BILINGUAL AGONIA UPDATE

NEWS ON AGONIA RECORDS: / NOWOŚCI PŁYTOWE I KONCERTY:

ENGLISH VERSION:

ARMAGEDDA first album, THE FINAL WAR APPROACHING, will be re-released on Agonia Records. Bands highly anticipated debut comes re-remixed and re-mestered at Necromorbus Studio (Watain, Adorior, Zarathustra) by Tore Stjerna himself. New coverartwork and layout, made by Eric Masicotte (artwork on Darkthrone albums) will accompany this release.

Format: CD
Release date: 15.09.08
Armagedda Official Myspace

BLOODSWORN album, ALL HYLEST SATAN, will be released on Agonia Records. Long awaited debut features mind numbing artwork and layout from Northgrove, followed by expert mastering made at Q Studios by Tom Horn (Absu, Urgehal, Turbo). Pure Black Metal with no compromises. A real must for fans of Tsjuder, Urgehal, Taake, Gorgoroth and old Troll!

Format: CD
Release date: 15.09.08
Armagedda Official Myspace

CORPUS CHRISTII, Portugals leading Black Metal band, has signed to Agonia Records for one mCD release. The material is called CARVING A PYRAMID OF THOUGHTS and striclty limited to 1.000 copies only. Consists of 4 unreleased tracks and one previously released just on the TORMENTED BELIEF LP version. Ripping, raw and cold metal.

Format: MCD
Release date: 15.09.08.
Corpus Christii Official Myspace

IMPIETY hit the road together with GLORIOR BELLI and SPEARHEAD to tour all over Europ, starting from the end of August by the end of September. THE BESTIAL DOMINATION TOUR 2008 will be also joined by NEFARIUM for 8 concerts.

Tour dates:

29th Aug - An Cruiscin Lan, Cork, Ireland (without Glorior Belli)
30th Aug - Dublin, Ireland (without Glorior Belli)
2nd Sep - Purple Turtle, London, UK (with Witchmaster)
3rd Sep - The Stage, Arnhem, Netherlands (with Scythian)
4th Sep - The Frontline, Ghent, Belgium (with Scythian)
5th Sep - LA RUMEUR, Lille, France (with Nefarium)
6th Sep - Lyons Hall, Lyon, France (with Nefarium and others)
7th Sep - Helvetic Blackmetalclub, Lucerne, Switzerland (with Nefarium)
8th Sep - Marmaja, Milan, Italy (with Nefarium)
9th Sep - Country Star, Padova, Italy (with Nefarium)
10th Sep - Orto bar, Ljubljana, Slovenia
11th Sep - SKC Beograd, Belgrade, Serbia (with Nefarium)
12th Sep - Escape Metalcorner, Vienna, Austria (with Nefarium)
13th Sep - EXIT Chmelnice, Prague, Czech Republic (with Nefarium)
14th Sep - Pod Plama Club, Rzeszów, Poland (with Stillborn and others)
15th Sep - Progresja, Warsaw, Poland
16th Sep - U Bazyla Club, Poznan, Poland (with Strandhogg and Infidel)
17th Sep - Chemiefabrik, Dresen, Germany
18th Sep - The Bunker Club, Chemnitz, Germany
19th Sep - Hellraiser, Leipzig, Germany
20th Sep - Helvete, Oberhausen, Germany (with Purgatory)
21st Sep - Bambi galore Musikclub, Hamburg, Germany (with Purgatory)
22nd Sep - The Rock, Copenhagen, Denmark
23rd Sep - Club Booster, Gothenburg, Sweden
24th Sep - Tantogarden, Stockholm, Sweden
25th Sep - Ravintola Hellä, Tampere, Finland (without Glorior Belli) (with Nifelheim and Watain)26th Sep - S-Osis, Turku, Finland (without Glorior Belli) (with Nifelheim and Watain)
27th Sep - Kulttuuriareena Gloria, Helsinki, Finland (without Glorior Belli) (with Nifelheim and Watain)

Official Impiety Website
Official Impiety Myspace

NEFARIUM will play on the DUNKELHEIT FESTIVAL along with Kampfar, Inquisition, Wyrd, Azaghl, Darkened Nocturn Slaughter, Cult and more. The act will take place beetween 29th and 30th August in Club Fleda, Brno, Czech Republic. After that, on 27 September the band will visit France to play on the SOUTHERN ORDER FEST (with Ad Hominem, Foscor Frangar and guests) in Luynes/Aix en Provence, PACA.

