Alarma Man are currently holed up in Lablaza Studio recording what I assume will be their debut full length for Carcrash Records.
Swedish hard-rockers Rickshaw have announced that they'll be releasing a new 7" on Zorch Productions in September and a brand new full-length sometime early next year.
Giant Robot has selected "Get Up" as the next single from their most recent album "Domesticity". No word on a release date, but it will include remixes from DJ Slow, Forss, Ercola and kiki&silversurfer.
The Milk Factory interviews Norwegian ambient act Biosphere: http://www.themilkfactory.co.uk/interviews/biosphereiw.htm
They have also selected Susanna & The Magical Orchestra for their album of the month and have reviews posted for Lasse Marhaug, Vladislav Delay, Kim Hiorthøy, Lars Horntveth and more: http://www.themilkfactory.co.uk/issuelog/0408.htm
Danish thrash band Mnemic has announced that their upcoming album "The Audio Injected Soul" will be the first music CD recorded using Binaural Techniques which approximates full three-dimensional sound. So far I guess the technology has been only used in video game development, but you can read more about it here: http://www.am3d.com/inside/index.htm
UK-based label Mate Recordings' next release will be a special double a-side 7" featuring "Worse than a girl" from Helsinki disco queens Boys of Scandinavia and a Paul Haig remix of "Back in fashion" by Finnish electro act Roger. It'll be limited edition of course and should be available sometime around October.
Amon Amarth's new album "Fate of Norns" will be issued as a limited-edition digipack with a bonus live DVD called "Amon Amarth live at Grand Rokk" that was recorded at a show in Reykjavik, Iceland on March 5, 2004. Look for it September 6 from Metal Blade Records. Download the track "An ancient sign of coming storm": http://www.metalblade.com/bands/Amon_Amarth/aa-aasocs.mp3
I included in the most recent streaming playlist, but now you can download it separately as well: check out the new single "Pole position" from Swedish hard-rockers Jan Martens Frustration. The new self-titled record from these guys has been a long time coming, so I'm excited to be able to provide the first taste. It's out now in Sweden on Brass Button and will be coming in October in the US via Parasol/Hidden Agenda.
Tromsø, Norway-based band Washington will release their debut full-length album "A New Order Rising" on August 9. As with the band's previous two EPs, it was produced and recorded by Lars Lien of Motorpsycho.
Moving Hands webzine does a short interview with Swedish electro act Pluxus: http://www.movinghands.net/articles/detail.asp?id=61
Swedish crust band Massgrav has posted the tracklist and a ton of mp3s from their new album "Napalm över Stureplan": http://www.massgrav.com/
Chalksounds has revealed that their expecting to release the debut full-length from The End Will Be Kicks in October. I've heard some rough mixes and if it's anything close to as good as the MCD that's already out, you know it's gonna be a monster. Can't wait! There's gonna be a bonus 7" coming out with it as well. After that, Stockholm-based instrumental act Ellis the Vacuumchild will drop their debut album. December perhaps? Soviac is working on new demos, so they should have something in the pipeline. And lastly, look for an EP from Park Hotel sometime early next year. I haven't heard them myself, but Chalksounds CEO Magnus says they sound like New Order meets MBV. Could be really good.
Darkthrone members Fenriz and Nocturno Culto have been entrusted by Peaceville to create their own sublabel called Tyrant Syndicate Productions. Nocturno comments:
Peaceville on the one hand and Fenriz and myself on the other. The general running of the label has fallen on me, mostly as I'm much more involved in technology than Fenriz, and besides, I want to do it. When the Peaceville people were interested in setting up a label for us, our mind began to circle around what to do with what can be called our extended music-related freedom, and we soon had a plan.
We are aiming for exclusive releases only. We want high-credibility underground bands, both known and unknown. Time is working FOR US now, and we have all the time in the world. Tyrant Syndicate Productions will prove to the metal community that we have the ability to release what is supreme metal. The first band we have signed is Aura Noir from Oslo, with their new album "The Merciless". This masterpiece will be an indication on the quality-level we are aiming for, and therefore it's our responsibility to follow things up after this release. Since our releases go through the usually Peaceville channels, the result will be a high-quality, well-distributed product that will have great impact wherever you can get these products. And luckily, there are still loads of great metal-acts left in the world.
Look for more news about demo submission policies and so forth in about a month.