ATROCITY LEAVES EYES CRADLE OF FILTH INFERNAL MAJESTY

~ ATROCITY And LEAVES' EYES Attacked By French Police In Paris ~

ATROCITY and LEAVES' EYES have issued the following statement regarding a recent incident on the two group's joint European tour:

"After their grand finale show of the Atlantis Lovelorn Tour in La Locomotive, Paris, November 28, 2004, the bands experienced an arbitrary infringement by the French police.

"Right after crew and band had finished the loading of their bus in front of La Locomotive and the adjacent varieté Moulin Rouge, policemen appeared and told the bus driver to leave the street immediately. Due to traffic jam this was not possible at once. The policemen started to speak in a very aggressive tone that culminated in the threat of arresting the bus driver. Moreover, they took his papers away, thus Liv Kristine [LEAVES' EYES singer] and Alexander Krull [ATROCITY frontman, Liv's husband] complained about the rude behaviour of the police. Then, suddenly a bunch of policemen, some in civil dresses, rushed the bus and attacked the musicians. As a result of their action, Alex Krull was injured, as several policemen beat him and violently pulled him out of the bus and down to the grown. Also, Liv Kristine was thrown against the wall of the bus and was hurt, too. Without any explanations, Alex Krull was arrested, along with him bus driver Helge, the Dutch tour guide Harald and the German journalist Robert Suß who had only tried to calm the policemen and keep them from attacking Liv Kristine again. They were all arrested in front of hundreds of visitors at Moulin Rouge and other clubs who witnessed the happening. The four of them were taken to the police station, where they had to stay for about three hours without any explanation for the arrest, any hearing or announcing of their rights. Only intensive pressure from the German embassy lead to their release. Still the police gave no explanation for their aggressive treatment, nor any excuse.

"All these facts concerning these inconceivable happenings will be announced to both the German Foreign Bureau and the head of police in Paris."

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~ DESTRUCTION To Enter Studio In January ~

Due to the fact that their current record label negotiations have taken longer than expected, German thrashers DESTRUCTION have postponed the projected release date of their new album to late summer 2005. "But the new label will be announced in the next weeks, latest at beginning of the next year," the group's bassist/vocalist Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer said in a posting on the band's web site.

DESTRUCTION have finished writing two-thirds of the material for the upcoming CD and are planning on entering the studio in January/February 2005. No further details about the upcoming recording sessions have been made available.

DESTRUCTION's most recent album, "Metal Discharge", was released in September 2003 through Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to 2001's "The Antichrist" was the first DESTRUCTION album to feature drummer Marc Reign, who replaced Sven Vormann in 2001

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~ SODOM: DVD To Surface In March, Studio Album To Follow In August ~

Veteran German thrashers SODOM are tentatively scheduled to release their first DVD in March 2005. According to SODOM frontman Thomas "Angelripper" Such, the DVD's concert footage will will contain 23 songs. An overview of the band's career thus far and additional bonus features will also appear on the disc. "Such a giant DVD we make only once in a lifetime, so I don't want to make compromises in quality and completeness," Angelripper had previously said. "But you'll not be disappointed, the DVD will be the absolute hammer, I promise!"

SODOM are expected to enter the studio in early 2005 to begin recording their new album, tentatively due in August 2005.

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~ VREID To Support ENSLAVED In Europe ~

VREID, the new Norwegian band formed by former WINDIR members Hváll (bass), Steingrim (drums) and Sture (vocals, guitar), have secured the direct support slot on ENSLAVED's upcoming European tour.

As previously reported, Candlelight Records has set a January 25, 2005 U.S. release date VREID's debut album, entitled "Kraft". The CD was recorded during the summer at Hváll's Studio 1184 and was mixed at Subsonic Society Studio (SUSPERIA, WINDIR, RED HARVEST, DARKTHRONE) in Oslo.

VREID's music is being described as a continuation of the sound and style Hváll had created with WINDIR and ULCUS, but with "its own personal sound - a mixture of the ambience of WINDIR, the rawness of Norwegian black metal and the rocking groove of MOTÖRHEAD." The lyrics are written both in Norwegian and English. Rounding out VREID's lineup is a guitarist named Ese - a close friend of the VREID members for years, and co-engineer on WINDIR's "Likferd" album.

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~ CRADLE OF FILTH, KREATOR, DARK TRANQUILLITY To Team Up For Finland's TUSKA WINTER WAR ~

British extreme metallers CRADLE OF FILTH have been added to the KREATOR / DARK TRANQUILLITY concert at the Icehall in Helsinki, Finland on March 7, 2005. CRADLE OF FILTH will headline the event, which is being dubbed "Tuska Winter War".

CRADLE OF FILTH were last seen on Finnish soil at this year's Ilosaarirock festival, where the extremely light Finnish summer night wasn't quite the most suitable environment for the band. The preparations to present the group in more matching surroundings began almost immediately.

"Getting these three world class acts under the same roof is a result of hard work, but also quite a bit of luck," the organizers said in a statement. "This event is one of its kind, the bands go their separate ways immediatly after the show in Helsinki."

Although all three acts come from abroad, Finnish metal knowlegde is very much present in the form of Sami Yli-Sirniö (ex-WALTARI), a Finnish guitar legend who currently plays in KREATOR.

(Thanks: Timo Isoaho / Sonera Plaza)

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~ INFERNAL MAJESTY Explain U.S. Tour Cancellation ~

Canadian metallers INFERNAL MAJESTY have confirmed in an online posting that they have withdrawn from the SATYRICON U.S. tour.

"Due to personal reasons, INFERNAL MAJESTY have had to cancel the SATYRICON U.S. tour," the posting reads. "We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused."