Nefarium Official Website
Nefarium Official Myspace
Dunkelheit Festival Website

Best Regards,
Bartek

For more info and shopping with Agonia Records visit www.agoniarecords.com
For general info, contact: info@agoniarecords.com
For promotional info, contact: promotion@agoniarecords.com

POLSKA WERSJA:

ARMAGEDDA doczekała się reedycji swojego pierwszego albumu THE FINAL WAR APPROACHING. Świetnie przyjęty debiut ukaże się zmiksowany i zmasterowny na nowo w Necromorbus Studio (Watain, Adorior, Zarathustra) przez Tore Stjerna. Album zawiera także nową szatę graficzną, opracowaną przez Erica Massicotte (znany ze swoich projektów dla Darkthrone).
Format: CD
Data wydania: 15.09.08.
Oficjalny Myspace Armageddy

Album ALL HYLEST SATAN zespołu BLOODSWORN, zostanie wydany przez Agonia Records. Długo oczekiwany debiut posiada niezwykłą oprawę graficzną, wykonaną przez Northgrove. Zmasterowany w Q Studios przez Toma Horna, jest obowiązkową pozycją dla fanów Tsjuder, Urgehal, Taake, Gorgoroth i starego Troll. Czysty Black Metal bez kompromisów.
Format: CD
Data wydania: 28.11.08.
Oficjalny Myspace Bloodsworn

CORPUS CHRISTII, czołowy przedstawiciel portugalskiej sceny Black Metalowej, podpisał z Agonia Records papiery na wydanie jednego mCD. Materiał nosi nazwę CARVING A PYRAMID OF THOUGHTS i pojawi się w limitowanej do 1.000 egzemplarzy edycji. Płyta zaiera 4 niewydane dotychczas utwory oraz jeden kawałek pochodzący z TORMENTED BELIEF LP. Zimny, surowy metal.
Format: MCD
Data wydania: 15.09.08
Oficjalny Myspace Corpus Christii

IMPIETY rusza na europejską trasę koncertową razem z GLORIOR BELLI i SPEARHEAD. Podbój starego kontynentu potrwa od 29. sierpnia do 27. września. Na BESTIAL DOMINATION TOUR 2008 będzie można zobaczyć również NEFARIUM. Włoska horda zagra na 8 koncertach.

Daty koncertów:

29 sierpnia - An Cruiscin Lan, Cork, Ireland (bez Glorior Belli)
30 sierpnia - Dublin, Ireland (bez Glorior Belli)
2 września - Purple Turtle, London, UK (z Witchmaster)
3 września - The Stage, Arnhem, Netherlands (z Scythian)
4 września - The Frontline, Ghent, Belgium (z Scythian)
5 września - LA RUMEUR, Lille, France (z Nefarium)
6 września - Lyons Hall, Lyon, France (z Nefarium i innymi)
7 września - Helvetic Blackmetalclub, Lucerne, Switzerland (z Nefarium)
8 września - Marmaja, Milan, Italy (z Nefarium)
9 września - Country Star, Padova, Italy (z Nefarium)
10 września - Orto bar, Ljubljana, Slovenia
11 września - SKC Beograd, Belgrade, Serbia (z Nefarium)
12 września - Escape Metalcorner, Vienna, Austria (z Nefarium)
13 września - EXIT Chmelnice, Prague, Czech Republic (z Nefarium)
14 września - Pod Plama Club, Rzeszów, Poland (z Stillborn i innymi)
15 września - Progresja, Warsaw, Poland
16 września - U Bazyla Club, Poznan, Poland (z Strandhogg i Infidel)
17 września - Chemiefabrik, Dresen, Germany
18 września - The Bunker Club, Chemnitz, Germany
19 września - Hellraiser, Leipzig, Germany
20 września - Helvete, Oberhausen, Germany (z Purgatory)
21 września - Bambi galore Musikclub, Hamburg, Germany (z Purgatory)
22 września - The Rock, Copenhagen, Denmark
23 września - Club Booster, Gothenburg, Sweden
24 września - Tantogarden, Stockholm, Sweden
25 września - Ravintola Hellä, Tampere, Finland (bez Glorior Belli) (z Nifelheim i Watain)
26 września - S-Osis, Turku, Finland (bez Glorior Belli) (z Nifelheim i Watain)
27 września - Kulttuuriareena Gloria, Helsinki, Finland (bez Glorior Belli) (z Nifelheim i Watain)

