Having remained fairly quiet since the release of their 2012 debut album “Epistolae Obscurorum Virorum”, RATTENFÄNGER, whose lineup is comprised of musicians from bands such as DRUDKH, BLOOD OF KINGU, HATE FOREST and DARK AGES, are hard at work rehearsing new material for their follow up, which will be released on Dark Essence Records on a date as yet to be confirmed.
Formed in Ukraine, RATTENFÄNGER’s lineup includes Thurios on guitars, Krechet on bass, Vlad on drums and keyboards, and Roman on guitars and vocals, and they hint that fans can expect the sophomore album, which will be recorded during the summer and autumn of this year, to be more ambient, but heavier and more aggressive than the debut.
The name RATTENFÄNGER is taken from the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin (Rattenfänger von Hameln), who was hired by the townsfolk of Hameln, Germany, to rid the town of the rats that had overrun it. Unfortunately he is deceived and cheated of his payment, and he exacts a dreadful revenge on the citizens.
Hot on the heels of their surprising children’s album, released on Karisma Records in late 2017, Norwegian Psychedelic Prog Folk Rockers TUSMØRKE are set to release “Fjernsyn i farver”, their sixth full length album, on the 4th May.
Never having been a band that is afraid of anyone, or anything, even the extremely complex, and rather baffling theories of existence, TUSMØRKE are happy to tackle any subject matter they perceive to be significant, and are quite prepared to wrestle their musical way through ideas that they barely comprehend. Which brings us to the somewhat mind-blowing concept on which “Fjernsyn i farver” is based.
Or maybe that should be “concepts” because “Fjernsyn i farver”, which translated means “Colour Television”, is loosely based on the two concepts of Light and Time and their relationship with reality. Or, as the band explains:
“Everything we see is a reflection made by light from the sun hitting an object. The reflected light is registered by our eyes, but the reflection is also sent out in all other possible directions, travelling at the speed of light. The unobstructed reflections would travel forever onwards into space, therefore, theoretically, if we could devise a means to move faster than light, we could overtake these reflections and view them again, seeing history backwards.
“The second idea is that light is invisible until it hits something and is reflected back, creating an image in colour which the human eye can see. So if there were no physical objects to reflect the light, there would be an eternal totality, a darkness of sorts, since light would not be seen”.
“Fjernsyn i farver”, which will be available in Dikipak, Digital Download, 12″ Vinyl and Limited Edition Purple Vinyl formats, is served up with TUSMØRKE’s brand of psychedelic prog folk, so that whilst the ideas may seem a little “out there”, the music is very accessible and, as always, interesting.
With artwork by Linn Solveig Halvorsrød and design by Tom Korsvold., tracklisting on the album us as follows:
Fjernsyn i farver (Colour Television)
Kniven i kurven (The Knife in the Basket)
Borgerlig tussmørke (Civil Twilight)
3001
Death Czar
Tøyens hemmelighet (The Secret of Tøyen)
“Fjernsyn i farver” is now available to pre-order from the following:
Featuring members of WOBBLER, JORDSJØ and ALWANZATAR, TUSMØRKE’s lineup fields an almost dizzying variety of instruments, and is comprised of Benediktator on Bass, vocals, Glockenspiel and percussion, Krizla on Flute, vocals, electronics and percussion, The Phenomenon Marxo Solinas on Minimoog Model D, Korg CX3, William de Blaise on harpsichord, Steinway & Sons Grand Piano, Hohner Clavinet D6, Mellotron M400, Hammond C3, Wurlitzer 200 and Solina String Ensemble, and HlewagastiR on Drums and percussion.
In a surprise announcement today that will please fans of Kim Ljung of SEIGMEN and ZEROMANCER, not only did Karisma Records reveal that they would be releasing the sixth full-length album from Ljung ‘s LJUNGBLUT project, they have also released an exclusive new single which will not be available on the album.
Titled “Alt godt”, the single is a stripped down and melancholy song imbued with the characteristic Ljungblut sound. “Alt godt” is produced by Ljungblut, mixed by Terje Johannessen and mastered by Chris Sansom. With a cover photo by Julia Beyer and band photos by Christian Roth Christensen, “Alt godt” is available from the 12th February from all digital streaming and download services. It can be heard at http://phonofile.link/ljungblut-alt-godt
Formed by Ljung in 2005 in Tønsberg, Norway, as a vehicle for songs that he felt didn’t fit in with either SEIGMEN or ZEROMANCER, LJUNGBLUT became a fully fledged band in 2011 with the addition of full-time members, some of whom had collaborated on LJUNGBLUT’s first two albums. Joining Ljung (keys and vocals) are Dan Heide on guitars, Ted Skogmann on drums , Joakim Brendsrød on keys , and Sindre Pedersen on bass.
