Fluid Radio on the new album "Owl splinters" from Norwegian experimental/noise duo Deaf Center: http://www.fluid-radio.co.uk/2011/02/deaf-center-owl-splinters/
Definitely recommended listening! I should hopefully be gathering some thoughts for my own review/mp3 post in the not-so-distant future.
The Coldplay/Mew/A-ha supergroup Apparatjik will be participating in an art installation called "The Apparatjik Light Space Modulator" at the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin during the weeks of March 13-27. There is no entrance fee to view the installation itself, but if you want to be a witness to any of the live performances (on the 12th, 26th and 27th, the latter in collaboration with the Deutsches Kammerorchester), you will need a ticket: http://www.theoutland.com/Store/DII-414-5-the+apparatjik+light+space+modulator++ticket.html
The Øya Festival will once again be sending Norwegian talent abroad, this time to London for a couple gigs in late February in association with Field Day and Club NME. The featured acts: Team Me and Lucy Swann. Full details: http://www.listento.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2011013112581187917601
Attention denizens of Malmö! InSekt has been forced to cancel this coming Friday's It's a Trap! Clubnight with Kvelertak due to medical reasons, but all is not lost: the excellent Norwegian rock act Spirits of the Dead will be stepping in to take their place. Be there!
Doctor Midnight & The Mercy Cult, the new band with the terrible name featuring Hank von Helvete (ex-Turbonegro) plus Tim Skold (ex-Marilyn Manson, KMFDM, Shotgun Messiah), Anders Odden (ex-Celtic Frost, Satyricon, Apoptygma Berzerk), Audun Stengel (ex-Apoptygma Berzerk, The Kovenant) and David Husvik (ex-Extol), have officially signed with and will be releasing their debut album on June 6. Hear some short, not-too-promising preview clips at the band's website: http://www.dmtmc.net/
MetalSucks has the "exclusive" premiere of a track from Årabrot off their latest album "Revenge": http://www.metalsucks.net/2011/01/28/exclusive-premiere-arabrot-the-most-sophisticated-form-of-revenge/
Apparently the album is now is now available for a decent domestic price in the US: http://stickfig1.securesites.net/catalog/index.php?manufacturers_id=1352
Wolves Like Us, the new Norwegian hardcore band featuring ex-members from Amulet, JR Ewing and Infidels Forever, has officially signed with . The band's full-length debut "Late love" is currently being recorded and will be out in early summer.
Fenriz' 2009 DJ mix from the Metal Merchants festival has been posted for free download: http://afistinthefaceofgod.blogspot.com/2011/01/fenriz-metal-merchants-festival-dj-set.html
As with all of Fenriz' mixes, I'm sure it will be a great lesson in classic obscure metal. Oh, and you can also check out an interview with the festival organizer right here: http://afistinthefaceofgod.blogspot.com/2011/01/interview-with-stian-of-metal-merchants.html
Okkultokrati play Stockholm this weekend at DeadFest and if it's anything like when they played Göteborg a few weeks back, I imagine my RSS reader will be full of statements such as "holy shit!" and "screw it, I quit!" the very next day. Or maybe not, seeing as how Stockholm's denizens tend to be unimpressed, jaded elitists. Anyhow, whether or not dozens of mediocre bands will spontaneously dissolve after being devastated by Scandinavia's current genre leaders, it's an event not to be missed. I obviously can't make it as I'm back home, halfway 'round the world, but at least I can still jam the band's superb new EP "Ingen veit alt". Five new tracks, including a Reagan Youth cover ("No class"), a tune with the very timely title of "Witch house" and then one that ups the nomenclature ante even further: "Triumph of meth". If the tag of "apocalyptic metal/punk sludge" sounds appealing, you can't do better than this.
Okkultokrati - Triumph of meth
Norwegian techno act Mental Overdrive will be making two live appearances next week:
02/02 - Club Transmediale, Paloma Bar, Berlin (GER)
02/04 - Phonica Records In-store, Soho, London (UK)
Norwegian indie label has announced that they will be releasing the upcoming Einar Stray album "Chiaroscuro" on February 7 and the new album "Lifting ships" from Casa Murilo on February 28.
I'm not sure what the official release date is, but has posted the cover art for their next release which will be Jenny Hval's (nee Rockettothesky) new record "Viscera": http://www.runegrammofon.com/artists/jenny-hval/rcd-2108-jenny-hval-viscera/
I didn't get around to posting this last week when it was fresh, but it's worth repeating: Susanne Sundfør has withdrawn herself from her Spellemannprisen (Norwegian Grammy) nomination for Best Female Artist citing that gender should have no relation to art. More here: http://www.musikknyheter.no/news/7643 (in Norwegian)
Norwegian indiepop act Magnus Moriarty™ has a new video for the song "KnightsCryRocketTears" and are also giving it away as a free mp3: http://www.metronomiconaudio.net/archives/938
has confirmed the release of the new Le Corbeau album "Moth on the headlight" for March 14. Hear a sample tune: http://soundcloud.com/tigerfysisiskformat/le-corbeau-blackbelvedere