ANGRA vocalist Eduardo Falaschi's official web site has been updated with the following details of his upcoming solo album:

"ANGRA's vocalist Edu Falaschi is recording his first solo album. The project is called 'Almah' and it relies not only on Edu's talents as a singer, songwriter, arranger and producer but also on the likes of drummer Casey Grillo (KAMELOT), guitarist Emppu Vuorinen (NIGHTWISH) and bassist Lauri Porra (STRATOVARIUS). 'Almah' has participations of several guest musicians, such as Mike Stone (QUEENSRŸCHE's guitar player) and Edu Ardanuy (DR. SIN's g ...

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Epic doomsters While Heaven Wept have posted an album update on their forum, the message is as follows:

"The album is nearing completion.....we'll be resuming the sessions in May, and won't stop until the album is completed!

The release date is uncertain, as it's primarily up to Black Lotus, but I imagine it will either be the last major release for them of this year or the first one of 2007. Believe me, once it's out, you won't miss it (massive promo campaigns are lined up everywhere).

Meanwhile, there's been a demo of the title track on the myspace page for months now, and I'll ...

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Guitarist Andre Olbrich of the German power metal giants BLIND GUARDIAN revealed in an interview with Metal Temple magazine's Michael Dalakos that the band has been working on a strictly orchestral album, due for release in 2008. An excerpt from the interview follows:

Metal Temple: Virgin never really took care of releasing your albums with bonus material and cool editions. Will this ever change?

Andre: "Yes! There will be a limited-edition pack with one bonus track from our upcoming orchestral album. I don't know what else Nuclear Blast Records is planning but they are ...

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Nebraska-based melodic metallers CELLADOR have completed the mastering process for their debut album, "Enter Deception", for a June 27 release on Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded at Mana Studios in Tampa, Florida with producer Erik Rutan (MORBID ANGEL, HATE ETERNAL).

"Enter Deception" (view cover artwork here) final track listing:

01. Leaving All Behind
02. A Sign Far Beyond
03. Never Again
04. Forever Unbound
05. Seen Through Time
06. Wakening
07. Releasing the S ...

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According to a posting on SMASHING PUMPKINS' web site, the band have officially reformed and are currently writing songs for their upcoming album, their first since 2000. No release date has yet been set, but the group plans to begin recording this summer.

In early February, onetime SMASHING PUMPKINS bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur as well as an undisclosed source "close to the situation" confirmed to MTV News that PUMPKINS bandleader Billy Corgan has been working on material that will, at some point, surface in the form of a new SMASHING PUMPKINS album. "Everyone knows Bil ...

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Canadian extremists STRAPPING YOUNG LAD have set the tentative track listing for their new album, "The New Black", due in July 2006 via Century Media Records. The follow-up to last year's "Alien" was recorded at the Armoury and Profile studios in the band's hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia and is currently being mixed by Mike Fraser, who has previously worked with AC/DC, AEROSMITH and METALLICA, among others.

"The New Black" tentative track listing (in no particular order):

01. Decimator
02. You Suck
03. Antiproduct
04. Hope
05. Wrong Side
06. < ...

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The complete track listing has been revealed for the three CDs that will be included in the upcoming BATHORY box set, "In Memory of Quorthon", due on June 3 via Black Mark Records. As previously reported, the full package will contain three CDs, one DVD, a book and a poster. Börje "Boss" Forsberg — owner of Black Mark Records and father of late BATHORY mainman Thomas "Quorthon" Forsberg — had previously stated that the package would contain "Quorthon's and BATHORY's complete musical history."

"In Memory of Quorthon" track listing:

CD 1:

01. Song to Hall up High
02. Oden's Ride over N ...

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Norwegian symphonic metal band TRISTANIA have parted ways with vocalist Kjetil Ingebrethsen.

Commented Kjetil: "After four amazing years, I have decided to leave TRISTANIA. There is no bad blood between us at all, and we are still good friends. This is a choice I had to make, just for my own part, and it was the right time to do it now — before the new album.

"I just want to take the opportunity to thank all the fans I have met, and bands I have shared stage with, during tours and festivals. It's been a blast — you will truly be remembered!

"To the TRISTANIA 'family'; Einar, Vibeke, Kenneth, Anders, Ru ...

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SIRENIA, the Norwegian gothic metal band featuring former TRISTANIA guitarist/vocalist Morten Veland, have announced the addition of 27-year-old Danish female singer Monika Pedersen (photo) to the group's ranks. "Monika has been dedicated to music all her life, and has loads of experience from from other bands, projects, choirs etc." the group write on their web site. "In addition, she has been working with several professional singing teachers in Luxemburg and Denmark. From now on she will have an important role in SIRENIA's music, and we all look forward to a futur ...

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Canadian extreme metallers STRAPPING YOUNG LAD have completed recording their next album, "The New Black," which will see a release later this year.

In the meantime, the band's 1995 debut "Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing" will be reissued by Century Media on June 12th with the following bonus tracks:

"Japan" (originally a Japanese bonus track)
"Monday" (previously unreleased)
"Exciter" (European bonus track from original version/Judas Priest cover)

New artwork, liner notes and the video for the track "S.Y.L." will also be included.

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