IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

Seremonia s/t Svart Records

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 14:04:05 -0700

Ghost and Jess & the Ancient Ones have a lot to answer for. Between them they seem to have started this classic rock-tinged occult psychedelic thing where the next, more underground generation think that loose 'n' lo-fi is the way to go. Although Seremonia sound nothing like fellow countrymen Beherit, they have gone for an odd production choice similar in ethos to "Drawing down the moon". The difference is that going out on a pre-planned lo-fi limb like that really worked for Beherit back in '93 and resulted in a legendary album. Here it sounds too gimmicky. It's like, "Oh, we're so loose and chilled out when we're playing that we just go with what flows from our inner souls." In reality it comes across as either a get-out clause that makes excuses for sloppiness or a deliberate attempt at sounding genuinely nekro. This lack of integrity in the sound kills the vibe completely. If you want something with an authentic form of the off-kilter atmosphere that Seremonia strives to achieve you should get your hands on Black Hole's "Living mask".

Mikael Åkerfeldt in car accident

Tue, 08 May 2012 11:44:45 -0700

Details are sparse, but Opeth frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt was reportedly involved in a car accident last night forcing them to cancel the Minnesota stop on their current tour with Mastodon and Ghost. Supposedly he broke his arm, but nothing's been confirmed on that one way or another.

Opeth, Ghost to support Mastodon in North America

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:40:16 -0800

I was informed last night that dates wouldn't be confirmed until Thursday, but it appears that the cat is out of the bag: Mastodon will be bringing both Opeth and Ghost on tour with them across North America in April. Dates:

04/04 - State Theater, Portland, ME
04/05 - Orpheum Theater, Boston, MA
04/06 - Metropolis, Montreal, Quebec
04/07 - Sony Centre, Toronto, Ontario
04/09 - Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA
04/10 - The Dome, Wallingford, CT
04/11 - Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY
04/13 - Riviera Theatre, Chicago, IL
04/14 - The Intersection, Grand Rapids, MI
04/15 - Stage AE, Pittsburgh, PA
04/16 - TN Theater, Knoxville, TN
04/18 - Diamond Ballroom, Oklahoma City, OK
04/19 - Palladium Ballroom, Dallas, TX
04/20 - Back Stage Live, San Antonio, TX
04/21 - Concrete Street, Corpus Christi, TX
04/23 - Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, CO
04/25 - House of Blues, Las Vegas, NV
04/26 - Gibson Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, CA
04/27 - Fox Theatre, Oakland, CA
04/28 - Grand Sierra Resort, Reno, NV
04/30 - The Paramount, Seattle, WA
05/01 - Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver, British Columbia
05/03 - Edmonton Events Center, Edmonton, Alberta
05/04 - MacEwan Hall, Calgary, Alberta
05/05 - The Odeon, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
05/06 - Burton Cummings Theatre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
05/09 - The Fillmore, Washington, D.C.
05/10 - The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC
05/11 - House of Blues, Myrtle Beach, SC
05/12 - Masquerade Music Park, Atlanta, GA

MP3: Ghost - Prime mover

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:54:48 -0800

I fully admit it now: my first impression of Ghost was way off and totally wrong. I went in with false expectations due to whatever hype and backlash was going around at the time and totally missed the fact that they are simply a great heavy rock band with tons of solid hooks. I'm sure a lot of folks are bummed by the occult vibe and costumes, but that stuff doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I am unreservedly excited about seeing them play in Seattle tonight and look forward to seeing an actual show. See you there?

Opeth and Ghost to support Mastodon on tour

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:50:48 -0800

Mastodon will be taking Swedish metal acts Opeth and Ghost on tour in North America this coming April. Exact dates to be confirmed soon.

