	MANOWAR's new single "Warriors Of The World United" climbs up the German charts from #27 to #18 (!!) and marks the highest single chartposition ever for an act signed to Nuclear Blast. Also, the single entered the Finnish charts at #7; is Top 50 in Italy, Sweden and Norway. The album "Warriors Of The World" will be released on May 27, 2002. The band will perform on some summer festivals throughout Europe and will start off a big european tour in the fall. Stay tuned for more good news. THE RETURN OF THE KINGS OF METAL: MANOWAR!
	MALEVOLENT CREATION - just signed! The Death Metal maniacs have signed with Nuclear Blast for the european territory. Currently the band is playing the "No Mercy Festivals" with Hypocrisy & Immortal. They will begin recording the new album "The Will to Kill" this coming summer with Jean-Francois Dagenais of Kataklysm at Victor studio. So you can be sure it will be a masterpiece of brutality and aggression.
	TYRANT TO RULE AGAIN: (Press Release) Australian Hard Rockers - TYRANT are to start recording their follow-up to last years well recieved debut CD, "Freaks Of Nature" in June. The new material to be recorded will again be 'Traditional Metal' in flavour but with a far tougher sound being employed to meet todays' heavier guitar hungry metal fans! Song titles include: DRINK WITH THE DEVIL, THUNDER DOWN UNDER, DARK FURY, HARD AS NAILS, PERFECT WORLD, A FEW DAYS TO KILL, KILLING MACHINE, PARASITES, MUST BE THE DEVIL and COURAGE OF THE HEART. A bonus track will also added for the release. The bands commitment to songs for an up-coming movie soundtrack are also coming along nicely. Word on the title of the 'Movie' - still cannot be devulged at this time but suffice ot say the project is one of Australia's most successful franchises. TYRANT have also recruited a new bass guitarist - ANDY HATTON who was once a member of late 80's Sydney band - SLYDER which also featured 2 other members of Tyrant - Andy & Bob Zarins. According to lead vocalist - Neil Wilson: "When REAL Metalheads hear the new songs they're gonna shit a brick. Forget all this pussy-corporate-nu-metal shit. TYRANT - are hear to prove to the world that 'Traditional Metal/Rock 'n' Roll' - whatever you want to call it is very much alive 'n' well! Any fucker who thinks this, down tuned hip-hop-music is METAL is a retarded, brain dead fuckwit - it's as simple as that!" The band hope to have the album released by October/November 2002.
	PRIEST LIVE...AGAIN! : (Total Rock.com) JUDAS PRIEST will release a DVD called ‘Live In London’ on July 1. It was shot at the band’s pre-Xmas show last year at the Brixton Academy and includes lots of behind-the-scenes footage.
	HYPOCRISY & SOILWORK TOUR NORTH AMERICA FOR FIRST TIME For the first time in their decade-long career, Hypocrisy will embark on a full-scale, headlining tour of North America. Label-mates and fellow countrymen, Soilwork, are direct support. Roadrunner’s Killswitch Engage and Century Media upstarts Scar Culture round out the bill. The tour kicks off May 12h in St. Paul, MN and concludes June 8th in Seattle, WA. After encapsulating their first 10 years with 2001’s 10 Years of Chaos and Confusion, Hypocrisy returns with a disc that vocalist/guitarist Peter Tägtgren brazenly calls the first “real” Hypocrisy record – a bold statement after seven full-length albums, two EPs, a live album and a “best of” recollection. Catch 22 explores the entire range of Hypocrisy’s extensive repertoire. Modern sounds and influences meld with the traditional Hypocrisy aesthetic to make an entirely new beast – crushing, groovy, catchy and, at times, sorrowful. Fresh off their phenomenal performance at the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival in Worcester, MA, Soilwork are gearing up for what will also be their first North American tour. The band will be supporting their second Nuclear Blast release (fourth overall), Natural Born Chaos. The disc has been amazing fans and critics alike, with Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles naming it the album of the month while Guitar World proclaimed Soilwork were one “of the bands that have been grabbing our attention lately.” Hypocrisy has only performed a handful of one-off dates around their festival appearances at Milwaukee Metalfest and Metal Meltdown, and Soilwork has only two American shows under their belt. This May brings the first real chance for fans nationwide to see these two genre-leading acts in the only setting that truly does them justice: LIVE!
