IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

Skrammel begets Södertörn, new EP from Alouatta

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:55:57 -0700

Swedish punk label Skrammel Records (Slöa Knivar, Krig i Hudik, Brainbombs, etc.) has started a new offshoot called The Södertörn Record Company in order to release what they say is "music that is perhaps more awkvard, worse, better, more lean, more pop, more dance than what we havce been doing so far at Skrammel." First up, a new 10" EP from rockers Alouatta called "DIY" which will be out on May 6. Read more and check out a pre-mastered sample tune: http://skrammelrecords.se/sodertorn/

Krig i Hudik EP available soon, Sexpistolstanten and Mockfjärdsvapnet next

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 19:47:56 -0700

Skrammel Records reports that the new Krig i Hudik EP should be coming back from the factory this week and will soon be followed by a new 12" from fellow Swedish punks Sexpistolstanten and Mockfjärdsvapnet along with an additional repress of the Brainbombs "Genius and brutality...Taste and power" reissue.

Skrammel says Slöa Knivar will be out in June, Brainbombs reissues later

Thu, 20 May 2010 11:36:06 -0700

New Swedish underground label Skrammel Records reports that the new Slöa Knivar LP "Ingen klass ingen stil" should be out in mid-June. After that, they'll be reissuing the first two Brainbombs albums "Burning hell" and "Genius and brutality... taste and power" with the cover art as the band originally intended. No word on when those will be available, but I'll keep you updated.

Burning Hell box vol. 2 on the way

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:19:09 -0700

Burning Hell Records says that they are working on a new boxset compilation (#2) to include No Balls, The Dements plust two other as-yet-unnamed acts: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=412756052&blogId=531273896
The first box came out last year and included four 7"s from the likes of Brainbombs, Poppets, Black Bug and The Homostupids and sold out almost immediately.

Tom Karlsson Pojknacke Lystring

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:00:00 -0800

The label that brought us the most recent Brainbombs album ("Fucking mess") blesses us yet another lesson in uneasy listening, Tom Karlsson's "Pojknacke". However, this time the bummer vibes come not from harsh repetitive riffs and questionable lyrical content, but from minimalist industrial sound collage layered with the sort of overcooked narration you expect to hear at a puppet show. Can't say I'm all that into it though, especially without the proper Swedish comprehension skills to follow the narrative, but what it comes down to is that the music simply isn't all that compelling. Songs start and stop without much in the way of drama or dynamics and after a while I'm left thinking "is this it?" Thankfully no, Mr. Karlsson did see fit to provide us with a spectacularly gruesome gatefold cover image, so at least it's got that going for it.

MP3: No Balls - No

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:13:01 -0700

I picked up a No Balls 7" on a total whim, not knowing anything about the band except that it was being peddled by the same folks who sold me the latest Brainbombs LP. I figured with that kind of association, it'd at least hold its resale value if I wasn't into it and if I was, it's all bonus. Anyhow, I have since learned that No Balls is Drajan Bryngelsson and Dan Råberg from Brainbombs 'cept that this particular 7" I have is all Drajan. Musically speaking, it sounds like an instrumental Brainbombs: nothing but repetitive, caustic, atonal riffs set with the intention to batter and antagonize. In other words, No Balls is perfect for those of who would like to get into Brainbombs, but can't get past the heavy violent, misanthropic and misogynistic vocals. I think copies of this ultra-limited record might still be out there (only 187 copies pressed), but here's a rip of the a-side for those of you who aren't apt to bother. PS, the b-side is called "Balls".

No Balls LP sent for pressing

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:56:43 -0700

Release the Bats reports that the forthcoming No Balls LP has been sent off for pressing and should be ready in mid-October. The label says: This is Drajan and Råberg from Brainbombs going nuts. Incredible stuff that sounds like mix of Ruins, Brainbombs and DNA." Having picked up a new 7" from them recently, I'd say that's not too far from the truth though the far simpler "instrumental Brainbombs" descriptor would probably suffice, at least for record I have. Anyhow, looking forward to it. 300 copies, preview a track here: http://www.myspace.com/releasethebatsrecords

MP3: Okkultokrati - Neandertime

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:42:08 -0700

Okkultokrati share members with Haust and more than a slight resemblance soundwise, but they are definitely way more on the current pessimistic hardcore zeitgeist tip than the latter. Haust mix hardcore aggression with black metal nihilism, Okkultokrati are just aggro. If you dig on the contorted sounds of Sex Vid, Total Abuse, Cult Ritual or any other like-minded negative creeps (overused Brainbombs references are a surefire tip-off), you'll probably dig this too, especially if you wish those bands had a heavier rhythmic integrity. The debut "Knarkskog EP" (free d/l here) won't usurp "Communal living" as the subset standard-bearer, but it's way better than some and bodes well for the future.

