It's not totally new, but here's an interview that Switchblade did last month.

Switchblade will be touring Europe beginning in January. Dates so far:

01/14 - Fundbureau, Hamburg (GER)
01/15 - Mikrokosmos, Magdeburg (GER)
01/16 - Scheune, Dresden (GER)
01/17 - Café Nexus, Braunschweig (GER)
01/18 - Alhambra, Oldenburg (GER)
01/19 - Bla (tbc), Bonn (GER)
01/20 - tba
01/21 - Clubkeller, Frankfurt (GER)
01/22 - tba
01/23 - Le Marignan, Athus (BEL)
01/24 - Textilhuis, Kortrijk (BEL) @ w/Amenra
01/25 - JuZe, Saarlouis (GER)
01/26 - tba
01/27 - Les Brasseurs , Nancy (FR)
01/28 - KTS, Freiburg (GER)
01/29 - Hirscheneck, Basel (CH)
01/30 - Juze Degerloch, Stuttgart (GER)
01/31 - Kafé Kult, Munchen (GER)
02/01 - B.A.C.H., Wien (AUS)
02/02 - day off
02/03 - Prague (tbc)
02/04 - tba
02/05 - Immerhin, Wurzburg (GER)
02/06 - Rote Zora, Altenburg (GER)
02/07 - Berlin (tbc)

Webzine Aversionline is now updated for October with a feature on Arvika Sweden's ATTACK!fanzine along with their usual onslaught of reviews, including Apocryphal Voice, Blind Dog, Bolt, Victims, Hlidolf, Omnium Gatherum, Razor Crusade, Security Threat, Sewer Election, Switchblade, Total Devastation and tons more. As always, I don't necessarily agree with a lot of their taste, but anyone even remotely interested in hardcore and metal should definitely check it out.

Switchblade just sent their new album off to be pressed in a nice gatefold vinyl format and is starting to take preorders over at Trust No One Recordings. The sooner you order, they say, the more limited color of vinyl that you'll get. In other news, the band is planning a European tour set to kick off sometime in January, but nothing is confirmed yet.

There's a new streaming radio mix for you to enjoy. The focus is on some of the more noisy and less pop-oriented stuff I listen to, so check it out. Some of the artists featured include Jazzkammer, Beyond Dawn, When and Switchblade.

Nine is hitting the road in Europe with The Hope Conspiracy for four weeks starting on October 22. Dates so far:

09/23 - Club Mondo, Stockholm w/Entombed, more (SWE)
09/27 - Silo club: Funtime festival, Leuven (BEL)
10/23 - JC Horizont, Antwerpen (BEL) w/THC
10/24 - Winston, Amsterdam (HOL) w/THC
10/25 - Clubhaus, Saalfeld (BEL) w/THC, Terror
10/26 - Schlachthof-Magazinkeller, Bremen (GER) w/THC
10/27 - Meeths, Gothenburg (SWE) w/THC
10/28 - Skylten, Linköping (SWE) w/THC
10/29 - Café 44, Stockholm (SWE) w/THC
10/30 - Stengade 30, Copenhagen (DK) w/THC
10/31 - Musik-O-Droom, Hasselt (BEL) w/THC, Terror
11/01 - U club, Wuppertal (GER) w/THC, Darkest Hour, more
11/05 - Villa, Darmstadt (GER) w/THC
11/06 - Tonne, Wangen (GER) w/THC, Paint the Town Red
11/07 - Leoncavallo, Milano (ITL) w/THC, A18
11/08 - Rock Planet, Pinarella (ITL) w/THC
11/09 - Trafo, Gödöllö (HUN) w/THC, Walls Of Jericho and Undying
11/11 - Shelter, Wien (GER) w/THC
11/12 - Backstage, München (GER) w/THC, Paint the Town Red
11/13 - Magnet, Berlin (GER) w/THC, Terror
11/14 - Conne Island, Leipzig (GER) w/THC, more
11/15 - Goudvishal, Arnhem (HOL) w/THC, A18

Nine will also be doing a co-record release show at Café 44 in Stockholm on September 13 to celebrate "Killing Angels" along with Switchblade who have a new record out, too.

