Finnish "fantasy metal" band BATTLELORE has extended its deal with Napalm Records.

Commented the group in a statement: "With our latest album, 'The Last Alliance', we fulfilled our previous recording deal and for a while we looked for other options to our next album. We got a lot of offers around the globe, but it was very clear that Napalm didn't want us to go and offered us a fine deal if we would continue with them. This new deal guarantees good conditions for our next album and touring."

NIGHTWISH singer Anette Olzon has posted the following message on her official blog:

"When I sang in ALYSON AVENUE, which is a female-fronted band just like NIGHTWISH, but even more so, since it's only my voice there, we got so many 'real' hard rockers and metalheads who said female-fronted was shit and it should only be males singing rock etc... Even long before it's been like this, even bands like HEART had big problems to get some respect in their days.

"And how come so many people think it's OK to bring opera or classical singing into metal but wouldn't accept, for instance, Britney or Avril Lavigne to sing metal??

"What's the difference between having a singer from another genre like pop or jazz singing metal or a classical singer?

"And look at Chris Cornell and Timbaland... then that wouldn't be OK to do either?? Since Chris is a rocker and Timbaland 'pop?'

"Can you imagine what the opera/classical people say about those classical singers who sing in a 'metal band??' Oh my god... that can't be done...opera is sooooo special and metal is not music... I have myself heard these things being said in the music university and among classically trained people.

"And like when I started taking vocal lessons at 15 years of age... You MUST sing opera or classical!! Rock voice will kill your voice!!!

"Hmm...;=)

"I sang in a local Christmas show just a couple of years ago and I was the only one not opera or classically trained. And when we rehearsed, the conductor said after I had sang a little more rocky song: Well, THAT'S also one way to sing... and looked as if he had swallowed a really bad lemon... ;=)

"It's one thing that we all have different tastes in music... we should have that and that's just fine, but when it comes to 'rules' and such narrow-mindedness that we can see not only in metal but other genres too, I think it's sad for the music.

"Music should be joy, breaking borders, getting people closer, making people feel, embracing and talking to hearts and souls, and most of all, fill the world with different sounds.. like I have said before when I talked about differences in people, I don't want to hear just ONE repetitive sound every single day, I want different sounds floating around.

"Colourfullness in music too;=)

"And here [see YouTube clip below] is just an example of crossing borders: NIGHTWISH in a remix of DJ Orkidea...great, great mix and I would love to dance to it on the dance floor. ;=) Techno is perfect on the dance floor. ;=)"

German-Korean rockers KRYPTERIA will release their album, "My Fatal Kiss", on August 28 via Roadrunner Records' new division Onfire.

"My Fatal Kiss" track listing:

01. Ignition
02. My Fatal Kiss
03. Why (Did You Stop The World From Turning)
04. For You I'll Bring The Devil Down
05. Deny
06. The Freak In Me
07. Never Say Die
08. Dying To Love
09. Shoot Me
10. God I Need Someone
11. Now (Start Spreading The Word)
12. Head First Into A Sea Of Flames
13. Too Late, Game Over and Goodbye

Video footage of LACUNA COIL's performance (with soundboard-quality audio) at this year's installment of the Graspop Metal Meeting, which was held on June 26-28, 2009 on the festival grounds of the Boeretang in Dessel, Belgium, can be viewed below.

Fan-filmed video footage of the German goth metal band XANDRIA performing on June 19, 2009 at Zeche in Bochum, Germany can be viewed below (courtesy of "DUGT67"):



Photos of the concert are available at this location.

Former THE GATHERING singer Anneke van Giersbergen joined Portuguese metallers MOONSPELL on stage at the Fortarock festival on July 11, 2009 in Nijmegen, Holland to perform the song "Scorpion Flower".

Fan-filmed video footage of her appearance can be viewed below.

Drakkar Records (label of Xandria, Haggard and much more) has announced the signing of the Croatian gothic metal band OMEGA LITHIUM.
The band will release its debut album, "Dreams In Formaline", on September 18 via Drakkar Records.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Infest [02:53]
02. Stigmata [03:48]
03. My Haunted Self [03:32]
04. Dreams In Formaline [03:20]
05. Andromeda [03:29]
06. Nebula [03:58]
07. Snow Red [03:38]
08. Hollow March [03:22]
09. Factor:Misery [03:31]
10. Angel's Holocaust [03:20]
11. Point Blank [03:57]
12. Stigmata (Videoclip) [03:48]

Check out the cover artwork below:



Drakkar label manager Marius Kopec previously stated about the company's decision to sign OMEGA LITHIUM, "Of course, classic artist development has become increasingly difficult. On the other hand, only by supporting new bands does a label stand a chance of hitting the jackpot. To us, it's as important as ever that our bands bring along a solid mix of quality and originality. OMEGA LITHIUM, with their amazing singer Mya Mortensen, is without any doubt what we call a 'unique act,' so we are very convinced that it is possible to establish this band in the gothic scene!"

OMEGA LITHIUM's sound is described in the band's official bio as "the vision of a reformed society's way of thinking. The aggression of the distorted guitars, the simplicity of the electro beats, wrapped in a haunting atmosphere, and a rebellious point of view through it. Influenced by industrial, metal, gothic and rock, emerges a distinct sound that creates the passage through the ruined world of inner destruction."

A video for the song "Stigmata" can be viewed below.

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/omegalithium