Metal Sucks presents Peter Dolving's first-ever post-The Haunted interview and, as always, he pulls no punches: http://www.metalsucks.net/2012/08/20/a-metalsucks-exclusive-peter-dolvings-first-interview-since-leaving-the-haunted/
Peter Dolving (ex-The Haunted) is crowdsourcing his next record: http://www.fundedbyme.com/projects/2012/08/house-of-dolving/
I suspect that most people have already seen this, but Peter Dolving has posted a very detailed screed about his decision to leave The Haunted and he does not shy away from naming names: https://www.facebook.com/notes/peter-dolving/why-i-left-the-haunted/10151018059864542
TerrortoryThis is the debut album by the Swedish crew and it must be said from the offset that there's a distinct blandness about it that's not only down to the production, but also because of a terrible attempt at emulating past success. Terrortory's thing seems to be to write tunes in the styles of a heap of already-revered bands, stick them all together, and hope for a winning formula. In Flames, The Haunted, Opeth, Sentenced and a shitload of others that are familiar but that I can't quite put my finger on are referenced here, none of which are mimicked to the point where you could say the material that Terrortory has written is better. There's also a tiny bit of old school Metallica to be found on some of the melodic parts and, while those are actually okay, this album as a whole is a very uninspiring -- indeed, a very boring -- listen. The production does get part of the blame despite the fact that everything is clear and bright, it's just that there's a lack of any punch whatsoever, even in the album's better moments. It's quite possible that when faced with material as dull and repetitive as this producer Henrik Wiklund simply lost the will to live. I know I did.
- John Norby
Vocalist Peter Dolving has parted ways with The Haunted. His statement in full:
I am officially quitting The Haunted. After years of working with the band, I am out. I have had it. I will NOT answer questions to why. It's no one elses business. Thank you very much. I am looking forward to seeing you people at other shows with other projects.
The nominees for the 2012 Manifest Awards, Sweden's alternative/indie Grammy, have been announced:
Folk/Ballad:
Marin/Marin – Småfolket ()
Merit Hemmingson – EQ ()
Navarra – Nya fönster ()
Siri Karlsson – Gran Fuego ()
Dance:
Skudge – Samlad årsproduktion ()
Jonsson/Alter – Samlad årsproduktion ()
The Field – Looping State of mind ()
Pallers – The Sea Of Memories ()
Punk:
Sju Svåra År – Storma varje hjärta ()
Obnoxious Youth – The Eternal Void ()
Vånna Inget – Allvar ()
Black Feet – Black Feet ()
Hip-Hop:
Mofeta & Jerre – Briljanter & Smaragder ()
Ison & Fille – För evigt ()
Mohammed Ali – Vi ()
Roffe Ruff – Barrabas ()
Experimental:
Hans Appelqvist – Sjunga slutet nu ()
Hanna Hartman – H ^ 2 ()
Ophir – Opus Operatum ()
Midaircondo feat. Michala Østergaard-Nielsen – Reports on the Horizon ()
Hardrock:
In Solitude – The World. The Flesh. The Devil ()
Opeth – Heritage ()
Terra Tenebrosa – The Tunnels ()
The Haunted – Unseen ()
Rhythm:
Syster Sol – Kichinga! ()
Simone Moreno – Planetas ()
Kapten Röd – Fläcken Som Aldrig Går Bort ()
OK Star Orchestra – The Beat and the Melody ()
Pop:
Azure Blue – Rule of thirds ()
Jonathan Johansson – Klagomuren ()
Korallreven – An album by Korallreven ()
Loney Dear – Hall Music ()
Rock:
Pascal/Mattias Alkberg – Allt det här ()
Kajsa Grytt – En kvinna under påverkan ()
Bob Hund - Det överexponerade gömstället ()
Tramp – Indigo ()
Synth:
Henric de la Cour – Henric de la Cour ()
Necro Facility – Wintermute ()
Mr Jones Machine – Monokrom ()
Covenant – Modern Ruin ()
Jazz:
Jonas Holgersson – Snick Snack ()
