MINISTRY mainman Al "Alien" Jourgensen has penned a special Christmas poem entitled "T'was The Night Before Impeachment". It goes like this:

T'was 2007 and all through the year
Not a creature was buying this climate of fear
The stockings were hung in a foreclosure scare
In hopes that the Banks would forget we were there!
The soldiers were nestled all snug in their beds
While visions of extended tours messed with their heads
And Dick and Lynn Cheney with shotguns in lap
Had just pardoned Scooter for shutting his yap
When down at the White House there arose such a clatter
I sprang out the door to see what was the matter!
Away to the pr ...

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Singer Tim "Ripper" Owens has released a statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET regarding his surprising departure from ICED EARTH three months after the release of the group's latest album, "Framing Armageddon - Something Wicked Part I".

ICED EARTH mainman/guitarist Jon Schaffer issued a press release last week (Statement#1, Statement#2) announcing that the band was parting ways with Owens and was on ...

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Canadian death metallers KATAKLYSM have cancelled their previously announced tour of the UK and Iberia with Poland's BEHEMOTH (scheduled for February 2008).

Commented KATAKLYSM singer Maurizio Iacono: "First, I'd like to say how crazy of a ride it's been since the release of 'In the Arms of Devastation'. We've done over 200 shows in less then two years — nine tours across the world — and meeting all our fans was the highlight; they made our last album the biggest and strongest album to date.

"It's been great, but the machine needs time off. There's nothing more we like then to stay on the road non-stop but we have to come to reality here ...

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ICED EARTH mainman/guitarist Jon Schaffer has issued the following statement:

"Hello, dear friends!

"Once again the winds of change are upon us, and this time I can say that I am very happy about the result.

"While out on the European tour I had several in depth discussions with many loyal ICED EARTH fans. A common theme of these discussions was how much Matt is missed. I agreed with the fans that things were not the same and that it was a very special period in ICED EARTH's history.

"When I heard several months ago that Matt [Barlow] was going to be doing a project in music again, I was thinking about contactin ...

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ITV News has posted a video report on the LED ZEPPELIN reunion show that took place earlier tonight (December 10) at London's O2 Arena. Watch the two-minute clip below.

The setlist:

01. Good Times, Bad Times
02. Ramble On
03. Black Dog
04. In My Time Of Dying
05. For Your Life
06. Trampled Under Foot
07. Nobody's Fault But Mine
08. No Quarter
09. Since I've Been Loving You
10. Dazed and Confused
11. Stairway To Heaven
12. The Song Remains the Same
13. Misty Mountain Hop
14. Kashmir

Encore:

15. Whole Lotta Love

The Associated Press reports that the death last month of Kevin Dubrow, lead singer for the 1980s heavy metal band QUIET RIOT, has been ruled an accidental cocaine overdose.

Clark County coroner spokeswoman Samantha Charles confirmed the cause Monday (December 10) after toxicology results were received.

Dubrow was found dead Nov. 25 at his Las Vegas home. He was 52.

QUIET RIOT was perhaps best known for its 1983 cover of "Cum on Feel the Noize". The song, featuring Dubrow's powerful, gravelly voice, appeared on the band's album "Metal Health" — which was the first by a metal band to reach No. 1 on the Billboard chart.

DuBrow recorded a solo album in 2004, "In for the Kill", and the band's last studio CD, "Rehab", came out in October 2006.

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Rumor has it that the creative forces behind the classic WINTERS BANE Heart Of A Killer album (1993) - vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (ICED EARTH, ex-JUDAS PRIEST) and guitarist Lou St. Paul (FIRES OF BABYLON) - have reunited and writing has commenced on a new Winters Bane record, with Wendy Dio of Niji Management currently soliciting offers from interested labels. Word also has it that Winters Bane would plan to tour extensively in support of this album.

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On TAKE COVER, Queensrÿche - who rarely perform anything besides their distinctive original material - pays tribute to some of their musical idols and favorite songs with a diverse 11-song covers compilation. On selections mining tracks from Pink Floyd to Black Sabbath, Buffalo Springfield to Broadway and more, the collection offers a new perspective on a band best known for the intense creative theatricality of their thinking man's hard rock/metal.

Acclaimed lead singer Geoff Tate says the project gave them a chance to kick back and have some fun. “During sound checks, Stone and Michael like to play 'name that riff,' and sometimes the whole band jo ...

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1955 - 2007

QUIET RIOT drummer Frankie Banali has confirmed the passing of the group's singer, Kevin DuBrow, at the age of 52. In an e-mail to Spain's The Metal Circus, which had requested a comment from Banali on the rumors of DuBrow's death, the drummer wrote, "I can't even find words to say. Please respect my privacy as I mourn the passing and honor the memory of my dearest friend Kevin DuBrow." UPDATE: The same statement can now be found on Frankie Banali's official web site.

Michael Politz of The Vegas Eye reported earlier today that DuBrow was found dead in his Las Vegas home on Sunday, November 25. According to Politz, DubRow — wh ...

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Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM recently entered Petrax Studio in Hollola, Finland with producer Mikko Karmila to begin recording their new album for an April 7, 2008 European release via Spinefarm Records. The CD, which will feature a guest appearance by Peter Tägtgren of HYPOCRISY and PAIN fame, will be preceded by a single on March 3, 2008. Songtitles set to appear on the album ...

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