As you've probably already heard, all of Ozzy Osbourne's upcoming tour plans have been shelved since his recent ATV accident, so that means that HIM's plans to support those dates are cancelled too. But all is not lost - the band is still planning on touring Europe and here's the most-recent schedule:
01/08 - Coliseum, Oporto (POR)
01/09 - Coliseum, Lisbon (POR)
01/19 - Alcatraz, Milano (IT)
01/21 - Elysee Montmartre, Paris (FR)
01/22 - Den Atelier, Luxembourg
01/26 - Barrowlands, Glasgow (UK)
01/28 - Carling Academy, Bristol (UK)
01/29 - Pyramids Centre, Portsmouth (UK)
01/30 - Academy 1, Manchester (UK)
01/31 - Rock City, Nottingham (UK)
02/12 - Industrial Copera, Granada (SP)
02/13 - Sala Gamma, Murcia (SP)
02/14 - Razzmatazz, Barcelona (SP)
02/15 - Polideportivo Anoeta, San Sebastian (SP)
02/17 - La Riviera, Madrid (SP)
02/20 - 013, Tilburg (HOL)
02/21 - Carling Academy, Birmingham (UK)
02/23 - Astoria, London (UK)
03/19 - Gasometer, Vienna (AUS)
03/21 - Maag Music Hall, Zurich (SWI)
03/22 - Kongresshaus, Biel (SWI)
03/25 - Grosse Freiheit, Hamburg (GER)
03/26 - Grosse Freiheit, Hamburg (GER)
03/27 - Pier 2, Bremen (GER)
03/28 - JovelL, Munster (GER)
03/30 - Amo, Magdeburg (GER)
03/31 - Columbiahalle, Berlin (GER)
04/01 - Easy Auensee, Leipzig (GER)
04/02 - Alter Schlachthof, Dresden (GER)
04/03 - Palladium, Cologne (GER)
04/05 - Soundgarden, Dortmund (GER)
04/06 - Capitol, Offenbach (GER)
04/07 - Muffathalle, Munich (GER)
Gluecifer's new album "Automatic Thrill" comes out January 26 and they will soon be providing some streaming samples over on their website. They've also lined up some more live headlining dates around Norway:
01/28 - Blæst, Trondheim (Release party)
01/29 - Hulen, Bergen (Release party)
01/30 - Checkpoint, Stavanger (Release party)
02/04 - Rica Ishavshotellet, Tromsø
02/05 - Sinus, Sinus
02/07 - Hydranten, Hamar
P3 Musikjournalen reports that The Embassy is working on demos for their new album under the tutelage of reknown producer Björn Olsson.
The Sounds and The (International) Noise Conspiracy will be representing Sweden at this summer's Warped Tour in the US. The Sounds will play the dates of June 25 through July 18 and t(I)NC will perform July 28 until August 19.
Swedish punks Victims will be entering Soundlab Studios in April to record a new full-length for US-based Havoc Records, the label of Felix von Havoc (ex-Destroy!, Code 13). The band also plans to play the Linköping HC Fest in February and maybe will even head over to the States for three weeks in August/September.
Download "Man Don't Walk" from Low Frequency in Stereo's upcoming album: http://www.rec90.com/mp3/low/walk.mp3
Drama alert! Polydor/Universal has reportedly rejected The Hives' new record and is sending the band back into the studio to record more of what they say are "singles"! Could this be the beginning of the end for the band? Will they survive this setback and live up to expectations?
Norweigan gothic folk-rock act Gåte is stepping out for some dates in Denmark and Sweden:
02/12 - Studenterhuset, Ålborg (DK)
02/13 - Voxhall, Århus (DK)
02/14 - Gimle, Roskilde (DK)
02/15 - Vega, København (DK)
02/26 - tba, Göteborg (SWE)
02/27 - Nivå, Gävle (SWE)
02/28 - Pipeline, Sundsvall (SWE)
Jaga Jazzist drummer Martin Horntveth and trumpet player Nils Petter Molvær both contribute to the new Funkstörung album out in March.
Norweigan hard-rockers We are still busy in the studio working on overdubs and they report that they've been blessed with guest appearances from Jai Shankar, Chris Summers (Oslo Motherfuckers), Anders Møller (Euroboys), Euroboy (Turbonegro), Danny Young (Gluecifer) and more. The band also plans to tour Europe in support on their latest release "Lightyears Ahead" in March and we should have dates confirmed soon.
BBC Jazz on 3 has an in-studio session with Food, the Norweigan jazz combo that features Supersilent trumpeter Arve Henriksen alongside bass and electronics player Mats Eilertson, drummer Thomas Strønen and English saxophonist Iain Ballamy. Listen here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/jazz/jon3/jon3030207ffood.shtml
MIC Norway does a bit of follow-up regarding Kurt Nilsen's victory at the World Idol competition and what's in store for his future: http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2004010613384558116731
Green Carnation is in desparate need of a keyboardist. Read more: http://www.heavymetal.no/show.article.asp?menuid=&artid=928 (in Norweigan)
PopMatters.com has posted a glowing review of Frifot's album "Sluring". It's not exactly a new release, but the writing is good.
In Battle has confirmed "Welcome To The Battlefield" as the title of their new album, tentatively due out on August 4 from Cold/Metal Blade Records.