Oficjalna Strona Impiety
Oficjalny Myspace Impiety

NEFARIUM zagra na DUNKELHEIT FESTIVAL razem z Kampfar, Inquisition, Wyrd, Azaghl, Darkened Nocturn Slaughter, Cult i innymi. Festival odbędzie się 29. i 30. sierpnia w Klubie Fleda, w Brno w Czechach. Natomiast 27. września zespół uda się do Francji, by tam zagarać na SOUTHERN ORDER FEST (z Ad Hominem, Foscor Frangar i gośćmi) w Luynes/Aix en Provence, PACA.Oficjalna Strona Nefarium
Oficjalny Myspace Nefarium
Strona Domowa Dunkelheit Festival

Pozdrawiam,
Bartek
Więcej informacji oraz sklep internetowy na: www.agoniarecords.com
Informacja handlowa, pytania: info@agoniarecords.com
Promocja, kontakt z mediami: promotion@agoniarecords.com
.

NACHTMYSTITOUR!

The next stage of Nachtmystium's seemingly worldwide takeover supporting their newest output - Assassins: Black Meddle Part I - the Chicagoan stormtroopers have just been added to Norway's annual Hole In The Sky Festival this weekend! Frontman Blake Judd speaks: 'This will be our first Scandinavian performance and we're very excited to be there!" Confirmed to play on the main stage Saturday night, joining the amazing weekend lineup including Dismember, At The Gates, Brutal Truth, Municipal Waste, Meshuggah, Inquisition and more, this will be a monumental appearance for the band.

Also just announced, Nachtmystium will be playing alongside Sweden's almighty kings of Satanic black-thrash Nifelhiem, on a one-time American appearance at Chicago's Double Door on September 7th. Judd adds: "Having been Nifelheim fans for over ten years, this is quite the honor for us."

Check out the flyer here: http://www.professorblack.com/flyers/nifelheimred.jpg.

As previously announced, Nachtmystium's run with Opeth and High on Fire through North America goes from mid-September into the first week of October. Soon after that a smaller US tour with friends Wolves In The Throne Room is coming together with several dates confirmed and more in the works.

The band have also been confirmed to join Cathedral, Electric Wizard, Grand Magus, Rwake, Witchcraft and tons of the doom and stoner world's elite this November at Norway's Gunfest.

It's shaping up to be a busy autumn" Judd adds. "We hope to see all of our supporters on the road!"

Nachtmystium w/Nifelheim, The Chasm, Superchrist

09/07/2008 Double Door - Chicago, IL

Nachtmystium with Opeth, High on Fire
09/16/2008 The Town Ballroom - Buffalo, NY
09/17/2008 Trocadero - Philadelphia, PA
09/18/2008 Nokia Theatre - New York, NY
09/19/2008 The Palladium - Worcester, MA
09/20/2008 Theatre Imperial - Quebec City, QC
09/21/2008 Centennial Hall - London, ON
09/23/2008 House of Blues - Cleveland, OH
09/24/2008 House of Blues - Chicago, IL
09/25/2008 The Orbit Room - Grand Rapids, MI
09/26/2008 The Rave - Milwaukee, WI
09/27/2008 Myth - St. Paul, MN
09/29/2008 The Garrick Center - Winnipeg, MB
09/30/2008 Odeon Events Centre - Saskatoon, SK
10/01/2008 Edmonton Events Centre - Edmonton, AB
10/03/2008 Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC
10/04/2008 Showbox @ The Market - Seattle, WA

