Alexey Polyansky se je po desetih letih vrnil k domačim progresivcem Seventh Station. Tako pravi band: »Please give a warm welcome-back shout-out to Alexey for coming back to the band after 10 years of absence. Alexey is a very gifted musician and he will fill up the missing gap in the band in the bass guitar role. Alexey was also the co-founder of Seventh Station and we are so happy to see him come home.«

Avtor fotografije je Valeriy Lapshov.

Lombardijski black/death metal band Hadit, ki se mu je lani pridružil Gabriele Gramaglia (Cosmic Putrefaction, Turris Eburnea, Vertebra Atlantis, The Clearing Path), predstavlja svež komad Screaming from the Throat of a Reversed Light Being z drugega albuma Metaphysical Engines Approaching the Event Horizon. Ta bo izšel 15. marca pri založbi I, Voidhanger Records, prinaša pa te komade:

Becoming the Light Eternally Driving on the Photon Sphere
Interstellar Medium's Rhapsody
Three Ways of Death After Gravitational Collapse
Screaming from the Throat of a Reversed Light Being
Find Your Death, Cosmic Wreckage
Blood and Gods Know Where Weakness Is
The Eternals' Dream Out of Time and Frames
Del tramonto sul nulla, dove fuoco diventa Cielo

Nemške heavy/speed/power metal legende Rage bodo 29. marca pri Steamhammer izdali album Afterlifelines, v posluh pa že ponujajo drugi single s tega albuma z naslovom Cold Desire.

Iz tabora finskih metal čelistov Apocalyptica je odjeknila vest, da se je band razšel z dolgoletnim bobnarjem Mikkom Sirénom. Spodaj lahko preberete celotno izjavo banda:

»Some of you may have already seen us playing without our drummer Mikko Siren in Brasil and Mexico earlier this year...or have heard rumors to this effect. We are very sorry to have to inform you that we have amicably parted ways with Mikko after 20 years. Recording our forthcoming album was our last collective achievement. Also, we want to reassure all of you that we – Eicca, Perttu and Paavo – will continue as APOCALYPTICA. We wish Mikko happiness and success in everything he aims for in all his future endeavors!!«

Pred dnevi pa smo tudi poročali, da se Apocalyptica septembra odpravljajo na turnejo po Evropi.

Avtorica fotografije je Saša Krajnc.

Belgijski epic simfonični metalci Cathubodua bodo 23. februarja pri Massacre Records izdali drugi dolgometražec z naslovom Interbellum. S tega albuma pa že predstavljajo video za skladbo Effigy of Aftermath.

Rusko-norveški tehnični death metalci Defect Designer predstavljajo komad Certainty After The Kafkaesque Twist s prihajajočega albuma Chitin, ki bo izšel 20. februarja pri založbi Transcending Obscurity Records.

Bruce Dickinson je objavil videospot za single Rain on the Graves s prihajajočega albuma The Mandrake Project, ki ga bo 1. marca izdal pri založbi BMG. Album prinaša te skladbe:

Afterglow of Ragnarok
Many Doors to Hell
Rain on the Graves
Resurrection Men
Fingers in the Wounds
Eternity Has Failed
Mistress of Mercy
Face in the Mirror
Shadow of the Gods
Sonata (Immortal Beloved)

Finski moderni metalci Crownshift so v sredo premierno objavili prvi single in videospot za komad If You Dare. Skupino sestavljajo ti člani: vokalist Tommy Tuovinen (MyGrain), kitarist in vokalist Daniel Freyberg (ex-Children Of Bodom, ex-Bodom After Midnight), basist Jukka Koskinen (Nightwish, Wintersun) in bobnar Heikki Saari (Finntroll). V prvi polovici letošnjega leta pa bodo pri Nuclear Blast Records izdali tudi debitantski album.

Varšavski Armagh s komadom Masters of Time ponujajo v posluh tretji album Exclamation Po!nt, ki ga bodo 15. marca izdali pri založbi Dying Victims Productions. Album sicer prinaša te komade:

Rough Edges
Masters of Time
Aftermath
Between the Sides
The Portal
Rapid Str!de
This !s New A
Enough for Now

Nemška zasedba Paradox se vrača z napovedjo novega albuma Mysterium. Album naj bi izšel še letos pri založbi AFM Records, točen datum izida pa še ni znan. Spodaj pa si lahko preberete izjavo Charlyja Steinhauerja:

»Friends and fans,
I had a dream. I wanted to start together with AXEL BLAHA, with whom I founded PARADOX in 1981, and end together again at some point. Unfortunately, that is no longer possible because he has said goodbye to this world.
In all these years, AXEL was the only musician who worked with me the way you have to, to achieve a goal. We never danced around at multiple weddings and were always loyal to one band. PARADOX! This was the only way the two classics “PRODUCT OF IMAGINATION” and “HERESY” were possible.
I miss him very much and it is very difficult for me to move on without him, but anyone who knows me knows that giving up is not an option for me.
Not even after 43 years and that's why I can tell you, that I have composed a new PARADOX album, which will hopefully be released worldwide this year via AFM RECORDS. The album will be called “MYSTERIUM” and will contain all the trademarks a Paradox fan wants.
The special thing about “MYSTERIUM” is that I composed all the songs and played all the instruments myself, because I will never again work with project-hungry musician whores who play a few notes on an album but otherwise have nothing to do with PARADOX, or none maintain contact with his colleagues. Unfortunately, this runs like a common thread through the entire career and is the main reason why PARADOX was never able to really get off the ground. To do this you need musicians who work together and pursue a common goal.
It should also be a warning to all young musicians and new bands who want to achieve something with their band. You can find out more about this in the numerous interviews for the new album. You should definitely read this!
I will also be responsible for the mix and the entire production.
The lyrics are written by ACHIM “DAXX” HOEMERLEIN (ex-Vendetta), who also wrote the lyrics for “TALES OF THE WEIRD” and “PANGEA”.
TRAVIS SMITH (Opeth/Nevermore etc) is currently working on the artwork.
“MYSTERIUM” is a very heavy album and contains 10 songs with a playing time of 51 minutes. Dedicated to AXEL BLAHA, my best friend and co-founder of PARADOX!
Cheerz!
Charly«

Norveška black metal zasedba Mork, katere ustanovitelj in vodja je Thomas Eriksen, sporoča, da je ostala brez basista Roba Saxa. Zamenjava še ni znana, spodaj pa si lahko preberete izjavo banda:

Italijanski KAIVS so podpisali pogodbo z založbo Time To Kill Records, pri kateri bo izšel njihov debitanski plošček After The Flesh.

Ameriški death metalci Vitriol predstavljajo videospot za komad Shame and its Afterbirth s svojega drugega albuma Suffer & Become, ki izide 26. januarja pri založbi Century Media.

Angel Rising so objavili video za komad Endless Sorrow s svojega aktualnega ploščka Afterlife.

Finski power metalci After Infinity so v obliki videospota razkrili pesem Without You, svoj tretji single v letošnjem letu. Na svoj račun naj bi prišli ljubitelji zasedb, kot so Skid Row, Evanescence, Beast in Black, Battle Beast, Whitesnake in Bon Jovi.

Druga dva singla sta A Game of Chess in I Surrender to You.