	NEW BAND WITH A CLASSIC SOUND: (Press Release) AESCULUS HIPP is an exciting new guitar charged band, which has been playing to capacity crowds across southern England and building a healthy reputation for the strength of its live act. Having been booked to play the prime slot on the Dart Music Festival to an audience of 5000 this coming May, further interest is now being shown by television and radio in the band’s exceptionally well written, original material. “We’ve been opening for Wishbone Ash most recently on their Bona Fide tour”, states Hugo Montgomery-Swan,Hipp’s songwriting frontman“, though the support can have it pretty tough, I’m happy to say the audiences have really loved Hipp’s live set with its high energy, classic hard rock influences. Come May 11th in Dartmouth, we’ll have the luxury of having the stage to ourselves when we play our full hour and a half set through a monstrous 35,000 watt concert rig. At that level it should be audible on the other side of the English Channel!” The band’s current CD, ‘Master of Illusion’, was recently featured as a 50,000 front cover promotion to Classic Rock Magazine and is currently available for purchase on the http://www.aesculushipp.com website.
	Withering Surface Confirmed for Opeth/Arch Enemy UK tour Danish metallers Withering Surface have been confirmed as opening act on the Metal extravaganza that is the Opeth + Arch Enemy UK tour. The previous Danish Grammy Award nominees, whose album "Walking On Phantom Ice" (COP018) has been also receiving awesome reviews, have also been confirmed for Wacken Open Air in Germany. They play:- 26/05/02 University LIVERPOOL 27/05/02 MeanFiddler LONDON 28/05/02 Cathouse GLASGOW 29/05/02 Hop + Grape MANCHESTER 30/05/02 Academy 2 BIRMINGHAM 31/05/02 Cockpit LEEDS
	IRON MAIDEN DVD TRACKLIST!: (Thanks to metal Rob) The IRON MAIDEN Rock in Rio DVD, set to be released June 10th, will feature the following tracks: 1 - The Wicker Man 2 - Ghost Of The Navigator 3 - Brave New World 4 - Wrathchild 5 - Two Minutes to Midnight 6 - Blood Brothers 7 - Sign Of The Cross 8 - The Mercenary 9 - The Trooper 10 - Dream Of Mirrors 11 - The Clansman 12 - The Evil That Men Do 13 - Fear Of The Dark 14 - Iron Maiden 15 - Number Of The Beast 16 - Hallowed Be Thy Name 17 - Sanctuary 18 - Run To The Hills
	Boston's MILLIGRAM, featuring former ONLY LIVING WITNESS frontman Jonah Jenkins, have completed work on a new full-length album, entitled This Is Class War. A European tour with LIKE PETER AT HOME will follow shortly.
	BLOOD RED THRONE news... Norway's BLOOD RED THRONE, featuring former EMPEROR / SATYRICON / EINHERJER bassist-turned-guitarist Tchort, are about to enter Dub Studios to begin work on their second full-length album, entitled Affiliated With The Suffering, for a late summer release through Hammerheart/The Plague Records. Among the tracks set to appear on the CD are the following: 01. A Dream of Death 02. Affiliated With the Suffering 03. Blood Pledge 04. Chaos Rising! 05. Unleashing Hell 06. Razor Jack 07. Gather the Dead In other news, BLOOD RED THRONE will shortly release a mini-CD entitled A Taste For Blood, featuring three songs from the unreleased Deathmix 2000 demo, an unreleased tracks from the Nordic Metal II compilation (Necropolis Records), a bonus track (a cover of MASSACRE's "Cryptic Realms"), and a track from Monument Of Death. Also on the BLOOD RED THRONE front, the band have been confirmed to appear at the Quart Festival, which is scheduled to take place between July 2nd and 4th in Kristiansand, Norway. Other acts set to appear at the event RAMMSTEIN, SATYRICON, KHOLD, and LOWDOWN.
