I do believe that I can now confirm that Chalksounds has signed The End Will Be Kicks, the new band from guitarist/vocalist Niklas Quintana of Him Kerosene and Breach fame. The band also features drummer Tomas Turonen from both those acts and we can be sure to expect great things from them. The one demo track I've heard already of "Lucifer Over Luleå" is pretty great and definitely follows strongly in the classic Him Kerosene tradition of Norrland-flavored indierock that I love. More info soon.

And the Sound has let the cat out of the bag about the new Chalksounds signee KO, the new band from ex-Him Kerosene frontman and ex-Breach guitarist Niklas Quintana. Well, it turns out to not be completely true as the band doesn't have a name yet and they're still working out details for the contract. However, I did heard a rough mix of a track without vocals and I can confirm that the sound is more akin to earlier HK material in that it's faster and much more rockin' than their later stuff. That part is true and confirmed. Classic Norrland-style indie rock, so you know I'm diggin' it and can't wait to hear the album when it's done.

Was it just me, or did World Cafe not stream that TSOOL performance yesterday? Did I miss it? Anyone else record it?

Katatonia has put up a 45-second teaser of the new song "Evidence"on their homepage. As stated before, the new album "Viva Emptiness" comes out March 24.

The Hives won two categories at the recent NME awards: 'Best International Band' and 'Best Dressed'. The full list of winners is here.

Isolation Years will release the first single from the new album "It's Golden" on February 17. The track is called "Open Those Eyes" and I have no doubt it will be awesome. The album follows on March 14.

Madrugada is planning to release the song "Majesty" as the next single. It's already been doing quite well in the charts. The rumor is that they're doing an EP and it'll be out on March 5. No word on the b-sides at this time.

Read the transcript of MTVE.com's webchat with The Cardigans. There's actually some pretty good questions from the fans getting asked and answered.

Ulver reports that the "1993-2003: 1st Decade in the Machines" remix comp is now complete. Contributors include the band themselves, Alexander Rishaug, Information, Third Eye Foundation, Upland, Bogdan Raczynski, Martin Horntveth, Neotropic, Stars of the Lid, Fennesz, Pita, Jazzkammer, V/Vm, and Merzbow. It'll be out in March on Jester Records.

In other Ulver news, the band also has announced their next EP will be called "A Quick Fix of Melancholy". It will contain three tracks and over 30 minutes of music that they say will "reflect the title." Author Christian Bök provides the lyrics.

Flow Magazine has themselves an exclusive mp3 from Paragon. The track is called "När Gon Spottar" and was produced by Michel Rocwell. Look for it on the upcoming debut album "Stadsbarn".

This week's Swedish college radio chart (from Dagensskiva):

Leaving the chart:
(07) Turin Brakes "Pain Killer"
(10) Supergrass "Seen the Light"
(12) Ed Harcourt "All of Your Days Will Be Blessed"
(17) Dub Sweden "Walk Me Home"
(19) Paola "Interstellar Love"
(20) Her Majesty "I'm Fire C'mon!"

Big Bongo Records is doing a comp to be called Twenty Years Too Soon One Year Too Late - A Tribute To The Nomads" featuring contributions from Sewergrooves, The Hellacopters, Maryslim, bob hund, The Dictators, Entombed, Sons of Cyrus and Nitwitz. In case you are unaware, The Nomads are the forefathers of Swedish garage rock and two of the members now make up The Hellacopters' rhythm section. I don't have a release date, but it should be out soon.

