New SUNN O))) album entitled "Black 1" being recorded now. The album will feature vocals and guitars by Malefic (XASTHUR) among others.

Interesting to mention that vocals for one song will be recorded by Malefic from inside a casket.

You can read the recording diary here.

Reactivated Swedish death metallers DISSECTION have officially cancelled their previously announced appearance at the Metalist Festival in Israel. A statement on the matter from DISSECTION mainman Jon Nödtveidt reads as follows:

"I unfortunately have to inform you about the fact that DISSECTION have been cancelled from the Metalist Festival in Israel (a gig which was 100 percent confirmed), obviously as a result of Mr. Dave Mustaine of MEGADETH (who are headlining the festival) not wanting to play with Satanic bands (according to himself because of his new-found Christian beliefs)! I'm also informed that we are supposed to share the bill with MEGADETH at Fury Fest (France) late ...

5/10/05 - NYC - An unauthorized press release was issued recently concerning Mike DiMeo officially leaving Riot. This information is false. In actuality, Mike DiMeo is still an active member of Riot, and will be featured on their soon to be released CD. Although Mike DiMeo is singing for hard rockers The Lizards, who are currently on tour in Europe supporting UFO, he will continue to work with Riot.

As reported Tuesday in the HardRadio HardBoard BBS, original METAL CHURCH frontman DAVID WAYNE was found dead by the door at his house in Seattle. The following statement has been issued via Wayne's official website: "On behalf of DAVID WAYNE'S METAL CHURCH, we would like to express our deepest sorrow in the passing of our metal brother, David Wayne. This is not only a loss for us as a band and his family, but also millions of metalheads throughout the world. David died due to complications from injuries he sustained in a head-on automobile accident several months ago. Along with David's family and friends, we would ask that cards, letters, and flowers be sent to the below address. Additi ...

VELVET CACOON has been on hold, not broken up. SGL has been on self-vacation for the last few months and unable to clear up this confusion until now. Hopefully nobody was injured or offended in the process.

Ivory Snowfish Music is currently pressing a very limited quantity of the band's 2002 release "Northsuite" (Chapelflames/Red Steeples). The disc includes 2 bonus tracks from the "Music For Falling Buildings" demo. Click here for more info.

New official VELVET CACOON website can be found at: http://www.velvetcacoon.com

In an interview with Metal Crypt Varg Vikerness said: "The future albums, if I ever record anything, will as far as I can tell sound much like the old albums, whether I like it or not, because I am incapable of making music that doesn't sound rather "burzumic"."

Varg also discusses Mayhem's De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, Burzum's dischography, culture, tradition and many other things.

You can read the interview here.

GORGOROTH guitarist Infernus (real name: Roger Tiegs) was sentenced in a Norwegian court to three years in prison for rape. The incident happened April 27, 2004 when Tiegs, 34, and a friend, 32, brought a 29-year-old woman they met at a nightclub called Garage in Bergen back to Tiegs' appartment after closing hours. The two men allegedly punched the woman in the face and forced her to have sex with them. The defendants admitted that they had sex with the woman, but claimed it was consensual.

"The verdict is full of factual errors and lacks logic and reason. I'm convinced that both these men are innoncent," the defense attorney, Jørgen Riple, told the Norwegian newspaper Bergens ...