*VISIONS OF ATLANTIS has entered Artesonika Studios in Pordenoe, Italy to record their fifth album "Ethera". Fabio D’Amore (SERENITY) and Ivan Moni Bidin, who is also a master at the mixing desk, will be producing this latest work.

*TO-MERA, fronted by former WITHOUT FACE vocalist Julie Kiss, has entered Hardbeat Studios (HAKEN, LINEAR SPHERE) in Wembley with producer John Papas to begin laying down the drums for the group's upcoming third album. The majority of the new CD recording sessions will take place at guitarist Tom MacLean's recently built home studio.

*DELAIN will release their third album "We Are The Others" later in the year via Roadrunner Records. Described as "the band's most powerful, most atmospheric and intoxicating album to date," the CD was helmed by producer Jacob Hellner — renowned for his work with RAMMSTEIN, CLAWFINGER and APOCALYPTICA — while the vocals were tracked with the Epicentre team of Fredrik Thomander and Anders Wikström (SCORPIONS, BACKYARD BABIES). This record features none less than FEAR FACTORY shouter Burton C. Bell as a guest singer, and visual artist Glenn Arthur provided the cover artwork.

*Dutch/Norwegian rockers THE GATHERING are continuing work on their new album for a September release. A single will precede the full-length CD in May. THE GATHERING's latest video, "Heroes For Ghosts", was shot in Norway by the band's "dear friend" Marcus Moonen. "Heroes For Ghosts", which is available for free download at the group's Bandcamp page, will appear on THE GATHERING's new studio album, the title of which has yet to be announced.

*HUNTRESS debut CD "Spell Eater" will be released on 27 April, 2012. The band revolving around frontlady Jill Janus is currently providing the finishing touches for the new songs. Fans of traditional heavy metal may look forward to a riff-filled epic and bear witness to the birth of a new legend! The video to "Eight of Swords" is available on You Tube. The clip was directed by Simon Chan of Artificial Army and was produced/engineered by Chris Rakestraw of Sunset Lodge Recording.

*HEMORAGY from France is preparing their 4th album. More news will follow soon.

*"Take Me Home", the new Rob Hodselmans-directed video from Anneke van Giersbergen (AGUA DE ANNIQUE, ex-THE GATHERING), can be viewed on You Tube. The song comes off Anneke's new solo album "Everything Is Changing" which is being released on January 20 via PIAS Holland. The CD was recorded at Ultrasound Studios in Braga, Portugal with producer Daniel Cardoso.

*LULLACRY will release its long-awaited fifth album "Where Angels Fear" on March 7 in Finland through the band's own label, OUTO Recordings. The CD, which marks the first LULLACRY release since 2005's "Vol. 4", was produced by Mikko Herranen (ex-vocalist for MISERY, INC.), who also sings a duet with LULLACRY vocalist Tanja Lainio in the track "Feel My Revenge". The album was mastered by Svante Forsbäck at Chartmakers in Helsinki. The first single "Bad Blood" will be released digitally on February 6. The track is available for streaming.

*On January 17, 2012, Therese Hanserot, the original lead singer for long-running Swedish metallers DESTINY, passed away at the age of 48. Hanserot joined DESTINY in the fall of 1982, when she was just 18 years old, and she left the band in the summer of 1983. During this time she recorded six songs for the first-ever DESTINY demo and performed with the band at their debut gig (at the rock club RPM). After leaving DESTINY, she sang in a couple of cover bands before quitting singing for good.

*Guitarist Seth Thacker has officially stepped down from STRAIGHT LINE STITCH. Earlier, the band has parted ways with drummer Kanky Lora.

*WYKKED WYTCH are back with their fifth full-length album, called "The Ultimate Deception", which will be released on February 14 via Goomba Music. The follow-up to 2008's "Memories Of A Dying Whore" "continues where its predecessor left off and pushes the boundaries of extreme music as well as the legacy of WYKKED WYTCH," according to a press release. "The Ultimate Deception" includes ten tracks with a running time of 47 minutes and was recorded in April/May 2011 at Lambesis Studios in San Diego, California with producer Daniel Castleman (AS I LAY DYING, WINDS OF PLAGUE). The CD was mastered by Alan Douches (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER) at West West Side Music in New Windsor, New York. The cover artwork was created by Marcelo Vasco (DIMMU BORGIR, THE FACELESS).

*Female-fronted metal band MORTAD's forthcoming full-length debut album "The Myth Of Purity" was recorded last October with producer Russ Russell (NAPALM DEATH, DIMMU BORGIR, EVILE) and is scheduled for an early 2012 release.

*SISTER SIN will enter Standstraight Studios in Stockholm in late February with producer Chris Snyder to begin recording their third album for a May 22 release via Victory Records.

