Norwegian industrial/metal act Gothminister will release their third album "Happiness in darkness" on November 14 via Drakkar/Indie Distribution. Samples at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/gothminister
Lords of Metal talks to guitarist Czral-Michael from Norwegian avant-metal act Virus: http://www.lordsofmetal.nl/showinterview.php?id=2389&lang=en
Pitchfork reports that José González has a new live EP out via Think Indie: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/147152-jose-gonzalez-releases-live-ep
Swedish postrockers September Malevolence have licensed their latest album "After this darkness, there's a next" to Zankyo Records in Japan for release this coming January. Expect tourdates to follow. The band is also working with Denovali Records yet again to reissue a vinyl edition of their debut album "Tomorrow we'll wonder where this generation gets its priorities from" with two added bonus tracks and new artwork. No date yet on that one, but I'll keep you posted. Read a new interview with frontman Martin Lundmark here: http://www.theastronautfarm.com/2008/11/major-tom-interviews-september.html
Legendary long-running Finnish hardcore act Riistetyt is coming to the UK in January:
01/14 - tbc, Dublin
01/15 - Henry's Cellar Bar, Edinburgh
01/16 - 1 in 12 club, Bradford
01/17 - The Grosvenor, London
01/18 - tbc, Bristol
NONS has signed Lowood and will be releasing their debut album "Close to violence" in March. Hear a sample at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/lowoodsweden
The band features members from today's featured mp3 act Idoru and will be supporting Tiger Lou on their upcoming Swedish tour (see sidebar for dates). Speaking of Tiger, the band will be performing new album "A partial print" in its entirety at these upcoming shows and speaking of "A partial print", I should be getting copies for mailorder very soon.
MIC Norway is updated with London Jazz Festival coverage, including profiles on Arve Henriksen (Supersilent, etc.), Arild Andersen and Frøy Aagre: http://www.mic.no/english
Finnish act Nightwish will be bringing Danish rockers Volbeat as support for their US tour next spring:
05/01 - Webster Theater, Hartford, CT
05/02 - Nokia Theater, New York, NY
05/03 - Crocodile Rock, Allentown, PA
05/05 - Sonar, Baltimore, MD
05/06 - Club Oasis, Louisville, KY
05/08 - Pops, Sauget, IL
05/09 - Diamond Ballroom, Oklahoma City, OK
05/11 - Pavillion at Concrete Street, Corpus, TX
05/12 - Warehouse Live, Houston, TX
05/14 - Masquerade, Atlanta, GA
Finnish yacht rock cover act Lauantain Toivotut will release their new album "Aamuksi kotiin" on November 19 and will celebrate with a small batch of shows around the country. Dates and samples: http://www.myspace.com/lauantaintoivotut
I recommend track #2, "Olen neitsyt".
PopMatters calls Swedish expat Theresa Andersson one of their favorite acts from CMJ: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/65256/cmj-music-marathon-2008-from-top-draw-to-taco-bell/
Viktor Sjöberg and Jens Lekman will be touring Asia together this fall:
11/29 - Ssamzie Spac, Seoul, South Korea
11/30 - Ssamzie Spac, Seoul, South Korea
12/01 - The White Rabbit, Singapore
12/02 - Yugong Yishan, Beijing, China
12/03 - JZ, Hangzhou, China
12/04 - JZ, Shanghai, China
12/06 - tba, Bandung, Indonesia
12/0? - tba, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Check out some killer live footage of Swedish hardcore act We Live In Trenches performing in Göteborg: http://vimeo.com/2143396
Swedish jazz artist Oskar Schönning now has a video online for his excellent new single "Faustine": http://www.vimeo.com/2145345
And even though the actual album recording was filmed (in front of an audience, to boot), this is not a performance video. Very recommended!
Piroth has cancelled their winter tour plans: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=65256767&blogID=446501157
MP3: Idoru - Chase
Like On Volcano, Idoru is a great example of what's possible in modern DIY indierock. I strongly disagree with my colleague's assessment of the former - while so many current, big-label bands are caught up in fey pretension, pointless experimentalism or worse, it's so good to hear new acts like this. And by that, I mean that they actually know how to write good songs, an all too rarefied quality. Idoru's EP isn't as consistent as On Volcano's, but high points like "Chase" show great potential. The sound is contemporary, but it's also strongly informed by the past: classic shoegaze, early postpunk or 90s noiserock, it's all there. Just listen to the way they tease you with bits of a well-known melody on the coda! However, most of all, I appreciate that they know how to rock. Pop music need not be limpwristed, nor does rock demand power over melody. The two can coexist! Imagine that! Strange times indeed...
Idoru - Chase