Top 10s for 2011: It's a Trap! Contributors

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:51:02 -0800

Ann Sung-an Lee

Top albums of 2011
Your Headlights Are On - "s/t"
Juv - "s/t"
Jenny Hval - "Viscera"
Dark Times - "Talk Too Much" from Dark Times tape
Next Life - "Artificial Divinity"
Kurt Vile - "Smoke Ring for my Halo"
PJ Harvey - "Let England Shake"
Gillian Welch - "The Harrow & The Harvest"
Oneohtrix Point Never - "Replica"
Thurston Moore - "Demolished Thoughts"

Top overrated albums of 2011
Feist - "Metals"
St. Vincent - "Strange Mercy"
Wilco - "The Whole Love"
Social Distortion - "Hard Time and Nursey Rhymes"
Girls - "Father, Son, Holy Ghost"
Wolves in the Throne Room - "Celestial Lineage"
Gang Gang Dance - "Eye Contact"
Liturgy - "Aesthethica"
Icarus Line - "Wildlife"

Top Concerts of 2011
Grant Lee Buffalo @ Øya 2011
Ghost @ Øya 2011
Pantha du Prince @ Øya 2011
Fenriz & Club Knulldröm DJ-sets @ Revolver
K-X-P @ Cafe Mono, May 6
Bad Brains, Shelter @ West Coast Riot Festival, Sweden
SWANS @ Rockefeller, May (a birthday present from my best friend:))

Top Books of 2011
Vernon God Little, DBC Pierre
The Angel's Game, Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The White Tiger, Aravind Adiga
Life, Keith Richards
Super Sad True Love Story, Gary Shteyngart

John Norby

Top 10 for 2011

It has been such a great year for metal -- old and new -- that I'm concentrating on it for this year's top 10. Let's call it top 10 'thinking outside the box' metal. Pretty much in order but it's also a bit loose.

Textures - Dualism
What can I say about this album? A combination of expert songwriting, flawless musicianship and simply astounding vocals makes this the band's best work to date -- and metal album of the year!

Pyrrhon - An excellent slave but a terrible master
Alongside Sweden's Ghamorean, these New Yorkers confirmed my theory that of the six million or so technical death metal bands doing the rounds there must be at least one that can actually write decent tunes. I haven't heard the likes of this since the Gorguts days. Mental shit indeed!

Ghamorean - Terra firma
Off-kilter, technical blackened death played with unwavering passion. It's not often that the two go hand-in-hand but Ghamorean have it nailed on "Terra firma"..

Unholy - From the shadows
This was so ahead of its time back in '93 that most people just didn't understand it. Finnish doom of the most unsettling order played with seven-string guitars long before they were hijacked by nu-metallers and, in later years, djent-freaks. Re-released in 2011 by Peaceville.

Manilla Road - Playground of the damned
Old dudes of metal do it with absolute style. Retro doom is order of the day on this, their fifteenth album. Have you heard of them before? Probably not. Should you check out this album? Damn right! You do need to give the production time to bed in but once it does...

Ulcerate - The destroyers of all
Another technical death metal album of the askew variety, this time from New Zealand. I suppose this could be classed as post-metal with actual metal in it. If Isis was possessed by Pazuzu.

Unholy - The second ring of power
Another Peaceville reissue. The follow-up to "From the shadows" is a different beast than its predecessor but the atmosphere is just oozing out of it. Another one that suffered at the hands of its own inventiveness, this time back in 1994. Essential!

Burzum - Fallen
Regardless of the man's politics Varg knows how to write great black metal. The fact that this stuff -- like "Belus" -- is a sonic continuation of the "Filosofem" album makes listening to this an oddly nostalgic experience.

Septicflesh - The great mass
The Greeks have been getting better and better with the release of each album and this -- surprisingly -- bettered the hell out of "Communion". Beautiful and brutal rolled into one.

Opeth - Heritage
This is really only metal by association. Some loathe it for its lack of the heavy stuff. I totally know where they're coming from. But this is still a killer album.

Laura Studarus

A list -- wherein I avoid mentioning my continuing obsession with söder tea. (But seriously Sweden, can you just start exporting the stuff already?)

1. Acid House Kings: Music sounds better with you -- Not just one of my favorite Scandinavian albums of the year, but one of my favorite albums of the year. Period. The perfect pop balance of ennui and joy -- i.e. what my diary would sound like when set to music in a perfect world.

2. Trentemøller live in Los Angeles at the Henry Fonda: Badass.

3. Pallers: The sea of memories -- I didn't realize how obsessed I was with this electro/ambient/pop album until I couldn't stop listening to it. Popping it on in the morning, soundtracking my walk through the darkened streets off LA (okay that only happened once), falling asleep to their unique, sun-streaked sorrow -- it's never enough, is it? Sneaky stuff.

