Those tough guys in The Perishers take a stand against bullies: https://www.perishers.nu/new/article.asp?id=40

The Tiny in Time Out NY: https://www.thetiny.net/content/tiny/articles/TimeOut-NY.pdf

Sweden's Jeremiha are the current featured unsigned act over at Soundwerkz.com.

I'm not sure if this means no ExMS showcase in NY and LA, but here's the list of bands playing the two "Nordic Nights" showcases at The Drink On 6th at SXSW:

03/17:
Ske (ICE)
Tina Dico (DK)
The Low Frequency in Stereo (NOR)
Epo-555 (DK)
Powersolo (DK)
22 Pistepirkko (FIN)

03/18:
Teitur (DK)
Magnet (NOR)
The Crash (FIN)
The Ark (SWE)
Surfer Rosa (NOR)
The Blue Van (DK)

Big Dipper has announced that they'll be releasing a new album from Norwegian garage-rockers The Launderettes on March 7. The album will be called "Every heart is a timebomb" and it was produced by Cato Thommasen and Christian Engfeldt of Cato Salsa Experience. Look for the band to tour Europe in May and then come over to the US in August.

Ellis the Vacuumchild will be throwing a release party for their new album "Peace by extermination" this coming Friday in Stockholm. Check out the flyer: https://www.deck13.nu/ellis/skivfest.gif

Magic Marker Records will be releasing Heikki's latest album "2" in the US on February 15 in a new special edition with two bonus cover tunes, one by the Triffids and one by This Perfect Day. To refresh your memory, Heikki is the sideproject of Concretes guitarist Maria Eriksson and esteemed producer/Bear Quartet guitarist Jari Haapalainen.

Adrian Recordings reports that Sharif, the very first band they ever put out, is currently working on a new album and should have something ready for release in late spring/early summer.

The Willowtip Records website has two new Rotten Sound mp3s posted: https://www.willowtip.com/

Redrama, Finland's version of Eminem, won a Border Breaker award at the MIDEM music conference for selling more records across Europe than at home. Read more: https://www.fimic.fi/fimic/fimic.nsf/news/CD09F6736B363482C2256F95002E66A9!opendocument

The new issue of Terrorizer has part 1 of a special feature on black-metal: https://www.terrorizer.com/

Patrik Jensen (The Haunted) reports that his campy retro-thrash sideproject Witchery is done with their third album. The band, which also features Sharlee D'Angelo from Mercyful Fate/King Diamond/etc., is currently unsigned and is on the lookout for a label to work with. Read more: https://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=32018

Hanoi Rocks was busted for weed possession at the Norwegian border: https://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=32023
There's some new pics of the guys up at Rockfoto.nu, too.

Denmark's Raunchy has split with Nuclear Blast and is currently seeking a new label, no doubt an attempt to crossover to a larger, more mainstream market.

New mp3 today from Echo Is Your Love. This Finnish act evokes the spirit of classic DC/Dischord-style punk/hardcore with slashing guitars, tense, driving beats and impassioned vocals. The left-panned guitar on this track pounds open chords, not just for dissonance, but for percussive effect. And just when you feel like the band is on the verge of falling apart, they pull it back together with a sinister dual-guitar line. There is definitely a strong undercurrent of chaos in their playing, but it never feels contrived. They keep the reigns on just tight enough that everything remains under control, but there's always an element of danger. As good as this song is, it doesn't quite do the band justice. The album "Paper cut eye" doesn't easily lend itself to being picked apart, song by song. There's just too much going on, too many little things that elevate the work as a whole. Even still, I bet you'd need to see them live to truly get the full impact. Very recommended.