Imohotep interviews Wardruna (video)
Norwegian webzine Imhotep interviews Kvitrafn of the great Norwegian pagan-folk act Wardruna: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TztOfvJyo70
Die Hard lose drummer, to record new EP
Drummer Håkan Jonsson has left Swedish metal act Die Hard to concentrate full-time on his work with Watain. The band will continue on in the meantime with session drummer E. Forcas until a replacement can be found and will be going into the studio May 7-10 to record a new EP for release this coming Halloween via .
Pop Detective to release EP from The Dahlmanns
American power-pop label will be releasing a new EP from The Dahlmanns on May 1, the new band from Andre Dahlmann of long-running act The Yum Yums.
The Generals
Stand up straight
Metalcentral Records
The best way to put a tag on this Swedish quartet is to take Entombed's "To ride, shoot straight and speak the truth" and Dismember's "Massive killing capacity" and fuse the two to create an album that displays the mid-90s death 'n' roll sentiment as expressed by the country's extreme forerunners back then. Both bands have long since left their bop-mosh tendencies to explore different paths (although it was really Entombed's ball, with Dismember lightly toying with the idea amid a more straightforward death metal foundation), essentially leaving a gap in the market for those who fell in love with the style and who strive to make it their own. The Generals manage to pull it off with great conviction, despite not quite achieving the hair-raising impact made by their death metal ancestors. There's one main ingredient here -- the old-school Tomas Skogsberg guitar sound – that elevates this to a status it wouldn't otherwise deserve. It offers what is essentially slightly-above-par songwriting a boost into the realms of acceptance and makes the songs a good deal more enjoyable than if they had some sort of generic death metal tone. That said, the production on here is ever-so-slightly on the wrong side of tinny and it gets a tad annoying after a while. Songwise, it's average with a few shining moments here and there, most notably on their purer death metal moments such as "The offer still stands" and "Consulting with the sinner". Track of the disc must go to "Portal to paradise" though, with its clever use of '80s Sunset Strip hard rock passages that fit so well with the heavier elements that it's a shame The Generals didn't have the foresight to make more use of the amalgam. Overall, "Stand up straight" is a good debut album that shows a wealth of potential, providing the band take the right steps on their next effort.
- John Norby
Svarte Greiner cassette to get LP/CD reissue + US tour
Svarte Greiner's 2008 CS release "Penpals forever (and ever)" will reissued on LP on May 31 via US label with a CD edition to follow on June 20, both of which will include three bonus tracks not on the original. Hear a sample ("B2") at myspace and watch for American tourdates to be confirmed soon: http://www.myspace.com/svartegreiner
Rising in Ireland updated
Updated Irish tourdates for Danish rockers Rising:
04/07 - Upstairs @ Twisted Pepper, Dublin
04/08 - Sally Longs, Galway
04/09 - Emmet's Bar, Ballina
04/10 - Limelight, Belfast w/The Ocean
Benny leaves Blood Mortized, will bring back Malfeitor
Blood Mortized has parted ways with guitarist Benny Moberg who will be concentrating more on his other project Birch Mountain, as well as resurrecting his old band Malfeitor.
Miasmal - Creation of fire
Swedish death metal act Miasmal has a new 2-track 7" coming out in two weeks via / and they are currently streaming one of them at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/miasmalband
Pitchfork reviews Jónsi
Pitchfork gives high marks to the new Jónsi album "Go": http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14098-go/
Sirius playlist week #14
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:
01. TALK 1
02. Robyn - Fembot
03. Monty - Orden
04. The Je Ne Sais Quoi - Bye bye pianotie
05. Palpitation - What if
06. TALK 2
07. The Tallest Man on Earth - Burden of tomorrow
08. Dyno - Don't speak love
09. Margaret Berger - Will you remember me tomorrow?
10. Holiday for Strings - Shelter Island
11. TALK 3
12. Tutankamon - Have you ever been in love?
13. Kråkesølv - Skredder
14. The Tiny - Last weekend
15. Asha Ali - The time is now
16. TALK 4
17. Monzano - Yes, we can't
18. Donkeyboy - Ambitions
19. Kite - Ways to dance
20. Bertine Zetlitz - 500
21. TALK 5
22. Makthaverskan - German boy
Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.
This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart
This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:
01. Susanne Sundfør - The Brothel
02. Chand Torsvik - Kongeriket Norge
03. Donkeyboy - Caught in a Life
04. Diverse artister - Melodi Grand Prix 2010
05. Jenny & Arne - From Our Hearts
06. Serena Maneesh - S-M 2: Abyss In B Minor
07. Aleksander With - Still Awake
08. Raga Rockers - Shit Happens
09. Staut - Staut
10. Ingrid Olava - The Guest
11. Thom Hell - All Good Things
12. WigWam - Non Stop Rock'N'Roll
13. Dum Dum Boys - Tidsmaskin
14. Navigators - The Straight And Narrow
15. Hilde Louise Asbjørnsen - Never Ever Going Back
16. Batteri - Batteri
17. John Olav Nilsen & Gjengen - For Sant Til Å Være Godt
18. Diverse artister - Dugnad For Haiti
19. Hanne Boel & Carsten Dahl - I Think It Is Going To Rain
20. Sondre Bratland & Annbjørg Lie - Alle vegne
ExMS plans for 2010
Export Music Sweden has posted a list of upcoming activities they have planned, including showcases at MusExpo in LA (feat. Erik Hassle, Laleh, Sidechild, Fibes, Oh Fibes! and Takida) and CMJ (artists TBD): http://www.exms.com/?p=1640
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Rolandz - Jajamen
02. Salem al Fakir - Ignore this
03. Mikael Wiehe - Ta det tillbaka!
04. Timo Räisänen - The anatomy of Timo Räisänen
05. The Playtones - Rock'n roll dance party
06. Cookies n Beans - Beg, borrow and steal
07. Teddybears - Devil's music
08. Björn Skifs - Da capo
09. Rigmor Gustafsson & Radio String Quartet Vienna - Calling you
10. Amanda Jenssen - Happyland
11. Melissa Horn - Säg ingenting till mig
12. Sophie Zelmani - I'm the rain
13. Svenne Hedlund - Sings Elvis in Memphis
14. Claes Lövgrens - Vi lever nu
15. Kent - Röd
16. Magnus Lindberg + Basse Wickman - Vita lögner + svarta ballader volym 1
17. Nordman - Korsväg
18. Torgny Melin - Dansbandsnatt
19. Linda Sundblad - Manifest
20. Pauline - Never said I was an angel
Ikons - Slow light (Pistol Disco remix)
Download the Pistol Disco remix of Ikons' "Slow light": http://www.rcrdlbl.com/artists/IKONS/track/Slow_Light_Pistol_Disco_Remix
MP3: Familjen - När planeterna stannat
Familjen with guitars? Sounds to me like someone's been hanging out with Kent a little too much. Aside from that quibble though, it's as solid as anything else he's done and I'm looking forward to hearing the upcoming album.
Familjen - När planeterna stannat