The nominees for Swedish Radio's P3 Guld awards have been announced:
Artist: Melissa Horn - Innan jag kände dig Kapten Röd - Fläcken som aldrig går bort Lykke Li - Wounded rhymes Veronica Maggio - Satan i gatan Timbuktu - Sagolandet
Group: Deportees - Islands & shores In Flames - Sounds of a playground fading Movits! - Ut ur min skalle Rebecca & Fiona - I love you, man Those Dancing Days - Daydreams & nightmares
Newcomer: Avicii Newkid Niki & The Dove Rebecca & Fiona Den Svenska Björnstammen
Song:
Call my name - Tove Styrke
Jag kommer - Veronica Maggio
Levels - Avicii
Resten av ditt liv - Timbuktu
Vart jag mig i världen vänder - Den Svenska Björnstammen
Guldmicken (best live): Daniel Adams-Ray Graveyard Melissa Horn Kapten Röd Veronica Maggio
Dance: Avicii - Samlad produktion Axel Boman - Samlad produktion Jonsson/Alter - Mod L-wiz - Samlad produktion Rebecca & Fiona - I love you, man
Hip-hop/soul: Ison & Fille - För evigt Mohammed Ali - Vi Newkid - Alexander jr Ferrer Stockholmssyndromet - Underhunder Timbuktu - Sagolandet
Pop: JJ - Samlad produktion Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren Anna Järvinen - Anna själv tredje The Sound of Arrows - Voyage Syket - With love
Rock/metal: Arch Enemy - Khaos legions Graveyard - Hisingen blues The Haunted - Unseen In Flames - Sounds of a playground fading Opeth - Heritage
I didn't realize they were still a band, but apparently Swedish all-star thrashers Witchery (feat. members from The Haunted, Seance, Arch Enemy, Opeth, etc.) will release their new album "Witchkrieg" on June 21 via . Hear a sample tune at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/witcherytheband
Dark Tranquility has added a string of US headlining gigs to follow their tour with Arch Enemy:
05/31 - Clubhouse, Phoenix, AZ
06/01 - Jillian's, Las Vegas, NV
06/02 - Avalon, Salt Lake City, UT
06/03 - Marquis, Denver, CO
06/05 - The Door, Dallas, TX
06/06 - Meridian, Houston, TX
06/07 - Scout Bar, San Antonio, TX
06/09 - The Masquerade, Atlanta, GA
06/10 - Lincoln Theater, Raleigh, NC
Female artist: Säkert! - Säkert!
Newcomer: Maia Hirasawa
Male artist: Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
Song: Oh Laura - Release me
Group: Kent - Tillbaka till samtiden
Hip-hop/soul: Petter - God damn it
Rock/metal: Arch Enemy - Rise of the tyrant
Dance: Minilogue - collected work
Pop: Jens Lekman - Night falls over Kortedala
Guldmicken (best live act): Timo Räisänen
The nominees for this year's Manifest Awards, Sweden's alternative Grammy, have been announced:
Rhythm: Kapten röd - Stjärnorna finns här (SwingKids/Border) Million stylez - From a far (Bonnier Music/Bonnier Amigo) Governor Andy – Underhållningsmaskinen (KBC Music/Border) Livelihood - Sagans Sånger (SwingKids/Border)
Pop/Electronica: Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala (Service/Border) The Honeydrips - Here Comes The Future (Sincerely Yours/Playground Music) Erik de Vahl - Oh! My Spine The Mary Onettes - The Mary Onettes (Labrador/Border)
Rock/Rockabilly/Blues/Garage: Murder by Guitar - On Parade (Human audio recordings/Sounds of Subterrania) Maharajas - In Pure Spite (Low Impact Recordings/Sound Pollution) Alex Face - Smell Like A Woman (Alleycat/Sound Pollution) High Hats - Too Much Is Never Enough (Alleycat/Sound Pollution)
Hardrock/Metal: Arch Enemy - Rise of the tyrant (Century Media/EMI) Dark Tranquillity - Fiction (Century Media/EMI) Hardcore Superstar - Dreamin' in a casket (Gain/Sony BMG) Watain - Sworn to the dark (Season Of Mist/Sound Pollution)
Hiphop/R&B/Soul: Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkallande (Juju Records/Playground Music) Adam Tensta - It's A Tensta Thing (K-Werks/Border) Ken - Äntligen hemma (Pope/Playground Music) Basutbudet - Startpaketet/Pluspaketet (Devrim/V2/Bonnier Amigo)
Experimental: Jean-Louis Huhta - Halfway Between the World and Death (Slottet Records/Dotshop.se) Mårten Falk - Eclectric Guitar Experience (dB Productions/CDA) Rolf Enström - Quarks (Caprice Records/CDA) Tape & Minamo - Birds of a Feather (Headz/Dotshop.se)
