Ozzy Osbourne has told Dan Epstein of Revolver magazine (web site) that he has finally found the perfect setting for making records: the newly soundproofed guest house behind his Beverly Hills mansion, which he's outfitted with a mixing desk and a ProTools rig.

"When I made records before, I'd have to get up, get in a cab or car, go to the studio, and wait for everyone to turn up," Osbourne explained. "If you're already inspired before you leave for the studio, you're fucked by the time you get there! But now I have the luxury of working in my own home. I can play the music on my own sound system, a ...

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THANATOS guitarists Stephan Gebédi and Paul Baayens have joined forces with former PESTILENCE/ASPHYX-singer Martin Van Drunen, GOREFEST drummer Ed Warby and former HOUWITSER bass player Theo van Eekelen in a brand new project. The as-yet-unnamed band will record a three-track promo CD later this year. "We're simply going to crank out some brutal old-school death metal stuff — nothing more, nothing less!" says Gebédi.

In other THANATOS-related news, the band's guitarist Paul Baayens has joined forces with the revamped ASPHYX. The lineup is completed by Martin van Drunen on vocal ...

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Holland's Lords of Metal e-zine recently conducted an interview with former MASTERPLAN vocalist Jorn Lande. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

Lords of Metal: A while back I was quite surprised by the announcement that you left MASTERPLAN. Of course musical differences was given as the reason, but can you be a bit more specific about the actual cause for the decision?

Jorn: Musical differences is part of the truth, there are in most cases unofficial issues about somebody's departure from a band. The main reason for me to leave MASTERPLAN was the fact that for the first two rec ...

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Canada's Dose.ca recently conducted an interview with BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE drummer Michael "Moose" Thomas. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

On the group's recent North American tour opening for IRON MAIDEN:

"I wish the crowds could have been a bit nicer to us — especially in Quebec City. They weren't very nice … It's not very nice when you're trying to do a set and, all through it, 15,000 MAIDEN fans are chanting for MAIDEN to come on. [But] you've got to laugh. You can't be upset for a long time."

On the band's incessant touring over the past 18 months:

"I forget wher ...

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SAVATAGE / TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA / DOCTOR BUTCHER guitarist Chris Caffery has issued the following update:

"Home...good thing. It was for a day or so.

Then it started. Reality! Holy S#@%! I have so much to get together for the solo thing.

Deadlines, decisions, business, tours, merch, photo shoots, artwork...you name it, I have been dealing with it. That and the zillion mails and daily internet stuff I usually deal with. The site may go down tomorrow for 24 hours. Do not panic. It is supposed to be a nice weekend! Watch football, be with your family, clean the house... I know you can make it! I believe some of you organized a sub-site to deal with e ...

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VINTERSORG, the Swedish band led by BORKNAGAR frontman Andreas Hedlund (a.k.a. Vintersorg), has issued the following update:

"The new album, 'Solens Rötter' [Swedish for 'The Sun's Roots'], is nearly recorded, [only] some bass is missing. Still we've started to mix the album at Ballerina Audio with the engineer Nils Johansson. It has taken some time to completed this album but it hasn't been about not having ideas; instead it has taken us some time to understand what kind of album we wanted to do and how to reach that vision. A more ethnic approach is obvious but still with a fresh vibe as we see it ourselves, hymn-like passages mixed ...

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RIOT/THE LIZARDS vocalist Mike DiMeo, who recently replaced Jorn Lande as the singer of MASTERPLAN, has issued the following statement:

"In response to all the mail I have been receiving about my status with RIOT.... I have had many great years with the band, and I am tremendously proud of all the work I have done with them, especially [the latest CD] 'Army of One', but at this point in my life and career, I prefer to forge ahead with a new path musically. I look forward to a new creative beginning with MASTERPLAN, who are an incredibly talented and motivated group of guys!! I wish RIOT the best of luck in the future and w ...

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German power metallers RAGE have announced the addition of drummer André Hilgers (AXXIS, SILENT FORCE) to the group's ranks. "During [the recording sessions for] the Nuclear Blast anniversary album, we were very surprised how perfectly André's style matched our new song, 'Terrified'," the group writes on its web site. "So it was obvious that we jammed through the RAGE classics and the sparks flew immediately. André had a lot of new ideas that fitted perfectly our style and the understanding among us was harmonically. He brings a lot of fresh blood and power to the band and we have loads of fun again playing our music.

" ...

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ICED EARTH guitarist/mainman Jon Schaffer has posted the following message on the band's official web site:

"Again I have to apologize for the delay in updates. I've been extremely busy with writing and preproduction for the new ICED EARTH CDs.

"I also lost the one person that was my true mentor and inspiration throughout my life, which was very difficult. My father, Tom Schaffer, died unexpectedly of a massive stroke in October. He was 67, and died two weeks before his 68th birthday. It's hard to imagine what my life would have been like without my Dad's influence. I would not be who I am today, that's for sure. Fortunately, he was able to travel wi ...

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An ultra-rare video clip of SAVATAGE performing the song "Holocaust" under its original moniker AVATAR at an outdoor concert sponsored by a Tampa radio station — held in a strip mall parking lot in Clearwater, Florida sometime around 1982 — has been posted online at YouTube.com. This is the earliest (known) footage of SAVATAGE that exists. The group's lineup for the performance was as follows:

Vocals - Jon Oliva
Guitar - Criss Oliva
Bass - Keith Collins
Drums - Steve Wacholz

In a recent interview with Rock My Monkey, Jon Oliva