Legendary rock producer and musician Bob Kulick (KISS, MEATLOAF) has almost finished producing "Michael Schenker and Heavy Hitters", an all-star lineup of musicians based around guitar virtuoso Michael Schenker (MSG, UFO, SCORPIONS) paying homage to their contemporaries. This 10-track powerhouse collection features an impressive lineup of artists showcasing their renditions of such classic songs as "War Pigs", "All Shook Up", "Money", "Doctor, Doctor" and "Hair of the Dog", to name just a few.

"Michael Schenker and Heavy Hitters" track listing (all cuts feature Michael Schenker on ...

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German thrashers DESTRUCTION are on the verge of signing a new record deal with the AFM label. A posting on the group's web site reads as follows:

"After four terrific and successful years with Nuclear Blast, the decision to work with a new label wasn't easy at all"

"We would like to thank Markus Staiger and his team for the great friendship and the fantastic work! They had a big participation of the positive progress of our reunion!

"AFM Records is the new partner of our trust! The contracts will get signed within the next days! The new album will be released via AFM/Soulfood here in Central Europe and thru other dist ...

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The classic STRATOVARIUS lineup of Timo Tolkki (guitar), Timo Kotipelto (vocals), Jörg Michael (drums), Jari Kainulainen (bass) and Jens Johansson (keyboards) has reunited and is currently working on completely new material for release in late 2005/early 2006.

"Since his breakdown in April, we have patiently been waiting for Timo Tolkki's health to improve. It has been, and since about six weeks he has been strong enough to go back to work," reads a joint statement from the group.

"Also during the past months, after much talk, soul-searching and reflection most of the damage within the band has been repaired. The rest of us now understand Timo's condition, and have slowly come to terms with it. There has been forgiveness, and everyone has a good relationship again.

Many of the immense problems we were facing have now found concrete solutions."

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Legendary guitarist Joe Satriani is continuing his recovery from a recent bout with pneumonia which has forced the cancellation of several West Coast dates late last month.

In a message to his fans posted on his official web site, Satriani writes, "Thank you all so very much for the 'get well' messages, I believe they really made a difference.

"Pneumonia is no fun at all and I don't recommend it to anyone, but hearing from all of you has eased my down time quite a bit. Thank you again.

"My recovery will hopefully continue and I will get a clean bill of health by the end of the month...

"I was unable to post a 'Merry Christmas and a Happy New ...

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HILDREN OF BODOM frontman Alexi Laiho and STRATOVARIUS singer Timo Kotipelto are among the vocalists that are scheduled to appear on the new solo album from CHILDREN OF BODOM keyboardist Janne Wirman (to be released under the WARMEN moniker), tentatively due in May, according to the CHILDREN OF BODOM fan site Scythes-of-Bodom.com.

WARMEN had previously released two albums: "Unknown Soldier" (2001) and "Beyond Abilities" (2002). Both albums included a host of guest musicians, including Kotipelto and SINERGY frontwoman Kimberly Goss

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Denmark's ROYAL HUNT have announced the addition of guitarist Marcus Jidell (JEKYLL & HYDE, THE RING) to the group's ranks. "Armed to the teeth with every guitar model ever produced, [Marcus] left his native Sweden to fill the upcoming ROYAL HUNT album with everything from monster riffs to 12–finger tapping (yes, he does sound like he have 12!), leaving Andre with 1017 guitar tracks to sort out... only to return for the mixing / photo sessions / interviews and other stuff," the band write on their web site. "Covering any musical style — acoustic ballads, PINK FLOYD-ish dreamscapes, Bach–on–300 km/h and just pur ...

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METALLICA, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, SEBASTIAN BACH, KID ROCK, SALIVA, Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE) and Dee Snider (TWISTED SISTER) are among the many artists that have reportedly contributed LYNYRD SKYNYRD tunes to an upcoming tribute album, "Heavy Helping", due later in the year via Sanctuary Records.

C.O.C.'s contribution reportedly comes in the shape of their version of LYNYRD SKYNYRD's "On the Hunt", recorded with longtime producer John Custer in his Raleigh studio and at Sonic Wave. Meanwhile, Bach's version of "I Ain't The On ...

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The following update has been posted at DIMMU BORGIR's official web site:

"Everyone! We just wanted to inform you, what's up in the DIMMU camp as we're about to leave a very eventful year… There haven't been many updates here lately, and the main reason for this is because we've pretty much kept a low profile since we came home from Ozzfest. Thanks to Ozzy and Sharon for the opportunity they gave us playing the mainstage, everything ran smoothly and professional. The way it should be.

"In the upcoming year we will first and foremost work on material for the next album, plus playing a very few exclusively selected festival dates durin ...

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HAMMERFALL frontman Joacim Cans recently spoke to Denmark's Antenna webzine about the group's new album, "Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken", due on March 7 via Nuclear Blast Records. Several excerpts from the interview follow:

Antenna: How would you say the new material differs from your previous work?

Joacim Cans: "Like I say after every album, it's the most mature thing we've ever done but it's where we are at this point in life. It's two years after 'Crimson Thunder', and I think we have some elements in the music on the new album that makes it diffe ...

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