New mp3 today from Echo Is Your Love. This Finnish act evokes the spirit of classic DC/Dischord-style punk/hardcore with slashing guitars, tense, driving beats and impassioned vocals. The left-panned guitar on this track pounds open chords, not just for dissonance, but for percussive effect. And just when you feel like the band is on the verge of falling apart, they pull it back together with a sinister dual-guitar line. There is definitely a strong undercurrent of chaos in their playing, but it never feels contrived. They keep the reigns on just tight enough that everything remains under control, but there's always an element of danger. As good as this song is, it doesn't quite do the band justice. The album "Paper cut eye" doesn't easily lend itself to being picked apart, song by song. There's just too much going on, too many little things that elevate the work as a whole. Even still, I bet you'd need to see them live to truly get the full impact. Very recommended.

Finnish noise-rockers Echo Is Your Love on tour in Russia:

02/19 - Vyborg
02/20 - Moscow
02/21 - R-club anti-war fest, Moscow
02/22 - Moloko, St. Petersburg

I just got a copy of their new album "Paper cut eye" in the mail yesterday and it's pretty awesome. Look for an official review, um... eventually.

And on the If Society touring front, look for Echo is Your Love to do four dates in Russia in February and two-and-a-half weeks with labelmates Fun (see the "IAT reader's companion") in Europe in April/May. Hero Dishonest will also be hitting the road in Europe around May/June and I can personally attest that they are not to be missed.

Finland's Echo is Your Love will tour Europe for a couple weeks beginning in mid-February.

Here's an update on some new releases coming out next year from Finland's Verdura Records:

Mohel 7"
Almost finished, some mastering to be done. Should be out early 2005. Free improv jazz mayhem.

Sergio - Swords CD
Two promising EPs (both on Trash Can) and superb concerts have made Sergio a household name among the small circle of domestic indie music followers and certainly some high hopes have been put on their debut full lenght. And oh dear, oh dear, how gladly we can assure that this is as good as you might expect. Hailing since 1996, the band hasn't exactly rushed with recording an album, and it shows. "Swords" is very much a complete work. And even though there are those understandable comparisons to bands like Interpol or Fugazi, the fellows definitely have a distinguishable delivery of their own, such a strong mixture of wistful melodies and intense, ferocious playing is a rare gem.

Kirlian Crossing - s/t CD
Top quality -and heck, even catchy!- avant pop by Ilai Rämä (Siniaalto/Echo Is Your Love) and Teemu Sinkko. Beautiful and sensitive compositions with intriguingly unusual and obscure arrangements, like your traditional pop outlook messed up really bad, in a kind way though. Jaw dropping.

Check out the video for "Violentia" from Viola: http://www.ifsociety.com/files/Viola-Violentia.avi
The clip was directed by If Society labelmate Ilai Rämä of Echo Is Your Love and Siniaalto. His clip for "Children in lines" by EIYL was just posted online as well: http://www.ifsociety.com/files/Echo_Is_Your_Love-Children_In_Lines.avi

The new Echo is Your Love album "Paper cut eye" has been confirmed for a December 1 release date via If Society.

The If Society website now has videos from both Hero Dishonest and Echo is Your Love: http://www.ifsociety.com/media.php

Download the track "Children in lines" from Echo is Your Love: http://www.ifsociety.com/files/Echo%20Is%20Your%20Love-3.mp3
The band's new album "Paper cut eye" comes out in November via If Society.

Finnish label If Society has announced that they'll be releasing the new Hero Dishonest LP "Let Your Poison Scream" at the end of June. 20 minutes of no bullshit, no posing hardcore including a cover of "Pääni" by classic Finnish punks KTMK. Also in the works from the label is the new album "Szklarska Poreba" from Fun. The sound is described as "classic 80's american indie á la Flipper, Big Black, Minutemen, Fugazi, Butthole Surfers, Saccharine Trust" and it should be ready by the end of July. Download older track "The Rocket Song": http://www.knobox.no-ip.info/~riku/fun/media/the_rocket_song.mp3
And that's not all - the label also has plans for a 7" from The Protestants, a split 7" with Hero Dishonest and Mukeka Di Rato from Brazil and the follow-up to "8 Hours" from Echo is Your Love.

Finland's If Society records has announced that they'll be doing a 7" for Abnormi in January. "8 song assault of vintage Finnish hardcore mayhem of the rawest and most primitive kind" is how they describe it. The label is also coordinating a split 7" with Hero Dishonest and Mukeka Di Rato of Brazil. That's more raging hardcore, if the name didn't already tip you off. HD will also be doing a full length and touring Scandinavia in February. Labelmates Echo is Your Love and Fun will be recording new records in the spring, too. And lastly, Viola will release their debut CD of "northern melancholy and stargazing" music in April. "11 tracks that play your heart-strings and provide a soundtrack to discovering the beauty in your life."