4. Niki and the Dove: Somewhere deep in the heart of Stockholm, a big-voiced singer turned to an electronics wizard and said, "Let's make music that combines the slick production of 1980s Madonna with the darkness of Fever Ray." The much-hyped duo has put out several EPs this year. Seeing as how my name is not Sophie, and I hate to choose, I request you listen to them all. (I'm also giving them a journalistic gold star for being among some of the most charming interview subjects I've ever had the pleasure of speaking with.)

5. I Break Horses: Hearts -- Heartfelt shoegazy bliss. Sofia Coppola, please take note.

6. Amanda Mair: "House"/"Doubt" -- At sixteen Mair is a near-music genius. At sixteen I was....er...sorry, self-preservation prevents me from completing that sentence. (An extra gold star for production by Philip Ekström of The Mary Onettes.)

7. Det Vackra Livet: Det Vackra Livet - I'm not a Labrador Records publicist. Nor do I speak Swedish. But I totally "get" this, and I suspect if you're a child of the 80s you might too.

8. Sóley: We sink -- How does an album of sparse guitar and piano compositions sound so beautifully creepy? And why can't I stop listening to it?

9. Korallreven: "As young as yesterday" (ft. Victoria Bergsman) -- The best track on an already fantastic album. Victoria Bergsman takes everything to the next level. Dreamy!

10. Sin Fang: Summer echos -- While I reject the comparisons to Beck (I mean, really?), I love that Sindri Már Sigfússon has turned folk into something sprawling and completely unpredictable.

Ghost announce North American tour

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:03:25 -0800

It has been revealed that Ghost will finally be coming over to the US/Canada for a short tour in 2012 alongside fellow occult rockers Blood Ceremony and Ancient VVisdom. Dates!

01/18 - Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
01/19 - Rock'n'Roll Hotel, Washington D.C.
01/20 - Middle East Downstairs, Boston, MA
01/21 - Corona Theatre, Montreal, QC
01/22 - The Mod Club, Toronto, ON
01/24 - Bottom Lounge, Chicago, IL
01/25 - Station Four, St. Paul, MN
01/27 - Marquis Theatre, Denver, CO
01/28 - The Vertigo, Salt Lake City, UT
01/30 - El Corazon, Seattle, WA
01/31 - Hawthorne Theatre, Portland, OR
02/01 - Bottom Of The Hill, San Francisco, CA
02/02 - The Roxy Theatre, Los Angeles, CA

Niels Nielsen vs. Ghost

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:16:56 -0700

Niels Nielsen is currently in the studio producing Ghost for what I assume will end up being the band's sophomore album: http://nielsnielsen.net/site/2011/10/26/rec-2/

In Flames fall tour

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 19:55:30 -0700

Looks like In Flames will be heading out on a big European tour this fall and will be bringing along fellow Swedes Ghost and Norwegians Insense for a number of dates.

Ghost cancel US tour

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:07:22 -0700

Ghost has been forced to drop off the upcoming Enslaved/Alcest tour due to visa issues: https://www.facebook.com/thebandghost/posts/272013509484119
That's a bummer -- I was really looking forward to seeing them up here in both Portland and Seattle.

Ghost - Live video

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:53:21 -0700

Nice to see some high-quality live footage of Ghost instead of the usual mediocre crowd-sourced stuff. Really looking to seeing them on tour with Enslaved in October.

Ghost, Enslaved tour

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:19:11 -0700

Holy shit, a package metal tour where I actually want to see every band: Ghost, Enslaved and Alcest will be touring North America starting in late September:

09/23 - Jaxx, Springfield, VA
09/24 - Mr. Small's Theatre, Millvale, PA
09/25 - Gramercy Theatre, New York, NY
09/26 - The Middle East, Cambridge, MA
09/28 - Impérial, Quebec City, QC
09/29 - Café Campus, Montreal, QC
09/30 - Opera House, Toronto, ON
10/01 - Outland Live, Columbus, OH
10/02 - Bottom Lounge, Chicago, IL
10/03 - Station 4, St. Paul, MN
10/05 - WECC, Winnipeg, MB
10/06 - The Exchange, Regina, SK
10/07 - The Starlite Room, Edmonton, AB
10/08 - Dickens, Calgary, AB
10/10 - Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, BC
10/11 - El Corazon, Seattle, WA
10/12 - Hawthorne Theatre, Portland, OR
10/13 - Slim's, San Francisco, CA
10/14 - The Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA

Horisont sign with Rise Above

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:32:02 -0700

Swedish retro rockers Horisont has recently been picked up by UK label Rise Above Records, making them labelmates with hyped act Ghost, among others.

