An audio clip of a brand-new KITTIE track, entitled "Never Again", has been posted online at this location (Windows Media). The song is the title cut of the Canadian metal band's upcoming EP, which will be released digitally on February 7. More exclusive sneak preview clips of the tracks appearing on the EP will be available on the band's official MySpace.com page before the release date. A new 45-second clip will be available to preview on the official KITTIE MySpace.com p ...

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Sweden's DARK TRANQUILLITY and Canada's THE DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND have been confirmed as the opening acts for OPETH on their upcoming North American tour beginning in mid-February. Dates so far include:

Feb. 15 - Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theatre
Feb. 16 - Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
Feb. 17 - Towson, MD @ Recher Theatre
Feb. 18 - Millvale, PA @ Mr. Small's
Feb. 19 - Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart's
Feb. 21 - Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall

More dates will be announced soon.

As previously reported, OPETH have once again been nominated for a Swedish Grammy the "Best Hard Rock" category for their "Ghost Reveries" release. This is t ...

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Vocalist John Tardy of the Floridian death metal legends OBITUARY has posted the following message on the band's official web site:

"As you may or may not know, we are no longer with our old record company [Roadrunner Records] and we have a lot of options for what we might want to do. One thing is for sure and that is we will have a new CD out sometime this year. We have been working on some new material and when we get done with our European Tour in January we are going to work hard on getting that completed.

"Everything is set for our trip to Europe and we are all ready to go. I was just checking the weather and it looks like we will be freezing our ...

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The cover artwork (by Anthony Clarkson) for BLIND GUARDIAN's upcoming single, "Fly", has been posted online at this location. The single, which is tentatively scheduled for release on February 24, 2006 via Nuclear Blast, will contain the following track listing:

01. Fly
02. Skalds and Shadows (acoustic version)
03. In A Gadda Da Vida (IRON BUTTERFLY cover)

The acoustic version of "Skalds and Shadows" and BLIND GUARDIAN's version of the IRON BUTTERFLY classic "In A Gadda Da Vida" ...

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San Francisco Bay Area progressive metallers ZERO HOUR have completed the songwriting process for their new album, "Specs of Pictures Burnt Beyond", tentatively due in early 2006. "This is easily our most technical CD to date and it's going to be our best," stated guitarist/keyboardist Jasun Tipton. "We can't wait to get this CD out to everyone. It's a MONSTER!!!"

"Specs of Pictures Burnt Beyond" tentative track listing:

01. Specs Of Pictures Burnt Beyond
02. The Falcon's Cry
03. Face the Fear
04. I am Here
05. Zero Hour
06. Evidence of the Unseen

ZERO HOUR's most recent CD, "A ...

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Swedish progressive metallers AMARAN have called it quits. The group's official statement on the matter reads as follows:

"This year comes to an end and we are sad to say that AMARAN does the same. Since Johanna [DePierre, vocals] left us in July we have really been struggling looking for a replacement. We have tried by contacts, friends, ads, headhunting, hostile kidnapping and threat without any success. Our bad luck always seems to keep up with us. This issue has simply unplugged our tub of motivation, and we all decided to put AMARAN six feet under.

"We would like to thank everyone who has been involved in any way with us during these A ...

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Italy's LACUNA COIL have confirmed on their official web site that the recording, mixing, and mastering of their forthcoming album, "Karmacode", is complete. The CD is tentatively scheduled for release in early April via Century Media Records. The highly anticipated follow-up to 2002's "Comalies" was co-produced once again by Waldemar Sorychta and was mixed by Ronald Prent (RAMMSTEIN, H.I.M., IRON MAIDEN). Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "What I See", "Fragile", "In Visible Light", "Fragments of Faith", "Within Me" and "Our Truth".

In a recent interview with Decibel

Vocalist Urban Breed has left acclaimed Swedish metallers TAD MOROSE. In an official statement announcing his departure, Breed writes, "Due to personal differences I have decided to leave the band. This wasn't something I took lightly. However, I really don't see how I could've continued. In fact, I believe had I not made this decision someone else would've made it for me eventually. We just didn't share the same vision. I wish the rest of the band the best of luck in the future. To all of you out there that made the ride worthwhile, thanks and see you sometime, somewhere!"

Urban Breed joined TAD MOROSE in 1995 following the departure of previous singer Kristian "Krille" Andrén. Breed has appeared on the group's last four studio albums: 1997's "A Mended Rhyme", 2000's "Undead", 2002's "Matters of the Dark" and 2003's "Modus Vivendi".

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Justin Donnelly of The Metal Forge recently conducted an interview with OPETH guitarist Peter Lindgren. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

On criticism the band received from their fans for signing with Roadrunner Records:

Peter Lindgren: "At first, it sort of pissed us off. I mean, look at us. We've been doing our own thing for fifteen years. We weren't going to sign with Roadrunner Records and suddenly turn into a nu-metal band, you know. I think people are stupid when they believe that a record label like Roadrunner Records can change an ...

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Norwegian black metallers MAYHEM have posted the following message on their official web site:

"MAYHEM have been BANNED in Malaysia so the date at Kuala Lumpur on the Asian Legions tour is cancelled but all other dates in Asia remain the same. There has also been another show added to the 'Live' section to take place in Oslo on March 3rd at the Rockefeller Music Hall for the venues 20th birthday. MAYHEM will have a new 'fucked up' stage show in their arsenal as well as a taste of songs from the forthcoming album. Be there or fucking die!"

Upcoming MAYHEM shows:

Jan. 29 - Bangkok, Thailand - Hollywood Awards Hall
Feb. 3 - Taip ...

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