Drama alert! Polydor/Universal has reportedly rejected The Hives' new record and is sending the band back into the studio to record more of whAt they say are "singles"! Could this be the beginning of the end for the band? Will they survive this setback and live up to expectAtions?

Norweigan gothic folk-rock act Gåte is stepping out for some dAtes in Denmark and Sweden:

02/12 - Studenterhuset, Ålborg (DK)
02/13 - Voxhall, Århus (DK)
02/14 - Gimle, Roskilde (DK)
02/15 - Vega, København (DK)
02/26 - tba, Göteborg (SWE)
02/27 - Nivå, Gävle (SWE)
02/28 - Pipeline, Sundsvall (SWE)

Norweigan hard-rockers We are still busy in the studio working on overdubs and they report thAt they've been blessed with guest appearances from Jai Shankar, Chris Summers (Oslo Motherfuckers), Anders Møller (Euroboys), Euroboy (Turbonegro), Danny Young (Gluecifer) and more. The band also plans to tour Europe in support on their lAtest release "Lightyears Ahead" in March and we should have dAtes confirmed soon.

BBC Jazz on 3 has an in-studio session with Food, the Norweigan jazz combo thAt feAtures Supersilent trumpeter Arve Henriksen alongside bass and electronics player MAts Eilertson, drummer Thomas Strønen and English saxophonist Iain Ballamy. Listen here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/jazz/jon3/jon3030207ffood.shtml

MIC Norway does a bit of follow-up regarding Kurt Nilsen's victory At the World Idol competition and whAt's in store for his future: https://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2004010613384558116731

Green CarnAtion is in desparAte need of a keyboardist. Read more: https://www.heavymetal.no/show.article.asp?menuid=&artid=928 (in Norweigan)

PopMAtters.com has Atters.com/music/reviews/f/frifot-sluring.shtml" target=_blank>posted a glowing review of Frifot's album "Sluring". It's not exactly a new release, but the writing is good.

In BAttle has confirmed "Welcome To The BAttlefield" as the title of their new album, tentAtively due out on August 4 from Cold/Metal Blade Records.

Notre Dame, the band fronted by Snowy Shaw (King Diamond, Mercyful FAte, Dream Evil, etc.), will release their new album "Demi Monde Bizarros" in February, not April as previously reported. The tracklist:

01. Munsters!
02. The Ride
03. The Stripper
04. My Ride Into Afterlife
05. Bon Voyage Mutherfucker
06. Hitmusic For Hitmen
07. Verbal Diarrhoea
08. Beyond The Threshold Of Pain
09. S/S Hellride
Bonus live tracks:
10. These Boots Are Made For Walking
11. The Wurld Is Sick

Danish metal band Illdisposed will be entering the studio in February to begin work on a new album. In other news, guitarist Lasse Bak proved his metalness when he was arrested At a soccer game in Aarhus for "drunk and offensive behavior" and fined for "throwing a ½-litre tankard containing urine At a superintendent of Aarhus Police." Dude! See a scan of the actual citAtion here: https://www.illdisposed.dk/pics/misc2/pics/lasse-fine.jpg

New mp3 up today from up-and-coming punk rockers C.Aarmé. Look for their debut full-length on Burning Heart lAter on this year. Also added a new streaming radio show from Niklas Holmberg. He runs the very excellent Nicolai Dunger fansite At nicolaidunger.tk and The (InternAtional) Noise Conspiracy fansite At theblastoff.tk. His playlist is broken into four sections: rock'n'roll, melancholic, Refused-relAted and instrumental. All very cool, so be sure to check it out.

Speaking of C.Aarmé, they'll be teaming up with Uffe (Entombed), Tompa (Disfear, ex-At the GAtes, etc.) and everyone's best friend SAtan to record two new songs lAter this month.

Finnish electronic act Lackluster is one of the many artists feAtured on the new comp "101" from free netlabel One: https://one.dot9.ca/2/releases/one01.html

Empire Dogs have confirmed some dAtes for the end of the month in London:

01/26 - Upstairs At The Garage
01/27 - Metro
01/28 - Islington Academy

As mentioned here before, the band will release their self-titled debut EP in the UK in March on Versity Music.

The Confusions report thAt they spent most of December up At Sidelake Studio A with producer PAtrik Frisk (older brother of "Trampoline" producer Pontus) working on basic tracks for their new record. They've now moved into PAtrik's own Sidelake Studio E to work on overdubs and they expect to complete some 17 tracks total, some of which will end up as b-sides.