	New CATHEDRAL album in the works.... Cathedral are currently working on material for their 7th album, and first for new label Dreamcatcher records. The working title for the album is "Songs Of Praise"; some of the working song titles are as follows : A Sorcerer's Congregation, Phoenix Rising, Halo Of Fire, Iconoclast,Resisting the Ghost, Skullflower, The Weary Traveller & Aphrodite's Winter. The material is not quite so Doom as Endtyme, a bit more catchy in places, but still very heavy, with quite a diverse mix of tunes. The band plans to enter Chapel Studios in late June, though are yet to decide on a producer. That will be confirmed shortly. The album is scheduled to be released before the end of the year, when the band will start another world tour. Artwork for the album has been once again commissioned to original Cathedral artist, Dave Patchett. In the meantime, the band has two shows lined up. They play June 7th: Coventry, The Jailhouse & June 8th: London ULU as part of the Terrorizer 100th issue festivities.
	Former VAN HALEN frontman DAVID LEE ROTH will reportedly perform acoustically on The Mark And Brian Morning Show via the Los Angeles radio station 95.5 KLOS on Tuesday, May 14th.
	YNGWIE DONATES TALENTS: (Press Release) Legendary Rocker and former Led Zeppelin guitarist JIMMY PAGE will serve as a host of the second annual Action For Brazil's children fundraising dinner. Auction and dinner to be held in Fort Lauderdale. May 8, 2002 The fundraising event will feature an "all Star" line up of electrifying entertainment and wonderful auction items. Featured entertainment includes a special appearance by recording artist Richard Marx, Grammy winning songwriter Richie Supa and international world renowned guitarist YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and performances by other surprise artists. Note Jimmy Page will not be performing. All proceeds from tickets sales and silent auction will go towards supporting the work of Action For Brazil's Children.
	BOB DAISLEY WROTE OZZY'S 'DIARY' AND MORE!: Classic Rock Revisited has a lengthy interview with veteran bass player BOB DAISLEY (Rainbow, Ozzy Osbourne), who, along with drummer LEE KERSLAKE (Uriah Heep, Ozzy Osbourne), were involved with litigation over songwriting credits/royalties with OZZY OSBOURNE over the last many years. When asked what lyrics Daisley wrote for Osbourne, he responds, "You obviously haven’t checked the credits on Blizzard Of Oz. I co-wrote all of the songs. We started putting music together -- just me and Randy [Rhoades] and Ozzy. Ozzy had these vocal melodies and he would sing them with any words that came into his head. Ozzy and Randy sat up one night trying to write lyrics and I came down and saw what they had done and I thought, 'Oh my God.' It was awful. It was embarrassing and amateurish. I told them, 'I tell you what, I will write the lyrics.' I wrote all of the lyrics for the rest of the albums [through 'No Rest For the Wicked']." Read the whole interview by going here: http://www.classicrockrevisited.com/Bob%20Daisley%20Interview.htm
	NEW BAND WITH A CLASSIC SOUND: (Press Release) AESCULUS HIPP is an exciting new guitar charged band, which has been playing to capacity crowds across southern England and building a healthy reputation for the strength of its live act. Having been booked to play the prime slot on the Dart Music Festival to an audience of 5000 this coming May, further interest is now being shown by television and radio in the band’s exceptionally well written, original material. “We’ve been opening for Wishbone Ash most recently on their Bona Fide tour”, states Hugo Montgomery-Swan, Hipp’s songwriting frontman“, though the support can have it pretty tough, I’m happy to say the audiences have really loved Hipp’s live set with its high energy, classic hard rock influences. Come May 11th in Dartmouth, we’ll have the luxury of having the stage to ourselves when we play our full hour and a half set through a monstrous 35,000 watt concert rig. At that level it should be audible on the other side of the English Channel!” The band’s current CD, ‘Master of Illusion’, was recently featured as a 50,000 front cover promotion to Classic Rock Magazine and is currently available for purchase on the http://www.aesculushipp.com website.