Dance: Mikael Stavöstrand - Various productions 2007 The Field - From here we go sublime (Kompakt) Minilogue – Orglar (Minilogue Rec) Hug - Heroes (Kompakt)
Folk/Ballad: Ale Möller Band - Djef Djel (Amigo/Bonnier Amigo) Various Artists - Poem, ballader och lite blues - Återbesöket (Amigo/Bonnier Amigo) Lisa Rydberg och Gunnar Idenstam - Bach på svenska (Gazell Records AB/Bonnier Amigo) Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden (Amigo/Bonnier Amigo)
Jazz: Ludvig Berghe Trio - An unplayed venue (Moserobie Music Production/Bonnier Amigo) e.s.t. (Esbjörn Svensson Trio) - e.s.t Live in Hamburg (ACT/Bonnier Amigo) Adåker, Milder, Stenson, Danielsson, Öström - Miles by Five (Touché Music AB/CDA) Lennart Åberg & Norrbotten Big Band - Up north (Caprice Records/CDA)
Synth: Emmon - The art and the evil (Wonderland records) Endless Shame - Price of Devotion (KTOWN Records/Misty Music) Mr Jones Machine – Återvändsgränd (Progress Productions/Border Music) Terror Punk Syndicate - Extended Playtime (Progress Productions/Border Music)
Punk/Hardcore: Wolfbrigade - Prey to the world (Agipunk/Unrest/MCR/Sound Pollution) The Accidents - Summer dreams (Burning Heart/Epitaph/Bonnier Amigo) Auktion - Spader ess (Cage Match Federation/Border) The Mockingbirds - Always late and not even close (HepTown Records/Sound Pollution)
Singer/Songwriter: Christian Kjellvander - I Saw Her From Here/I Saw Here From Her (Startracks/V2/Bonnier Amigo) Kristofer Åström - Rainaway Town (Startracks/V2/Bonnier Amigo) José González - In Our Nature (Imperial/Playground Music) Mattias Bärjed - Originalmusiken till Upp till kamp! (Razzia/Bonnier Amigo)
Best Live Artist: Familjen Säkert! Maia Hirashawa Laakso
This year's Swedish Grammi (Grammy) Award nominees have been announced:
Best album: Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala Kent - Tillbaka Till Samtiden Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava Moneybrother - Mount Pleasure Sahara Hotnights - What If Leaving Is A Loving Thing Salem Al Fakir - This Is Who I Am Säkert! - Säkert! The Ark - Prayer For The Weekend The Hives - The Black And White Album Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkallande
Best dance/hip-hop/soul: Adam Tensta - It's A Tensta Thing Dogge Doggelito - Superclasico Familjen - Det Snurrar I Min Skalle Fjärde Världen - Världens Ände Ken - Äntligen Hemma Mange Schmidt - Känslan Kommer Tillbaks Million Stylez - From A Far Petter - God Damn It September - Dancing Shoes Vincent - Lucky Thirteen
Best group: Eldkvarn - Svart Blogg Kent - Tillbaka Till Samtiden Mando Diao - Never Seen The Light Of Day Sahara Hotnights - What If Leaving Is A Loving Thing Shout Out Louds - Our Ill Wills The Ark - Prayer For The Weekend The Hives - The Black And White Album Oh Laura - A Song Inside My Head, A Demon In My Bed Peter Bjorn And John - Writer's Block Weeping Willows - Fear & Love
Best hard-rock/metal: Arch Enemy - Rise Of The Tyrant Candlemass - King Of The Grey Island Clawfinger - Life Will Kill You Crashdiet - The Unattractive Revolution Dark Tranquillity - Fiction Entombed - Serpent Saints Hardcore Superstar - Dreamin' In A Casket Lillasyster - Hjärndöd Musik För En Hjärndöd Generation Mustasch - Latest Version Of The Truth Takida - Bury The Lies
Best songwriter: Anna Järvinen - Jag Fick Feeling Annika Norlin - Säkert! Benny Andersson - Bao 3 Christian Kjellvander - I Saw Her From Here/I Saw Here From Her Joakim Berg & Martin Sköld - Tillbaka Till Samtiden José González - In Our Nature Moneybrother - Mount Pleasure Ola Salo - Prayer For The Weekend Peter Bjorn And John - Writer's Block Salem Al Fakir - This Is Who I Am
Best female artist: Anna Järvinen - Jag Fick Feeling Eva Dahlgren - Petroleum Och Tång Jaqee - Nouvelle D'amour Laleh - Prinsessor Louise Hoffsten - Så Speciell Maia Hirasawa - Though, I'm Just Me Miss Li - God Put A Rainbow In The Sky Sonja Aldén - Till Dig Sophie Zelmani - Memory Loves You Säkert! - Säkert!