*"Cirque Des Damnés Featuring We Are The Fallen", the new concert film from WE ARE THE FALLEN — the group formed by EVANESCENCE co-founder Ben Moody (guitar) and other former members (LeCompt and Gray) along with "American Idol" powerhouse vocalist Carly Smithson and bassist Marty O'Brien (DISTURBED, KELLY CLARKSON, STATIC-X, METHODS OF MAYHEM,TOMMY LEE) — is available for purchase as a video digital download from the band's official web site, http://www.wearethefallen.com/. Filmed at the Avalon Theater in Hollywood, California on January 22, 2011, the "Cirque Des Damnés" (English translation: "Circus Of The Damned") concert combines the live show of WE ARE THE FALLEN with aerialists, stage performers, and a carnival-style freak show. Running time for the concert is 1 hour and 5 minutes. You will receive one laminate-style backstage pass that also doubles as a digital download card. Simply use the information on the back of the card to log in and download this concert event.

*After a four-year break since her last album, LANA LANE is back with her most powerful release to date "El Dorado Hotel". The veteran symphonic rock diva delivers a 10-song tour-de-force of finely crafted original tracks in an audiophile production by husband/keyboardist, Erik Norlander. "El Dorado Hotel" hosts Lane's usual broad spectrum of musical styles and genres with a cohesiveness that fans of the artist will recognize instantly. The opener, "A Dream Full Of Fire", is a new Lana Lane classic that blurs the line between prog metal and jazz stylings in a mélange that only she can deliver. "Maybe We'll Meet Again" is a European-styled melodic AOR radio anthem blending classic rock with modern sensibilities. The song "El Dorado" is a Lana Lane epic with a soaring chorus reminiscent of her classic "Queen Of Ocean". The robust "Darkness Falls" introduces an Irish folk style combined with a gothic metal element with its haunting choral vocals and arena-crafted chorus. Then "Hotels" is an acoustic track that evokes jazz standards like "Autumn Leaves". The tracks "Believe", "Life Of The Party", "Gone Are The Days" and "Moon God" add further threads to the "El Dorado Hotel" tapestry. The album closes with the 11-1/2 minute opus "In Exile", that producer Erik Norlander describes as a 'vintage progressive rock epic'. "El Dorado Hotel" will be released on January 25 via Think Tank Media (Avalon in Japan).

*IN THIS MOMENT has entered The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas, Nevada with longtime producer Kevin Churko (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH) to begin recording its new album for a summer release via Century Media Records.

*LITA FORD has signed a worldwide deal with SPV/Steamhammer. Her new album, "Living Like A Runaway", is tentatively due in May. "Living Like A Runaway" was co-written and produced by rock guitarist Gary Hoey and represents a return to form for Lita, who drew inspiration from her ugly divorce'' from NITRO singer Jim Gillette.

*The European release date of "III", the third album from France-based metalcore band ETHS, has been pushed back to April 6 from the previously announced March 2 (via Season Of Mist). The new North American release date has not yet been announced. "III" was recorded at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden with producer Fredrik Nordström, who has previously worked with AT THE GATES, IN FLAMES, DARK TRANQUILLITY, ARCH ENEMY, SOILWORK and BRING ME THE HORIZON, among others.

*BATTLE BEAST recently inked a deal with Nuclear Blast Records. The band's debut album "Steel", which was originally released in Finland earlier this year via Hype Records, will be made available internationally on January 27.

*PORTAL, the early 1990s project featuring CYNIC masterminds Paul Masvidal and Sean Reinert alongside guitarist Jason Gobel, bassist Chris Kringel and female vocalist Aruna Abrams, will have its demo recordings officially released as "The Portal Tapes" on March 27 in North America (four days earlier in Europe) in strictly limited editions of 5,000 digipak CDs and 1,000 vinyl LPs via Season Of Mist.

*Singer Sarah Jezebel Deva, who has toured and/or recorded with CRADLE OF FILTH, THERION, MORTIIS and ANGTORIA, has finished laying down vocals on CRADLE OF FILTH's new orchestral album, "Midnight In The Labyrinth".

*HYDROGYN have set "Private Sessions" as the title of their fourth album, tentatively due this spring. Thirteen songs were recorded for the CD at guitarist Jeff Westlake's Ridgeline Studio in Ashland, Kentucky and Patrick Liotard's Peek Studio in Boisseron, France. For "Private Sessions", things changed up a bit as far as production. For the past two albums, Jeff Westlake handled the production, engineering, mixing, etc., to go along with the writing and song prep. Jeff said he wanted a chance to just worry about the songs on this release with limited production going on from his end. Enter the team of Anthony Dura and Patrick Liotard (who co-wrote the song "Alone" on HYDROGYN's last album, "Judgement"). Anthony and Patrick stepped in and teamed up with Julie and Jeff for this project, not only from a production standpoint but also in the creation of the project itself. A HYDROGYN live CD and a digital-only best-of release called "Phase 1" are also in the works.

*LUNAR PATH will release its debut album, "Memento Mori", on February 1 via Inverse Records. "Memento Mori" features guest appearances by such acclaimed musicians and vocalists such as Attila Csihar (MAYHEM, ABORYM), Tuomas Saukkonen (BEFORE THE DAWN, BLACK SUN AEON), Juha-Pekka Leppäluoto (CHARON, NORTHERN KINGS, HARMAJA) and Antti Leskinen (FATAL SOUND PROJECT, CHAINED, MURENA). LUNAR PATH lead vocalist Janica Lönn has been working with BLACK SUN AEON lately, most notably singing on their newly released and highly acclaimed "Blacklight Deliverance" album. She will also perform live with BLACK SUN AEON at this year's Summer Breeze open-air festival in Germany and other European festivals.

