Munich are streaming a new live track on their myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/munichdk
Despotz Records is giving away a couple new Christmas-themed tunes:
The Deer Tracks - Christmas fire
Twiggy Frostbite - Bells & chimes
Look for Twiggy Frostbite's debut album "Through fire" to be released in Scandinavia in February and the UK in April/May.
Danish act Carpark North has revamped their website with a new look and a focus on video content: http://www.carparknorth.dk/
Norwegian act Pale Kids have scrapped their album after many release delays and will be going back into the studio to rerecord it.
Alouatta has started recording their debut full-length and will be doing basic tracks with Andre Linder (Östermalm) before sending it off to Fredrik Björk (Twopointeight) for overdubs.
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Sanna, Shirley, Sonja - Our Christmas
02. Per Gessle - Party crasher
03. Lasse Stefanz - Svängjul
04. Amy Diamond - En helt ny Jul
05. Eldkvarn - Hunger Hotell
06. The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Communion
07. Ulf Lundell - Omaha
08. Lena + Orup - Dubbel
09. ABBA - The albums (9CD box set)
10. Charlotte Perrelli - Rimfrostjul
11. Vikingarna - Den sista dansen - Live från Arvika
12. Christer Sjögren - Mitt sköna sextiotal
13. Kent - Kent box 1991-2008
14. Anna Ternheim - Leaving on a mayday
15. Hans Alfredsson/Tage Danielsson/Lasse O'Månsson - Lindemans låda - Fullare än någonsin
16. Jill Johnson - Baby blue paper
17. Bo Kaspers Orkester - 8
18. Titiyo - Hidden
19. Povel Ramel - Som om inget hade hänt: Povel-pop från förra årt...
20. Magnus Carlsson - Re:collection 93-08
M:40 has started to line up a lot of tourdates for next year:
01/20 - Tvo, Turku (FIN)
01/21 - Vastavirta-Klubi, Tampere (FIN)
01/22 - Lutakko, Jyväskylä (FIN)
01/23 - Club Tsokol, St. Petersburg (RUS)
01/24 - Pub Porshen, Petrozavodsk (RUS)
04/08 - Köpi, Berlin (GER)
04/09 - Zoro, Leipzig (GER)
04/10 - Gerberstrasse, Weimar (GER)
04/11 - Ajz, Neubrandenburg (GER)
06/11 - Be-Part Festival 6, Stuttgart (GER)
07/03 - Packebusch Festival, Packebusch (GER)
07/16 - Obscene Extreme Festival, Trutnov (CZ)
Finnish act Büfo will be joining them for the Finnish and Russian dates and fellow Swedes End of All will accompany them in Germany. Also, keep an eye out for a new split 7" with Dutch act Sand Creek Massacre early next year.
Pitchfork is premiering the new El Perro Del Mar version of the classic "Auld Lang Syne": http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/147944-premiere-el-perro-del-mar-auld-lang-syne-mp3-stream
MP3: Kristofer Åström - Conjure me
Look ahead, look behind. Kristofer Åström's "Rainawaytown" easily topped last year's top 10 list and he's been in the studio working on a follow-up and I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up on my best of 2009 list. Long-range thinking, I know, but I stand by it. As to what this new record will sound like, I can't speculate, but I know he's working with the Rainaways again as a backing band, so it probably won't differ too much. I just hope that Kristofer is in a happier place nowadays because "Rainawaytown" is dark dark dark. Even seemingly upbeat songs like "Conjure me" are imbued with sadness, to say nothing of tracks such as "The dark" (obviously). So Kris, if you need to get away, you're more than welcome to come here and chill out. I'll fix up the guest room in the attic, though it might take the dogs a few days to adjust. We've got some of the same overcast gloom here in Oly as in Göteborg, but it doesn't get quite as cold and the pace of life is much, much slower. And hey, if you don't need it, all the better. I'm sure our paths will cross again soon, one way or another.
Kristofer Åström - Conjure me
Convoj
Exceptionnel
Wonderland Records
Due to a tangle of unforeseen circumstances, Convoj's debut full length has been a long time coming... but "Exceptionnel" has been well worth the wait. While a few friends have expressed disappointment that there are two songs from the previous EP - "My timekeeping heart" and "RAMJAC" (and for anyone who downloaded the demos for "Liberty city" and "Cultural legacy" a while back, there are another two tracks you might be familiar with) - all of these songs have been rerecorded and improved upon, especially "RAMJAC" whose final minutes are fantastic. And seeing how well these earlier tracks complement newer ones like "The shovel", "Grace" and "Ghost buster", it's hard to see how these previously recorded compositions hinder "Exceptionnel" in the least. Continuing on from the angular, yet fluid rock sound established early into their career, Convoj's new effort confirms the band's standing amongst the best of the bunch. Completely unrestrained and unrelenting, and yet paradoxically focused, "Exceptionnel" tears down strange avenues only to erupt into graceful moments of beauty... and then back into their distortion-tinged lightning strike guitars, thick, driving bass, deft drum work, and commanding vocal delivery. There isn't a misstep on "Exceptionnel", nor is there a chance taken that isn't rewarding.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Sounds Like Violence checks in from Tambourine Studios in Malmö where they are recording their new album: http://www.soundslikeviolence.com/news.asp?ID=78
The Infernus-led lineup of Gorgoroth has announced that they have enlisted former vocalist Pest to take the place of the infamous Gaahl. As to which version of the band gets to keep the Gorgoroth name, we have to wait until January for the court case to be decided. Read more: http://www.regainrecords.com/viewItem.php?id=325
Check out Enslaved's new video for "The watcher": http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=47211690