Hole in the Sky going out with a bang

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 18:20:07 -0700

Nö Music reports that the 2011 edition of Norway's renown metal fest Hole in the Sky will be its last and it appears they've put together a suitable lineup for a send-off: http://www.nomusicmedia.com/2011/04/08/the-last-supper-hole-in-the-sky-closing-its-doors-in-2011/
Immortal, Satyricon, Enslaved and Mayhem? Holy shit! Not to mention Godflesh, Ghost, etc.

Ghost live in NYC

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:23:34 -0700

Swedish metal hype Ghost will be making their NYC debut on June 1 at Webster Hall.

Ghost Opus eponymous Rise Above

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 12:42:15 -0800

First off, with a cover like this, who could not want to check this band out? A less-than-subtle wink toward the "Salem's Lot" movie poster that works wonderfully in the context of the band, it's this initial reference point that finds me eager to hear what Ghost sound like. As far as the music goes -- what an unexpected (and welcome) style! Ghost sound more like 1970s New York than 2010s Stockholm. Describing this in terms of labels is probably best done by calling it classic black or black prog, as Ghost offer a sound that's synonymous with that of classic rock genres from days gone by. They've often been compared to Blue Öyster Cult and they do, indeed, convey that style throughout "Opus eponymous". But there's more of an edge to Ghost's sound, a heavier output that's more in tune with Sabbath or Led Zep. Where the black fits into all this is in the subject matter, with a distinctly satanic outlook prevailing throughout the recording. Production-wise, this could have benefitted from a bit more punch, as the recording is a tad flat, particularly on the guitars. But the highs most certainly outweigh the lows on here, and Ghost have undoubtedly released one of the most original albums within the realm of metal in a long time.

Manifest 2011 winners

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 11:16:04 -0800

Here are the winners of this year's Manifest Awards, Sweden's alternative/indie Grammy:

Pop: Anna von Hausswolff - Singing from the grave
Dance: Cloud - Hökarängen Space Program
Synth: Code 64 - Trialogue
Hardrock: Ghost - Opus eponymous
Danceband: Shake - Request vol 1
Rythym: Million Stylez - Everyday
Jazz: Lekverk - Everyday
Punk: Antipati - Frågor som rör det allmänna
Hip-Hop: Zacke - Visst är det vackert
Best live: Robyn
Unsigned: Katakomb
Rock: The Bear Quartet - Monty Python
Folk/Visa: OK Star Orchestra - Sound classique
Experimental: New Tango Orquesta - Vesper
Singer/Songwriter: The Tallest Man On Earth - Wild hunt
Best lyricist: Johan T Karlsson (Familjen)
Best composer: Britta Persson

More here: http://www.manifestgalan.se/

Decibel interviews Ghost, more

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:07:22 -0800

Adrien Begrand has published his entire unedited Ghost interview from the recent Decibel for online reading: http://abegrand.pitas.com/
In other Ghost-related news, this is quite entertaining: http://wp.me/p19mQC-72

Manifest 2011 nominees are go

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 12:01:37 -0800

The nominees for the 2011 Manifest Awards, Sweden's indie/alternative Grammy, have been announced:

Pop:
Anna von Hausswolff - Singing from the grave (Kning Disk/Playground)
jj - jj No 3 (Sincerely Yours)
CEO - White Magic (Sincerely Yours)
Nicolas Makelberge - The Unforgettable Planet (Emotion)

Dance:
Cloud - Hökarängen Space Program (Hökarängen Space Program)
Dmitry Fyodorov - Shapeless (Adrian Recordings)
Jarl & Fotmeijer - Lifesigns (Innertrax)
Skudge - Samlad produktion (Skudge Records)

Synth:
Code 64 - Trialogue (Progress Productions)
Cryo - Hidden Aggression (Progress Productions)
Page - Nu (BAM / Cosmos Music Group)
Social Ambitions - Almost gone (Electric Fantastic Sound)

