Haust - Live @ Last Train, Oslo (video)

Live footage of Haust playing in Oslo last weekend with their new lineup and a guest appearance from AnnK of Dark Times.

Dark Times in the studio

Excellent Norwegian punk act Dark Times is back in the studio, working on a new 7".

Dark Times in MRR

Layla Gibson wisely recommends Dark Times in her monthly MRR column: http://darktimesoslo.tumblr.com/post/17831049858

Top 10s for 2011: It's a Trap!

Ormeyngel at Bandcamp

Norwegian hardcore/punk label Ormeyngel now has all of their various cassette releases (Dark Times/Drugged SS/Problems/etc.) up on Bandcamp for streaming/download: http://ormeyngel.bandcamp.com/

Top 10s for 2011: It's a Trap! Contributors

Top 10s for 2011: Lars (Okkultokrati/Problems/White Juice/Ormeyngel)

Top 10s for 2011: Dark Times

Dark Times 7" details

The upcoming Dark Times 7" debut is now confirmed for release on November 29 via Sheep Chase Records and will be celebrated with a show at Last Train in Oslo. Peep the cover art: http://www.sheepchaserecords.com/index/Sheep_Chase_Records.html

Core Values #1: Ugly Fucking Norway

Invisible Oranges is hosting a mixtape of Norwegian metal and hardcore consisting primarily of tunes culled from the catalog of the mighty Black Hole Crew, aka Haust/Okkultokrati/Dark Times/Årabrot/etc.: http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2011/11/mixtape-core-values-1/
Obviously regular IAT! readers should already be well aware of these bands because they are the shit, but if not- this is a decent place to start.

by:Larm 2012 jury selections revealed

The 25 jury-selected up-and-coming acts for by:Larm 2012 have been revealed: http://bylarm.no/eng/artists
Can't say that I'm familiar with a lot of them, but both Dark Times and Execration are fantastic.

Dark Times - Distrust

New tunage from Norwegian noiserockers Dark Times from the band's forthcoming 7", due out soon via Sheep Chase Records. Sounds great, as always.

Dark Times - Shallow breather

Check out a killer new tune from Norway's Dark Times off the band's forthcoming 7": http://darktimes.bandcamp.com/track/shallow-breather
If you haven't already grabbed the band's demo, I recommend you do so.

Sheep Chase to release Deathcrush split, more

Sheep Chase Records will be putting out a split 7" featuring Deathcrush and American act The Paranoid Critical Revolution this spring with another 7" from the excellent Dark Times to follow soon thereafter.

MP3: Dark Times - Worlds away

I first became aware of Dark Times when I saw that they were supporting local-to-me act Gun Outfit in Oslo awhile back. That, in combination with their Ormeyngel Records affiliation, ensured them a spot on my to-listen list. Actually, the latter would've been reason enough as Norway's current underground scene is simply ruling right now, but the Gun Outfit matchup is an interesting note because it implied a divergence from the Black Hole Crew's typically raw and brutal sound. Suspicions proved correct on listening: much like Gun Outfit, Dark Times are far more readily identifiable as an "indie" band -- more melody, less heavy -- but also very firmly rooted in punk/hardcore and easily matched with bands on either side of the spectrum. I've still yet to grab the band's self-titled cassette as I'm on a self-imposed record-buying moratorium (which is especially painful considering that I'm currently travelling abroad and seeing all sorts of stuff I could never ever find at home), but lucky enough, the band has made the entire thing available as a free download. No email required, just grab it. "Worlds away" in particular is a great example of the band at their best; a dark trudge brimming with resentment. Still raw like Okkultokrati and Drugged SS, but in a totally different way. I'm way into it.

Dark Times - Worlds away