A brand new BIOMECHANICAL track, entitled "Empires of the World", has been made available for download at this location.

"Empires of the World" is the title track of the U.K. progressive epic thrash metallers' sophomore album, "Empires of the World", due in early May via Elitist/Earache Records.

The follow-up to 2003's "Eight Moons" (Revolver Records) was recorded by vocalist Jon K and mixed by Andy Sneap (MACHINE HEAD, NEVERMORE, ARCH ENEMY, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE) at Sneap's own Backsta ...

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MARDUK drummer Emil Dragutinovic had his arm broken during a fight with several men Saturday night (Feb. 12) (Emil was reportedly trying to protect himself from a swinging bat) and will spend the next few weeks recuperating. Consequently, all of the band's previously announced shows for February/March have been cancelled, but will be rescheduled as soon as more information about the injury is received.

MARDUK's ninth full-length album, "Plague Angel", is scheduled for U.S. release on March 8. The album was issued in Europe in late November via Blooddawn/Regain Records.

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Melissa Ruggieri of TimesDispatch.com has issued the following report:

It didn't surprise Chris Adler, drummer for LAMB OF GOD, that the band was unceremoniously yanked from an April gig at the Great Western Forum outside Los Angeles because of the band's name and its former moniker, BURN THE PRIEST.

What did surprise Adler was the attention and publicity given to the story since last week. Within a day of the announcement that Richmond-based LAMB OF GOD was banned from playing an April 9 show at the Forum (formerly home to the L.A. Lakers) with S ...

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Italian symphonic metal band RHAPSODY have posted the following message on their official web site:

"Today RHAPSODY confirmed their first live shows in three years. This announcement has been long anticipated and the band are very excited and are sworn to bring the world of metal and their fans the biggest and best RHAPSODY production and the greatest show ever. The band are getting ready to begin rehearsals and are at this very moment designing their one of a kind epic stage. Please take note that this is not a tour and these are exclusive shows at this time there are only two shows scheduled for 2005.

"The first exclusive appearance will be the ' ...

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Guitarist Sami Lopakka of the Finnish metallers SENTENCED has posted the following message on the group's official web site:

"We'd better put this out in the open before you hear it somewhere else.

"The title of the new album is 'The Funeral Album', and with it we, SENTENCED, are coming to the end of our road. This album will be our last one.

"The decision is mutual, thoroughly thought over and final.

"Metaphorically speaking, this is a mass suicide of five, and the new album is the kind of note we want to leave behind. One last time around for good-byes.

"The decision was made during 2004. The reasons are many, and I don ...

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RAMMSTEIN will release the fourth single from their "Reise Reise" CD, "Keine Lust" (view cover here), on February 28. The exact track listing and the international release dates will be announced soon.

The "Keine Lust" video received its MTV premiere on Thursday (Feb. 3) and will be broadcast exclusively on the cable channel for a week. The Viva premiere of the video will take place on February 10 during the program "17" (broadcast time 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.). The clip was directed by Jörn Heitman, who had previously helmed the gr ...

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CRYPTOPSY guitarist Jon Levasseur has officially left the band. His statement on the matter is as follows:

"Jon Levasseur here writing to officially announce my departure from CRYPTOPSY. It is something I strangely felt coming on since a year prior to my departure (August 2004) as my inspiration for such extreme music was growing thin. After 10 years in the band, I now wish to step back, lay low and explore other things in music. Who knows, maybe one day this new chapter in my life could turn out into something interesting!

"That being said, I want to say that I'm very proud of what CRYPTOPSY has accomplished as a band and I consider m ...

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According to a posting on the CHILDREN OF BODOM fan site Scythes-Of-Bodom.com, KYLÄHULLUT, the Finnish project featuring Alexi Laiho (CHILDREN OF BODOM), Vesku Jokinen (KLAMYDIA) and Tonmi Lillman (ex-TO/DIE/FOR, SINERGY), released their new full-length album, entitled "Turpa Täynnä" (Hammered), in Finland last Wednesday (Jan. 26).

The band, whose name is roughly translated to "Village Fools", reportedly spent a week in the studio recording 12 songs of what is being described as "straight-forward punk." "Alexi sings a few s ...

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The cover artwork for the new YNGWIE MALMSTEEN album, "Unleash the Fury", has been posted online at this location.

As previously reported, Universal has set a February 23 Japanese release date for "Unleash the Fury". U.S and European release dates have not yet been confirmed. 19 songs are tentatively set to appear on the CD, including "Drinking with the Devil" (described by Yngwie as "a very intense, personal song), "Cherokee Warrior" (featuring Yngwie on vocals), "Boogie Man" (Yngwie: "Has a riff that just won't quit." ...

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Launch Radio Networks is reporting that BLACK SABBATH will be back in action this summer. Singer-bassist Glenn Hughes, who's finishing up a new album with SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi, said that Ozzy Osbourne and company will hit both Europe and North America this year, and that he might also be on the bill. "They are doing the, the festival run in Europe, and I believe — if I'm not shooting my foot off here — that they will be playing Ozzfest," he said. "And there's a rumor that Tony and I will be, with our new project, on that same bill, but I can't say that's gonna happen — but you never know."

BLACK SABBATH