The End Records has posted mp3s for a number of their upcoming releases including Darkthrone, Frantic Bleep and Ulver: http://www.theendrecords.com/label/index_label.html
Note that the Ulver clip is the same one that was posted on the Jester website last week.

Apparently Darkthrone's nomination for the Alarm Prize has been withdrawn since bandmember Fenriz told Aftonposten that they are too grim, true and evil for the award. Or something like that, I'm paraphrasing. Anyhow, taking their place in the metal category now is Susperia with their most recent album "Unlimited".

The nominees for Norway's Alarm Prize have been announced:

Video:
Ugress - Manhattan Sapphire
Sondre Lerche - Two Way Monologue
Ravi & DJ Løv - Dødsøt
Wibutee - We Are In Space, So Are You
Kings Of Convenience - I'd Rather Dance With You

Rock:
Gåte - Iselilja
International Tussler Society - s/t
Gluecifer - Automatic Thrill
Euroboys - Soft focus
WE - Smugglers

Pop:
Thomas Dybdahl - One Day You'll Dance For Me, New York City
Kings of Convenience - Riot on an empty street
Minor Majority - Up for you and I
Annie - Anniemal
Bertine Zetlitz - Rollerskating

Metal:
Red Harvest - Internal Punishment Programs
Khold – Mørke Gravers Kammer
Mayhem – Chimera
Enslaved – Isa
Darkthrone – Sardonic Wrath

Hip-hop/rap:
Tungtvann - III: Folket Bak Nordavind
Jaa9 & OnklP - Sjåre Brymæ
Gatas Parlament – Fred, frihet & alt gratis
Karpe Diem – Glasskår
Madcon – It’s All A Madcon

Electronica:
Ralph Myerz & The Jack Herren Band - Your New Best Friends
Mental Overdrive - 083
Snuten with friends - We Are The Future
Ost & Kjex - Some, But Not All Cheese Comes From The Moon
Illumination - The Poppy Rocks

Jazz:
Scorch Trio - Luggumt
Lars Horntveth - Pooka
Wibutee - Playmachine
Susanna & The Magical Orchestra - A list of lights and buoys
The Thing - Garage

P3 prize for best song:
National Bank - Tolerate
Annie - Chewing Gum
Jim Stärk - Morning Song
Kings Of Convenience - I’d Rather Dance With You
Euroboys - One Way Street

Live:
Gåte
Tussler
Thomas Dybdahl
Ralph Myerz
WE

Newcomer:
Samsaya
Bonk
Samsaya
The Beautiful People
Annie

Winners will be announced February 5, 2005. Go here for more info and to vote: http://www.alarmweb.org/

New Scandinavian music reviews at Aversionline:

Darkthrone - Sardonic wrath
Uncurbed - A nightmare in daylight

Lots of Scandinavian stuff in the latest Aquarius Records list such as Circle, Darkthrone, a restock of Dungen, The Haunted and tons more: http://www.aquariusrecords.org/cat/newest.html

HeavyMetal.no interviews Fenriz of Darkthrone: http://www.heavymetal.no/show.article.asp?menuid=&artid=1811 (in Norwegian)

Global Domination interviews Fenriz of the legendary Norwegian black-metal band Darkthrone: http://www.statikmajik.com/gd/interviews/darkthrone_fenriz.php

The End Records will be handling the North American release of Darkthrone's newest album "Sardonic Wrath". No release date has been announced yet.

Fenriz of long-running Norwegian black-metal act Darkthrone has put together a comp highlighting "The Best of Old School Black Metal" for release on September 20 via Snapper Music. While not all the bands included are Scandinavian, it does show a good representation of the origins of the scene. Fenriz personally selected all of the tracks and the accompanying booklet will include liner notes giving his thoughts on each song. The full tracklist for "Darkthrone's Fenriz Presents… The Best Of Old School Black Metal":

01. Blasphemy - Winds of the Black Godz
02. Sarcofago - Satanic Lust
03. Celtic Frost - Dawn of Megiddo
04. Nattefrost - Sluts of Hell
05. Mercyful Fate - Evil
06. Sodom - Burst Command Til War
07. Tormentor - Elisabeth Bathory
08. Aura Noir - Blood Unity
09. Destruction - Curse the Gods
10. Samael - Into the Pentagram
11. Bulldozer - Whisky Time
12. Mayhem - The Freezing Moon
13. Hellhammer - The Third of the Storms
14. Burzum - Ea, Lord of the Deeps
15. Venom - Warhead
16. Bathory - Dies Irae

In some ways, I'm surprised that Burzum made the cut considering the murderous infighting of Count Grishnackh/Varg Vikernes. Then again, his influence and importance is undeniable.

