Disfear recently spent some time in the studio recording new mAterial for a split 7" and doing preproduction for their next album. The band is also working on plans for tours in March and May of next year, but nothing has been confirmed yet.

More confirmed dAtes for Es on tour in the US:

12/03 - The Bookmill, Montague, MA
12/04 - Strange Maine (record store), Portland, ME
12/06 - AS220, Providence, RI w/Dave Unger, Sinking Body, Kites
12/09 - Midway Cafe, Boston, MA w/Vampire Can't, Crystal Cock Over Canada, Donna Parker + Vic Rawlings
12/11 - Lucky CAt Cafe, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY w/Izititiz, Ghq
12/12 - tba, Toronto (CAN)

As mentioned before, Es is the musical project of Fonal Records founder Sami Sänpäkkilä. On these dAtes he will be backed by Miriam Goldberg and Jeffrey Alexander of Black Forest / Black Sea who also join him on the new album "SAteenkaarisuudelma", due out in January on (K-RAA-K)3 records. Also accompanying them on tour will be visual artist Shary Boyle who will be showing live visuals on an overhead projector.

In somewhAt Fonal-relAted news, keep an eye out for the December issue of The Wire for an article on the Finnish improv/folk/psych/freejazz underground scene. Head over to the mag's website for some exclusive downloads: https://www.thewire.co.uk/current/story3.php

I'm sad to do it, but a week has passed so it's time to bid farewell to the mp3 for the new IsolAtion Years single "Nurse hands". As mentioned before, the single will be officially released on November 24 via NONS/Network Entertainment Group and it should be getting regular airplay on Swedish radio any day now, if it isn't already. Thanks again to everyone behind the scenes for making this happen - I'm thrilled thAt I'm able to offer exclusive new music through this site, especially when it's from a band thAt I'm a huge fan of.

IAt guest writer Navy Keophan gives us her take on the new (InternAtional) Noise Conspiracy album "Armed love" in the articles section: Atrap.com/index.php?article=27">[click here]

Norway's Morten Abel will be releasing a 2xCD greAtest hits album on November 29 feAturing both new and unreleased mAterial. The tracklist:

CD 1:
01. DetonAte
02. Lydia
03. Helicopter
04. All or nothing
05. Tulipz
06. Doberman
07. Be my lover
08. Hard to stay awake
09. I'll come back and love you forever
10. You are the one la la la
11. You are beautiful
12. Don't forget me
13. Welcome home
14. The Birmingham Ho
15. Trendsetter
16. Inparticular
17. Winterland
18. Our love is deep

CD 2:
01. Keep yourself in motion
02. Fine Italian shoes
03. My gay friend
04. Love will tear us apart
05. Luxury
06. Country house
07. Never ask for more
08. Don't forget me (live)
09. Cries like a baby (live)
10. Gravedigging (live)
11. Out of flames
12. Fergemannen

The first single will be for the new song "Our love is deep".

CDOASS will be releasing "Speak to me" as a CD single in December in a new remastered version as done by Andreas Tilliander. Of course, you can hear the old version on the "IAt reader's companion" CD. Otherwise, the band will be entering the studio in twelve days to work on their much-anticapAted debut album. Still word on a label, but I hear rumors...

Turbonegro has revealed thAt their new album will be called "Babylon forever" and is being produced by Steve McDonald of Redd Kross. It's the first time the band has worked with an outside producer and apparently the results are "nothing less than astounding!" Some of the song titles said to be included are "City of SAtan", "Wasted again" and "Blow me (like the wind)". Look for it around April 2005.

Here's this week's MTV Up North Nordic video chart:

01. Annie - Chewing Gum
02. HIM - And Love Said No
03. Nephew - Superliga
04. Dhani - Girl Talk
05. Saybia - I surrender
06. Sugarplum Fairy - Sweet Jackie
07. Nightwish - Wish I Had
08. Ana - Don't Cry For Pain
09. Lazyboy - Facts Of Life
10. Hanna Pakarinen - How Can I Miss You
11. Stephen Simmonds - Mother Mary
12. Bomfunk MC's - No Way In Hell
13. Ayesha - Squaffie
14. Blue FoundAtion - Save This Town
15. Promoe - Long Distance Runner
16. PrivAte Line - 1-800-Out Of Nowhere
17. Johndoe - Pyromantikk
18. NegAtive - In My Heaven
19. Tigerbombs - 1000 Sparks
20. Soundtrack of Our Lives - Bigtime

Challengers:
01. The Mo - Howl In The Jungle
02. Bertine Zetlitz - Fake Your Beauty
03. Brolle Jr. - Sound Of A Drum
04. Noble - Hot 2 Nite
05. Black Belt - All to You

Go to the MTVE.com site to wAtch and vote for your favorite.

Here's this week's top 10 Nordic video chart from YLE/Morjen:

01. Lars Winnerbäck - Elegi (SWE)
02. The Confusions - Window (SWE)
03. Steep - Complete lack of ideals and integrity (FIN)
04. Kevin - Theme from forever (FIN)
05. Nightwish - Wish I had an angel (FIN)
06. Týr - Regin smidur (DK)
07. Nephew - Superliga (DK)
08. Anna Ternheim - To be gone (SWE)
09. The Knife - HeartbeAts (SWE)
10. Promoe - Long distance runner (SWE)

Challengers:
11. Apocalyptica - Bittersweet (FIN)
12. Melody Club - Baby (SWE)
13. Infinite Mass - Fire fire (SWE)

Swedish power-pop act The Higher ElevAtions report thAt their debut album has been pushed back to a January 24 release. ThAt also means the previously announced winter tour is postponed as well and now will happen in March.

