Interview: X-World/5 | May 2008

In March 2007, it was announced that Gothenburg Power Metal act HammerFall had lost longtime bassist Magnus Rosén from its ranks. Forbidden from stretching his creative talents, Rosén wasn't allowed to pen material in support of the group's full lengths. A man in his early forties, Rosén felt it was important to be afforded the opportunity to creatively prosper. Time could now be suitably donated towards X-World/5, an outfit whose existence was announced in December 2006...

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Review: Opeth | Watershed

On November 1^st 2007, Stockholm, Sweden's Progressive Metal act Opeth entered Fascination Street studios in the group's native Sweden to cut the group's ninth studio album. Staying there until December 13^th 2007, some additional recording occurred between January 3^rd and January 7^th 2008. In February, the title of Opeth's ninth studio album was revealed: Watershed...

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Interview: Unleashed | May 2008

Following the release of 1997's Warrior, premier Swedish Death Metal act Unleashed opted to shift away from the limelight, and take a break from the record industry. Two records followed, namely July 2002's Hell's Unleashed and July 2004's Sworn Allegiance respectively. Having fulfilled their contract with Century Media Records, Unleashed inked a record contract with SPV Records in July 2006...

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Review: Arsis | We Are the Nightmare

Christened after a musical term meaning “silence”, Arsis was formed in the year 2000 by Berklee College of Music students James Malone (guitarist / songwriter) and Michael Van Dyne (drums). Two demos respectively issued in 2001 and 2002 (later collected under the title As Regret Becomes Guilt, and issued via Negative Existence in December 2007 with two alternative studio takes hitherto unreleased) circulated within the underground, and stimulated metallic waves...

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