The new self-titled album from finnish doom-metallers Shape of Despair has been confirmed for an August 3 release via Spinefarm Records. The special low-priced CD features rare and previously unreleased material from the band, including tracks from the band's first demo, "Alone in the Mist", and one new song called "Sleeping Murder", which was recorded last March.

finnish freaky folk/avant label Kevyt Nostalgia has updated their website with into on new releases from Fruit Of Woven Vine and Markku Lahtelan Sirkus and reissues from Hotguitars and Kemialliset Ystävät: https://www.kevytnostalgia.org/

Download an mp3 for "Cursed prayer" from finnish hardcore band St. Hood: https://www.fullhouserecords.com/fhr/mp3/019%20-%20St.Hood%20-%20Cursed%20Prayer.mp3

The Monotonik netlabel presents a new EP from finnish artist Planet Boelex: https://www.mono211.com/content/releases/mtkmp147.html

finnish techno act Symptom has posted an entire live for download from a recent performance at the Mbar in Helsinki: https://www.symptomrecords.com/mp3/SymptomLive-Mbar-200505.mp3

finnish hip-hop artist Redrama will release his new album "Street Music" in August. The title track is the first single and it should be out now in Finland and will be released elsewhere in June.

finnish mp3 blog Lupatarkastaja presents their latest digital mixtape, this time hand-picked by guitarist Antti Malinen of hardcore act Down My Throat: https://lupatarkastaja.samizdat.info/2005/05/24/luuvitosen-vippi-5-antti-malinen-down-my-throat/

New North American dates for finnish cello combo Apocalyptica:

09/12 - 9:30 Club, Washington, DC
09/13 - Irving Plaza, New York, NY
09/14 - tba, Philadelphia, PA
09/15 - Paradise, Boston, MA
09/16 - Spectrum, Montreal, QUE
09/17 - Guvernment, Toronto, ONT
09/18 - Cabaret Metro, Chicago, IL
09/19 - The Quest, Minneapolis, MN
09/20 - Beaumont, Kansas City, KS
09/21 - Bluebird, Denver, CO
09/23 - Richards On Richards, Vancouver, BC
09/24 - El Corazon, Seattle, WA
09/25 - Aladdin Theatre, Portland, OR
09/26 - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA
09/27 - House Of Blues, Los Angeles, CA

finnish music blog Lupatarkastaja posts a new mixtape compiled by Timo Häkkinen of the bands Atakhama, Sotajumala and Wherevictimslie: https://lupatarkastaja.samizdat.info/2005/05/19/luuvitosen-vippi-4-timo-hakkinen-atakhama/

Lupatarkastaja has a new online mixtape from Luuvitosen Vippi, bassist for the finnish band Murmansk. Check it: https://lupatarkastaja.samizdat.info/2005/05/13/luuvitosen-vippi-3-olli-pouttu-murmansk/

Here's a list of the upcoming new releases for finnish avant/cult label Lal Lal Lal:

The Skaters - Crowned Purple Gowns CS
MWM/Maryfist CS
Fricara Pacchu - Waydom CS
Paavi LP
Kompleksi - (I Ain't No) Lovechild / Moscow 1980 7"
Hall of Fame - Cannibal / Superstring Theory 7"

As always, cassettes are issued in limited editions of 200 and vinyl in editions of 525. Go here for more info: https://www.haamu.com/lallallal/

finnish artist Juho made a painting inspired by the single "City lights" from Racingpaperplanes: https://juho.blogspot.com/2005/04/loppu-tulos.html (it's the one in the center)
Pretty nifty, eh? In other RPP news, they recently did a rerecording of the song "Careless love" for the single disc reissue of the Will Oldham tribute that came out not too long ago. The new version of the comp will also include Mark Kozelek doing the Palace Music classic "New partner".

Upcoming releases on finnish art label Outa: Emerald Cloud Cobra (cd-r), Robert Horton (cd-r), Psychedelic Forests Of Jyväskylä - Collection (tape) and Rihmasto (cd-r). More info: https://iskelma.yardstyle.org/outa.html

Vocalist Anitta Sarén has left the finnish act Sela and the band has decided to continue on as an instrumental act.

Some nice pics of the free Hanoi Rocks show at Stockmans by way of American/finnish expat blog Axis of Aevil: https://www.axis-of-aevil.net/photos/hanoirocks/