Parti & Minut – Från klart till halvklart ()
Priming Orchestra – Deep Blue ()
The Splendor – Delphian Palace ()
Best Unsigned:
Death By Armborst
Storskogen
Schizo and the Personalities
Farsta
Singer/Songwriter/Country/Americana:
Brothers of End – Mount Inside ()
Ane Brun – It All Start With One ()
Promise & the Monster – Red Tide ()
Lars Bygdén – Songs I Wrote ()
Best live act:
Kriget ()
This is Head ()
Graveyard ()
Mattias Alkberg ()
Interesting to see and dominating their respective niches. Winners will be announced on February 3 at a ceremony at Nalen in Stockholm. Read more: http://manifestgalan.se/manifestgalan-2012/nominerade/
The nominees for the 2012 Swedish Grammis have been announced:
Best Album:
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Deportees - Islands & Shores
Ison & Fille - För Evigt
Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
Veronica Maggio - Satan I Gatan
Best Artist:
Deportees
Lykke Li
Melissa Horn
Swedish House Mafia
Veronica Maggio
Best Electronic/Dance:
Adrian Lux - Boy / Alive
Avicii - Levels/Fade Into Darkness
Little Dragon - Ritual Union
Rebecca & Fiona - I Love You, Man
Swedish House Mafia - Save The World/Antidote
Best Hip-Hop/Soul:
Adam Tensta - Scared Of The Dark
Alexis Weak - Till Minne Av
Ison & Fille - För Evigt
Movits! - Ut Ur Min Skalle
Timbuktu - Sagolandet
Best Hardrock/Metal:
Graveyard - Hisingen Blues
Hammerfall - Infected
In Flames - Sounds Of A Playground Fading
Opeth - Heritage
The Haunted - Unseen
Best Jazz:
Freddie Wadling - With A License To Kill
Georg Riedel, Sarah Riedel & Nicolai Dunger - Cornelis Vs Riedel
Magnus Öström - Thread Of Life
Nils Landgren - The Moon, The Stars And You
Tonbruket - Dig It To The End
Best Songwriter:
Anna Järvinen - Anna Själv Tredje
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Lykke Li, Björn Yttling & Rick Nowels - Wounded Rhymes
Melissa Horn - Innan Jag Kände Dig
Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - Satan I Gatan
Best Song:
Avicii - Levels
Den Svenska Björnstammen - Vart Jag Mig I Världen Vänder
Eric Amarillo - Om Sanningen Ska Fram (Vill Du Ligga Med Mig?)
Eric Saade - Popular
Petter & September - Baksmälla
September - Mikrofonkåt
Swedish House Mafia - Save The World
Timbuktu - Resten Av Ditt Liv
Tove Styrke - White Light Moment
Veronica Maggio - Jag Kommer
Best Music Video:
Gustav Johansson - Karl X Johan "Flames (Uncompromised Cut)"
Magnus Renfors - Peter Jöback, Filmen Till Albumet "Livet, Kärleken Och Döden - La Vie, L'amour, La Mort"
Max Vitali - Robyn "Call Your Girlfriend"
Slobodan Zivic - Kriget "Submission"
Ted Malmros/Gustaf Von Arbin - Peter Bjorn And John "Gimme Some"
Best Newcomer:
Adrian Lux
Aleks
Den Svenska Björnstammen
Newkid
Rebecca & Fiona
Best Pop:
Ane Brun - It All Starts With One
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren
Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
Veronica Maggio - Satan I Gatan
Best Producer:
Christian Walz
Johan Eckeborn
Masse Salazar
Shellback
Tobias Fröberg
Best Rock:
Deportees - Islands & Shores
Eldkvarn - De Berömdas Aveny
Kebnekajse - Idioten
Me And My Army - Thank God For Sending Demons
Samling - När Mullret Dövar Våra Öron Blir Vi Rädda
Best International Success:
Avicii
Little Dragon
Lykke Li
Opeth
Swedish House Mafia
Best Lyrics:
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren
Mauro Scocco - Musik För Nyskilda
Melissa Horn - Innan Jag Kände Dig
Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - Satan I Gatan
Best Innovator:
Avicii
Deportees
Erato
Looptroop Rockers
Veronica Maggio
More here: http://www.grammis.se/
The nominees for Swedish Radio's P3 Guld awards have been announced:
Artist:
Melissa Horn - Innan jag kände dig
Kapten Röd - Fläcken som aldrig går bort
Lykke Li - Wounded rhymes