21/05	NILE finish new record! Announce headlining US Tour! NILE have completed their forthcoming record, entitled In Their Darkened Shrines. The final track listing is "The Blessed Dead", "Execration Text", "Sarcophagus", "Kheftiu Asar Butchiu", "Unas Slayer of the Gods", "Churning the Maelstrom", "I Whisper in the Ear of the Dead", "Wind of Horus" and "In Their Darkened Shrines (I - Hall of Saurian Entombment - II - Invocation to Seditious Heresy - III - Destruction of the Temple of the Enemies of Ra - IV - Ruins)". Additionally, NILE has announced a US headlining tour, its first in support of In Their Darkened Shrines. The tour will be sponsored by Revolver Magazine and support will be provided by Arch Enemy, Hate Eternal and ORIGIN. Check the tourdates and venues here!
	PRIEST LIVE...AGAIN! : (Total Rock.com) JUDAS PRIEST will release a DVD called ‘Live In London’ on July 1. It was shot at the band’s pre-Xmas show last year at the Brixton Academy and includes lots of behind-the-scenes footage.
	AEROSMITH'S KRAMER GETS 'LOOPY!': (Press Release) New York, NY- Audio Icons Inc., a new manufacturer of digital software specializing in digital loop and sample libraries is proud to announce their first release, Drum Loops and Samples by Aerosmith's JOEY KRAMER. Distributed by EastWest, the world's largest supplier of soundware and the most critically acclaimed sound developer in the world, Audio Icons intends to bring a new celebrity breed to this medium of recording technology by introducing to the marketplace, product primarily created by audio Legends. With over 60% of all music created digitally today, Audio Icons allows novice and professional end users to play and compose music with Aerosmith's Joey Kramer's innovative Loop library, license free. This brings to the consumer an idea that, up until now, has only been realized primarily with session musicians. Never before has an artist of this stature offered his talents to the work of others. With Audio Icons, anyone who aspires to create their own music can now interact with one of rock's most famous and influential drummers. The user can load the selected drum samples into their computer or sampler choosing tempos, grooves, fills, and cut and paste them to their liking. They can then play other instruments live or MIDI on top of the drums, record sections, overdubs and create until their heart's content. The process is endless. The sound quality of the recorded Loops is state of the art, matching that of a finished Aerosmith record. Additionally, Audio Icons is releasing the product in the Multi-Track Format, unlike 2-track audio CDs, which are left and right stereo. This allows the user to control all of the drums as they were originally recorded on their individual tracks and incorporates Joey's drum work as if he was recording specifically for your needs.
	ROCK DETECTOR TAKES ON THE OZZMAN! (Press Release) RockDetector.com The world's biggest Rock devoted online database publishes 'OZZY OSBOURNE: The Story of the Ozzy Osbourne Band' in June 2002. This 350 page book, written by lifelong Ozzy fan and global Metal expert Garry Sharpe-Young, documents for the very first time the real story of the Blizzard Of Oz from the very first 1977 line ups, the classic 1980 Randy Rhoads incarnation and beyond. Included are interviews with numerous Ozzy band members and associates, all exclusively conducted for this work including: Bob Daisley, Lee Kerslake, Don Airey, Lyndsay Bridgwater, Bernie Torme, Brad Gillis, Pete Way, Phil Soussan, Terry Horbury, Frank Hall, Ray Gomez, Carmine Appice, Tommy Aldridge, Terry Nails, Lita Ford, Fred Coury and the late Randy Castillo. Also on hand are the stories of touring partners, friends of Randy Rhoads and the stories of those who nearly made it through the auditions. Covered in depth are first hand accounts of the behind the scenes auditioning process, the writing and recording of classic albums such as 'Blizzard Of Oz', 'Diary Of A Madman' and 'No More Tears', touring memories and hilarious Ozzy moments. The book, which includes exclusive photos, also documents the full musical careers of band members both before and after their time with Ozzy. This book is packed with page after page of exclusive factual information on the rise of Heavy Metal legend Ozzy Osbourne.
