American label is openly seeking demo submissions from Swedish acts, "especially indie, punk, and hardcore bands": http://www.endsounds.com/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=187
For a reference point, I'm told that Tiger Lou is a longtime favorite.
is Svensk Musik's label of the month for May: http://svenskmusik.org/article/may-hybris/
In case you didn't read the song notes, in case it wasn't painfully obvious, yes -- "Nowhere in time" is a direct nod to Iron Maiden. Like the band says themselves, "I think this song pushes Victims boundaries about as far as they can go" in terms mixing trad metal moves with the band's signature d-beat attack, but what a mix it is! The rest of the band's new record "A dissident" is killer too and well worth checking out.
Victims - Nowhere in time
Gaffa has confirmed that Silverbullit is indeed working on new music and will be touring: http://gaffa.se/nyhet/49333
"When evil happens" is the new single from Swedish act The Elliots, their first from the upcoming record "Love|Decay" (due out June 10), and also a duet with Camela Leierth. Direct link: http://youtu.be/m1jhMUPWRgs
Even though it's barely relevant to It's a Trap!, I'm stoked to learn that Swedish label will be reissuing Doomstone's 1994 cult classic "For those whom Satan hath joined" on vinyl for the very first time this coming fall. For the unindoctrinated, Doomstone was a project featuring members of Deceased playing what I guess you could call old-school Satanic Heavy Metal. They also boasted one of the best band member aliases of all-time, Cross Turner Upside-Downer.
The debut video from I Break Horses, the new Swedish band featuring Maria Lindén of Blackstrap as first reported about here. Look for their debut album "Hearts" to be released later this year via . Direct link: http://vimeo.com/23403268
PSL reports that Silverbullit has been awarded a sizable stipend from SKAP despite the fact that the band has not been active in many years: http://psl.svt.se/psl/2011/05/11/extra-extra-silverbullit-far-pris-och-psl-ropar-hipp-hipp-hurra/
Perhaps it's a harbinger of things to come? I can only hope so, as they truly are one of Sweden's greatest rock bands and I've been eagerly awaiting their return.
is looking to hire someone new for their office in Lund: http://www.badtasteempire.com/bad-taste-records/bad-taste-soker-nytillskott/
Solander will be doing a number of dates in Germany this summer to promote their new album "Passing Mt. Satu":
06/22 - Badeschiff Arena, Berlin
06/23 - Karoshi, Kassel
06/24 - Umsonst & Draußen Festival, Würzburg
07/22 - L*Abore Festival, Hauptmannsgrün
07/23 - Phono Pop Festival, Rüsselsheim
08/04 - Uebel & Gefährlich Dachgarten, Hamburg
08/06 - Jenseits von Millionen, Friedland
Lodge DoomLodge Doom are a Swedish act who play a sort of grandiose hybrid of heavy progressive rock and folk (Scandinavian and otherwise) that, while often quite ostentatious, largely succeeds due to an obvious and persistent concept and ambition. Bookended by a pair of atmospheric interludes, "Visions of Dunkelheit" covers a vast musical terrain that approaches both the mellower moments of Amorphis and the pagan folk of Hexvessel and beyond, yet always remains anchored by the excellent violin playing of main instrumentalist Thomas von Wachenfeldt and the band's overriding dark vision. Whereas the band's previous release "The Walpurgis Night EP" suffered from an inadequate recording that failed to match the band's large aspirations, there are no such issues here -- "Visions of Dunkelheit" sounds every bit as big as their ideas and so it succeeds in most every way. My only complaint however, and unfortunately not a small one, is that the vocals don't always measure up quite so well. Whether it's a matter of distinction or range, it's the one thing that keeps this good album from being a great one.
- Avi Roig
From Nitad's new 7" "En ding ding värld", out now on . Direct link: http://soundcloud.com/nitad/leva-bara-for-att-do
My confidential informants on the street tell me that Kulturföreningen Pluto in Gröndal, Stockholm does not pay bands as promised, so if you were planning on gigging there and expecting to be compensated for your time and talent, think otherwise.
Via Swedesplease comes word that the terminally underappreciated Ed Greene has a new EP on the way via DIY indiepop cassette label : http://fikarecordings.com/2011/05/fika008-ed-greene/
Skip right to the streaming preview here: http://edgreene.fikarecordings.com/
It's finally bright/warm/dry enough here in the PacNW for me to head out the door at 5:30am and take a good, long run through the woods, so today that's exactly what I did. It was absolutely perfect out and when this tune came up on my mp3 player I was in bliss as it just fit so well into my morning/routine/life. Since I am no techno head by any stretch of the imagination, I only checked Skudge out after they walked away with the P3 Guld over the much more obviously well-known Swedish House Mafia and, on doing so, fully understood that the jury made the right decision. Maybe it's just me, but I love the sort of stuff like this that sounds so simple on the surface, yet is so incredibly engrossing.
Skudge - Phantom
