ACE FREHLEY has said he plans to have his new album, Pain in the Neck, ready for a spring release but is still putting the finishing touches on it, including some scheduled six-string contributions from Slash. Though most of the tunes were written in the past several years, Frehley also looked to his own past for guidance. "I've been listening to my first solo album with Kiss, because everybody says that's their favorite record. I was trying to figure out what made it so special, so I'm trying to incorporate a lot of what that record had for this new CD. It has a lot of different aspects and shows different musical sides of me and it's something I'm trying to recapture. I don't know if I can do it but I'm gonna take a shot at it."

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As BLABBERMOUTH.NET exclusively reported earlier today, former JUDAS PRIEST/ICED EARTH singer Tim "Ripper" Owens has now officially joined YNGWIE MALMSTEEN's band. The legendary Swedish guitarist announced the news to the Guitar World staff today when he came to the magazine's New York headquarters for an exclusive interview and photo shoot.

Malmsteen and Owens are hard at work on a new CD, which i ...

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The official web site of legendary heavy metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio (HEAVEN AND HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW) has been updated with the following message:

"If you've been wondering what Ronnie is up to, wonder, no longer: After taking some well-deserved time off after last year's monster HEAVEN AND HELL world tour, Ronnie will be heading off to the UK in March to begin writing the new HEAVEN AND HELL record with the guys. Tony Iommi [guitar] will then travel to L.A. to reunite with Ronnie, Geezer [Butler, bass] and Vinny [Appice, drums] to continue working on the record during Apri ...

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World-renowned Swedish multi-instrumentalist and producer Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, NIGHTINGALE, ex-BLOODBATH) is currently working on an album which he describes as "a cross between ALTER BRIDGE and MOONTOWER-style [Dan's 1999 project] stuff." He says, "I am writing it right now, and it will not be a MOONTOWER 2. I already have an album title and a cover in mind, but I won't 'leak' [it] 'cause it is so cool that it will most likely be stolen!!! I have written around 50 riffs already where maybe 10 will survive the 'filter.' There will be more normal singing there and not so one-dimensional like MOONTOWER. There will still be growls, ...

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Vocalist Maurizio Iacono of the Canadian death metallers KATAKLYSM has issued the following update:

"KATAKLYSM just recently finished mixing their new album ('Prevail') at AudioHammer Studios in Orlando, Florida with producer Jason Suecof. The album is going through a mastering process as we speak and should be wrapped up by the end of the week. In other words, fully complete and ready to kill! The anticipated album will also feature guest solo appearances by Pat O'Brien (CANNIBAL CORPSE), Dave Linsk (OVERKILL) and producer and guitar shredder Jason Suecof himself! The band promises a monstrous album that wi ...

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The new Venom album, titled "Hell", is set to be released through Universal this coming May! The album will feature new guitarist Rage. There will be 13 tracks in all. Some of the titles are "Armaggedon", "Straight To Hell", "Hand of God", "USA For Satan", "The Power and the Glory", "Evil Perfection", "Kill The Music" and the title track "Hell".

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Swedish thrashers CARNAL FORGE have confirmed that they have parted ways with Jari Kuusisto (rhythm guitar) and Jens C. Mortensen (vocals). "We are sorry not to have the guys on board anymore, and we wish them all the best for the future," the group writes in a statement. "We want to thank them for all their work and efforts in the band and all the crazy times we've shared through the years... Cheers!!!"

The band continues: "The good news is that we have found two new members to replace Jari and Jens: Dino Medanhodzic (SOULBREACH) on lead guitar and Peter Tuthill (ex-CONSTRUCDEAD, and also in GODSIC) on vocals.

Swedish death metal supergroup BLOODBATH has issued the following update:

"So the time has come for BLOODBATH to once again poison the scene with a contagious doze of über brutal death metal. An old acquaintance in this zombified bloodline has once again re-visited his old home. We can now announce that the vocalist on the new mini-CD is none other than Mikael Åkerfeldt courtesy of OPETH.

"Second deathster to join the elite is Mr. Per 'Sodomizer' Eriksson (ex-21 LUCIFERS, ex-GENOCRUSH FEROX). Sodomizer's brutal death metal songwriting approach as well as guitar shredding is a highly welcomed element in the legacy of ...

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Evidently Jani Lane has returned to the WARRANT fold, given that his photo is now included with the rest of the band members' pictures, at guitarist Erik Turner's MySpace page. Meanwhile, rumors have been circulating that a Jani Lane fronted Warrant will perform at the second annual Rocklahoma festival, to be held in Pryor, Oklahoma July 11th -13th. Stay tuned for updates on this as details surface.

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