Tromsø, Norway-based band Washington will release their debut full-length album "A New Order Rising" on August 9. As with the band's previous two EPs, it was produced and recorded by Lars Lien of Motorpsycho.

Moving Hands webzine does a short interview with Swedish electro act Pluxus: https://www.movinghands.net/articles/detail.asp?id=61

Swedish crust band Massgrav has posted the tracklist and a ton of mp3s from their new album "Napalm över Stureplan": https://www.massgrav.com/

Chalksounds has revealed that their expecting to release the debut full-length from The End Will Be Kicks in October. I've heard some rough mixes and if it's anything close to as good as the MCD that's already out, you know it's gonna be a monster. Can't wait! There's gonna be a bonus 7" coming out with it as well. After that, Stockholm-based instrumental act Ellis the Vacuumchild will drop their debut album. December perhaps? Soviac is working on new demos, so they should have something in the pipeline. And lastly, look for an EP from Park Hotel sometime early next year. I haven't heard them myself, but Chalksounds CEO Magnus says they sound like New Order meets MBV. Could be really good.

Darkthrone members Fenriz and Nocturno Culto have been entrusted by Peaceville to create their own sublabel called Tyrant Syndicate Productions. Nocturno comments:

Peaceville on the one hand and Fenriz and myself on the other. The general running of the label has fallen on me, mostly as I'm much more involved in technology than Fenriz, and besides, I want to do it. When the Peaceville people were interested in setting up a label for us, our mind began to circle around what to do with what can be called our extended music-related freedom, and we soon had a plan.

We are aiming for exclusive releases only. We want high-credibility underground bands, both known and unknown. Time is working FOR US now, and we have all the time in the world. Tyrant Syndicate Productions will prove to the metal community that we have the ability to release what is supreme metal. The first band we have signed is Aura Noir from Oslo, with their new album "The Merciless". This masterpiece will be an indication on the quality-level we are aiming for, and therefore it's our responsibility to follow things up after this release. Since our releases go through the usually Peaceville channels, the result will be a high-quality, well-distributed product that will have great impact wherever you can get these products. And luckily, there are still loads of great metal-acts left in the world.

Look for more news about demo submission policies and so forth in about a month.

Nightwish has officially signed with Roadrunner Records for a US release of their breakthrough album "Once". The Finnish goth-rock onslaught begins anew later this year as the label releases the album in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Startracks reports that they've finally sealed a deal to provide Christian Kjellvander with an international release for his excellent album "Songs from a two-room chapel". Well, 97% sealed anyways. Assuming nothing goes wrong, look for it in France/Spain in October, the UK in November and the US early next year. I've been told the name of the label, but have been sworn to secrecy. Once everything's inked, you'll be the first to know.

In other Startracks news, Gustaf Kjellvander and the Fine Arts Showcase have a new, more acoustic EP coming out in September. It'll be a special release available only at shows and via the label's mailorder, but hopefully I'll be able to wrangle a couple copies for resale in the US. Look for lots of tourdates this fall as well.

Check out the video for "Shoreline" from The Flu: https://www.theflu.se/music/videos/theflu-shoreline.qt

Swedish indie-pop band Speedmarket Avenue have confirmed an August 11 release date for their new single "He’s A Rebel". It includes the two b-sides "What do you know now?" and "Talking about moving on". A video for the track will be released at the same time as well.

Sgt. Petter has set "Monkey Tonk Matters" as the title of the next album. There's no confirmed release date yet, but it should be out sometime around October. The first single will be for the song "That child" and a video is under production from 3D animators Bergen and Ana-Kata Animasjon. It will premiere on October 19 as part of the Bergen International Film Festival.

Norwegian 'thrashpop' act Surferosa will supporting the super-hyped band The Killers on their upcoming US tour from September 24 through October 13. Dates confirmed so far:

09/24 - Culture Room, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
09/25 - Masquerade, Tampa, FL
09/27 - Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville, FL
09/28 - 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA
09/30 - Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC
10/01 - The Norva, Norfolk, VA
10/03 - 9:30 Club, Washington, DC

In other news, the band is currently working on new material and will enter the studio on August 16 to record a new album which should be out sometime next spring.

New European tourdates for Gluecifer:

11/11 - Markthalle, Hamburg (GER)
11/12 - So 36, Berlin (GER)
11/13 - Tachock, Chemnitz (GER)
11/14 - New Backstage, Munchen (GER)
11/16 - Arena, Wien (AUS)
11/17 - Orto, Ljubljana (SLO)
11/18 - tba, Milan (ITA)
11/19 - tba, Bassano (ITA)
11/20 - Rote Fabrik, Zurich (CH)
11/21 - Schuur, Luzern (CH)
11/23 - Röhre, Stuttgart (GER)
11/24 - Batchkapp, Frankfurt (GER)
11/25 - Zeche, Bocchum (GER)
11/26 - Lintfabrik, Kontich (BEL)
11/27 - Effenaar, Eindhoven (NL)
11/28 - LVC, Leiden (NL)

The latest from renown Norwegian label Smalltown Supersound:

"Where We`re At" is a collection of present and future supersounds from Smalltown. The album contains 9 tracks from the lastest releases and from upcoming releases, and is meant as an introduction to the Smalltown Supersound label. This is also to show "where we`re at" after having split Smalltown Supersound in two; Smalltown Superjazzz and Smalltown Supersound. The Smalltown Supersound label will be presenting leftfield pop music (or our definition of pop) and the Smalltown Superjazzz presenting the jazz, (or our definition of jazz). In short time we will also put together a Smalltown Superjazzz compilation.

"Where We`re At" comes in slimline cover, and will be sold at budget price. None of the tracks are exclusive. The compilation also introduces 2 new acts; Toy from Bergen who has released one 7” on Telle Records (Royksopp, Kings Of Conveniece) and Mental Overdrive which released the first albums on the seminal R&S Records in Belgium (the label that among others discovered Aphex Twin) and was later signed to Virgin, before managing to get out of that contract to get signed to Smalltown Supersound. The other acts on the compilation are Jaga Jazzist, Kim Hiorthøy, Lars Horntveth, Sir Dupermann, Yuichiro Fujimoto, Sonic Youth/Mats Gustafsson and Martin Horntveth.

Release date is set to 4th of September.

New live pics up at Rockfoto.nu from Storsjöyran.