MP3: Haust - Skate rock

Fysisk Format is Norway's best label and while I highly anticipate every release, getting something new from Haust is extra special because they are the label's best band. They have few peers when it comes to heavy, ugly, blackened hardcore. The band's next release before their sophomore album drops in May is a split 12" with fellow Oslo denizens Next Life, yet another one of Norway's best (more on them at a later date), and it offers us 4 new ragers including the one I'm giving to you today, "Skate rock". Once upon a time, skateboarding and punk/hardcore went hand in hand; I was never any good at it, but I definitely got lots of music tips via Thrasher and/or my skater friends. In fact, that's how I got into underground music in the first place. Nowadays it seems like skating is more hip-hop oriented, but perhaps it was a lack of anthems that drove them away -- hard to believe it's been 23 years since Suicidal Tendencies released "Possessed to skate". We need a new song and Haust provides. Drop out of life with board in hand?

Haust - Skate rock

Sirius playlist week #2

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:

01. November - En ny tid är här
02. TALK 1
03. Viola - 2010s (maybe the world won't end)
04. Love Is All - Kungen
05. Niels Nielsen - We are youth
06. NEI - 40 rabbits
07. TALK 2
08. Voices Break the Silence - Lost
09. Oriel Joans - Knuckles whiten
10. Ljudbilden & Piloten - Arms and legs together
11. David Åhlén - Great is thy faithfulness
12. TALK 3
13. Sambassadeur - Sandy dunes
14. Folkvang - Stugsista
15. Nirvana 2002 - Slumber
16. TALK 4
17. Obliteration - Exterminate
18. Java - Smokescreen
19. Thee Gutted String - White
20. TALK 5
21. Grande Roses - The farm

Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.

Urørtfinalen

The nominees have been announced for the NRK Urørt Festival best unsigned act competition. Go here to listen and vote: http://nrk.no/urort/articleWP.aspx?p=620 (in Norwegian)
Nominated acts include Kvelertak, The Pink Robots, Proviant Audio , CCTV , Jabaman , Team me , Blood Command , moi , Put Your Hands Up For NeoTokyo and Leif & the Future.

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Donkeyboy - Caught in a Life
02. Frøya - My American Dream
03. Bjørn Eidsvåg - De Beste
04. Sivert Høyem - Moon Landing
05. Vidar Johnsen & Peter Nordberg - Ild & Vatten
06. Jahn Teigen - Teigen - 40 Største Hits
07. John Olav Nilsen & Gjengen - For Sant Til Å Være Godt
08. Dum Dum Boys - Tidsmaskin
09. Claudia Scott/Casino Steel/Ottar Big Hand Johansen - Honky Tonk Night - The Best
10. Helene Bøksle - Det Hev Ei Rose Sprungen
11. Jonas Fjeld feat Henning Kvitnes - Den Gamle Veien
12. Tine Thing Helseth - Mitt hjerte alltid vanker
13. Kråkesølv - Trådnøsting
14. Jokke & Valentinerne - Levende (så lenge det varer)
15. Ole Edvard Antonsen - Desember Stemninger
16. Herborg Kråkevik - Kvar Ein Dag
17. Röyksopp - Junior
18. Diverse artister - Dansejul
19. Malin - Malin
20. Stage Dolls - Always

Ja Ja Ja November documentary

The folks behind the Ja Ja Ja Scandinavian music showcase in London have made themselves a short doc on the November event featuring guests Kira Kira, I Was A King and TV Off: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ffksvr_8oE

Black metal is big business in Norway

Thank Lordi? Norwegian black metallers Keep of Kalessin are one of two finalists vying to represent Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest -- watch their entry performance of the song "Dragontower": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW3wU2fDc2o
Read more: http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=8033

All Scandinavian top 20 of 2009

All Scandinavian lists their top 20 albums of 2009: http://allscandinavian.com/2977/the-20-best-albums-of-2009/

New Bloodlights album gets release date

The new Bloodlights album "Simple pleasures" will be released on March 1 in Europe, February 26 in Germany.

The Silent Ballet reviews Nils Økland

The Silent Ballet reviews Norwegian Hardanger fiddle player Nils Økland and his album "Monograph": http://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/3000/Default.aspx

Haust - Hearse

There is a brand new Haust track streaming at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/haust
Said track ("Hearse") is from the band's upcoming split 12" with Next Life, due out January 25 via Fysisk Format.

This week's Last.fm chart

Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week, unique to our group:

01. Håkan Hellström
02. Jens Lekman
03. Shout Out Louds
04. The Bear Quartet
05. El Perro del Mar
06. The Tough Alliance
07. Girls
08. Anna Ternheim
09. Sambassadeur
10. Kings of Convenience

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

Svarte Greiner/Lakes of Grass and Gold 7" in the works

Norwegian drone artist Svarte Greiner will be doing a split 7" with Sweden's Lakes of Grass and Gold (aka Erik Enocksson) on Aurora Borealis in the not-so-distant future.

Djerv now streaming samples

Djerv, the new band from ex-Animal Alpha vocalist Agnete Kjølsrud (also featuring Erlend Gjerde of Stonegard/Wardruna and Stian Kårstad of Trelldom), are finally streaming a few demo tracks at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/djervmusic

Surferosa taking a break

Norwegian neon-pop act Surferosa is going on hiatus: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=3996110&blogId=523648363
No word on if/when they'll be back, but they insist they are not breaking up.

Alpine Those Myriads drop question mark, post new track

Norwegian act Alpine Those Myriads? are dropping the question mark from their name and will henceforth be known simply as Alpine Those Myriads, no extra punctuation necessary. They also have a new song for free download; go here to get it: http://alpinethosemyriads.com/xmas-is-here-so-is-our-present