Blind Guardian Begin Production On New Album

Frontman Hansi K?rsch of power metallers Blind Guardian has posted the following message on the group's official web site:

"Here is a short update about what is going on at the moment: Frederik [Ehmke, new Blind Guardian drummer] did some kick-ass drum arrangements for the new songs and now Oliver Holzwarth has started working on the bass arrangements. At the same time André, Marcus and I are fixing final arrangement issues but basically we have finished the biggest part of composing. We are going to start the production for the new album somewhere during the last days of August. As you can imagine everyone is highly motivated, excited and of course ready to go."

In addition to the update, the following is the band's "very rough" schedule for the next few months months:

Late August - End of November:
*Recording [and] mixing of the first single
*Video shoot

December 2005/January 2006:
*Mixing

February/March 2006:
*Promotion
* Release of the first single

April/May 2006:
*Release of the album and warm-up shows

June - August 2006:
*Warm-up shows
*South America
*Japan
*Release of the second single

September - October 2006:
*Europe

November 2006:
*Japan
*Australia

December 2006 - February 2007:
*USA, Mexico and Canada