Ink19 declares "6" from Supersilent to be "a landmark album." Furthermore, they say "It is a harrowing work of jazz, electronica and ambient textures that is as exciting as it is mind-blowing." Read more.

Peaceville has yet again delayed the release of Beyond Dawn's forthcoming album "Frysh", this time to June 30. If the 3-song sampler is any indication, it's gonna be damn great. Can't wait.

Preorder a copy of the new Her Majesty album "Happiness" and receive an exclusive free pin. Go here.

The latest news from Värttinä, as posted on their website:

[We] just returned from a tour of Scotland, Turkey, Switzerland and France. Edinburgh, Stans and Bern were the highlights with great shows and incredible audience response. Big news from France is that "iki" [the new album] is the Number 3 Best Selling World Music album at the main FNAC shop (Forum) in Paris. Additionally, "iki" is named Album of the Week at Swedish Radio P2 Klingan and World Music Album of the Week on WDR Radio KC6ln. iki also reached Number 6 on the CMJ World Music Chart in USA. In England, "iki" was picked Number 9 in the Songlines magazine Top of the World chart. Finally, "iki" received a glowing review from Songlines Magazine: "From the exhilarating drive of "Nahkaruoska", its jostling rhythms and bristling close harmonies bringing to life a story of infidelity and leather whips, to the sheer beauty of "Maahinen Neito", a song of an unwanted earth maiden, Värttinä's tenth album (celebrating their 20th year) is their most radiant and satisfying to date. .. A totally desirable disc." (Songlines Jan Fairley)

Those of you in Denmark can check out The Cardigans on the 'Barend & van Dorp' show tomorrow night playing their new single "You're the Storm" live. The program starts at 10:30 pm.

Clawfinger's new album "Zeros & Heroes" comes out May 26. Singer Zak Tell says he is confident fans will like it. The band is also hitting the road this summer. Dates so far:

05/17 - Bengtsfors, S
06/12 - Crans-sur-N., CH
06/14 - Bolzano, I
06/18 - Zürich, CH
06/20 - Scharans, CH
06/21 - Burgum, NL
07/05 - Leipzig, D
07/19 - Eberschwang, A
08/01 - Óbudai Island, H
08/08 - Höchstenbach, D

Soviac has booked a number of dates around Sweden this summer:

05/24 - Ronneby, Uterock
05/26 - Stockholm, Debaser w/Paris, Marit Bergman
05/27 - Stockholm, Gula Villan Blowupapanda pre party
05/28 - Göteborg, Valand w/Fox´n wolf
05/29 - Västervik, Oasen
05/31 - Stockholm, Debaser w/7feet4
06/07 - Fredricia, Formanova03 w/The Price Of Ink, Switchblade

Look for a video from the band for song "Boogie Woogie" soon, too.

MTVE.com has posted the new video for "Reconsider Me", the first single from Moneybrother's new album "Blood Panic".

The Norweigan musicians union and the Stavanger Symphonic Orchestra are raising money to send musical instruments to Iraq. So far about 60,000 NOK has been brought in for the effort. Read more. (in Norweigan)

The six finalists for the Roland/SAMI Artistpris 2003:

1. Steroids (rock)
2. Yukon AK (country/pop)
3. Ane Brun (singer/songwriter)
4. Peter Murphy (pop)
5. The Terrible Misstakes (punk)
6. Andreas Giri (pop)

They will all be performing at Alcazar (Nalen) in Stockholm on May 28 to vye for the various prizes in front of a jury of various music industry professionals. Read more. (in Swedish)

Proof that The Hives have reached a significant level of success: Weird Al has parodied them on the song "Angry White Boy Polka" from his new album "Poodle Hat". Congrats guys.

Ed Hartcourt that he will be making a Gröna Lund appearance on August 22.

The Amnestys endagsfestival on May 17 at Mondo in Stockholm will feature Florence Valentin, Shout Out Louds, Paris, Ane Brun and The Concretes.

Dagensskiva gives Logh's new album "The Raging Sun" a 9 out of 10 in their review today. I'd have to agree - I managed to find myself an advance copy and have been listening to it quite a bit. Easily one of the best records I've heard so far this year.