With five independently released albums under their belts, LJUNGBLUT are set to release their much-awaited sixth full-length album, which will be titled “Villa Carlotta 5959”, on Karisma Records in the fall of 2018.
Regardless of whether they take place in an intimate club setting, or large festival arenas, TAAKE’s shows, like TAAKE’s albums, have, over the years, garnered high praise from fans and critics alike, and, with last year’s visa woes behind them, and all band members having received their delayed visas, the band will be bringing their ” Helnorsk Svartmetall ” to the US once again for a series of 17 dates in March and April of this year.
Supporting TAAKE on the tour will be Seattle’s KING DUDE. Routing for the tour, which includes one date in Canada, is as follows.
03/24 New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge
03/25 Boston, MA – Middle East
03/26 Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts
03/27 Baltimore, MD – Soundstage
03/28 Pittsburgh, PA – Rex Theater
03/29 Lexington, KY – Cosmic Charlie’s
03/30 Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge
03/31 Kansas City, MO – Riot Room
04/01 Denver, CO – Globe Hall
04/03 Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music (no King Dude)
04/05 Mesa, AZ – Club Red
04/06 San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick
04/07 Los Angeles, CA – 1720
04/08 Petaluma, CA – Phoenix Theater
04/09 Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theater
04/10 Seattle, WA – El Corazon
04/11 Vancouver, BC – Red Room
One of the most iconic bands on the Norwegian Black Metal scene, TAAKE’s seventh full-length album “Kong Vinter”, released on Dark Essence Records at the end of 2017, further cemented the reputation of its enigmatic founder and frontman, Hoest, as one of those rare artists who manage to keep alive the old Norwegian spirit of Black Metal, in what has nowadays become a multi faceted, and fractured, genre. And, not only does he succeed in keeping the original genre alive, he also manages to breathe fresh life into it, with the introduction of new, and sometimes surprising, elements into the band’s music, whilst at the same time ensuring that it never loses that icy, dangerous, edge.
With a live lineup of skilled, and highly experienced musicians, TAAKE is a force to be reckoned with on the live circuit. Hoest’s charismatic persona and powerful presence dominate the stage, and his high octane performances, combined with an extensive back catalogue from which to draw the band’s set, means that TAAKE’s shows are not just unique, but also varied.
“Kong Vinter” and other TAAKE releases and merchandise are available from all the usual retailers as well as from the folllowing:
It’s been well over two months since The 3rd ATTEMPT promised that the second instalment of their track-by-track concept video would appear within days of the December release on Dark Essence Records of their second full-length album “Egocidal Path”. The two-part video was intended to give a very personal insight into frontman and lyricist Ødemark’s emotionally charged, and highly personal lyrics, with the first part describing the first four tracks on the album, and the second highlighting the last four tracks.
Unfortunately, a series of problems and mishaps caused the second part to be delayed until now, because, as Ødemark explains, “Everything went fucking wrong. It really did. Every single step of the creation of this two-part video was hit by either technical issues, a computer breakdown, lack of time, and of course, the inevitable noob mistake. It could be said that the whole process was a series of disasters, but perhaps that’s why I couldn’t be more proud of the final outcome.
“This has been my first video creation ever, I had a vision and the motivation, and in order to make it happen I began learning all the technical stuff there is to learn about every aspect of video making (animation, recording, lights, editing, post production, encoding etc.) Add to this the fact that I had 0 Budget, so all the costs came from my already empty pocket. But anyway, if there is no money, it has to be replaced by ingenuity and knowledge, and I wouldn’t let anybody interfere with it or give me a hand. I was set on proving I could do it all myself – and I did!”.
