Three Seasons is the new band of ex-Siena Root vocalist Sartez Faraj and much like his work with that previous act, they totally rule. I know that Graveyard continues to be the poster-boys of the Swedish hardrock scene right now and they're pretty good, don't get me wrong, but in the same way that Siena Root's 2008 release "Far from the sun" was overshadowed by Graveyard's self-titled debut, let us not make the same mistake again. There's room at the top for more than one set of heavy rock jammers and, anyhow, Three Seasons is definitely the superior band. Besides, if you can't get down with those organ solos, you don't deserve to be listening to this stuff anyway.
On the opposite end of the hip-hop spectrum from Movits!, here's something new from GBG-based rapper Adoo. Look for a follow-up single in April with the album "De Knas" to follow afterwards.
Semi-reclusive Swedish music legend Jakob Hellman has recorded a new duet together with Magnus Ekelund (ex-Elmo) this past weekend: https://www.nsd.se/noje/artikel.aspx?ArticleId=5993323 (in Swedish)
The track is called "Utan er" and it will be featured on Magnus' upcoming solo debut "Svart flagg" which he is currently working on for release this spring. I do believe this is Jakob's first new recording since he guested on "Du min vän" from Nina Ramsby & Martin Hederos' 2006 album "Jazzen".
Hellsongs is calling it quits following the stroke suffered by lead singer Siri Bergnèhr, but they will be doing one last show on March 11 in their hometown of Göteborg together with the Göteborgs Symfoniker. Read more: https://www.hellsongs.com/
Check out Svensk Musik, a new website founded/funded by STIM (the Swedish Performing Rights Society) focusing on new/contemporary Swedish music for an international audience: https://svenskmusik.org/
Numerous essays are already online, as is a feature on their label of the month, .
Thrash funk not dead! Seriously, of all the sub-sub-genres to come back around, I figured we'd get a fourth wave of ska or something long before I'd be hearing slap bass again. Normally I'd immediately hit delete on any promo that comes my way with the descriptor "funky" (or any derivative thereof), but I guess I was feeling charitable or something because I decided to check out Riff Knives and was actually kind of impressed. I still wouldn't exactly say this is "good", but I'm glad it exists and I have to say, I really do have a soft spot for this stuff I suppose. After all, my teenage years in the SF Bay Area were ruled by the likes of Primus, Mr. Bungle, Fungo Mungo, Psychefunkapus and tons more 2nd and 3rd rate acts in this mode, not to mention my own (unwise) musical endeavors of the time (recordings exist, but I don't have them). So yeah, I can't talk shit and no matter how contemptible you may feel about the style, these dudes nail it. Look for the band's new EP "Ape flip" to be released on March 9.