Swedish/Danish sextet AMARANTHE are confirmed to play a short set at Sweden's biggest rock award show, the Bandit Awards on March 8th. The band is also nominated for all three awards they are eligible for. Go to this location for details.

Amaranthe's Elize Ryd and NIGHTWISH's Marco Hietala were guests on Finnish television channel Yle TV1 recently and performed the classic 'Ave Maria'. They talked about RASKASTA JOULUA, the project that features numerous Finnish metal musicians celebrating the Christmas season.

Raskasta Joulua released their self-titled album on November 1st, and in it's first week of release the album debuts at #11 on the Finnish album chart.

Raskasta Joulua tracklisting:

‘Enkelikello’ - Antti Railio (CELESTY)

‘Heinillä’ härkien kaukalon - Ville Tuomi and Kimmo Blom (STRATOVARIUS)

‘Mielenrauhaa’ Jarkko Ahola (TERÄSBETONI) and Pasi Rantanen (THUNDERSTONE)

‘Pieni Rumpali’ - JP Leppäluoto (HARMAJA, ex-NORTH KINGS, CHARON), Marco Hietala (NIGHTWISH, TAROT), Tony Kakko (SONATA ARCTICA), Jarkko Ahola (Teräsbetoni, Northern Kings)

‘Tonttu’ - JP Leppäluoto

‘Arkihuolesi Kaikki Heitä’ - Antony Parviainen (ex-MACHINE MEN)

‘Julen är här’ - Elize Ryd (AMARANTHE), Tony Kakko (Sonata Arctica)

‘Sylvian Joululaulu’ (Antony Parviainen)

‘Nisse-Polkka’ - Ville Tuomi (LENINGRAD COWBOYS, ex-AMORPHIS), Ilja Jalkanen (KIUAS)

‘Valkea Joulu 2013’ - Jarkko Ahola, Pasi Rantanen (THUNDERSTONE)

‘Jouluksi Kotiin’ - Tony Kakko

‘Me Käymme Joulun Viettohon’ - Tommi Salmela (Tarot), Ilja Jalkanen

‘Varpunen Jouluaamuna’ - Marco Hietala

For more info and tour dates visit Facebook.