Nordic Music Prize 2011
The 12 nominees for the 2nd annual Nordic Music Prize will be announced on December 1 with the winner being crowned on February 16 at Kulturkirken Jakob in oslo during by:Larm.
The 12 nominees for the 2nd annual Nordic Music Prize will be announced on December 1 with the winner being crowned on February 16 at Kulturkirken Jakob in oslo during by:Larm.
Motorpsycho and Ståle Storløkken perform live at the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway for Orgelfest, an epic night of improv jams based around the church's organ. Motorpsycho will be doing it again at Domkirke in oslo on November 28.
Preview a couple tracks from Simen Tangen off his upcoming album "Fall/1998", due out early 2012 via : http://www.oslogrammofon.com/
The upcoming Dark Times 7" debut is now confirmed for release on November 29 via and will be celebrated with a show at Last Train in oslo. Peep the cover art: http://www.sheepchaserecords.com/index/Sheep_Chase_Records.html
Renown oslo nightclub Elm Street will be closing its doors on December 31 after 21 years of existence. Backstreet Girls will be the last band on stage for the final New Year's Eve performance and will be playing their entire 1989 album "Party on Elm Street" in full.
Torgny Amdam, ex-vocalist for Norwegian hardcore act Amulet, has painted his skin black and reinvented himself as a mediocre electronic artist going under the name Torgny. Listen at SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/torgny
His debut release "oslo, 31. august EP" will be out on October 31.
Ulver will be releasing a live 2xDVD/Blu-ray album on November 28 featuring their performance from The Norwegian National Opera in oslo this past July. Full details, including set list and more: http://www.kscopemusic.com/ulver/thenorwegiannationalopera/
Invisible Oranges visits legendary oslo metal shop (and sometime label) Neseblod Records: http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2011/10/visiting-norway%e2%80%99s-neseblod-records/
oslo cassette label will soon be putting out their inaugural release, "At the Wörthersee Hotel" from lofi indie act The Uptights. Details: http://keepsecretrecords.net/shop/ksr01/
Free download/listen here: http://theuptights.bandcamp.com/
New shoegaze outta oslo from the band Dråpe off their upcoming self-titled EP, due out September 16 via .
A new video from Norwegian pop-punk act oslo Ess for the song "Hold deg våken".
Norwegian jazz bassist Harald Johnsen of the Tord Gustavsen Trio (among many other fine acts) has passed away after a long illness. There will be a funeral in oslo on Wednesday at Paulus Kirke.
In the short space of time that Oslo's Execration have been around they've managed to build a reputation as being one of Norway's heaviest bands. With their feet planted firmly on old-school death metal ground, they have nevertheless managed to create something of an enigmatic body of work in their second full length, "Odes of the occult". Right from the beginning -- and in various other sections of the album -- they give off a heavy stoner vibe that blends with their death metal overtones to perfection. It's an effortless combination that makes for one of the most interesting albums to come out of the country in years and, above all, it works. From the predominately mid-paced opener "Ode to obscurity", through the dronetastic "Intermezzo I" and "Intermezzo II", to the relentless blasting of "Grains", the band manages to cover all corners of the extreme metal spectrum in an utterly convincing manner. Slightly reminiscent of Autopsy in places, where "Odes of the occult" really shines is in its ability to create an overwhelming atmosphere throughout. The production is bang on the money; it's tight, but far from clinical; dirty, but far from sloppy. It ticks all the right boxes and it's an album that truly captures the essence of what the early death metal movement was all about.
- John Norby
Washington Post Express writer and friend-of-the-site Christopher Porter reflects on the music of Norway in light of last week's tragedy: http://www.expressnightout.com/content/2011/07/the-music-of-norway.php
I hope that everyone is okay! A good summary article on today's bomb explosion can be found here.