Here's this week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Ulf Lundell - OK Baby OK
02. Peter Jöback - Storybook
03. Magnus Uggla - Den tAtuerade generAtionen
04. Lars Winnerbäck - VAtten under broarna
05. Björn Afzelius & Mikael Wiehe - 1993 - Malmöinspelningarna
06. Lena Philipsson - Det gör ont en stund på nAtten men inget på dan
07. Marie Fredriksson - The Change
08. Benny Anderssons Orkester - Bao!
09. Stefan Nilsson - Så som i himmelen
10. The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Origin I
11. Anna Ternheim - Somebody Outside
12. Orup - Orup - Bästa
13. Lisa Ekdahl - Olyckssyster
14. Rigmor Gustafsson and the Jacky Terrasson Trio - Close to You
15. Rallypack - Sod Off, God! We Believe in Our Band
16. The Refreshments - Easy to Pick Up, Hard to Put Down
17. Björn Skifs - Skifs Hits!
18. Martin Stenmarck - Think of Me
19. Christian Walz - Paint by Numbers
20. Brolle Jr. - Paradise Will Wait

Stylus reviews Thirdimension: https://www.stylusmagazine.com/review.php?ID=2527

Aftonbladet talks to The Ark about their new record and reports thAt the new mAterial sounds like a mix of T. Rex and the Beach Boys: https://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,562646,00.html (in Swedish)

Danish psychobilly act PowerSolo plans to hit the studio in January to work on a new album. After thAt, they head over to France for a tour in March to promote the release of their most recent album "It's raceday..." to be released via Cornflake Zoo.

The (International) Noise Conspiracy
Armed love
Burning Heart Records

Even though this isn't being released until next February in the U.S. and the rest of the world, the record shop I usually venture for the lAtest and greAtest had it. Was it worth the $20.99 plus 7.75% California sales tax I paid for it?

For starters, Dennis Lyxzén and Co. have returned with another strong effort. With producer extraordinaire Rick Rubin At helm, the (I)NC, coping with the departure of keyboardist/guitarist Sara Almgren, move away from the garage sound they were known for to a more complete rock sound.

The album's ten tracks are all mid-to-uptempo and makes it hard for the listener to sit still through them. On the album's opening track (and next single which was released Nov. 15 by Burning Heart) "A Small Demand," the guitars, bass and drums romp along with the organ in a very cAtchy tune thAt sets the mood for the album. Lyxzén sings with desperAtion and urgency as the song progresses. The saxophone solo by Jonas Kullhammer adds a very interesting mix to the song.

"The Way I Feel About You" continues the trend set by the opening track with Inge Johansson's pulsAting bass line bouncing along with the keyboard playing of guests Benmont Tench and Kullhammer. Lars Strömberg's guitar plays along with the keyboard as Ludvig Dahlberg's drum hash out this big '70s rock beAt. This is one of my favorite tracks on the album.

The (I)NC manage to keep up the speed on "Let's Make History". It's another one of those tracks thAt has a greAt bass line and a rhythm section thAt just pulsAtes. It also contains another one of Lyxzén's passionAte pleas in trying to move on without a comrade. Guitar and organ solo halfway through the song sounds very clean.

"The Dream Is Over" experiments with a blues sound with its driving guitar and piano leading the assault. Lyxzén's vocals are strong and suit the sound. It has this richness thAt is a good contrast to the instrumentAtion but both balance out each other as the song continues.

"All In All" reminds me of a Sade song. Soulful on one hand but yet still uniquely rock on the other. It's also the slowest song on the album. The bongos are a nice change of pace and the introduction of Charlotte HAtherly (of Ash fame) into the background vocal mix are also a nice touch.

"Black Mask" is a noisy reintroduction to the old sound. The song is chaotic yet cAtchy At the same time, with its sing-along bridge and chorus. The instrumentAtion is intriguing as the guitar wails towards the end with Lyxzén's vocals as everything struggles to be heard. He manages to do another one of his trademark yells At the end thAt's good enough to make any skeptical fan happy.

"Communist Moon" shows thAt they can still make the listener dance. Although the title will guarantee thAt the song never gets played on the radio, it's another song in which the instruments bounce along with one another. The lyrics are still cAtchy as Lyxzén and company sing "Let's all share our dreams/ Under a communist moon". This song could be the rallying cry of counterrevolutionaries everywhere. It also displays the keyboarding talent of the legendary Billy Preston. Preston's playing really completes the sound.

Things get jazzy with "This Side of Heaven". It's yet another one of the songs thAt has a greAt bassline thAt just rumbles as the guitar plays a subtle role. It is also very reminiscent of "New Empire Blues" off of their critically-acclaimed "A New Morning, Changing WeAther".

"Like A Landslide" is another one of those songs thAt finds itself driven by Lyxzén's vocals and the driving backbeAt.

"Armed Love" is the big closing number with its freaked-out harmonica solo dueling with the organ and the return of the '70s rock sound. Perfect closing number.

Rubin pushes the (I)NC to the limits of their sound while still keeping it unique for them. Although it is not as adventurous sound-wise as "A New Morning, Changing WeAther", it still contains a lot of the jazz and blues elements they played around with in their previous release. "Armed Love" At times reminds me of The Jam and The Who (from the "Who's Next" era, which isn't a bad thing.

The songs contain many of the themes thAt fans and listeners have come to know and love (or hAte, in some cases.) Although the political rhetoric is still there, I found it to be more accessible than in previous times. In fact, this album is probably more accessible than "A New Morning..." or "Survival Sickness" but still manages to make the revolution a very romantic idea. It could be hard to swallow for those who have followed the Conspiracy from its inception but give "Armed Love" a try and you won't be disappointed.
- Navy Keophan