Finnish melodic metallers STRATOVARIUS have issued the following update: "Some good news and some bad news at the same time. "Well, the good news is that we're back on the road with HELLOWEEN. And [drummer] Jörg Michael [who was recently diagnosed with cancer and had his entire thyroid removed] is back in his drum chair ...
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Finnish melodic metallers STRATOVARIUS were forced to cancel last night's (Tuesday, January 11) performance at the Elysée Montmartre in Paris, France as the support act for HELLOWEEN after STRATOVARIUS singer Timo Kotipelto was taken ill. Video footage of Kotipelto explaining the reasons for STRATOVARIUS' Paris cancelation from the stage at last night's concert can be ...
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"Under Flaming Skies", a brand new song from Finnish melodic metallers STRATOVARIUS, can be streamed using the Soundcloud player below. The track comes off the band's thirteenth full-length studio album, "Elysium", which will be released in Asia on January 12 via JVC, in Europe on January 14, 2011 through earMUSIC/Edel and in North America on ...
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SYMFONIA, the new melodic metal project featuring former members of HELLOWEEN, STRATOVARIUS, ANGRA and SONATA ARCTICA, entered Studiomega in Varberg, Sweden on November 25, 2010 to begin recording 12 songs for its debut album, which is tentatively scheduled for a March 25, 2011 release. In a posting on the band's official blog, SYMFONIA ...
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Finnish melodic death metallers CRYSTALIC have made their second album, "Persistence", available for free download at their official web site. The CD version of the effort can also be purchased from Record Shop X. "Persistence" track listing: 01. Sub-Creatures (5:02) 02. Throne Of Sin (5:03) 03. Wall Of Sanity (4:20) 04. ...
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TWISTED SISTER guitarist Eddie Ojeda's 2006 solo album, "Axes 2 Axes", has been made available on vinyl for the first time via Steel Legacy and Rockaholics Records. 500 hand-numbered copies of the LP were made (250 in black with pink bits configuration and 250 in a reddish/pink tint). "Axes 2 Axes" features guest appearances by ...
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Alex Landenburg (AT VANCE, ANNIHILATOR, MEKONG DELTA), who just completed a European tour as the stand-in drummer for STRATOVARIUS after the band's regular drummer, Jörg Michael, was diagnosed with cancer and had his entire thyroid removed, has issued the following update: "I'd like to take the opportunity to say thanks to Jörg for asking me ...
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Finnish melodic metallers STRATOVARIUS will release their thirteenth full-length studio album, "Elysium", in Asia on January 12, 2011 via JVC and in the rest of the world on January 14, 2011 through earMUSIC/Edel. Check out audio samples of all the songs that will appear on the CD at Amazon.co.uk. "Elysium" will be released ...
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SYMFONIA, the new melodic metal project featuring former members of HELLOWEEN, STRATOVARIUS, ANGRA and SONATA ARCTICA, entered Studiomega in Varberg, Sweden on November 25 to begin recording 12 songs for its debut album, which is scheduled for a March 25, 2011 release. Video footage from the studio can be viewed in two parts below. SYMFONIA ...
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RASKAS JOULU (Heavy Christmas) — a Finnish project which celebrates Christmas and its music tradition mixed with metal — completed its annual tour this past weekend with three shows at Tavastia in Helsinki. Two concerts were held on December 18 — an afternoon all-ages show and an evening performance. Because the evening concert was sold ...
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Mulatschag TV conducted an interview with vocalist Timo Kotipelto of Finnish melodic metallers STRATOVARIUS when the band played in Vienna, Austria on November 26, 2010. You can now watch the chat below. STRATOVARIUS will release its thirteenth full-length studio album, "Elysium", in Asia on January 12, 2011 via JVC and in the rest of the ...
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Scarlet Records has inked a new deal with Belmondo Entertainment/Entertainment One Distribution for the North American distribution of its releases and extensive catalog. Belmondo/Entertainment One will acquire both physical and digital rights for the Italian label's roster, which includes many acclaimed international acts such as REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE (featuring former STRATOVARIUS mastermind Timo Tolkki), SKYCLAD, ROYAL ...
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Sonic Shocks conducted an interview with guitarist Matias Kupiainen of Finnish melodic metallers STRATOVARIUS at the Hard Rock Hell IV festival, which was held December 3-5, 2010 at Pontins in Prestatyn, North Wales, United Kingdom. You can now watch the chat below. STRATOVARIUS will release its thirteenth full-length studio album, "Elysium", in Asia ...
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Video interviews with bassist Jari Kainulainen (STRATOVARIUS, EVERGREY), keyboardist Mikko Härkin (SONATA ARCTICA, KOTIPELTO) and drummer Uli Kusch (MASTERPLAN, HELLOWEEN) about their new SYMFONIA project can be viewed below. SYMFONIA features former members of HELLOWEEN, STRATOVARIUS, ANGRA and SONATA ARCTICA. The band entered Studiomega in Varberg, Sweden on November 25 to begin recording 12 songs ...
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Fan-filmed video footage of Brazilian singer André Matos' (ANGRA, SHAAMAN, VIPER) November 19, 2010 performance at SESC in Santo André, Brazil can be viewed below (courtesy of Joel Oliveira Jr.). "Mentalize", the second solo album from André Matos, was released in Europe on February 1, 2010 via SPV/Steamhammer (three days earlier in Germany). The CD ...