*With a heavy heart, we regrettably announce the passing of the former VISIONS OF ATLANTIS vocalist, Nicole Bogner, on 5 January 2012 at the age of 27. Our thoughts are with her family and especially her young daughter. VoA has released the following statement: "In deep mourning and with the utmost respect, we must notify all VISIONS OF ATLANTIS fans that our former vocalist Nicole Bogner has passed away at the age of 27 after battling disease over a long period of time. The band is shocked at the loss of an old VoA family member, but also wants to express sincere gratitude to Nicole for not only five years of sharing a musical vision, but also for more than a decade of friendship inside and outside of VISIONS OF ATLANTIS. Without Nicole Visions of Atlantis would have never been born and her unique voice and personality were a big part of VoA. With Nicole a great part of VISIONS OF ATLANTIS died, as well. We will always treasure your warm-hearted soul. You will never be forgotten Nici... All fans and followers are invited to join the In Memoriam Nicole Bogner-Page on Facebook to express their grief and respect to this great artist and person! Rest in Peace, Nicole and thank you! The VoA-family"
We invite you to post condolences on the "In Memoriam Nicole Bogner" Page at http://www.facebook.com/inmemoriamnicolebogner

*EPICA will perform material from their upcoming fifth full-length album "Requiem For The Indifferent" for the first time on March 10 at Escape in Veenedaal, Netherlands. The band's European headlining tour in support of the CD will kick off on March 15 at Zeche in Bochum, Germany. "Requiem For The Indifferent" will be released on March 9 in Europe and four days later in North America via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Gate Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany under the watchful eye of Sascha Paeth.

*FRANTIC AMBER has recruited a new drummer — and its first male member — Erik Röjås. Erik has been performing with the band since last year's Sweden Rock Festival and accompanied the group on its second tour of Russia in September. FRANTIC AMBER is currently recording its second EP with producer Ralph Santolla (guitarist for such acts as DEATH, DEICIDE, OBITUARY, ICED EARTH) for a spring release.

*INNER FEAR, the Czech dark metal band featuring CRADLE OF FILTH drummer Martin "Marthus" Skaroupka, has made its new album, "First Born Fear", available for free download at http://www.innerfear.org. Formed in 1997, INNER FEAR disbanded in 2003 and after a long hiatus reunited with a new lineup. INNER FEAR is planning to release EP in late spring and will hit the studio again at the end of this year for the new full-length album.

*AMBERIAN DAWN will release their fourth studio album "Circus Black" in Finland on February 29 via Spinefarm Records. The band's mainman, keyboardist and guitarist Tuomas Seppälä composed all ten songs for the CD and vocalist Heidi Parviainen penned the lyrics. "Circus Black" features guest appearances by Tuomas Nieminen (ex-DAMANTRA, THRONE OF CHAOS), Nils Nordling (ex-DREAMTALE, ANIMAL HOUSE), Timo Kotipelto (STRATOVARIUS) and Jens Johansson (STRATOVARIUS, DIO, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN'S RISING FORCE). Nieminen and Nordling share vocal parts in the song "I Share With You This Dream", Kotipelto sings lead on "Cold Kiss" and Johansson plays a keyboard solo on "Crimson Flower".

*Former DIO guitarist Tracy "G" Grijalva has joined forces with current HYDROGYN vocalist Julie Westlake to record a collection of songs Tracy had written with Ronnie James Dio for the DIO releases "Strange Highways" and "Angry Machines" along with some of the guitarist's post-DIO material. The recordings are taking place at Tracy's G Factory studios and will include musicians that played on Grijalva's 2011 album, "Controlled Chaos" — Johnny B on drums and vocals and Eddie Frisco on bass. There is also talk of live shows taking place in the Los Angeles area this spring or summer.

*LACUNA COIL's new album, "Dark Adrenaline", is scheduled for release in North America on January 24, 2012 via Century Media Records. The CD was helmed by acclaimed producer Don Gilmore (LINKIN PARK, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE) and promises to deliver the melodic, sensual, metallic rush for which the band has come to be known, according to a press release.Fans both old and new will have a variety of options to choose from, as "Dark Adrenaline" will be released in numerous formats, including standard-edition CD and vinyl, deluxe edition digipak with a bonus DVD, sticker, poster and guitar pick and as an iTunes LP with expanded packaging, five bonus audio tracks and video. The Metal Club edition will feature exclusive artwork designed by the band and will be limited to 3,000 units. The Hastings edition will feature a bonus 10-track LACUNA COIL sampler, and the Amazon digital edition comes with a free five-track sampler. Finally, for true fans of the band, is the "Darkest Adrenaline" box set, which includes both the digipak and vinyl versions of the album along with a hardcover photo book, a LACUNA COIL custom syringe pen and ink, a lyric pad, signed lithographs created by the band and more, all housed in a LACUNA COIL medical box. This box set is limited to 500 pieces and is available exclusively through CM Distro.