Minneapolis buzz band Tapes ‘N Tapes has signed with XL Recordings, which will release its debut album, “The Loon”, on July 25.The band will kick off its first U.K. tour May 18 in London. An extensive summer North American tour is also in the works.

The following update has been posted at Hammerfall‘s official website:“As usual, the album will contain around ten songs. Some of the completed ones are: ‘Dark Wings, Dark Words’, ‘Carved In Stone’, ‘Titan’, ‘Shadow Empire’, ‘Threshold’, ‘Rebel Inside’.Says (guitarist) Oscar (Dronjak): “The music is very varied and ranges from six year-old material to freshly written stuff. […]

A whole host of new additions have been confirmed for the Carling Festival this summer. Amongst the new acts are The Long Blondes, iForward Russia!, Clap You Hands Say Yeah, Giant Drag, The Automatic and Mystery Jets. Broken Social Scene, Plan B, Goldie Lookin Chain, Tapes N Tapes and Milburn are also amongst those confirmed. […]

Norwegian prog metalheads Green Carnation are going to London.В This will be on August 24 at the Camden Underworld.

Jucifer, a duo from Athens, Georgia, have signed a deal with Relapse. The band – who’s influences take in Minor Threat, The Carpenters, Slayer, Jimi Hendrix and My Bloody Valentine – are to release an album in the Autumn. It’s to be called ‘At The Hands Of Our Intercessors’.

The re-united Lemonheads have signed to Vagrant. The band are to shortly start recording their new album with producer Bill Stevenson.

In Flames and Lauren Harris (daughter of Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris) are the latest acts confirmed for this year’s Download Festival, which happens from June 9-11 at Donington.

A new website has just been started to celebrate Slayer. Called www.nationaldayofslayer.org, it’s urging everyone to turn June 6, 2006 into ‘Slayer Day’, by listening to the band veryВ l-o-u-d-l-y wherever you may be.

Former Led Zeppelin pair Robert Plant and Jimmy Page at to get back together onstage for a performance at the Montreaux Jazz Festival. They play on June 30.

Norwegian trio Communic are to release a new album through Nuclear Blast on May 22. It’s called ‘Waves Of Visceral Decay’.