Listen to the track "Frihet för få" from Swedish punk band Varnagel: http://www.secondclasskids.com/records/mp3/sckids007.mp3
The band's new 6-song MCD "Andra klass" comes in on Second Class Kids in August.
Denmark's Saybia are MTVE's pick of the week: http://www.nordic.mtve.com/features/cms/index.asp?id=1006000000000280&type=3&page=1
Wasted is done with recording their new album "Heroes and Thieves" and will release in on September 1 via Combat Rock Industry. Cover art and samples coming next week.
Dusted editor Otis Hart lists Sagor & Swing on his best-of list for the year so far: http://www.dustedmagazine.com/features/273
The all-star Swedish metal lineup of In Flames, The Haunted, Hypocrisy, Lost Horizon and Nifelheim will be joining forces for a special benefit show called 200,000 Decibel at Trägårn in Göteborg on September 2. The show's goal is to raise 200,000 SEK (~$27,000) to pay the bills for Lennart Larsson, the founder of the 2000 Decibel Festival. Lennart is a long-time supporter of hard rock and metal in Sweden and the musical community he helped nourish is hoping to help him out after this spring's edition of his fest did so poorly and left him deep in debt. Read more: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=24908
Dissection has reportedly entered the studio with a full line-up and is recording a new album. It will be the band's first album since 1995's "Storm Of The Light's Bane" and singer/guitarist Jon Nödtvedt's release from prison. The first single is scheduled for release in September.
Check out the unfinished 'demo' video for "Let's not fall apart" from David & the Citizens off of their "Big Chill" EP: http://www.recycled.se/videos/lets_fall.htm
Rolling Stone reports on the new Soundtrack of Our Lives album "Origins", now due in February: http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story?id=6367331&pageid=rs.Home&pageregion=single1
Apparently the band considered doing a double-CD, but now settled on 15 cuts for the album and will use the rest for a follow-up called "Origins Support".
Daily Vault reviews up-and-coming Norwegian pop star Maria Mena: http://www.dailyvault.com/2004_07_19-jw.html
The Flaming Sideburns (FIN), The Raveonettes (DK), Cocktail Slippers (NOR) and The Caesars (SWE) are just a few of the many, many acts confirmed for Little Steven's Underground Garage International Festival on August 14 at Randall's Island in NYC. It looks like it's gonna be an amazing festival - Iggy and the Stooges, The Strokes, Bo Diddley, The Dictators, tons more.
From the Arcturus website, an interview with new vocalist Øyvind Hægeland: http://www.adastraenter.com/media/int6.html
Isolation Years has announced that they will be entering the studio to begin recording their third album at the end of August. As for when it will be done and who will release it, that's still to be determined.
There's a special website for all the latest info on the Bruce Banner tour that kicks off next week. Head on over for the latest updated tourdates and some mp3s: http://www.karaterex.com/tour/
The latest playlist at Fat Planet has an mp3 from Swedish 'electro-camp' act Lo-Fi-Fnk: http://www.fatplanet.com.au/