Tiamat: 'The Ark Of The Covenant' complete details revealed

Century Media Records has has released the details for "The Ark of the Covenant - The Complete Century Media Years", a limited-edition collector's box from Swedish metallers Tiamat. Limited to 3,000 copies worldwide, this noble box set also includes two exclusive audio CDs, a numbered authenticity certificate, as well as a comprehensive 74-pages booklet with all lyrics, terrific artwork, rare photos and extensive liner notes by Anders Iwers.

"The Ark of the Covenant - The Complete Century Media Years" includes:

* The Astral Sleep CD
* Clouds CD
* Live In Israel CD
* Wildhoney CD
* Wildlife CD
* Gaia CD
* A Deeper Kind Of Slumber CD
* Skeleton Skeletron CD
* Judas Christ CD
* Prey CD
* The Church Of Tiamat CD +
* Panopticon CD ++
* The Church Of Tiamat DVD

+ never-before-released audio CD for the first time and exclusively available in this box.

++ a collection of b-sides and rarities, exclusively available in this box."

European release dates for the box set are as follows:

Aug. 15 - Germany, Austria, Switzerland, BeNeLux
Aug. 20 - Sweden, Finland, Hungary
Aug. 25 - France
Aug. 26 - Spain, Portugal
Sep. 01 - Greece
Sep. 05 - Italy
Aug. 18 - UK, Denmark, Norway, Rest of Europe

Tiamat guitarist Thomas Wyreson recently announced his decision to leave the long-running Swedish metal group. He explained, "I've made a tough decision to quit the band. My last show with the guys [was] the Zeytinli Rock Fest in Turkey the 16th of August."

He added, "Just for the record, there are absolutely no personal problems or anything like that influencing my decision. It's just kinda hard to make everything work with the family etc."

MetalheadTV.com has posted video footage of Tiamat performing at the Artmania Festival 2008, which was held July 18-19 in Sibiu, Romania. Watch the clip below.

"Amanethes", the new album from Tiamat, entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 69 and the Swedish chart at No. 13, Tiamat's highest-ever chart entry in the band's home country.

"Amanethes" was produced by Tiamat mainman Johan Edlund, and was recorded mainly at The Mansion in Greece, with additional recordings taking place at Studio Mega in Sweden and Cue in Greece. The album was mixed and mastered by Siggi Bemm in Woodhouse Studios, Germany in January 2008.

The digipack version of "Amanethes" contains the exclusive bonus track "Thirst Snake".