THERION mainman Christofer Johnsson has issued the following update:

"I'm happy to announce that I've officially just prolonged the contract with Nuclear Blast Records for another five albums. Our souls now belongs to the innovative and dedicated little label from the village of Donzdorf [Germany], who through hard work and and honest dedication over the years have become the pearl of metal labels of all times. It's been 12 years since we signed with them and I look forwards to the upcoming 12 years."

THERION recently announced the departure of vocalist Mats Levén (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, KRUX, TREAT, AT VANCE) prior t ...

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San Francisco Bay Area metallers TESTAMENT have inked a worldwide deal with Nuclear Blast Records. The group will enter the studio late summer/early fall to record its long-awaited new album for a March 2008 release.

Original TESTAMENT members Alex Skolnick (guitar), Chuck Billy (vocals), Greg Christian (bass), and Eric Peterson (guitar), along with new drummer Nick Barker (ex-DIMMU BORGIR, CRADLE OF FILTH), have finished writing more eight or nine songs for the group's long-awaited follow-up to 1999's "The Gathering".

In a recent interview with ...

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In 1982, Metal Blade Records began operating in a young Heavy Metal fan's mom's garage in suburban Los Angeles.

The result of that metal fan's enthusiasm was the first Metal Blade Records release, "Metal Massacre", a local band compilation that included METALLICA's first recorded release, BLACK N BLUE, MALICE, CIRITH UNGOL, DEMON FLIGHT, BITCH, AVATAR, and PANDEMONIUM.

Twenty-fve years later, in 2007, Metal Blade Records has grown into an international brand – occupying offices in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Canada and Japan — all the while maintaining its independent label identity and the or ...

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Roadrunner Records has announced the signing of progressive metal pioneers DREAM THEATER. A new studio album, "Systematic Chaos", is due in June. DREAM THEATER will hit the road in support of the album for a world tour, including major festival appearances in Europe.

Since their first studio release in 1989, this U.S.-based five-piece has notched up record and DVD sales in excess of six million and headlined to audiences of 20,000. Having undertaken seven world tours across 42 different countries, DREAM THEATER has established a live reputation that has swept them to arena-status around the globe. They have appeared alongside acts such as DEEP ...

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KOTIPELTO, the band led by STRATOVARIUS singer Timo Kotipelto, has inked a deal with AFM Records. The group's third album, "Serenity", is due in April. The CD was recorded at Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki, Finland and was mixed by Mikko Karmila. The album's first single, "Sleep Well", entered the Finnish chart at No. 5. A video for the song has been posted online at YouTube.com. The track is also included in the new Finnish movie "Vares 2", which had its premiere on January 12. "The song is a main theme and can be heard when the credits are scrolling at the end o ...

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W.A.S.P.'s previously announced deal with SPV Records appears to have fallen through and the band has now landed a new label home with Demolition Records. The group's new album, "Dominator", is expected sometime this spring. Songtitltes tentatively set to appear on the CD include "Mercy", "Take Me Up", "Heaven's Hung In Black", "Heaven's Blessed", "Long Long Way To Go" and "Teacher". Two cover versions were also recorded during the sessions — "Burn" (DEEP PURPLE) and "Fortunate Son" (CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL) — but it s not clear if those tracks will appear on the final product.

R ...

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When it comes to seminal death metal bands from North America, the East Coast alone can boast the likes of the genre's greatest staples such as CANNIBAL CORPSE, IMMOLATION, DEATH, MORBID ANGEL, and NILE. With West Virginia's legacy of being the only state formed as a direct result of the American Civil War, it's no wonder that ARSIS have continued this tide of insurgence — albeit in the musical realm. The band, which derived its name from the musical term "arsis and thesis" meaning unstressed (up-) and stressed (down-) beats respectively, makes music that is righteously tinged with black and thrash metal influences, but is completely dedicated t ...

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THE END RECORDS’ “Lucky 13” THE END RECORDS is on the move and they are offering their biggest discount ever! They are putting everything on sale to help them clean up their entire inventory before the big move! With the “Lucky 13” promotion not only will you get amazing deals on thousands of great items, but it’ll help make things easier for them traveling to their new facilities on the East Coast with so much inventory. All you have to do is enter the code "Lucky13" in the promotion code section at checkout and your order will be discounted 13%. Again the discount applies to every item in the web shop! ps. As if this not enough we offer a $13 Gift Certificate if your order is over $150 (not including shipping fee) This promotion will run from 07/13 through 08/10. Omega Mail-Order: http://www.theendrecords.com/omega

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MEGADETH drummer Shawn Drover has posted the following message in teh "forums" section of the band's official web site:

"So now you know...

"So now it is official, we have signed with Roadrunner Records, which for me personally is something that I am very happy about!! These guys specialize in metal bands, and have done so for over 25 years now, so with that said I believe this will be a long and solid relationship between MEGADETH and Roadrunner.

"The new record continues to be created and taking shape very nicely. All of us are inspired and are in a very positive/focused mind-frame, which is certainly being heard on these tracks. Good ...

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What SOUND RIOT RECORDS have to tell about the fake declaration done by “problem band” named Gaia Epicus:

In reply to defamation posted by Norwegian Power Metal band named Gaia Epicus through the internet in the last week, Sound Riot feel the need to show the facts as they are really.

First of all, we have been tolerant with the offenses coming from this band there are almost 2 years, as this isn’t the first time that they spread “bad words” about us to other people. When the technical problem on the songs-order of their second album happened because a mistake on the Master in April 2005, they wrote immediately to many other record labels, our distributors ...

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