"It's been almost 18 years since the four of us started rehearsing together in a small house in the village of Djurås. Ever since then Anekdoten has been an ongoing part of our lives. ...”

Anekdoten are considered one of the leading bands in contemporary progressive rock. Their intensive, dark, dynamic and original music has also appealed to metal, goth and post-rock fans all over the world.

Anekdoten was formed in 1991 by Anna Sofi Dahlberg, Nicklas Barker, Peter Nordins and Jan Erik Liljeström and the line up has remained intact ever since. Together they have released 5 studio albums on their own Virta label and 3 live albums in Japan, selling over 85,000 albums in the process.

Chapters is a 2CD set which collects tracks mixes tracks taken from the band’s 5 albums along with rarities and unreleased tracks.

The latest news from Lion Music: Lion Music are pleased to announce the release license for the second album from progressive metallers Twinspirits. The new album entitled The Forbidden City marks the debut recording performance of the band's spectacular new vocalist Göran Nyström whose stunning range, power and projection is a perfect fit for the bands mix of technical progressive metal with melodic elements. The band is completed by keyboardist Daniele Liverani, guitarist Tommy Ermolli, bassist Alberto Rigoni and drummer Dario Ciccioni.

The Forbidden City will be released in September 2009 (exact date TBC) and more information on the release will follow in the run up to release. (MySpace site)

One always says that you can’t rush greatness or perfection, and this couldn’t be more true in the case of metal titans Nevermore, who last released the highly acclaimed This Godless Endeavor in 2005. The Seattle quartet will triumphantly return with what could be their most impressive offering of their illustrious decade plus, heralded career.

The Obsidian Conspiracy will commence recording in August with producer Peter Wichers (who previously worked with Nevermore vocalist Warrel Dane on his solo debut Praises To The War Machine). Longtime friend and collaborator Andy Sneap (Megadeth, Opeth) will once again be handling mixing duties. The album is currently set for an early 2010 release. Fans can also follow Dane on Twitter for updates as to the progress of the new album.

Unicorn Digital is proud to announce that legendary keyboardist Roger Powell (Utopia, David Bowie, Meat Loaf) has signed a deal with the label to release Blue Note Ridge, a collection of improvisations that embrace classical melody, contemporary harmony and impressionist forms on this debut solo piano album.

Norwegian Progressive Metal veterans, Madder Mortem, released their highly anticipated album, Eight Ways, in the United States, on June 16th on Peaceville Records. Eight Ways is the follow up to the band’s acclaimed 2006 Peaceville release, Desiderata, as well as the band’s fifth studio album since their inception in 1997.

Eight Ways was recorded, produced, and mixed at the band’s studio on the Norwegian countryside. Although recording the new album may have taken a bit longer than it had in the past, the extra time allowed Madder to perfect every detail of each song. The result is a record that truly encompasses all the musical splendor that is Madder Mortem.

Guitarist/Improvisation Artist/Producer Willie Oteri, known for his work with King Crimson, Frank Zappa and Peter Gabriel alumni, has teamed with Austin Trumpeter Dave Laczko (Fearless Jazz Duo, Barons of Rhythm, KAZI radio) on a new project called WD-41, an improvisational, experimental duo creating loops and filtering rhythms from dueling Lexicon LXP-5 delays all recorded live to two tracks on a minidisc recorder.

The group's self-titled debut is available at CD Baby and can be streamed on the following band sites: www.reverbnation.com/wd41 and www.myspace.com/wd41music.

After the release of the very successful live DVD & CD Another Moment In Time, Final Conflict are now begining to record their 6th studio album entitled The Return Of The Artizan. One of the new songs is already performed live and was aired officially at the Rotherham Rocks Festival 2009 Festival. The track received great applause from the audience, and the feedback after the gig was so overwhelming that it is certain to be included on the album. It will be featured under the title "Lonely Man."

As recently announced, Metal Mind Productions will release a brand new studio album by the Polish prog-rock band Believe. Their third album entitled This Bread Is Mine features eleven tracks dedicated to those who like to listen and seek sense in different sounds…

Believe: "Will you be able to find the hidden message behind the title…? Or maybe you will start pondering over your place in this world, where you struggle to earn your daily 'bread' and keep your current position? What that 'bread' will turn out to be for you? Is your existence true unlimited freedom? Maybe you will come to the conclusion that everything that you have seen so far is just an illusion resulting from your pain? What will you decide to choose: The reality just as it is or your own path to a better future? Just put on This Bread Is Mine and listen to the musical message from Believe."

Seven years after parting ways with Prototype in 2002, Pat Magrath (ex-Killing Kulture, ex-Steel Prophet) returns to the drum throne for the Los Angeles-based progressive thrash band. Guitarist Kragen Lum commented, "We are stoked to have Pat playing with us again! His performance on our Trinity album was repeatedly praised by both fans and reviewers, and it's been great working with him again. We'd also like to thank Nic Ritter for his drum work on our 2008 pre-production demo. His tour schedule is packed with Warbringer through the end of the year and we wish him all the best with the new album and tours."

