Marit Bergman, Radio Dept., Royal Downfall and The Manor are new Swedish acts confirmed for the Emmaboda Festival.

Umeå Punkfest has been confirmed for March 5-6 at Studion, Folkets Hus and here's the initial lineup: Discharge (UK), Disfear, Sunday Morning Einsteins, Henry Fiats Open Sore, Hetsapa, Knugen Faller, Deünga, Dieanna, Regulation, Tristess, Personkrets 3:1 and Royal Downfall. There's still two or three more bands to be added and more info can be found here: http://www.shell.linux.se/umeahc/punkfest/7/

Royal Downfall is offering their entire new album "08.00 - 16.00" for free download on their website under the creative commons license agreement. "It's impossible to make money selling records these days unless you're Kent or Per Gessle," said drummer Janne Olofsson to And the Sound netzine, "We're only interested in having people hear us, come see us live, buy shirts, and so forth."

Royal Downfall reports that they are postponing their planned winter tour until next year, but are still playing the Bodø Hardcore Festival in Norway on December 6 and in Skellefteå, Sweden on December 13.

You've probably already heard some of the buzz surrounding new releases from the label Planekonomi, but let me refresh your memory. First, the new album "8-16" from Royal Downfall is out and should appeal to fans of Fugazi or At The Drive-In they say. Björn Olsson (TSOOL, UCP, etc) is currently mixing Mattias Alkberg BD's (Bear Quartet)'s solo 4-song EP "Med Spöken" and it should be ready for release early next year. Jon Brännström (ex-Refused, Text) is hard at work on his new project Jon F Kennedy, and should have a record ready for early 2004, too. "If you're into the whole Anticon scene this will blow you away," they say. Downloads are up at the Planekonomi site and look for potential annoucements of new signees soon, too.

Planekonomi will release the first of two new EPs from Mattias Alkberg BD (Bear Quartet) at the end of October. Also coming soon from Planekonomi is the album "08.00-16.00" from Royal Downfall on September 17. Download a sample from that album here.