Meshuggah has tentatively confirmed that their new full-length album "Catch 33" will be released on April 11 next year.
Apparently Darkthrone's nomination for the Alarm Prize has been withdrawn since bandmember Fenriz told Aftonposten that they are too grim, true and evil for the award. Or something like that, I'm paraphrasing. Anyhow, taking their place in the metal category now is Susperia with their most recent album "Unlimited".
Thirdimension gets a top-billing review at PopMatters: http://popmatters.com/music/reviews/t/thirdimension-permanent.shtml
Pitchfork has posted the first confirmed dates for the upcoming Jens Lekman tour:
02/09 - The Spot, Cleveland, OH
02/16 - The Earl, Atlanta, GA
02/18 - Mary Jane's Fat Cat, Houston, TX
02/19 - Emo's, Austin, TX
02/20 - Hailey's, Denton, TX
02/22 - Plush, Tucson, AZ
03/04 - 2nd Story, Bloomington, IN
03/05 - Schubas, Chicago, IL
Pfork also reports today that The Raveonettes teamed up with ex-Velvet Underground drummer Moe Tucker on their new album, but you should already know that by now since the news is three frickin' months old.
Swedish rockers Wired for Mono are doing a couple dates in Finland:
01/13 - Semifinal, Helsinki w/Dollhouse, The Sheena Hyenas
01/14 - S-Osis, Turku w/Agent Kooper
The band also plans to travel to Canberra, Australia next February for the Eurotrash festival. More info soon.
Agent Kooper will be leaving for their first-ever European on January 31. The jaunt will start off in Germany and end up in London a few weeks later. Confirmed dates coming soon.
The mailorder database is now updated with new releases from Tenderversion Recordings including Audrey, Once We Were, Scraps of Tape and September Malevolence: [click here]
Jim from Parasol has posted his 2004 honorable mention list which is chock full of Scandinavian music and also includes the two albums I put out this year: http://www.parasol.com/mail_order/jimspick.asp
Chalksounds has confirmed the signing of hyped indie band Convoj and will be releasing the group's debut five-song EP early next year. The band consists of members from Cult of Luna and Park Hotell and is said to sound like a "unique mix or impossible marriage of pop in the vein of Bear Quartet and Interpol."
In other Chalksounds news, head over to the download section of their website for two brand new tracks from the upcoming self-titled debut album of The End Will Be Kicks: http://chalksounds.com/downloads.php
David Lindh & the Hail Marys will release a brand new single called "Good thing" in January via Razzia Records. A new full-length "The harder it gets - the deeper it goes" is set for release in April.