SKITLIV, the band headed by former MAYHEM vocalist Maniac, is set to join Japanese all-girl band GALLHAMMER, for a short, 4-date tour in the autumn.

Already confirmed is a gig in Denmark on October 2nd, when the bands will play Loppen in Copenhagen.

The doom black metal band was formed by Maniac in 2006 following a sabbatical from the music business which enabled the frequently controversial front man to take stock of which direction he wanted to head musically. Aside from Maniac on vocals and guitars, the band includes Ingvar on guitars, Peter on bass and Canadian drummer Trish. Un-mastered tracks from the band can be heard on the official Skitliv MySpace page at www.myspace.com/skitliv777.

Maniac is also involved in TEAM ARMSTRONG, a side project loosely formed of various musicians from the Oslo scene who come together to play whatever kind of music they feel like playing, regardless of whether it is a genre they would normally be associated with. The band is due to play at Oslo’s legendary Elm Street Rock Café on May 1 and a rehearsal track has been uploaded onto Team Armstrong’s MySpace page at www.myspace.com/teamarmstrongpeople. Maniac has also just finished recording guitars and vocals for a track on the forthcoming album from Swedish band DEADWOOD.

Whilst this mini tour is likely to be the first opportunity many will have to see Maniac on stage again since 2004, it is also part of the much-anticipated first European tour by Gallhammer (www.myspace.com/ghammercrust) whose The Dawn Of… CD/DVD was recently released on Peaceville.