IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

Illegal by Choice: A benefit record for hidden refugees

Fri, 20 May 2011 13:03:34 -0700

De:Nihil Records has confirmed that the upcoming "Illegal By Choice" benefit comp that they are doing for Punk Illegal/No One is Illegal (as hinted at here) will feature previously unreleased tracks from Swedish hardcore acts Victims, Kvoteringen, Meanwhile and Asta Kask plus Euro mainlanders Demenzia Kolektiva (AUS) and Alert! Alert! (POL). I'm not sure of the pressing details, but it's already been sent to the plant and should be ready by the next Punk Illegal fest in Munkedal, Sweden on June 24-25. More info: http://denihilrecords.blogspot.com/2011/05/illegal-by-choice-benefit-record-for.html

MyFriends: Saturnalia Temple, Count Raven, Magnus Pelander, First Love, Last Rites, Underacheiver

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 19:38:33 -0700

If this is the future of music, then stick a fork in me. I'm content with being old and boring and listening to boring old music made by other old boring people.

Saturnalia Temple

SOUNDS LIKE: There's so many killer reissues coming out nowadays it's almost not worth bothering with modern music. Yet, still I do because there's bands like this embracing old styles (in this case, kvlt doom) in fresh new ways.
HIGHLIGHT: Dreaming out of death, Babylon gnosis, Mount Meru is tall
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/saturnaliatemple

Count Raven

SOUNDS LIKE: Hell yeah, sounds like "No rest for the wicked"-era Ozzy without the Zakk Wylde flash, but all of the heaviness. The music of my youth remains the music I love best.
HIGHLIGHT: Poltergeist
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/countraventheband

Magnus Pelander

SOUNDS LIKE: You want old man rock'n'roll, you won't get much better than Witchcraft frontman Magnus Pelander playing solo. Stripped of his backing band's bombast, what's left is nothing but killer occult-minded folk.
HIGHLIGHTS: Every track is great; it's amazing this dude doesn't have a label yet
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/magnuspelander

First Love, Last Rites

SOUNDS LIKE: I'm not only into classic rock and metal, I can get down with some classic indie stylings too, 1990s style.
HIGHLIGHTS: Slow wind
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/fllr

Underacheiver

SOUNDS LIKE: Ex-members from Yvonne, Meanwhile and At the Gates doing heavy noiserock? You know I'm all about it. Big ups to Patrik Wirén for the tip.
HIGHLIGHTS: Solid the whole way through
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/underachieverofficial

MP3: Disco Volante - It's your funeral

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:05:55 -0800

This is the band that won the Manifest award for best punk/hardcore act? Really? Over Disfear, Nitad and Meanwhile? I think they're a decent band, but c'mon -- those Disfear and Nitad records are serious ragers, the latter especially. Meanwhile is a bit too by-the-books dis-core for my tastes, but that's beside the point. Disco Volante should've been way outmatched. Listen to the first minute of "It's your funeral" and tell me that doesn't sound like The Hellacopters. Another great band to be sure, but come on! Even though they pick it up for the rest of the track, it's lacking the roughness I expect from punk. I don't know; usually the Manifest is fairly right-on in their picks, but I think they might have blown it with this one.

Manifest nominees are go

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:39:27 -0800

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

Synth:
Thermostatic - Humanizer (Wonderland Records)
Zeigeist - The Jade Motel (Spegel/Imperial Recordings/Playground)
Moonlight Cove - Orphans of the Storm (Kinetophone/Hot Stuff)
Elegant Machinery - A soft exchange (Out of Line/Hot Stuff)
Rhythm:
Movits - Äppelknyckarjazz (BD Pop/Universal)
Erici - Brasilicum (Erici Music/Dead Frog)
Saft Stockholm - Ordet (Saft Productions/Stockholm Electronica)
Kungers - Galaxen (Rätta Visan/Border)
Experimental:
Anders Dahl - Doorbells (Bombaxbombax)
Nina de Heyney, Charlotte Hug & Christian Jormin - Acoustic Electronic (LJ Records)
Pär Thörn - Schöneberg/Stammheim/Gärdet/Rågsved (Treffpunkt)
Anders Hultqvist - Traces (Chamber Sound)
Pop:
Frida Hyvönen - Silence Is Wild (Licking Fingers/Playground)
Hello Saferide - More modern short stories from... (Razzia/Bonnier Amigo)
Joel Alme - A Master Of Ceremonies (Sincerely Yours/Border)
Nordpolen - På Nordpolen (Sincerely Yours/Border)
Rock:
The Hellacopters - Head Off (Wild Kingdom/Sound Pollution)
Pascal - Galgberget (Novoton/Bonnier Amigo)
Fatboy - In My Bones (Fat State Production/Playground)
Manikins - Crocodiles (P.Trash Records)
Dance:
Pär Grindvik - Samlad årsproduktion (Stockholm LTD)
Anders Ilar - Sworn (Level Records 11)
Style of Eye - Duck cover and hold (Pieces of eight records)
Zoo Brazil - No Place Like Home (Gung Ho! Recordings)
Jazz:
Bobo Stenson Trio - Cantando (ECM/Naxos)
Nina Ramsby & Ludwig Berghe Trio - Du har blivit stor nu [En kamp!] (Moserobie/Bonnier Amigo)
e.s.t. - Leucocyte (ACT/Bonnier Amigo)
The Splendor - Sound of Splendor (HOOB/Border)
Punk/Hardcore:
Disco Volante - "We are forever" (Not enough)
Disfear - "Live the storm" (Relapse/Border)
Nitad - "Ibland kan man inte hindra sig själv" (Kranium)
Meanwhile - "Reality or nothing" (Feral Ward)
Hårdrock/Metal:
Burst - Lazarus Bird (Relapse/Border)
Dismember - Dismember (Regain/Sound Pollution)
Grand Magus - Iron Will (Rise above/Border)
Opeth - Watershed (Roadrunner/Bonnier Amigo)
Hip-hop/R'n'B/Soul:
Chords - Things We Do For Things (Juju/Playground)
Afasi & Filthy – Fläcken (P.o.p.e./Playground)
Masse - Gott & Blandat Vol. 2
Allyawan - Blu Duk Mixtape Vol. 2
Folk/Ballad:
Gunnel Mauritzson Band - Det som sker...(Sandkvie Records/CDA)
Maria Hörnelius, Bernt Andersson & Kjell Jansson - En sång för Kent (Eld Records/Border)
Jonas Knutsson & Johan Norberg - Skaren - Norrland III (Act/BAM)
Bjernulf/Björklund/Lindh – Pål Olles väg (Courage)
Singer/Songwriter:
Melpo Mene - Bring the Lions Out (Imperial Recordings/Playground)
Hyacinth House - Black Crows Country (True Music Production/Glitterhouse)
First Aid Kit - Drunken Trees (Rabid Records/Border)
Olle Nyman - Venture (A West Side Fabrication/Border)
Live:
Detektivbyrån (Danarkia)
The Hellacopters (Psychout Records)
Lykke Li (LL Recordings)
Robyn (Konichiwa Records)
Myspace prize for best unsigned act:
Montauk
Hero in action
Miranda Gjerstad
Sci-Fi Hands
John F Karlsson
Dyno
Tim Schmidt
Nottee
The Bellevues
Diskoteket