Hardrock/Metal:
Ghost - Opus Eponymous (Rise Above)
Watain - Lawless Darkness (Season of Mist)
Khoma - A final storm (Selective notes)
Dark Tranquility - We are the void (Century Media)

Rhythm:
Haci Tekbilek - Türlü (Country & Eastern)
Helt Off - Marknadens Soldat (Pope Records)
Million Stylez - Everyday (Adonai Music)
Serengeti - Standing Steady (Illegyal Records)

Jazz:
Elin Larsson Group - Live and Alive (Playing With Music)
Lekverk - Everyday (Parallell)
NEO (Nässjö Extreme Orchestra) - NEO (Johannes Nästejö - LIV Produktion)
The Country - The Country (Found You Recordings)

Punk/Hardcore
Antipati - Frågor som rör det allmänna (Kjell Hell Records)
Hårda Tider - Gatan Kallar (Hårda Skivor)
Old Fashioned Ideas - We're in this shit together (Old Fashioned Ideas)
The Baboon Show - Punk Rock harbour (National)

Hip-Hop:
Academics - Tare Lugnt 4 (Random Bastards)
Carlito - Guldburen (Redline Records)
PH3 - Löser ett fall (Pope Records)
Zacke - Visst är det vackert (BD Pop)

Rock:
Bad Hands - Take The Money And Run (NONS Records/3NO Music AB)
Dundertåget - Dom feta åren är förbi (Razzia)
Pascal - Orkanen närmar sig (Novoton/3NO Music AB)
The Bear Quartet - Monty Python (Adrian Recordings)

Folk/Visa:
Anders Svensson, Magnus Gustafsson, Susanne Gustafsson, Anders Löfberg, Jörgen Svensson - Bålgetingen, Låtar efter August Strömberg (Giga Folkmusik)
Mats Edén, Daniel Sandén-Warg, Leif Stinnerbom, Magnus Stinnerbom - Anno 2010 (Giga Folkmusik)
OK Star Orchestra - Sound Classique (Dreamboat Music)
Ola Magnell - Rolös (National)

Experimental:
Ombudsman - And His Father Was A Great Machine (Substream/Mareld)
Erik Enocksson - Man tänker sitt (Kning Disk)
Leif Jordansson - The Comet / The Doll Maker (Brus & Knaster)
New Tango Orquesta - Vesper (HOOB Records)

Singer/Songwriter:
I'm Kingfisher - Arctic (Playground)
Daniel Norgren - Horrifying Death Eating Blood Spider (Superpuma Records)
The Tarantula Waltz - Did Not Leave To Find But To Forget, To Leave Behind (Brus & Knaster)
The Tallest Man On Earth - Wild Hunt (Gravitation)

Best live act:
Anna Von Hausswolff
The Tallest Man On Earth
Masshysteri
Robyn

Best unsigned act (in collaboration w/P3 Lab):
Alice B
Katakomb
Ascend
Broken Boys

Winners will be announced at a ceremony on February 4 at Nalen in Stockholm. More info: http://www.manifestgalan.se/

2011 Swedish Grammis

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:42:38 -0800

Here's the nominees for the 2011 Swedish Grammis:

Best album:
Håkan Hellström - 2 Steg Från Paradise
Oskar Linnros - Vilja Bli
Robyn - Body Talk
Säkert! - Facit
The Radio Dept. - Clinging To a Scheme

Best artist:
Håkan Hellström
Johnossi
Oskar Linnros
Petter
Robyn

Best song:
Anna Bergendahl - This Is My Life
Daniel Adams-Ray - Gubben I Lådan
Eric Saade - Manboy
Erik Grönwall - Higher
Johnossi - What's The Point
Mohombi - Bumpy Ride
Oskar Linnros - Från Och Med Du
Robyn - Dancing On my Own
Salem Al Fakir - Keep On Walking
Swedish House Mafia – One

Best group:
Dungen - Skit I Allt
Hästpojken - Från Där Jag Ropar
Johnossi - Mavericks
Kent - En Plats I Solen
The Radio Dept. - Clinging To A Scheme

Best folk/visa:
Blandade Artister - Sonja Åkesson Tolkad Av
First Aid Kit - The Big Black & The Blue
Jonas Knutsson - Blåslåtar
Ola Magnell - Rolös
Toni Holgersson - Ibland Kallar Jag Det Kärlek

