- Power metal group Thunderstone has teamed up with Amorphis frontman Tomi Joutsen on a new song called “Star” which will be featured on Thunderstone’s upcoming, yet to be titled release. This new tune can be accessed at the band’s Myspace location here. This is by far the heaviest Thunderstone has been, and it’s a nice direction for the band. I shall be looking forward to this release.

- Avantasia founder Tobias Sammet has announced plans for a new album due out by the end of the year. He had this to say, “I will do everything to have the biggest production I’ve ever had. I am negotiating with an orchestra right at the moment and I just wanna have a bombastic, monumental movie for the ears. And for such an undertaking there is no one who is better than Sascha [Paeth; producer, engineer and guitarist of AVANTASIA project]; he is like a brother to me.”

- Former Zimmer’s Hole guitarist Chris Stanley has passed away due to complications arising from chronic health issues involving his lungs.

– New Relapse Record signees Zombi are streaming their brand new album Sprit Animal online now in its entirety at this location: Spirit-Animal.info.

- Metallica will release The Complete Metallica - a digital “box set” containing their entire official discography, exclusively via iTunes beginning March 31. The package will be available from all other digital service providers beginning April 28.

- The Human Abstract, fresh from completing seperate tours with Trivium, All That Remains, and As I Lay Dying, is now preparing to take on another round. This time the tour will take them to Europe with Protest The Hero, and The Chariot.