10/07/2008 The Echo - Los Angeles, CA (Scion Metal Show)

Nachtmystium w/Wolves In The Throne Room

10/10/2008 Berbati's Pan - Portland, OR

10/11/2008 Stillwater - Ashland, CA

10/12/2008 Metro - Oakland, CA

10/14/2008 The Phix - Phoenix AZ

10/17/2008 Red 7 - Austin, TX
10/18/2008 Rubbergloves Rehearsal - Denton, TX
10/19/2008 The Marquee - Tulsa, OK
10/20/2008 The Riot Room - Kansas City, MO
10/21/2008 The Picador - Iowa City, IA

10/23/2008 Uncle Pleasant's - Louisville, KY

10/24/2008 Mac's Bar - Lansing, MI

10/25/2008 Reggie's - Chicago, IL

11/29/2008 Gunfest - Oslo, Norway

http://www.myspace.com/nachtmystium

http://www.centurymedia.com

BETTER THAN CHARGING THE ENEMY ON HORSEBACK!

US, Poland Sign Missile Defense Deal

From The Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland (Aug. 20) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her Polish counterpart signed a deal Wednesday to build a U.S. missile defense base in Poland, an agreement that prompted an infuriated Russia to warn of a possible attack against the former Soviet satellite.

Rice dismissed blustery comments from Russian leaders who say Warsaw's hosting of 10 U.S. interceptor missiles just 115 miles from Russia's westernmost frontier opens the country up to attack.

Janek Skarzynski, AFP / Getty Images

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, left, and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski shake hands Wednesday in Warsaw after signing a deal to deploy part of a U.S. missile shield in Poland.

Such comments "border on the bizarre frankly," Rice said, speaking to reporters traveling with her in Warsaw.

"When you threaten Poland, you perhaps forget that it is not 1988," Rice said. "It's 2008 and the United States has a ... firm treaty guarantee to defend Poland's territory as if it was the territory of the United States. So it's probably not wise to throw these threats around."

The deal has strained relations between Moscow and the West, ties already troubled by Russia's invasion of its former Soviet neighbor, U.S. ally Georgia, earlier this month.

Speaking to reporters traveling with her, Rice said, "the Russians are losing their credibility."

Rice and Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski signed the deal Wednesday morning.

"It is an agreement which will help us to respond to the threats of the 21st century," she said afterward.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the agreement came after tough but friendly negotiations.

"We have achieved our main goals, which means that our country and the United States will be more secure," he said.

After Warsaw and Washington announced the agreement on the deal last week, top Russian Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn warned that Poland is risking attack, and possibly a nuclear one, by deploying the American missile defense system, Russia's Interfax news agency reported.

Poles have been shaken by the threats, but NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop dismissed them Tuesday as "pathetic rhetoric."

"It is unhelpful and it leads nowhere," he told reporters at a NATO meeting in Brussels, Belgium.

Many Poles consider the agreement a form of protection at a time when Russia's invasion of Georgia has generated alarm throughout Eastern Europe. Poland is a member of the European Union and NATO, and the deal is expected to deepen its military partnership with Washington.

Polish President Lech Kaczynski also expressed "great satisfaction" at the outcome of the long months of negotiations.

Poland and the United States spent a year and a half negotiating, and talks recently had snagged on Poland's demands that the U.S. bolster Polish security with Patriot missiles in exchange for hosting the missile defense base.

Washington agreed to do so last week, as Poland invoked the Georgia conflict to strengthen its case.

The Patriots are meant to protect Poland from short-range missiles from neighbors — such as Russia.

The U.S. already has reached an agreement with the government in Prague to place the second component of the missile defense shield — a radar tracking system — in the Czech Republic, Poland's southwestern neighbor and another formerly communist country.

Approval is still needed the Czech and Polish parliaments.

No date has been set for the Polish parliament to consider the agreement, but it should face no difficulties in Warsaw, where it enjoys the support of the largest opposition party as well as the government.

