Swedish melodic metallers HAMMERFALL have once again entered Mi Sueno studios in Tenerife, Spain to record several songs for the "best of" album coming out in October.

Commented the band: "We're celebrating our ten-year anniversary as a record-releasing band in 2007, remember? We spent seven weeks or so here five years ago, recording 'Crimson Thunder', and a fortnight for the mix of 'Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken', so it was a great pleasure to once again walk into the arms and home of the Deris [Andi Deris; HELLOWEEN vocalist] family."

You can follow HAMMERFALL's progress online at

Ali "The Metallian" of the Metallian webzine recently conducted an interview with former CRYPTOPSY frontman Lord Worm (a.k.a. Dan Greening) about his departure from the group. A few excerpts follow:

Metallian: Can you explain why you are no longer in CRYPTOPSY?

Lord Worm: Pretty much because every time we went out on the road for any stretch of time I ended up catching something and killing my health. It gets worse as time goes on. It is better for my health and better for CRYPTOPSY if I leave now.

Metallian: Are you referring to something as common as f ...

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Launch Radio Networks reports: SYSTEM OF A DOWN singer Serj Tankian plans to release his first solo album this fall, while the rest of his bandmates are also working on individual projects. But as for when SYSTEM itself will get back together, Tankian says it's not really on anyone's radar. "I don't know," he said. "That's the truth. I mean, we've taken an indefinite hiatus and we just said, you know, when we're all ready to come back and take time from our own things and do something together we will, if and when we want to. And it's been left at that."

Tankian plans to issue his debut solo album, titled "Elect The Dead", this fall. Th ...

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STRAPPING YOUNG LAD mastermind Devin Townsend has posted his first video transmission in connection with his upcoming solo album, entitled "Ziltoid the Omniscient". Watch it at YouTube.

Due on May 22 via Inside Out Music America, "Ziltoid the Omniscient" was recorded completely by Devin, who took care of the singing, guitar, bass, synthesizers and sampling duties, in addition to mixing and producing the album on his own. Devin has stated on the HevyDevy forums that he used "the drumkit from Hell" on this release — the same kit that was previously utilized ...

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Kari Koskinen of Imhotep webzine recently conducted an interview with MORS PRINCIPIUM EST singer Ville Viljanen. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

On longtime guitarist and composer Jori Haukio's decision to leave the band almost immediately after the group's new album, "Liberation = Termination", was finished:

"It's hard to say what our situation currently is. In the past, Jori did practically all the composing for us, and I don't know if we are able to compose songs in the same vein anymore. It's not like our only member capable of composing has left, but how this is going ...

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Polish extreme metal titans BEHEMOTH have posted a new live video clip for the new track "Christgrinding Avenue", taken from a recent performance at Club 13 in Tilburg, Holland. The track comes from their highly anticipated new album, "The Apostasy", which is set for a July release. Click here to check it out.

BEHEMOTH has just returned from Israel and Nergal (vocals, guitars) checks in with the following report: "This was our second time playing in Israel and once again the show, crowd feedback and the aura around the whole event blew me away! I have no words to describe how ...

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DEVILDRIVER's third album, "The Last Kind Words", has had its release date pushed back to June 19 in Europe and July 31 in the U.S. The American version will include a bonus track and a poster. The CD was recorded at Sonic Ranch studios outside El Paso, Texas. Jason Suecof, known for his great work with TRIVIUM, CHIMAIRA, GOD FORBID, and BURY YOUR DEAD, produced the album, with engineer Mark Lewis helping out as well. Mixing duties are currently being handled by Andy Sneap, who has previously worked with MEGADETH, MACHINE HEAD, NEVERMORE and ARCH ENEMY, among many others. Songtitles set to appea ...

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After filling in for the band's shows for the last two months, 21-year-old Mika Horiuchi has been officially named CELLADOR's new bass player.

Comments guitarist Chris Petersen: "After holding auditions for three months we realized Mika was the best person for the band. He showed the most devotion and commitment, having learned all our songs in less than a week, and dropped all his personal commitments at the time to come on tour with us during the month of February. The dude is an insane bass shredder, but also knows how to carry a song well rather than wanking all over the place. It's the perfect combination we were looking for, and the perfect fit for u ...

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According to the official RATT MySpace page, the group's current lineup is as follows: Stephen Pearcy - Vocals John Corabi - Guitar Warren DeMartini - Guitar Bobby Blotzer - Drums Robbie Crane - Bass RATT and POISON will join forces for a summer trek starting June 13 at the Bi Lo Center in Greenville, S.C., and wrapping Aug. 19 at the Coors Amphitheatre in Denver. The tour, which brings RATT and POISON onstage together for the first time since 1999, will visit amphitheaters, festivals and fairs in such cities as Boston, Detroit, New York, New Jersey and Los Angeles, said Troy Blakely, who books POISON with the Agency for the Performing Arts. "Generally we're going to play 50- ...

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MP3.com has posted a report from the Inferno Festival which took place over Easter week in Oslo, Norway. There are photos and several short video interviews, including one with Demonaz (IMMORTAL, I) where he talks about his new project PERFECT VISIONS.

"We're working on a new IMMORTAL album," Demonaz revealed. "I have a solo project which I am working on, and I will do an album this year, so we have a lot of things to do. [PERFECT VISIONS] will be me, Ice Dale [ENSLAVED, AUDREY HORNE], and Armagedda [ex-IMMORTAL] on drums, and I do all the music and the lyrics and Abbath [IMMORT ...

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