The new In Flames video for "Alias" is now online: http://headbangersblog.mtv.com/2008/09/04/video-premiere-in-flames-discover-true-alias/
The blog Free Jazz on the new Maria Kannegaard album "Maryland" (ft. Håkon Kornstad): http://freejazz-stef.blogspot.com/2008/09/maria-kannegaard-maryland-moserobie.html
All About Jazz pays tribute to departed jazz legend Esbjörn Svensson with an unpublished interview from 2006: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=30356
US-based indiepop label Series Two Records is putting out another slew of compilations, including one of all Swedish-based artists. Read more: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=31429084&blogID=430369860
Duplicate Records is streaming a sample track from Norwegian viking metal act Eljudner and their new 7" "Blod og kvad": http://www.myspace.com/duplicaterecords
Definitely reminds me of old Enslaved in the best possible way.
Danish brutal metalcore act The Psyke Project has enlisted Christian Bonnesen from the band Harasser (remember?) as their new 2nd guitarist. The band will play a bunch of shows around Denmark over the next couple months before heading to Studio Fredman in Göteborg to record a new album in early November. Dates and details: http://www.myspace.com/thepsykeproject
Park Hotell has recorded a new track for an upcoming Eardrums Music comp. No more info yet, but keep an eye on this page: http://eardrumsmusic.com/the-label/
MP3: At the Gates - Terminal spirit disease
I've got a guest post today over at Dagensskiva as part of their At the Gates "Suicidal Final Tour" coverage: [click here]
It's funny, I consider "Slaughter of the soul" to be near-perfect, but it's actually not my favorite AtG record. That honor goes to "Terminal spirit disease". I'm not sure if it's because I've burned myself out on "Slaughter..." or because I heard "Terminal..." first, but that's the way it is. I suppose it could also be because the riffs are way more intricate, striking a balance between the weird, overtly-technical songwriting of departed guitarist Alf Svensson and the straightforward, raw power of the tracks on "Slaughter". It's the sound of a band in transition, a trait made even more apparent by the addition of three live versions of old tracks, including one of their very first songs ("All life ends"). It also helps that the acoustic instrumental (a thrash album prerequisite) "And the world returned" is infinitely better than its counterpart on "Slaughter" ("Into the dead sky").
Regardless of which album you prefer, even if you're a die-hard "The red in the sky is ours" fan, At the Gates is a band that has been and will be sorely missed. If you were/are lucky enough to see them this week, I envy you.
At the Gates - Terminal spirit disease
Zeigeist is going to Russia in late October:
10/24 - Inwave - 16 tons, Moskva
10/25 - Universal Club, Kalingrad
The Greencoats' (remember?) new video for "Honey" can be seen here: http://vimeo.com/1605541
Check out studio footage of Frost from Satyricon recording drum tracks for the new album in LA: http://www.satyricon.no/news/
Orup and Lena Philipsson are collaborating on an album of duets to be released by Roxy Recordings on November 12 entitled "Dubbel". The first single "Nu när du gått" will be out in digital format on September 22.
Göteborg-based experimental/noise labels Release the Bats, Harsh Head Rituals and Klorofyll Kassetter have joined forces to open a storefront/studio/office space in the Almedal neighborhood under the banner Utmarken. Read more: http://www.releasethebats.com/utmarken.html
Swedish lofi DIY label Hockey Rawk has two new releases out now from Christopher Cantillo & Daniel Karlsson and Manlig Kärlek: http://www.hockey-rawk.com/web/index.php?file=kop2.php
The new video for "Stockholm city" from Swedish hip-hop artist Ken Ring is now online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oId_ZJDj2Cg