Darkthrone members Fenriz and Nocturno Culto have been entrusted by Peaceville to create their own sublabel called Tyrant Syndicate Productions. Nocturno comments:

Peaceville on the one hand and Fenriz and myself on the other. The general running of the label has fallen on me, mostly as I'm much more involved in technology than Fenriz, and besides, I want to do it. When the Peaceville people were interested in setting up a label for us, our mind began to circle around what to do with what can be called our extended music-related freedom, and we soon had a plan.

We are aiming for exclusive releases only. We want high-credibility underground bands, both known and unknown. Time is working FOR US now, and we have all the time in the world. Tyrant Syndicate Productions will prove to the metal community that we have the ability to release what is supreme metal. The first band we have signed is Aura Noir from Oslo, with their new album "The Merciless". This masterpiece will be an indication on the quality-level we are aiming for, and therefore it's our responsibility to follow things up after this release. Since our releases go through the usually Peaceville channels, the result will be a high-quality, well-distributed product that will have great impact wherever you can get these products. And luckily, there are still loads of great metal-acts left in the world.

Look for more news about demo submission policies and so forth in about a month.

Moonfog has set September 6 as the release date for the new Darkthrone album "Sardonic Wrath".

The latest from Satyricon:

"We will be headlining (Wacken Open Air) Saturday the 7th of August doing a special set where we will perform Darkthrone songs with their singer the last 30 minutes of our show. Anyone who knows their black metal is aware of Darkthrone's policy of not playing live. They've decided to do this special event and asked us to be a part of it and that is of course a great honour. We're also glad that this historical event have the approval of Fenriz and Zephyrous. Bonds between Satyricon and Darkthrone have always been extremly tight and this is a great way of showing it. The thought of kicking into our opening song "Walk The Path Of Sorrow" in front of 30-40,000 people makes the wait almost unbearable. Some of you have have been sending concerned e-mails asking what the festival means by using the phrasing "last show forever" about our performance. We don't know WHAT THEY FUCK they are talking about and rest assured...Satyricon is alive and kicking as ever before!"

And with regards to US touring activities:

"No movement on the Frost case (concerning his recent visa problems). We've will be auditioning drummers in August. So far we've had no luck as some drummers we have contacted have schedules that doesn't allow them to tour with us or they turn out not to be good enough. We're hoping to return in Sep/Oct/Nov. So be patient, darkness always prevails."

Check out the artwork for the new Darkthrone album "Sardonic Wrath": http://www.lorenzomariani.it/SardonicWrath/1.htm
It was drawn by Italian artist Lorenzo Mariani whose previous credits include Marduk and Aborym. A release is expected around September via Moonfog Productions.

There will be a special Bathory tribute at the upcoming Hole in the Sky Festival in Norway this coming August. As mentioned before, Bathory mastermind Thomas "Quorthon" Forsberg recently passed away due to heart failure. Artists set to take part: Abbath (ex-Immortal), Apollyon (Aura Noir), Faust (ex-Emperor), Gaahl (Gorgoroth), Grutle (Enslaved, Ivar (Enslaved), Nocturno Culto (Darkthrone), Samoth (Zyklon, ex-Emperor) and Satyr (Satyricon). A portion of the proceeds from the event will go to Black Mark Records, the label owned by Quorthon's father, Börje Forsberg.

Norway's Aura Noir have have just signed a contract with new Peaceville/Snapper subsidiary Tyrant Syndicate. The label is run by Nocturno Culto of Darkthrone and AN's new album "Merciless" will be their first release. Look for it in August.