Best hardrock/metal:
Ghost - Opus Eponymous
Khoma - A Final Storm
Pascal - Orkanen Närmar Sig
Sabaton - Coat Of Arms
Watain - Lawless Darkness

Best jazz:
Dan Berglunds Tonbruket - Tonbruket
Goran Kajfes - X/Y
Magnus Carlson & The Moon Ray Quintet - Echoes
Oddjob - Clint
Peter Asplund Quartet - Asplund Meets Bernstein

Best songwriter:
Annika Norlin & Henrik Oja - Facit
Håkan Hellström - 2 Steg Från Paradise
Klas Åhlund & Robyn - Body Talk
Oskar Linnros - Vilja Bli
Pernilla Andersson - Ö

Best female artist:
Anna Von Hausswolff - Singing FromThe Grave
Britta Persson - Current Affair Medium Rare
Pernilla Andersson - Ö
Robyn - Body Talk
Säkert! - Facit

Best male artist:
Daniel Adams-Ray - Svart Vitt Och Allt Däremellan
Håkan Hellström - 2 Steg Från Paradise
Oskar Linnros - Vilja Bli
Salem Al Fakir - Ignore This
The Tallest Man On Earth - The Wild Hunt

Best newcomer:
Anna Von Hausswolff - Singing From The Grave
Ceo - White Magic
First Aid Kit - The Big Black & The Blue
Oskar Linnros - Vilja Bli
Swedish House Mafia - Until One

Best producer:
Adrian Lux
Joakim Åhlund & Håkan Hellström
Klas Åhlund
Max Martin
Red One

Best international success:
Dungen
Max Martin
Red One
Robyn
Swedish House Mafia

Best lyrics:
Annika Norlin - Facit
Håkan Hellström - 2 Steg Från Paradise
Ola Magnell - Rolös
Oskar Linnros - Vilja Bli
Plura Jonsson - Kärlekens Väg - En Mässa

Best urban/dance:
Boeoes Kaelstigen - Tanum Teleport
Familjen - Mänskligheten
Petter - En Räddare I Nöden
PH3 - PH3 Löser Ett Fall
Swedish House Mafia - Until One

Best Innovator:
Johnossi
Robyn
Nomy
Magnus Weideskog
Iamamiwhoami

Winners will be announced at a ceremony at Kungliga Operan in Stockholm on January 17.

PopMatters reviews Ghost

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 19:07:33 -0800

PopMatters approves of Ghost's "Opus eponymous": http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/132786-ghost-opus-eponymous/

Burning Ambulance reviews Ghost

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:43:58 -0800

Burning Ambulance reviews Swedish metal hype Ghost, comparing them to Blue Öyster Cult, a point of reference that works surprisingly well: http://burningambulance.com/2010/11/24/ghost/

MP3: Ghost - Ritual

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:53:05 -0700

Behold! The latest underground metal hype! Shame that the vocals are so feeble because the music is pure Mercyful Fate-worship awesomeness. And I'm sorry, but the Satanic Grimace-priest outfit pales in comparison to the horror conjured by The Curator. I mean, they're still a decent band and I really do love the tracks that feature prominent organ playing, but that singer is pathetic. No balls whatsoever. At least they smarty eschew all band member names and faces so they could quietly replace him very, very easily.

Live Evil mix 2010

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:28:49 -0700

Live Evil is the underground metal festival happening in London this weekend featuring bands who have all had the honor of being selected as one of Fenriz's bands of the week. Like many folks, I am unable to attend, but lucky for us someone put together a mix with tracks from every act: http://afistinthefaceofgod.blogspot.com/2010/10/fist-in-face-of-god-presents-live-evil.html
Quite a few Scandinavian names worth noting there, including Sonic Ritual, Deathhammer, Obliteration, Hooded Menace, Nekromantheon, Ghost...

Ghost signs with Rise Above, will also release 7" with Iron Pegasus

Wed, 19 May 2010 13:14:06 -0700

Swedish retro metal act Ghost has officially signed with UK label Rise Above Ltd for the release of their debut album this coming fall. The band has also contracted with Iron Pegasus Records out of Germany for a 7" single featuring the track "Elizabeth" which sounds a lot like Mercyful Fate, as you can hear at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thebandghost