Electric Funeral - Make noise, not war

The title track from the new Electric Funeral 7" "Make Noise, not war" is now streaming at the Detonate Records myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/distortionparty

Ulver, live in Porto

Ulver will be travelling to Portugal to perform at Casa da Música on November 5 alongside industrial/Noise legends Throbbing Gristle. Click here for details.

Altaar cancel CMJ, plan 7"

Norwegian metal/Noise act Altaar has scuttled their plans to play CMJ, but on the flipside, they'll be recording a 7" in December.

White Willow demo downloads

Norwegian progressive rock act White Willow are still hard at work on their next album "Terminal twilight", but in the meantime they have posted a number of demos from their previous record "Signal to Noise" as a free download -- head over to their website to check it out: http://www.whitewillow.info/

Killl DVD preview

Norwegian spastic Noise/metal act Killl is finally preparing to release their long-awaited live DVD/CD and what you see above is a sample of what to expect. Best/worst live experience! Total ADD/seizure-inducing nightmare! Direct link: http://vimeo.com/14720501

Sirius playlist week #38

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

01. The Radio Dept. - The new improved hypocrisy
02. TALK 2
03. Slidin' Slim - Right wing blues
04. Faråker - Den sista fajten (via är på väg)
05. We Live in Trenches - Male damage
06. Kite - If there's an if in us
07. TALK 3
08. First Love, Last Rites - Slow wind
09. Tomas Halberstad - Add to all Noise
10. Last Days of April - America
11. TALK 4
12. C.Aarmé - Golden retriever
13. Far from Tellus - Norwegian fairytale mix
14. Bäddat för Trubbel - Kungen heter Jandek
15. Vidderna - Villfarelser
16. TALK 4
17. Rasmus Kellerman - The 24th
18. Mindy Misty - Inertia
19. Regulations - In the shadow of the mall
20. TALK 5
21. The Bear Quartet - Silent film

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

Traktor album in November

Swedish Noiserockers Traktor will release their new full-length "Early adopter" on November 1. 12" LP only plus download.

Friendly Noise #8

Issue #8 of Friendly Noise -- nothing directly music-related, but if you understand how much government can drive the culture (and are of voting age in Sweden), it's worth looking at: http://www.friendlyNoise.se/fzn/8

Suma to release split with Unearthly Trance

Swedish doom act Suma will be doing a new split 12"/CD with Unearthly Trance to coincide with the two groups' US tour together in October. Each band contributes a track to a side with guest vocals from the other band to make for a total collaborative experience -- read more/get tourdates at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/sumaNoise

Absolut Noise talks to BQ

Absolut Noise talks to Matti and Calle of The Bear Quartet about their forthcoming album "Monty Python" and also has a new mp3 for free download: http://absolutNoise.blogspot.com/2010/09/monty-python-interview.html

The Bear Quartet/The Skull Defekts
Millions 7"
Deleted Art/Adrian Recordings

The one track missing from the vinyl release of "89" gets a platter all its own, paired with a cover of the same by Göteborg Noiseniks The Skull Defekts and released on the imprint of Malmö-based Deleted Art. Though The Bear Quartet has toned down the antagonistic experimentalism that peaked with 2006's "Eternity now", the lyrical sentiment remains pure contempt, as is most often the case with latter-day BQ tracks featuring words penned by Mr. Mattias Alkberg. Needless to say, I love it, especially when they pair their anger with a refined, stripped-down postpunk approach as is on display here. As for the flip, The Skull Defekts don't remake the track as much as you might expect, though they do amplify the noise and aggression quotient, taking the sublime and turning it darkly sinister. Less subtle, to be sure, but no less effective. Not sure about the pressing numbers, but the glued jacket and heavy black dustsleeve make it a package worth possessing.
- Avi Roig

Sail a Whale - Love(the-dream)king (video)

Already released as a free download via the latest issue of Friendly Noise, Sail a Whale's new track "Love(the-dream)king" now has a video availabe via Sincerely Yours: http://www.sincerelyyours.se/yours0146.php

Friendly Noise #7

Issue #7 of Friendly Noise is now online: http://www.friendlyNoise.se/fzn/7
This issue is more than a webzine, it's also an audio compilation. Recommended!

MP3: EL-SD - Hille

I haven't been posting too many mp3s lately because there hasn't been too many releases that I'm really excited about. Of course I could keep on posting negative reviews of stuff I dislike, but that's extremely depressing, not to mention needlessly tedious. I still have to listen to the stuff, y'know? So what I'm going to do is what I've been doing (more or less) which is post more tracks from bands I've already talked up. I pretty much have only been listening to the same dozen-plus bands anyway, so it logically follows that my playlist here reflects that. Anyhow, EL-SD impressed me a lot with their side of their Axe split from a few months back and the group is now working on a full-length album. I've been lucky enough to receive a few preproduction samples and lucky for you, I've been given permission to share one. "Hille" doesn't differ much from the template on display in "Walking sideways"; they're still building walls of discordant Noiserock anchored by a heavy rhythm section, but oh man, do they have hooks too! I wouldn't think it possible with such weird vocals, but they pull it off exceptionally well. I guess you could say that weird = memorable in this case. I'm told the band is currently seeking label support and though I'm not optimistic for them, I'm eager to be proven wrong. Personally, I'd go DIY in the face of so few indie labels putting out actual indierock, but hey, like I said, I'm happy to be refuted on the subject. Don't let my negativity rub off on you. Spread the word/music.

EL-SD - Hille

Presenting: Korova Station

Swedish Noiserockers Korova Station (ex-Ellis the Vacuumchild, U.D.D.U.P., etc.) are streaming a whole bunch of new demo tracks at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/korovastation
If you dig heavy Swedish Noiserock like I do, you'll be way into this. Recommended!