Veronica Maggio - Satan i gatan
Timbuktu - Sagolandet
Group:
Deportees - Islands & shores
In Flames - Sounds of a playground fading
Movits! - Ut ur min skalle
Rebecca & Fiona - I love you, man
Those Dancing Days - Daydreams & nightmares
Newcomer:
Avicii
Newkid
Niki & The Dove
Rebecca & Fiona
Den Svenska Björnstammen
Song:
Call my name - Tove Styrke
Jag kommer - Veronica Maggio
Levels - Avicii
Resten av ditt liv - Timbuktu
Vart jag mig i världen vänder - Den Svenska Björnstammen
Guldmicken (best live):
Daniel Adams-Ray
Graveyard
Melissa Horn
Kapten Röd
Veronica Maggio
Dance:
Avicii - Samlad produktion
Axel Boman - Samlad produktion
Jonsson/Alter - Mod
L-wiz - Samlad produktion
Rebecca & Fiona - I love you, man
Hip-hop/soul:
Ison & Fille - För evigt
Mohammed Ali - Vi
Newkid - Alexander jr Ferrer
Stockholmssyndromet - Underhunder
Timbuktu - Sagolandet
Pop:
JJ - Samlad produktion
Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren
Anna Järvinen - Anna själv tredje
The Sound of Arrows - Voyage
Syket - With love
Rock/metal:
Arch Enemy - Khaos legions
Graveyard - Hisingen blues
The Haunted - Unseen
In Flames - Sounds of a playground fading
Opeth - Heritage
More here, including voting info: http://www.sverigesradio.se/p3guld
PopMatters interviews Junip: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/139613-in-every-direction-an-interview-with-junip/
Also posted over there today, a scathing dismissal of The Haunted's new record: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/138927-the-haunted-unseen/
MetalSucks is streaming The Haunted's new album "Unseen": http://www.metalsucks.net/2011/03/15/exclusive-full-album-stream-the-haunteds-unseen/
So does this mean that The Haunted is looking to cash in on Takida fans or what?
The Haunted frontman Peter Dolving will be releasing an autobiographical novel entitled "Sieg Heil Svensson" sometime later this year via publisher King Ink.
Things I've learned today: Peter Dolving will talk politics for hours, Jonas Björler says The Haunted is gay, Those Dancing Days have earned your respect, Tove Styrke's signature dish is pannacotta. Also: Björn Kleinhenz is working on an acoustic album, young panda girls with Broder Daniel patches still exist and Swedish beer is getting much, much better.
Daniel Ekeroth's "Swedish Death Metal" book posits that Sweden was never a good source of thrash and I'm inclined to agree, but of course that never stopped anyone from trying. Hexenhaus is probably the most well-known example from "back in the day" and I'd also add Merciless as an also-ran though they do lean more towards the DM side of things. Anyhow, neither were all that great IMHO, and nor was/is The Haunted, Sweden's leading modern-day thrashers (stretching from the late 90s to now). Lots of strong moments to be sure, but they never totally slay. Zombiekrig however, they steal the crown -- this is exactly what I want from my thrash metal: endless catchy riffs played in lock-step precision with harsh, yet catchy vocals. And forget about The Haunted's overplayed Slayer-izations -- I'd much rather hear strong melodies over chromatic atonalism when it comes to Swedish metal. And how about that break here that hearkens back to "Damage Inc."? Totally killer, just like the mosh part and solo that follow. Also, like all of the best thrash from the glory days up through the present, it doesn't overstay its welcome. Zombiekrig FTW!
Zombiekrig - Döden
I didn't realize they were still a band, but apparently Swedish all-star thrashers Witchery (feat. members from The Haunted, Seance, Arch Enemy, Opeth, etc.) will release their new album "Witchkrieg" on June 21 via . Hear a sample tune at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/witcherytheband
