Bullet
Highway pirates
Black Lodge

Up until now, Sweden's answer to AC/DC have been just that -- a Scandinavian version of Angus Young and co. that at times sounded more like the Aussie quintet than they did themselves. Bullet did it with such class, however, that there were rarely cries of 'rip-off'; rather, the majority of people who found their way to the band raved about their similarities in a positive light. Three albums in and we still have that unquestionable 'DC style, but "Highway pirates" shows that the band have this time found a voice more unique to themselves. There's more of a hair metal vibe on here, particularly in the guitar leads and the sung-in-unison chorus parts and this, in itself, marks an essential development in the band's output. Let's face it, "Bite the bullet" and "Heading for the top" were killer releases in their own right, but one more AC/DC-meets-Accept overloaded album may well have found Bullet fall on the wrong side of favour. Songs such as "Fire and dynamite" and "Down and out" display the classic Bullet style and waver little from that formula, while others -- the title track and "Knuckleduster" as prime examples -- show Bullet at their hard rockin' best. More of this and they'll be unstoppable.
- John Norby

Bullet - Stay wild (video)

Bullet's new video for the tune "Stay wild" is premiering at Aftonbladet: http://www.aftonbladet.se/webbtv/noje/musikvideor/article13110390.ab

PopMatters on Those Dancing Days, Lykke Li, Bullet

Lots of Swedish content at PopMatters today including an mp3 from Those Dancing Days and reviews of both Lykke Li and Bullet.

Bullet on tour in April

Swedish hard-rockers Bullet are touring Europe in April:

04/07 - Marx, Hamburg (GER)
04/08 - Bastard Club, Osnabrück (GER)
04/09 - Turock, Essen (GER)
04/10 - Rock Temple, Kerkrade (NL)
04/11 - Underworld, London (UK)
04/12 - Underground, Cologne (GER)
04/13 - Café Central, Weinheim (GER)
04/14 - K17, Berlin (GER)
04/15 - Estrada, Bydgoszcz (POL)
04/16 - Kwadrat, Krakau (POL)
04/17 - Escape, Wien (AUS)
04/18 - Backstage, München (GER)
04/19 - Rock Fabrik, Ludwigsburg
04/20 - Dynamo, Zürich (CH)
04/21 - Hellraiser, Leipzig (GER)
04/22 - OHK, Oostende (BEL)
04/23 - Biebob, Vosselaar (BEL)

Bullet and Enforcer to tour Europe

Swedish retro-metal enthusiasts Bullet and Enforcer are touring Europe together in April:

04/07 - Marx, Hamburg (GER)
04/08 - Bastard Club, Osnabrück (GER)
04/09 - Turock, Essen (GER)
04/10 - Rock Temple, Kerkrade (NL)
04/11 - Underworld, London (UK)
04/12 - Underground, Cologne (GER)
04/13 - Café Central, Weinheim (GER)
04/14 - K17, Berlin (GER)
04/15 - Estrada, Bydgoszcz (PL)
04/16 - Kwadrat, Krakau (PL)
04/17 - Escape, Wien (AUS)
04/18 - Backstage, München (GER)
04/19 - Rock Fabrik, Ludwigsburg (GER)
04/20 - Dynamo, Zürich (CH)
04/21 - Hellraiser, Leipzig (GER)
04/22 - OHK, Oostende (BEL)
04/23 - Biebob, Vosselaar (BEL)

Black Lodge confirm new Bonafide EP, Bullet album

Swedish hardrockers Bonafide have a new 6-song EP coming in January via Black Lodge Records that they recorded live in the studio. Featured cuts include new versions of recent album tracks "Fill your head with rock" and "No doubt about it" plus new song "Kick me out" and covers of "I don't need no doctor" (Humble Pie), "Nice boys (don't play rock'n'roll)" (originally by Rose Tattoo, but more famously done by Guns 'n' Roses) and "I can't explain" (The Who). And speaking of Black Lodge, the label also reports that the new Bullet record "Highway pirates" will be officially released on February 4.