Best live act: Benny Anderssons Orkester Jens Lekman Lars Winnerbäck Lena Ph & Orup Parksommar Per Gessle Peter Jöback Takida The Hives Timbuktu
Best song: Lars Winnerbäck - I Duett Med Miss Li Om Du Lämnade Mig Nu Mange Schmidt Feat. Petter - Giftig Markoolio - Ingen Sommar Utan Reggae Martin Stenmarck - 100 År Från Nu (Blundar) Måns Zelmerlöw - Cara Mia Sahara Hotnights - Cheek To Cheek Salem Al Fakir - Good Song Sonja Aldén - För Att Du Finns The Ark - The Worrying Kind Ola - Natalie
Best male artist: Christian Kjellvander - I Saw Her From Here / I Saw Here From Her Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala José González - In Our Nature Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava Moneybrother - Mount Pleasure Måns Zelmerlöw - Stand By For... Peter Lemarc - Kärlek I Tystnadens Tid Salem Al Fakir - This Is Who I Am Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkallande Timo Räisänen - Love Will Turn You Around
Best newcomer: Abalone Dots - From A Safe Distance Adam Tensta - It's A Tensta Thing Anna Järvinen - Jag Fick Feeling Maia Hirasawa - Though, I'm Just Me Måns Zelmerlöw - Stand By For... Oh Laura - A Song Inside My Head, A Demon In My Bed Salem Al Fakir - This Is Who I Am Sonja Aldén - Till Dig Säkert! - Säkert! Vincent - Lucky Thirteen
Best producer: Benny Andersson - Bao 3 Björn Olsson - Never Seen The Light Of Day Björn Yttling - Writer's Block & What If Leaving Is A Loving Thing Jari Haapalainen - Svart Blogg Jon Joshua Schuman & Kent - Tillbaka Till Samtiden José González - In Our Nature Laleh - Prinsessor Maia Hirasawa - Though, I'm Just Me Salem Al Fakir - This Is Who I Am Vincent Pontare - Lucky Thirteen
Best lyrics: Anna Järvinen - Jag Fick Feeling Annika Norlin - Säkert! Eva Dahlgren - Petroleum Och Tång Jason Diakité - Oberoendeframkallande Joakim Berg - Tillbaka Till Samtiden Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava Ola Salo - Prayer For The Weekend Peter Lemarc - Kärlek I Tystnadens Tid Plura Jonsson - Svart Blogg Salem Al Fakir - This Is Who I Am
The nominees for the Swedish Radio P3 Guld awards have been announced:
Pop: Anna Järvinen - Jag fick feeling Friday Bridge - Intricacy Jens Lekman - Night falls over Kortedala Sambassadeur - Migration Taken By Trees - Open Field
Dance: Aril Brikha - Ex machina Axwell - collected work Minilogue - collected work The Field - From here we go sublime Tiger Stripes - collected work
Rock/metal: Arch Enemy - Rise Of The Tyrant Dark Tranquility - Fiction Kongh - Counting heartbeats Marduk - Rom 5:12 Mustasch - Latest version of the truth
Hiphop/soul: Petter - God damn it Ken - Äntligen hemma Adam Tensta - It's a Tensta Thing Million stylez - From A Far Basutbudet - Svensk bas
Newcomer: Adam Tensta Maia Hirasawa Million Stylez Neverstore Those Dancing Days
Female artist: Laleh - Prinsessor Maia Hirasawa - Though, I'm Just Me Miss Li - God Put A Rainbow In The Sky September - Dancing Shoes Säkert! - Säkert!
