Marcus Jidell (Royal Hunt, The Ring) has a new website for himself: https://www.marcusjidell.com/

I've been doing a little trolling around on myspace trying to discover new bands and while, for the most part, I'm not really uncovering anything incredibly exciting but they are definitely a few diamonds in the rough. One such disovery was Circle Six, a doom band from Linköping. I'm not sure that I'd consider most of the bands following in the footsteps of Isis to be worthy of the doom title, but Circle Six knows what's up. Not only are they incredibly heavy, but they are slow. Agonizingly slow. So slow that the cymbal ring almost completely decays between drum hits. It's like being bludgeoned to death in slow motion. Most of you probably think that sounds perfectly awful, but I'm sure that any aficionados of the genre are stoked by that description. It's also worth noting that instead of the more typical death-metal growls (ie. Skepticism) or hardcore-style shouts (ie. Cult of Luna, Isis), the vocals are a crusty black-metal rasp. Just the way I like it: kvlt and evil. Sometimes "brutal" is a positive adjective, y'know?

I'm not exactly sure what to make of this, but it looks like The Embassy might be playing Tack! Tack! Tack! in March: https://www.theembassy.info/

Crunchy Frog has announced the signing of Copenhagen-based duo Wolfkin. Read more: https://www.crunchy.dk/asp/default.asp?News_Id=160

Swedish hardcore act When We Fall has posted a soundclip with bits from three new songs they've been working on: https://www.whenwefall.se/Latar/new_songs.wav

Discouraged Records has signed Piteå-based "ambivalent hardcore" act The Pookie Syndrome and will release their debut album "Kaos" in March or April. Download two tracks here: https://213.114.113.173/~discouragedrecords/media.html

The wonderful people behind Swedish lofi electro act 50 Hertz have posted a new EP for free download: https://www.djurandmir.se/50hertz/downloads.php?dir=files/50_hertz-adam_svanell_presenterar_skargarn_ep-2006-fwyh

Finnish indiepop act Red Carpet has posted a rough live version of the song "No one else" for free download: https://hansoovoice.com/redcarpet/mp3/nooneelse_tampere.mp3

Mas-Kina has announced the signing of The First Cut, the Norwegian band previously known as Crash. Look for their debut album "Silence Afterwards" to be released on February 20. Listen to a preview at myspace: https://www.myspace.com/thefirstcut

The video for the new single "Charlie Fay" from Gustav and the Seasick Sailors is now online: https://www.gatss.com/media/videocharlie.htm

Download the new single "Kit club hotel" from The Kid: https://www.hybrism.com/files/the_kid-kit_club_hotel.mp3

New tourdates for Kashmir:

02/03 - Postbanhof, Berlin (GER)
02/04 - Haldern Pop Festival Pre-show, Haldern (GER)
02/05 - Batschkapp, Frankfurt (GER)
02/07 - Karlstorbahnhof, Heidelberg (GER)
02/08 - Prime Club, Cologne (GER)
02/09 - Abart, Zürich (CH)
02/10 - Bad Bonn, Dudingen (CH)
02/11 - Szene, Vienna (AUS)
02/12 - Elserzusazthalle, Munich (GER)
02/14 - Paradiso, Amsterdam (NL)
02/15 - Ekko, Utrecht (NL)
02/16 - Doornroosje, Nijmegen (NL)
02/17 - W2, Den Bosch (NL)
02/18 - Gruenspan, Hamburg (GER)
02/21 - Folken, Stavanger (NOR)
02/22 - Logen Teater, Bergen (NOR)
02/23 - Rockefeller, Oslo (NOR)
02/24 - Studentersamfundet, Trondheim (NOR)
02/25 - Bingo´n, Lillehammer (NOR)
03/24 - KB-hallen, Copenhagen (DK)

Download "20 fingers 20 Toes" from Finnish act Goodnight Monsters: https://www.bbisland.de/downloads.php3?useartist=16&myversion=EN

Disfear will bring the Swedish d-beat to the US at the Los Angeles Murder Fest on February 19. Look for additional dates in Phoenix, Tijuana, Las Vegas and San Francisco as well. Plans are also underway for more North American shows around May/June.

Finnish hardcore act Lighthouse Project has completed work on their debut album "Navigate by heart" and will see it released on March 1 via Combat Rock Industry. Download the track "I will take it as it comes" right here: https://www.fireinsidemusic.com/mp3/iwilltakeitasitcomes.mp3
Look for the band to tour Finland and Europe with fellow Finns Endstand shortly after the record is out.