Drummer Jaska Raatikainen of Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM has issued the following update:

"Today we had the last rehearsals before entering the studio tomorrow to record drums for the new album.

"Last two days have been quite intensive. Playing the songs over and over again, lots of fuck-ups and broken drum sticks, sweating, frustration, coffee and what have you, a little bit of arranging and all that shit.

"I am convinced that the new songs are great. A little bit of black metal, heavy metal, metal, old-school death metal, melodies, solos and anything you need to make a nice album. And the most important, new ideas à la CHILDREN OF BODOM!"

CHILDREN OF BODOM's new CD is tentatively due in late spring/early summer 2013 via Marquee Inc. in Japan and Nuclear Blast in other parts of the world.

CHILDREN OF BODOM in November canceled its appearance at next year's edition of the Tuska festival, set to take place June 28-30, 2013 in Suvilahti, Helsinki, Finland, "in order to be able to be part of a big tour in USA," according to the group's bassist, Henkka Seppälä (a.k.a. Henkka T. Blacksmith).

CHILDREN OF BODOM released a photo book, "Roadkill", on August 8 via Hatecrew.com. The first 666 copies are numbered and personally signed by the band.

Photography for "Roadkill" started in 2007. It includes exclusive material of life on the road, shows, promo shoots, recording sessions, album cover production and the worldwide "hate crew," as the band's fans are affectionately known. The book also contains comments and diary entries by the band and the photographer, Jussi Hyttinen of FLC415.

CHILDREN OF BODOM's most recent release was "Holiday At Lake Bodom (15 Years Of Wasted Youth)" , a very special CD+DVD career retrospective in celebration of the band's 15th anniversary.