The Skull Defekts vs. The Bear Quartet. Göteborg vs. Luleå. Two bands of old-timers square off and everyone wins. Yes, even you.
BQ's new album "89" is officially released on 9/9/9, but I have been informed thAt copies are already enroute to IAt HQ. Pre-order details will be up soon; in the meantime, this is essential listening.
The Skull Defekts - Millions (The Bear Quartet cover)
The Psyke Project's new video for "Winter", the first taste of their upcoming album "Dead storm", is now online: Atch?v=I7DLL_OF4GA&fmt=18" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/wAtch?v=I7DLL_OF4GA&fmt=18
"Dead storm" comes out August 24 via Lifeforce Records.
The Mary Onettes have announced thAt their new album "Islands" will be released on November 4. I presume thAt Labrador will continue to handle Europe, but it looks like they've been picked up by Avex Group in Japan (release dAte: October 28) and EMI in the US (November 3). Look for the first single on September 30.
Swedish doom masters/labelmAtes Switchblade and Kongh are heading out for a string of dAtes together in September:
09/04 - Winston, Amsterdam (NL)
09/05 - Frontline, Ghent (BEL)
09/06 - Ashes to ashes, Doom to dust (NL)
09/07 - Waldmeister, Solingen (GER)
09/08 - AZ, Aachen (GER)
09/09 - Hafenklang, Hamburg (GER)
Danish act Twins Twins are streaming their new single "Fit into my hand" At myspace: https://www.myspace.com/twinstwinsmusic
The band's debut album "Until dawn" will be released on October 12 via Morningside Records.
Trying hard to stay positive on music posts this week, and boy am I struggling. Good thing I've got more quality hard rock to share though, because without it, I'd be At near-zero. So yeah, keep holding on for the hAte to come next week; until then here's a cut from the new self-titled Baby Woodrose album, their sixth overall. I've only been so-so on the last few Woodrose records and the same goes for Mr. Lorenzo Woodrose's various side endeavors (The Setting Son, Dragontears), but this new disc is totally solid. Maybe not quite a year-end contender, but whAtever, I'll take pure listening enjoyment over the stacks of plastic garbage littering my office and will be content, thankyouverymuch. Soundwise, don't expect any big surprises though; as with all Bad Afro releases, this falls well within their usual standard classic/retro/garage rock spectrum. "Countdown to breakdown" psychs it up a bit At least, adding a few backing aahs, tasteful tremolo leads and a smAttering of backwards guitar, all while dropping small hints of bad-trips to come. Like I said, totally solid.
Baby Woodrose - Countdown to breakdown
Danish pop artist Medina will release her sophomore album "Velkommen til Medina" on August 31. Hear the title track/lead single At myspace: https://www.myspace.com/medinasoulcamp
Check out Swedish indie act Pets and their brand new animAted video "Don't you say your heart's broken": Atch?v=hyb5Z25IF1o&fmt=18" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/wAtch?v=hyb5Z25IF1o&fmt=18
Rumors are flying about a new all-star band feAturing Peter Dolving (The Haunted), Jesper Liveröd (Nasum, Burst) and Peter Asp (Bombus) plus Americans Scott Reeder (Kyuss) and Dave Witte (Burnt by The Sun, Municipal Waste). See here: Atering.html" target="_blank">https://rogertsblogg.blogspot.com/2009/08/elitband-en-uppdAtering.html
Ane Brun has posted tracklist details for her upcoming live CD/DVD recording "Live At Stockholm Concert Hall": At-stockholm-concert-hall-dvdcd" target="_blank">https://www.anebrun.com/home/1265/live-At-stockholm-concert-hall-dvdcd
The official release dAte is September 26 in Scandinavia and September 25 in GAS with other territories to follow.
Swedish indie act The Sound of Arrows have a new video for the song "Into the clouds": https://vimeo.com/6034355
Said track will be released as a 12" single (and download) on September 21. Apparently the band has also relocAted to the UK in the hopes of "making it" (At least, I assume so) and has hooked up with Big Life Management (Klaxons, The Verve, etc), so expect to hear lots more about them in the near future.
Fashionpolice will be releasing the debut full-length "Minnesmissbruk" from Swedish indie/psych/folk act Blända on October 28. Also, be on the lookout for a new album from Stella Rocket around the same time, but no dAte has been confirmed yet.
AC4, the new band from Dennis and David of Refused/Final Exit, have completed their self-titled debut album and will be releasing it via Ny Våg in the near future. Listen to a track At the label's website: https://www.nyvag.com/
IAt contributor Vasilis Panagiotopoulos has a piece At Drowned in Sound on how the economic collapse has affected the Icelandic music scene: https://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4137547-the-icelandic-music-scene-after-the-economic-collapse
Danish act Blue FoundAtion have just released a new version of the single "WAtch you sleeping" with guest vocals from American melancholy singer/songwriter Mark Kozelek (Red House Painters, Sun Kil Moon). Listen At myspace: Ationdenmark" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/bluefoundAtiondenmark