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The 3rd ATTEMPT was formed by former CARPATHIAN FOREST guitarists Tchort (GREEN CARNATION) and BloodPervertor (OPUS FORGOTTEN) and, aside from Ødemark on vocals, the band’s lineup is completed by Tybalt (FORTID, DEN SAAKALDTE) on drums. “Egocidal Path” is the follow up to the band’s 2015 debut album “Born in Thorns”, and, with it, according to Tchort, the 3rd ATTEMPT took a ” huge leap towards the true sound and identity of the band. While our debut album “Born in Thorns” represented the CARPATHIAN FOREST era of our song writing, “Egocidal Path” is a newly written album that is more aggressive, tighter, and in-your-face. It also showcases the fantastic drumming skills of Tybalt (FORTID, DEN SAAKALDTE) and the vocal range and creativity of Ødemark”
Ødemark himself explains what he sought to achieve with the two concept videos: ” I wanted to give a visual context to our music, and, at the same time, give as much of an insight into the thinking behind the lyrics without it being a written explanation that nobody bothers to read anyway. This lead me to creating what you are now seeing. Yes, I do give a general idea of what each song is about, but I don’t set out to explain the lyrics line by line, I want those who are interested to discover things for themselves.
“As regards the visual content, I decided to create a two completely different scenarios. With the first video, I wanted to convey the sense of chaos associated with the self-destructive lifestyle aspect of Black & Roll, and to do this I had to adopt a “0 tolerance for political correctness”. So if the mere sight of the naked human body or drugs offends you in any way, if you do not want to see the whole of what life involves without getting “offended”, well, this one is not for you. Life is, what life is, with or without your personal approval. With its hints at decadence and personal corrosion, the first video contains a lot more symbolism. The barbed wire and the pain is real though, and people can decide for themselves what it all means.
“For the second Video, I wanted something radically different, I didn’t want people to have to drink twice from the same cup. I needed to create a more realistic scenario as I wanted to depict depression, madness, confusion, mysticism, and make it more personal. I almost went too far with the cutting in the last scene, it all ended up with a pool of blood behind the scenes – too much adrenaline, jeeze!”
“Egocidal Path” is available in CD and Digital formats, with the vinyl version available soon from all the usual retailers as well as from the following:
A video, by Lukas Jaszak , for the track “I’ll Do It Now” from The 3RD ATTEMPTS album “Egocidal Path” can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/Ca0WwsIq0cs
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The newly re-edited version of Part I of the “Egocidal Path” concept video can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/ud3fME7cAN8
With the 23rd February set for the release of “Coming Come”, the new solo mini album from AIRBAG co-founder BJØRN RIIS, Karisma Records have today debuted the title track, about which Bjørn had this to say:
“Coming Home” was initially written and considered for my last full-length album “Forever Comes to an End”, which was released on Karisma Records in 2017, and we did, in fact, record the drums for it. However, there was something different about this song. It had a much darker atmosphere and I decided that I would save it for a mini-album that I’d been wanting to do for some time. “Coming Home” was something of a dare because I don’t consider myself a singer and it’s a really a stripped down song, but I’m very happy with it. I like the duality between the sombre and naked opening and the huge stadium-like ending. Henrik Fossum from AIRBAG plays drums, whilst I do the vocals, guitars and keys”.
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As well as “Coming Home”, the five-track album includes a newly recorded semi-acoustic version of the title track from Bjørn ‘s 2014 debut album “Lullabies in a Car Crash”, and a duet with the Norwegian singer SICHELLE. With a front cover image from a collection titled “Sorrow” by the Norwegian photographer Kjetil Karlsen, who provided the much-lauded cover image for Bjorn’s second full-length album “Forever Comes to an End”, design and layout on “Coming Home” is by Asle Tostrup.
Tracklisting for “Coming Home” is as follows:
1. Daybreak 4:00
2. Coming Home 6:44
3. Drowning 6:14
4. Tonight’s the Night 3:16
5. Lullabies in a Car Crash (alternative version) 6:29
The BJØRN RIIS BAND will be playing two shows in the Netherlands in February to celebrate the release of the album. The first will take place on the 23rd at Boerderij in Zoetermeer, followed on the 24th with a show at the De Cacaofabriek in Helmond
A video by Kjetil Karlsen for the track Where Are You Now” from Bjørn Riis’s album ‘Forever Comes to an End’ can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/cuGTuNKKgso
It might have taken PLENTY three decades, including a long period of dormancy, to release a new album, but there is absolutely no doubting that PLENTY’s pedigree promises an album well-worth the wait.
