NOVEMBRE Parts Ways With Bassist, Announces Replacement

Italian metallers NOVEMBRE have issued the following update:

"The tormented role of bass player is passed on to Valerio Di Lella, already the band's live sound engineer for years, and singer of death metal band GRIMNESS. NOVEMBRE, who recently parted company with Luca Giovagnoli, are glad to officially welcome Valerio on board."

Valerio comments: "I'm so thrilled to join this band, as being always on the road with them as a sound guy had made me one of them anyway. Moreover, we totally share the same musical tastes and I'm so digging the new songs which are taking shape these days."

NOVEMBRE has commenced the songwriting sessions for its next studio album. "It's way too early to say anything about it except for the unmistakable NOVEMBRE style which is always there and ain't gonna be altered," the band says. "Meanwhile, the 'Classica' re-release is gonna be supported by an extensive European tour with TIAMAT and THE 69 EYES in February and March 2009."

NOVEMBRE's third album, "Classica" (1999),which is hailed as a masterpiece of atmospheric and progressive doom/death metal, was re-released by the band's current label, Peaceville Records, on October 27. The reissue includes three bonus tracks of rare demo recordings.

"Classica" reissue track listing:

01. Cold Blue Steel
02. Tales from a Winter to Come
03. Nostalgiaplatz
04. My Starving Bambina
05. Love Story
06. L'Epoque Noire (March The 7th 12973 A.D.)
07. Onirica East
08. Foto Blu Infinito
09. Winter 1941
10. Outro - Spirit of the Forest (Tales...Reprise)

Bonus tracks:

11. Colour Of An Eye
12. Tales from a Winter to Come (demo version)
13. Winter 1941 (demo version)

Ever since their formation in 1990 under the name of CATACOMB, the Italians have risen to become one of the leading names in atmospheric death/doom metal; having recently released two albums on Peaceville Records with "Materia" (2006) and last year's highly acclaimed "The Blue".

"Classica" evoked many traits of progressive death metal, and is often compared to the earlier works of OPETH. Intricate melodic guitar passages effortlessly skip between acoustic atmosphere and distorted heaviness to give a good contrast to the album's overall sense of mood. The vocals of Carmelo Orlando further heighten the emotion with impressive clean vocal passages blending with the classic "growled" style so familiar to the genre.

The album was recorded at Outer Sounds Studios in Rome in 1999 and was mastered by Andy La Rocque at Los Angered Studios in Sweden.

NOVEMBRE's latest album, "The Blue", was released in November 2007 via Peaceville Records. The CD was recorded at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland with producer Mikko Karmila (NIGHTWISH, SENTENCED, AMORPHIS).

A video for the song "Anaemia" (taken from "The Blue") directed by Tobias Martinsson can be viewed below.