Check out a stream of the new WE video "Sassy Zazie" featuring Norwegian model Aylar: https://www.werock.org/video/31_high.ram

Timo Räisänen has confirmed a February 16 release date for his debut solo album "Lovers are Lonely". The artwork will be handled by the very talented Henrik Walse, whose recent work includes album covers for artists such as Thunder Express, Melody Club and The Hives.

Official Ark fansite thearkworld.com is having a win Ola's beard competition. No, really. Apparently, his new look from the summer is over and done with, but we still have pictures: https://www.thearkworld.com/images/beard/index.html

Denmark's Quartermain Records has announced the signing of Jacob Faurholt and his band Sweetie Pie Wilbur. The label will release their debut album "Queen Of Hope" on March 10, 2005. The music is described as "saturated with a gloomy and dusty expression, characterized by a charming amateurism and musical playfulness which gives the quite traditional songs a personal expression" and features guest appearances from Kåre Rolf Hansen of Tiger Tunes and Torsten Larsen from Larsen & Furious Jane.

New pics of Mustasch now up at Rockfoto.

Moving Hands reports from the Bombs over Blekingska noise festival in Lund, Sweden: https://www.movinghands.net/articles/detail.asp?id=71

In honor of their 10th anniversary, Swedish industrial/noise act Sanctum has posted mp3s of their live show from the 2001 Cornerstone Festival: https://www.ratblast.net/cc/node/view/57
The event was one of last shows that Lena Robért did with the group and is considered to be a classic performance.

Jens Lekman gets an honorable mention on the somewhat lackluster, predictable and safe best-of-2004 list from PopMatters: https://popmatters.com/music/features/041206-best2004lundy.shtml

Christian Falk has been selected as the man to produce the debut album from CDOASS. Christian was a member of the band Imperiet in the 80s and has since worked with all sorts of various Swedish pop stars as a songwriter and producer and also released a 1999 solo album that won three Swedish Grammy awards. Still no official word on a label or release date, but obviously big names mean big deals, so I'm sure we'll see an official press release before too long. Don't forget that the group's latest single "Speak to me" is out now and is also available as a track on the "IAT reader's companion" compilation.

P3 Musikjournalen is saying that pop starlet Robyn will be with various artists such as Klas Åhlund and The Knife on a new album, tentatively due out around summer next year.

Norway's Madrugada has uploaded even more studio pics to their website from their recent recording sessions in LA: https://www.madrugada.net/

Vreid, the new band formed by the three surviving members of Windir, have been tapped to support Enslaved on their upcoming European tour. Dates:

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)
02/09 - Black Pes, Prague (CZR)
02/10 - Arena, Wien (AUS)
02/11 - Mochavara, Zagreb (CRO)
02/13 - E-Klubb, Budapest (HUN)
02/16 - Voxhall, Aarhus (DK)

I'm not totally impressed with Enslaved's new album "Isa", but I have no doubt that they'll still put on a great show.

Nervous Nellie on tour in Germany:

12/09 - Indiego Glocksee, Hannover
12/10 - Moby Dick, Rottenburg
12/11 - Moby Dick, Rottenburg
12/12 - Bastion, Bochum
12/13 - Blue Shell, Köln
12/14 - Spartacus, Potsdam
12/15 - Magnet Club, Berlin
12/16 - Gladhouse, Cottbus
12/18 - Ut Connewitz, Leipzig
12/19 - Ms Stubnitz, Rostock

Jon Nödtveidt of the recently reuinited/reformed Dissection talks to Metal-Rules: https://www.metal-rules.com/zine/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=64&Itemid=29

New mp3 today from Finnish garage-pop duo Tigerbombs. As I said in my review, these guys aren't exactly reinventing the wheel or anything, but that doesn't stop them from churning out a solid number of golden pop hits. Like the single "1000 sparks", this track is fueled by an energetic classic organ line and a huge chorus. I love that vocal break at the end with the crazy ascending melody that leads into the final chorus. The album may lose a bit of steam when taken as a whole, but that's because this is really the kind of stuff that's dying to be heard as a radio single. So yeah- check it out and inject a bit of sunshine into your cold December day.