A West Side Fabrication has signed Gbg-based act minxy Soul models. Look for their debut album in April and the single "Top gun" in the next few weeks.

Check out the Enslaved newsletter with details on the new album "Ruun" and recent video recordings: ml" target=_blanK>https://www.enslaved.no/newsletters/feb06/nlfeb06.html

Rune Grammofon has announced that the label retrospective "Until human voices wake us and we drown" 5x10" vinyl box-set is just about done and should be available for mailorder. The set includes a 16-page booklet illustrated, as always, by Kim Hiorthøy and will be limited to 1000 copies. A definite collectors item. Also on the way is a new 10" from Deathprod featuring remixes he's done for Nils Petter molvær (2), murcof, Larsen and Cloroform as well as the track "Deerstalker" from the "money will ruin everything" comp. And lastly, RG will also be doing a vinyl edition of "Come up for air", the latest album from Norway's The White Birch. The record was produced by Deathprod/Helge Sten and features guest vocals from Susanna Wallumrød (Susanna and the magical Orchestra), so it's only natural that RG get involved. They'll be doing a CD version for the US and Asia, too. Exact release dates and more details soon.

Finland's montevideo has confirmed that their debut album "Come clean" will be released on April 5 and they will be celebrating with a release party in Helsinki. more details tba later.

Hanna Hirsch will be releasing a 7" entitled "Radiance kills" on Cage match Federation this spring.

Fireside has added a second show in Japan on march 3 at Eggman in Tokyo.

The release date of Amandine's new EP "Leave out the sad parts" has been set for march 21. The disc will contain five songs including "Firefly" from the full-length, two songs from the European 7" and two previously unreleased songs.

Dusted reviews José González's "Stay in the shade" EP: magazine.com/reviews/2706" target=_blank>https://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/2706

The latest Lords of metal webzine update features interviews with Scandinavian acts Katatonia, Swallow the Sun, Raunchy and tons more: metal.nl/index.php?lang=en" target=_blank>https://www.lordsofmetal.nl/index.php?lang=en

MP3: Lampshade - Fjäril

Today's mp3 post belongs to Kevin Renick. Take it Kevin...

Avi and I were both mesmerized by the new Lampshade CD "Let's away", but he was gracious enough to let me do the writeup for today's mp3. Lampshade is a quintet with four Swedes and a fabulous Danish vocalist named Rebekkamaria Andersson. In just two CDs, these guys have become one of the finest bands in Scandinavia, and they're one of the first bands I would mention right now if someone asked me why I'm so enamored of all things Nordic. Lampshade's music is filled with dynamic colors, from fiery guitar work and pounding percussion, to utterly bewitching moments of sensual softness. And for those like me who are especially captivated by Scandinavian music that SOUNDS Scandinavian, Andersson's voice is positively enthralling. She enunciates distinctively, with a more relaxed air than Björk, to whom she's sometimes compared, yet her accent is delightful, adorning these beautifully crafted compositions with an extra bit of magic. This song is one of the standouts on a disc with many of them: Andersson sings lyrics in exquisite Swedish over a droning guitar pulse that evokes ancient folk mysteries and an epic sense of space, then she switches to English mid-stream for a sweet ballad about a "little girl all dressed up in ropes and tears." The song continues with lovely vocal harmonies, back to the droning guitar, then an unexpected melodic little coda. Honestly, this is about as powerful and emotionally gripping as music can get!

Ladies and gentlemen, he speaks the truth. "Let's away" is another one of 2006's best releases. And in case you were wondering, it's Damien Jurado providing the male harmony vocals. Check 'em out on tour in Sweden and Norway with Namur:

03/04 - Kulturhuset, Jönköping (SWE)
03/05 - KlubbOhSunday, Gothenburg (SWE)
03/07 - Landet, Stockholm (SWE)
03/08 - Klubbdinmamma, Folketshus, Örebro (SWE)
03/09 - Herrgår´n, Linköping (SWE)
03/11 - Rock Bottom, Oslo (NOR)

Lampshade - Fjäril

MP3: Montys Loco - Give me more

Okay, I'm back after spending some 20+ hours in a car with my four dogs this past weekend. That's probably the last time I'll be doing that for a loooong time, god willing. New mp3 today from montys Loco off their new album "man overboard", out now on NONS. I posted the first single "Wasteland" awhile ago and was pretty darn stoked on it, but the full record is even better than I expected. I love the stripped-down arrangements and Björn Yttling's superb production. Take today's track "Give me more" for instance - the rhythm section is barely more than a floor tom, some percussion and a dirty fuzz bass. It shouldn't sound so complete, but it does. That's the just the tip of the iceberg, too: The whole record is full of unexpected moments of brilliance, one right after another. A definite gem of a disc - proof positive that less is often more.

Montys Loco - Give me more

Okay, I'm back after spending some 20+ hours in a car with my four dogs this past weekend. That's probably the last time I'll be doing that for a loooong time, god willing. New mp3 today from montys Loco off their new album "man overboard", out now on NONS. I posted the first single "Wasteland" awhile ago and was pretty darn stoked on it, but the full record is even better than I expected. I love the stripped-down arrangements and Björn Yttling's superb production. Take today's track "Give me more" for instance - the rhythm section is barely more than a floor tom, some percussion and a dirty fuzz bass. It shouldn't sound so complete, but it does. That's the just the tip of the iceberg, too: The whole record is full of unexpected moments of brilliance, one right after another. A definite gem of a disc - proof positive that less is often more.

Look at me, I'm interviewed at ROSA, the Danish rock council site: me/view.php3?SectionID=&ContentID=4974" target=_blank>https://www.rosa.org/v4/home/view.php3?SectionID=&ContentID=4974
Or in English: me/view.php3?SectionID=&ContentID=4984" target=_blank>https://www.rosa.org/v4/home/view.php3?SectionID=&ContentID=4984

Heads-up if you were planning on seeing The Embassy in London in march: the first batch of tix have now sold out - myspace.com/tacktacktack" target=_blank>TTT has issued another 21 tickets for the show at £5, and may or may not release more. Be decisive if you want in!

Check out the video for "Louder" from Swedish rockers Babylon Bombs: mbs.net/video/babylon_bombs-louder.mpg" target=_blank>https://www.babylonbombs.net/video/babylon_bombs-louder.mpg