Famed Swedish video director Jonas Åkerlund is working with Blink-182 on their next single "I Miss You". Åkerlund's previous credits include artists such as Satyricon, Madonna, Metallica and The Prodigy.
Download an mp3 sample of the track "Cold Women and Warm Beer", the new single from Finland's The Black League: http://www.spinefarm.net/ranch/mp3/COLDWOMEN.mp3. THe song comes from the band's third album "Man's Ruin Revisited", due out January 12 on Spinefarm subsidiary Ranch Records.
Meshuggah, Sonata Arcata and Arise are among the first bands to have been confirmed for the 2nd annual Gates of Metal fest on July 31 in Hultsfred, Sweden. More info: http://www.gatesofmetal.nu/
Finnish "pagan battle metal" band Turisas have signed with Century Media Records. The band is currently at Sound Suite Studio in Marseille, France with producer Terje Refsnes (Tristania, Destroyer 666, Morgul) working on their as-yet-untitled debut album. Vocalist Mathias Nygård comments:
"I'm extremely pleased with the deal and I'm really looking forward to working with Century Media. The audience for this kind of folk/heathen/battle metal has grown enormously within a couple of years and I think the timing for the release of our debut is almost perfect. The songs to be recorded are all very pagan battle metal, but we've never been afraid of taking our own path and maybe bending the line between different genres and music styles. The drums are pounding, so grab your sword and join the ranks of Turisas marching for war!"
Gee, who knew that scene was ripe to take off? Certainly not me. Look for an early 2004 release.
Some folks are gonna be very disappointed: ex-Emperor drummer and convicted killer Bård "Faust" Eithun has left legendary criminal black-metal group Dissection, the band led by convicted felon and guitarist/vocalist Jon Nödtvedt. Faust has reportedly "been tense about what impression the whole deal with Dissection would do to him in practice and that he has come to the conclusion that he can't stand behind and live up to the demands of Dissection's Satanic concept, with the inevitable result that he has to leave the band." He comments that "my relation to Dissection is simply musical. The problem occurs when the band takes form more as a cult where there are rules for behaviors and strict codes." Fair enough, I suppose. Apparently he didn't realize how strongly devoted the band was to their dark lord Satan. Jon's response? "I don't ask from anyone to be anything else than himself", he said, "but if a member of the band isn't capable of living up to the ideology and giving the band his full and wholehearted dedication, then I see no other option than us going separate ways, really. I can only show Faust my appreciation for being open and honest about it at an early stage, because now we can go on and look for someone who is right for the band before we record our forthcoming album. I further wish Faust the best of luck for the future." Of course that means that the band is now looking for a replacement, so if you think you're dedicated in all the right ways, you should get in touch.
Peter at Dead Frog Records is making me look like a lazy slob by posting 24 more demo reviews today. I'll be posting some more reviews this weekend, I swear!
Check out the video for the song "Highlights" from Lorraine: http://www.rec90.com/pge/lorraine/highlightsfinal.mpg
Here's the nominees for the 2004 Steppeulven, the Danish music critics prize: http://www.steppeulv.dk/2004/nom.htm. Winners will be announced on January 30.
The Concretes made the #1 slot on Neumu writer Anthony Carew's best of 2003 list. Also representing Sweden at #20 is the latest from The Cardigans. The Concretes also made #21 on the Rough Trade list. Congrats!
Pluxus got themselves a new seasonal splash-page over at their website along with a screensaver you can download. They also report that Pluxumburg signees Fibes, Oh Fibes! is preparing to record their debut full-length and Pluxus themselves are in the studio "experimenting with guitars, computers and their arsenal of synthesizers."
Listen to and vote for your favorite new Swedish Christmas song: http://www.sr.se/p3/morgon/jullatar.stm. Your options are Elin Sigvardsson, Wille Crafoord, Miss Universum, Nina & Kim, Paris and Fattaru.
Go to the Kamera website and look under 'Bilder' for pics from their show at Mosebacke as well as images from their new video for the song "Suburban Boy".
That Abflug Records show in the Rub al Khali desert I talked about back on 12/01 is now available for download at the label's website: http://www.abflugrec.com/
Last Saturday BBC6 DJ Steve Lamacq did a special 'Rebel Playlist' feature on Soak the Sin, Bad Cash Quartet and Kamera, three bands that caught his interest from the Access All Areas seminar/festival in Stockholm. Check out the playlist here and listen to it on-demand for the rest of the week from here. (see 'Listen Again')