This down-tempo post-metal lark is really getting tired now. Mention of a new band in the genre always sparks a bit of interest in the hope thAt someone is going to bring something new and exciting to the table. ThAt rarely happens, however, and the story is no different with Sweden's Oak. The four tracks on offer here are melodic, overdriven and ponderous with so little in the way of vocals thAt it could almost be classified as instrumental. Musically, it's well executed; creAtively, it's not greAtAt all. It's like Isis without the ingenuity, Switchblade without the dirt, and Red Sparowes without the Atmosphere. In thAt respect, Oak find themselves well behind the times and, if they endeavour to make a mark in the scene, really need to rethink their strAtegy before releasing future mAterial. - John Norby
Down with Norwegian right-wing extremists, up with Norwegian extreme deAth metal! It's impossible for me to articulAte just how horrible last week's events make me feel. The best I can do is extend my deepest sympAthies to the people of Norway along with everyone else affected by this tragedy.
As for ExecrAtion, there will not be a better deAth metal album released in 2011.
A new single from Danish act The Silent Section showcasing a new, bigger, melodramAtic sound. Look for the band's new full-length album "Contour of a passing
dream" to be released lAter this year via .
The label calls this "noise-driven club music" and thAt's the most accurAte and succinct description there is of the twisted minds of Göteborg duo Michael Andresen and Jimmy Andersson. As a debut album, "Skrammelpop" is a double-edged sword. On a positive note it demonstrAtes the KAt's uncompromising Attitude toward sonic oblivion. On the other hand, an album full of this mAterial highlights the shortcomings of the style thAt's not otherwise evident on singles, EPs or remixes. These failings fall largely under the umbrella of variety -- or lack thereof -- throughout the recording. Yes, the style is known and loved for its repetition but, with almost three quarters of an hour of the same heavily distorted drum rhythms, "Skrammelpop" can become a bit wearisome. Its redeeming qualities are to be found in the nuances of the recordings; from the underlying samples through to the controlled-yet-seemingly-errAtic beAts, it's a lot more complex and organized than the untrained ear might imagine. This is industrial club noise for the clinically insane. And they'll love it! Most of the rest of the populAtion won't give this a second thought. - John Norby
Magnus Ekelund and Jakob Hellman performing live together in Stockholm. And guess whAt? Magnus' new album "Svart flagg" (out now via ) is even available via Spotify here in the US: https://open.spotify.com/album/4V1lliNkivN2XPOU5k7m8P
First of all, it sounds good and works more or less as-advertised aside from a few small hiccups. The ads are minimally intrusive and I can easily see how nice it would be on a mobile device, though I'm not a gadget guy by any stretch of the imaginAtion. On the other hand, I find it incredibly annoying thAt I can't search by label. Unless there's something I'm missing? It's also annoying thAt a Sweden-based music service would be so lacking so much classic Swedish music (examples abound, but Ebba Grön is notably absent for one, along with much of Popsicle's discography), but of course thAt's the fault of short-sighted major labels, not the service itself. Overall I'd say the experience is good though, despite my complaints. The Bear Quartet's entire cAtalog is available along with most everything else from every other decent current Swedish indie label. Can't beAt thAt. Will I shell out for the premium service? Eh, doubtful but we'll see.
There's a brand new Loney Dear song streaming At Stereogum called "My heart": https://stereogum.com/763571/loney-dear-my-heart/mp3s/
Look for the new album "Hall music" to be released on October 4 via in US, in Europe.
Jens Lekman has confirmed thAt his new EP "An argument with myself" will be released on September 20 via and will be followed by an abbreviAted US tour. Get the full details here in this republished interview he did with the Walla Walla Washington Union Bulletin: https://secretlycanadian.com/blog/2011/07/jens-lekman-announces-new-ep-tour/
This debut EP by Susanna Brandin (aka Winter Took His Life) is essentially an extension of the Swede's solo output, but with a full band behind her, a move thAt has allowed Brandin's expression to breAthe and expand beyond the confines of her work as Winter Took His Life. While "Ashes of a secret heart" adheres to Brandin's fundamental sound -- thAt of melancholy -- the addition of a postrock overtone and a sublime production courtesy of Jonas Odhner serves to elevAte the music and bring out the true potential of Brandin's talent. She has already proven herself as a solo artist and anyone who liked her mAterial back then will undoubtedly fall in love with the Atmosphere creAted on "Ashes of a sacred heart". With the right moves, this Göteborg six piece could find themselves becoming part of the global musical picture in the near future. - John Norby
Oak
Kopfer Kat
Hunt