De:Nihil to release Dead Man 7"
has announced that they'll be putting out a 2-song 7" from Swedish psych-rockers Dead Man in late summer.
Country: Sweden
Where Marcus Söderlund finds inspiration
asks Swedish video director Marcus Söderlund to list his favorite, most inspirational websites: http://www.modularpeople.com/recommends/marcus-soderlund/7220.html
Pallers - Come rain, come sunshine
There's a free download of the new Pallers single "Come rain, come sunshine" at Spinner: http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/23/pallers-come-rain-come-sunshine-premiere/
Ansiktet - X (video)
Is this for serious? Or maybe they're trying to recreate the era of the Swedish Sensationfilm?
SWEHC/LXO interview Hårda Tider
SWEHC has posted their long, extensive interview with Malmö's Hårda Tider from their zine Law and Order, issue #2: http://www.swehc.com/2011/06/21/harda-tider-interview/
Musik med Serenades
Watch Serenades perform a live version of "Birds" for PSL: http://psl.svt.se/psl/2011/06/22/musik-med-serenades/
Victims reissue debut, confirm US dates
Victims' debut album "Neverendinglasting" from 2001 will be getting a vinyl reissue via in an expanded edition with all of the bonus cuts from the CD which includes the "Harder than it was meant to be" 7" and the tracks from the Acursed split. More info: http://www.punkdistro.de/shop/shopnews.php?news_id=12
The band has also posted dates for their upcoming East Coast tour:
08/13 - St Vitus Bar, NYC, NY w/Ringworm, more
08/14 - This is Hardcore Fest, Philadelphia, PA w/From Ashes Rise, Madball, more
08/14 - The Barbary (Late show/TiHF after party), Philadelphia, PA w/Death First
08/15 - Valentines, Albany, NY
08/16 - Great Scott, Boston, MA
08/17 - tba
08/18 - tba, NJ
08/19 - Charm City Arts Space, Baltimore, MD
08/20 - tba
08/21 - Best Friends Day, Richmond, VA w/Corrosion Of Conformity, Iron Lung, more
08/22 - The Get Down, Asheville, NC
08/23 - Little Hamilton, Nashville, TN w/Symptoms
08/24 - tba, Chicago, IL
08/25 - Now Thats Class, Cleveland, OH
08/26 - tba, Pittsburgh, PA
08/27 - The Lost Horizon, Syracuse, NY w/Another Breath (their last show)
08/28 - Acheron, NYC, NY
MP3: Walk Through Fire - Furthest from heaven
I was originally planning to discuss summer music this week, but it seems a bit inappropriate considering recent circumstances, not to mention the fact that, despite what the calendar says, it doesn't really even feel like summer here anyway. As the clouds build outside, it doesn't really look like it either. Instead, I bring you something new from Walk Through Fire, one the absolute most devastating doom acts I've heard since Abandon. Which makes perfect sense, since the two are related in some way. Anyhow, if you're looking to envelop yourself in the sounds of pure, soul-crushing darkness, look no further. Put this on, turn it up LOUD and be prepared to get fucking bummed.
Listen to the rest of the band's new record at Bandcamp: http://walkthroughfire.bandcamp.com/
Walk Through Fire - Furthest from heaven
Teddybears - Weed ina Rizzla (video)
New stuff from Teddybears, slowly finding its way online.
Zero Illusions
Oblivion
ZI Productions
Predictable! Within two seconds -- literally -- of the bass intro kicking off on this album I can tell exactly how the riff's going to develop. Hoping for a pleasant surprise, however, is short-lived. The riff does, indeed, pan out exactly as I had imagined; as does the entire song. Not a good start. By third track, "Who you are", this has become a cringeworthy affair, not only because of having to endure a poor attempt at some sort of Zakk Wylde in-rhythm pinching, but also due to what can best be described as a collection of schoolboy riffs. "Honesty" almost redeems itself with a decent chorus reminiscent of something on Anthrax's "The sound of white noise", but the remainder of the song is entirely forgettable. Guys, I'm really sorry, but this isn't doing it for me at all. As you say in the song "Get out", I've tried to understand. And in all the metal that I have reviewed this year alone, within every subgenre under the sun, this is down there with the worst of them. It's not for the lack of effort, I'm sure, but if one positive thing is to be taken from this it's that there's obvious potential here. Closer "Enemy within" is actually well done and easily the best on the album. Too little too late this time, but it's more attention to detail and composition in the future that could find Zero Illusions release something noteworthy.
- John Norby
Arrow Meet Francis - Hurricane (video)
The official debut single from Arrow Meet Francis, aka Dick Pettersson of In These Woods.
It's a Trap! Clubnights fall update
It's a Trap! Clubnights for the fall season are starting to be confirmed and we've already got We Are the Storm coming on September 24 and then Kriget + Like Rats from a Sinking Ship on October 1. November is almost confirmed as well with a killer Norwegian act and I'll be sure to fill you in as soon as it's ready for public dissemination. Also, more crucially imminent: Into the Woods, the new band of Sara Wilson (First Floor Power, Kitchen and the Plastic Spoons), has been added to the bill on July 16 with Kajsa Grytt! If you find yourself near Malmö on any of those dates, you know where to go!
Cocteau Twins say nej to Anna Järvinen cover
Anna Järvinen's upcoming album "Anna själv tredje" has been pulled due to the Cocteau Twins disapproving her Swedish-language cover of the cong "Fotzepolitic", which she rechristened as "Hur man lättar helt enkelt". A new digital version of said album will be available on June 22 with the physical edition returning on July 4.
Even when our hearts stop beating, the song goes on and on and on
Theoretical Girl pays tribute to her sometime-duet partner Gustaf Kjellvander with his song "Heaven to me", one of the b-sides from the "Friday on my knees" EP: http://iamtheoreticalgirl.tumblr.com/post/6760593899/gustaf-kjellvander-25-april-1980-18-june-2011
It's still really hard for me to listen to his music, but I'm sure that's how he'd like to be remembered.
Pettersson & Fredriksson say name your price!
The excellent Swedish folk duo Pettersson & Fredriksson are giving away their album "Sotali" as a pay-what-you-want deal: http://petfred.bandcamp.com/album/sotali
At the very least you should check out the album stream because it really is quite good!