Swedish electro/EBM act Backlash will release the 2nd of their planned 4-part EP series on December 18, this one containing the single "Divine", a remix, 2 b-sides and a cover of "Wishing" by A Flock of Seagulls. Sample at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mementomateria
The new Interlace single "Nemesis" will be officially released as a digital download on May 12 via Memento Materia to coincide with the band's appearance at the Kinetik Festival in Montreal, Canada on May 14. Preview at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/interlace
Also on the way from Memento Materia is a series of four new EPs from EBM act Backlash, the first being a tribute to Ultravox entitled "Quiet men". Said EP will contain their cover of the title track as well as an extended remix version, a cover of the additional Ultravox track "Slow motion", plus the exclusive b-side "Lipstick". Look for it on May 25.
Swedish EBM act Backlash has a new video for the track "Splinter" on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW2fUCAYC9w
The new album from Swedish EBM act Backlash will be called "Shape of things to come". Listen to some tracks at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/backlashsweden
No official release date yet, but they are saying January/February or thereabouts.
The new album "Strike one" from Swedish EBM act Militant Cheerleaders on the Move has been confirmed for release on February 24 via Memento Materia. Other MM releases in 2006:
02/17 - Code 64 - "Sea of Stars"
02/24 - Michigan - "Discohell"
03/03 - Backlash - "Breach"
03/10 - Z Prochek - "One Day"
03/15 - V/A - "Dynamo Vol I"
Swedish industrial/EBM label Memento Materia is launching a new single series called Dynamo in which four artists contribute to a single limited edition CD, packaged in metal and sold at a special price. The inaugral release in the series will include tracks from Michigan, Code 64, Backlash and Z Prochek. More details: http://www.mementomateria.se/
Swedish EBM act Backlash has posted a couple mp3 snippets from their upcoming album, due out spring 2006: http://www.backlashmedia.se/
Swedish electropop act Backlash will be getting their album "Heliotrope" released in the US soon via WTII Records. Before that however, they will get an international release for the "Lodestar EP" which features the title track plus remixes by Anders Eliasson (Page), an acoustic guitar mix and a "Daft Punk-esqu" remix from the winners of the Backlash remix contest. The disc also features new mixes of the tracks "Purity of a Sinner" and "Splinter" as well as the unreleased cut "Man of a Different Mould".
The nominees for the 2004 Manifest Awards have been announced. Here are a few of the categories:
Pop/rock:
David Sandström - "The Dominant Need of the Needy Soul Is to be Needed"
Jens Lekman - "When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog"
Stina Nordenstam - "The World Is Saved"
Silverbullit - "Arclight"
Hardrock/punk:
C.Aarmé - "C.Aarmé"
Dismember - "When Iron Crosses Grow"
Haunted - "rEVOLVEr"
Koma - "Tsunami"
Totalt Jävla Mörker - "Människans ringa värde"
Hip-hop/R&B/soul:
Helt Off - "Helt Off"
Ison & Fille - "Ison & Fille"
Promoe - "Long Distance Runner"
Snook - "Vi vet inte vart vi ska men vi ska komma dit"
Rico Wondahman - "Takin' Over"
Post-rock/electronica:
Backlash - "Heliotrop"
Andreas Tilliander - "World Industries"
Sophie Rimheden - "Miss"
Hans Appelqvist - "Bremort"
IC1 - "The Birth of Industrial Cool"
Dance/house/techno:
Quant - "Getting Out"
Andreas Tilliander - "World Industries"
Sophie Rimheden - "Miss"
Hird - "Moving On"
Ernesto's - "Album"
Solo/singer/songwriter:
Stina Nordenstam - "The World Is Saved"
Florence Valentin - "Johnny Drama"
Billie the Vision & The Dancers - "I Was So Unpopular in School"
Tobias Fröberg - "For Elisabeth Wherever She Is"
Nina Ramsby & Martin Hederos - "Visorna"
Best live:
Existensminimum
Mattias Alkberg
Silverbullit
Svenska Akademien
Jens Lekman
Best newcomer:
Tiger Lou - "Is My Head Still On?"
Nanook of the North - "The Täby Tapes"
Fatboy - "Steelhearted"
Jens Lekman - "When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog"
Cirera - "Honestly, I Love You *Cough*"
The Manifest Awards are considered an alternative to the Swedish Grammy in the same way that the Alarm Prize is regarded in Norway. Winners will be announced at a ceremony to be held February 1 at Nalen in Stockholm. More info: http://www.som.a.se/manifest/index.html
Memento Materia has updated their release schedule for the rest of the year:
August 23 - Michigan "Red Dawn" CDM
August 23 - Interlace "Master" CDM
September 20 - Interlace "Imago" CD
October 11 - Michigan "Ultimate Sky" CD
October 11 - V/A "Electropop Heroes Vol 2" CD
October 18 - Run Level Zero CDM
November 1 - Colony 5 CDM
November 22 - Backlash "Lodestar LP" CD
Backlash is currently working on new material and plans to record five new songs this summer for the forthcoming album "Lodestar".
Backlash has a new website up and running in conjunction with the release of their new album "Heliotrope" on March 29 through Memento Materia: http://www.impetus.nu/
Info and samples from two new Momento Materia releases:
Backlash - Heliotrope
Run Level Zero - Walk the psycho[path]
Both records hit streets on March 29.
Bands announced for next year's 2004 Scandinavian Alternative Music Awards (SAMA) concert on April 2 at Trädgår’n in Göteborg: Alice In Videoland (SWE), And One (GER), Backlash (SWE), Panzerveps (NOR), Slagsmålsklubben (SWE) and Sophie Rimheden (SWE). Six more bands are still yet to be announced. Read more.
Memento Materia is putting out a new compilation in November called "Electropop Heroes of the North Vol 1" which will include a broad selection of Scandinavian electronic artists such as The Knife (new single "Handy-Man"), Bobby, Daybehavior, Apoptygma Berzerk, Colony 5, Statemachine, Alice In Videoland, and Pride and Fall. The comp will also feature exclusive tracks from Michigan, Backlash, Z Prochek and more.