Go here for more: http://www.manifestgalan.se/

Thu, 08 May 2008 17:42:45 -0700

I didn't realize it until now, but Swedish punx Meanwhile have finally released their new album "Reality or nothing" via Feral Ward. Samples at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/meanwhilepunk

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:35:37 -0800

Swedish punks (and recent Manifest Awards champions) Wolfbrigade have a new website: http://www.wolfbrigade.se/
The band recently recorded seven new tracks for a new 12"/CD and will be heading out on the road for a lot of dates this year. Plans are still being worked out for Australia and Japan, but here's what they have so far:

03/01 - PunkPartaj 6.66, Sandviken (SWE) w/Meanwhile, Counterblast, Kongh, more
03/09 - Kafé 44, Stockholm (SWE) w/DSB, Sista Sekunden
03/13 - Ar D'arto, Coimbra (POR)
03/14 - Porto Rio, Porta (POR)
08/29 - Balkanika Core festival, Kranj (SLO) w/ENT, Mob 47, more
09/06 - Play Fast or Don't 5, Hradci Králové (CZ) w/Selfish, Massgrave, more

Thu, 16 Oct 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Musique One Stop is updated with new pics of José Gonzales, Ambulance, Meanwhile, and Bear Quartet.

Thu, 19 Dec 2002 00:00:00 -0800

Word on the street is that you Europeans dig ICQ over AIM and the like, so I went and got myself a number. It's over on the contact page. Go ahead and bother me at work, why doncha?

"I poured water over the microphone because I wanted to die. I didn't think, I just wanted to do something "on life and death"......"

Håkan Hellström tries to kill himself? Apparently so according to this article (in Swedish). Thanks to Zander for the scoop.

Looks like The Sounds are gonna get their chance to make it in America. James Iha (ex-Smashing Pumpkins) will be releasing their album on his label Scratchie Records in association with New Line. They'll also be making an appearance at the legendary Austin, TX South by Southwest Festival. Next big thing? My money's still on Caesars Palace aka The Caesars, but we'll see. The Sounds may be a bit easier on the eyes, though.

Speaking of South by Southwest, here's some of the other Scandinavian acts already confirmed: Bergman Rock aka Bob Hund, Madrugada, Children of Bodom, Meanwhile, The Teenage Idols, Sondre Lerche, RinneRadio, Pineforest Crunch and The Venue. For the full list, go here. It's already shaping up to be a bad-ass lineup, so make your travel plans now if you can.

Turbonegro are getting two of their old albums reissued with new bonus features. The album "Apocalypse Dudes" will have three added video tracks including "Get It On" and "Are You Ready For Some Darkness" plus a live version of "Age Of Pamparius". As for "Ass Cobra", that CD will now have the video for Denim Demon" on it. Look for 'em both on Epitaph Records in the US or Burning Heart in Europe. The band is also still hard at work on their comeback album now that they're reunited. Bassist Happy Tom promises it will be "most destructive party record you've ever heard!"

Millencolin and The Peepshows are gonna be doing a Scandinavian tour in 2003. Here's the dates:

March 13 Stockholm, Arenan
March 14 Skelefteå, Folkparken
March 21 Göteborg, Kåren
March 22 Lund, Mejeriet
March 23 Oslo, Rockefeller

The winners of the P5 Stockholm Badge awards have been announced. They include Kent for best band and best song ("Dom Andra"), Thåström for best male artist, Paola for best female artist, and The Giri Sound for best demo.

Listen to a recording of the Bad Taste Records fest online! Check out performances from the following acts: (requires Quicktime)

DankoJones
Langhorns
Last Days Of April
Logh

Misconduct will touring Europe with 25 Ta Life next June and July. Look here for dates as they are confirmed.

Remember when I said that the video for "Sister Surround" from The Soundtrack of Our Lives was being added to the MTV 120 Minutes playlist? Well, it hasn't happened quite yet, but the video does premiere on there this coming Sunday the 22nd. In the meantime, preview the video here: Real / Windows