News Briefs

• Beyond Belief, a new Finnish melodic metal band featuring vocalist Christian Palin (Random Eyes) and keyboardist Mikko Harkin (Mehida), is in the studio recording its debut album. Further details and samples: www.facebook.com/beyondbelief.official.

•  Bloodgood is at work on a re-mastered version of its 1991 release All Stand Together. Oz Fox (Stryper) is reported to be adding guitar tracks to the project. The band also has plans to re-master and re-issue its 1988 release Rock In a Hard Place. Look for both to be available later in the year.

• Official word from Barren Cross regarding the reunion with vocalist Mike Lee (Facebook - February 3, 2012): "Just so everyone knows, Mike is back singing with the band. We are playing our first show in several years. We plan to continue playing and recording. Please say a prayer for Barren Cross as we continue to follow the Lords Leading."

• All vocal and keyboard tracks have been completed on the new Driver album, Driver 2. The project is currently being mixed with mastering scheduled next. Also, vocalist Rob Rock hopes to have a new solo ablum out by the end of the year.

• "Ready", a great new rocking tune from Guardian, can be heard at: http://houseofguardian.com.

• Folowing are samples of four tracks from The GX Project, the new band of vocalist Rex Scott (X-Sinner): www.facebook.com/pages/The-GX-Project.

• Sweden's Hero hopes to release its next album, Afterlife, later in the year. One new song is entitled "My eroic". More details as they become available.

• Detroit, Michigan based Medisin Wheel have returned to the studie to start work on its next CD, Echo of the Din. No word on release date.

• Guitarist Paul May reports that he is currently writing and recording for the next Atikins / May Project album. He also advises that new albums will be released this year from his other bands Temple Dogs and A.N.D. 

•  Look for a March release of the new Joshua album Resurrection. Wyn Davis handled mixing and mastering while final details of the album artwork are currntly being worked on.

• Theocracy uploaded the track "Wages of Sin", which was released digitally in October 2011, to YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTVagzCDJMw. Prior to that "Wages of Sin" was only available as a bonus track on three different editions of the groups 2008 sophomore album Mirror of Souls.

• Veni Domine has launched its own YouTube channel: www.youtube,com/user/VeniDomineTV?feature=watch. An update (Facebook - January 21, 2012) was also recently provided by the band: "Greetings all friends of Veni Domine. We're busy recording the next album and will probably take the best of 2012 to complete it. Meanwhile, we're going through the vast video material from the past and will post songs and some behind the scenes (footage) as we move along. It's not pro material but our own shoots for personal use, so bare with the qualtiy. I know there are many waiting to see stuff and this is a treat for you, hope you enjoy it."