KAMELOT have signed a deal with Marquee / Avalon Records for the Japanese release of their next album. The album is slated for a late summer 2010. Marquee's Naohiro Yamazaki.has issued the following statement: "Marquee/Avalon is happy to have Kamelot - such a great band in our family and we are proud of announcing it. We all hope that Kamelot's fame will be at a higher level with the next album. we trust the band a potential to become so."

Kamelot vocalist Roy Khan comments: "We are very excited about working with Marquee on the new album! We are also planning to return to Japan for some very special concerts with all the amazing fans there."

Final release dates will be announced in the near future.

The band recently issued the following update:

"This summer kicks off with Kamelot's first appearance at Germany's famous Rock am Ring and Rock im Park Festivals this June 4th and 5th, 2010. Kamelot joins rock and metal legends KISS, MOTÖRHEAD, RAMMSTEIN and many more! Due to previously scheduled commitments bassist Sean Tibbetts will not be able to attend the shows. Kamelot's longtime producer Sascha Paeth (AVANTASIA) will be joining the band on bass for these two special events."

Kamelot recently updated their European festival schedule for 2010 with four new shows (**). It is now as follows:

June

4 - Eifel, Germany - Rock am Ring ** - SOLD OUT -
5 - Nurnberg, Germany - Rock im Park **

July

3 - Helsinki, Finland - Tuska Festival
8 - Kvinesdal, Norway - Norway Rock Festival **
10 - Söderhamn, Sweden - Rockweekend Festival
11 - Tolmin, Slovenia - Magic Circle Festival
17 - Hengelo, Holland - Zwarte Cross Festival **

August

6 - Wacken, Germany - Wacken Open Air - SOLD OUT -
7 - Calvao, Portugal - Vagos Open Air
13 - Sibiu, Romania - Artmania Festival
14 - Obudai Island, Hungary - Sziget Festival

Vocalist Roy Khan is featured in a new in-depth interview with the Kamelot Germany MySpace fan site. An excerpt is available below.

Q: Thomas (Youngblood / guitars) said in an interview that the overall sound of the new album is very Kamelot like, but the lyrics are much darker, even darker than on Ghost Opera. What is it that makes darker themes more interesting to write about than positive and uplifting stories?

Khan: "It has more to do with the music which is even more melancholic and darker in its expression. Not way more though, it’s still very Kamelot, but the themes this time are spinning around serial killers, hell, failure...it's just a slightly different thing. And sometimes things are not really planned out, they just happen to be the way they are coming up. That's how we write our music."

Q: But what makes it more interesting to write about dark themes?

Khan: "It’s not really more interesting although it has always come quite naturally...it’s about making it fit an athmosphere that is already there."

Q: What do you think are the main differences between the new album and the previous ones?

Khan: "I would say that The Black Halo and Ghost Opera and the new one are not too far from each other. There is no humongous difference. Except for the fact that The Black Halo is a concept album, of course. Maybe the main difference, at least from Ghost Opera, is that there are quite a few guest artists this time. There's also a 10 minute piece I think people will love."

Q: There is an interview with Jon Oliva on the internet where he says he will be on the new album too.

Khan: "Yes, he’s one of the guest guest artists."

Go to this location for the complete interview.