Formed in 1986 from the remnants of the eccentric Liverpool-based Post-Punk ensemble A BETTER MOUSETRAP and the Art Rockers from Warrington, AFTER THE STRANGER, PLENTY would be the immediate predecessor to Tim Bowness’ NO-MAN band. With a sound that alternated between electro-pop anthems, poignant ballads and ambient experiments, and with a distinct nod towards contemporary artists such as THE BLUE NILE and PREFAB SPROUT, PLENTY found themselves positioned alongside icons such as DAVID BOWIE and PETER GABRIEL.
Three cassette releases appeared between 1987 and ’88, along with two live appearances the following year, as well as the obligatory lineup changes, until PLENTY called a temporary halt to proceedings in 1990, when band members found themselves involved with other projects, either musically or in their personal lives. It was a hiatus that was to last until 2016, when, between the spring of that year, and the summer of 2017, PLENTY’s most enduring lineup of Tim Bowness on vocals, Brian Hulse on guitars and keyboards, and David K Jones on bass, got together once more to re-record the band’s 1980 catalogue of 16 songs, along with one completely new one, in order to complete “It Could Be Home” – the album they had hoped to release three decades earlier.
Remaining faithful to both the spirit of the original recordings, and the era in which they were written, the band re-wrote some of the lyrics and streamlined some of the song arrangements in order to finally produce “It Could Be Home”. It is an album that showcases the origins of the styles that were subsequently to become the trademarks of Bowness and NO-MAN. Significantly, it also reveals a variety of shades to Bowness’ singing, as Jones’s powerful bass playing and Hulse’s inventive guitar parts and pulsating electronics, push his vocals into territories he has rarely explored since the 1980s.
Mixed and instrumentally augmented by Norwegian producer Jacob Holm-Lupo (WHITE WILLOW, THE OPIUM CARTEL), and mastered by THE PINEAPPLE THIEF’S Steve Kitch, the album also features contributions from former PLENTY guitarist Michael Bearpark, pianist Peter Chilvers (BRIAN ENO, KARL HYDE) and NO-MAN violinist Steve Bingham.
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With artwork by Carl Glover, tracklising on “It Could Be Home” is as follows:
As Tears Go By (Rolling Stones cover)
Hide
Never Needing
Broken Nights
Foolish Waking
Strange Gods
Every Stranger’s Voice
Climb
The Good Man
It could be Home
In an album that could be described as a re-discovered gem of the Art Pop genre, the cover of THE ROLLING STONES’ “As Tears Go By” is given a radical synth-heavy overhaul, “Hide” and “Climb” possess a driving Post-Punk energy, while pieces like “Foolish Waking” and “Strange Gods” anticipate the timeless atmospheric melancholy of Bowness’ music and the direction which it is taking. “The Good Man”, the band’s first new song in 27 years, provides a seamless link between PLENTY’s past and its present.
“It Could Be Home” is now available to pre-order in CD and Vinyl versions from the following (digital pre-order will be available soon):
Karisma Records have today revealed a Teaser Video for the upcoming mini album from AIRBAG co-founder, songwriter and lead guitarist BJORN RIIS. The video, which is as atmospheric and brooding as the album itself, can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/TWMPP2pjZ9g
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Titled “Coming Home”, the five-track album, which is set for release in MCD format on the 20th February, will include a newly recorded semi-acoustic version of the title track from Bjorn’s 2014 debut album “Lullabies in a Car Crash”, as well as a duet with the Norwegian singer SICHELLE.
With a front cover image from a collection titled “Sorrow” by the Norwegian photographer Kjetil Karlsen, who provided the much-lauded cover image for Bjorn’s second full-length album “Forever Comes to an End”, design and layout on “Coming Home” is by Asle Tostrup. Tracklisting is as follows:
1. Daybreak 4:00
2. Coming Home 6:44
3. Drowning 6:14
4. Tonight’s the Night 3:16
5. Lullabies in a Car Crash (alternative version) 6:29
Bjorn recently described how he felt about “Coming Home”, as well as explaining his decision to include the track “Lullabies in a Car Crash”:
“I’m really happy and proud of the vocals this time, and the duet with Sichelle on “Drowning” is very emotional. Lyrically, “Coming Home” deals with the fear and insecurity of being forgotten by the people around you. You imagine all these dramatic scenes and wonder if you’ll ever be missed if something really was to happen. “Lullabies” just fit right into the mood and theme of this album. It’s almost become a new song. It’s very honest and moving” . The track features AIRBAG and BJØRN RIIS BAND touring guitarist Ole Michael Bjørndal on lead guitar.
