Swedish melodic metal outfit EVERGREY will release their new album, "The Inner Circle", on April 27 through InsideOut Music America. The follow-up to 2003's "Recreation Day", "The Inner Circle" sees EVERGREY intensifying their musical ability with the utilization of a string quartet, courtesy of the Gothenburg Symphonic Orchestra, as well as handling all of the production duties themselves. The band (vocalist/guitarist Tom S. Englund, guitarist Henrik Danhage, bassist Michael Håkansson, keyboardist Rikard Zander, and drummer Jonas Ekdahl) unleash an album that retains EVERGREY's signature brand of in ...

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Sweden's LOST HORIZON have uploaded the video for the track "Again Will the Fire Burn" at this location (Windows Media, 11 MB).

"Again Will the Fire Burn" comes off the group's sophomore full-length album, "A Flame To The Ground Beneath", which was released in February 2003 through Music For Nations Records.

LOST HORIZON parted ways with guitarist Wojtek Lisicki (a.k.a. Transcendental Protagonist) last July due to "personal reasons." The rest of the band have since announced that they will carry on as a five-piece and have no ...

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People.co.uk is reporting that Justin Hawkins of THE DARKNESS plans to take the place of the late Freddie Mercury with QUEEN at a 30th anniversary gig this year. "QUEEN have been talking about a collaboration for a while and they finally got down to sorting it out a week ago," a source revealed. "The plan is to celebrate the 30th anniversary of QUEEN's first chart hit and to raise as much for charity as they can. No one will ever replace Freddie. But Justin will bring a new element to the comeback."

The deal was reportedly thrashed out last Saturday at a private mem ...

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The Seattle-based band NEVERMORE have officially re-signed with Century Media Records worldwide and are now preparing for a slew of activity in support of "Enemies of Reality", their latest effort. The dynamic quartet will embark on a headlining U.S. tour this summer with support acts to be announced soon. NEVERMORE wrapped up a highly successfully tour alongside DIMMU BORGIR, CHILDREN OF BODOM and HYPOCRISY last fall and look forward to getting back on the road and being able to play a longer set. The group will also be featured on the upcoming New England Metal and Hardcore Festival DVD compilation. "Enemies of Reality", their fifth full-length release, showcases the band’s aggressive so ...

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Ending months of speculation, Van Halen is confirming a summer reunion tour, with singer Sammy Hagar rejoining the band. They hit the road June 11 in Greensboro, N.C., with dates scheduled through August. Tickets go on sale April 3, and pre-sale tickets will be available through AOL starting Wednesday. A best-of compilation is due in June.

The return of this lineup, in place from 1985 to 1996, follows prolonged public feuding, the band's brief stint with singer Gary Cherone and Eddie Van Halen's battle with cancer. Van Halen has been inactive since 1999, but Hagar co-headlined a 2002 tour with David Lee Roth, VH's original singer.

Among confirmed dates: June 16 in Philadelphia; June 22 in East Rutherford, N.J.; July 10 in Detroit; July 19 in Chicago; Aug. 1 in Denver; Aug. 5 in Phoenix and Aug. 19 in Los Angeles. See all 29 announced dates at life.usatoday.com; additional shows will be posted at van-halen.com.

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The first dates have been leaked for EXODUS' forthcoming U.S. headlining tour, which is scheduled to kick off in early April. They are as follows:

Apr. 10 - Colorado Springs, CO @ 32 Bleu
Apr. 11 - Lakewood, CO @ Whiskey Bill's
Apr. 14 - Minneapolis, MN @ Quest Club
Apr. 16 - Chicago Heights, IL @ Oasis One Sixty
Apr. 19 - Columbus, OH @ Alrosa Villa

EXODUS' new album, "Tempo of the Damned", was released in the U.S. last Tuesday through Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Prairie Sun and Tsunami studios in Northern California with producer Andy Sneap (MACHINE HEAD, SKINLAB, ARCH ENEMY) and marks the group's first studio release since 1992's "Force Of Habit".

EXODUS will kick off a European headlining tour in late May. Support at all dates will come from Danish thrashers HATESPHERE and Portugal's RE:AKTOR.

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THE HAUNTED bassist Jonas Björler has posted the following studio report on the band's official web site:

"[Singer Peter] Dolving is almost done with the vocals for the album. He has screamed his way through 12 songs already this past week, and now there are only 3 songs to go. We'll go through the material on Friday to check for possible dubs etc, but everything sounds fine.

"This time around we only recorded 2 guitar tracks - that way we get a very distinctive guitar sound with a little less distortion - not like 'Stained Class' with JUDAS [PRIEST], but you get my drift.

"For the bass tracks I used my new ESP a ...

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A brand-new ELVENKING sound clip has been uploaded at the group's official web site. Check out the track "Jigsaw Puzzle" at this location.

"Jigsaw Puzzle" comes off the Italian "pagan metal" act's upcoming album, "Wyrd", due on April 19 through Germany's AFM Records.

The follow-up to 2001's "Heathenreel", "Wyrd" was recorded in three different studios, including Gernhart facilities in Siegburg, Germany and was mixed in December at the House Of Music facility in Stuttgart, Germany with producer Achim Kohler (PRIMAL FEAR, BRAINST ...

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DREAM EVIL, the Swedish band featuring acclaimed producer Fredrik Nordström (HAMMERFALL, IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS, etc.) and drummer Snowy Shaw (KING DIAMOND, MERCYFUL FATE, MEMENTO MORI, NOTRE DAME), have set a May 31 European release date through Century Media Records for their third album, "The Book Of Heavy Metal".

The follow-up to last year's "Evilized" was recorded at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden and features special guest appearances by ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN keyboardist Mats Olausson (on the songs "Into The Moonlight", "Crusa ...

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JUDAS PRIEST Management Co-ordinator Jayne Andrews has posted the following message on the band's official web site:

"Hi - Jayne here again! I haven't had a chance to post any messages on the board recently as I've been up to my eyes what with sorting out the new record deal, arranging the world tour, working on the boxset, sorting out studios, stage sets, stage clothes etc., etc., etc!! I had a flying visit (literally!) to LA with Rob, Glenn and K.K. to participate in the Ozzfest press conference with Ozzy and Sharon - that was great fun! Things are pretty hectic this end to say the least!!

"The band are working ...

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