03.12

Guitarist Curran Murphy has officially left the band NEVERMORE to join ANNIHILATOR. The band's current line-up consists of Joe Comeau (vocals), Russ Bergquist (bass), Jeff Waters (guitar), Curran Murphy (guitar) and Randy Black (drums). Annihilator's forthcoming album, Waking The Fury, is nearly complete (mixing/mastering will be done around mid-December) and features the following tracks: 'My Precious Lunatic Asylum', 'Nothing To Me', 'Ritual', 'Striker', 'The Blackest Day', 'Cold Blooded', 'Torn', 'Fire Power', 'Ultra-Motion' and 'Prime-Time Killing'. Waking the Fury is due out late March in Japan and Europe; North American release should be shortly after. 

NEVERMORE's Warrel Dane has issued the following statement, "We're in the beginning stages of the new album, called Enemies Of Reality. We're waiting for Jeff [Loomis, guitarist] to kick into songwriting mode. I've got so many lyrics, they can choke a donkey! [laughs] There's going to be an instrumental 'Psychotic Intellectual Narcotic' (which was the original working title of the album). We decided it's going to be a very long, very complicated and very confusing song to the average listener, if we do our jobs correctly [laughs]." In related news, Nevermore bassist Jim Sheppard recently commented on touring guitarist Curran Murphy's decision to join of the band Annihilator: "We wish him the best of luck. Curran was never an official member of Nevermore and his chances of becoming so ended when he decided to join Annihilator. Of course this won't hinder the writing or recording process of Nevermore. We hope to have a new record out in 2002." 

ROLAND GRAPOW is busy in his Crazy Cat studio, spending more than 16 hours a day recording his new project with Uli Kusch. The bands name will NOT be MR. TORTURE. They have recorded guitar for six songs on the album, with much work still to be done. The duo have composed 16 tracks and plan to record a LED ZEPPELIN cover for an upcoming sampler. In related news, the Japanese HELLOWEEN re-issues that were scheduled and re-scheduled for release have been cancelled without explanation. Meanwhile, the band is working on their upcoming compilation. The songs are being remixed by Charlie Bauerfeind for a double CD. The album won't include any b-sides because they're planning to release a b-sides compilation later. However, an old song, probably 'Windmill' from the Chameleon album, will be re-recorded with Andi Deris on vocals. They intend to release it late this year or in January. 

BLIND GUARDIAN's new album will be called A Night At The Opera. The band's new single, 'And Then There Was Silence', entered the charts in Greece at #15, in Sweden at #41, in Spain at #4, in Germany at #41 and in Japan at #1. The band have confirmed that their forthcoming tour will begin on April 12th in Rijssen, Holland and will run through June 6th in Valencia, Spain. On June 9th they'll appear at the Gods Of Metal in Milan, Italy and they'll headline the famous Wacken Open Air in Germany the night of August 3rd.

The recording of RUNNING WILD's new album, The Brotherhoods, is finished and the album will be released at the end of January or February 2002. The tracklisting includes: 'Welcome To Hell', 'Soulstripper', 'The Brotherhood', 'Powerride', 'Siberian Winter', 'Detonator', 'Pirate Song', 'U-Nation', 'Dr. Horror', 'The Ghost', 'Crossfire' and 'Faceless'. The latter two cuts will be featured on the limited edition. Peter Pichel, the band's new bass-player, who played the bass on the new album, will play live as well. The tour starts in March 2002.

Former GRAVE DIGGER members Uwe Lulis (guitars) and Tommi Goettlich (bass) have chosen the name REBELLION for their new band. The line-up also features ex-WARHEAD singer/guitarist Bjorn Eilen on second guitar, ANNIHILATOR drummer Randy Black and vocalist Michael Seifert. The album will be a concept album based on Shakespeare's tale Macbeth, due to be released on March 25th, 2002 through Drakkar Entertainment.

DARK TRANQUILLITY's Anders Jivarp injured his wrist recently, forcing the band to replace him with LEFAY's drummer Robin Engstrom for a gig in Istanbul.