The BJØRN RIIS BAND will be playing two shows in the Netherlands in February to celebrate the release of the album. The first will take place on the 23rd at Boerderij in Zoetermeer, followed on the 24th with a show at the De Cacaofabriek in Helmond
A video by Kjetil Karlsen for the track Where Are You Now” from Bjørn Riis’s album ‘Forever Comes to an End’ can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/cuGTuNKKgso
Self-styled Futuristic Retro Rockers DOBBELTGJENGER have released a single from their upcoming album “Limbohead” ahead of its release. The single, “Tin Foil Hat”, which also happens to be the opening track from the album, is available to hear and download at
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Drawing their inspiration from everything from astronauts lost in space to old video games, Norway’s DOBBELTGJENGER was formed in the musical cradle that is Bergen in 2015. The band features an experienced and skilled lineup of musicians that include Sondre Veland (MAJOR PARKINSON, OSSICLES) on drums, Jakob Sønnesyn (DEPRESNO, 9 GRADER NORD) on bass, Vegard Wikne (OCEAN OF LOTION) on guitars and vocals, and Knut Martin Rasmussen Langeland on guitar.
Whilst the DOBBELTGJENGER ‘s 2016 debut album “When I’ve Gone to Space” was heavily influenced by progressive rock and elements of jazz and psychedelia, “Limbohead” represents a shift away from a narrow psychedelic expression towards a more eclectic sound. The end result is described by the band as a “punk-inspired, and more hands-on, record” replete with explosive stoner riffs and electric slide-guitars.
Lyrically, “Limbohead” recounts tales of deep-rooted neuroticism, a sort of colourful tapestry of an anxious reality, where doors are locked, in order to shut out the dangerous conspiracies of the world. But whilst the subject matter is serious, DOBBELTGJENGER are all about bringing back the groove and the fun to genres that sometimes take themselves a tad too seriously by using contagious grooves, a futuristic guitar sound, and soulful rock vocals that alternate between vulnerable falsettos, punkish screams and rhythmic narratives.
With artwork by Kristine Malde Lende, tracklisting for “Limbohead” is as follows:
With a genuine pride and belief in their Norse heritage, HELHEIM have spent over 25 years honing their craft, and making use of old Norse legends and traditional instruments to rise far above the plethora of bands that make up the genre, and who succeed in coming across as mere cartoon-like parodies of the real thing.
And the start of 2018 certainly finds HELHEIM’s lineup of V’gandr on bass and vocals, H’grimnir on guitar and vocals, Hrymr on drums and Noralf on guitars reaping the rewards of all their hard work and dedication to their craft, with two excellent pieces of news. Starting off with a nomination for the 2017 Spellemann Award (the Norwegian equivalent of the Grammy’s) in the Metal category for their ninth full-length album “landawarijaR” which was released on Dark Essence Records in January of last year.
The album, which was recorded at the Conclave and Earshot Studios in Bergen, and produced by Bjornar E. Nilsen (VULTURE INDUSTRIES, BLACK HOLE GENERATOR) and mastered by Herbrand Larsen (ENSLAVED), includes guest vocals from William Hut, Morten Egeland (NARROWHEAD), Pehr Skjoldhammer (ALFAHANNE), Bjornar E Nilsen and Ottorpedo. Through “landawarijaR’s” music and lyrics, as well as through the two accompanying videos, HELHEIM express the need to include the Norse Heritage into modern life by emphasising the importance, mystery and never-changing wonder of the Runes.
The second piece of news may not be new to HELHEIM’s US fans, but certainly their European fans will not know yet that a track from the band has been used in a high-profile CBS TV series, which has been snapped up by SKY for the UK market – with news still awaited regarding its appearance in other European and Scandinavian countries. The series, SEAL Team, stars DAVID BOREANAZ (Bones, Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and follows the exploits of an elite S.E.A.L. team. The track “Jormundgand”, from HELHEIM’s album of the same name, which was originally released in 2006 and re-released on Dark Essence Records in 2008, features in Episode 7. Titled “Borderlines” the track forms the music to a couple of (somewhat controversial) torture training scenes!
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The two videos directed by Guilherme Henriques, for the tracks”Baklengs mot intet” and “Ymr” from the album “landawarijaR” can be seen below on YouTube
PATRICIA THOMAS BAND MANAGEMENT 