Via Blabbermouth comes this report on the continuing trial of Gorgoroth frontman Gaahl as he defends accusations he assaulted a man and threatened to drink his blood, among other things: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=21840
And his mom weighs in as well: "My son is a vegetarian!": http://www.roadrun.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=21866
Dan Swanö reports that Swedish all-star death-metal band Bloodbath will be entering his own Studio Kuling on May 4 to record their new album. The record will be called "Nightmares Made Flesh" and will be released by Century Media this fall. As mentioned before, the band was recently joined by Peter Tägtgren (Hypocrisy, Pain) on lead vocals following the departure of Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth).
Chaosbreed, the Finnish counterpart to Bloodbath, will be having a record release show at Club Tavastia in Helsinki on May 13 for their new album "Brutal". The record is out already via Century Media. Up-and-coming Finnish metal act Imperanon will support. Their own debut record "Stained" comes out in May as well, but on Nuclear Blast.
Nordscen is helping to promote Scenerum, a new 'virtual meeting place' for Nordic artists of all varieties. To help kick-start the new project, Nordscen will be holding three simultaneous workshops this fall. Read more: http://www.nordscen.org/index.php?id=296
Upcoming tourdates for Namur:
04/29 - Paraplyen, Vejle (DK) w/Lampshade
05/01 - Studenterhus, Odense (DK) w/Lampshade
05/02 - KB, Malmö (SWE) w/Lampshade
05/06 - Nordischer klang festival, Klex, Greifswald (GER)
05/07 - King kong club, Berlin (GER) w/The Broken Beats
05/09 - Ms Stubnitz, Rostock (GER) w/Bob Log III
05/10 - Kino Melodie, Potsdam (GER)
05/12 - tba, Leipzig (GER)
05/13 - Schilleroper, Hamburg (GER)
05/14 - Z Altenberg, Oberhausen (GER) w/Festspielhaus
05/15 - Project 7, Magdeburg (GER)
The multi-talented Snowy Shaw has a bit more of his new website online, including a new section for Notre Dame, a site for the band Them Sluts! and much more: http://www.snowyshaw.com/
Eskobar will be playing the Camden Underworld in London on May 25. The show is presented by Bilda and sponsored in part by MediaPlant.se. Apparently MediaPlant is having a special offer for bands to get 500 CDs for 5000 sek including full-color sleeves and the works. If you're gonna take em up on it, be sure to say you read about it here because, well, it's been implied that I might get something out of it. Anyhow, a good deal is a good deal. Support will come from two other Swedish bands to be announced later.
There's two more new Eskobar dates added today as well:
05/06 - Store Vega, Copenhagen (DK)
05/18 - Tavastia, Helsinki (FIN)
In other Swedish bands playing London news, Laakso has switched their Club Fandango gig to May 26 so they can play with the band Costar which features former members of Rialto.
Danish electronic pop group Tiger Baby will rerelease their debut album "Lost in You" in the US via Souvenir Records on June 1. They will release it locally in their home country through the label Gunhero Music.
Snook's debut album "Vi Vet Inte Vart Vi Ska Men Vi Ska Komma Dit" has been confirmed for a May 12 release via Groover Recordings. As mentioned before, they'll be taking part in the 'Hultsfred on Wheels' tour this summer in Sweden with Niccokick.
Updated tourdates for The Rasmus:
04/27 - Cathouse, Glasgow (UK)
04/28 - Academy 3, Manchester (UK)
04/29 - Mean Fiddler, London (UK)
05/27 - Razzmatazz, Barcelona (SPA)
05/28 - Madrid, Festimad (SPA)
05/30 - Pinkpop, Landgraaf (HOL)
05/31 - Thessaloniki (GRE)
06/04 - Rock im Park (GER)
06/06 - Rock am Ring (GER)
06/12 - SWR3 Open Air, Stuttgart (GER)
06/13 - Flipout Festival, Bologna (ITA)
06/25 - Astoria, London (UK)
06/26 - Astoria, London (UK)
07/02 - Skellefteå Festival (SWE)
07/03 - Werchter Festival (BEL)
07/09 - Gatufest, Sundsvall (SWE)
07/10 - Outside Festival, Zurich (SWI)
07/11 - Ruisrock, Turku (FIN)
08/01 - Ankkarock, Vantaa (FIN)
08/04 - Liseberg, Göteborg (SWE)
08/07 - Sziget Festival, Budapest (HUN)
08/14 - Astra Fest, Hamburg (GER)
08/20 - Mont Soleil Festival (SWI)
08/21 - Gampel Open Air, (SWI)
08/27 - Leeds Festival (UK)
08/29 - Reading Festival (UK)
09/18 - Le Zenith, Paris (FRA)
09/21 - Ferrand , Clermont (FRA)
09/22 - Le Moulin, Marseille (FRA)
09/23 - Le Confluent, Toulouse (FRA)
09/24 - La Trocadiere, Nantes (FRA)
09/25 - St. Renan, Brest (FRA)
09/27 - Aeronef, Lille (FRA)
09/28 - Seichamps, Nancy (FRA)
Madder Mortem has entered the studio to record their next album. Keep track of what they're up to at their online diary: http://www.maddermortem.com/index.php?topCat=0&subCat=0&subPg=4&day=1
Check out the video for the single "Diskodans" from recent Smalltown Supersound signee Mental Overdrive: http://www.loveod.com/pub/Diskodans.shtml
The new full-length "083" is due out late this year.