Ludwig Bell album preview
Gimme Indie is streaming the new Ludwig Bell album "Jag har försökt förklara": http://www.minradio.se/gimmeindie/
The official release date is August 25 via .
Nidingr
Wolf-father
Jester Records
Nidingr are one of those bands who make up for their lack of releases with the supremacy of their recordings, and "Wolf-father" is no exception. Musically, this is unmistakably Teloch and Blargh at work and it is a fitting follow-up to 2005's "Sorrow infinite and darkness". Just as that album displayed a strange character unique to Nidingr, so does "Wolf-father" exude an enigmatic presence that doesn't quite sound like anything else out there. As much as founder-member Teloch may loathe genre labelling, the best way to describe Nidingr to the untrained ear is to explain that it's predominantly deathened black metal (yes, that's the right way around) with elements of 'weird' included. When compared to its predecessor, it has an almost muffled sonority yet, as a standalone album, the production is spot-on, complimenting the musical output to perfection. A short album, clocking in at just under 23 minutes, it's definitely a case of quality over quantity, but with the legendary Hellhammer offering his expertise behind the kit, a special guest appearance by Ulver's Garm, and an album that's captivating from start to finish, the quality control mark is firmly stamped and good to go. There's not a dull moment to be had, from the driving main riff of "Baldrs draumar" to its esoteric doomy passages through to "Reginsmol", a song that sounds-off like Burzum on cocaine. It's all inspiring stuff. There's something about it that takes us right back to the heady days of early Norwegian black metal and therein lays its hidden genius. At we enter the latter half of 2010, this looks like it could be one of the top releases of the year.
- John Norby
New Vanhelgd gets title
The new Vanhelgd album will be called "Church of death". Tracklist details at myspace: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=316883180&blogId=538352754
The Finnish Metal Tour 2
Lambgoat reports that Finnish metal acts Finntroll, Ensiferum, Rotten Sound and Barren Earth will be touring North America together in early 2011: http://www.lambgoat.com/news/view.aspx?id=14982
Adolphson-Falk to release boxset, new single
Pioneering Swedish synth duo Adolphson-Falk will be releasing a 4CD boxset on October 10 entitled, appropriately enough, "101010". Said collection will include all of their recordings from the 80s plus 20 bonus tracks and an 80-page booklet. They've already recorded a new single together with their old associate Greg FitzPatrick called "Gjord för mig" which is being released to radio this week.
Klicktrack merges with Phonofile
Sweden-based digital music retailer Klicktrack has merged with Phonofile to become the biggest digital distributor in Scandinavia: http://www.phonofile.com/news.php#7
In addition to enabling artists and labels to sell their own wares via Klicktrack, the new partnership will now allow them to further aggregate their content to all other digital retailers.
Kitchen and the Plastic Spoons to play ShockWave
Kitchen and the Plastic Spoons will be playing the ShockWave Party Festival in Bremen, Germany on September 11: http://www.shockwaveparty.de/festival.php
Bear Quartet preorder info, more
has posted the artwork and preorder details for the new The Bear Quartet album "Monty Python", due out September 15: http://www.adrianrecordings.com/default.asp?newsid=279
It will be released in tandem with the single "Fist or hand".
Musik med Sambassadeur (#2)
More newly published, older live recordings at PSL, this time from Sambassadeur: http://blogg.svt.se/psl/2010/08/17/musik-med-sambassadeur-2/
Haust/Okkultokrati live pics, 7" repress, etc.
Check out pics from the Haust/Okkultokrati official record release show on Friday the 13th: http://okkultokrati.blogspot.com/2010/08/photos-from-haustokkultokrati-show.html
Also note that Okkultokrati's debut 7" "Knarkskog" is being repressed: http://okkultokrati.blogspot.com/2010/08/knarkskog-repress.html
100 copies, red vinyl, totally crucial. The shirts are pretty bad-ass too (even my wife likes it), though I've yet to cut the sleeves off mine as directed.
Kråkesølv to release 2nd album in November
Norwegian indie act Kråkesølv are working on a new album at Grand Sport Studio in Oslo with Christian Engfelt and Øystein Greni, tentatively titled "Bomtur til jorda" and set for a November 9 release.
Free Dag för Dag EP coming in September
Dag för Dag will have a new 5-song EP called "Releases" posted for free download sometime in September.
Kite signs A Stoic Gone Bezerk
(I'm Kingfisher/Thomas Denver Jonsson) has signed Swedish indie/folk/roots act A Stoic Gone Bezerk. Listen to samples: http://www.myspace.com/astoicgoneberserk
Worth a listen methinks.
Familjen - Det var jag (video)
At last, here is the video for Familjen's latest single "Det var jag", my favorite track off his latest album "Mänskligheten". Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aChNySMPpoI
PopMatters talks to Olafur Arnalds
PopMatters interviews Icelandic artist/composer Olafur Arnalds: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/127131-the-weight-of-lightness-an-interview-with-composer-olafur-arnalds/