Now it appears that Simone has recovered as the band posted the following update on their website: "Good news: Simonewill perform with EPICA again! First show will be this upcoming Thursday in Bibelot - Dordrecht (only 30 tickets left).

'Real Animal,' Escovedo's follow up to 2006's acclaimed 'The Boxing Mirror,' features 13 original tracks that provide a kaleidoscopic history of his 30 years as a prolific and influential musician. The album is charged with fist-pumping guitar anthems like lead-off track "Always A Friend" and ode to Iggy Pop "Real As An Animal," balanced with the orchestral "Swallows Of San Juan" and dreamy pop of "Sensitive Boys." A limited vinyl edition, also available on release day, will include two bonus tracks, "In Love Again" and a cover of the Stooges' "I Got A Right."

Kataklysm vocalist Maurizio Iacono states: "It was a true pleasure to work with David on this video, his level of professionalism is outstanding and his vision is great. We had fun filming this video although we froze our ----ing balls off for 12 hours! David really captured the energy and apocalyptic feel of the track and the song is definitely one of my favorites on the album. Enjoy!"

But, just in the nick of time, Michael Jackson has managed to avoid foreclosure for good and keep Neverland for himself by doing all sorts of complex financial maneuverings that don't really seem to be all that clever or safe, as the Los Angeles Times reports: Pop star Michael Jackson sidestepped a foreclosure auction of his Neverland Ranch after an investment company bought the loan on the troubled Los Olivos property, a spokeswoman said Sunday. The loan purchase by Colony Capital LLC was the latest deal to keep the 2,500-acre ranch from being sold off. In a statement released by a Jackson spokesman, who identified himself as B. Michael, the pop star said he was "pleased with recent developments involving Neverland" that would "allow me to focus on the future."

We're told after Suge was taken into a nearby SUV, a woman got in the driver's seat, pulled forward and hit a car, then put it in reverse and hit another car. She was taken from the car by security, and someone else drove Suge away from the scene.

Seven other people on the bus were injured in the wreck about two miles east of Mount Vernon on Interstate 44, the Missouri Highway Patrol said. They were hospitalized in Springfield with moderate to severe injuries, according to the patrol.

Most people know that the band and I give 2,000 percent of ourselves on stage and though the medical professionals have warned me to 'take it easy up there' or I risk serious damage to my throat, it is not something I am aware of while lost in the experience of spiritual intercourse. Truth be told, I know only two speeds - ALL or NOTHING.

British sensation Leona Lewis has reclaimed the Number One position on the Billboard Hot 100 with her worldwide smash hit single, "Bleeding Love" for a fourth, record-breaking week. Never before in the history of the pop song chart has a British-born female solo artist ever held the #1 spot on the singles chart with a debut charting single for 4 weeks.

Testament will be doing a signing of their brand new record, The Formation of Damnation, coming up on Sunday, May 18th at the Hot Topic of Lakewood Center Mall. The signing will begin at 3:00pm so get there early!!! Lakewood Center Mall is located at 317 Lakewood Center in Lakewood, California.

Death metal legends Deicide have made their entire brand new album, Till Death Do Us Part, available for streaming on the band's MySpace page. The album was released in the UK/Europe on April 28th, but for those of you in the US who can't bear to wait any longer, you can listen to the album in its entirety until the US release date on May 13th here

Swedish art-rockers Cult Of Luna have revealed a brand new song on the band's MySpace page. The track, titled "Eternal Kingdom", comes off the band's upcoming album of the same name. Listen to the exclusive track now

Reactivated Canadian rockers Triumph have tapped Dave Dunlop from frontman Rik Emmett's Strung-Out Troubadours project to play second guitar for Triumph's forthcoming shows, including next month's Sweden Rock Festival. more

An Opeth three-CD box set called "The Candlelight Years", featuring the the band's first three albums, will be released in Japan on June 23. more

Addressing the audience, Madonna told fans that they were "going to have to start ----ing it up out there 'cos I need to feel some love."

As promised, June will see the re-release of Master Of Puppets on vinyl . . . the retro summer continues! Following on the heels of Kill 'Em All and Ride The Lightning, we dusted off the masters and MOP will come out in the same formats - a single disc at 33 rpm and a deluxe two disc version on 180 gram vinyl spinning at 45 rpm. Look for Master on vinyl to hit the Metallica.com Store and your friendly local record shop on June 17th, 2008 in North America and damn close to that date in the rest of the world. You know the drill . . . we'll keep you posted here! And for those still following along, yes, Justice is up next . . . probably some time in August.

Commented Lambesis: "Ahhnold is the embodiment of everything brutal and stereotypically metal, so he is the perfect front man for each of these songs that I wrote in less than an hour. If you think that shows any sort of disrespect or makes me less a fan than you are, then I'd like to hear the entire CD you wrote in tribute to the governator.

Hail of Bullets consists of former Pestilence and current Asphyx-singer Martin van Drunen, ex-Houwitser bass player Theo van Eekelen, Gorefest-drummer Ed Warby and both Thanatos-guitarists Paul Baayens (also in Asphyx) and Stephan Geb�di. Hails of Bullets will appeal to fans of old school death metal like Autopsy, Bolt Thrower, and Death.