	TYRANT TO RULE AGAIN: (Press Release) Australian Hard Rockers - TYRANT are to start recording their follow-up to last years well recieved debut CD, "Freaks Of Nature" in June. The new material to be recorded will again be 'Traditional Metal' in flavour but with a far tougher sound being employed to meet todays' heavier guitar hungry metal fans! Song titles include: DRINK WITH THE DEVIL, THUNDER DOWN UNDER, DARK FURY, HARD AS NAILS, PERFECT WORLD, A FEW DAYS TO KILL, KILLING MACHINE, PARASITES, MUST BE THE DEVIL and COURAGE OF THE HEART. A bonus track will also added for the release. The bands commitment to songs for an up-coming movie soundtrack are also coming along nicely. Word on the title of the 'Movie' - still cannot be devulged at this time but suffice ot say the project is one of Australia's most successful franchises. TYRANT have also recruited a new bass guitarist - ANDY HATTON who was once a member of late 80's Sydney band - SLYDER which also featured 2 other members of Tyrant - Andy & Bob Zarins. According to lead vocalist - Neil Wilson: "When REAL Metalheads hear the new songs they're gonna shit a brick. Forget all this pussy-corporate-nu-metal shit. TYRANT - are hear to prove to the world that 'Traditional Metal/Rock 'n' Roll' - whatever you want to call it is very much alive 'n' well! Any fucker who thinks this, down tuned hip-hop-music is METAL is a retarded, brain dead fuckwit - it's as simple as that!" The band hope to have the album released by October/November 2002.
	DC4 SHOOTS VIDEO: (Press Release) On Saturday May 4th U.S. DC4 shot thier first Video from the Rising Sun/Zomba release "Volume 1". The song is "Playing House". The Video was shot at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood CA and was produced by Church Of Duncan Productions. Directed by Marcus Martinez and Matt Duncan. DC4 "Volume 1" was released April 29th 2002 and has been getting very strong reviews throughout Europe.
	SHY ARE SET TO RETURN TO FINISH SOME UNFINISHED BUSINESS! It is now 12 years since SHY released Misspent Youth, and nearly two years since the reformed line up started work on their come back album entitled "Unfinished Business". "Unfinished Business" is possibly one of the most eagerly anticipated releases of 2002, and Z Records have stated that the delays have been more than worthwhile. It was agreed from the outset that this release should be nothing more than SHY's best release to date and both the band and Z Records believe that this goal has been achieved. The album is now into its final days of work and will be completed by the end of this week. Track titles are as follows:- (the order has yet to be decided) 1] Heaven Tonight 2] No Other Way 3] Whole lot of Feeling 4] Skydiving, 5] Communicate 6] Breakaway 7] Can't Stop loving You 8] Change of Direction 9] Mary Ann 10] Storyline "Unfinished Business" features Lead Vocals Tony Mills Lead Guitar Steve Harris Bass Guitar Roy Davis Keyboards Paddy McKenna Drums Bob Richards (Asia and Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden). Z Records are also proud to announce the signing of an agreement with Marquee Avalon for Japan and SE Asia. The album release date has now been fully confirmed as August 23rd 2002 within Europe /USA and Japan / SE Asia.
	CONTAGIOUS OPT TO PULL OFF TWO DOKKEN DATES Liverpool based Rockers CONTAGIOUS have pulled their appearances with Dokken this week in Dudley and London due to contractual disagreements. Contagious wish to state that the band where forced to take the action when contracts where not forthcoming by the tours UK agents. Contagious's "The Calling Tour" May: 16TH : The Cavern, Liverpool [with Dokken] 17th : RIO's , Bradford [with Dokken] 29th : Trillions, Newcastle 30th : Boardwalk, Sheffield 31st : Market Tavern, Bradford July: possible dates with Vaughn tbc September 25th Ritmo Y Compas, Marid, Spain October 5th Z Rock 2002, Ludwigshafen Rhien, Germany
	Z ROCK 2002 CANADA DETAILS: Confirmed Line Up to date: VON GROOVE, DANNY VAUGHN, ARABIA, DANNY DANZI, NARO, FINAL FRONTIER DATE: 1ST SEPTEMBER 2002 VENUE: THE BIG BOP, TORONTO , CANADA Tickets are now on sale and to enable the multi national audience to buy tickets easily the following three Z Rock Canada tickets outlets have been opened Tickets purchased within Canada will cost $30.00 [plus $5.00 booking fee] * CANADIAN FUNDS via post only , Cheques payable to P Naro Music [P Naro Music, Suite 104, 1840 Bathurst St, Toronto, Ontario,M5P 3K7 CANADA] Tickets purchased within the USA will cost $20.00 [plus $3.50 booking fee] * US FUNDS Tel: +1 303 652 0199 Tickets purchased within Europe will cost £14.00 [£2.50 booking fee] *** UK FUNDS Tel +44 1695 556302 Cheques / money order payable to MJAP ONLY to Z Rock Canada, Z Records, PO Box 58, Skelmersdale, Lancashire, WN8 6FN, ENGLAND.
