News editors: Mikael Kahrle & Johan Carlsson



HIM opens for Metallica in Scandinavia

Mar 30 2007 | By: Mattias Huss (Uppsala, Sweden)

HIM, the first Finnish band to sell half a million records in the United States, will warm up for Metallica at their concerts in Oslo, Stockholm and Helsinki as well as in Moscow this July. See On Stage.

The band's sixth studio album will be released in the same month.


Nine Inch Nails headline Oslo festival

Mar 30 2007 | By: Mikael Kahrle (Gothenburg, Sweden)

Nine Inch Nails have added Oslo's Øya festival (August 7-11) to their extensive tour schedule. The rest of the festival line-up is so far rather unimpressive although Primal Scream will co-headline.


Two new releases imminent from Mordant Music

Mar 30 2007 | By: Peter Marks (Portland, Oregon, USA)

"Carrion Squared" and the conclusion to "The Tower" (Mordant Music) will be out in approximately one month. Release reviewed Baron Mordant and Admiral Greyscale's debut album "Dead Air" a few months back and were quite impressed with it. These two new works will be available from the band's website as well as digital outlets such as Boomkat. Further news as it is made known.


Debut from Sweden's Pen Expers

Mar 30 2007 | By: Peter Marks (Portland, Oregon, USA)


Photo by: Carolina Nelson

Formed in 2004, Gothenburg's Pen Expers have recently released their debut album "Bring on the Heartache" (Fold4) and will join parts of the festival tour Spring Wonderland. Consisting of five gentlemen, Pen Expers practices a form of indie styled music not unsimilar to US-based acts such as the sorely-missed Denali or any number of Frank Black projects. The band itself mentions The Birthday Party, Joy Division and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.



Jesus and Mary Chain add two festivals

Mar 26 2007 | By: Mattias Huss (Uppsala, Sweden)

It appears that the Jesus and Mary Chain reunion is more than just a one shot, now that the M'era Luna festival in Germany (August 11-12) as well as the Connect festival in Scotland (August 31-September 2) have been added to the tour schedule. Maybe we can hope for more shows even closer to home this summer?

An unfinished official website is up, although from experience we know these tend to only stay active for about one album, so stick with the much more reliable fansite.

Both William and Jim will reportedly release solo albums this year (no release dates though). Just hope they can take the rising pressure...


Beastie Boys and Devo headline Sonar

Mar 26 2007 | By: Mike Whyte (Tokyo, Japan)

It’s back and better than ever – the 14th Sonar festival will be held once again in Barcelona, Spain on the 14th, 15th and 16th of June.

Top of the list for this year have to be the Beastie Boys, Devo and Cornelius. The Beastie Boys will feature twice in this year's festival; the first set will be all instrumental, held on the opening (Thursday) night, as part of a double bill with Narod Niki, the minimal technoist. The second set will be a classics set, to be held the following evening.

Devo return to Europe for this festival for the first time in 17 years, their only festival date in a mini-tour. Finally, Cornelius makes his first ever visit to Spain for this festival.

Notable mentions across the line-up include the first ever Chinese acts to perform at Sonar (White, 718 and FM3), along with a whole plethora of established and up-and-coming talent, some names: Jeff Mills, Dave Clarke, Timo Maas, Miss Kitten, Mary Ann Hobbs, Altern 8, Junior Boys and Mogwai, among many, many others.

For a more detailed line-up run down, head to the website.



Alan Wilder completes new Recoil album

Mar 21 2007 | By: Johan Carlsson (Stockholm, Sweden)

According to Mute Records, the new Recoil album is now finished and should be with us very soon. They don’t say anything about the title, style or release date though, but you can find out yourself by sending questions to Alan Wilder via the bulletin system on Myspace. Answers will be posted on Recoils Myspace blog.


Komputer adds more pop to the mix

Mar 21 2007 | By: Johan Carlsson (Stockholm, Sweden)

The British electronica duo Komputer has a new album called “Synthetik” out on June 25. It’s on Mute, and it supposedly sounds like a mix between their first poppy “The World of Tomorrow” album and the second minimal and experimental “Market Led”.


Future sounds from the past

Mar 21 2007 | By: Johan Carlsson (Stockholm, Sweden)

A truly massive collection of unreleased Future Sound of London tracks can be found at http://www.fsoldigital.com/. We are talking about three albums with 17-18 tracks each in the old school FSOL style, much of it leaving me wondering why these haven’t been released before.


Howard in surround sound

Mar 21 2007 | By: Johan Carlsson (Stockholm, Sweden)

On April 2 you will get the chance to buy the new Howard Jones CD & DVD set ”Revolution Remixed and Surround”. It contains unreleased remixes of songs from his latest full length “Revolution of the Heart” by remixers like John B, Sharooz, The Young Punx and dba. On the DVD you will find a 5.1 sound mix as well as visuals by Stephen W Tayler.



Mobile Homes back in the studio

Mar 19 2007 | By: Johan Carlsson (Stockholm, Sweden)

Classic Swedish synthpop band (although the latest EP was guitar pop) Mobile Homes are back in the studio again. After an album and some singles under the electro styled moniker Sapporo ’72, they have now decided to give the original project Mobile Homes another go. No word yet about which style they are heading towards or when a CD is going to come out, but we will be back with more info.


Kloq and Douglas McCarthy get physical

Mar 19 2007 | By: Johan Carlsson (Stockholm, Sweden)

UK electro act Kloq has just released the EP “We’re Just Physical”. On the title track we find no other than Nitzer Ebb’s Douglas McCarthy on vocals, and methinks it’s a club hit in the making. On the EP is another track called “Push It”, and an Ascii Disko mix of “We’re Just Physical”.

You can check out some tracks on http://www.myspace.com/kloq


De/Vision hope to deliver new album in August

Mar 19 2007 | By: Johan Carlsson (Stockholm, Sweden)

Steffen and Thomas from De/Vision are currently working on a new album, to be released around August this year. The songwriting is finished already, and they are now working on the first vocals. They won’t tell us what the sound is like though, because it’s too early in the process.


Eskil Simonsson's new project live at SAMA

Mar 19 2007 | By: Mikael Kahrle (Gothenburg, Sweden)


Cement live in Berlin.
Photo by: Grit Rümmler

Covenant frontman Eskil Simonsson's new project Cement takes the final ninth slot at Scandinavian Alternative Music Awards at Trädgår'n in Gothenburg on April 6. Eskil describes the music as "dark ambient noise with hints of melodies".

Those who bought their SAMA ticket before March 18 can grab a free VNV Nation promo CD at the SSC stand, where the new album will be sold as well.

One week prior to SAMA, co-organisers Romo Night invite Lustans Lakejer for a full 90 minute concert at Trädgår'n including some songs that haven't been played live since the eighties. The line-up is classic with Johan Kinde, Tom Wolgers and Christer Hellman. Another best of - "Samlade Synder 1981-2007" - is out now.

Romo Night's hard dance floor the Cave is back too.