Norwegian industrial/metal act V:28 has confirmed the lineup for their upcoming "remixes/remakes/fuck-ups" comp, basically a who's who of Scandinavian extreme electronic music: Negru Voda, Beyond Sensory Experience, Nordvargr, Manes, Lrz (Red Harvest), Origami Galaktika, des Esseintes/The Protagonist, Shinjuku Thief, Desiderii Marginis and Thrawn Hellspawn (Paradigma, ex-Dødheimsgard). The disc will also feature two V:28 covers of the bands Bleak and Swans, the latter featuring a guestspot from Coph Nia. No release date yet, but expect a fall release via Vendlus Records.

Gbg-based label Release the Bats (see our recent interview) has finally released the long-awaited Cure tribute "The shameless kiss of vanity III" on limited edition cassette (250 copies). Said comp featuring 8 bands such as Cut City and The Je Ne Sais Quoi covering the entirety of The Cure's classic "Pornography" album from start to finish. Unfortunately, the cassette dub came out a bit noisy, so the label is throwing in CDR copies with all orders which will include a few tracks from parts I and II. More info and tracklist: https://releasethebats.com/rtb30.html
In other news, RTB has signed the excellent Swedish pop-punk act Hanna Hirsch and will be releasing their debut full-length "Tala svart" as a split with label Diskret Förlag. Hear samples: https://www.myspace.com/hannahirsch

Finnish act Goodnight Monsters will be streaming new tracks off their forthcoming album "Summer challenge" at myspace, one day at a time between the dates of May 17-29. Link: https://www.myspace.com/goodnightmonsters

PopMatters on the new Children of Bodom album "Blooddrunk": https://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/57675/children-of-bodom-blooddrunk/

Finnish act Damn Seagulls are doing a couple Moscow gigs in July:

07/18 - BB King Club, Moscow
07/19 - Mezzo Forte Club, Moscow

FactMagazine talks to recent Kompakt-signees Pluxus: https://www.factmagazine.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=528&Itemid=27
Note the tip at the end for Familjen and Mixtapes & Cellmates.

Enslaved's new album, reportedly titled "Vertebrae", is tentatively set for a September release.

Niccokick's new video for "Teenage love" is streaming at Aftonbladet: https://www.aftonbladet.se/webbtv/noje/musikvideor/article2435531.ab

Jonna Lee's debut album "10 pieces, 10 bruises" has been confirmed for a July 4 release in Japan via P-Vine Records.

Swedish indie act New Decade reports that they are working on recording six new songs or so for a mini-album/EP release. Expect it to be out sometime in early summer.

Cult of Luna has a brand new track up on myspace: https://www.myspace.com/cultofluna
The band's new album "Eternal kingdom" will be released on June 16 in Europe, July 8 in the US.

Pitchfork reviews Fonal artists Eleanoora Rosenholm and their new album "Vainajan muotokuva": https://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/49523-vainajan-muotokuva

The House of Sweden in Washington DC is putting on a special singer/songwriter showcase on Saturday, May 10 featuring Roger Hinchliffe, Elin Ruth Sigvardsson, Chris Wigren, Kajsa Grytt and Abalone Dots. It starts at 1pm and is 100% free, so what have you got to lose?

The video for the new Gatas Parlament single "Counter strike" w/ Supa Sayed is now online: https://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=33470331

That new Hwasser release on Rico I was telling you about last week is now officially available: https://www.ricorico.se/