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Erik Hassle - Hassle
02. Drifters - Ljudet av ditt hjärta
03. Malena Ernman - La voix du nord
04. Tomas Ledin - 500 dagar om året
05. Scotts - Längtan
06. Irya's Playground - Irya's playground
07. Lasse Stefanz - Truck stop
08. Rolandz - Efter regn kommer solsken
09. Veronica Maggio - Och vinnaren är...
10. Hans Edler with String Orchestra - Remember the sixties
11. Dead By April - Dead By April
12. Caroline Af Ugglas - Så gör jag det igen
13. Erik Linder - Inifrån
14. ABBA - Nore ABBA gold
15. Benny Andersson Band - Story of a heart
16. Blackjack - Summertime blues
17. Smurfarna - Smurfparty 2
18. Thorleifs - Sweet kissin' in the moonlight
19. Style - Vill ha dej igen
20. Bullet - Bite the bullet

New tracks from Bonafide + Bullet at myspace

Black Lodge is streaming new tracks from both Swedish hard-rockers Bonafide and Bullet at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/blacklodgesweden

Heavy metal + hockey, it was meant to be

Tomas Lundström is stoked: Bullet will be performing at Detroit Red Wings vs St. Louis Blues hockey game at the Globe Arena in Stockholm on October 3.

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. A Camp - Colonia
02. Scotts - På vårt sätt
03. Laleh - Me and Simon
04. Anna Ternheim - Leaving on a mayday
05. Freddie Wadling - The dark flower (den mörka blomman)
06. Deathstars - Night electric night
07. Jill Johnson - Baby blue paper
08. Veronica Maggio - Och vinnaren är...
09. Stockholm Stoner feat. Mats Ronander - Stockholm Stoner
10. The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Communion
11. Bullet - Bite the bullet
12. Magnus Carlsson - Re:collection 93-08
13. Timo Räisänen - ...And then there was Timo
14. Daniel Lindström - D-Day
15. Fredrik Swahn - Ut i livet
16. Mojje - Popcornfrisyr
17. Kent - Kent box 1991-2008
18. ABBA - The albums (9CD box set)
19. Sebastian Karlsson - The most beautiful lie
20. Frida Hyvönen - Silence is wild

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Eva Eastwood - Well well well
02. Bullet - Bite the bullet
03. Sophie Zelmani - The ocean and me
04. Drifters - Tycker om dig - Svängiga låtar från förr
05. Jeremias Session Band - Trastland
06. E.S.T. - Leucocyte
07. Takida - Bury the lies
08. Flamingokvintetten - Bästa!
09. Roland Cedermark - Pärleporten
10. Smurfarna - Smurfparty
11. The Fantastic Four - The Fantastic Four
12. Lasse Stefanz - Rallarsväng
13. Veronica Maggio - Och vinnaren är...
14. Ammotrack - Ammotrack
15. Detektivbyrån - Wermland
16. Backyard Babies - Backyard Babies
17. Miss Li - Best of 061122-071122
18. Amanda Jenssen - Killing my darlings
19. The Refreshments - Jukebox - Refreshing classics
20. Emil Jensen - Emil Jensen

Swedish metal/hard-rock label Black Lodge has a brand new track from Bullet up on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/blacklodgesweden

Black Lodge records has announced the signing of two new acts: Rutthna, originally the solo project of J. Kristensson from Thyrfing, and classic heavy-metal act Bullet. Bullet is currently recording their debut full-length at Euphony Studios for a late 2005 release and Rutthna's debut album "Doomsdaylight" is set for release in late May.

Other bands booked at Soundlab in the future that haven't been mentioned here before: Paganizer, Jigsore Terror, Bullet, and Blodsrit.

The UK's Rage Of Achilles Records has announced they are starting a new offshoot called Sword & Sorcery Records specializing in 'true heavy metal', predominantly on vinyl. The new label's first release will be a 7" from Sweden's Bullet called "Heavy Metal Highway". The band sound is described as "vintage heavy metal in the vein of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and AC/DC." Sounds good to me. Other releases planned for the future include Evil Angel (FIN) and Centinex (SWE).