Swedish "gothic metallers" BESEECH have announced their decision to split up. The group has issued the following statement on the matter:

"All of us in the band have come to the sad conclusion to put BESEECH to rest for good. The decision has not been easy because this has been a really big part of our personal lives for many years. We have met so many great people through the music and really loved what we have done. We are proud of the work that we have achieved.

"However we cannot hide from the fact that we have grown apart from each other as persons and we have different views of how we want BESEECH to work as a band. This has taken away all the inspira ...

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London's progressive metal thrashers BIOMECHANICAL have posted an advance preview of their JUDAS PRIEST cover track "Painkiller", which they recorded last week with the original song's producer Chris Tsangarides at the helm. Their cover of one of metal's all-time standout cuts is now available on MP3 for fans to preview at this location.

The "Painkiller" cover was recorded over three days at Tsangarides' own studio in Dover, U.K. Singer John K from BIOMECHANICAL recently spoke about his appreciation of the track, which has featured as a highlight of the band's se ...

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Ex-HELLOWEEN singer Michael Kiske has announced that will rearrange and re-record all of the songs that he wrote with his former band for an upcoming CD, to be released next year through Frontiers Records.

Commented Kiske: "Since I always need a bit of time to get another (good) record written. I talk with Frontiers Records right now about a full acoustic CD with all my old HELLOWEEN songs re-arranged. Serafino (owner of Frontiers Records) had this idea and I like it very much. But we are still sorting the deal out. I think this is a very good thing to do, because it shows people how those songs can also sound. And I still like most of them. But it will be very different!"

Michael Kiske's latest solo album, simply entitled "Kiske", was released in May via Frontiers Records.

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MetalReviews.com is currently in search of motivated metalheads who would like to write for this site!

What we are looking for:

- Reviewers who can write 2 reviews per week.

- Reviewers who are dedicated, and will not disappear for weeks or months at a time once the "novelty" of being a reviewer wears off.

- People who can work as part of a team and are able to abide by group decisions.

- Reviewers who are willing to review unknown bands (indie, unsigned, small labels, etc...) and not just your favorite "name" bands.

Please keep in mind that writing reviews on a consistent basis is a substantial commitment. It take ...

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DETENTE's clasic album "Recognize No Authority" will soon be reissued in the USA and Germany by Cognitive Records. Details will be posted at www.myspace.com/detenterna.

"Recognize No Authority" was a critically acclaimed recording that maintains a cult following to this day. It was also the launching ground for nu-metal metal producer Ross Robinson (KORN, SLIPKNOT, FEAR FACTORY, SOULFLY) who plays guitar on the album. The CD also marked the first full-length release by FEAR OF GOD's Dawn Crosby, who sadly passed away on December 15, 1996.

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Drummer Uli Kusch (ex-HELLOWEEN) has left MASTERPLAN, the German melodic metal band he formed with guitarist Roland Grapow. An official announcement on the matter is expected shortly.

MASTERPLAN recently began recording its third album — the group's first without singer Jorn Lande, who announced his departure in early May. The band's final show with Lande took place on August 8 at Lokersefeesten in Belgium.

According to a statement released by MASTERPLAN in May, Lande's exit was caused by increased "musical differences" between the vocalist and the rest of the band. During the songwriting process for the group's t ...

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Osmose/The End Records has tentatively set a January 23, 2007 release date for new album from Mesopotamian metallers MELECHESH, entitled "Emissaries". The CD will arrive in Europe on October 30.

"Emissaries", the fourth album from MELECHESH, is the much-anticipated follow-up to 2003's brilliant opus "Sphynx". Easily the band’s top album to date, and debut for new drummer Xul, "Emissaries" is a collection of Sumerian spells, Mesopotamian mysticism and its cosmic connection. The album also features a cover of the song "Gyroscope" by world-renowned Canadian band THE TEA PARTY. THE TEA PARTY gave the ba ...

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TRIVIUM's video for the song "Anthem (We Are The Fire)" has been posted online at this location. The clip was shot on August 11 in Agoura Hills, California and features the band and its loyal fans crashing and taking over "a lame house party...bringing their huge metal show (complete with pyro, flaming swimming pool, and fire cannons) and showing the world how they ROCK."

As previously reported, TRIVIUM has just released a U.K.-only single featuring the song "Anthem (We Are The Fire)" backed by two exclusive non-album cuts: "Broken One" and "Vengeance". Also featured on the ...

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Solitude Aeturnus have revealed the final cover artwork (below) for their upcoming album, Alone. The artwork was once again done by Travis Smith, who did the artwork for their Adagio album.

A slightly different version of the album artwork was previously posted online—the color was blue, not brown. As previously reported,

Texas doomsters Solitude Aeturnus and Massacre Records are eyeing a November release date for Alone, the follow-up to 1998's Adagio. There will be a regular edition and a digipak edition; there ...

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One lucky ARCH ENEMY fan will win the chance to play on stage with the band during the October 6 Gigantour stop in Tampa Bay, Florida. Contest details are as follows:

"Learn the lead guitar solo for the song 'Ravenous' (the solo at 3:00 - 3:12 in the song), show up at the ESP/Line 6 booth immediately after venue doors open at the Tampa Bay, Florida concert on October 6. ARCH ENEMY will pick three finalists, then pick a grand-prize winner who will be a guest on stage and play the lead solo during the song with ARCH ENEMY! Do not bring your own guitar — guitar and amplification will be provided by ESP and Line 6."

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