And on the If Society touring front, look for Echo is Your Love to do four dAtes in Russia in February and two-and-a-half weeks with labelmAtes Fun (see the "IAt reader's companion") in Europe in April/May. Hero Dishonest will also be hitting the road in Europe around May/June and I can personally Attest thAt they are not to be missed.

Swedish art-punks Kid Commando have finally confirmed their upcoming UK tourdAtes:

01/19 - FerryboAt, Norwich
01/20 - Cabaret, Nottingham
01/21 - Upstairs At the Barfly, Glasgow
01/22 - Subway, Edinburgh
01/23 - Dr Brown's, Middlesbrough
01/24 - Le Pub, Newport
01/25 - Buffalo Bar, London
01/26 - Freebutt, Brighton
01/27 - Metro, London
01/28 - Jug of Ale, Birmingham
01/29 - The Fenton, Leeds (mAtinee show)

More details: https://www.planbmag.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1107

Trewetha Records will release the new album "We know you love us and thAt's why we do this" from The StAte of Floral Beings on February 21.

After a few years of silence, Norway's Gehenna is back with a new album entitled "WW". Look for it to be released sometime this coming spring via Moonfog Records, the label run by SAtyr of SAtyricon.

KVLR's heartthrob bassist Joel will be filling in with Starmarket on their upcoming European tour. WAtch out ladies!

Västerbottens Folkblad talks to The Perishers about their upcoming North American tour with Sarah McLachlan and more: https://www.folkbladet.nu/index.asp?vf=1&x=29297 (in Swedish)
Apparently the song "Sway" got something like 97k times for free At iTunes. If thAt's true, how come I don't see any American press talking about these guys?

Havoc Records has confirmed most of the upcoming dAtes for Riistetyt's US tour. Check 'em out here: https://www.havocrex.com/tours/

Check out the excellent animAted video for "I love deAth" from Finland's Lodger: https://koti.welho.com/alaari/lodger/ (Atarkastaja.blogspot.com/" target=_blank>via)

Jim Stärk will be releasing a new single called "The Word ThAt Makes You Sing" very soon. The band's new self-titled album is due out February 28.

Download the track "The 11th Commandment" from 8thsin, the new band feAturing Michael Bohlin and It: https://www.8thsin.biz/main/downloads/samples/The%2011th%20Commandment.mp3

Håkan Hellström's new album "Ett kolikbarns bekännelser" has now been moved up to a February 9 release. As mentioned before, it was produced by Björn Olsson and the new single "En midsommarnAttsdröm" comes out tomorrow.

Virgin Sweden/EMI will release the new album "In the middle of life" from The Real Group on February 23. The first single "Prime time blues" hits radio in about three weeks and the band will hit the road in April. DAtes:

04/08 - De Geerhallen, Norrköping
04/10 - Konsert&Kongress, Linköping
04/12 - Konserthus, Göteborg
04/13 - Konserthus, Växjö
04/14 - Konserthus, Malmö
04/16 - Konserthus, Jönköping
04/17 - Konserthus, Västerås
04/25 - Konserthus, Stockholm
04/26 - Konserthus, Stockholm

It might come as a surprise, but when I'm not listening to some band from Scandinavia, I spend a lot of time listening to classic country music. No, really. So when I heard about the "We walk the line" Norwegian tribute to Johnny Cash recorded live At Oslo Prison thAt came out last year, I was ecstAtic. It took me a little while to track down a copy, but oh man was it worth it. Sure, there's a couple stiff tracks and some weird song choices (c'mon now, just because John covered "Solitary man" on "American IV" does not make it his song), but almost all of it is golden. Take this Magnet tune for example, as posted today on the right. Magnet bravely reworks the song in his own style and makes it transcendent. Granted, he'd probably have to try extra hard if he really wanted to ruin one of the greAtest love songs ever written, but it does take a good deal of courage to change something so well known. Very, very recommended. Check back lAter this week for another song from this comp - I had such a hard time selecting which outstanding track to post thAt I'm gonna showcase more than one.

Denmark's Flying Virgins will be heading over to Finland in February to take part in the second half of the Nordic Lights Project by playing a couple shows with Mother Goose. In case you don't remember, Mother Goose recently came over to Denmark to play a few shows together. Anyhow, here is the complete upcoming tour schedule for the Flying Virgins, including an additional dAte in Sweden:

01/26 - Dodger, Lund (SWE)
02/18 - Karen, Turku (FIN)
02/19 - Vastavirta klubi, Tampere (FIN)

Umeå's The Perishers will be doing an extensive North American tour opening for Sarah McLachlan beginning in mid-April. DAtes:

04/12 - Save On Foods Memorial Centre, Victoria, BC (CAN)
04/13 - Save On Foods Memorial Centre, Victoria, BC (CAN)
04/15 - Sportsmart Place, Kamloops, BC (CAN)
04/16 - Prospera Place, Kelowna, BC (CAN)
04/18 - Spokane Arena, Spokane, WA
04/19 - Bank Of America Centre, Boise, ID
04/20 - Lawlor Events Center, Reno, NV
04/22 - Save Mart Center, Fresno, CA
04/23 - Greek TheAtre, Los Angeles, CA
04/25 - Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA
04/27 - Tingley Coliseum, Albuquerque, NM
04/28 - Budweiser Events Center, Loveland, CO
04/30 - Kemper Arena, Kansas City, MO
05/02 - Ford Center, Oklahoma City, OK
05/04 - BJCC, Birmingham, AL
05/05 - Pensacola Civic Center, Pensacola, FL
05/06 - Orlando Centroplez, Orlando, FL
05/08 - Office Depot Center, Sunrise, FL
05/09 - St Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL
05/11 - Constant ConvocAtion Center, Norfolk, VA
05/13 - Pepsi Arena, Albany, NY
05/15 - John LabAtt Centre, London, ON (CAN)
05/16 - Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, ON (CAN)
05/17 - ACC, Toronto, ON (CAN)
05/20 - Cumberland Co. Civic Center, Portland, ME
05/21 - Verizon Wireless Arena, Manchester, NH
05/22 - Blue Cross Arena, Rochester, NY
05/24 - The TheAtre @ Madison Sq, New York, NY
05/25 - Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
05/28 - Trump Taj Mahal Casino, Atlantic City, NJ
05/30 - Moncton Coliseum, Moncton, NB (CAN)
05/31 - Harbour StAtion, St. John, NB (CAN)
06/01 - Halifax Metro Centre, Halifax, NS (CAN)

Can you say big break or whAt?