Male artist: Danny - Heart. Beats. Jens Lekman - Night falls over Kortedala Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava Mange Schmidt - Känslan kommer tillbaks Salem Al Fakir - This Is Who I Am
Group: Kent - Tillbaka till samtiden Mando Diao - Never Seen The Light Of Day Sahara Hotnights - What If Leaving Is A Loving Thing Shout Out Louds - Our Ill Wills The Ark - Prayer For The Weekend
Song: Kleerup with Robyn - With Every Heartbeat Mange Schmidt feat. Petter - Giftig Oh Laura - Release Me Sahara Hotnights - Cheek To Cheek Säkert! - Vi kommer att dö samtidigt
Guldmicken (live): Laakso Mustasch Salem Al Fakir Säkert! Timo Räisänen
It's a shame that the only artist from my hometown ever becoming really famous is Per Gessle (of Gyllene Tider and Roxette fame, if you're German I'm sure you know who I'm talking about). It's him and maybe Michael Arnott (Spiritual Beggars / Arch Enemy / Carcass). When I was around 6-7 years old, I was a big fan of Per Gessle's music, and listening to his latest album "En händig man", I can sort of see why I dug this guy all those years ago. The lyrics are often pathetic, but there's a nursery rhyme-feel to both them and the music that explains why they would appeal to someone who plays with Tranformers and spends most of his days drawing birds (cuckoos, specifically, not girls as in English slang) in various sci-fi warrior uniforms. It's sort of sad that Per Gessle, who seems like a nice guy that likes some great music, only will be remembered for making pap like this. "En händig man" is a dreadful album, even worse than the best material Gessle's ever written. - Simon Tagestam
01. Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
02. Peter Lemarc - Kärlek i tystnadens tid
03. Peter Jöback - Människor som du och jag
04. José González - In our nature
05. Hans Martin & Tommys - Mina egna favoriter
06. September - Dancing shoes
07. Moneybrother - Mount pleasure
08. BWO - Fabricator
09. The Poodles - Sweet trade
10. Jens Lekman - Night falls over Kortedala
11. Mange Schmidt - Känslan kommer tillbaks
12. Arch Enemy - Rise of the tyrant
14. Rigmor Gustafsson - Alone with you
15. Povel Ramel - Karameller - Det bästa med Povel Ramel
16. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
17. Sonja Aldén - Till dig
18. Roland Cedermark - Mirandas dröm
19. Danny - Heart beats
20. Markoolio - Värsta plattan
Let me start with saying I really wanted to like this album a lot. Maybe too much. I absolutely loved "Doomsday machine" and was hoping this would, if not top it, at least be something close. To my total surprise, I was really disappointed with this release. Angela Gossows' voice is left almost without effects, which surely makes her sound vicious, but also very mundane and annoying for an entire album. However, this is not the only weak point of this album. Most songs lack a catchy chorus and I often can't tell one song from the other. Sometimes they are saved by shredding leads, but that's one of the few things that stand out as positive on this album. I hope it grows on me, but it seems unlikely. - Richard Wilson
Guitarist Peter Lindgren has left Opeth. Read his statement: http://www.opeth.com/main.html Ex-Arch Enemy guitarist Fredrik Akesson has already been named as his replacement.
Dark Tranquility can still deliver top notch melodic death metal after some 15 years in the business. Together with At the Gates and In Flames, they are the founders of the so called Gothenburg sound. Where most bands would long since peaked, Dark Tranqility at this point sound better than they've done in a long time. I dare say "Fiction" is their best album since the classic "The gallery" from 1995. They make smart use of keyboards and sometimes create a gothic mood, and the variation of really fast and aggressive songs alongside slower material makes this album a very versatile affair. And the fact that vocalist and growl-master Mikael Stanne once again uses his clean voice on two songs is a great move. Songs like "Blind at heart" and "Nothing to no one" is the ultimate proof that this band should achieve the same kind of breakthrough as other Swedish death metal bands like Arch Enemy or In Flames! - Richard Wilson
Opeth will tour with this year's Gigantour Festival alongside metal luminaries such as headliners Megadeth and bands such as Arch Enemy, Lamb of God and my old teenage favorites Overkill.
This week's Friday oldie post comes from Eucharist, yet another hidden gem of the NWOSBD (new wave of Swedish black/death) scene of the mid-90s. The band never really had much of a steady lineup - they reportedly broke up for the first time before their debut "A velvet creation" was released in 1994, but they came back together again in '97 for "Mirrorworlds", the album from which today's song originates. Besides the above-average melodic death-metal songwriting, what I really love about this record is the drumming of Daniel Erlandsson who later went on to fame and glory with Arch Enemy. His playing here is absolutely superb and reinforced by the uncharacteristically clean recording. Everything is so clean and natural sounding - no annoying triggers, no unnatural reverb. All the instruments are clearly audible and perfectly balanced in the mix. It wouldn't be so unusual, but metal so rarely sounds this good.
Per Gessle
Arch Enemy
