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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RAMMSTEIN have selected "Keine Lust" as the fourth single from their latest CD, "Reise Reise". A video for the song will be shot later this month with director Jörn Heitman, who had previously helmed the group's videos for "Amerika" and "Ohne Dich", among others. The band are promising "a huge surprise" with this video. No further information is currently available.

Recorded primarily in Spain (El Cortijo Studio, Malaga), "Reise Reise" (translated as "Voyage, Voyage" or "Journey, Journey") is the follow-up to "Mutter", which entered the chart at No. 77 back in April 2001.

"Reise Reise" sold 26,716 copies in the United States in its first week of release in mid-November to debut at position No. 61 on The Billboard 200 chart.

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ROB HALFORD fan site www.robhalford.de has posted the radio version of JUDAS PRIEST’s new single, ‘Revolution’, the first release from the reunited band’s new studio album, Angel Of Retribution, due for release through Epic/Sony on March 1st. Other tracks set to be featured on Angle Of Retribution include ‘Hellrider’, ‘Judas Rising’, ‘Deal With The Devil’ and ‘Worth Fighting For’.

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According to the CHILDREN OF BODOM fan site Scythes-of-Bodom.com, CHILDREN OF BODOM keyboardist Janne Wirman has posted a message on the group's official message board explaining guitarist Alexi Laiho's arm injury which led to Laiho being forced to sit out the upcoming "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott (DAMAGEPLAN, PANTERA) tribute concert that is scheduled to be held in Helsinki, Finland on January 15, 2005.

Says Janne: "[Alexi] 'fell' down from about 150 cm high on his wrist and right side of his face. I didn't even notice his face I was so ...

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U.D.O.'s hilarious video for the track "Trainride in Russia" has been posted online at Launch.com.

"Trainride in Russia" comes off U.D.O.'s latest album, "Thunderball", available now on AFM Records. The group's follow-up to 2002's "Man And Machine" was produced by U.D.O. guitarist/former ACCEPT drummer Stefan Kaufmann at his Roxx studios in Pulheim, Germany.

As previously reported, U.D.O. — the German band led by former ACCEPT frontman Udo Dirkschneider — have commenced the recording sessions for their new album, tentatively due in October 2005. A world tour in support of the album will kick off in February 2006. In the meantime, the group will play several festivals next year, including the Atarfe Vega Rock Festival event in Granada, Spain on February 25, 2005.

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WINTERSUN, the Finnish band featuring former ENSIFERUM singer/guitarist Jari Mäenpää, have announced the addition of second guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari (IMPERANON) to the group's ranks. Teemu is "a very young dude, but an extremely skilful and motivated player!" Jari writes on the group's web site. "Maybe even better than me I might say, heh! We welcome him to the band!

"I wanna thank everyone who applied as a guitarist, you were all great! Thanks for the interest!

"Finding a good synthplayer has been more difficult task," Jari added. "I think we might have to use backup tapes for the shows at first.

"We're st ...

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THE HAUNTED frontman Peter Dolving recently spoke to the Fourteen G E-zine about the group's new album, "rEVOLVEr", the music business and the possibility of an AT THE GATES reunion (the much-missed pre-THE HAUNTED outfit that is considered to be among Sweden's most influential extreme metal acts). A couple of excerpts from the interview follow:

Fourteen G: When do you think an AT THE GATES reunion will occur?

Peter Dolving: "I think it's not impossible, they were talking about doing something like a one show [gig] in London but it still needs t ...

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