Download "Birthday Song Part II" from the Stellan Wahlström Drift Band: https://www.belpid.com/swdb.shtml
The track comes from the band's new album "The Excitable Gift", out now via Belpid Records.

On-demand video site Musicbrigade is currently hosting a Logh spotlight with a few clips from the upcoming album/DVD "A sunset panorama": https://www.musicbrigade.com/

Swedish thrashers The Haunted will join Machine Head, Devildriver and It Dies Today for a US tour in May. Dates soon.

Alamaailman Vasarat reports that their new album "Kinaporin kalifaatti" with Tuomari Nurmio (and Tohtori Hillilä) is now ready for release. The disc features eleven new tracks along with a bonus five-song DVD entitled "Palataan Aasiaan" and will be officially released on March 9.

Via ScandinavianMetal.info comes word of a new track for download from Saturnus, a group described as Denmark's answer to My Dying Bride. Check it: https://www.saturnus.dk/index/saturnus_murky_waters.mp3

Finnish music blog Lupatarkastaja posts about the "Metal on metal - Finnish underground metal compilation": https://lupatarkastaja.blogspot.com/
I can't understand a word of course, but there are links for audio samples and band websites.

The Bear Quartet report that they are working on new material and should have a new album ready for release sometime after summer with nine new tracks. They say the stuff they're writing is a combination of electronics and punk along with their usual excellent sense of melody.

Check out a stream of the brand new Span single "Cut like diamonds" right here: https://193.71.196.157:8080/ramgen/universal//Span-cut_like_diamonds_full.rm
The new album "Vs. Time" is due out late March/early April.

The Defectors will play a few gigs in France this coming May:

05/13 - Bourges
05/14 - Rennes
05/15 - Dijon

More details tba.

International mp3 blog Red Lotus Radio has a few tracks from Múm this week: https://redlotusradio.blogspot.com/

Plugged Records has announced that it will release the new single "A Different Kind Of Love" from Caroline W. aka Caroline Wennergren on March 7, two days after she trys out for the European song contest. More info about her here: https://www.carolinew.net/

Kent is unsurprisingly the pick of the week over at MTVe with their new single "Max 500": https://www.mtve.com/article.php?ArticleId=5404

Here's this week's MTVe UpNorth video chart:

01. Thomas Dybdahl - A Lovestory
02. In Flames - Touch Of Red
03. Smak - Hallanvaara
04. Pain - Same Old Song
05. The 69 Eyes - Devils
06. Dreamboy - Uncalled For
07. The Ark - One Of Us Is Gonna Die Young
08. Lazyboy - Underwear Goes Inside The Pants
09. Annie - My Heartbeat
10. Husky Rescue - City Lights
11. Embee / Vanessa Liftig - Not Tonite
12. Johnny Deluxe - Vi Vil Ha Mer
13. Kapasiteettiyksikkö - Usko Parempaan
14. The Confusions - Don't Let the World Catch You Crying
15. Timbuktu - Alla vill till himlen men ingen vill dö
16. Fibes Oh Fibes - One Hour Baby
17. Titiyo - Loving out of nothing
18. Kevin - Theme From Forever
19. Maria Arredondo - Burning
20. Various Danish Artists - Hvor Små Vi Er

Challengers:
01. Hammerfall - Bloodbound
02. Moneybrother - They're Building Walls Around Us
03. Lake Placid - This Air
04. Christian Walz - Never Be Afraid Again
05. Fountainheads - Perfect

Go here to vote for your favorite.

Part two of MIC Norway's interview with Maniac of Mayhem: https://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2005022111253010135957

Kristofer Åström on tour with Britta Persson as support:

04/06 - KF Roxy, Visby (SWE)
04/08 - Mejeriet, Lund (SWE)
04/22 - Hugo, Norrköping (SWE)
04/23 - Kulturhuset, Jönköping (SWE)
04/29 - Nalen, Stockholm (SWE)
05/06 - Klubb Kaliber, Mariestad (SWE)
05/07 - Sticky Fingers, Göteborg (SWE)
05/10 - Logo, Hamburg (GER)
05/11 - De Helling, Utrecht (NL)
05/12 - Botanique, Brussels (BEL)
05/13 - Gebäude 9, Köln (GER)
05/14 - Karlstorbahnhof, Heidelberg (GER)
05/15 - Nachtleben, Frankfurt (GER)
05/16 - ISC, Bern (CH)
05/17 - BOA, Luzern (CH)
05/18 - Atomic Café, München (GER)
05/19 - Magnet, Berlin (GER)
05/20 - KB, Malmö (SWE)
05/21 - The Tivoli, Helsingborg (SWE)