OMG THESE GUYS ROOL OMG OMG!

With honor, SUNN O))) is announcing four live performances in the United States, to recognize the 10th anniversary of SUNN O)))'s creation, and to coincide with the recording of the first album... The GrimmRobe Demos. SUNN O)) will be playing material from GrimmRobes exclusively. It will be a return to their primal origins, and approach respecting a concept of shoshin (初心), the beginner's mind, the yet undyed pure wool, the clarity in initiation upon the untraveled. The attitude of embodying the basics precisely, point by point, line by line, with an immovable faith in the teaching, experience and of beyond the possibility. Of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when approaching, even with much experience, just as a beginner would upon the initial impetus and thirst to seek the path. And so, with this mindset, they will be approaching these live concerts. Pure, raw, uninhibited invocations featuring O)))s core members: Stephen O'Malley and Greg Anderson ONLY. No guests, no vocals, no keyboards. We hope you will join us....

sunn 0))) presents: Shoshin/GrimmRobes USA tour 2008

10/10/2008 Safari Sam's - Los Angeles, CA w/John Weise, more TBA
10/12/2008 Berbati's Pan - Portland, OR - Fall Into Darkness Fest
10/15/2008 Knitting Factory - New York, NY w/Tony Conrad, Thou

10/16/2008 First Unitarian Church - Philadelphia, PA w/Thou, more TBA

http://www.southernlord.com

http://www.southernlord.com
http://blog.southernlord.com
http://www.myspace.com/southernlordrecordings.com

JOIN THE CONGREGATION.

Celebrated as one of the most outstanding metal talents of today, Metal Church was founded in the early eighties in Seattle, WA. In 1984 they released their debut album Metal Church. The album was hailed by the critics: "The band's amazing musicality is an absolute highlight in itself. This album will always be known as a classic of American straight-ahead heavy metal." The strong praise of Metal Church continued two years later with their next release The Dark.

After the release of The Dark, Metal Church underwent the first of several line-up changes. Frontman David Wayne left the group and was replaced by former Heretic vocalist Mike Howe. Reinforced by Howe and John Marshall (guitar), the riffs became heavier and the lyrics became more ambitious with a number of songs on Blessing in Disguise and The Human Factor dealing with burning political and social issues.

The nineties saw the Metal Church members pursue different and more personal directions. As the decade was coming to an end, 1999 brought about the highly anticipated reunion of the original Metal Church lineup, as well as the release of the album Masterpeace. The release of Masterpeace was followed by appearances at numerous festivals worldwide.

The arrival of The Weight of the World album in 2004 introduced Metal Church's new singer Ronny Munroe to the public. Respectfully characterized by the music press as "Rob Halford meets Dio," Munroe immediately catapulted the band to a new level in terms of vocals and content.

Metal Church continues to be a thoroughly positive band, which you can hear on their new album This Present Wasteland, being released through SPV/Steamhammer on September 23rd. With their new album: This Present Wasteland, Metal Church makes a true return to form with some of their strongest material in years.

Track Listing
1) In the Company of Sorrow
2) Perfect Crime
3) Deeds of a Dead Soul
4) Meet Your Maker
5) Monster
6) Crawling to Extinction
7) War Never Won
8) Mass Hysteria
9) Breathe Again
10) Congregation

Lineup
Ronny Munroe – Vocals
Kurdt Vanderhoof – Guitars
Rick Van Zandt – Guitars
Steve Unger – Bass
Jeff Plate – Drums

Interviews available to North American mags and writers via:
Jon Freeman/SPV: Freeman@spvmarketing.com / Dave Brenner/Earsplit PR: EarsplitPR@aol.com

http://www.metalchurchmusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/metalchurch
http://www.spvusa.com
http://www.myspace.com/spvusa

OLD HICK. OH? REE!

From The Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Aug. 19) - Maudie White Hopkins, who grew up during the Depression in the hardscrabble Ozarks and married a Confederate army veteran 67 years her senior, has died. She was 93.

