Swedish drummer Snowy Shaw (DREAM EVIL, KING DIAMOND, MERCYFUL FATE, MEMENTO MORI, NOTRE DAME) has posted the following message on his official web site:

"January 30th: SNOWY and DREAM EVIL = NO MORE. Less than a month before the scheduled recording of their fourth album, Snowy decides to pull the plug and quit, taking all his songs with him which he intends to use on his own...

"CAN(S)ELLED. The planned spring recording of Joacim Cans' [HAMMERFALL singer] second solo album which would see Snowy's participation both as the drummer and second lead singer as well as songwriter, has been postponed until further ...

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Sanctuary Records/Castle Music has set a March 24 German release date (March 27 in the rest of Europe) for British black metal pioneers VENOM's new album, "Metal Black". Check out the album cover artwork at this location.

"Metal Black" was mixed at the Townhouse Studios in London and contains 14 new songs, including "Antechrist", the demo for which can be heard at this location.

"Metal Black" track listing:

01. Antechrist
02. Burn In Hel ...

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Quebec City's progressive dark metallers MOONLYGHT will enter Nokturn Studio at the end of February to record their second album, tentatively entitled "Two". The CD will be mixed by mastermind Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, NIGHTINGALE, BLOODBATH) at his legendary Unisound studio in Sweden. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Middle", "Hazard" and "Parallels". A late 2006 release is expected.

MOONLYGHT re-released their first album, "Progressive Darkness" (originally issued in 2002 on the now-defunct Metal Disk Records), in 2004 via Sweden's Escapi Records.

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Legendary industrial hardcore metallers PRONG have posted three new demo tracks on their myspace page. They're currently planning on recording a new album this year with a fall/winter release date planned.

They will be performing at this year's NAMM convention, you can catch them on January 21st at 9:00PM. The show will be at the Hilton Hotel in Anaheim, CA and is sponsored by Coffin Cases, Halo Guitars and Monster Energy Drinks. Several other bands are scheduled for this event including Brides Of Destruction, To Die For (Finland) and many others.

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Finland's FINNTROLL have parted ways with singer Tapio Wilska (SETHIAN, ex-WIZZARD, former session vocalist for NIGHTWISH). Wilska's official statement on the matter reads as follows:

"With a heavy heart I bring you the following news: In a band meeting one hour ago I was fired as a singer of FINNTROLL. Reasons are many and for the most part private, but personal differences and lack of discussion have led my bandmates to doubt my commitment for this band. I believe this will be discussed widely in the following days and more info will undoubtedly be out soon for your viewing pleasure. I will only say the following: These past three yea ...

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SAVATAGE mastermind Jon Oliva has posted the following message on his official web site:

"I know that I personally don't post here much.....ever. I can't type!!! But, I wanted to get on here and let everyone know that things in the studio are really going great!

"This [JON OLIVA'S PAIN] record is different from the last, very versatile, with lots of things going on, everything from heavy metal to progressive metal, to just all kinds of stuff. We're experimenting with lots of different things and all of us, the whole band, are really excited about it. Everyone has contributed music and ideas and it's just been a lot of fun! I know you guys will be blown awa ...

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Islamic officials in Malaysia ruled Monday that "black metal" music was unacceptable for Muslims, saying it can cause listeners to rebel against religion.

Black metal is akin to hard rock music, but often uses occult imagery and lyrics. It emerged in Europe in the early 1980s and has made inroads in Southeast Asia in recent years, though its popularity has remained limited to underground rock fans.

Some people in Malaysia — a moderate, mostly Muslim nation - have urged authorities to clarify whether Muslims should shun the music after police on New Year's Eve detained some 380 revelers at an alleged black metal concert in Kuala Lumpur for suspected drug use and other offens ...

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Swedish black metallers MARDUK have posted the following message on their official web site:

"MARDUK have decided to do the European crusade during May instead of March, due to the fact that most of March will be spent completing the upcoming DVD. But a few Greece shows have been announced for late March. The DVD release have been set for the middle of May. All details regarding the DVD will be presented very soon.

"We would like to thank everybody who sent in photos of their MARDUK-related tattoos, keep sending them in and do send any other fan related photos, for example if you have a painted jacket with MARDUK motive or something like that. All ...

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Swedish metallers EVERGREY have set "Monday Morning Apocalypse" as the title of their sixth studio album, due on April 4 via InsideOut Music. The follow-up to 2004's "The Inner Circle" was recorded at Division One Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden by the experienced production team of Sanken Sandquist and Stefan Glaumann, who have previously worked with such artists as RAMMSTEIN, BON JOVI, BRITNEY SPEARS and DEF LEPPARD. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Monday Morning Apocalypse", "Unspeakable" and "At a Loss for Words".

As previously reported, EVERGREY have been nominated ...

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A brand new QUEENSRŸCHE track, entitled "The Hands", has been posted online at Metal Express Radio (Windows Media). The song comes off the group's sequel to their platinum 1988 concept album, "Operation: Mindcrime", due in North America on April 4 via Rhino Entertainment. The CD mixing and mastering was completed earlier in the month and the track listing has been reworked a bit, with two new tracks having been added. "Freiheit Ouvertüre" is the infamous "intro" all the fans have been chattering about, while "Convict" ...

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