Chalksounds has just signed a deal for UK distribution with Shellshock and their first release over there will be the Moonbabies. Look for "The Orange Billboard" to hit on September 13. A tour is also being planned and if you can help out, you should contact magnus@chalksounds.com.
Nasum has updated their site with a ton of new pics: http://www.nasum.com/photogalleries.asp
They also report that plans are in the works for a full European tour and details should be available shortly.
Last Call Inc., a Norwegian band featuring Jan Kenneth Tranzett and Anders Kobro from In the Woods, has signed with Karmageddon Media imprint New Aeon Media.
MI has the lowdown on the latest round of stipends being handed out by Kulturrådet: http://www.musikindustrin.nu/mi/smpage.fwx?page=198&NYHETER=4719
The Crown has revealed that the upcoming bonus DVD included with the posthumous release of "Crowned Unholy" will be called "The Crown Invades Karlsruhe" and will feature a full live set from Karlsruhe, Germany on November 24, 2003. Tracklist:
01. No Tomorrow
02. Face Of Destruction/Deep Hit Of Death
03. Deathexplosion
04. World Below
05. Deliverance
06. Blitzkrieg Witchcraft
07. Cold Is The Grave
08. Zombiefied
09. Dream Bloody Hell / Kill 'Em All
10. Under The Whip
11. Bow To None
12. Total Satan
13. House Of Hades / Crowned In Terror
14. 1999-Revolution 666
As mentioned before, "Crowned Unholy" is the re-release of "Crowned In Terror" with rerecorded vocals by original singer Johan Lindstrand, re-recorded bass tracks from Magnus Olsfelt, new intro music and various 'synthesizer-spiced parts'.
The Virtues report that they are hard at work on new material and so far have nine tracks done for their next album. They plan to record a total of twenty songs and it should be out later this year on Crying Bob in Sweden and Zip Records in the US.
Brand new streaming radio show on the right, this time focusing on Scandinavian artists who sing in their own language. Check it out. As always, if anyone wants to contribute their own mix for the site, just get in touch.
Coming later this week: my picks for the best records from the first half of the year.
A Tenderversion Recording is the name of a new label run by Martin Lundmark. in collaboration with Per Tannergård and José González. Their first release will be a five-track EP from Audrey, who they describe as Cat Power and Björk. Look for it in July. But what I'm more excited about is the upcoming Bear Quartet tribute they are doing as a co-release A Westside Fabrication. At long last, here's the full tracklist:
01. Laakso - Blizzard
02. The Concretes - Just Locals
03. Junip - Carsick
04. Håkan Mild - Hunchback
05. Andreas Mattson - Machine Gun
06. The World - Euthanasia
07. Seven Shells - Old Friends
08. Erik Devahl - Straw
09. Kåre Vernby & Dibaba - If You Have A Heart
10. Boy Omega - Last Ball
11. Reverend Big O - I'm Slow
12. Kristofer Åström - Twinreceiver
13. Monastir - Ghosts For Laundry
14. Bad Cash Quartet - Put Me Back Together
15. They Stole A Million - Speedy
16. Audrey - Helpless
It should be amazing, I'm sure. As for later on, they'll release the debut album "Read between the lines at all times" from postrock/minimalist/nolse act Scraps of Tape in August and records from Once We Were and September Malevolence in the fall. More details when I get them.
Melody Club's brand new single "Take Me Away" comes out in June. The band reportedly shot a Tarantino-influenced video which is supposed to emulate a 'rainy back-alley in Japan'. The new as-yet-unnamed full-length comes out August 25.
Listen to a clip from "This is the house" from Deltahead: http://www.ljummen.com/listen.php?ArtistId=25&radio=false
MIC Norway spotlights the new Kings of Convenience record: http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2004062114232865463950
New bands confirmed for the dates on the Accelerator tour: Dialog Cet, Silverbullit, Paddington D.C. and Hal (IRL).
The Je Ne Sais Quoi will release their debut full-length album "We make beginnings" on September 4 via Coalition Records.