Check out a video by Russian artist Julia Zastava for the Alog track "Your secret flesh": ml" target=_blank>https://alog.net/soundclips/secretflash.html

Roxette's brand new single "One wish" has been confirmed for a September 20 release in Sweden, September 22 in Germany. This is some of the first new material from the band in something like three years and is being used to promote the duo's upcoming greatest hits album and retrospective box-set, both of which I believe are due in October.

MP3: Diabolique - Rain

I've been talking about (and listening to) a lot of goth/darkwave recently, so I'm gonna keep on going with it. Diabolique formed in the mid-90s out of the ashes of Liers in Wait, one of the many New Wave of Swedish Death metal bands that helped establish Göteborg as an international metal mecca. And if you go back even further, you'll find that frontman/guitarist Kristian Wåhlin (aka Necrolord) was also a founding member of the band Grotesque with vocalist Tomas Lindberg, pre-At the Gates. Kristian is also renown for his many cover paintings that graced oh-so-many of the 90's best metal releases (see a list at Kristian's official website). Anyhow, Diabolique released their first album "Wedding the grotesque" in 1997, and while it's a fairly decent example of doom metal with goth-leanings, it wasn't until their next release, 1999's "The black flower" that they really hit their stride. Heavy, shoegazer guitars mixed with deep vocals and a steady, pounding rhythm section. What I enjoy most about it is that heaviness - even though the music is most definitely not metal at this point, they still have a thick and beefy guitar tone that evokes the same sort of feeling. The bass is especially huge and driving. While I rank "The black flower" as one of my favorite Swedish CDs, the song I've posted today actually comes from the "Butterflies" EP that followed a year later. The music is a bit cleaner and lighter, but it's the vocals that really progressed the most. Kristian extends his range and instead of his usual baritone drone, he actually sings. I understand that many folks were turned off by that, but I think it works. most of the time. The band's final album "The green goddess" (which I don't think was ever officially released, though somehow I did manage to find a copy in the used bin many years ago) goes even further by doing away with the deep vocals altogether and adding more electronic beats and synths. I absolutely hated it when I first heard it and I still can't say it's really worth tracking down. Regardless, eventually dissolved (probably at least partially due to label issues) and Kristian, along with drummer Hans Nilsson, eventually reunited with Lindberg in the band The Great Deceiver. But that's a post for another Friday...

Diabolique - Rain

MP3: The Vicious - It's all a lie

Got a new mp3 today from Umeå-based punk-rockers The Vicious from their latest 7" "Obsessive". If dig classic snotty singalong punk like Randy or Regulations (with whom they share a member) then you'll definitely love this too. A lot of times this sorta retro-sounding sound comes off as forced, but somehow the Scandinavian punks usually seem to pull it off. No detached irony, no snide winks; just 100% quality rock'n'roll. The other point of interest concerning The Vicious is that this is the new band of Sara Almgren from The (International) Noise Conspiracy. Sorry to those of you hoping that she'd return to her moshcore roots (she was in band Doughnuts way back when), but it looks like it ain't gonna happen. Yet. C'mon, isn't it about time someone started a Chokehold tribute band or something?

The Vicious - It's all a lie

Contest reminder! I'm still giving away random packages of promos CDs every Tuesday for the next few weeks. m/special/contest.html" onclick="window.open(this.href,'contest','width=410,height=230');return false;">Click here to enter!

Denmark's The Fashion has completed work on their new album and here is the confirmed tracklist:

01. Dead boys
02. Letters from the ambulance
03. Untitled
04. Like knives
05. The apartment complex
06. Solo Impala
07. Funeral dept.
08. Alabaster
09. Vampires with gold teeth
10. mathmatics

The first single from the forthcoming Samuraj Cities album will be called "thxa1000000". It will be released on both CD and 12" vinyl.

Enter the Hunt's debut full-length "For life. 'Til death. To Hell. With love" has been confirmed for release on August 23. There's no samples from the album yet, but you can still preview three tracks from the "Become the prey" EP on myspace: myspace.com/enterthehunt" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/enterthehunt
Definitely recommended for people in melodic heaviness ala Khoma or Closer. Or 'intelligent heavy rock', as I like to say.

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Peter Jöback - Flera sidor av samma man
02. Lars Winnerbäck - Efter nattens bränder - 1996-2006
03. Tomas Ledin - Plektrum
04. Patrik Isaksson - Patrik Isaksson
05. Robert Wells and His Rhapsody Lounge Orchestra - Full house boogie
06. Peps Persson Oh boy - Det bästa med Peps Persson
07. Carola - Från nu till evighet
08. Benny Anderssons Orkester - Bao på turné
09. Amy Diamond - Still me still now
10. Sofia Karlsson - Svarta ballader (sjunger Dan Andersson)
11. Eric Gadd - Eric Gadd
12. The Poodles - metal will stand tall
14. BWO - Halcyon days
15. Takida - ...make you breathe
16. Totta & Wiehe - Dylan
17. Håkan Hellström - Nåt gammalt, nåt nytt, nåt lånat, nåt blått
18. Ulf Lundell - När jag kysser havet - det bästa 75-84
19. Lasse Stefanz - Pickup 56
20. Ola - Given to fly

Dark Dose, always one of my favorite music blogs, on Finnish neo-folk act Tenhi: m/?p=134" target=_blank>https://darkdose.com/?p=134

Popmatters on The Knife: matters.com/pm/music/reviews/the-knife-silent-shout/" target=_blank>https://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/the-knife-silent-shout/

Pitchfork bestows an 8.3 upon Vapnet: media.com/article/record_review/37469/Vapnet_Jag_Vet_Hur_man_V%E4ntar" target=_blank>https://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/37469/Vapnet_Jag_Vet_Hur_man_V%E4ntar
Looking for an affordable copy? m/store.php?item=242" target=_blank>Look no further! Compare my price of $15 ppd to Amp Camp's price of $16.25 before shipping! Ain't gonna find a better deal than that, let me tell you.

Finland's Avarus also got a decent review at pfork today: media.com/article/record_review/37485/Avarus_Vesikansi" target=_blank>https://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/37485/Avarus_Vesikansi

Swedish singer/songwriter Tobias Fröberg live in London:

08/01 - 12 Bar Club, Denmark Street
08/02 - Notting Hillarts Club, Notting Hill Gate
08/03 - The Borderline, Orange Yard off manette Street
08/04 - Kok, Camden High Street, Camden
08/05 - Nambucca, Holloway Road

Dimmu Borgir vocalist Stian "Shagrath" Thoresen has a new band entitled Chrome Divison. The debut album "Doomsday rock'n'roll", which is said to be a blend of heavy-metal, stonerrock and boogie, comes out next week.