INFERNAL MAJESTY's latest album, "One Who Points To Death", was released this past spring through Greece's Black Lotus Records. The North American release is being handled by Canada's Galy Records.

"One Who Points to Death" was recorded by Sho at Profile Sound Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and was mastered by Pierre Remillard at Wild Studios in St-Zenon, Quebec, Canada. The 47-minute CD is "packed with old school thrash crunch and modern death metal intensity," according to a press release.

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~ THE PROJECT HATE Complete Songwriting Sessions For New Album ~

THE PROJECT HATE, the Swedish band featuring Jörgen Sandström of ENTOMBED/GRAVE fame on lead vocals, are scheduled to enter the studio in early 2005 to begin recording their fourth studio album, tentatively due next summer via Threeman Recordings. An update on the songwriting sessions from guitarist Lord K (a.k.a. Kenth Philipson) follows:

"Some weeks ago we were informed that it looks like Threeman Recordings won't have the budget for us to enter the studio in February as planned, which is not a very good thing. We know they are working on it though and we still have hope for it to happen since we just completed the eighth and final song for the coming album and really look forward to put it all down on tape.

"All the planned songs are now done and all the lyrics and titles are finished as well, we just have two songs to pick out the vocal lines for, which will be done in a second. The material's turned out really strong and as it looks it's the most brutal stuff we have ever written, but at the same time we have added more weird influences than on any other THE PROJECT HATE release this far. The electronic parts are more electronic and the death metal influences are definitely more present than in the past. We are very satisfied with the outcome of the material and we are sure it will raise an eyebrow or six when you guys get to hear it, whenever we get to record it that is. We'll keep you updated."

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~ NOVEMBERS DOOM Part Ways With Bassist, Seek Replacement ~

Chicago doomsters NOVEMBERS DOOM have parted ways with bass player Mike LeGros. Mike played bass with the band for the past two years, and contributed to the recording of the upcoming CD, "The Pale Haunt Departure". "It was brought to our attention that he was not comfortable in the band due to creative differences, and the dedication to his instrument we required suffered because of this," the group said in a statement. "Very simply, it was time for a change, on both sides. Mike is an amazing person, and we are forever grateful for everything he did for NOVEMBERS DOOM during his time with us. We wish him nothing but the best with DISINTER, NACHTMYSTIUM, and any other project he aligns himself with!

"We are in the process of filling the vacant bass position, and this will not hinder us from touring, and promoting 'The Pale Haunt Departure' in 2005. Any interested parties should email: info@novembersdoom.com."

"The Pale Haunt Departure" was mixed by Swedish producer/musician Dan Swanö (BLOODBATH, EDGE OF SANITY, NIGHTINGALE) and is being mastered by James Murphy (DEATH, OBITUARY, TESTAMENT).

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~ MASSEMORD, SYKDOM Members Join Forces In New Band ~

Members of Norwegian black metal bands MASSEMORD and SYKDOM have reportedly decided to join forces in a new group called HEKSERI. The band, who have inked a deal with Blackmetal.com Records, will be releasing their debut in February 2005. The group's musical direction is being described as "anti-human black metal" No further information is currently available.

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~ ATROCITY, DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER Confirmed For Germany's SUMMER BREEZE Festival ~

ATROCITY, DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER, ENDSTILLE, END OF GREEN and LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE are the latest bands confirmed for the 2005 edition of the Summer Breeze festival, set to be held August 18-20 in Abtsgmünd, Germany. Also set to appear at the festival are MAROON, EKTOMORF, AMON AMARTH, SUIDAKRA, IMPIOUS, KRISIUN and THE VISION BLEAK.

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~ IMPALED: Release Date Set For "Death After Life" ~

Century Media Records has set a March 8, 2005 release date for the third album from Oakland, California's demented, maniacal surgeons known as IMPALED.

Entitled "Death After Life" (view cover here), the follow-up to 2002's "Mondo Medicale" was recorded by Billy Anderson (CATHEDRAL, MR. BUNGLE, L7, SLEEP), Trey Spruance (MR. BUNGLE, SECRET CHIEFS 3), and Randall "One Dollar Bob" Dunn at Take Root Studios in San Francisco and was produced by Spruance. The complete track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Goreverture

02. Mondo Medicale

03. Gutless

04. Theatre of Operations

05. Preservation of Death

06. Wrought In Hell

07. Resurrectionsists

08. Critical Condition

09. The Dead Shall Dead Remain

10. Medical Waste

11. Dead Alive

12. Coda Morte

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~ NECROPHAGIA Finish Recording New Album ~

NECROPHAGIA have almost completed the recording of their upcoming album, "Harvest Ritual Vol. 1", slated for release in Europe by Season of Mist in the spring of 2005. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Cadavera X", "Return to Texas", "Dead Skin Slave", "Unearthed", "Deathtrip 69", "London (13 Demon Street)", "Excommunicated" and "Stitch Her Further" (co-written by SLIPKNOT's Joey Jordison, who also contributed guest vocals and will be in the video for the song as well).


"Harvest Ritual Vol. 1" was recorded in state-of-the-art studios around the world and has been ten months in the making. Mixing duties will be handled by Mark Prator (MORBID ANGEL, DEICIDE, OBITUARY) in Tampa Florida.


NECROPHAGIA will be hitting the road as the new release hits stores this spring with an all-new "horrific" stage show. Bill Mosely (a.k.a. Chop Top from "Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2" and Rob Zombie's "House of 1,000 Corpses") has also contributed to the new record and will star in the video for "London (13 Demon Street)".