has signed young Swedish pop artist Lucas Nord and will be releasing his debut single (feat. vocals from Urban Cone) in November with an album to follow in early 2012. Get a nearly useless 20-second sample here if you must: http://youtu.be/ifN5AbLnvcM
I don't usually do this, but I'm going to name-drop like there's no tomorrow. The over-saturation of sludge/doom rock bands these days means either for you, a good or bad thing. Kyuss reunions, more impressive line-ups at Roadburn Festival and more bands on the radio finding immutable reconfigurations of greasy head-banging, B-minor scales, and the good, old-fashioned drop C#. Colossus from Stockholm are no doubt a member of the same army and even though there's no desert in Sweden to refer to their style, there are certainly a host of comparable bands -- Coliseum (name easily confusable), Orange Goblin, Big Business, High on Fire, Melvins, Neurosis, etc. etc. If any of these bands tickle your moustache and you're scouting for something new, I'd give Colossus a whirl. Not just 'cos they throw similar references, or are another band to annoy your neighbours to as you blast it through your speakers, munch on your Grandiosa pizza and drink beer -- but because they actually write decent songs. Clear ideas; persistent, well-structured choruses sprinkled with a few unique spin-off, thrash riffs (and always the quintessential track bordering on the cheese and operatic, "Eternal return") -- making them a bit more sophisticated then your average backyard, pisshead squatter version. Though for this jaded reviewer, listening to this makes me believe I'd be happier revisiting Metallica's "Kill 'em all". Besides, hasn't it been over ten years since I snagged that advance copy of Mastodon's "Remission"? Doh! - Ann Sung-an Lee
Norwegian artist Magnus Eliassen has a new single now streaming at YouTube. "Maskinisten", the first album in his planned album trilogy "Virkelighetsflyktning", will be out on November 11.
Here's a new video from Finnish metalcore act Medeia that is sadly, unlike all of their other videos, not entertaining at all: http://youtu.be/uIfdV5K2agk
Sophie Zelmani's new website is now open in anticipation of her upcoming album "Soul" and a video for single "Free now" can be seen here: http://www.sophie-zelmani.com/2011/11/02/free-now/
That is, assuming you are in Sweden -- it's not available for any of us foreigners right now so we'll have to be content with this clip instead for the time being.
Colossus