A whole bunch of new music today, including the first half of that Hederos & Hellberg concert. Also, the newest single from Isolation Years "Open Those Eyes". It's a little more uptempo and sunny than older IY stuff, but I'm starting to really like it.

Fireside finally got their new website up and running. Check it out.

Dialog Cet is heading out on the road in support of their new album "Konsumera Era", which was released today:

4/12 - Jönköping, Rocks
4/15 - Uppsala, Genomfarten
4/16 - tbc/tbn (to be not)
4/17 - Göteborg, Gump w/Träd, Gräs & Stenar
4/18 - Lund, Blekingska Nationen
4/19 - Oslo, Café Mono
4/20 - Sandviken, Kungen

Melody Club has posted the video for the new single "Covergirl" on their homepage. Oh, and I also have it on good authority that the bassist also plays in a grind band. Pretty funny, I just wish I could remember their name.

Get a preview of the new soundtrack music from Ulver for the movie "Svidd Neger". Once the site loads, click the 'musikk' tab. I think it all sounds really cool so far, and there's even a little guitar on excerpt 4.

Hemmalaget will be performing at the upcoming Swedish Hip-Hop Awards to be held at Nalen in Stockholm on April 25. Isn't 'Swedish hip-hop' an oxymoron? Oh, but I kid! More info here or here, at the official site.

Those lucky dogs in The Hellacopters get to open for the Rolling Stones at Cirkus in Stockholm on July 22. First the MC5 invite, and then this? I bet those guys are stoked.

It's been hinted at before with the announcement of Logh as an opener, but I can now reveal the extent of the upcoming Fireside tour:

4/16 - Göteborg Sticky Fingers w/Logh
4/17 - Malmö Voltmeter @ KB
4/18 - Uppsala Grand w/Logh
4/24 - Linköping Herrgår´n w/Logh
4/25 - Västerås Village w/Logh
4/29 - Sthlm Södra Teatern/ KGB w/Logh
4/30 - Oslo (n) Blå w/Logh
5/01 - Lund Mejeriet w/Logh & De Stijl
5/02 - Hamburg (D) Molotow w/De Stijl
5/03 - Köln (D) Underground w/De Stijl
5/04 - Dresden (D) Star Club w/De Stijl
5/05 - München (D) Orange House w/De Stijl
5/06 - Milano (I) Transilvania Live w/De Stijl
5/07 - Lausanne (CH) Bleu Lézard w/De Stijl
5/08 - Bern (CH) ISC w/De Stijl
5/09 - Leuven (B) Stuk w/De Stijl
5/10 - Utrecht (NL) Ekko w/De Stijl
5/11 - Groningen (NL) Vera w/De Stijl
5/12 - Amsterdam (NL) Melkwegw/De Stijl
5/13 - Rotterdam (NL) Waterfront w/De Stijl
5/14 - Brügge (B) Cactus w/De Stijl
5/15 - Berlin (D) Magnet w/De Stijl
5/16 - Helsingborg Tivoli w/De Stijl

The new album "Get Shot" comes out April 7.

Opeth frontman Mikael Akerfeldt will be doing a collaboration with Porcupine Tree leader Steven Wilson on a Linda Perhacs cover to be used on a tribute CD. Steven has produced the last few Opeth releases, including the much-anticipated "Damnation" album due out next month. Billed as the 'mellow' counterpart to the recently released "Deliverence", I can tell you now that it's easily the best thing they've done for some time. I've been an Opeth fan for sometime, but have felt their musical progression has gotten a bit stagnant recently. Well, no more - "Damnation" shows a whole new side of the band and proves they are easily one of metal's top acts. And no, I don't get paid to say that. I wish.

Pristine Music has a couple new singles in the works. First up is Johan Bergqvist, a singer/songwriter who I've talked about a little before. He's played with bands like The Virtues and Peter, Björn, and John and will have a three-song release out in May. Next is the hard rock act Hell n’ Diesel. The EP "Asphalt Supreme" came out last June and their new single will be recorded in April, in stores by May. Both new releases will be accompanied by videos.

Amorphis side-project Verenpisara have completed work on their second album "Happosadetta" ('acid rain'). Look for it May 15 on BMG.