Former HAMMERFALL bassist Magnus Rosén has issued a statement explaining his decision to leave the band. It reads as follows:

"Thanks to all the fans around the world who supported the band for 10 years. You all gave me very nice memories after all the concerts we did. It was a pleasure to get such a good audience like you guys! Without you we wouldn't be able to do record so many CDs and make so many tours as we did during the last 10 years. So thank you all.

"It's important for me to tell you that I loved every single second I had on stage during our concerts! To hear your voice, see your happy faces and hear your nice words really made my day!!! It was a ple ...

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Norwegian black metallers MAYHEM are scheduled to return to the American continent this summer. So far, only one date has been released: July 24 at Jaxx in Springfield, Virginia. More shows will be announced soon.

Season of Mist has set an April 23 release date for the new MAYHEM album, "Ordo Ab Chao". A track from the CD, entitled "Anti", is available for download at this location.

"Ordo Ab Chao" (view cover artwork at

KATATONIA's brand new video for the song "July", shot and directed by Charlie Granberg, has been posted online at YouTube.com.

Commented Granberg: "It's basically a perfomance video. But I wanted the feeling of the band playing in a very rough, abandonded or even bombed out house, in an extremely warm country like Mexico or somewere in the middle east. Dark on the inside, but with sunbeams searching their way through the dust, hitting the bandmembers here and there. I really wanted the feeling of the outside world being so much better and brighter than the place the band is in. The bi ...

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AMON AMARTH's video for the song "Cry of the Black Birds" has been posted online at this location (Windows Media). The clip was directed by William C. Schacht.

AMON AMARTH's latest CD, "With Oden on Our Side", entered the national album chart in Sweden at No. 21 and in Austria at No. 27. The album has also debuted on the German national chart at position No. 21. This is the highest chart entry in Germany of any band on the Metal Blade roster, according to a posting on the group's web site.

As previously reported, AMON AMARTH's video fo ...

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A brand new MEGADETH track, entitled "Sleepwalker", has been made available for free download at this location (e-mail sign-up required).

"Sleepwalker" comes off MEGADETH's new album, "United Abominations", due on May 15 via Roadrunner Records. The CD was mixed at Backstage Studios in Derbyshire, England by Andy Sneap (MACHINE HEAD, SKINLAB, NEVERMORE). Check out the cover artwork at this location. A professionally shot vide ...

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STRAPPING YOUNG LAD mastermind Devin Townsend has changed the projected title of his next solo album to "Ziltoid the Omniscient" from the previously announced "The Mighty Masturbator". Devin described the material on the CD as a mix between STRAPPING YOUNG LAD and THE DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND. The album, which will be released under the DEVIN TOWNSEND banner instead of THE DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND, will reportedly be recorded completely by Devin, who is expected to take care of the singing, playing guitar, playing bass, playing all synthesizers and samples, and mixing and producing the CD on his own. Devin has stated on the < ...

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RUSH vocalist/bassist Geddy Lee recently spoke to Revolver magazine (web site) about the group's new album, "Snakes & Arrows", due on May 1 via Atlantic.

"It's hard to describe," said Lee. "It's big, it's bold, and I think it's some of the best work we've done in years. I'm really pleased with the quality of the songs, and there's lots of playing on it."

The upcoming CD promises to be the most organic-sounding RUSH effort in decades, having been influenced by their experience of making "Feedback", the band's 2004 EP of classic-rock covers.

"Playing those s ...

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According to Black-Sabbath.com, the new BLACK SABBATH track "The Devil Cried" is available for streaming via the Rhino Records web site. Check it out in the following formats:

Windows Media (100k)
Windows Media (56k)
Real Player

According to MaidenNorway.com, fans of ANTHRAX have launched an online petition to get members of ANTHRAX to consider former IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno as their new frontman. The petition reads as follows:

"As longtime fans of ANTHRAX, we consider the future of the band of the utmost importance. The band's lack of a singer concerns us because we truly care about ANTHRAX. While many of us would like to see the return of one of their more popular singers (specifically, John Bush or Joey Belladonna), we understand that that may not be possible. Because of these circumst ...

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According to Pollstar.com, the VAN HALEN tour that was never officially announced is now officially postponed indefinitely. The rumored tour took on an air of reality after a trade magazine announced that original singer David Lee Roth was about to sign on the dotted line, and that was soon followed by a press release via Eddie Van Halen's spokeswoman-slash-girlfriend. Unfortunately, the worldwide frenzy of a VH reunion was too good to be true, at least for the present day. However, there was a lot of paper getting inked and Pollstar states that a tour announcement might not have been far off.

Sources also tell Denver's Rocky Mountain News that VAN HALEN's performance at next m ...

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