Hopkins, the mother of three children from a second marriage who loved to make fried peach pies and applesauce cakes, died Sunday at a hospital in Helena-West Helena, said Rodger Hooker of the Roller-Citizens Funeral Home.

Other Confederate widows are still living, but they don't want any publicity, Martha Boltz of the United Daughters of the Confederacy said Tuesday.

Hopkins grew up in a family of 10 children, did laundry and cleaned house for William M. Cantrell, an elderly Confederate veteran in Baxter County whose wife had died years earlier.

When he offered to leave his land and home to her if she would marry him and care for him in his later years, she said yes. She was 19; he was 86.

"After Mr. Cantrell died I took a little old mule he had and plowed me a vegetable garden and had plenty of vegetables to eat. It was hard times; you had to work to eat," she said in an Associated Press interview in 2004.

Hopkins later married Winfred White and started a family. In all, she was married four times.

For decades, she didn't speak about her marriage to Cantrell, concerned that people would think less of her. Four years ago, she came around after a Confederate widow in Alabama died amid claims that she was the last widow from that war.

"I didn't do anything wrong," Hopkins told the AP in 2004. "I've worked hard my whole life and did what I had to, what I could, to survive. I didn't want to talk about it for a while because I didn't want people to gossip about it. I didn't want people to make it out to be worse than it was."

Military records show Cantrell served in Company A, French's Battalion, of the Virginia Infantry. He enlisted in the Confederate army at age 16 in Pikeville, Ky., and was captured the same year and sent to a prison camp in Ohio. He was exchanged for a Northern prisoner, and after the war moved to Arkansas to live with relatives.

In the interview, Hopkins referred to her first husband as "Mr. Cantrell" and described him as "a good, clean, respectable man." She recalled one description he gave of life as a Civil War soldier, how lice infested his sock supports and "ate a trail around his legs."

Baxter County records show they were married in January 1934 by a justice of the peace. She said Cantrell supported her with his Confederate pension of "$25 every two or three months" and left her his home when he died in 1937.

The pension benefits ended at Cantrell's death, according to records filed with the state Pension Board.

She is survived by two daughters and a son.

RUSSIA'S SIDE OF THE STORY

From www.rbth.rg.ru

WHY RUSSIA'S RESPONSE TO GEORGIA WAS RIGHT

Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister for The Financial Times

For some of those witnessing the fighting in the Caucasus over the past few days, the narrative is straightforward and easy. The plucky republic of Georgia, with just a few million citizens, was attacked by its giant eastern neighbour, Russia. Add to this all the stereotypes of the cold war era, and you are presented with a truly David and Goliath interpretation – with all its accompanying connotations of good and evil. While this version of events is being written in much of the western media, the facts present a different picture.

Let me be absolutely clear. This is not a conflict of Russia's making; this is not a conflict of Russia's choosing. There are no winners from this conflict. Hours before the Georgian invasion, Russia had been working to secure a United Nations Security Council statement calling for a renunciation of force by both Georgia and South Ossetians. The statement that could have averted bloodshed was blocked by western countries.

Last Friday, after the world's leaders had arrived at the Beijing Olympics, Georgian troops launched an all-out assault on the region of South Ossetia, which has enjoyed de facto independence for more than 16 years. The majority of the region's population are Russian citizens. Under the terms of the 1992 agreement to which Georgia is a party, they are afforded protection by a small number of Russian peacekeeping soldiers. The ground and air attack resulted in the killing of peacekeepers and the death of an estimated 1,600 civilians, creating a humanitarian disaster and leading to an exodus of 30,000 refugees. The Georgian regime refused to allow a humanitarian corridor to be established and bombarded a humanitarian convoy. There is also clear evidence of atrocities having been committed – so serious and systematic that they constitute acts of genocide.

There can be little surprise, therefore, that Russia responded to this unprovoked assault on its citizens by launching a military incursion into South Ossetia. No country in the world would idly stand by as its citizens are killed and driven from their homes. Russia repeatedly warned Tbilisi that it would protect its citizens by force if necessary, and its actions are entirely consistent with international law, including article 51 of the UN charter on the right of self-defence.