	SKINLESS premiers new material! Download an MP3 of 'Miscreant', the brand new song by SKINLESS at www.4Skinless.com! Look for Midwest Tour dates supporting HATEBREED in May and a full US Tour with SIX FEET UNDER starting May 31st! Check tourdates here!
	Out Now! SUFFOCATION - "Despise the Sun" Mini-CD New York death metal legends SUFFOCATION are one of the most influential bands in the history of extreme music. The band's final testament, the unbelievably powerful Despise the Sun is also their most accomplished material. Experience the recording that has been called "metal's most extreme moment" - Despise the Sun!!
	SHY ARE SET TO RETURN TO FINISH SOME UNFINISHED BUSINESS! It is now 12 years since SHY released Misspent Youth, and nearly two years since the reformed line up started work on their come back album entitled "Unfinished Business". "Unfinished Business" is possibly one of the most eagerly anticipated releases of 2002, and Z Records have stated that the delays have been more than worthwhile. It was agreed from the outset that this release should be nothing more than SHY's best release to date and both the band and Z Records believe that this goal has been achieved. The album is now into its final days of work and will be completed by the end of this week. Track titles are as follows:- (the order has yet to be decided) 1] Heaven Tonight 2] No Other Way 3] Whole lot of Feeling 4] Skydiving, 5] Communicate 6] Breakaway 7] Can't Stop loving You 8] Change of Direction 9] Mary Ann 10] Storyline "Unfinished Business" features Lead Vocals Tony Mills Lead Guitar Steve Harris Bass Guitar Roy Davis Keyboards Paddy McKenna Drums Bob Richards (Asia and Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden). Z Records are also proud to announce the signing of an agreement with Marquee Avalon for Japan and SE Asia. The album release date has now been fully confirmed as August 23rd 2002 within Europe /USA and Japan / SE Asia.
	CONTAGIOUS OPT TO PULL OFF TWO DOKKEN DATES Liverpool based Rockers CONTAGIOUS have pulled their appearances with Dokken this week in Dudley and London due to contractual disagreements. Contagious wish to state that the band where forced to take the action when contracts where not forthcoming by the tours UK agents. Contagious's "The Calling Tour" May: 16TH : The Cavern, Liverpool [with Dokken] 17th : RIO's , Bradford [with Dokken] 29th : Trillions, Newcastle 30th : Boardwalk, Sheffield 31st : Market Tavern, Bradford July: possible dates with Vaughn tbc September 25th Ritmo Y Compas, Marid, Spain October 5th Z Rock 2002, Ludwigshafen Rhien, Germany



	TED COOKING UP NEW ALBUM, RELEASES BOOK: Motorcity Motormouth TED NUGENT has recently released a hunting-based cook book called "Kill It and Grill It." To promote the controversial publication, he's been on every program from David Letterman to CNN's Crossfire. In the meantime, The Nuge is finally readying his new album for Spitfire Records, due out this Summer/Fall. The man himself has described the album on his own site: "The road less humped calls my feedbacking name nonstop as if the mystical garageband door has once again been slammed down hard on the ballz of our firebreathing PunkNuge ultragreazyass rock-n-roll MotorCity MuscleCar orgy, & all is well at the Rosa Parks Soul of Man attitude celebration BBQ campfire. Defiance is dancing raw & naked as we laugh ferociously in the face of average everything...Let the BigDogs run. Kill it & grill it. God, Guns & Rock-n-Roll. I am gunpowderboy, Craveman, Thundergod of attitude. As close to heaven as she gets. Almost pussy. Profile me." Read his whole statement and view the album artwork here: http://www.tednugent.com/craveman.shtml