Lystring to release new LP from Tom Karlsson

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:21:56 -0700

Lystring, the label/publisher that released the most recent Brainbombs album "Fucking mess", will be putting out a new LP from Tom Karlsson entitled "Pojknacke". Tom has previously collaborated with the groups Arbetaren, Galago and Det Grymma Svärdet, among others and this new work is said to be "more or less musical backgrounds to the texts that are quite serious in the foundation, but made with various silly voices. The roots are somewhere in the industrial music cassette subculture of the 80s." (according to Google Translate, kinda)

Top 10s for 2008: Thomas Ekelund (Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words)

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

2008 in Tapes, LPs and one CD.

Brainbombs - Fucking mess LP

White - Torment cassette

Ättestupa - Ättestupa LP

Current 93 - Birth canal blues EP

Agent Side Grinder - Untitled LP

The Tiger Lilies - 7 deadly sins CD

Skull Flower - Taste the blood of the deceiver LP

Lifelover - Konkurs CD

Various Artists - Sub Gothenburg 08 cassette

Leafes - Seedland cassette

---------------------------
Says Thomas: 2009 will be spent coming to terms with "Lost in reflections". Further more I will focus a lot more on Dead Violets. We are currently setting up tours in the US and in Europe as well as working on a slew of 7", cassette and LP releases.
www.deadwords.org
www.deadviolets.org

Podcast: 2008 ugliness

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:27:00 -0800

LENGTH : 36:19 min
DOWNLOAD : itsatrap_podcast_12152008.mp3 (34.0mb)
RSS : [click here]

Tracklist:
01. Disfear - Get it off
02. Nitad - Levande död
03. Frivolvol - Take it from the beginning
04. Montys Loco - Ages ago
05. Darkthrone - Hiking metal punks
06. C.Aarmé - Rhythm
07. Haust - Ugly fucking Oslo
08. Silver - The white logic
09. Hebosagil - Cosmic
10. Brainbombs - Turn to shit

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:10:50 -0800

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:

01. Hello Saferide - 2008
02. TALK 1
03. The Fine Arts Showcase - Friday on my knees
04. Juvelen - Hanna
05. Dmitry Fyodorov - MD5VSSHA1
06. TALK 2
07. Paper - Out of it into it
08. Katzenjammer - Tea with cinnamon
09. Kristofer Åström - Just a little insane
10. TALK 3
11. Mattias Hellberg & The White Moose - Why is it so?
12. Parken - Vad ska vi göra med Henry?
13. Johan Heltne - Hjärta. Instinkt. Principer.
14. TALK 4
15. Marybell Katastrophy - Hidden agenda
16. The Bear Quartet - What I hate
17. Brainbombs - Stalker
18. TALK 5

Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XM U. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.

MP3: Brainbombs - Stalker

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

One thing I neglected to mention in my previous Brainbombs post is that despite my grievous misgivings, I actually really do like them, though I'm not so sure I'd go so far as to say I "enjoy" them. The band's new album "Fucking mess" is exactly that: a shambling wreck of what most people construe to be "music". At the same time, it's also absolutely mesmerizing. I'm disgusted with myself for listening to something with so few redeemable qualities, yet that's exactly what makes it what it is. It's vile, violent, deranged and positively disgusting. It's also incredibly lurid and fascinating, nothing but intense bad vibes and a constant threat of danger. Are the people behind songs like "Stalker" really as sick as they sound? Or is it a put-on? How can endless atonal loping and trumpet bleats like shit-stains be so compelling? I'm not sure, but I can't stop listening.

