David Fridlund will be offering two free live acoustic mp3s to everyone who signs up for his newsletter before this weekend. Head over to his website to get on it: https://www.thecitizens.nu/

I'm proud to announce the addition of the IAT.MP3 imprint series and our very first release: "Pigbone 3000" from Swedish singer/songwriter Björn Kleinhenz. Way back in October, I contacted Björn about the "instant music" CDrs he was offering and inquired into whether he would want to contribute something for this site. As you can plainly see, he said yes and I couldn't be more enthusiastic about the results. Eight songs, all exclusive, all totally great. Three by Björn, four written by co-conspirator Pete Thompson and one cover tune originally by The Notwist. So get to it and start downloading! Don't forget to grab the cover art while you're at it, too.

Well, better late than never: one more top 10 for 2004 has been posted today from two members of the excellent pop trio Peter, Bjorn and John: Check it out.
Being selected as 'album of the month' does have its privileges after all.

Tiger Lou has a new website for the new year: https://www.tigerlou.com/
His new album "The loyalist" is about halfway done.

Upcoming live dates for Enslaved:

01/27 - Camden Underworld, London (UK)
02/05 - Alarm Awards, Oslo (NOR)
02/09 - Loppen, Copenhagen (DK)
02/10 - Rosenkeller, Jena (GER)
02/11 - Lokschuppen, Rosenheim (GER)
02/12 - Tor 3, Osnabrück (GER)
02/13 - Headbangers ballroom, Hamburg (GER)
02/14 - Nachtleben, Frankfurt (GER)
02/16 - Vera, Groningen (NL)
02/17 - Doornrosje, Nijmegen (NL)
02/18 - Patronaat, Haarlem (NL)
02/20 - Garage, London (UK)
02/22 - Locomotive, Paris (FRA)
02/23 - Ubu, Rennes (FRA)
02/24 - Sala Tunk, Irun (SPA)
02/25 - KGB, Barcelona (SPA)
02/26 - Sala Jam, Bergara (SPA)
02/27 - Ritmo y Compas, Madrid (SPA)
02/03 - Antidox, Torino (ITA)
03/04 - La Gabbia, Bassano del Grappa (ITA)
03/05 - Rainbow club, Milano (ITA)
03/06 - Gaswerk, Winterthur (SWI)
03/09 - Black Pes, Prague (CZ)
03/10 - Arena, Wien (AUS)
03/11 - Mostovna, Nova Gorica, (SLV)
03/12 - Mochavara, Zagreb (CRO)
03/13 - Wigwam, Budapest (HUN)
03/14 - Stara Pekaren, Nitra (SLO)
03/15 - Underground, Cologne (GER)
02/16 - Voxhall, Aarhus (DK)
03/20 - Folken, Stavanger (NOR)

Swedish metalcore act Path of No Return will unleash their new album "Black nights coming" on March 25. A full European tour will follow soon after. Head over to their myspace page to stream a song and to see the album artwork: https://www.myspace.com/pathofnoreturn

Swedish indie-rockers Jettie have been picked up by the US label Astro Magnetics who will release their latest album "Heading for Mornings" in the States this coming April. Astro Magnetics is a new label run by Marc and Daria Debiac together with Geoff Rickly, frontman for the band Thursday. Other acts on the label include The Valley Arena, Blackout Pact and Secret Lives of the Freemasons. Jettie also got hooked up with Fata Booking (Blood Brothers, Pretty Girls Make Graves, etc.) and should be coming over to tour in the near future as well.

Power-metallers rejoice! The dudes from Stratovarius have worked out their differences and are back together working on new material.

Ane Brun on tour in Scandinavia:

02/18 - Södra Teatern, Stockholm (SWE)
02/19 - Göteborgs Konserthus, Göteborg (SWE)
02/23 - Garage, Oslo (NOR)
02/24 - Credo, Trondheim (NOR)
02/25 - Garage, Bergen (NOR)
03/02 - Värmlands museum, Karlstad (SWE)
03/03 - Herrgårn, Linköping (SWE)
03/04 - Ögir mat & musik, Köping (SWE)
03/05 - Village, Västerås (SWE)
03/06 - Strömpis, Örebro (SWE)
03/08 - The Tivoli, Helsingborg (SWE)
03/09 - KB, Malmö (SWE)
03/10 - Palladium, Växjö (SWE)
03/12 - Konserthuset, Gävle (SWE)
03/16 - Ebeneser, Luleå (SWE)
03/17 - Pinkerton, Skellefteå (SWE)
03/18 - Norrlandsoperans Bar, Umeå (SWE)
03/19 - Krokodil, Piteå (SWE)

Download the track "Berliinin kansainväliset ajoneuvomessut" from Finnish noise-rock act Au Pair off their new album "Voiko tämä rakkaus olla synti": https://www.freemedialab.com/aupair/biisit/berliini.mp3
Head on over to their website to download three other demos worth of material, too: https://www.freemedialab.com/aupair/aanta.htm

Norwegian all-stars Ephemera, Stig Van Eijk, Trond Viggo Torgersen, Sgt. Petter, Sissy Wish, William Hut, Andreas Segrov, Gustav Lorentzen, Tor Endresen, Rune Larsen, Christine Guldbrandsen and others are teaming up to record the single "Vi tenner lys" by Jan Eggum as a benefit to the people of South Asia affected by the tsunami disaster. Read more: https://www.ba.no/puls/musikk/article1409586.ece (in Norwegian)

Swedish metalcore act Burst will be supporting the mighty Mastodon on tour in the UK this February along with fellow Swedes Dozer. Dates:

02/09 - Cathouse, Glasgow
02/10 - Northumbria University, Northumbria
02/11 - Academy 2, Birmingham
02/12 - Academy 3, Manchester
02/14 - Corporation, Sheffield
02/15 - Zodiac, Oxford
02/16 - Mean Fiddler, London
02/17 - Lemon Grove, Exeter

It's nothing really all that new, but Burning Heart has put out an official press release regarding the new Millencolin album: https://www.burningheart.com/news/article.php?id=183
As said before, the new record "Kingwood" comes out on March 29 with the single "Ray" preceding it on the 14th.

Jonathan Wright of the blog Unfinished Novellas has posted a bit about his excursion into the Scandinavian music scene, specifically the oh-so-hot psych-rock world of Finland: https://unfinishednovellas.blogspot.com/2005/01/mummi-kutoo.html

Norway's Rec90, home of bands such as Lorraine, Poor Rich Ones and Magnet's debut album, has signed Twinklehead, Bob & Dave and Lu:d. More info soon.