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Finnish melodic metallers STRATOVARIUS will release their thirteenth full-length studio album, "Elysium", in Asia on January 12, 2011 via JVC and in the rest of the world on January 14, 2011 through earMUSIC/Edel. A single with two new songs will be released on November 26 to coincide with the start of the "7 Sinners World ...
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Video interviews with Brazilian singer André Matos (ANGRA, SHAAMAN, VIPER) and Finnish guitarist Timo Tolkki (STRATOVARIUS, REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE) about their new SYMFONIA project can be viewed below. SYMFONIA features former members of HELLOWEEN, STRATOVARIUS, ANGRA and SONATA ARCTICA. The band will enter Studiomega in Varberg, Sweden on November 25 to begin recording 12 songs for ...
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SYMFONIA, the new melodic metal project featuring former members of HELLOWEEN, STRATOVARIUS, ANGRA and SONATA ARCTICA, will enter Studiomega in Varberg, Sweden on November 25 to begin recording 12 songs for its debut album, which is scheduled for a March 25, 2011 release. SYMFONIA has signed a four-album deal with the biggest Japanese metal and ...
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Alex Landenburg (pictured below; AT VANCE, ANNIHILATOR, MEKONG DELTA) has commented on his new gig as the stand-in drummer for STRATOVARIUS after the band's regular drummer, Jörg Michael, was diagnosed with cancer and had his entire thyroid removed. "I will be stepping in for Jörg Michael on the first part of the upcoming tour with ...
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Swedish keyboardist Jens Johansson of multi-national melodic metallers STRATOVARIUS has issued the following update: "Dear STRATOVARIUS fans, I am afraid we have some quite terrible news. News of the worst imaginable kind. It's about our friend and [German] drummer Jörg Michael [STRATOVARIUS]. "Jörg has cancer. "He recently discovered a lump on his neck, went to ...
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Since it first worked with SENTENCED back in 1993, Century Media Records has been known for delivering first-class Finnish metal from the likes of TURISAS, FINNTROLL, POISONBLACK, TIMO KOTIPELTO, NORTHER, THE MAN-EATING TREE, KIVIMETSÄN DRUIDI and the label's latest signing, INSOMNIUM. Now Century Media has teamed up with the Finnish Metal Expo, Inferno (Finland's leading ...
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SYMFONIA, the new melodic metal project featuring former members of HELLOWEEN, STRATOVARIUS, ANGRA and SONATA ARCTICA, will enter Studiomega in Varberg, Sweden later this month to begin recording its debut album for a spring 2011 release. A press release reads as follows: "They are all legends among the melodic metal community. By sheer coincidence, they ...
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Finnish hard rockers ANCARA have commenced work on their fourth album for a 2011 release. No further details are currently available. "Nicole", the latest video from ANCARA, can be viewed below. The song comes off the band's third album, "Chasing Shadows", which entered the official chart in the band's home country last October at position ...
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A dozen or so Finnish metal musicians will take part in the seventh annual "Dimebag Beyond Forever Tour", set to kick off in late November. The 10-date trek will honor the legendary PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, who was shot and killed on stage on December 8, 2004. The musicians will perform for free and ...
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Finnish melodic metallers STRATOVARIUS are putting the finishing touches on their thirteenth full-length studio album, "Elysium", at 5-by-5 studios in Pitäjänmäki, Helsinki, Finland. The CD will be released in Asia on January 12, 2011 via JVC and in the rest of the world on January 14, 2011 through earMUSIC/Edel. A single with two new songs ...
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RASKAS JOULU (Heavy Christmas) — a Finnish project which celebrates Christmas and its music tradition mixed with metal — will be touring again this year. Taking part in this year's event are the following musicians (Note: Not all musicians will participate in each concert): Singers: * Jarkko Ahola (TERÄSBETONI, NORTHERN KINGS) * Ari Koivunen (AMORAL) ...
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Former STRATOVARIUS and REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE mainman Timo Tolkki will release his long-awaited book, "Loneliness Of A Thousand Years", on October 1 via Goldenworks. Tolkki is most well-known for his music and thought-provoking lyrics. In many of his songs lies just a hint of the pain he has suffered that has shaped him into the artist ...
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Former STRATOVARIUS and REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE mainman Timo Tolkki will release his long-awaited book on October 1. In a March 2010 online posting, Tolkki stated about the upcoming book, "After a lot of thinking, feeling and getting some distance to my [recently completed] book, I have come to a conclusion that much of the book was ...
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Finnish musician/producer Timo Tolkki (REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE, STRATOVARIUS) has clarified the comments he made in a recent interview in which he was quoted as saying that he "could not even imagine in [his] wildest dreams" that the remaining members of STRATOVARIUS "would continue the band without [him] with the same name." He added in ...
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Iron Maiden Argentina FC recently conducted an interview with Finnish musician/producer Timo Tolkki (REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE, STRATOVARIUS). A few excerpts from the chat follow below. Iron Maiden Argentina FC: What can you us advance [about] "Trinity" [the forthcoming third and final album from Tolkki's post-STRATOVARIUS band REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE]? There are differences between "Trinity" and ...
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