MASTERSTROKE: 'Sleep' To Receive Japanese Release In March

Finnish melodic heavy metal band MASTERSTROKE will have its sophomore album, "Sleep", released in Japan on March 19. The CD was released in Europe earlier in the year via Dynamic Arts Records.

MASTERSTROKE will support JON OLIVA'S PAIN (led by SAVATAGE mastermind Jon Oliva) in Europe beginning on April 25 at the Karmøygeddon metal festival in Norway. The trek will make additional stops in Norway, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands before ending on May 14 in Tilburg, the Netherlands. Also appearing on the bill will be MANTICORA from Denmark.

MASTERSTROKE was formed in 2002. After a few lineup changes and several gigs, the band received a well-earned recording deal. The group's debut album, "Apocalypse", was supposed to receive a worldwide release through their previous record label JMT Music. Unfortunately it didn't happen. In the end "Apocalypse" was issued only in Japan, Russia and CIS countries due to the label going out of business.

For more information, visit the band's MySpace page.

Watch MASTERSTROKE's video for the song "Turn Away" (taken from "Sleep") below.