Arch Enemy has set "Anthems of Rebellion" as the title of new new record due out August 26 from Century Media, and in Japan on July 23 from Toy's Factory. Guitarist Michael Amott is quoted as saying "There is a thread of ANTI-establishment and REBELLION that goes through all the songs lyrics and also the artwork, but I wouldn't go as far as calling it a full-blown concept — that kind of stuff usually tends to get in the way of the music... It sounds thicker and more heavy than the last album." Read more. (from Blabbermouth)

Via the pHinnweb mailing list comes this glossary of various terms and items relevant to Finnish art and music.

Entombed's upcoming eigth album "Inferno" has now been delayed to an August 4 release date. Pelle Gunnerfeldt of Fireside produced and I for one am very curious to hear how it turned out.

As hinted at before, David & the Citizens are at Gula Studion (The Yellow Studio) in Malmö with producer Jens Lindgård working on their new record. Word has it that Pelle Ossler of Wilmer X guests on a track along with the klezmer band Tummel on another.

Cold Meat Industry acts IRM and Institut will play the Red Rose in London on May 9. More info here.

Brand new feature: If you look to your right, you'll see I've now got myself a mailing list. So if you want to receive weekly mailings of the news I report, go right ahead and sign up. And just to make it more worth your while, I'm gonna try and throw in some special bonuses with each mailing, too.

The transcript to yesterday's XFM chat session with The Cardigans has been posted. Highlights: they are playing "Changes" by Black Sabbath live plus they recommend The Knife (see video link earlier today).

They may not be together as a band anymore, but Your Halo is a Radar will be getting a new album released in the US. No details yet, but I'll keep you posted. As for the former member's current projects, keep your eyes open for new stuff from Switchblade and The Je Ne Sais Quoi.

Sahara Hotnights will be Conan O'Brien's musical guests on April 10. Check local listings for airtimes.

Kristofer Åström says that if you got a copy of his new CD "Dead End" with the title printed on the actual CD, you are one lucky dude. Apparently, only twenty copies exist like that. If you're one of those lucky folks, email him and he'll send you "Northern Blues" on vinyl along with some other goodies like t-shirts.

Cult of Luna has posted some new live photos. They also got an interview online over at DigitalMetal.com.

Swedish rapper Petter making a bid for international recognition? It seems that he's not only lined up a guest appearance on the new RZA (from Wu-Tang) album "The World According To RZA", but he's also doing some dubbing work for Tommy Boy Film's reissues of classic kung-fu movies. Read more.

Hank, the lead singer for Turbonegro, was hospitalized after taking a bottle to the head at a show in NYC on Sunday. He received ten stitches and was held overnight, but was back on stage for a show the next night. Read more.

The Knife has put the video for their latest single "You Take My Breath Away" online: big (10 mb) / small (3 mb) (requires Quicktime)

David and the Citizens will be having a release party for their new EP "New Direction" at Club Debaser in Stockholm on April 18. They'll be playing both the new EP and as-of-yet unreleased material from their upcoming second full-length. Oh, and they'll be DJing their favorite records, too. It's free, so why not? "New Direction" hits stores April 7.

The first Kaiku Sound and Video Art Festival will be taking place May 31 at Wiljami in Rovaniemi, Finland. Billed as "a night of sonic mayhem and visual eruptions", the festival series promises to "support and encourage the development of contemporary music/video artists in the north of Finland, and to provide a venue for new Finnish and visiting international electronic media artists in the region." Playing this time around are Pure & Berger (AUT/NOR), Emi Maeda (JAP), Ceniq (FIN), and Keränen / Roberts / Verhaverbeke (FIN/UK/FRA) and entry is free. More info here: http://www.valotalo.com/kaiku/

Word has it that Agnetha Fältskog is planning a comeback and will release a new solo album next winter. It will be her first release since "I Stand Alone" from 1987. Read more.

Safari Season are having tunes from their debut album "The Sound of the Sun" played all over American MTV during programs such as 'The Real World', 'Road Rules' and 'Extreme/All-Star Challenge'. It remains to be seen whether this means they will catch on with a wider, international audience, but it's definitely a good start.