CHILDREN OF BODOM Keyboardist's WARMEN: New Album Title, Release Date Revealed

CHILDREN OF BODOM keyboardist Janne Wirman has set "Japanese Hospitality" as the title of the fourth album from his WARMEN project, due on August 24 via Spinefarm Records. The 10-song effort includes two cover versions — "Separate Ways", originally recorded by JOURNEY, and "Black Cat" by JANET JACKSON, featuring a guest appearance by the Finnish pop/rock queen Jonna Kosonen. Other guest musicians that appear on the CD include Alexi Laiho (CHILDREN OF BODOM) and Pasi Rantanen (ex-THUNDERSTONE).

Interviewed in January, WARMEN guitarist and Janne's brother Antti Wirman revealed that the album would be heavier than the band's previous output, with more aggressive guitar riffs. There will be just two instrumental tracks, and every song has a different singer. According to Antti, the next WARMEN album will be the group's strongest effort to date because it has "the best songs, best vocalists and the best sounds."

WARMEN's third full-length album, "Accept the Fact", was released in July 2005 via Spinefarm Records. The follow-up to 2002's "Beyond Abilities" included guest appearances by CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman Alexi Laiho and STRATOVARIUS singer Timo Kotipelto.

Kosonen, who was previously a member of the multiplatinum-selling Finnish female pop duo NYLON BEAT, had contributed her vocals to CHILDREN OF BODOM's cover version of the BRITNEY SPEARS smash "Oops, I Did It Again" (which appeared on the "In Your Face" single), and was also one of the guest musicians on "Accept the Fact".

"Japanese Hospitality" will be preceded by a brand new compilation, rounding up the best of the keyboardist's solo work to date.