Nuclear Blast Label News April

GOREFEST - Back with NUCLEAR BLAST

DIMMU BORGIR - Use Hellhammer for next studio album
Rumours have been going round for a while, now it's official: DIMMU BORGIR's management company has confirmed that MAYHEM's Jan Axel Blomberg (a.k.a. Hellhammer) will play on the next DIMMU BORGIR CD as a session drummer. The Norwegian symphonic black metallers had previously utilized the services of NILE's Tony Laureano and Reno Kiilerich (PANZERCHRIST, EXMORTEM, VILE) as touring members following the departure of Nick Barker (Ex-CRADLE OF FILTH) in early 2004. DIMMU BORGIR recently announced plans to re-record their second album "Stormblåst" (1996) later in the year. No further information is currently available.

ANTHRAX - Reunion finally confirmed
New York's kings of mosh, ANTHRAX, will embark on a reunion tour with their famous »Among The Living« line-up, which consists of Joey Belladona (vocals), Scott Ian (guitar) , Dan Spitz (guitar), Frank Bello (bass), Charlie Benante (drums). This group of people has not been working together for 13 years. Rumors of this reunion have been floating around the internet for several weeks. A confirmation was given only shortly before a press conference in New York on April 1, where the band made the following statements:
- There has been no decision made regarding a new album with this line-up.
- John Bush and Rob Caggiano, who have been playing with ANTHRAX in the last incarnation, still belong to the "family".
- The band will not play Ozzfest.
- Frank Bello was asked to play on the next HELMET record.
- ANTHRAX will play with MEGADETH in Europe.
- There will a live/documentary DVD about the reunion

RAGE - sign with NUCLEAR BLAST
German metal veterans RAGE - Peavy Wagner (vocals, bass), Victor Smolski (guitar) and Mike Terrana (drums) - have signed a long-term deal with NUCLEAR BLAST. In an official statement, Peavy says: "After our fantastic anniversary tour we were convinced that we want to work with a label that pushes us forward with creative ideas and full power support. With this in our backs we can jump right into the making of our next album. We imagine to do something without stylistic changes but with a wider range of sound. After the good experiences with Victor's latest solo album we want to get the Whiterussian Symphonic Orchestra involved, similar to what we did a couple of years ago on »Lingua Mortis«. This time the result will be a lot harder. That's how the new songs sound we recently wrote in first rehearsals. They blend in perfectly with our latest releases."