Here's the top 20 Swedish albums of the week, as reported by Aftonbladet:

01. Kent - Vapen & ammunition
02. The Sounds - Living in America
03. v/a - Fame Factory volym 3 final 2002
04. Barbados - Rewind
05. Robyn - Don´t stop the music
06. A Teens - New arrival
07. Magnus Uggla - Klassiska mästerverk
08. Melody Club - Music machine
09. The Knife - Deep Cuts
10. Johannes Kotschy - And that's why I love you
11. Helen Sjöholm - Visor
12. Sophie Zelmani - Sing and dance
13. Mando Diao - Bring´em in
14. Thåström - På röda sten
15. Joybells gospel choir - Oh happy day - 14 gospel klassiker
16. Nicke & Nilla - Pannkakor med sylt
17. Christian Kjellvander - Songs from a two-room chapel
18. Eric Gadd - Life support
19. Håkan Hellström - Det är så jag säger det
20. v/a - Fame factory vol 2

Swedish singer/songwriter Sofia Loell has done a song to be featured in the upcoming Gwyneth Paltrow film "A View from the Top". Read more here. (in Swedish)

The new Lost Patrol record is scheduled to be out in May. For those that don't know, LP is the solo side project of Dennis Lyxzén from The (International) Noise Conspiracy. Among the various guests to appear on the album are singer/songwriter Lisa Miskovsky, David Sandström (The Facers, ex-Refused), Stefan Granberg (Randy), and Peder Stenberg (Bittersweet). Read more here. (in Swedish)

Nasum reports they have completed their new album "Helvete" which was recorded at the band's own Soundlab Studios by singer/guitarist Mieszko Talarczyk. The tracklisting:

01. Violation
02. Scoop
03. Living Next Door to Malice
04. Stormshield
05. Time to Discharge
06. Bullshit
07. Relics
08. We Curse You All
09. Doombringer
10. Just Another Hog
11. Drop Dead
12. I Hate People
13. Go!
14. The Final Sleep
15. Slaves to the Grind
16. Breach of Integrity
17. The Everlasting Shame
18. Your Words Alone
19. Preview of Hell
20. Illogic
21. Whip
22. Worst Case Scenario

I encoded Kristofer Åström's performance from the Crossing Borders fest (see 12/03) into mp3s. They sound pretty darn good, too. Check it out on the right.

Cult of Luna's new album "The Beyond" will be released February 10 on Earache Records. Fans of bands such as Breach or Neurosis should take note.

Opeth has an audio feature on the New York Times website. It requires you register before listening, but it's free and a good listen. Check it.

Listen to some mp3s from Philemon Arthur & the Dung, er "and the Vic", that were done using a Commodore 64 right here.

Lars Winnerbäck is working on a new album. The tentative tile is "Söndermarken" and it should be out March 3. He's also confirmed to do some touring around Scandinavia beginning late March and I do believe that tickets will be on sale soon.

The Finnish black metal/folk band Finntroll is in the process of recording a new EP for release in the spring next year. The music is apparently more "acoustic/experimental" and they describe one of the already-completed tracks as "a bit like what happens if you crossbreed Midgårds Söner, Bal-Sagoth and Danny Elfman's various works." They go on further to say that there are "some surprises coming up, maybe some Oi!-influences and more evil and more 'disturbed' stuff." As for the search to replace their departed vocalist Katla, they added:

Whatever happens concerning the studio, one thing is for sure: Katla will take care of every single lyric and song title on the album. We are trying some new fellows, and may actually have already decided who it will be, but I can't give any proper information until we all have agreed about it. Most likely Katla won't sing in the album, and thus we have two alternatives left: Either we find a suitable, non-compromising (no second-rate trolls approved!) brutal, trollish and evil vocalist.....or then we do the screeching and roaring by all of the members left. How we do that on stage then, is another and a very good question indeed. However, most likely a new vocalist will step in."

Dan Swanö will be holding a listening party and online chat for his band Nightingale on December 8 from 6 to 8pm Eastern Time. They will be playing the entire new album "Alive Again" along with various selections from Swanö's vast ouvere. To listen go to http://www.seismicradio.com/ and click the 'listen' tab. To join the chat, either click the 'chat' button on the site or log onto IRC using server irc.forestnet.org, port 6667, room #seismic.