Rotten Sound tour blog
Rotten Sound has a tour blog and if it's anything like the other Finnish punk/metal tour stories I've seen, it's guaranteed to be good: https://rottentours.blogspot.com/
Portrait preview
Swedish old-school metal act Portrait are now streaming a couple new track from their forthcoming album "Crimen laesae majestatis divinae" at their website: https://www.portraitband.se/
Peace & Love Havana in Havana
The Peace & Love Festival is going on the road to Cuba and will taking a handful of Swedish acts with them. The dates are set for March 25-26 and the lineup will include Timbuktu w/Damn!, Looptroop Rockers and The Baboon Show.
Hultsfredfestivalen resurrected
The Hultsfred Festival will be back this year on July 14-16, in direct competition with the similarily troubled Arvika Fest. As for whether they'll weather the storm, we shall see, but they don't have any acts confirmed yet. Read more: https://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/musik/hultsfredsfestivalen-ateruppstar (in Swedish)
You Ate My Dog - Still lost (video)
The screaming is totally unconvincing and unnecessary and, to be frank, just a little bit silly (same goes for all those little moshy bits), but other than that, You Ate My Dog isn't all that bad as far as modern mallcore pop-punk goes. No way those kids are old enough to remember mixtapes on cassettes though, that's 100% bullshit. Direct link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KKb4MV7lqc
The band's debut album "Like torches" is out February 4 via .
The return of Exergy Music
Swedish label is back from the dead, the reason being that "many of my old artists have finished new music that is too good for not being released," plus, "I have also bumped into some new artists that i just love." Guess that once you're in, it's hard to walk away forever. Anyhow, their first new release will be Akaba with the song "Fake it", as you can see/hear above. After that, look for new stuff to follow from the likes of Nanook of the North, Molesome and maybe also Vera Vinter. I'd also be way into a new Vijaya record, but I know the chances of that are slim to none.
Music Export Finland wins Internationalization Award
Finnish president Tarja Halonen has awarded Music Export Finland the 2010 Internationalization Award for their excellence in promoting Finnish business (and in this case, art) abroad: https://www.musex.fi/en/news/music-export-finland-receives-the-internationalization-award-of-the-preside/
Quoteth the article: "Music Export Finland is the first organisation to win the award that operates in an industry, where revenues are primarily derived from the sales of immaterial goods – in this case the music copyrights, as well as a whole range of other music-related services and products."
Happy birthday to Absolut Noise, The Swede Beat
Happy 5th birthday to Swedish music blog Absolut Noise: https://absolutnoise.blogspot.com/2011/02/absolut-noise-is-five-years-old.html
Likewise, happy 2nd birthday to online newsletter/webzine The Swede Beat who are turning 2 and celebrating with a clubnight in Brooklyn featuring a DJ set from Victoria Bergsman/Taken By Trees: https://www.theswedebeat.com/events
When I started this site way back when there was literally no one else out there exclusively covering Scandinavian music. Over the years, many sites have come and gone, but for the ones that stick around: much love! It makes my job easier and the more niches we all cover, the better it is for the readers and the artists.
Hisingen blues trailer
A quick trailer for the new Graveyard album "Hisingen blues", due out in March. Direct link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqR0c3M8ORc
The Guardian vs the Black Hole Crew
The Guardian reports the new scene of necromantic noise coming out of Norway: https://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2011/feb/02/necromantic-rock-metal-norway
Of course, regular readers should already be well aware that they are talking about Haust, Okkultokrati and Årabrot, three of Norway's best. No idea what those commenters are thinking praising Turbonegro over these dudes as if the last 15 years didn't happen, but whatever. Remain ignorant and enjoy Doctor Midnight & The Mercy Cult.
Magnus Carlson & The Moon Ray Quintet - If I could only be sure (video)
Here's a new video clip recorded in the studio with Magnus Carlson & The Moon Ray Quintet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASEIBv0_Mco
Those Dancing Days - I'll be yours (video)
Yet another new video from Those Dancing Days, this time showing off a gentler approach than what we've seen recently. Apparently this is the fist official single from the band's upcoming album "Daydreams & nightmares", due out March 7 via . Direct link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipuXl9XfUhE
New documentary: Iceland: Beyond Sigur Rós
Iceland Music Export on "Iceland: Beyond Sigur Rós", a new not-for-profit 30m documentary on the Icelandic music scene which is available for free streaming online: https://www.icelandmusic.is/News/1684/Iceland--Beyond-Sigur-Ros---New-Music-Documentary--/default.aspx
Featured artists include Ólafur Arnalds, Hafdis Huld, Mugison, Bloodgroup, For A Minor Reflection, Seabear and more plus a number of behind-the-scenes folks such as journalists and producers.
Love CPR preview
Scandipop is previewing clips from the new September album "Love CPR": https://www.scandipop.co.uk/?tag=album-preview
Mutant Sounds: v/a - Tand mörkret!
Just posted for download via Mutant Sounds, the book/comp "Tand mörkret!" featuring a wide array of 70s/80s Swedish punk/postpunk/experimental eclecticism: https://mutant-sounds.blogspot.com/2011/02/va-tand-morkret-book-and-compilation-cd.html
If the acts I do know are any indication (Dom Dummaste, Ståålfågel, TV3, Kitchen and the Plastic Spoons), it's well worth grabbing.