Two final NYC shows for Marit Bergman

Marit Bergman will play two final NYC shows before departing back to Sweden:

12/17 - 1st Unitarian Church, Brooklyn (as part of the Sirens of Brooklyn Choir)
12/19 - Sycamore, Brooklyn

Jónsi Birgisson solo album on the way

Sigur Rós frontman Jónsi Birgisson has a new website for his upcoming solo endeavor where you can hear the new song "Boy lilikoi": https://jonsi.com/
His new album "Go", composed with help from Nico Muhly (Grizzly Bear, Antony and the Johnsons) and produced by Peter Katis (Interpol, Tiger Lou, The Kissaway Trail, etc.), will be out sometime next year.

Avant-garde Metal talks to Espen Ingierd of Beyond Dawn/Two Trains

The Avant-garde Metal webzine has published yet another exhaustive interview, this time featuring Espen Ingierd of Beyond Dawn, one of Norway['s most criminally underrated acts and also one of my longtime favorite bands: https://www.avantgarde-metal.com/content/stories2.php?id=134
There's also a previously unreleased track hidden therein, so go check it out.

New Backlash EP on the way

Swedish electro/EBM act Backlash will release the 2nd of their planned 4-part EP series on December 18, this one containing the single "Divine", a remix, 2 b-sides and a cover of "Wishing" by A Flock of Seagulls. Sample at myspace: https://www.myspace.com/mementomateria

Marvins Revolt interview at Fünf

Fünf interviews the guys in Danish act Marvins Revolt: https://funfunfunf.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/waiting-room-1/

Kasper Bjørke album gets release date, new single confirmed

Kasper Bjørke's forthcoming record "Standing on top of utopia" now has an official release date: February 15. The 2nd single "Alcatraz" will be out in mid-January.

Opeth is turning 20

Opeth will be celebrating their 20th anniversary next spring with an international series of special concerts that will feature them performing the album "Blackwater park" in its entirert along with an additional set of material spanning the band's entire career. Read more: https://www.lambgoat.com/news/view.aspx?id=13689

NPR song of the day: The Raveonettes

"Boys who rape (should be destroyed)" by The Raveonettes is NPR's song of the day: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121055410&sc=nl&cc=sod-20091203

A Fist in the Face of God interviews Neseblod Records

A Fist in the Face of God talks to Kenneth, one of the gentlemen who runs the Oslo-based specialty metal/punk store Neseblod Records: https://afistinthefaceofgod.blogspot.com/2009/11/interview-with-kenneth-of-neseblod.html

Captain Cougar - Too late

Finnish indie act Captain Couger have finished their new album "Of dreams long gone", a concept work "telling a story of two people living in Finland in the beginning of the 20th Century," and have posted the first sample tune at myspace: https://www.myspace.com/captaincougar
Worth checking out, I must say -- expect the album to be released in January.

Idealists for Ideal CS review

The blog Pringles for Breakfast reviews the "Six idealists for Ideal" cassette comp, singling out the Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words track as a "ripper": https://pringlesforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2009/11/six-pack-outstanding-review-new.html

Pitchfork reviews GusGus

Pitchfork reviews the new album "24/7" from Icelandic act GusGus: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13674-247/

Röyksopp and Trentemøller get US Grammy nods

The American Grammy nominees have been announced and the only Scandinavian non-classical names I see are Röyksopp and Trentemøller, both of whom get nods in the "Best Remix" category (#93): https://www.grammy.com/grammy_awards/52nd_show/list.aspx

Plain Fade - Anthropogonia

Uh, why didn't anyone tell me that Plain Fade wrote a symphony? See here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bZwhOLA77M

Pagan Metal: A Documentary

Bill Zebub of the famed metal zine "Grimoire of Exalted Deeds" has put together a documentary on the genre of Pagan Metal, which of course is well-represented by many Scandinavian acts. Watch a trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT1MIGJ0b10
Bands featured include Korpiklaani, Finntroll, Ensiferum, Turisas, Tyr among others and the official release date is December 8.