this is from an e-mail that I get from
http://www.metalupdate.com
RIOT
original vocalist Guy Speranza died last weekend due to pancreatic cancer
- he was 47 years old
FEAR FACTORY
Byron Stroud (Strapping Young Lad) has been added to the lineup on bass
guitar - a tentative release date for the next album 'Archetype' has been
set for April
SOILWORK
Richard Evensand (Ebony Tears, Dog Faced Gods) has been named the band's
new drummer
CIRCLE II CIRCLE
the five band members other than vocalist Zak Stevens (Kevin Rothney,
Shane French, Matt Laporte, Christopher Kinder and John Zahner) have left
the group as they "could no longer accept managements business practices"
- Zak Stevens intends to take a revamped lineup on tour with Saxon and
Doro this December
NAPALM DEATH
guitarist Jesse Pintado is not taking part in the current European tour in
order to spend time with family and recover from a very exhausting year -
due to the fact that the tour was already booked the band decided to do
the shows as a four piece
OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS
The End Records will be handling all the major releases for Osmose for the
North American territory - the first albums to benefit from this
relationship will be Impaled Nazarene 'All That You Fear' and Melechesh
'Sphynx' in early 2004
NORTHERN LIGHTS 2004
Unrestrained! Magazine and Inertia Entertainment have announced that the
second Northern Lights festival will take place in Toronto, Canada on June
26th, 2004 and feature Melechesh, Kult Of Azazel, While Heaven Wept and
Aesma Daeva among others
HATEBREED
'The Rise of Brutality' debuted at #30 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart
NEW SIGNINGS
Navarre: Force Of Evil
Ravenhurst Records: Delusion
Cold Records / Metal Blade: In Battle
D3 Entertainment: Fear Factory (USA)
Roadrunner Records: Fear Factory (Europe)
Sanctuary: Stratovarius, Brides Of Destruction