we will, if and when we want to. And it's been left at that."

Tankian plans to issue his debut solo album, titled "Elect The Dead", this fall. Th ...

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STRAPPING YOUNG LAD mastermind Devin Townsend has posted his first video transmission in connection with his upcoming solo album, entitled "Ziltoid the Omniscient". Watch it at YouTube.

Due on May 22 via Inside Out Music America, "Ziltoid the Omniscient" was recorded completely by Devin, who took care of the singing, guitar, bass, synthesizers and sampling duties, in addition to mixing and producing the album on his own. Devin has stated on the HevyDevy forums that he used "the drumkit from Hell" on this release — the same kit that was previously utilized ...

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