The nominees for this year's Spellemann awards, the Norwegian Grammy, have been announced:
Female Artist: Christel Alsos - Tomorrow is () Ida Maria - Katla (/) Ingrid Olava - The guest () Susanne Sundfør - The brothel ()
Male Artist: Moddi - Floriography () Odd Nordstoga - November (/) Thom Hell - All good things () Thomas Dybdahl - Waiting for that one clear moment ()
Pop Group: deLillos - Hjernen er alene i Operaen () I was a king - Old friends (/) Kråkesølv - Bomtur til jorda () Madcon - Contraband ()
Electronic: Bjørn Torske - Kokning () Lindstrøm & Christabelle - Real life is no cool () Ost & Kjex - Cajun lunch (/)
Rock: Blood Command - Ghostclocks (/) Kvelertak - Kvelertak () Motorpsycho - Heavy metal fruit () Serena-Maneesh - No 2: Abyss in b minor () Tommy Tokyo & Starving for My Gravy - Go time, showtime & absolute war ()
Hip-Hop: Karpe Diem - Aldri solgt en løgn () Lars Vaular - Helt om natten, helt om dagen () Salvador Sanchez - Happy daze ()
Folk: Gjermund Larsen trio - Aurum (/) Ingvill Marit Buen Garnås og Per Anders Buen Garnås - Salme, segn & solbøn () Sondre Bratland/Annbjørg Lien - Alle vegne () Unni Boksasp Ensemble - Keramello ()
Jazz: Elephant9 - Walk the nile () Ivar Antonsen/Vigleik Storaas - Dialogues () Paolo Vinaccia - Very much alive () Supersilent - 10 () Trondheim Jazz Orchestra - Triads and more ()
Open Class: Beady Belle - At Welding Bridge () Jaga Jazzist - One-armed bandit () Karl Seglem - Ossicles (/) Pelbo - Pelbo () Petter Wettre/Audun Kleive - The only way to travel 2 ()
Lyrics: Bare Egil Band - I fyr og flamme (/) Erik Fosnes Hansen - Neste stasjon Grorud () Ingrid Olava - The guest (
Pop Composition: Gjermund Larsen - Aurum (/) Ingrid Olava - The guest () Odd Nordstoga - November (/) Susanne Sundfør - The brothel () Thom Hell - All good things ()
Newcomer: Bjørn Johan Muri () Frida Ånnevik () Kvelertak () Moddi () Thomas Eriksen ()
01. Bjørn Eidsvåg - De Beste
02. Frøya - My American Dream
03. WigWam - Non Stop Rock'N'Roll
04. Motorpsycho - Heavy Metal Fruit
05. Donkeyboy - Caught in a Life
06. Jaga Jazzist - One-Armed Bandit
07. Sivert Høyem - Moon Landing
08. Stage Dolls - Always
09. Dina Misund - Listen
10. John Olav Nilsen & Gjengen - For Sant Til Å Være Godt
11. Shining - Blackjazz
12. Claudia Scott/Casino Steel/Ottar Big Hand Johansen - Honky Tonk Night - The Best
13. N'Jie Haddy - World of the free
14. Vidar Johnsen & Peter Nordberg - Ild & Vatten
15. Dum Dum Boys - Tidsmaskin
16. d'sound - Starts and Ends
17. Torbjørn Egner - Samlede CD-er
18. Jahn Teigen - Teigen - 40 Største Hits
19. Jonas Fjeld feat Henning Kvitnes - Den Gamle Veien
20. Ihsahn - After
PopMatters interviews ex-Emperor frontman Ihsahn about his new solo record "After": http://www.popmatters.com/pm/column/118581-the-life-aquatic-with-ihsahn/
I have yet to hear it myself, but consensus seems to be quite positive and I found his last record "angL" to be a pleasant surprise.
Check out MetalKult's video documentary on their trip to Norway: http://blogs.guitarworld.com/metalkult/videos/norway/
It includes visits to various black-metal landmarks plus interview footage with Satyricon and Ihsahn.
You'd be forgiven for mistaking this track for new Opeth, after all that is Mikael Åkerfeldt providing guest vocals. Careful listeners will note however that the music has a distinct blackened Norwegian feel, somewhat akin to Arcturus or Spiral Architect, another not-quite-so-surprising revelation when you learn that the latter's rhythm section of Asgeir Mickelson and Lars Norberg (drums and bass respectively) performs here as well. What is surprising though, is how much heavier this sounds than any of Ihsahn's recent work, including his previous solo album "The adversary" and his work with Peccatum. I actually wasn't expecting to like this at all since I fell off the Emperor bandwagon around the time of "IX equilibrium" and haven't been too impressed with any of the members work since then outside of Zyklon. It's interesting - I still hear the epic symphonic elements of Emperor, but there's a far stronger death-metal undercurrent mixed in with various progressive/prog-rock touches. This particular track "Unhealer" has way more prominent "clean" parts than the rest of the album, but it's balanced out by some of Ihsahn's best, most straight-up metal work ever (well, at least since Thou Shall Suffer). It's worth noting too, again not that you should really be surprised, that the guitar playing is phenomenal. Also, you can't hear it so much here, but there's also a huge similarity to latter-era Death going on. It makes me realize that Ihsahn's rasp really isn't that far off from Chuck Schuldiner's vox on "The sound of perseverance". All in all, I'm very impressed.
01. Johan Heltne - Din alkoholism är ingen alkoholism
02. TALK 1
03. Doktor Kosmos - Doktor Kosmos spelar på Tensta torg
04. Oliver North Boy Choir - New folder
05. Firefox AK + Laid - Once I was like you
06. TALK 2
07. THe Eight Arms Around You - Guilt ridden
08. Efterklang - Step aside
09. Orjan Hultén Trio ft. Fakir Karlsson - Untitled
10. TALK 3
11. Kornstad Trio - Intornette
12. Dmitry Fydorov - Greetings, D!
13. Disfear - Live the storm
14. TALK 4
15. I Are Droid - Time on time
16. Ihsahn - Unhealer
17. Juvelen - Don't mess
18. TALK 5
19. Henrik Rylander - Information and disinformation for alien civilizations
20. Namur - Draw us near
21. Lukestar - Clockworks of tomorrow
22. TALK 6
23. DS-13 - Prechewed rebellion
24. The Kid - Mayhem troopers
25. Sophie Rimheden - Go away
26. Anders Persson och Carl Smith - Morgonsol i April
27. TALK 7
28. Masshysteri - Monoton tid
29. NSI - 12
30. Zanussi Five - Azrah illusion / Street woman
31. TALK 8
32. Washington - Landslide
33. The Grand Opening - Dark dark dawn
34. Bobby and Blumm - Hiss and rustle
35. Paragon - Aavisst
36. TALK 9
37. Jonas Kullhammar Quartet - Bebopalulia
Ihsahn reports that Opeth mainman Mikael Åkerfeldt contributes lead vocals to the track "Unhealer" on his upcoming solo record "angL". In addition, the Spiral Architect rhythm section of drummer Asgeir Mickelson and bassist Lars Norberg contribute to the entire album as well.
Ex-Emperor frontman Ihsahn reports that his second solo album "angL" is just about done and should hopefully be ready for mastering within a few weeks. He describes the music as a natural progression from "The Adversary", but with a somewhat heavier touch." No word on a release date yet, but his own label Mnemosyne Productions will be handling it in association with Candlelight Records.
Starofash, the solo act of Heidi Solberg Tveitan/Ihriel from Peccatum/wife of Ihsahn from Emperor, will release her new album "The thread" on March 24 via Mnemosyne Productions/Candlelight Records.