Dimmu Borgir Launches Official YouTube Channel

Norwegian black metallers DIMMU BORGIR have launched their official YouTube channel at this location.

From now through November 30, 2009, you can enter to win the "Rock Like Silenoz" sweepstakes. The prize? None other than DIMMU BORGIR guitarist Silenoz's exact rig, with the ESP LTD Okkultist guitar and a Blackstar Series One 200W head and a 4x12 Blackstar cabinet.

Only one lucky winner will be chosen at random for this incredible grand prize. Will it be you? Read the rules and regulations below, fill in the entry form, and best of luck!

Enter the contest at this location.

DIMMU BORGIR issued a statement on August 31 confirming keyboardist Mustis' (real name: Øyvind Mustaparta) and bassist/clean vocalist ICS Vortex's (real name: Simen Hestnæs) departures from the group. The statement also downplayed the impact the lineup changes will have on the sound of DIMMU BORGIR next album, insisting that "the creative force in the band is highly intact, perhaps even more so than ever."

Mustis issued a statement on August 30 claiming that his dismissal from DIMMU BORGIR was caused by his efforts to "address the fact that many songs written by me had not been registered properly under my name in their credits. Without naming every single track, let us just say that a good majority of albums like 'Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia' and 'In Sorte Diaobli' would have been vastly different had I not composed and created as much as I actually did," he said. "Sadly, based on terrible gaps in the communication process and a failure to find logical rationale for why this had been done this way found me hitting wall after wall as opposed to finding a professional and reasonable solution to the problem. My inquiries and investigation into the issues which I wished to resolve and move on from would in the end find me being fired from the group. No discussions about it, just 'goodbye' (via text message)."

Last year's "Blackest Of The Black" tour with DANZIG helped support DIMMU's latest DVD titled "The Invaluable Darkness", which debuted at No. 5 on the Top Music Videos chart in mid-October 2008. It was also the band's last North American tour promoting their eighth studio album, "In Sorte Diaboli", which debuted on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart at No. 2, and on The Billboard 200 chart at No. 43.

Symphony X signs with Nuclear Blast!

As lifelong fans of the band, it is with great pride that Nuclear Blast announces the signing of US Metal / Prog Gods Symphony X!!! Symphony X exemplifies the technical sophistication of progressive metal while transcending the genre by writing amazing songs with masterful musicality and great hooks! This New Jersey-based super group effortlessly creates a balancing act between solid, accessible arrangements and song structures with highly technical, challenging instrumental work and unbelievable melodic vocal harmonies. This embrace of polyphonic lead vocals, combined with their classical-sometimes even Queen-like- choruses create a powerful, in-your-face mixture. With elements of thundering metal, rock, solos with unstoppable guitar shredding and intense keyboards - this potent group has grown with every release and is poised to compete with the commercial success of top groups in all genres! Symphony X is currently creating their next masterpiece, anticipated in the spring of 2010! Together, we will bring this talent to a new level! We hope you are ready for the ride!"

"We are happy to be the part of the Nuclear Blast Family and look forward to working with them for many years to come," says Michael Romeo.

Rammstein's Paul Landers - "We Have Such A Bad Reputation In Germany It Can’t Get Any Worse Elsewhere

bout.com's Justin M. Norton recently interviewed guitarist Paul Landers of German industrial metal act RAMMSTEIN. They discussed why the band decided to make an explicit video for the single 'Pussy'; if the band members were worried about their musical career being tranished by the video and the recording of the new album Liebe Ist Für Alle Da. Excerpts from the conversation follow:

About.com: When you wrote the song 'Pussy' why did you decide to shoot an explicit video to accompany it?

Landers: "The song was already done, and the video director proposed the idea of shooting a porno. We deliberated on it very shortly and said, 'let’s do it' without worrying about the consequences. We thought it was cool because there’s no need for MTV or video stations with the internet. Something we hadn’t planned was that YouTube cancelled it, so then it was a question of 'what now?' We found a way of showing it that was more private and hidden. It turned out that the exclusivity of the video made it a bit more complex and interesting."

About.com: Were you ever worried about being branded about the band that had done a porno video and nothing else?

Landers: "(Laughs) When the band gets together to work on a song, the last thing that occurs is what the general public will think or what the consequences will be. We’ve stirred up a lot of emotions over the years. But our starting point is Germany and German topics and ideas. We take that into the world, and that’s one of the most difficult places to start. We have such a bad reputation in Germany it can’t get any worse elsewhere."

About.com: Do you think the band will ever be able to replicate the mainstream success of the single 'Du Hast?'

Landers: "It’s something the band has been trying to do since that point, but it’s not something you can force.

About.com: What do you want people to take away from the experience of seeing Rammstein live?

Landers: "Live shows are our forte. That’s what made us famous. When we get to North America in 2010 we want the fans to come see us…beer bellies, wrinkles and all."

Tarja Turunen: The most beautiful Christmas songs- album with Finnish brightest star performers

Finnish brightest stars are interpreting Christmas songs on the “Most beautiful Christmas songs” album that is going to be released on 18.11 only in Finland. The artists are Tarja Turunen, Jari Sillanpää, Irina, Veeti Kallio, Maria Lund and Mikko Kuustonen. Artists perform traditional Christmas songs as new versions with Olli Ahvenlahti´s acoustic orchestra and Cantores Minores choir accompaniment.