On September 3rd Cirrha Niva will release their new album For Moments Never Done. The album will be released through the band’s own independent record label Parnassus Records. Suburban Distribution will take care of the availability in stores through the Benelux. In the USA/Canada, the End Records will handle the distribution of the album. For Europe & the rest of the world distributors are still wanted.

ProgDay is pleased to announce the debut live performance by Baltimore's Deluge Grander. Featuring two former members of Cerebus Effect, Deluge Grander was formed in 2005. Their first album, August In The Urals, was released in September of that year to much critical praise. The band's new album, The Form Of The Good, has just been released and the critics are finding it to be even better than the first!

InsideOut reports that the second album by Indukti is called Idmen and will be released end of July.

"One of the most remarkable and innovative prog rock acts worldwide hails from Poland and is set to release its second album, Idmen, on 24 July 2009: the five-piece, Indukti, consists mainly of instrumentalists (Ewa Jablonska – violin, Piotr Kocimski – guitar/saz; Maciej Jaskiewicz – guitar, Wawrzyniec Dramowicz – drums, Andrzej Kaczynski – bass), shares the vocals on its compositions between a variety of guest musicians and works with unusual instruments such as the dulcimer and trumpet. The result is an album with eight extremely intense, complex and intelligent tracks which are marked by their energy, unusual arrangements and atmospheric instrumentation.

Nuclear Blast Records has announced the signing of Dutch progressive metallers Textures. The band's first album for the label is expected to arrive sometime next year.

Commented Nuclear Blast A&R representative Jaap Wagemaker: "Diversity and complexity are important elements of the unique Textures sound, building bridges between epic, polyrhythmic grooves and contrasting melodies. Textures create their own style and establish their own interpretation of progressive, heavy modern metal!"

Yes, triplets. But not babies in the biological sense. As relayed by Robert at Rock N Roll Cola, the Opeth three-CD box set called The Candlelight Years, featuring the the band's first three albums, will be released in Europe on July 13 via Candlelight Records. The set, which originally came out in Japan in June 2008, features the following track listing:

Since the beginning of this year, Silver Wolf Productions has released six titles, starting with Emergency Gate's Reawake, which was released January 23. This is German Melodic Death Metal at its best. This CD has it all, powerfull guitars, fantastic solos, vocals from hell and the bass and drums are very tight with each other. If you like great melodic death metal this is your CD to get NOW. Heavy riffs and melodical refrains build a masterpiece. In the south of Europe Emergency Gate is titled “German In Flames” or “German Killswitch Engage." Recommended if you like In Flames, Children of Bodom, Killswitch Engage, Sentenced. With the amount of energy, freshness and spirit that these talented young musicians put into their music, it's only a matter of time before Emergency Gate get their big break.

Sorry, that headline should read: New Releases From Escape Music... First to escape from Escape is Ilium's Ageless Decay... [because we know decay never goes out of style...? -ed.]. Ilium is a melodic power metal band with strong roots in the classic heavy metal sound as purveyed by the likes of Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, [and hail] from Newcastle, Australia. The band has already released three albums and is currently poised to release their fourth album Ageless Decay on Escape Music. [It came out June 22 -ed.]

La Maschera Di Cera (MDC) has a new member: guitar player Matteo Nhaum. The rercordings for the new album will start on July 8, 2009. The album will contain 8 songs and will be produced by Franz Di Cioccio (PFM).

MDC will play at ProgDay in North Carolina on september 5, 2009.

SoundMass have two new titles out, both released on May 22 -- Grave Forsaken's This Day Forth and Ecthirion's Apocalyptic Visions.

Formed in Western Australia in 2004, this rising thrash band [Grave Forsaken] has been polishing their skills with regular recording and live performances, never forgetting their roots with strong influences from the classic metal era. Following on the heals of the Grave Forsaken EP (2005), Beside The River Of Blood (2006) and Destined For Ascension (2008), This Day Forth sees the band sharper than ever in 2009. Thrash metal at heart, Grave Forsaken also ventures into death and doom territory. Recommended for fans of Megadeth, Tourniquet and Slayer.

As published in the The Journal Times of Racine, WI and written by Lee B. Roberts, we share some said news in the progressive music world, the passing of Kopecky drummer Paul Kopecky. Here's the article from the Journal Times: "Phones were ringing nonstop on Tuesday [June 23] at the homes of Paul Kopecky’s family members as friends and fans of the local musician called with condolences upon learning of his death.

"Kopecky, 37, died unexpectedly Monday night due to complications of juvenile diabetes, according to his brother Joe Kopecky.

"Probably best known as the drummer for the instrumental progressive rock band called Kopecky, which also featured his brothers Joe and Bill, Paul was a very kind and generous person, say those who knew him best.

"The Wishing Tree are delighted to announce that they have signed to Edel Records/Ear Music. Edel will be releasing our new album Ostara in most territories on the 26th June (in the UK on the 31st August) and we're very excited at the prospect of reaching many new fans with their help. The special edition album version will also feature a live video performance of 'Fly' as well as live audio performances of 'Fly' and 'Ostara,' all recorded at the Marillion Weekend held at Port Zelande, Holland in March this year.

"To celebrate the launch of the release, The Wishing Tree will be performing live at [the following locations on the following dates:]