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:14:40 -0700

Look for a new LP from Swedish cult act Brainbombs called "Fucking mess" to be released on LP in November, their first album of new material in 10 years. More info at Lystring: http://www.lystring.com/
The band will also play their first show in ages at the Sonic Protest Festival in Paris on December 12: http://www.sonicprotest.com/

MP3: Brainbombs - Danny was a streetwhore

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:22:07 -0700

This one's a new release, but it's an old recording so it qualifies for Friday posting. Brainbombs are a cult band who've been lurking on the periphery for a long while now that's only recently started to get their due as more and more bands namedrop them as influences. All those shit-gaze bands du jour? Oh yeah, totally like Brainbombs. Seems like anytime you hear repetitive sludge buried beneath an intentionally bad recording, you'll see the reference. Personally, I'm a bit on the fence about them and can't reasonably offer a recommendation for most casual listeners. "You like misanthropic, sexist dirge-rock? Well check these guys out!" Naah, not gonna happen. If degenerate music like Flipper, Eyehategod or later GG Allin is your cup of tea, you probably already know about these dudes anyway. As for this new live document "Live At Smålands Nation, Lund, Sweden, May 29 1993", it's a mess. Surprise! Approach with caution.

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:30:19 -0700

Swedish cult misanthrope act Brainbombs are back in the studio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nVchK_Vp4o

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 16:26:37 -0700

Here's this week's radio show playlist:

01. Desert Planet - Riot sector 68
02. TALK 1
03. Grande - We did it all
04. Sara Berg - Crawl back from under
05. Dialog Cet - Buckfighter
06. TALK 2
07. Doktor Kosmos - Doktor Kosmos släpper en skiva
08. Halph - Weight
09. Bright Oak - The undertow
10. TALK 3
11. Juvelen - They don't love you
12. Frivolvol - Take it from the beginning
13. Little Jimmy Reeves - Sidetracked
14. TALK 4
15. Keith Canisius - Omorose
16. The Kid - Mayhem troopers
17. Lognhalsmottagningen - Bodybuilder
18. Markus Krunegård - Rocken spelar ingen roll längre
19. TALK 5
20. Firefox AK - Techno tears
21. Biker Boy - April song (Mr Bananas remix)
22. Thomas Denver Jonsson - Saved by the bell
23. TALK 6
24. Nina Kinert - Pets & friends
25. Familjen - Hög luft
26. Brainbombs - Down in the gutter
27. TALK 7
28. Anders Persson och Carl Smith - Morgonsol i April
29. Abduktio - Uutisia rintamalta
30. Nordvargr - Rektal B
31. Karin Holmberg + hab - Who we are
32. TALK 8
33. Lapko - Killer whales
34. Madrugada - Lift me
35. Kristofer Åström & Hidden Truck - What I came here for
36. TALK 9
37. Sambassadeur - Subtle changes
38. Dreamboy - What have I done
39. The Tough Alliance - Lucky
40. TALK 10
41. Logh - Saturday nightmares

Sun, 14 Oct 2007 10:47:08 -0700

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:

01. Lars Winnerbäck - Innan mörkret faller
02. TALK 1
03. TIAC - Boredom
04. Brainbombs - Who can you trust
05. Ted Gärdestad - Helena
06. TALK 2
07. Björn Kleinhenz - China Blue
08. Viktor Sjöberg - The sensation of your head on my chest
09. Marvins Revolt - Deliberate deeds
10. TALK 3
11. Abalone Dots - Under the rain
12. The Bear Quartet - The lost kid office
13. Lo-Fi-Fnk - Wake up
14. Watain - Underneath the cenotaph
15. TALK 4
16. The Tiny - Closer
17. Supersilent - 8.4
18. Anna Ternheim - Today is a good day
19. TALK 5
20. The Skull Defekts - The secret
21. Lukestar - White shade
22. Pay TV - Fashion report
23. Wolfpack - Enter the gates
24. TALK 6
25. Tigerbombs - Shaking the tree
26. Familjen - Ivanhoe & Rebecca
27. Giant Robot - Public = shopping
28. Eskju Divine - Hold on
29. TALK 7
30. The Bell - On and on
31. DHG - The snuff dreams are made of
32. Trio Mediaeval - Det lisle bånet
33. TALK 8
34. Peter Bjorn and John - It beats me every time
35. Margaret Berger - Seek I'll hide
36. Kaizers Orchestra - Kontroll på kontinentet
37. TALK 9
38. Darkthrone - F.O.A.D.

