You can now discover each reviewer's pick for 2006 in our awards page. Enjoy !

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In what is a very unexpected move, the ever controversial queen of what is the biggest metal festival in the United States has announced that ticket prices will reach a record low of $0.00.

"That's right, OZZY and SHARON OSBOURNE and tour producer LIVE NATION broke the news today at the Concert Industry Consortium in Los Angeles that their 12th annual hard rock spectacular--a 25-date extravaganza launching July 7 in Los Angeles--is pulling the plug on ticket prices and giving the power back to the fans calling this summer’s OZZFEST "FreeFest." The other OZZFEST cities as of now are San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Albuquerque, Phoenix, Dallas, San Antonio, Kansas City, ...

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MALEVOLENT CREATION guitarist Phil Fasciana has issued the following update:

"We just finished recording the new MALEVOLENT CREATION album ['Doomsday X'] and I am pleased to say that this is the BEST M.C. album ever written!!! I want to just say thanx to the members of my band, Brett Hoffmann [vocals], Dave Culross [drums], Jon Rubin [guitar] and Jason Blachowicz [bass], for helping me create our best album to date!!! You fans will have to hear it to believe it, but if it wasn't the best album we have ever done, I would put an end to the band now.

"We are rehearsing songs for our upcoming European tour which is going to be a long one. I may be a little slo ...

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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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Nick Green of Decibel magazine (web site) recently conducted an interview with KING DIAMOND/MERCYFUL FATE frontman King Diamond. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

Decibel: Is it true that you're an American citizen now?

King Diamond: I've lived in Texas for the last 15 years, but I just became an American citizen in 2005. It was lengthy process — you have to go through the whole thing with a lawyer and wait until you're called in for fingerprinting and fill out this form and sign your name to that one. With the fallout from 9/11, I'm sure it takes a lot lon ...

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Back in 1999, Utopian Vision Music released a three-song self-titled EP by Odyssey, a band featuring the legendary Dan Swanö (Edge of Sanity, Nightingale), Rick Gustafson (ex-Memory Garden), and Kenth Philipsson (Dark Funeral, The Project Hate). The EP has long been out-of-print and sought after, nearly since its release.

Sometime in 2007, Vic Records, who recently bought the rights, will re-release this outstanding slab of epic progressive metal. The EP will be remastered by Swanö and will feature one brand new track written by Swanö and Philipsson. Commenting on the new track, Swanö says, “The new Odyssey track will be a b ...

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CRIMSON GLORY has re-hired Astronomica-era singer, Wade Black (ex-SEVEN WITCHES/LEATHERWOLF) after sacking resurrected original vocalist Midnight following a recent DWI escapade. "Just recently, I was booking a show for my solo band, BLACK REIGN" says the singer. "I guess the agent was interested in a Crimson Glory show too, so he got in touch with Jon (Drenning, guitar), who got in touch with me. I saw Jon again when the members of Crimson Glory played with KAMELOT (September 16, 2006). It was the first time I'd seen him in seven years. He said something like, 'I always knew you'd be a star.' I've had a good relationship with Jeff (Lords, bass) and Ben (Jackson, guitar, whom Black briefly p ...

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CRIMSON GLORY have issued the following update: "CRIMSON GLORY is saddened to announce, that we have been forced to officially part ways with our longtime friend and vocalist, Midnight. This was a difficult, but necessary decision for original band members who recently reunited for a rare performance at the Rockwave Festival, last year in Greece. We are brokenhearted by Midnight's personal crisis, and pray that he seeks help for his problems. We love and care for him very much, and really wanted him to be part of the future of this band. Unfortunately, working with Midnight at this time would be difficult, as his current state of mind and his present physical condition would impede plans we have in place for future appearances, releases and recordings. Crimson Glory is currently in the planning stages for additional shows in Florida beginning in March 2007, featuring former CG vocalist, Wade Black (Astronomica; Spitfire Records (USA) and Rising Sun Records (Europe) 1999)."

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In a recent interview with Spain's Laestadea.com, MASTERPLAN guitarist Roland Grapow has confirmed plans for a collaborative project with his ex-HELLOWEEN bandmates Michael Kiske (vocals) and Kai Hansen (guitar, vocals). An excerpt from the chat follows:

Q: About Hansen and Kiske, there's a rumor of a project. Is that right?

Grapow: "It's not a rumor, it's true. We’re just waiting for the right moment. We gathered together two or three times in the last two years. What happens is that Michael doesn't want to do anything with too much hard rock or too much heavy metal, too much dark or negative, he wa ...

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