Russia has been entirely proportionate in its military response to Georgia's attack on Russian citizens and peacekeepers. Russia's tactical objective has been to force Georgian troops out of the region, which is off limits to them under international agreements. Despite Georgia's assertion that it had imposed a unilateral ceasefire, Russian peacekeepers and supporting troops remained under continued attack – a fact confirmed by observers and journalists in the region. Russia had no choice but to target the military infrastructure outside the region being used to sustain the Georgian offensive. Russia's response has been targeted, proportionate and legitimate.

Russia has been accused of using the conflict to try to topple the government and impose control over the country. This is palpable nonsense. Having established the safety of the region, the president has declared an end to military operations. Russia has no intention of annexing or occupying any part of Georgia and has again affirmed its respect for its sovereignty. Over the next few days, on the condition that Georgia refrains from military activity and keeps its forces out of the region, Russia will continue to take the diplomatic steps required to consolidate this temporary cessation of hostilities.

Mikheil Saakashvili, Georgia's president, has stated that "unless we stop Russia, unless the whole world stops it, Russian tanks will go to any European capital tomorrow", adding on a separate occasion that "it's not about Georgia any more. It's about America". It is clear that Georgia wants this dispute to become something more than a short if bloody conflict in the region. For decision-makers in the Nato countries of the west, it would be worth considering whether in future you want the men and women of your armed services to be answerable to Mr Saakashvili's declarations of war in the Caucasus.

Russia is a member of the Security Council, of the Group of Eight leading industrialised nations and partner with the west on issues as varied as the Middle East, Iran and North Korea. In keeping with its responsibilities as a world power and the guarantor of stability in the Caucasus, Russia will work to ensure a peaceful and lasting resolution to the situation in the region.

WHY CAN'T THIS HAPPEN IN AMERICA???

From www.mnweekly.ru

Siberian Emo Fans Protest Planned Ban

MOSCOW (AFP) - Dozens of black-clad emo music fans protested Saturday in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk against plans by Russian lawmakers to ban their dark style from the country's schools, REN TV television reported.

The protesters, many of them with piercings, streaks of dyed hair and studs, held up placards reading: "Kill the State in Yourself," and "Why Do We Have To Think The Same?"

"How can you stop people from expressing themselves, from dressing how they like, from living a way of life that doesn't harm anyone?" one woman with a long fringe and metal crosses round her neck said in the broadcast report.

Russian lawmakers last month gave broad approval to a broad "concept for the spiritual and moral education of children," including plans for curfews, bans on "emo and goth" fashions in schools and censorship of text messages.

The proposals are to be examined as draft laws over the next year.

Emo music, characterised by high emotional content and alternation between quiet and loud sounds, started in the United States in the 1980s as part of the punk movement and has gained mainstream popularity in recent years.

The music as well as the associated fashion - tight jeans, long fringes and make-up for men - has become popular across Russia, where there are also regular media reports that the movement encourages suicide.

NO SURPRISES HERE.

From www.ft.com:

China to overtake US as largest manufacturer

By Peter Marsh in London

Published: August 10 2008 22:37 | Last updated: August 10 2008 22:37

China is set to overtake the US next year as the world's largest producer of manufactured goods, four years earlier than expected, as a result of the rapidly weakening US economy.

The great leap is revealed in forecasts for the Financial Times by Global Insight, a US economics consultancy. According to the estimates, next year China will account for 17 per cent of manufacturing value-added output of $11,783bn and the US will make 16 per cent.

Last year the US was still easily in the top slot and accounted for a fifth of the total. China was second with 13.2 per cent.

John Engler, president of the National Association of Manufacturers, a Washington-based trade group, played down the effect of the projections. It was "inevitable" that China would take over on account of its size, he said. "This should be a wholesome development for the US, for it promises both political stability for the world's largest country and continuing opportunities for the US to export to, and invest in, the world's fastest-growing economy."

As recently as last year, Global Insight economists predicted that the US would retain the top position until 2013, but a large downward revision in likely output this year and next is expected to cause the US to slip more quickly than had been expected.

