New pics of Thunder Express posted at Rockfoto: https://www.rockfoto.nu/intSpelning/206/intBand/298

Check out the video for "Em" from Swedish post-rockers Once We Were: wmv / qt

Jet Black Combo, the new band featuring Kalle Metz from 69-Hard, has confirmed that HepCat Records will be releasing the group's debut album this coming spring.

Hardcore webzine Cara A Cara interviews Norwegian sXe act Purified in Blood in what might be one of the site's last-ever updates: https://www.caraacaraunderground.com/interviews/65_2004_Diciembre_PiB.htm

Finnish noise-rockers Fun have posted two new mp3s for download: https://www.noisecorewalze.com/
Just to remind you, they are one of the many great bands that appear on the "Reader's companion" compilation I put out.

Music blog The Blank Generation is running down his 30 top picks from year which includes Scandinavian artists The Chrysler (#23), Jens Lekman (#16), Shout Out Louds (#15) and Suburban Kids with Biblical Names (#13): https://theblankgeneration.blogspot.com/ (note: the top 10 is yet to be posted)

Download a clip of the track "We might fall apart" from Finland's Disco Ensemble off of their upcoming as-yet-untitled album: https://www.fullsteamrecords.com/popupikkunat/mp3/discoensemble/we_might_fall_apart_clip.mp3

Friendly Noise has posted the rundown for the tracks set to appear on Differnet's new album, due out in February. Go here: https://w1.864.telia.com/~u86422773/news.html
One track of interest is "Crash reconstruction", a track built upon a song from CDOASS.

Online label Monotonik has a new free EP from Swedish "IDM-ish" artist Stefan Ternemar aka ST: https://www.mono211.com/content/releases/mtkmp140.html

Backyard Babies have announced that they'll be doing five dates in Sweden as a warm-up for an upcoming North American tour. Here's what's confirmed:

01/26 - Prisma, Vasteras
01/27 - Platens Bar, Linkoping
01/28 - Sticky Fingers, Gothenburg
01/29 - Hotell, Overlida
01/30 - KB, Malmo

NA dates soon?

Ruthless Reviews follows up their top 10 ridiculous black-metal photos list with this list of the top 10 worst black-metal albums: https://www.ruthlessreviews.com/top10/10wbm.html

Boomkat from the UK has quite a few Nordic releases in their top 50 list, including Deathprod at #2 and Arve Henriksen at #3: https://www.boomkat.com/charts.cfm?id=123&gID=5

Updated international tourdates for Finland's Pan Sonic:

01/22 - Rome, Italy
02/18 - Linz, Austria
02/25 - Pisa, Italy
02/26 - Ravenna, Italy
03/15 - Geneva, Switzerland

The latest from Norwegian hardcore act JR Ewing:

Finally, after over 2 years of touring, we're working on our 3rd record in the studio. For the last 3 weeks we have recorded drums, bass and guitars for 15 songs, most of these which will become the new JR Ewing album. Tracking has been done with Mike Hartung at Propeller Studios, as well as with Don Dons at Hangaround Sounds, both studios located in Oslo. We are extremely happy with the result so far, and from what we've heard from the selected friends we've played the stuff for, it's a refreshed and exciting JR Ewing that will be heard on the upcoming record. We're totally convinced this is the best record we could ever do, and we can't wait for you to hear it. The last leg of recording, vocals, effects and mixing, will be done in the first weeks of January with Mike Hartung and Kåre Vestrheim (Jaga Jazzist, Gluecifer, Gåte etc), so stay tuned. As far as labels and releasedates go, we will inform you all when we know more.

Amon Amarth, God Among Insects, Dream Evil, Edguy and Grave Digger are the first bands confirmed for next year's Gates of Metal festival in Hultsfred on August 5-6.