YNGWIE MALMSTEEN vocalist Doogie White will be flying out to Florida in a couple of days to begin the rehearsals for the band's upcoming Asian tour. There will be four days of rehearsals with Doogie, where a set mixed with older songs and songs from MALMSTEEN's current release, "Attack", will be tried out. "We'll have to see which songs work in the live form from 'Attack'," stated White. "Some will and some won't. It's trial, error, groove and feel. The mood of something like 'Rise Up' is ripe for live work, whereas others only work as album tracks. The intention is to change the set some nights and bring in some surprises. So I have been learning some old classics from all the other albums. It's been a lot of fun catching up on some material I have missed over the years."

Former YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and current MASTERPLAN frontman Jorn Lande has parted ways with his solo backing band, which included current MAYHEM/KOVENANT drummer Hellhammer. Personal differences are being blamed for the split, which coincides with Lande's announced departure from WILD WILLY'S GANG, the "just-for-fun" project of ex-ROAD drummer Willy Bendiksen and his friends.

Former YNGWIE MALMSTEEN frontman Mark Boals will issue a solo album, entitled Edge Of The World, in Japan on October 23rd though Marquee Inc, and in other territories shortly after.

Described in an official press release as "his most diverse and creative solo album yet," Edge Of The World "is very much a melodic hard rock album, whilst utilizing progressive, (some) neo-classical and classic rock influences." The album features keyboardist Erik Norlander (LANA LANE, ROCKET SCIENTISTS), drummers Vinny Appice (DIO, BLACK SABBATH) and Virgil Donati (RING OF FIRE, PLANET X), and guitarists Tony MacAlpine, Chris Brooks, Neil Citron and Jeff Kollman. Bass guitar and additional rhythm guitar duties were handled by Boals himself. 13 tracks (including a bonus track for the Japanese pressing) are contained on the CD, which was produced by Boals and engineered by Erik Norlander and Neil Citron.