The data underline the surge of China's manufacturing-led economy in the past 20 years. In 1990, before economic reforms began to work, it accounted for a meagre 3 per cent of global manufacturing. Manufacturing accounted for just 17.5 per cent of global gross domestic product in 2007, but much activity in the considerably larger area of services, for instance in retailing, distribution, transport and communications, depends on it.

The expected change will end more than a 100 years of US dominance. It returns China to a position it occupied, according to economic historians, for some 1,800 years up to about 1840, when Britain became the world's biggest manufacturer after its Industrial Revolution.

Global Insight counts manufacturing production for countries – including the activity of foreign-owned companies and local ones – as value-added output.

Value-added data are arrived at by subtracting "inputs" – such as purchases of materials, parts and services – from raw "gross output" as measured by the sales of individual companies. The data also use current-year figures.

If inflation adjustments are used to put the numbers in constant prices, the expected US position looks better, because its inflation over this period is predicted to be lower than China's.

EH? NAH! RE.

The first cooperation between Earsplit and the UK's Sound Devastation Records comes in the from of the crushing and tumultuous debut release from Bostonian outfit Ehnahre. The members of the avant-death project culminate from fallout of bands such as Biolich, Kayo Dot, Forcefedglass (went on to form Converge...) and more, here combining their influences into a uniquely infectious, technically-driven, artistically-drunk gut-punch of death/doom experimentation.

A concept record in five parts, based on the writings of Donald Justice, the debut album The Man Closing Up is something that can only be digested, not described accurately... dig, delve, and disgust yourself in it's gutsy glory... clips from the monstrosity are posted on the band's MySpace page now.

lineup:

Ryan McGuire - bass, double-bass, voice, percussion
John Carchia - guitar, voice
D.J. Murray - guitar, voice, keyboard
Andrew Hock - guitar
Tom Malone - drums, guitar

Other contributors-
Jonah Jenkins - voice
Forbes Graham - trumpet
Greg Kelley - trumpet
Greg Massi - guitar
Noell Dorsey - voice
J Mark Inman - violin

http://www.myspace.com/ehnahremetal

http://www.sounddevastation.co.uk/

http://www.myspace.com/sdrecs

KAT DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE

Nuclear War Now! Productions has graciously released Kat's Noce Szatana/Ostatni Tabor from 1985 on 10" with the usual die hard version NWN is so known for. For details, check out http://nwnprod.com/catalog/

ANAEL'S THIRD ALBUM FORTHCOMING.

Paragon Records is proud to announce the signing and the release of the latest album of Germany's Anael, entitled From Arcane Fires.

Anael have released two prior albums on the Barbarian Wrath label, in addition to limited vinyl editions on Iron Tyrant Productions, both receiving worldwide acclaim by critics as well as fans. Described by Diabolical Conquest webzine as "An unholy synthesis of Xantotol/Taranis/Holy Death-esque despondency, the transcendental otherworldliness of first two album Rotting Christ/early Tiamat, the Mesopotamian exoticism of Absu and Melechesh, as well as a substantial dose of Blood Ritual/Ceremony Of Opposites Vorph/Xy magic,"

Regarding Anael's latest album, From Arcane Fires, guitarist/vocalist Seraphackh states "While it's predecessor On Wings Of Mercury" was a journey deep into the realm of the occult, From Arcane Fires is a little more direct, more rooted in history and personal experiences of a gloomy reality. This means not only the lyrics but also the music of our third album, and it was the main reason to choose a harsh, dark and epic approach for this monument. From Arcane Fires is aimed to show the darkness and the fire forming the foundation of our spirit and so of our music, and to set a sign that some flames will never be extinct."

From Arcane Fires is due out early Autumn via Paragon Records. The tracklisting is as follows:

Devils Tongues
She Is Ever A Moon
Down Winding Stairs [excerpt: http://www.paragonrecords.net/mp3/down_winding_stairs_excerpt.mp3]
Blood and Honey
Song of the Moth
All Souls Night
Muspilli

http://www.anael.de
http://www.myspace.com/wheresilenceechoes
http://www.paragonrecords.net

http://www.myspace.com/paragon_records