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700

The playlist for this week's radio show:

01. Laakso - Worst case scenario
02. TALK 1
03. Superfamily - I want my money back
04. The Bear Quartet - Ask me don't axe me
05. Ståålfågel - Små gröna män
06. TALK 2
07. Printer - Satisfaction (radio edit)
08. NEI - New morning
09. Paper - Out of it into it
10. Darkthrone - Canadian metal
11. TALK 3
12. Sweatmaster - Animal
13. Bloodbath - Buried by the dead
14. Moneybrother - Guess who's gonna get some tonight
15. TALK 4
16. The Perishers - Victorious
17. The Skull Defekts - Unholy drums are singing
18. Hell On Wheels - Alexander
19. TALK 5
20. Karin Ström - Ordlös
21. Kompjotr Eplektrika - Skulldrummantra
22. Scraps of Tape - How your heart gets thrown
23. TALK 6
24. Brainbombs - Stinking memory
25. M:40 - Brännmärkt
26. Logh - Bring on the ether
27. TALK 7
28. CS Nielsen - Happy
29. Amorphis - Weaving the incantation
30. Juvelen - Hanna
31. TALK 8
32. Killerchaps - Equally dumb
33. Dinosau - Derr lady
34. Knugen Faller - Inte som ni
35. TALK 9
36. The Kissaway Trail - La la song
37. Pg.Lost - Yes I am
38. Suburban Kids with Biblical Names - Marry me
39. TALK 10
40. Don Juan Dracula - Take me home

Wed, 04 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Swedish retard-punk misanthropes the Brainbombs have a new CD out now compiling the band's 2nd half of their career: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=48062876&blogID=249344070
Recommended for fans of Whitehouse, etc.

Sat, 17 May 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Swedish prog-metallers Opeth will be teaming up with cult UK proggers Porcupine Tree for a North American tour starting in July. PT-frontman/mastermind Steven Wilson produced the last few Opeth albums, so this news doesn't come as huge surprise, but is still very exciting nonetheless. The confirmed dates so far:

07/15 - Toronto, ONT @ TBA
07/16 - Montreal, Spectrum
07/17 - NYC, Irving Plaza
07/19 - Boston, MA @ Berklee Performance Center
07/20 - Philadelphia, PA @ TBA
07/21 - Washington DC @ TBA
07/22 - Detroit, MI @ TBA
07/24 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora
07/25 - Chicago, IL @ Vic Theater
07/26 - Minneapolis, MN @ TBA
07/28 - Boulder, CO @ Fox Theater
07/30 - West Hollywood, CA @ House of Blues
07/31 - San Francisco, CA @ Fillmore
08/03 - Portland, OR @ TBA
08/04 - Seattle, WA @ TBA

Webzine Aversionline has a feature on Finnish hardcore thrash fanzine Downsided. Check it. And, as usual, they have tons and tons of new reviews for your perusal, focusing mostly on the hardcore, metal and noise scene. Some of the bands covered: Acursed, Counterblast, Dead in the Water, Katatonia, Marduk, Nasum, Rentokiller, and Sayyadina. I may not always agree with the writer's taste, but he does a great job of covering everything in an extremely fair and honest way. One of the few reviewers who's unafraid to tell it like it is.

Aquarius Records has published their bi-weekly new arrivals list, featuring reviews and samples of new releases from Scandinvavian artists such as Enslaved, Brainbombs, Cult of Luna, Eturivi, Finntroll, Noxagt, Turbonegro and much, much more. Recommended reading.

The Leppäkoski Rhythm Festival takes place in Leppäkoski, Finland on July 4-5 and will feature Brothomstates (Warp Records, FIN/UK), Vesna (St. Petersburg, Russia), Ninja Ensemble, Rauhanorkesteri, Grayframe DJs and many more. More info here.

In other Finnish festival news, Luomo and Moloko are rumored to be making an appearance at this year's Koneisto fest. No confirmation on the news, but the full list of performers is due to be published this coming Friday. I'll keep you informed.